THE ARTISANS
by Robert Dunstan

Adelaide band The Artisans are all set to play their first official gigs for about 12 years. The band’s reformation has come about due to the fact that the band’s lead singer, Gerry Wedd, will be the subject of a book as part of the upcoming SALA visual arts festival.
“Every year SALA, Wakefield Press and ArtsSA get together to highlight a particular local artist with a very high quality book,” The Artisans’ guitarist Mark Kimber explains. “And this year it’s Gerry, so the book will be launched as part of SALA at the beginning of August so we thought we’d get the band back together again.
“But it’s now grown beyond that because we’ll all enjoyed playing together again – we recently did a gig at a private birthday show down at Pt Elliott – that we’ve decided to start playing again. We will do some recording that will have some of our older songs and some new stuff we’ve written. We’ve been rehearsing for about three months now.”
The Artisans, formed by a bunch of local artisans, came onto the scene in the late ’80s. I can recall seeing the band many times at much-missed city venue Club Foote.
“Yeah, we played continually for about four years before everyone went their separate ways,” Mark says.
The Artistans are Gerry on vocals, Mark on Rickenbacher guitar, Adam McBeth on guitar, Paul Arbon on bass and Dave Locke on drums.
 “So it’s basically all the original members apart from Brett Bennett as he’s living up in Queensland now,” Mark says.
As well as highlighting their own songs, The Artisans also cover such acts as The Go Betweens, Nick Cave, Echo & The Bunnymen, New Order and Joy Division.
“But they are very much our versions of songs by those acts,” Mark, who designed the 1990 Adelaide Festival Of Arts poster which later graced the front cover of the local telephone directory, laughs. “We do them in our own inimitable style. We don’t do note for note copies.”
Mark goes on to say that the band’s live performances will also include a multi-media component.
“I’m head of photography at The School Of Art and one of the guys who’s there, Steve Wilson, is a VJ who is going to be doing projections of images while we play. And that’s because most of the band is made up of a bunch of artists so we’re trying to make it as arty as we can. It’ll be an audio visual feast because we’re not a very good looking band, so we need something to distract people’s attention away from just looking at us on stage.”
Vocalist Gerry Wedd is a noted surfer, Mambo artist and ceramicist. I recall reading that US singer songwriter Jackson Browne had procured quite a few of Gerry’s pieces.
“That could be so,” Mark says. “I hadn’t heard, but Gerry wouldn’t make a big fuss of something like that. He’s very bad at self-promotion – he’s actually quite unassuming even though he’s one of Australia’s major ceramicists.
“But he comes into his own fronting the band,” he concludes. “Gerry seems to really enjoy getting up on stage with The Artisans and channelling himself to the audience.”
The Artisans play the Grace Emily (from around 9pm) on Thu Jul 10 with Captains Of Industry to follow and then Jade Monkey on Sat Aug 2 (with Sleepless) as part of SALA Festival.

ZETA
by Kerry Loyson
With their title sprouting from 1960s South Australian created sedans, Zeta are proudly stamping their SA Great logo in musical consciousness. The vehicle that inspired this outfit was not only made by a company that also manufactured white goods but simultaneously “looked like a Beetle that has gone too fast into a wall and then reversed straight back into another wall behind it”.
“I think it [the Zeta vehicle] is a South Australian icon,” Anthony Wignall, who contributes vocals and electric guitar to the band, explains. “It’s a weird machine and I think us as a band are a pretty weird machine. We’ve got four extremely different personalities and somehow it works!”
Sitting opposite a pond scattered with ducks near a friend’s house while chatting to Rip It Up, Anthony delves into the story of Zeta’s creation.
“It’s a pretty weird story. You don’t usually meet people like this I think. I moved into Adelaide, somewhere just off Hutt Street and Sascha [Kenny], the front guy of the band, was working at a video store. I went in there, obviously, because I had moved into the area and we got talking. Eventually, somehow, from him working in a video store, we just formed a band and became really good friends.”
Since then, the band has gradually established themselves with a sound almost devoid of classification.
“It’s extremely hard to describe. Every song sounds completely different from the one before it. I’d probably say it’s something a bit grungy, at times it can be extremely loud and then disappear into something elegantly quiet.”
And how have they found the South Australian music scene in their two years in it?
“I think it’s a great environment to work in, just because all the bands are so different. We’ve met some fantastic guys through the Adelaide music scene so I’ve got absolutely no complaints for it. There’s some really good bands out there. Bands such as Lumonics, we love doing shows with them [and] Tyger Tyger.”
With their South Australian flag raised high, the question needed to be asked as to whether the band members are thinking of ever relocating to the eastern states to find further success.
“Definitely not. I think Adelaide’s a really good environment to be in and if you feel the need to go there, then do so. Personally I would love to get over there just to do a few weekend shows, but I don’t feel the need to get out of Adelaide. I think the internet is just such a great way of reaching people these days.”
And one could probably guess who organises all this internet communication – the only female in the group and bassist, Clemmie Wetherall.
“I think it’s really great having a female in the band. Because we’ve got three boys, at times, the boys can be more moody than the girl! She’s not quite the mother, but she’s kind of like the sister who puts us all in line. She organises everything! She can be [bossy] especially to me because I don’t really do anything!”
Zeta launch play Jive on Fri Jul 18 with Tyger Tyger, who will be launching Come Like 1000 Doves. Zeta’s self-titled EP is out now.

