Heartless Robot Productions interview

Here is the first in series of interviews I was planning to do. As you can see, I will try to stick to 5 questions only. Why? Because I will interview some of these guys again soon and because I'd like others to be encouraged to ask further questions.

Scott Bishop has been running HRP for a while now. You can check HRP myspace HERE. But for you who don't know, HRP is an independent label ran by Scott and his misterious friend. They have released 6 cool albums/EPs so far and many more to come. But, enough of that, do your own research. Here we go:

I believe the decision to start HRP was made on a drunken NY eve 2008. At that time did you think it will be something you will still be running it strong in 2010? What was the prime motif to start the label?
Yes, like all crazy decisions the idea to start a 'label' was planned out over too many beers! At the time it was planned to be a one off release and then maybe a few shirt designs. We had no idea it would still be running two years later, but we had no idea to start with, so it balances out.

What are some of the criterias in deciding which band/act to publish? Have you ever experienced any significant difficulties in dealing with the bands and have you ever had cold feet about any of your releases?
There is no set criteria really, all the HRP crew (myself and the mysterious Ninnanuam) come from a heavy metal background, so we generally like things a little harsher sonically, or at least having a 'dark undercurrent'. All the bands/solo artists we have released are all good people and friends and have demonstrated a good 'work ethic' so to speak. For any bands interested in dealing with us, we accept bags of cash and/or good sandwiches.
We have never had cold feet on any of our projects based on the sounds, more to do with deadlines approaching. Getting the finished products on time for launch shows etc. All the bands have been great and we work together to try and promote the music.

How different is HRP from other independent Perth/Australian labels? Do you feel like you are creating a particular "scene" with your acts or do you see them as all different? Would you rather have similar acts or variety of them?
Hmm, we are not so different from many other labels in Perth, they are all doing great and unique things. We like to try and have some nice packaging as opposed to digital downloads and musically we like the harsher sounds. I dont think we are creating a 'scene', its already there and thriving, we are just trying to boost it and provide a platform for cool sounds. I think HRP has many different styles/genres and will continue to be diverse, until we sell out and start marketing to the hipsters.

So far almost all of the bands/acts have been from Perth. Which other local and international bands would you like to see released on HRP in future?
Aha! Bariken are from Japan (minus 1 point for you), we are also soon releasing a split tape between Chris Cobils and PSYCHEDELIC DESERT (also from Japan). Theres a LOT of cool music from Perth and it is easy to get in touch with people here. That being said, we are planning more releases from Perth and maybe a few from overseas/interstate. Coming up is the aforementioned split tape, split 12" Abe Sada/Sub Ordnance, Injured Ninja cd, smRts cd and releases from Armadillo Overlord (drone/doom) and Salamander (harsh electronic sounds).

Are there any labels that you admire and why?
I admire all the independant labels in Perth that have come before and after us such as Meupe, Badminton Bandit, Grave New World and Prime Cuts. Internationally we like Hydra Head, Relapse and Ipecac for their commitment to heavy/weird sounds and quality releases.

The Futurist

The Futurist, ah The Futurist...

The ones who have seen them are blessed, the ones who didn't are unfortunate.

Here are two live recordings from Flying Scotsman (10 March 2006 - recorded by myself) and RTR FM (18 March 2006).

I was lucky to do a regular DJ gig on Fridays in first half of 2006 at Scotto. I think we played together (meaning I DJ-ed before their set) at least 10 times. Often they were OK, sometimes good, but sometimes, when everything clicked, they would be the best live act around. The best!

Crazy Steve on Rhodes

First time I played with them was in early 2006, when I got a DJ-ing gig at Scotty, spinning mostly jazzy stuff. I was told there is band that will play after my set, around 10pm. They were called the Futurist. I never heard of them and din't know hat to expect, so I expected nothing.

They rocked up just before 10pm and started setting up on the floor - two Rhodes and old amps and a drumkit. Soon they started playing. I was in the corner with some friends, having a beer, but a couple of minutes later I had to get up and get closer, as the band was amazing. Kind of reminded me of Medeski, Martin & Wood, but a lot rawer and heaps more interesting.

