interview | 808 State – Interview with Darren Partington

In the world of 808 State, hip hop gave way to baggy, rave gave way to freestyle, and their namesake 808 drum machines now serve as dusty benches for their TR909s. Nine years on and with their new album Don Solaris again reflecting the state of dance and subtle indie crossover in 1996, may we see yet another celebration of the State similar to the progressive hits of Pacific and the UK gold albums Ninety, EX-EL (featuring Bjork and New Order’s Bernard Sumner) and 1992’s Gorgeous? Or is nine years in dance just pushing it a little.

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interview | The Big Day Out ’96 – Local Line-up

folks, here are 10 of the bands from the line-up. fill in the gaps by inserting The Tearjerks, Externals and Challenger 7 where you think they fit in the narrative. sorry, it’s quite long, but it is afterall ten bands and there is some extra stuff about Dirtbag and Atmosfear for CD launch/going away reasons. yay.

adm.

blah blah blah ADAM CONNORS spoke to them blah blah

A very lucky thirteen local bands make up the Big Day Out’s Perth contingent this year: an amorous mix of metal, mellow and funk punk fanaticism. From kicking off the day until well into the evening many of the bands will be smashing their tamborines, crooning and cutting sick for thousands of sundrenched spectators in what will be, for many, their biggest stage spots yet.

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interview | Magic Dirt (1996) – Interview with Adalita

(check surnames, ta!)

Anyone who has ever dared to try slipping on a little Magic Dirt before bedtime has made two fatal errors: wartime test have proven that it is difficult to sleep to the screams of landing aircraft and two, ah, the old sit-bolt-upright-in-bed secret track conspiracy.

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interview | Polvo (1996) – Interview with Ash Bowie

“Whatever people say about our music, I would say that you can always hear a melody running through our songs, no matter how spastic the rhythm ideas may be!”

I read this remark by Ash Bowie before confronting him myself. They seemed to be the words of someone clinging to hope, a faint hope that someone, somewhere, may have some idea about what he is up to.

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interview | Supernova

Somewhere between San Diego and Los Angeles, but about 15 million light years straight up, is the possible origin of the group known here on Planet Earth as Supernova. The three members of Supernova, on a speakerphone from their earthbase in California, claim to crave tinfoil in their otherworldly wiles. But dare I say the Supernova storyline could simply be another side effect of the dangers of prolonged exposure to aluminium – or aluminum as they erroneously call it Stateside?

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Mo Wax: Money Mark; Djs James Lavelle, Shadow, Charlie and a cavalcade of stars … Planet, January 6, 1996

For a grunge puppy like myself it is hard to admit that I may be somewhat ‘crossing over’ these days, but with the Mo’Wax Headz in town it seemed to be the right time to come out, just a little …

Planet was bubbling both downstairs and up, the all-ages frenzy in the basement supplying scenes of manic hero worship as outside, after the gig, kids tried scrambing into the windows of tour buses loaded with Summersault superstars who squiggled on fans’ t-shirts, all to an impromptu busk on the sidewalk from Money Mark.

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