If you’re not a major Gleek or Thunderhead chances are you might not know the name Damian McGinty. Give it a few weeks. It’ll be a house-hold name.
I had the pleasure of meeting Damian when he was still touring with Celtic Thunder. He was all of 16 years old then but I knew he would be a star. He was extremely polite, professional, sweet, and not to mention a very talented singer! It’s no surprise that he was picked out of 40,000 contestants to appear on The Glee Project.
It did come as a bit of a shock that he won! Damian and fellow TGP contestant, Samuel Larsen, shared the top prize of a seven episode arc on this season of Glee. Damian makes his debut on the hit show Tuesday, November 1st. The Irish singer will be playing “Rory,” a foreign exchange student. We know he can sing, but can he act? We’ll have to tune in to see if he has what it takes to be a permanent member of New Directions! Best of luck Damian. We’re all rooting for you!
Damian’s last performance on The Glee Project “Beyond The Sea”
Damian performing “A Bird Without Wings” from Celtic Thunder: The Show
The name Wally De Backer is being heard around the world after many years of creating critically praised yet relatively obscure music to most people outside of the Australian indie-pop music scene. To the surprise and delight of many, the world has taken sudden interest in the Belgian born and Aussie raised singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, known professionally as, Gotye.
This attention is following the amazing response to Gotye’s first single, Somebody That I Used To Know (featuring Kimbra) off of his latest album, Making Mirrors, which has literally taken the world by storm. Released in July, It has become the longest running number one single on the Australian music charts in 14 years, and been nominated for a whopping seven ARIA awards.
Somebody That I Used To Know has already won three awards in the Artisan category, including best video, best engineer and best producer.
The music video for the hit song has had an unbelievable 12 million views, prompting interest from record labels and listeners internationally, including celebrities such as Katy Perry, Nick Jonas, and Ashton Kutcher. This has sent Gotye out of his experimental-indie-pop comfort zone, and rocketed him into pop star territory.
Somebody That I Used To Know (featuring Kimbra)
Wally De Backer released his latest Gotye album, Making Mirrors in August through the small but hugely successful record label,Eleven: A Music Company. John Watson and his staff at Eleven must either have an extremely good ear for popular music, or have been unusually lucky at spotting international break-out musicians, such as, Missy Higgins.Like Gotye, she has made a name for herself in the United States.
gotye and missy at the ARIA awards
Eleven seems to have hit a home-run again. Not only by signing Gotye just in time for his recent success but also considering their most successful band, Silverchair, have announced they are in “indefinite hibernation.” Incidentally, it is Gotye who has become the first Australian act to simultaneously hold both the number one single and album since Silverchair, who achieved the same feat in 2007.
Making Mirrors has only been officially released in the U.S. on iTunes. The album is expected to have an official release this winter and be followed by a tour of the states.
Eyes Wide Open Trailer
Gotye recently played his very first show in the United States at The Satellite in California, followed by shows in New York and Canada, leaving audiences singing not only his songs but also his praises for being a great live act.
Expect to hear increasingly more from Gotye as he continues to promote his album on tour, and with the recently released second single Easy Way Out from Making Mirrors.
Easy Way Out
Here are some additional facts about Making Mirrors:
Received great reviews, including 4 stars from Rolling Stone
Has been listed for 38 weeks in 5 different charts, which includes the number one position for the Australia Albums Top 50 and the World Albums Top 40
Platinum-selling album Making Mirrors isn’t eligible for this year’s ARIA Awards as it was released after voting closed.
The Making Of Making Mirrors
I will again share theQ&A with Wally De Backer that I conducted via email which I previously posted in my first Gotye blog. Make sure to visit Gotye.com, check out his YouTube channel, follow @gotye on Twitter, and subscribe to his Facebook page for the latest news.
Gotye Q&A
How long have you been a musician?
It’s about 13 years since I started learning the drums and messing about with writing songs
Did you go to school for music, or teach yourself or both?
Drums and a certain amount of music theory I learned in high school, but songwriting and production was just something I’ve played with in my own time.
Who were your favorite bands/musicians growing up?
I got hooked on The KLF at a young age. And was a Depeche Mode tragic for many years
Who are they now?
