Interview: Country Artist Christie Lamb

Let me give you a bit of a rundown on Country Music multi-instrumental, award-winning, singer-songwriter, Christie Lamb. She has been hailed as ‘one to watch’ by Country music legend, Lee Kernaghan. She’s toured with Jon English, Amber Lawrence, Aleyce Simmonds, The Wolfe Brothers, and performed a duet with Keith Urban at last year’s Deni Ute Muster. She took out the fan voted ‘CMC New Oz Artist of the Year’ in 2015 and the Golden Guitar for ‘CMAA New Talent of the Year 2016.’ Earlier this year she released her second album, Loaded, placing #2 on the ARIA Country Album Charts, and single Bad Habit following the success of first single, Flamethrower.

Congratulations on the release of your new album, Loaded. Were there any elements from your debut, All She Wrote that you wanted to carry over into this release?

The first album established what sound and direction I was going and I didn’t want to stray too far from that and confuse fans. It’s still contemporary, country-rock/country-pop, but we tried to give a bit more variation on this album so there are seeds that are even bigger and even more stripped back and raw as well.

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Interview: Mark Gable of ‘The Choirboys’

Mark Gable is the front man and founding member of the Australian hard rock band, The Choirboys. Formed in 1978, with Mark on lead vocals, Ian Hulme on bass guitar, Brad Carr on lead guitar and Lindsay Tebbutt on drums. He also penned the classic Australian anthem, Run To Paradise.

The Choirboys are currently on tour around the country paying homage to the great AC/DC. Their first set comprises of AC/DC’s debut with Bon Scott, High Voltage, recorded in 1974, sung cover the cover. The second, the final album with Bon Scott, 1979’s Highway To Hell, with a Choirboys set added at the end as well. They’ve already done three shows to amazing response.

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The St Kilda Fest Files – An interview with Ainslie Wills

Ainslie Wills has been pegged as one to watch in 2017. Not only has she played Queenscliff Music Festival, Falls Festival, WOMADelaide and Splendour in the Grass, just to name a few, as well as a successful run opening for Grouplove in the UK last year; she, and key collaborator Lawrence Folvig, have signed on to support Tom Chaplin (Keane) when his British tour gets underway next month.

You literally just got off stage at St Kilda Fest. How did your set go?

It was fun. We had some good responses, especially towards the end of the set with songs like ‘Drive’. For us to play a band gig, it sort of doesn’t happen. The last band gig we played was probably Woodford [Folk Festival] last year, so it’s nice to play with the full band and get back into it.

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Review: ‘B*Witched, Atomic Kitten, S Club 3, East 17 & Liberty X Concert Spectacular’ (2017)

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What: B*Witched with Atomic Kitten, S Club 3, East 17 and Liberty X Concert Spectacular
Where: Festival Hall, Melbourne
When: 9th February, 2017

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The Cruisin’ Country Files – Cruisin’ Country No.6 in Photos

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Today marked one month since we set sail on board the Legend of the Seas for Cruisin’ Country No.6 – an 8-day cruise celebrating all things country music. So over the next couple of days, I have some photos and interviews that I wish to share.

What: Cruisin’ Country No.6
When: November 13th-21st, 2016

Features: Lyn Bowtell, Adam Brand, Liam Brew, Travis Collins, Beccy Cole, Matt Cornell, Amber Lawrence, Drew McAlister, Shane Nicholson, Libby O’Donovan, Luke O’Shea, Amber Joy Poulton, Jasmine Rae, Melinda Schneider, Aleyce Simmonds, The Toombs Brothers and Felicity Urquhart

For more on the cruise, please visit: http://cruisincountry.com.au/2016

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An Interview with Gord Bamford

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Australian-born, Canadian-raised Gord Bamford is a father, country singer-songwriter, and multi-award winner – he’s won 23 CCMA Awards to boast, so he’s kind of a big deal! Making up one seventh of acts appearing alongside the Wolfe Brothers on their This Crazy Life multi-festival Australian tour; I caught up with Gord, on the last weekend of the tour in Queensland, to talk about starting over, Australia and living up to the tour name.

Have you picked up any slang while you’ve been down here?

I’m picking it up. I love the accent – I wish I could get it back. A lot of people say they like the accent I’ve got, I go, “I’ll trade ya!” I left here when I was five so I spent most of my years in Alberta, Canada, but I live in Nashville with my family now. I don’t think it’d be hard to pick it up as I spend more time here.

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An Interview with Casey Barnes

Image by Ashley Roach/fullframe.com.auCasey Barnes is one of Australia’s most prominent country music artists. The father of two had had an impressive career already, having played alongside Mariah Carey, Bryan Adams and just recently, Lady Antebellum. He recently released his third album, Live as One, along with the single of the same name – an important song about global acceptance, unity and understanding.

It’s been four years since your last release. Why did Live As One take so long to make?

It’s been a fairly long time coming, but I’m excited that I’ve finally got it out. It was a combination of getting the right tracks together and I made a lot of trips across to Nashville. That’s why it was a drawn out process, just to make sure we had the strongest tracks. I’m now signed with Social Family Records, so that’s made a massive difference to the success of this album and it’s the first time we charted at #9 on the ARIA album charts on the first week of it’s release, which I’ve never done that before – so that was really exciting!

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Interview: Lisa Mitchell

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Lisa Mitchell wowed us on Australian Idol at the tender age of 16. Now ten years later, she’s about to release her third album Warriors – a inspired and a reflection on her younger years.

Why did you decide to make The Boys the first single?

The Boys, it’s a light beginning and one of my favourite songs. I think it’s also got a similar theme in being a bunch of friends. One of my boyfriend’s mates Dad passed away, so they all wanted to hang out with him. I unexpectedly got stuck out on the beaches, where they were hanging out, and a bit of a public transport dead zone and I was like, “oh shit. I’m totally going to have to crash this gathering.”

They were just driving around listening to good music. I loved getting reminded of how gentle and passionate guys can be towards each other in their own way. Of course, they didn’t talk about anything, they were just playing footy and drinking beers but it was really nice. Their energy were so great.

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