How my old band broke major Australian political news

If you subscribe to the Wasp Summer newsletter, you would have read about how my old band, the Mime Set, broke up on tour. In November 2014, I was flown back to Australia for an unlikely reunion.

If you want to subscribe to the Wasp Summer newsletter, you’ll get more bizarre and hilarious stories like the one I’m about to tell you, plus playlists, downloads, special offers and tour news every fortnight.
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Australian literary journal Going Down Swinging received a grant for their One Night Wonders concert series and their editor Geoff Lemon asked Sean M Whelan and The Mime Set, my old band’s spoken word project, to reform for the final show of the series. You can read an article I wrote on the reformation here.

When I arrived, I played 5 Wasp Summer shows in 6 days, then after just two rehearsals, Sean M. Whelan and The Mime Set were into the poetry shows.

On the Friday, we played to a full house at the Mission to Seamen in Melbourne. Even in rehearsal, I hadn’t remembered how intense the band could be in full flight. It was a glorious show, recorded for posterity.

Saturday, we drove 8 hours to Australia’s capital, Canberra. Sadly, they’ve now taken down the world’s best road sign just outside of Yass. We checked into our 5 star hotel to find ourselves booked into three rooms… two bandmembers to a bed. Seeing my surprise, the receptionist said, “Maybe you love your band but you probably don’t “LOVE” them, right?” We got better rooms.

Sunday morning, I got gastroenteritis and a fever. We had a 4pm show in the hotel bar. I slept until the show and emerged, weak and sweating, at 3pm to find Clive Palmer, one of Australia’s most controversial politicians, taking meetings in the bar and watching our soundcheck. The show was hazy and psychedelic. The music sounded amazing, textured, electric. I was singing ‘Honey O’, an epic ballad, and threw my hand forward. As I opened my eyes, Clive Palmer was walking directly towards me. “Honey, I can’t, honey, honey I can’t feel you…” I sang. Our eyes slid awkwardly apart as he left the bar.

That’s poet Sean Whelan in the foreground and Clive Palmer in the back. After the show, I went back to bed to sweat out my fever in high thread-count sheets. During the post-show drinks, several of the band noticed Clive Palmer speaking with Jacquie Lambie, the Tasmanian Senator who very angrily and publicly split from Palmer’s party. They took a sneaky photo and posted it on social media. Next day, the photo was front page news in Australia. Our band broke the story of their meeting.

2 rehearsals, 2 shows, 16 hours driving, 1 national headline. We laughed all the way back to Melbourne.

Cheers,
Sam

Music that moved me in 2011- Part Two

Part 2 of my music of 2011.

Brian Campeau – Reinventing Myself from Mostly Winter Sometimes Spring
I heard Brian’s music for the first time this year. And fell hard for this track in particular. The Sydney-based Canadian is in possession of the most heavenly male voice since Jeff Buckley and the music on this track is somewhat akin to the pastoral folk of Fleet Foxes but with more emotionally pointed lyrical content. He plays with Elana Stone in The Rescue Ships – a fantastic pairing.

David Creese – When You Were A Man from When You Were A Man
David is, in my opinion, one of the finest lyricists in Australia, making delicate, minutely observed, dark and often darkly witty vignettes. From behind the drums, David fronted one of my all-time favourite Australian bands, The Dumb Earth. Late in 2010, he released a solo album under his own name and on it, David’s warm, vernacular voice and the exquisite musicians with whom he shares his songs created beautiful and, in places, devastating music.

 

Mute Swimmer – Song Against Itself from Mute Swimmer album
Guy’s my favourite songwriter in Berlin at the moment, and he’s got hard competition. During the year, I saw his live performances get more compelling and heard his minimalist folk become a revealing exploration/satire of the process of making music and performing. The songs are intelligent earworms, and he’s a lovely man.

Big Strong Brute – You Were Always Right from We Can Sleep Under Trees in the Morning
Paul played a Sofa Salon club show for me in Berlin and I played an awesome backyard show with him in Brisbane. Both times, I was absolutely taken at how, while you’re lulled by his conversational tone and the songs’ sparse melodic structures, his clever, yearning lyrics sneak up and belt you over the back of the head. This song, from BSB’s 2010 EP reminds me of 90’s RooART compilations. In a good way.

Hans Unstern – Tief Unter Der Elbe from Kratz Dich Raus
I don’t know much about Hans Unstern. I haven’t seen him live yet, but this song was one of the great Ohrwürmer of my 2011. I’ve been in the Hamburg river tunnel that goes deep under the Elbe and, while it was interesting in the same geeky way as the Rathaus Schöneberg Paternoster (see video below), it wasn’t quite as moving an experience as this lovely song always is.

Music that moved me in 2011, Part One

2011 has been an intense and revealing year personally and politically. Fulfilling my promise to myself, I finally made a solo record and toured Europe this year. Companions on my journey were the intense and revealing visions of women like PJ Harvey (on Let England Shake), Kate Bush’s many voices (on 50 Words for Snow) and Kimbra (Gold Ring from Vows).

But I’ll highlight some of the underground music I’ve been exposed to for the first time in 2011. All of it has given me grist and inspiration. Click on the artist name for their website and the song name for a place you can listen, download and/or buy.

Sailor Days – Species Counterpoint from Sailor Days
Biddy came and played a Sofa Salon in Berlin for me this year, performing with Ned Collette. I had the pleasure of singing Laura Jean‘s vocal parts on three songs. This record is meditative, creatively textured and absolutely beautiful to hear. Probably the underrated album of 2011 for my money and something I hear often on my mental radio.