Hmmmmm….too many to mention. The Chap is a new favourite. They’re from London and they’re fantastically silly
Did anyone in particular influence you?
Everything I listened to (not just music…pedestrian crossing beeps on street corners)
When song writing, are you inspired first by a sound or a groove you want to sample, and build the song from there, or do you usually have the idea in place and then search for sounds to realize it?
The former- that’s pretty much the way that Gotye songs begin. However I have written a few from the piano where the lyrics and melody comes before the production ideas
Music or lyrics first?
See above. It depends
Which of your Gotye albums was your favorite to record?
Because I work track-by-track and over extended periods of time it all washes together. I just like making music, little by little, whenever I can
What are your favorite songs to perform?
The Only Thing I Know is a good one to practice my ’80s drums licks on
What was the inspiration for Mixed Blood?
Other musicians whose work I admired, and who expressed interested to revamp my songs
What is/are your favorite song(s) to cover? (By the way, I really loved your version of Always–wasn’t it Always?–by Bon Jovi, in The Basics tour videos!)
Heh heh…yep, that’s the best one. An Aussie bar in Shinjuku, Japan. Mobile phone microphone. Somewhere I can catch butterflies and let rip
Who would you love to collaborate with?
My computer. It’s Brian Eno’s dream but I’m borrowing it
Just how many languages can you speak? (I’m curious!)
Some folks suggest I have my own language – an often unintelligible collection of mumbles and awkward looks. Otherwise it’s just English and Flemish. A basic amount of Japanese. Um…and Esperanto
What is/are the best concert(s) you’ve been to?
Maybe it was The Quarrelmen, a Beatles tribute band, covering the Abbey Road album in its entirety
If you could attend any concert in the history of music, who would it be?
It would probably be one of The Beatles stadium shows. I can’t quite fathom a stadium full of people screaming incessantly throughout the entirety of a concert. The aura around the band was so electric it would be an unforgettable experience
Favorite or memorable tour experience?
Eating hommus smeared on bread with an old banana in the tour bus after a show in Manchester
A young lady in the US got a massive tattoo of a character from one of my film clips on her forearm. Really massive. Freaky!
Thoughts on winning an ARIA?
We all had a good laugh and then it got silly
Any hobbies other than music?
I like riding bikes, swimming in the sea and eating chocolate. That is all
Any ambitions outside of music?
See above. And world peace
Were you a stand out student in school? (ex: grades, music, athletics, popularity)
I was a nerdy-two-shoes, yes. But didn’t get beaten up. That was nice, thank you
Is there a particular cause you feel strongly about/support? (ex: animal rights)
Not in particular. Although sustainable energy is something I would like to be more involved in supporting/implementing in my own life. Solar power, anti-nuclear
Can you update me on what you’re doing currently or in the near future? (ex: touring, recording, relaxing, etc)
Trying to write new music. This involves getting excited about tweaking virtual synths, recording drums in a big barn and…swimming in the sea. And also preparing for the release of new music by my band The Basics (http://www.thebasics.com.au) as well as producing songs by my girlfriend Tash Parker
This is my second favorite KOL show, after my very first one, when I met Jared, Nathan, and Nacho. Waited in line for hours as usual. When we got inside it was pure chaos! There were some really rude people there. I ran like hell to get to my favorite spot–barricade in front of Jared. Got it! The show was a blast. The new songs were really great live. I got a little eye sex from Jared so that was pretty cool. Caleb stated how happy he was to play in his birth place of Memphis. At the end, Nathan gave me a drum stick! It was amazing. Before the show, Jared came waltzing in through the front door, past all the fans, like the true rock star he is. Loved it!
The Kings totally redeemed themselves with this show! It was a much more pleasant experience. I didn’t have to pay for my ticket, because of the Pigeon show. Watched from Jared’s side, as usual! Caleb expressed how much he appreciated everyone for coming back. It was a great show!
I waited all day long in the heat and rain to see this show. I met some amazing people in line. I suffered through the first two bands and impatiently waited for Kings of Leon. It had turned cold and the rain was freezing! I noticed something falling from the top of the amphitheater on the first two bands bass players. I thought it was water at first..Then I realized it was Pigeon crap. I thought, oh Lord..There’s no way Jared is going to put up with this! Well, I was right! He stated later that his management pulled them off the stage. Who knows?! Well, they rocked out for three songs and then….it was over. Despite the rain and the cold and three songs, I had a great time. I got a drum stick from Nathan, so it was well worth it.
