When I last wrote here, I was halfway through a four-week songwriting course taught by Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes fame, facilitated by LA-based School of Song. It’s an online class conducted over Discord and Zoom – each week, participants are set a homework assignment, and join a Zoom breakout room with 3-4 random coursemates to share their music and give feedback.

By the midway point of the course, I’d produced a piece of music I was incredibly proud of. Not because it’s a perfectly polished recording or something that represents the apex of my creative ability, but because it’s something I couldn’t have conceived of writing a month before the course began. 

Taking inspiration from opium

Our second lecture was “Melody & Lyrics” and we learned about techniques like extensions (a note outside the triad of a given chord, eg. Dm9 rather than plain old Dm), appoggiatura (an added non-chord note in a melody that is resolved to the regular note of the chord) and mode shifts (eg. moving from aeolian to dorian mode, for example). Some of this was new to me and some of it was giving names to things I did without realising on guitar (my main instrument).

I bought an 88 key midi controller (like an electric keyboard but you need a computer to provide the audio) last Christmas and this second class provided the inspiration for me to write something on it. Inspired by the class, I picked out some chord shapes I already knew, then tried to add extensions and new notes. I tried to find a vocal melody which didn’t resolve to the “obvious” notes in the scale, and used a suggestion of Robin’s for finding lyrical inspiration: take lines from poems/books and find a way to adapt/translate them for your own sound.

In my case, I looked at Project Gutenberg (a repository of out-of-copyright books) and looked up Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, by Thomas De Quincey, a favourite of mine from university. I looked up a brilliant passage about the narrator’s opium-induced dream about ancient Egypt and used it as the basis for this song:

The song poured out of me and I put together three verses, a bridge and a chorus in a short space of time, feeling like I’d finally tapped into something subconscious where I knew what story I wanted to tell with the words. I recorded a few takes of the vocal but didn’t overthink it, and in the final mix embedded here you can hear a vocal outtake in the background which works well—sometimes—as a harmony/echo with the main vocal, a nice touch of serendipity. It’s not the most polished thing I’ve ever done, but the growth it represented in my work made me incredibly proud.

Great artists steal

The following week’s class was specifically about lyrics and gave us some homework themes including “the magpie”, about trying to copy certain aspects (a drum sound, a lyrical approach, a dynamic quality etc) of multiple songs and merge them into something new. I ended up writing two songs for this: one an effort to make something with the guitar riff energy of Minus The Bear, and another which tried to ape the vocal style of the Tallest Man On Earth (and let’s be honest, the guitar style too).

I was really proud of both pieces and although they’re clearly indebted to the artists who inspired them, I was encouraged that they sounded like real songs too, rather than just plain copies. One of them even got the seal of approval from Robin himself on the School of Song’s jukebox, which I was very happy with – even just the idea that he heard something I wrote was pretty thrilling, however much of a fanboy that makes me sound.

By the final lecture of the course, we were all quite emotional: a couple of thousand people had been on this course and we’d all made ourselves vulnerable each week, sharing our work with one another and asking for feedback. In the final song share, I played two strangers the song I’d written about the journey my partner and I have been on these past few years, while they shared music about a parents’ dementia and an intense, physical love for someone else. It really felt like we’d all pushed through something and built a new thing together.

The course finished a month ago now but I’ve been aiming to keep the same energy and output going: I have six complete songs, three or four which just need lyrics, and a hundred ideas kicking around in Garageband files. My aspiration is to release them as a couple of EPs or a whole album (depending on how well I can convince myself that they fit together thematically/musically). My confidence is hugely increased: I know this stuff isn’t the best music ever recorded and I’m aware I’m not going to set the streaming services alight overnight if this music ever makes it there. But I also know that by my own standards, this is the best stuff I’ve ever done, and much more than I could have imagined doing before starting the course.

The School of Song offer a bunch of other courses besides the one I did: there are guest teachers from famous indie bands aplenty, but there are also musical specialists teaching things like guitar skills, piano basics, advanced music theory and recording technique. The community is as welcoming and motivating as anything I’ve ever come across (in fact, more so) and it’s given me creative permission to break out of my comfort zone and a decade-long creative dry patch where it was easier to just play covers than do anything original. I still have a way to go, but I’m so glad I started this.

Thus Let Us Drink Beer

Feral Brewing, Future Mountain and Hawke’s Brewing

What’s in a name?