Jenny Hval – blood fight from Viscera
Jenny, from Oslo, is one of the genuine live-and-breathe explorational musicians, whom I met in Melbourne when she was with Folding For Air/ipanic. On tour, Matty B and I saw her at the Operahuset playing an hypnotic piece she’d composed for a dance performance. She’s moved way beyond sensual experiments in pop to blisteringly original heartsong driven by her inventive guitar and keening voice.

El Madrigal – How Can I Miss You from Statistics
So many songs to choose from on this bitey roots rock record. This year, I had the great pleasure of sharing a stage with El Madrigal twice in Stockholm and seeing them again in Berlin. Ola Karlsson played and wrote with Brisbane’s country rock stalwarts The Gin Club and retains his musical soul, intellect and authenticity here. He’s got an incredible ear as a lyricist, musician and singer and has added two great, empathetic co-writers and musicians in  Eric Lindstrom & Tomas Sundin.

The Unthanks – the Testimony of Patience (from 2009)
This Northumberland folk group inhabit an out-of-time musical space, mining bedrock sounds and stories and bringing them up to us without a hint of dust, fust or the creak of age. The song link is a Guardian video. Their new album celebrates Robert Wyatt and Antony & The Johnsons.

The Gypsy Curse – Maydelle from Ten Years North
I spent a weirdly synchronous six weeks over Summer touring Northern Europe with Matty Barker from The Gypsy Curse in his solo guise as Water Music. Introduced online by Mark Steiner, we had both come a long way to be ready to play our music and were rewarded with kindness, time in twenty-two cities, incredible people, astonishing evenings and enough food for our souls to make what followed possible. What followed for him was getting married to the lovely Beth in New York, recording The Gyspy Curse album in a cabin in Sweden and a sabbatical in Texas. They’re playing in Australia now and Europe in 2012. You should really see them.

Wasp Summer Australian Tour 2011 – dates

Finally, I have all the dates for you! Thank you to all the bookers and friends who helped me swing this tour. It was weirdly easy to book. Maybe I’m exotic now? Well, it’s also been two years since I played in Australia and I’m hoping you’re curious to see what I’ve been up to since I’ve been away. I’ll admit to being nervous (you’re my home crowd after all) but I’m very excited.

October:
Tuesday 25, The Old Bar, FITZROY VIC 9:30pm with Jules Sheldon, Max Sheldrake and The Kilniks. Free.

Saturday 29, Pure Pop Records, ST KILDA VIC 5pm with The Tiger & Me, The Large Number 12’s. Free.

Sunday 30, The Palais, HEPBURN SPRINGS VIC 6pm supporting Steve Lane and The Autocrats for the finale of the Swiss Italian Fiesta. Free.

November:

Thursday 3, Proper Music Social at The Union Hotel, NEWTOWN NSW 8pm with Cj Shaw, Persian Love Cake and Patrick

Sunday 6, Happy Campers at Black Bear Lodge, THE VALLEY QLD 6pm with Ryan Toohey and Luke Peacock (Halfway)

Tuesday 8, The Retreat, BRUNSWICK VIC 8pm. Free.

Saturday 12, The Crown and Anchor, ADELAIDE SA 8:30pm with Cheer Advisory Council and more

Sunday 13, The Grace Emily, ADELAIDE SA 8:30pm with Soursop (Naomi from Gold Bloom) and Walter Marsh (Cesare)

Sunday 20, The Town Hall, NORTH MELBOURNE VIC 8pm. Free.

I’m on most of the social networks, doncha know?
Facebook | Soundcloud | Reverbnation | Songkick

For Love and Mayhem Tour 2011

Next week, I start out on a massive adventure. I’m on my first European tour with Matty Water Music, a funny and talented guy that I’ve never met, mostly going to places I’ve never been.

I am SO excited! I’ve given up my day job and I’m throwing myself on the talent and resourcefulness I possess to try and be a full-time musician. This is all I have ever wanted.

There has been an incredible amount of work since January to pull this tour together. We’re still confirming some new shows which makes me nervous and exhilarated together. I can’t WAIT!

The FOR LOVE AND MAYHEM TOUR 2011 wouldn’t be happening without the support, contacts and friendship of various folk including Mark Steiner, Ola Karlsson, Louise McVey, Eric Eckhart, Dora Schneider, Guy Dale and Dimi, Lisa and Sofy. Thank you also to Felipe Ubilla for the AWESOME poster.

Here’s the dates. Keep an eye out as there may be more to come:

May 26: Joe’s Bar, Berlin (DE)
May 27: Des Geiger’s Raetsel, Leipzig (DE)
May 28: Die Buchbar, Dresden (DE)
May 29: Musik Nonstop, Dresden (1:00-2:00) (DE)
May 29: Veränderbar, Dresden (DE)
June 2: Oslo (TBC) (NO)
June 3: Sofa Salon, Oslo (NO)
June 4: Musikkfest, Sound of Mu, Oslo (NO)
June 9: House Concert, Turku (FI)
June 10: House Concert, Tampere (FI)
June 11: House Concert, Helsinki (FI)
June 12: Bar Loose, Helsinki (FI)
June 15: Fairbar, Aarhus (DK)
June 16: Cafe Retro,Copenhagen (DK)
June 17: Southside Cavern, Stockholm (SWE)
June 18: House Concert, Stockholm (SWE)
June 21: Fete de la Musique, Berlin (DE)
June 29: Pop-In, Paris (FR)
July 1: Edinburgh (TBC) (UK)
July 2: 13th Note, Glasgow (UK)

I’ll be blogging our shenanigans via Facebook, Reverbnation, MySpace and this blog. Please invite any friends you have in towns along our tour and email berlinsofasalon [@] googlemail.com if you want to come to any of the house concerts, many which were organised through Couchsurfing.

Wish me luck.

Love,

Wasp Summer
waspsummer [@] gmail.com