What a great experience this was. I waited in line for hours and hours. I was first in line! I met up with some of my KOL friends and made a new one. I dearly cherish this concert for that reason. When we got inside we had to sit down and wait for the show. That was a strange experience…The opening bands were good, but I was reserving my energy for the Kings. Basically it was Caleb’s night. He rocked that stage. I mean, he owned it! He made some comments when some of the fans left after their hit songs…I couldn’t help but agree with him. They missed one hell of an encore!
Gotye! I am so thankful that I was introduced to the music of Gotye. He is yet another of Australia’s most talented and best kept secrets. Gotye’s music is truly the definition of a work of art.
Just as I first heard Missy Higgins, I discovered Gotye through the 2007 Aria Awards. His performance was, for me, the best of the night. I watched the performance then immediately Googled him. The idea of a singer/drummer intrigued me. After all, I happen to be married to one…
I found that he was much more than just another singer/drummer. Belgian/Australain musician Wouter De Backer is extremely multi-talented, and it seems, has an exceptional ability to multi-task! He is a very talented singer with a range of vocal abilities, plays the hell out of the drums, as well as various other instruments and gadgets, and writes, records, and produces his own music. He also released his first couple of albums independently. On top of that he is one third of the indie-pop band The Basics. Sigh… Gotta love an over-achiever!
I can’t even begin to describe Wally’s Gotye music. About all I know to say is that it is sample-based, infused with his own playing and singing. Make sense? Basically, he uses instruments and sounds of all types (a bit of music off an old, obscure record, conventional instruments, unusual instruments you’ve never heard of….you get the idea) to create a one of a kind, original piece of music.
Check out www.gotye.com to get a better idea. Be sure to take a peek at his blog while you’re there…You are sure to find some interesting and extremely entertaining little nuggets of joy!
Now if you’re interested in getting your hands on a CD, that may be a little difficult, if not impossible, if you live in the United States for instance. So, take my advice and buy Like Drawing Blood on US iTunes. That means YOU! Don’t you want him to tour North America like I do?! Of course you do! So, do your part to help make Gotye a house hold name. Ahem…moving on!
Not only is this man a musical prodigy, but he’s also a really nice guy! I contacted Wally via his website email and asked him a few questions, and he responded very quickly and with his usual wit and charm. Enjoy!
Gotye Q&A
How long have you been a musician?
It’s about 13 years since I started learning the drums and messing about
with writing songs
Did you go to school for music, or teach yourself or both?
Drums and a certain amount of music theory I learned in high school, but
songwriting and production was just something I’ve played with in my own
time
Who were your favorite bands/musicians growing up?
I got hooked on The KLF at a young age. And was a Depeche Mode tragic for
many years
Who are they now?
Hmmmmm….too many to mention. The Chap is a new favourite. They’re from
London and they’re fantastically silly
Did anyone in particular influence you?
Everything I listened to (not just music…pedestrian crossing beeps on
street corners)
When song writing, are you inspired first by a sound or a groove you want to sample, and build the song from there, or do you usually have the idea in place and then search for sounds to realize it?
The former- that’s pretty much the way that Gotye songs begin. However I
have written a few from the piano where the lyrics and melody comes before
the production ideas
Music or lyrics first?
See above. It depends
Which of your Gotye albums was your favorite to record?
Because I work track-by-track and over extended periods of time it all
washes together. I just like making music, little by little, whenever I
can
What are your favorite songs to perform?
The Only Thing I Know is a good one to practice my ’80s drums licks on
What was the inspiration for Mixed Blood?
Other musicians whose work I admired, and who expressed interested to
revamp my songs
What is/are your favorite song(s) to cover? (By the way, I really loved your version of Always–wasn’t it Always?–by Bon Jovi, in The Basics tour videos!)
Heh heh…yep, that’s the best one. An Aussie bar in Shinjuku, Japan.
Mobile phone microphone. Somewhere I can catch butterflies and let rip
Who would you love to collaborate with?