In the case of the nomenclature of Feral Brewing, I would be majorly disappointed if the brewery’s mission was characterised by anything less than the pursuit of an untamed and unapologetic raw instinctive approach to creating fulminant legacy beers.
Incepted after trips to the mecca of IPAs, i.e. the West Coast of North America, Feral Brewing’s founders felt the itch to try their hand at not only pursuing their beer related careers in sales and project managing brewery installations, but letting their respective imaginations run will and upping the ante by channelling their alchemy in the mission to brew refined beers based on exceptional ingredients and artistry. 

Almost instantenously after launching their first brews, Feral Brewing was bombarded with accolades with each new releases being lovingly embraced by the beer loving community and as a result Feral has grown exponentially over the years.

If I had to pinpoint the quintessential Feral Brewing expressions you would want to try as a beer lover, I’d be amiss if I went past Feral’s hippity hoppity Biggie Juice: 

What started as an expertly brewed small batch East Coast IPA styled beer in nature, due to its success quickly entered Feral’s core range. Juice being a telling component of the name, the melange of Amarillo, Galaxy and Vic Secret hops results in a tropical, pulpy delectable and dangerously more-ish flavourful passionfruity tour de force, which is subtly counterpoint by a delicate bitterness.  

On the hop forward front, Biggie Juice is flanked by two superb IPAs: Feral’s Hop Hog ticks all the boxes in terms of resinous piney flavours slow dancing with citrussy highlights against a backdrop of an impressive yet balanced bitterness. With an ABV of 5.8% an excellent sessionable India Pale Ale.

The Full Metal Jacket themed American IPA and aptly named War Hog has become my new favourite for boilermakers as in terms of hoppiness, resinous notes and passionfruity aromas things are turned to eleven without ever running danger of entering novelty territory. One of my favourite recent discoveries and one that is bound to enter my heavy rotation.

I have recently developed a weak spot for sours and Feral Brewing’s Tropical Disco Sour proves to be an example par excellence for a refreshing summer beverage. The mango, guava and passionfruit nuances only add to the appeal.

Needless to say, Feral Brewing’s artistic inclinations also extend to their excellent merch range, more info on which can be found on their fun website.

Future Mountain

Some might claim that fermented brews, barrel aged beers and old-world style approaches to brewing result in concoctions that are an acquired taste, whereas I think it is a wonderful addition to an underappreciated facet of the Australian craft beer industry.

Enter Future Mountain.

Based on travels around the travel to experience and study the art of farmhouse brewing first-hand, a collective has formed with the mission to design an idiosyncratic Australian farmhouse brewery by utilising an open fermenting chamber and merging unique cultures and yeast strains with specifically sourced and cultivated oak barrels, thereby marrying the best of the old world with a distinctly contemporary approach with the focus set on provenance, sourcing their fruit locally.

Within merely three years, Future Mountain has established itself firmly on the firmament of Australia’s ever evolving local beer scene with their consistently delectable Lambic emissions that emerge out of their aptly named Culture Club, ranging in nature from Belgian-inspired saisons via pilsners to the barrel-aged, the barrel-fermented and the blended, with the common denominator being that each expression’s nomenclature is inspired by the owners’ musical references.

Future Mountain’s Constant State saison is essentially a formidable hybrid of pilsner malt, New World European hops and unmalted rye, rounded out by pear and citrussy nuances that are artfully counterpointed by peppery and earthy notes.

Take for example the oak barrel aged Alameda series with its batched expressions, which is not only accolade decorated, but a peachy tour de force that fully unveils its flavour nuances on the top of the mouth via honeyed highlights that dance against a backdrop of grounding oakiness before culminating in an acidic zingyness.

Given the ever-changing nature of Future Mountain’s releases and my weak spot for Belgian farm ales, I cannot wait to sample their other creations, which I hope delve deeper into funky cheese territory.

Hawke’s Brewing

Robert James Lee Hawke left quite a legacy in his wake, not merely in terms of the impact of his stint as Australian prime minister but overall in terms of his mission to build a nation devoid a second class citizens. Concepts like integrity were not unknown to the man, who besides his ethics harboured and actively cultivated a particular fun-loving side.

Having a penchant for great brews, a weak nostalgic spot for simpler times and for what Bob Hawke’s administration accomplished in terms of safety, authenticity, comfort and quintessential Australianness, the two founders of Hawke’s Brewing developed the concept of the brewery seven years ago to create the brewed equivalent to Bob Hawke’s characteristics and a centre point to bring people together.

Involving the man itself, Bob Hawke, never not the accomplished gentleman, agreed to be part of the venture under the condition that his share was to be donated to a charity dedicated to funding environmental restoration.

