No Anchor : Real Pain Supernova

Local Brisbane band, No Anchor, is an organic entity. 'Organic'. There's no more appropriate term for them or their music. I'll tell you why.

Their sound is straightforward and direct, without any fancy trimmings. Their engagement with fans is more intriguing than marketing. And the effort that goes into their packaging and merchandise...if only every band had a talented artist as a member. Although I'm yet to see them perform live, I'm told on good authority their shows are tribal, intense and a little bit mad.

So it is with great interest that I sit down on this peaceful Sunday afternoon to write this review of No Anchor's full length album, Real Pain Supernova.

I'd say it's a pretty safe bet assuming the title is a play on the Oasis song Champagne Supernova. And it's kind of appropriate, as you couldn't reach deeper inside the abyss to find a band less like the Oasis blend of Beatle-esque, radio friendly, Metamucil-style pop. The version of Real Pain Supernova that I am reviewing is the digital version; there is also a longer format vinyl edition, but no CD format. The track listing for this digital version is:

1. The End | 2. Wolves Bite and Disappear | 3. Dead Pony | 4. Gatton Bohemia | 5. Shut My Mouth | 6. The Perils of Small Town Living | 7. Come Again | 8. Key Cutter 

The End opens the album with sparse death metal chords and vibration, lightening up with a seductive bass melody, and ultimately evolving into a bass and drum driven howling eruption. The end is the beginning, and on to Wolves Bite and Disappear, a wall of sound Phil Spector would be proud of. Primal is one word to describe it; screams from the gut, a cacophony of melded musicians creating an intense - sexual, even - peak and release. Dead Pony begins with a deceptively gentle opening, then quickly leaps into a pool of vocal fury. Melding metal and punk, this song pretty much ripped my ears from my skull and probed my brain with its angry little fingers. At 2.30 minutes, it indulges even the most dedicated windmill hair thrashing desires. 

Gatton Bohemia's title intrigues me. When I was a kid I picked veg with my family in Gatton, a rural farming community, so the words 'Gatton' and 'Bohemia' just don't form a logical pairing in my mind. Although, where better to remove yourself from the mainstream than the sticks? I can't tell what words are being sung - and the band member I spoke to on Twitter said they're not an important part of experiencing their music - so I can't really tell what the intent of the song is, lyrically. This is a bit annoying for me because I'm a lyric hound, so I've tried to just sit back and absorb the music and the overall vibe. This song seems - to me - to represent some kind of frustration, desire to escape. The vocal atmosphere is of insanity, of chains waiting to be broken, and reminds me of John Lydon (if he was backed by competent musicians, which I would never really call The Sex Pistols!). The experimental, ear-splitting noises drove me to the edge of my seat - I hate high pitched sounds...they unnerve me - so if the desired outcome of this song was to make me feel really uneasy, it succeeded. The drumming toward the end of this track is phenomenal, the bass relentless. This song is insanity in a jar and is physically exhausting to listen to (it goes well past 17 minutes in length). And I like that about it. I enjoy being challenged with music versus digesting little bite-sized, radio friendly pieces that ultimately offer no creative satisfaction. I can see why you would buy this album on vinyl: the textures, I believe, would really suit that format. I can imagine lying on the floor at night in a dark house with this blaring on my stereo, feeling the vibrations shudder through my body. 

Shut My Mouth is the most 'commercial' of all the songs, and while I type that I'm laughing because it's not commercial in any sense of the word. I mean, it's got a definite groove, song structure, and it's fun to thrash along to. I can imagine people with shorter attention spans really digging this track. The Perils of Small Town Living initially sounds like a different band entirely; it's almost gentle. The vocals echo and resonate alongside a jungle rhythm, tempting my headspace into Mojo Risin territory (is this what taking peyote would feel like?). Completely different to the rest of the album, but the drumming draws it into the Real Pain Supernova family and it has a big metal finish. Around the 4 minute territory I'm reminded of early Jane's Addiction. I think I could fall in love with this song, and this is the one that has created a burning desire to see No Anchor perform. Come Again once more reminds me of Jane's but with a bit of Sonic Youth thrown in for good measure. The final song, Key Cutter, is a more traditional rock song structure which vocally sounds like another local band, SixFtHick. I would've omitted the female vocals at the end, as they just don't sit well with the rest of the album and are a little jolting. However, a miniscule criticism. Another grooving song to end the album.

