LADY STRANGELOVE
by Kerry Loyson
Inspired by the works of Led Zeppelin, The Mars Volta, Chemical Brothers, The Music and Pink Floyd, South Australia’s Lady Strangelove have not only sprinkled their name in neon lights, but also that of Adelaide’s music scene. Up until now, we’ve claimed them as our own, but they could soon be calling a Japanese city their hometown.
“We’d like to move to Japan probably next year,” muses Azz, one of the four members of temporarily local Adelaide outfit Lady Strangelove. “We’d like to be a local band over there and see what it’s like. The Japanese just intrigue me. Their whole culture is so fast. It’s always trying to move forward and that’s all we’re trying to do with our music is try and move forward and find our next sound.”
Having toured with the likes of Wolfmother, Helmet, Wolf & Cub, Pivot, Cody Chesnutt, The Vasco Era, British India and Bob Log III, Lady Strangelove’s experimental style of psychedelic dance-rock has certainly made some head turns. And celebrated US act, The Black Keys, was one such interested party. Having supported the dynamic blues rock duo in June of this year, Lady Strangelove’s Azz admits that such an encounter was a particularly daunting one.
“We were so intimidated by those guys - just because we’re all such massive fans. I was actually more excited about seeing them play again than actually playing. I just think that they’re amazing!”
And what of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney of The Black Keys?
“They’re very welcoming people! We just went and caught up with them. We played the Melbourne and Adelaide shows and hung out with them and had dinner with them. They were really welcoming! They were really nice.”
Adopting valuable advice from the duo to “keep putting out music that you like”, ensuring that the fun is always involved in creation of one’s music, Lady Strangelove will certainly be fulfilling such advice on New Year’s Day 2009. Along with such acts as Jungle Brothers, Wolf & Cub, HMC, The Swiss and The Touch, to name but a few, 2009, it seems, will be brought in with some musical style at The Shores Ona New Year’s Day festival.
“Yeah we’re really excited. We haven’t really been smashing it out live as much at the moment, but we’ve just been putting a lot of effort into writing. I think we’re going to be having a little house party and get the decks out and DJ the night before, with a small party. Luckily I think we’re playing at six o’clock, so we’ve got some time to recover!”
With intentions to record two more EPs next year and potentially a full album towards the end of 2009, Lady Strangelove’s Azz seems to be, just for now, living for the moment and delighting in the benefits of summer.
“The best thing about summer is that it stays light - it’s really good. You get enough time to come home from work and actually enjoy the rest of the day!”
Lady Strangelove play The Shores Ona New Year’s Day on Thu Jan 1.

RAW ETHER
by Rob Lyon
The journey to here has been a challenging one for Raw Ether, but all the hard work is now done as it’s time to celebrate its release. Lead guitaristBenny Tamblyn from the band talks about the process of making the EP.
Is it a relief that this one has finally been knocked over? “Absolutely and it’s about time as well,” Benny admits. “It has taken a long time and the last EP we did, which was just a demo recording, was two-and-a-half years ago. We tried doing some recording with a friend of ours who was studying at SAE, who even had his own ProTools set up, and the problem was that you have all the time in the world but we never got around to using that time well.”
Do you think people would show more appreciation if they knew how much the recording process costs?
“It does cost a lot of money,” Benny agrees. “We were lucky that we had financial support from a number of sources, so we were lucky in that respect. We have plans to go back to the studio soon, so that’s something we’ll have to save up for. I don’t think people realise how much of an expense it is, especially when you’re selling the EP of five tracks for $10 and in this day and age you can download our EP from somewhere for free. To some people it seems like a lot to pay $10 for five songs but we have to try and make some of the money back somehow.”
How was the whole recording process?
“It was fairly straight-forward and as a band we have a knack of being able to kick things out on the first try. When we did our first recording it was all done live and we did everything in one take. This time we had to do things in a couple of takes but it was fun sitting back while everyone did their parts. When I did my guitar parts I was surprised as to how quickly I got them down and nailed them [on the] first or second shot.”
Is there anything you’d do differently when you go back to record the album?
“It would be nice to be able to spend some more time on it. Time is money, especially when it’s coming out of our pockets and we had to rush through things a lot. We did five tracks in two days and we were happy that we got five tracks out of it. Maybe we could have got more done in that time but two days seems the minimum for five tracks. It would be good to be able to go back and add some other dimensions to the songs and we were lucky that Matt [Williams] from Fat Trax added cello to one of the tracks. Adding some new age sounds would be cool to do, but we need more time to be able to do that.”
Raw Ether’s self-titled EP will be launched at the Grace Emily on Sat Jan 17 with Jimmy & The Mirrors and Tracer.

LOCAL HYPE
SHAM! ISSUE 3
After two successful events, SHAM! has decided to change things up and throw a daytime summer party free of fluoro, white slippers and shirtless guys with Southern Cross tatts. From 2pm on Sun Dec 21 get ready for the best party vibe in town in the beer garden of The Ed Castle. While enjoying the afternoon and evening drinks, BBQ and Christmas specials, you will be losing your dancefloor shit to the party stylings of DJs Shep, The Bread & Butter DJs, Sidwho? and Aaronak, as the dopest disco, house and hip hop will be busted out by some of ADL’s finest selectors. Doors will open at 2pm and entry is $5 or free if you’re a Fringe Benefits member.