My computer. It’s Brian Eno’s dream but I’m borrowing it
Just how many languages can you speak? (I’m curious!)
Some folks suggest I have my own language- an often unintelligible
collection of mumbles and awkward looks. Otherwise it’s just English and
Flemish. A basic amount of Japanese. Um…and Esperanto
What is/are the best concert(s) you’ve been to?
Maybe it was The Quarrelmen, a Beatles tribute band, covering the Abbey
Road album in its entirety
If you could attend any concert in the history of music, who would it be?
It would probably be one of The Beatles stadium shows. I can’t quite
fathom a stadium full of people screaming incessantly throughout the
entirety of a concert. The aura around the band was so electric it would
be an unforgettable experience
Favorite or memorable tour experience?
Eating hommus smeared on bread with an old banana in the tour bus after a
show in Manchester
A young lady in the US got a massive tattoo of a character from one of my
film clips on her forearm. Really massive. Freaky!
Thoughts on winning an ARIA?
We all had a good laugh and then it got silly
Any hobbies other than music?
I like riding bikes, swimming in the sea and eating chocolate. That is all
Any ambitions outside of music?
See above. And world peace
Were you a stand out student in school? (ex: grades, music, athletics, popularity)
I was a nerdy-two-shoes, yes. But didn’t get beaten up. That was nice,
thank you
Is there a particular cause you feel strongly about/support? (ex: animal rights)
Not in particular. Although sustainable energy is something I would like
to be more involved in supporting/implementing in my own life. Solar
power, anti-nuclear
Can you update me on what you’re doing currently or in the near future? (ex: touring, recording, relaxing, etc)
Trying to write new music. This involves getting excited about tweaking
virtual synths, recording drums in a big barn and…swimming in the sea.
And also preparing for the release of new music by my band The Basics
(http://www.thebasics.com.au) as well as producing songs by my girlfriend
Tash Parker
Kings of Leon are my new favorite band. They have it all. Great music, great lyrics, and an amazing live show. They’re also gorgeous southern boys. God bless America!
Kings of Leon consist of Caleb Followill, rhythm guitar and lead singer, Nathan Followill, drums and backing vocals, Jared Followill, bass, backing vocals, synthesizer, and Matthew Followill, lead guitar and backing vocals.
Again, I was introduced to this band via Chairpage. At first I thought…They’re hot…and that’s all. Then I actually listened to their music. They have an incredibly unique sound. Caleb’s voice is definitely one of a kind. Nathan is a superb drummer and Matthew kills it on the guitar. And then there’s Jared… It’s no secret among my friends that he’s my favorite. To me, he makes the band. His baseline is truly the heartbeat of the group. The boy has mad, mad, skills! I think he could be one of the greats.
So, this fall I was lucky enough to see them live. And, I do mean lucky. I managed to get front row! Now this was not a case of easily strolling up to the front row. It was a sold out show. We arrived at the venue, The Pageant, in St. Louis, at about noon. I was determined to get my preferred spot! It paid off!
There were two opening bands, The Whigs, and We Are Scientists. They were alright, but I was saving my love for the Kings! The lead singer of We Are Scientists actually stood on the barricade directly in front of me and sang for about two minutes. It was really funny because his…ahem…crotch.. was right in my face. I must say, it was not enjoyable! It was actually a little uncomfortable!
So, after the opening bands came The Kings. They opened with Closer, which happens to be my favorite track off their latest album, Only By The Night. After that, the show is a blur. A very, very, nice blur! They totally gave it their all and they sounded absolutely brilliant. Jared gave us a nice amount of his classic ‘bass faces‘, Caleb danced/mosied around the stage in all his rugged glory, Nathan chewed his gum like a pro, and Matthew dazzled the crowd with his rock star poses.
The concert was a day before the presidential election, so Caleb playfully dedicated Charmer to Sarah Palin, and, Milk to George W. Bush. They were obviously voting for Barack Obama! Could this night possibly get any better?
It did! After the show, I walked around back where we parked (right next to the tour bus!), and stood in line waiting to see if they would come out and greet the fans. I was not disappointed! Nacho (their cousin and guitar tech) came out and chatted with us. He was really adorable and very sweet.