For me, one of the fantastic aspects of No Anchor is that their music resonates with the faint memory of genres - particularly from the '90s grunge, experimental sound - but I can't pinpoint any precise influences or bands they particularly sound like apart from, perhaps, an overarching Melvins vibe. That's pretty great, because it means No Anchor sounds like No Anchor.

What a surprising, amazing album with a powerful impact. Respect. 

Band members are: Alex Gillies on drums, Ian Rogers on bass/vocals, and Donovan Miller on bass/vocals. The album was released on 9 May 2011 and was recorded and mixed by Donovan Miller at Nowhere, mastered by Mell Dettmer, and additional textures are by Lawrence English. The fabulous album artwork was designed by the multi-talented No Anchor drummer, Alex Gillies.

All images on this post have been taken from the No Anchor website and remain the property of the band.

Interview : Cosey Fanni Tutti

Photo Credit: © Paul Heartfield

Cosey Fanni Tutti is likely best known to you as one part of the highly influential band Throbbing Gristle and through her music projects with Chris Carter: Chris & Cosey and Carter Tutti. To me, Cosey is a boundary shaker who has inspired us with her continuous activities over the past few decades across multiple creative streams. Much has been written about Cosey's life, so I will leave that to existing sources. I recently had the opportunity to ask her some questions which I've often wondered about, having been a fan since the 1980s. Despite being very busy with her current projects, Cosey was kind enough to respond.

What first encouraged you to pursue music as a form of creative expression?

My father's gift of a tape recorder when I was about 10 years old. 

I've read you studied piano - begrudgingly - as a teenager. Although you felt the lessons were boring at the time, did they become useful to you when you became involved in music? How do you feel formal lessons enhance or restrict creativity?

Strangely the boredom I felt in playing the set pieces prompted me to open the piano and play with the insides. I could have been a pretty competent pianist - I have the hands for it, apparently, and I found the music theory very easy - but the rules were frustrating to me. The freedom in not being taught how to play music has been invaluable to me because I can improvise solely on the sound and my brain doesn't drag up learnt chords etc.

Did Pop Art and its associated ideals surrounding the promotion of mechanical means of reproduction in art have any influence on you musically?

In some ways the philosophy had some influence and was in keeping with my own attitude of accessibility and non institutional interference of creative practice, as well as the notion of challenging established practice. But overall I felt it was rather decorative and wasn't 'dirty' enough. 

As an artist, how do you find visual and performance art elements complement music or vice-versa? How do you utilise these different forms of expression to engage your audience?

I don't think they can necessarily be a good fit. Most of my art actions are done in silence (except for the ambient noise). Music brings another possible interpretation to the action that is not always helpful or constructive. It's a little bit like determining the outcome and interpretation of the performance via the sound. Conversely, if the sound is part of the action then it's very different - such as in some of the COUM pieces using contact microphones, or in the sound piece 'Marcel Duchamp's Next Work'.

Watching live performances from decades ago, your gigs were so primal. How much of your performance is about tension and release? 

All of it. And as much for the audience as me. 

Do you feel there's an elemental connection between physicality (sex, death, pain) and your music performances?

Yes, that's what my music is about: the human condition, our relationships, empathies both good and bad.

How much of your performance art has been inspired by the Surrealist explorations of sado masochism and gender stereotypes?

It sounds crazy in this age of information research approach to art but I had little knowledge of Surrealism when I did my early work. My overarching approach was for freedom of my own expression, an avoidance of 'influence'. When I later studied for my degree in late 2001, I was very satisfied with my original approach when I read Kant etc and compared and contrasted their writings to my own findings and ideas.

Over the years - in part due to your nude performance art and exploration of identity through pornography - you have earned a reputation as an anarchist and feminist icon. How does the tag 'feminist icon' sit with you, as a woman who loves men (as sometimes, in feminist circles, this can be an oxymoron)?

I've never seen the point of labels of any kind. I can see why people would say I was a 'feminist' but it would be a very specific definition that would apply to me. I've always approached life as a human being; the fact that I am a woman has never seemed an obstacle or consideration and gender should never be to anyone, male or female. It makes me sad to say that even the most 'enlightened' male artists I've worked with have misogynistic tendencies. I see that as their weakness and, unwittingly, my strength.