As I said, we played many show together and then Kim Williams and me got them support for Damo Suzuki when we brought him over here. The Futurist haven't played many shows outside of Scotto and they played a couple there with guests. One was with some guy on guitar and it just didn't work at all. The other was with Joe 19 on keys/melodica, which was better, but still not so great. They were the best when they were just a three-piece.

I don't know what happened, but some months later they slowly stopped playing and broke up...

Steve is in Intenso 33 these days. I played one show with them a few weeks back and was the worst musician in band by far. But I hope to play some shows with them again...

RTR Fremantle Winter Music Festival

Everyone's fave local radio RTR FM is doing their annual Fremantle Winter Music Fstival on Saturday 26 June. You can read more about it HERE, I'm just pointing out that Mojo's will be on fire with Underground Solutions crew, with special guests.

ERASERS - 7"EP

Erasers is a relatively new Perth band that has Rupert and Andrew from Shock! Horror! on guitar and drums, respectively, as well as Rebecca on vocals.

They started somehow quietly, playing small gigs at parties and shops an slowly went into proper music venues, climaxing with a great performance at this year's In The Pines.

So, I was very surprised to hear they have a 7" EP title "Autumn" out now on Metal Postcard Records in Hong Kong (via Sydney and USA). I saw Rebecca at my workplace the other day and scored myself a copy, and what an awesome record that is!

I'm hoping to do an interview with them soon and will write more about this EP, but for now let's just say that all 4 song are brilliant excursion into dreamy psych pop with some post-punk elements. But fuck the labels, Erasers deliver it with their own style that does not sound like anything else around. It's not the new kind of psych revival that people might be familiar with through Perth bands that I won't even bother to mention here. Neither it is a Fabulous Diamonds rip off, as someone suggested recently on a certain social networking website. It's just Erasers. Full stop.

Mental Powers CD (Badmington Bandit 2010)

This review of Mental Powers CD was sent to Mess & Noise, who totaly ignored it. Here is why:

Experimental music (a dreaded term, for sure) in Perth has been thriving in the last couple of years. Written off as crappy attempt at musicianship by music “populists”, and glorified as the best thing ever by the “elitists”, Perth’s own different music is alive and well, and Mental Powers debut CD is here to prove that statement.

The composition they released on a split 7” single with Free Choice some months ago was just a tip of an aural iceberg that these young men had in pipeline for anyone willing to listen. This time they came up with three complex, yet very engaging and listenable numbers.

The CD (which comes in a handpainted/handprinted cardboard sleeve, the artwork done by MP drummer Jamie Doohan) kicks off with “Contador” (song titles are not listed on the cover – this info was supplied by a person close to the band and it might not be correct, mind you). The drums at the beginning sound like a drumkit, together with the drummer, are falling down a steep set of stairs. In comes the saxophone that evokes images of a young beast awaking and then the whole band kicks in, changes the beat entirely, making it sound very chaotic and angular, and then finally they lock in a “groove” and stay on its course.

Once there, it’s kind of reminiscent of early material by Can and Faust, which is not to say that Mental Powers are “Kraut” revival combo. What makes them similar to those seminal German bands is the ability to come up with cool unusual beats and riffs and to repeat them with a good sense of measure.

“Ology”, the second and longest track on the CD starts with what sounds like bass-y and percussive slow and long aural outbursts and some 3 minutes later steel drums’ beat begins its mantra (handled by one of band’s guitarist Lewis Waters) and stays on until the end of the song. Smoothly the drums come in with a simple bass line and vocalist’s Deni’s chant. Nearly 11 minutes into the song the instruments drop and it’s up to steel drum to bring it to the end.

The last track “D+D” is by far the noisiest of the three, evoking (and I’m reluctant to admit here) some of the best Sonic Youth noisy moments, but not for long – things get more subtle in the second half of the song, when the sax comes in again. Before you know it 25 minutes are over, and that would be my only problem with this CD - it feels like it should go for a lot longer.

Mental Powers might not be the greatest musicians and the CD certainly is not “produced”. There are mistakes and they are not difficult to spot, but what counts is that the music is captivating, the band members know how to bring out the best in them and, what is so rare these days, it feels like nothing can be added or subtracted to their music.