David JoblingGive me music or give me death
April 5th 2008 10:20
I haven't blogged for about a week due to reasons that I won't disclose because they're not really enthralling for those of you who don't know me in the real world. Also I've been suffering a block of inspiration of late but I've decided to turn the lack of inspiration on it's head and use it.
As I may have mentioned in an earlier blog I"m currently living in nowheresville. I believe I used the term "cultural wasteland". This is not a blog to whinge, but rather muse about the shortcomings of living in a small town.
I live in country Victoria, 600km from Melbourne and 400km from Adelaide. This town is my hometown and I moved from here to Melbourne when I was 17.Joy!! All the access to excitement and live music I could handle. Mid last year I moved home to embark on a paying journalism job and to take some time out from a lifestyle which was probably doing me more harm than good.
But FUCK. I can't take it anymore. There is no music scene to speak of here. Ok, I take that back. There's a few local bands who make the rounds at the god-awful venues but there is no viable, thriving "scene" to speak of. When I say scene I don't mean hipster scene, I mean a cool vibe, the thrill that something exciting is happening. Locals who read this blog (a highly unlikely prospect) will argue that I am a cyncial hard to please bitch. After all Silverchair and Powderfinger played here for the Great Divide tour last year and hey they're two of Australia's biggest bands. Excuse me while I shit all over their albums. When they came to town, everyone at the newspaper I work at just about shat themselves trying to score free tix. Everyone in town went to the gig. And why? Ok, some of them probably genuinely like both bands (people out here have taste in their arse) but the rest were just eager for a live music experience from bands who are, OMG FAMOUS!! Eurgh. I'm not jaded, ( I don't think) but I'd rather fuck Daryl Somers than sit through that shit. Hey I could get the co-host job on Dancing With the Stars...
Anyway.
As far as I'm concerned no one of note stops to play here, and I don't blame them. But this is the perils for the youth living in country Australia.
For the ones out there who care and seek out music beyond their home stretch realm they usually move to the closest capital city when they are old enough to leave the homestead.
Those who don't are content to listen to Top 40 commercial vomit radio. And that's fine, each to their own.Ahem...
But coming back home has really made me realise what few options country dwellers have. There's nothing for the young here, musically speaking. A few make their own bands, but the amount of cover bands in this town is unfuckingbelievable. Honestly, how many times do people need to hear covers of "Brown Eyed Girl" "Foxy Lady" and "I'm Just a Girl"?
These people can't get enough of it.
I've resorted to not leaving the house. Purely for the fact there is nothing to do and no one to see. And trust me, I'm not anti-social.
Granted, a few months ago I went to a live music night just to see what exactly was on offer. And yes, there were a few bands who were doing some out there original shit. But I know for a fact they are going to get nowhere if they stay here. Because no one will book them to play venues for the reason they want the shitty Top 40 cover bands. That's who's going to entertain the bogans.
The music that doesn't consist of cover bands is mainly jazz and acoustic folky country faeces...fine if you're over 35 with a bald spot and a camel toe, but it doesn't get my oyster moist.
Anyway, this is never going to change. It's indicative of the situation all over small town Oz. All music lovers can do is attempt to create their own group of interesting music, but the harsh cold reality is there is no room for originality in small towns. Move to the big smoke kids. Sure, you're just another face in the crowd, but there a fuckload of weirdos out there and chances are someone is going to dig what you do.
And you'll never have to hear "Khe San" again.
As I may have mentioned in an earlier blog I"m currently living in nowheresville. I believe I used the term "cultural wasteland". This is not a blog to whinge, but rather muse about the shortcomings of living in a small town.
I live in country Victoria, 600km from Melbourne and 400km from Adelaide. This town is my hometown and I moved from here to Melbourne when I was 17.Joy!! All the access to excitement and live music I could handle. Mid last year I moved home to embark on a paying journalism job and to take some time out from a lifestyle which was probably doing me more harm than good.
But FUCK. I can't take it anymore. There is no music scene to speak of here. Ok, I take that back. There's a few local bands who make the rounds at the god-awful venues but there is no viable, thriving "scene" to speak of. When I say scene I don't mean hipster scene, I mean a cool vibe, the thrill that something exciting is happening. Locals who read this blog (a highly unlikely prospect) will argue that I am a cyncial hard to please bitch. After all Silverchair and Powderfinger played here for the Great Divide tour last year and hey they're two of Australia's biggest bands. Excuse me while I shit all over their albums. When they came to town, everyone at the newspaper I work at just about shat themselves trying to score free tix. Everyone in town went to the gig. And why? Ok, some of them probably genuinely like both bands (people out here have taste in their arse) but the rest were just eager for a live music experience from bands who are, OMG FAMOUS!! Eurgh. I'm not jaded, ( I don't think) but I'd rather fuck Daryl Somers than sit through that shit. Hey I could get the co-host job on Dancing With the Stars...
Anyway.
As far as I'm concerned no one of note stops to play here, and I don't blame them. But this is the perils for the youth living in country Australia.
For the ones out there who care and seek out music beyond their home stretch realm they usually move to the closest capital city when they are old enough to leave the homestead.
Those who don't are content to listen to Top 40 commercial vomit radio. And that's fine, each to their own.Ahem...
But coming back home has really made me realise what few options country dwellers have. There's nothing for the young here, musically speaking. A few make their own bands, but the amount of cover bands in this town is unfuckingbelievable. Honestly, how many times do people need to hear covers of "Brown Eyed Girl" "Foxy Lady" and "I'm Just a Girl"?
These people can't get enough of it.
I've resorted to not leaving the house. Purely for the fact there is nothing to do and no one to see. And trust me, I'm not anti-social.
Granted, a few months ago I went to a live music night just to see what exactly was on offer. And yes, there were a few bands who were doing some out there original shit. But I know for a fact they are going to get nowhere if they stay here. Because no one will book them to play venues for the reason they want the shitty Top 40 cover bands. That's who's going to entertain the bogans.
The music that doesn't consist of cover bands is mainly jazz and acoustic folky country faeces...fine if you're over 35 with a bald spot and a camel toe, but it doesn't get my oyster moist.
Anyway, this is never going to change. It's indicative of the situation all over small town Oz. All music lovers can do is attempt to create their own group of interesting music, but the harsh cold reality is there is no room for originality in small towns. Move to the big smoke kids. Sure, you're just another face in the crowd, but there a fuckload of weirdos out there and chances are someone is going to dig what you do.
And you'll never have to hear "Khe San" again.
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Comment by Kdthestrange
Noise Voyage
You could be me.
I too am currently living in a cultural wasteland due to taking a paying journalism job in the middle of freaking nowhere.
I too am so over crappy covers and Khe San that I refuse to visit any local venues for fear of hearing bad Cold Chisel.
I too cannot belive it when people here think someone famous and awesome is coming here and it's just Riki Lee from Aus idol getting married.
What is this crap people?
Buy a CD, invest in an ipod, move out of the eighties and discover some new music.