What are your feelings about the current commoditisation of women's sexuality in the music industry?

It's also about desexualisation and desensitisation, which worries me more. Women have always had commodification but add the present across-the-board approach to everything, then it becomes even more damaging. Life is about subjective experience: that's how we evolve. Homogenising is a dangerous path. It leaves people feeling largely unfulfilled and does nothing to enhance or empathise with the human spirit.

Has it been easy, being a woman in the music industry? Do you believe you've challenged gender stereotypes?

I don't regard myself in that way. The only time it comes to mind is if it is blatant sexism. I guess I've challenged gender stereotypes by subconsciously not acknowledging their existence. 

Back to your music, what do you think of the genre tag 'industrial' and has your association with its beginnings limited or expanded your development as a musician?

The association with industrial hasn't limited what I want to do as a musician. What industrial was when we first founded the genre is very different to what passes as 'industrial' now. The ethos is not the same. It was always more than the harsh sounds of machines; we had such subtleties of the use of sound that aren't present in the genre today. 

What have advances in technology meant to you as a musician and performer, and what are your favourite instruments?

Freedom and endless possibilities. I'm in a state of ecstasy when I have so many options at my fingertips and in such a small, portable format. [I like] Ableton Live, Alchemy, Guitar Rig, guitar and cornet. They all inspire me as soon as I interact with them and fulfil that itch I get when trying to find a sound that matches my inner emotions and external stimuli.

Lyrically and musically, what are your main themes these days?

I guess we have a more sensitive and seductive style in our Chris & Cosey and Carter Tutti music and lyrics. The themes of life and death and all that passes for life in between remain the same but are cloaked in more accessible musical arrangements and lyrics which have double meaning and ask questions.

What current projects are you working on?

I have a number of projects in the pipeline and I can't tell you all of them. I have a number of works exhibited at Tate Britain in June, Carter Tutti's series of 'Harmonic Coaction' which we hope to release in 2012, numerous live shows coming up this year and TG's last official album 'Desertshore'. So 2012 will be a busy year for releases.

Can you tell me briefly about last year's Cosey Complex and how you felt about that entire experience?

It was a momentous event having all these wonderfully talented artists come along and take part. I was rather humbled by it. The works were amazing and there's a book on the whole event being published this year.

Is there anything/anyone around at the moment which you find particularly inspiring?

The fact that people are beginning to access their inner selves more and moving away from the superficial culture that has dominated for far too long. That inspires me and makes me sigh with relief.

Many younger musicians I speak with on Twitter are very inspired by TG's music. How does it feel to still be an inspiration to others?

Inspiring others is an amazing honour that I don't take lightly. 

What achievements in your life are you most proud of and is there anything you would've done differently, in retrospect?

Life is too short for retrospective regrets or pride. I have too much to think about and too much to do.

Interview : Twitch The Ripper

I've been following the music career of Connecticut musicians Twitch the Ripper for a couple of years. Their style is a moody blend of darkwave electronica and emotionally raw lyrical content which, somehow, results in sweetness instead of bitterness. I reviewed their debut EP, Don't Go Out Tonight, back in 2009 and earlier this year they released their debut full length album, Bodiless.

Between finishing up the album, promoting it, and touring throughout the US, vocalist Jon Dobyns agreed to sit down - via email - to have a chat with me about the band's sound, vision and themes.

Twitch the Ripper (TTR) consists of yourself - Jon Dobyns - and Lonn Bologna. You were previously in a Connecticut hardcore band named The Distance. Did you meet each other during this time and how did you come to the decision to break away from that genre and form a duo together?

Lonn and I actually met in our pre-teens and formed our first band together. The project was in the same genre as The Distance, but occurred one year prior. We decided to break away from the Distance in early 2008, and I really wanted to begin a project to play the style of music I never would of been able to in previous bands. While in The Distance, my tastes and influences came from all of my favorite acts in early new wave, post punk and electronic genres. So the time came to finally take the plunge to create the kind of music that has inspired me for years. Timing was everything, and it made sense to start the next phase at this time.

Has it been an easy transition from bass and drums to becoming multi-instrumentalists? How has this challenged you both, as musicians, and also what benefits have come from this move?