LOCAL HYPE

FRAUD MILLIONAIRES AND WATUSSI
Get on down to Live on Light Square on Fri Jul 25 to catch up with Sydney’s Watussi and locals Fraud Millionaires. Fresh from the release of their second studio album, Speak Easy, Fraud Millionaires have exploded onto Triple J and Nova with their singles Westside Love and Catfish, which blend elements of reggae, ska and rock. After playing to 8,000 people at this year’s WOMADelaide, Watussi have taken the mantle of one of Australia’s leading world music acts. Combine the two bands on the same bill and you’ll be in for one hell of a night of dancing and good times. Doors open at 8.30pm and the cost is only $18. Be early as this one will no doubt sell out!

COOPERS ALIVE
Listen up local musos! The Coopers Alive SA Live Music Showcase is a new initiative that is heading to town which aims to encourage local artists to actively participate in planning, promoting and evaluating their live performances, as well as providing an entertaining and creative showcase for all music-lovers to enjoy. Through workshops provided by Ausmusic SA before and after the showcases, the participating artists will learn how to maximise promotion of their shows and how to develop a suitable marketing plan. Featuring speakers from Ausmusic SA as well as from the local music industry, these workshops are aimed at giving local artists the tools they need to develop their audience and to further build their profile. The Coopers Alive events will take over the city on Fri Jul 25 and Sat Jul 26 and will feature none less than 12 handpicked local up and coming acts spread over four Adelaide venues. On Fri Jul 25, the Jade Monkey will host a mix of ambient, electronic, experimental and post rock sounds with Lumonics, Brother Sister and Mr Wednesday, while Jive will be pumping out the catchy indie rock offerings from Former Child Stars, Mad Shapes and The Shiny Brights. You’ll be able to check out Adelaide’s very best in hip hop and rap at Crown & Sceptre on Sat Jul 26 with A Devil Amongst The Tailors, Social Change and The Shadows or you could choose to take in the laid-back folk, pop, blues and roots tunes from the Huckleberry Swedes, The Fiddle Chicks and Cookie Baker at the Wheatsheaf Hotel. All of the acts selected have been making waves with their various achievements recently and they are all worthwhile checking out in the flesh. Coopers Alive promises to be the perfect opportunity to see some of the great live music that Adelaide has to offer - the only problem is deciding which shows to go and see each night! Support local talent!

WORLD  CLASSICAL FUSION MUSIC
The Jade Monkey will host a night of local original, world, fusion and classical music on Thu Jul 24 from 9pm onwards, when Nice Verdes and Monkey Puzzle Tree team up once again. Head along if you’re keen to discover a new fresh sound from some of Adelaide’s local talent.

BOOSTER UPDATE
Adelaide self-proclaimed power-house rock’n’roll trio Booster will be doing one final show for a few months as the guys are currently locked down at Mixmasters Studio to complete the up and coming EP The Rodeo Song / You Dog to be released by Mixmasters Records and distributed through MGM.  Head along and catch Booster take the stage at Enigma Bar on Thu Jul 17 with Skybombers from Melbourne as they launch their new album Take Me To Town, which is out now on Sony/BMG. Calling All Cars, who have recently been touring with Shihad, will also be joining them. The show will begin promptly at 9pm! Be there!

HEATHER FRAHN TRIO
Following a well-earned break from touring, the Heather Frahn Trio are back with their powerhouse roots and folky funkin an intimate show at one of Adelaide’s favourite pubs, the Grace Emily! Joining them on Sat Jul 12 is special guest Delia. And entry is free! Ah yes, and the Grace’s cosy couch will be on offer to those who arrive at 9pm for the start of this winter show. This is one of the few Heather Frahn Trio performances for 2008 so don’ miss it if ya dig it! Check out <heatherfrahn.com/trio> or
<myspace.com/deliaolam>.

DRUMMING SKILL
Congratulations to local drummers Joel Prime and Ben Todd, who have been invited to showcase their skills at the International Drumtek Ultimate Drummers Weekend in Melbourne later this month! The pair will open the Sunday  concert program in the presence of notable international drumming greats such as Mike Mangini (Steve Vai and Extreme), Billy Ward (BB King, Joan Osbourne, Carly Simon and Bill Evans), Horacio Hernandez (Santana, Michele Camilo and Rubalcaba), Mark Schulman (Pink, Velvet Revolver, Cher, Destiny’s Child, Billy Idol and Sheryl Crowe), and Clayton Cameron (Tony Bennett and Sammy Davis Jnr). Well done!

SOUTHPOOR
Justin and Billy Bob from local rock band Southpoor are playing a residency on Thursday nights at Wright St’s funky Prince Albert for the month of July. Catch the boys on guitars in stripped back mode playing tunes off Southpoor’s album What Doesn't Kill Ya plus a few old faves. The action starts 8.30pm in the front bar.