I’ve Fracked Everywhere Man

Want to know what all the fracking fuss is about?

“Ugly Reality of Fracking” Green Muze

“Mine Threatens City Water” Ben Cubby, SMH 2010

“England Suspends Coal Seam Gas Fracking” Mining Australia, June 2011

More info here at Coal Seam Gas Australia and Lock the Gate

Yours,

W.H.

Rollin’ into Sydney Town

Rolling Stone have called Sal Kimber and The Rollin’ Wheel ‘Australiana-soaked alt-country at its finest‘. The Wheel have just released a new album produced by Shane O’Mara (Tim Rogers, The Audreys) and are touring it nationally at the moment.

The Rollin’ Wheel was formed in 2008 with older sister Beth Kimber, Jacob Cole, Cat Leahy and Trent McKenzie. Since then they’ve performed extensively across the country including Port Fairy Folk Festival, The National Folk Festival and Blue Mountains Music Festival and last year they toured Canada.

Last week, Evan Hughes interviewed Sal for the Timber and Steel blog (here) including a review of the album. You can get a signed copy of it from JB HI-FI or meet the gorgeous people in person and hear a rocking show!

Saturday 29th October at the Camelot lounge! 19 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville (corner of – and heaps of parking on – Railway Pde, Marrickville) Directly opposite Sydenham Train Station, a short 2 min stroll away.

Since I’m yet to get my hands on the new album, my favourite track is still Sounds Like Thunder

Yours,

W.H.

Occupying Sydney this weekend

With three killer events this weeked, consider your weekend planned.

 

First, Friday Night in Marrickville is Food and Toonz at Addison Rd Community Centre where we’ll be performing

 

Music will include Johnny G and the E Types and Quimbombo, the latin band. We’ll be on early so come and get dinner and party.

 

Second, Saturday 2:30pm the global tradition of occupying the commons as a protest has come to Martin Place under the banner of Occupy Sydney. They say

We seek an end to the corporate stronghold over all governments. We seek an authentic democracy that represents the 99% majority – us. We hold corporate entities responsible for their crimes against us and the Earth. We are inspired by and stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters striving for liberty in North Africa and the Middle East, Europe and more recently, the United States.

Here they are on Facebook. Also, if you are in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth or RAdelaide

Lastly, on Sunday TEDxMacquarie is on for the first time. We’ll be performing on all things radical using subversive bluegrass as our expressive medium in a 10minute lecture. The event is free from 10am-5pm with a live simulcast in Building Y3A. If you use the train to get there you’ll experience the wonder of three flights of esculators up to ground floor of the University.

Someone else who has played at TED. This is a video of Paul Kelly performing ‘How to Make Gravy’ at TED Sydney in June this year.

Yours,

W.H.

Historic Day

The moment to remember happened today. In case you missed the Clean Energy Bill passing the lower house I’ve captured the moment for you.

I was so excited I wet my pants twice then recorded a guitar backing track the The World Today’s story about the event. See below:

Yours,

W.H.

Protesting with Michael Jackson

When you think of Protest Songs you might think of John Lennon, Sam Cooke and Pete Seeger. But what about Michael Jackson, The White Stripes or Lady Gaga?

Not so conventional but when Riff Raff Radical Marching Band rock them out at protests around Sydney they get people singing and having a laugh.

Riff Raff say

we are a bunch of friends who got tired of boring protests and started a fabulous marching band in 2010!  We play at community events, coal ports, solidarity demonstrations, artyhipsterthings, fundraisers, and on the streetz!

These musical protestors follow in the tradition of marching bands from USA such as the Rude Mechanical Orchestra, Infernal Noise Brigade and Brass Liberation Orchestra. Here is Rude Mechanical Orchestra performing Smash-A Bank Polka performed at Occupy Wall Street!

If you are interested they are looking for sweet new members and supporters! Including people that can play trombone, trumpet, clarinet, sax, flute, euphonium/tuba, and any forms of percussion.

