Sunday, 31 July 2022

New Release: We Were Made For Loving You



Spotify ::: Bandcamp

We Were Made For Loving You from Club Weld Studio is a stunning loose web of

conversational lyrics, drones, affirmations, ethereal howls and pop radio references.


Chris Stiles’ singular voice evokes John Lydon circa Metal Box/The Flowers of Romance, but

ultimately defies easy categorisation.


Anthony Talarico contributes radical, expressive drums, and slyly unpredictable singing.

The sounds of the collaboration can be chaotic, but We Were Made For Loving You is approachable

and inviting – the noise of life, discovery, connection.


Nicola Morton’s beautiful, naturalistic production gives the listener an unencumbered perspective

on Stiles and Talarico’s Parramatta jams… Dubbed at breakdancethedawn studio.


1. Talk To Me

The opening track establishes the album’s M.O; seemingly unrelated parts which fit together

perfectly. In this instance, Chris Stiles’ whimsical vocal interjections, Anthony Talarico’s free

associational whimsy ride on top of programmed drums, jazzy keys and guitar harmonics.

Talarico’s “I like to drink coffee, I like KISS also” gives a hint as to the origin of the album title.


2. Zoom Jam 1

Recorded over the internet in three different towns during the April 2020 lockdown, this skeletal

improv evokes the confusion of that period. Tied together insistent trumpet-sounds, this haunting

piece is a great introduction to the expressive beauty of Chris Stiles’ voice.


3. Sway

Sway brings a distinctly humid atmosphere, complete with jazzy rimshots, ominous synths,

whimsical vocals and half-heard conversations. Eugene Ward’s jazzy electric piano, Nicola Morton’s

insistent bass complete this unique sound world, and provide the ideal backdrop for Talarico &

Stiles…


4. Thunder

The opening synths briefly evoke an excessive era of southern hip hop, before ‘Thunder’ rattles off

into ominous, electric territory. Guest collaborator Samar Salameh contributes guest vocals and

guitar and adds to the heavy atmosphere.


5. Steven

Following on from Alice Cooper, Taylor Swift and The Grateful Dead’s ‘Steven’ songs, Talarico &

Stiles’ contribution to the tradition is full of free-associational joy. This duet references Richie Valens,

Bobby McFerrin and spring rolls, and it is again offset by Eugene Ward’s keys.

“Do not break a light…it’s dangerous.”


6. Zoom Jam 2

Another off-site jam, featuring clacking percussion from Anthony Talarico. Recorded in Epping,

Merrylands, Spencer and Cattai. Despite the desolate sonics, the recording is indicative of the Club

Weld studio’s love of music and will to overcome the considerable obstacles to collaboration

presented by the pandemic.


7. Dawn

Stiles’ flexible, siren-like vocals are the standout of this beautiful piece of exotica. Talarico’s freeform

drum explosions interrupt the droning, hypnotic mood.


8. LvM3Tndr

“Please don’t cry”. This lovely, telepathic improvisation ends the album as it started – sounding like

nothing and nobody else.

Thursday, 30 June 2022

Club Weld Fundraising Campaign - 2 weeks to go

 We are halfway to our $15k goal for Club Weld's program next year.

We are proudly independant of NDIS, and a free service for musicians on the autism spectrum in Western Sydney.

https://ice.org.au/donate-to-club-weld/



Monday, 9 May 2022

Batch Virus Radio on Repeater Radio

 The mind-heart exploding, Repeater Books has a Radio Station that I am so stoked to be a part of.

You can catch Batch Virus Radio here:

The format is where we start with requests from the Batch Virus community - think New Age Noise Collective, Western Sydney POC-X and then I get to play a few tunes and end up with a couple of live sets from myself and Del Lumanta.






Saturday, 18 December 2021

BatchVirus 4 Release



For bleeding hearts, woke mother-fuckers and future punks who listen to more than HC – Batch Virus 4 is a small edition tape and digital download release of experimental sounds by female and non-binary, culturally diverse artists living on Darug country (Western Sydney). It will be released for one month only from13 January, 2022 on Bandcamp. This label is brought to you by Nicola Morton (Breakdance the Dawn, New Age Noise, Club Weld, Club Sound Witches).

Media Access is here.

1 minute Audio Preview Here

 

Break in 2022 by remembering how fucked 2021 was. Buy Batch Virus 4 and safely let it go 😊 Recorded in 2021 during Western Sydney’s ‘tougher restrictions.’ These releases contain no shouting - just 19 minutes of regret, distaste for government crackdowns on youth, sadness and attitude – sentiments we can all relate to in the last year.

Let’s listen to something that dared come out of the mould. These 4 artists breakdown stereotypes of their locality, cultures and genders.

·         BV4.1 – Okuesha Kills – interspersing guitar licks with ambient sounds, chords and vox pops. She provides an aural snapshot of the opposing feelings of isolation and community. Okuesha Kills is also an emerging media artist and has a residency at PACT in 2022. Think Laurel Halo…

·         BV 4.2 – Wytchings – An up and coming dark electronica artist. On this release she makes the simmering mind audible, putting to rest the subtle insults we push past each day. She has released tracks on Urban Cowboy, Lazy Thinking Records and New Weird Australia. Think Arca, Jlin…

·         BV 4.3 – Tru’ – More than princesses believe in pop, and pop stars still have punk attitudes. The emotive pop experiment of Tru’ sits between these noise offerings, as a symbol of the supportive, multi-faceted community, New Age Noise Collective. When you take the Northern Beaches pop sound (Julia Stone et al) and place it in Parramatta.

·         BV 4.4 – Sol Yoga – Sol takes us on a dystopian walk during lockdown featuring a recording made of a modular jam made in Blacktown Arts Centre and themselves cutting sick on Sol Show on Radio Skid Row. Attitude level = Peaches, 100 gecs.

Put these tapes on your dystopian future shopping list. With design by affordable minimalist fashion label, Chainmail (Gillian Kayrooz and Natalie Huifen) – you are buying in to a digital future throwback. Won’t digital and viruses look nostalgic when we are all ‘meta!’

 

Contact:

nicolaisgreat@gmail.com

Insta: @nicolaisgreat

Friday, 24 September 2021

Kid's You Tube Poop: Southern Cross News, Nickelodeon, Wiggles, Muppets

Kate and I have been watching lots of TV during lockdown. 

Mostly like the rest of you we have been watching lots of TV and for us in regional NSW that means Southern Cross 10 News Regional. Here is Kate's tribute..



We also made some YouTube Poop featuring Nickelodeon cartoons, Wiggles, Sponge Bob and Beaker the Muppet.



Friday, 3 September 2021

RUOK Karaoke by Club Weld 4pm Thursday September 9

 In honour of the challenging circumstances for neurodiverse artists in lockdown in NSW. Our music studio, Club Weld is holding a Karaoke Afternoon for RUOK Day.

You're invited to RU OK KARAOKE!

Join the wonderful Club Weld musicians and their special guests The Motel Sisters for an afternoon karaoke party in your living room.

We’ll be singing Club Weld songs plus some classics. Lyrics on screen. Bad voice? Can't wait to hear it!

Get the Zoom link for RU OK KARAOKE! by registering through this Eventbrite page.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/ru-ok-karaoke-tickets-169196281633


Here is us having a go at 'Fall At Your Feet' by Crowded House.