Initially it was pretty difficult, but we just went with the flow. With the first steps of TTR, I went ahead and booked studio time four months ahead to record an EP. We wrote the songs on a sampler, acoustic guitar and bass; not too far from the writing process we used in The Distance. Lonn and I went with everything we knew at the time. It was an interesting transitional phase with trial and error to get to this point in our present day supporting Bodiless. Lonn taught himself how to play synth, I had to learn how to sing for the first time (which was done during the Don't Go Out Tonight sessions), and we both taught each other how to program, etc. We like to think of the early stages as an experimentation of finding ourselves and learning how play a new genre of music.

TTR aside, this process has made us become better musicians and able to communicate on a more professional level with each other. It wasn't until writing and doing pre-production for Bodiless where we really stepped out of our comfort zone and dropped everything we knew from our hardcore/punk days. That is one of the main reasons for the evolution of style and sound from the EP to the LP.

Your debut EP, Don't Go Out Tonight, was self-released in 2009. How was this do-it-yourself experience different to that of previously being in a signed band?

Coming from that world, everything was DIY. So being in a signed band you still had to maintain those set of ethics and mentality to stay afloat. Now coming into this new world with TTR, our ethics haven't changed one bit. We have gotten everything from working hard on our own and constantly pushing. From the tours we have lined up present day, to hopefully releasing a proper LP on a label down the line, we will continue to do everything ourselves. I'm sure an aspect of this is being in control, but it's controlling your own destiny/career and path you walk down. I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving our 'baby' completely in someone else's hands.

In your debut album, Bodiless, the songs weave seamlessly to create a delicate hybrid of elegant new-wave-style electronica with highly textured, ominous and atmospheric sounds. Tell me a little about your inspiration for the mood of this album and how you went about creating it.

When it came time to write Bodiless, we wanted to carefully execute each part for every song. Don't Go Out Tonight wasn't the best representation of TTR, but why should it be when it was our first EP? Bodiless was the result of both of us finally finding ourselves and catching our stride. We wanted to write a record that was an accurate sound of all of our influences, which was something we never did before. As I stated earlier, I am inspired by the genre's earlier sounds. We were looking to create a moody yet danceable record which the listener can get lost in at times. I take a lot of inspiration from bands like Massive Attack to Erasure to Fever Ray, so I think that is another reason how we created this hybrid of a sound. A good amount of the moodiness also stemmed from the current events at the time in our personal lives. Lonn and I were both going through a lot, so execution was both brutally honest and passionate.

Your lyrics appear to be quite personal, telling tales of desolation, control, love, lust and suffering, albeit in an obscure manner which both allows the listener to relate and simultaneously have no idea what you're singing about. How important is the art of subtlety in your lyrics and music, creating a dynamic between dark and light?

It's very important to me for the listener to create some form of a connection of familiarity with the lyrics. At the same time, I don't want them to seem so plain and generic that it would come across as being elementary. I like to be able to take my life stories and say them in an artsy manner. It'll also allow the listener to interpret the song however they like; so as long as they can connect on some level, I'll be happy. I have a weird thing where I need to have a contrast between everything, whether it's in the music, lyrics, artwork or stage show. I enjoy a healthy balance, which I also believe has helped create our aesthetic.

You and I have discussed our mutual appreciation of the horror film genre. Which are your favourites, why do you love them so much, and how does this type of influence impact upon your musical style, mood, or even your songwriting/recording process?

I grew up on horror movies, mostly the Universal films of the '30s and '40s. From an early age, I've been attracted to the cinematography and settings. We talked before about the inspiration of moodiness in Bodiless, and I can also say a lot of that came from early horror cinema. Universal movies aside, I have a strong love for Italian horror cinema of the '60s and '70s. Mario Bava was a genius when it came to lighting. Of course, Argento is a master of it, but he took all his cues from Bava. When we write - and even in past studio sessions - we have movies on in the background non-stop. Not just for inspiration, but also for comfort.

I like to think I am able to create the same feelings from watching these films and put them in our music. They are more than horror films to me. Early Universal horror, Italian giallos, RKO pictures, there is so much humanity in these films which make them great cinema. Now, in this digital style of music, we try to bring a human touch to the sound. Some of my favorite films include Blood and Black Lace, Cat People, Freaks, The Old Dark House, and Daughters of Darkness, to name a few.