W.H.

Have you been to DEJA?

DEJA is a monthly band night at crafty venue called Bandhouse that gives punters a chance to hear local bands for donation entry.

Last night bucketing rain forced the music inside and while the movement was on I filmed this mystery drummer.

Next month we’ll be there with a bunch of amazing bands including Doc Jones and the Lechery Orchestra, Kylie Sambo, Svelt and new bluegrass collective Hayfever.

Saturday 5th Nov, 2011. For more details email mail(at)lurkers.com.au

yours,

W.H.

Wall Street Occupation continues

The contagion of revolution has spread to the USA where there is an uprising against corporate greed and it sounds like this provided by Radiohive collective. Radiohive Collective are a group of thinkers, players, and activists aspiring to create an informative and potentially volatile experience for free, international, non-commercial radio.

Today is the thirteenth day of the citizens occupation of Wall St. As you may imagine, the police have reacted violently to protests in the main financial district of the country and people putting up tents at Zucotti Park.

This is a recap of the twelth day by Occupy Wall Street.

According to Holly Stewart (newjersey.com) USA news sources have been ignoring the civil disobediance and police brutality. There has been some coverage from SBS but not for a week or so.

http://cdn.livestream.com/embed/globalrevolution?layout=4&color=0xed1c24&autoPlay=false&mute=false&iconColorOver=0xffffff&iconColor=0xffd2d5&allowchat=true&height=340&width=560

Watch live streaming video from globalrevolution at livestream.com

So, who are these people and why are they doing it? The photo above comes from The 99 Percent and tells just one moving story.

Edit 3rd October

Yours,

W.H.

Reclaim the Lanes

Were you there this Saturday?

The rain didn’t keep us away from Reclaim the Lanes. The video below is an explanation and history of the event from the founder of its latest incarnation Chris Lego and organiser Sophie Trevitt.

I was disappointed that the rain meant The Crooked Fiddle was put back in its case. However, there was a great bit of Old-Timey with the Sydney-based Rusty Spring Syncopators and plenty more to be entertained by.

Here is one of their numbers called ‘Smackin’ the Sex’

Edit 3rd Oct.

And here is a bit of home footage of these rapskallions at Eliza Bar for the last night of Sydney Fringe Festival. Elizabeth Cotton’s ‘O Babe It Ain’t No Lie‘

Yours,

W.H.

Kate Bover and Ethan Miller

If you’ve been wandering around Sydney’s inner west this week you might have seen this poster up and about. Some people have taken to pasting them up also.

Exciting! The previous poster was a mistake however. We were so excited about the possible availability of Ethan Miller to perform at the launch that we rushed ahead and printed posters saying as much. Alas, Ethan was unavailable and we were lucky enough to find the wonderful Cody Dillon! We still love Ethan’s music so this post is about them.

Invisible Hand by Kate Bover and Ethan Miller from the trio Northern Spy with Seth Yentes on Cello.

Mama’s Song by Kate Bover This is a lovely banjo and vocal track by Kate Bover.

They are part of an excellent collective called Riot Folk who are an anti-profit music collective working from the principles of anti-oppression and anti-capitalism. They say they do not wish to capitalize on their music, but use it as a tool or a weapon against capitalism.

There are seven other groups in the collective with a bunch of great radical music and from their schedule they look like they are busy touring They’ve been going since 2004! It looks like a good way of sharing the costs of being a performer while the benefits are synergised. You can find out more about them and their system at their website Riot Folk.

And a little more of a taste All Hands on Deck by Ryan Harvey

Mountain Top Mountain Song by Ryan Harvey

Yours,

W.H.

London Riots

With all the rioting in the world at the moment, some revolutionary and some violent looting I appreciated hearing about ‘August Riots – the anarchists perspective’ collected by Freedom Press and published online by Indymedia London.

W.H.