Nathan came out next looking very lovely and stating that he’d start at the front of the line and work his way down. I thought, “Great!”, considering I was at the front of the line…but he walked right past me! I didn’t let this deter me, after all, I was on a mission! I worked up the courage and walked to the back of the line and tapped him on the shoulder and asked if I could get a picture. He said “Yeah, but we have to play smell the marker!”. I had no problem with that! My husband fumbled with the camera (again!) but it didn’t bother me, I got to hang on to Nathan for a couple of minutes. After the pic was taken, I walked right back up to the front of the line! The security must have been feeling pretty generous that night!
Smell the marker!
Finally, Jared came out. I didn’t see him at first. I had my back to the front of the line and my cousin nudged me and pointed. I turned around and there he was, looking beautiful, in all black. He chatted with me for a minute or two and amazingly recognized me from a social networking site *gasp*. He was a total sweet heart!
Caleb and Matthew did not come out to greet the fans. I saw Matt go straight to the bus with his lady, Johanna, but didn’t see Caleb at all. Sad!
It was THE high-light of my year, and I felt high for about a month after! If you ever get a chance, go see this band! You won’t regret it!
Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Missy Higgins. I find her music to be very honest and passionate. She is a truly amazing live performer. If you get a chance to see her live, you definitely should. I would say that her albums do not do her justice. It’s just a whole other experience live.
I discovered Missy through the Silverchair Fan Club, The LAS. A friend sent me a DVD of the ARIA awards. I got the DVD for Silverchair, but the reason I go back and watch it from time to time is for Gotye’s performance and the performance of Where I Stood by Missy Higgins. It was love at first sight!
I had the pleasure of seeing her play in Nashville at City Hall some time ago. I knew that it would be a great experience from viewing her live performances on YouTube. I had no idea just how moving it would be.
I might even consider it the best concert I’ve been to. Hmm.. I don’t know! That’s a pretty bold statement! Ok, one of the best anyway. She opened for Mason Jennings and Brett Dennen. I can’t believe she OPENED for them! I have to say, I remember nothing of Mason Jennings other than he seemed to have big feet! Brett Dennen, on the other hand, was good. I knew nothing about him before hand, but left a fan.
The venue was far from a packed house. I easily managed to get front row, center. And I mean FRONT row! There was no barrier between the stage and the audience. I leaned on the stage throughout the concert. I even spilled my beer on the cables on the stage (oops!).
Missy gave an amazing performance. She sang and played her heart out for every song. My only complaint is that the set was too short….But that wasn’t her fault!
After the show I went outside by the stage door, which was amazingly not off limits to fans. I saw Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman enter and leave through this door during Missy’s performance (so random and kind of exciting!), so I thought, hey! why not? After only a few minutes of waiting (and with only 2 other fans!) Missy came out.
She was extremely sweet and down to earth. She chatted with us for a few minutes and then posed for pictures. She even tried to help my husband operate our digital camera when he couldn’t figure it out (LOL!). I couldn’t help feeling a little star-struck. She wasn’t the first ‘celebrity’ I’ve met, but I guess that ‘anxious and embarrassed’ feeling doesn’t go away easily!
I left the show feeling very excited and more in awe of her than before. It was a wonderful experience!
Where to even begin? I like to call him a genius. I’m not alone here. He is among Australia’s most respected artists. Silverchair have won more ARIA’s than any other act. I find it annoying, if not amazing, that most of the US hasn’t caught on. Still, it works to my advantage, considering I would rather see him play in a small venue instead of a stadium.
Daniel has described himself as manic-depressive. He has survived anorexia and suffered from reactive arthritis. He has toured the world from the tender age of 14…and he’s still not even 30.
So, why do I love him? First and fore-most, his music. Daniel has an amazing vocal range and he is a more than capable song writer. He really has came a long way since his first album, Frogstomp. He has an ability to get his point of view across, while at the same time using sometimes strange, and metaphoric lyrics. Yep. Genious.
I also love his eccentric personality. People have described him as pretentious and anti-social. I prefer to call him unique and idealistic. Daniel has been known to randomly use American accents on stage, and even go by an alter ego. He has stated that he loves Hollywood musicals. He doesn’t care for touring, but loves the process of creating and recording music. Daniel is also a vegetarian.
Did I mention that he is beautiful? What is there not to like?