TRUNKS PARTY
To celebrate the onset of summer, the Bucks Brothers will be presenting their next instalment of crazy parties to the Adelaide underground. Following on from the success of their Sunglasses At Night and Short-Shorts parties, this is sure to be another cracker! With cool tunes laid down by Pony Boy, Alistair Cookie, Hands Solo, Yidbun, Troy J Been, Stephen King and Japeye, the dance floor will definitely be heating up, so drag out that old pair of trunks or scrounge around for the hottest pair and be at Rhino Room on Sat Dec 20.

NEW YEAR’S EVE @ THE MAID
Sultry and seductive, decadent and cheeky but ever so chic. All qualities that you would expect to find when attending one of the famous parties at Hef’s mansion. Well why don’t you? This New Year’s Eve, the Maid Hotel will be no different as they present A Night At The Maid’s Playboy Mansion! Be there as the Maid is transformed into an indulgent playground of sin and fun. Adding to the experience will be the sultry sounds provided by some of Adelaide’s classiest DJs. Check out Jorge Watts, Lachy Pender, Ezee G, Sonny Fedora and Simon Booth as they provide you with the smoothest funk and jacked up house. Plus, those that decide that rabbit tails or smoking jackets are the go will not go unrewarded! They’ll have double passes to Shores On A New Year’s Day and other giveaways, so skip the mess of the city and be there as they bring 2009 in with the style and grace that can only be found at the Maid’s Playboy Mansion. Tickets are $20 (available from the Maid) or $25 on the night. Just email <csampson@themaid.com.au> for more details.

QUIET CHILD FINAL ‘08 SHOW
After a strong year that started at Big Day Out and ended with a support with The Butterfly Effect, progressive rockers Quiet Child will finish up 2008 with an intimate gig at home base, and you’re invited! Be at The Jade Monkey on Fri Dec 19 to not only suss out their new tracks, but also to check out local newcomers Charlie On Trial and Shiloh. Check out <myspace.com/quietchildtheband> and be sure to bring your $8 entry fee.

CRANKA XMAS SHOW
The year has once again flown by and Christmas is just about here. Before we are totally immersed in its madness, Angelik, Miss Golly Gosh and Twelve Dollar Monkey will be hitting the Crown & Anchor Hotel for one very merry show that will cap off the year. It all happens on Fri Dec 19, so be there. On a very non-festive note, it will also sadly be Twelve Dollar Monkey’s farewell show so head down to the Cranka and give them a very big send-off. The night kicks off from 9pm and it is free to get in, so how’s that for an early Chrissy present? Ho ho ho!   

CELEBRATE NEW YEAR’S EVE AT THE SCEPTRE
Celebrate your New Year’s Eve in style this year, with a friendly crowd, awesome music and superb cocktails all night at The Crown & Sceptre! This year DJ Jason Lee will get you in the mood with old school funk, disco, groove and hip hop early before Future Fez unleash their fired up funky soul live! Then it’s the TrunkFunk Sound System bringing it home with a scintillating mix of beats, breaks, funk, house and live percussion. So get your tickets sussed now and be at the door when they swing open at 9pm.

BANQUET
Do you have an appetite for a new late night monthly indie club? Are you hungry for a fresh banquet of alternative music? Head along and be served by indie music lovers… disco disco DJs, DJ Koala Attack and DJ Dan! Dan! Dan! Banquet is the place that likeminded folk can dance, drink and have a good time with tunes from the indie, electro, progressive and alternative genres. DJs will spin old and new tracks, with rarities and underground finds plus dancefloor classics from artists locally to across the globe. Held each second Saturday of the month in Bar 3 upstairs at Enigma on Hindley Street, Banquet starts on Sat Jan 10, 2009, so get ready!

VORN DOOLETTE
Those still not acoustically satisfied after Adelaide’s Guitar Festival can breathe a sigh of relief as local alternative folk balladeer Vorn Doolette takes to the stage with the hypnotic, Byron-based roots artist Jez Mead, at the Wheatsheaf Hotel on Thu Dec 18. At 26, Vorn is already making waves in the Australian music community both nationally and locally, securing spot rotation on Triple J and winning the station’s 2008 Top Song competition for SA for his recently released single, 9 Songs A Problem. He and Jez promise to deliver a highly palatable musical feast to satisfy even the selective of music connoisseurs, so be there and check them out!

YOU SPECIAL?
If you’re old enough, you may remember the 1980s in old Adelaide town. Do you remember bands like The Units, The Screaming Believers, The –ists, The Del Webb Explosion, The Dust Collection and Exploding White Mice? Well now’s your time to rediscover the ‘80s (but please leave the big hair and fluoro at home)! Ex-members of all of these bands are getting together at the Grace Emily Hotel on Sat Dec 27, so head along and see if they’ve still got it! Posing as a ‘real’ band called Frontierland, they will be playing songs written over the years by one Jack Robins, of The Units and The –ists. This will be a gig of a shiny smooth specialness that makes even the specialist special species of speciality from the University Of Extra-Special, Specialville, seem only mildly special by comparison. Be special. Be there.