As a visual aesthete, how important do you feel the image or visual presentation of a band is and what mediums - such as video, photography etc - do you feel allow you to even further express your musical vision?

I think visuals are crucial for bands in this day and age, especially for younger ones. It's another way to express yourself artistically which will help create the whole package. At this time, I wish we were able to have more visuals on stage with us, but for each tour we will bring more and more. There are endless opportunities for musicians to explore that will help get their creative vision across, whether it's a light show, stage props or video.

A younger band opened up the tour package we were on in North Carolina. They were an industrial/noise duo and one member was controlling video with a projector live while simultaneously performing synth. It was quite refreshing and added a lot to their performance. I was able to see what they were about on a deeper level. For TTR, I'd like to help direct our first music videos and I've been dying to shoot them in the vein of Italian giallos. Everything from the technicolor film, to storyboard, to POV camera angle. I feel our music could fit quite nicely if placed correctly.

Do you feel certain instruments or effects have become a staple in your music; which do you enjoy using most and why?

We have an obvious love for classic drum machine samples and reverb-ing them out! I also have a 'go-to' for favorite pads. My ears tend to go towards anything with an ethereal, airy sound. I'm a sucker for airy pads over classic sounding dance beats (just look at my influences). I know Lonn's 'go-to' synths may be somewhat similar, but he does enjoy a lot of hip-hop sounding samples. Whether they get used for TTR, or personal fun projects, I am always impressed with what he comes up with.

How have you adapted to live performances with only the two of you to perform all of the instrumentation?

Starting out, we really tried to perform every aspect of the instrumentation live. Our first shows took us way too long to set everything up. We played warehouses and smaller rooms, but had gear that could fill an amphitheater. It started making less sense as we played more and more. Each phase of shows, we re-configured our live set-up. It wasn't until after our first shows, after the recording of Bodiless, where we began to get an idea of what and how to perform live. We come from a different world, so we would take notes from a lot of the bigger bands we performed with and put our own twist on it. It's funny to see bands on stage and you know they are all performing to a backing track, like karaoke; that's something we always wanted to steer clear of. So if it takes a little longer for the two of us to set up everything, so be it. We are constantly evolving, so I'm sure our fans who saw us last week will see something different next time we come to their city.

You've recently played gigs in America's north east and have been included on the line-up for a couple of US tours. What has been the audience reaction to your music and how has it felt to play your new songs live?

The reactions have been great. A wonderful part about this music scene is that the fans have a wide array of musical tastes. Groups in genres of electronica, industrial, goth rock, new wave, EBM can all be on one bill and have it make sense. That's one thing I really enjoy and don't take for granted. Packages have such an opportunity to create an eclectic mix, and we are lucky enough to fit in a lot of places. For example, when we played with The Birthday Massacre, their fans are very open minded and seem like down to earth music lovers, so we had a fun time performing for them. We were lucky enough to land these spots as the first shows post studio. It was much more comfortable playing these songs live, and finally had that "at home" feeling. I think you could see that from watching us perform as well.

I hear you had the opportunity at several gigs to meet fans with whom you have engaged online; was it rewarding to listen to their opinions about your music and how it makes them feel?

I really do enjoy meeting fans from online. I have a good memory and am usually able to remember who is who, and how I met them. It's humbling to hear their thoughts and reminisce of conversations had, especially when you get to witness their facial expressions and sincerity. Twitter doesn't give you that!

Where would you like to see TTR progress from here? What do you seek to achieve in your music and your career?

In the end, I'd like to be able to get us in a position where our career is an actual career. That's the dream, right? At this point we are lucky enough to embark on another tour - this time with Thrill Kill Kult and 16 Volt - which will be a full national tour ending in July. I am really looking forward to beginning the process of a new LP after the Bodiless touring cycle. Lonn and I are constantly writing, and can't stop talking about doing another record already. With that said, another record will most likely happen sooner rather than later. I won't divulge too much information about that now since it's really early, but this is a constant evolution. It's comforting to know that we finally hit our stride as musicians with the release of Bodiless, and there are no signs of slowing down. Was it you [Yes, yes it was - MAF] who said that we were the "Sade of industrial"? Let's see where we go with that now!


Find out more about Twitch the Ripper's music and current US tour dates on their website.

Photos courtesy of Matthew Bologna Photography.