With its focus firmly set on what resonates well with larrikinism as well as the courageous unwavering spirit of Australia, what constitutes Hawke’s Brewery’s first emission is a straight-forward and honest slightly citrussy, mellowly malty craft lager brewed to suit Bob’s palate, which over the years has been joined by quite a few additions, all of which contribute to the creation of the idiosyncratic DNA of the brewery. 

A favourite Hawke’s Brewery expression is the aptly named Patio Ale. A pale ale in nature, this stonefruity little number rests of a formidable melange of Fortnight, Ekuanot and Mosaic hops, the nuances of which are counterbalanced by pear, watermelon and floral highlights, set against a backdrop of  delicately balanced by an earthy foundation and with a well calibrated bitterness.

If a lighter approach in the realm of beers is your jam, you would want to acquaint yourself intimately with Hawke’s Underdog Session Lage. 

Conveniently situated in the mid-strength region, this fruity Amarillo, Idaho 7 and Cashmere hops-based pilsner is the ultimate hoppy Durstlöscher. Given the crispiness and the boxes it ticks in the crowded mid-strength space, it is not further wondrous that it attracted a range of accolades despite only having been recently launched.

With Hawke’s Brewing’s meticulous attention to detail and conceptually thought through approach, it should not come as a surprise that apart from delectable brews they pump out consistently eye-pleasing and innovative quality merch designs, which thematically not only revolve around Bob Hawke but add an interesting dimension as they include references to iconic Australian moments.

The Formative Years – Nate Dogg

When one Nathaniel Dwayne Hale shuffled off this mortal coil about eleven years ago, the realm of hip hop not only lost an iconic legend but an immensely charismatic trailblazer that helped to create the foundation for how successful the idiosyncratic G-Funk and West Coast sounds were to become. 

Classifying Nate Dogg’s soulful, gospel-inspired singing style, which was conveniently located between tenor and baritone, as smooth would be an understatement par excellence as he rightly earned himself the title “king of hooks”, infusing songs with an unrivalled verve and his deep melodic vocals ever since he first teamed up with Snoop Dogg and Warren G in the early 1990s.

What followed was a career that through his gangsta singing guest work elevated the oeuvre of artists like Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Eminem, Mobb Deep, a myriad of Death Row Record artists, 50 Cent, Mos Def, et cetera, to new heights, resulting in a sheer endless array of billboard chart hitting anthems, aside from his own three studio albums

Nate Dogg remains an innovative originator that created a unique and diverse flow, especially in combination with Dr. Dre’s intricately layered yet seemingly simple beat compositions, in whose wake a myriad of imitators have only been able to create a diluted, washed down soulless carbon copy of his art.

What Maketh A Great Barber?

In less enlightened times, there used to be an outworn paradigm where male grooming was perceived to be effeminate, bougie or high maintenance and barbershops were associated with being located in backstreets with the clientele being mainly middle-aged men.

Thankfully this has fundamentally changed over the last decade, as the last ten years have seen an emergence and reinvigoration of quality male grooming options rich in both variety, quality and affordability. The fact that the updated generation of barbershops are not merely offering services but proffer veritable comprehensive experiences, including inclusive gender neutral services to cater to a diverse clientele, does not hurt either. This does not mean that one necessarily has to venture into full-blown dapper dandy territory but has more to do with the fact that good grooming is essentially about showing respect not just to others but mainly to oneself.

While I have acquaintances that claim that what one gets at a barbershop can also be obtained at a regular hair salon, I do not agree that this is strictly true as I have yet to find a hairdresser that offers exquisite experiences like a beard and moustache trims, scalp massages, line-up, and a traditional hot lather shave with a straight razor. While skin fades are traditional male styles within the confines of barbershops, newer incarnations have gotten more experimental with styles of all lengths.

Apart from more recently established barbershops, which seem to mushroom in city centres,  there are ones like Truefitt and Hill, which is not only certified to be the oldest barbershop in the world but widely known because of its iconic shaving line, which is being endorsed by the royal family of England. Needless to say, there is quite a bit of gravitas there and based on it, each constituent of the operation takes their craft very serious.

In a bid to experience if there was a tangible difference in Truefitt & Hills’ offerings, I ventured out to experience it for myself as what is fit for the Royal Family, cannot be bad for me and boy, what an experience it was.

Apart from the stylishly themed outfit of the barbershop, which was neat and clean to a fault despite being quite busy, and complementary beverages on offer (Glenfiddich seems to have cornered the market in the whisky department), what became instantaneously obvious was how inobtrusive the male and female barbers were along with refreshing lack of a need to show off. 

After indicating that I’d rely on my barber’s expertise as to nature of the cut and shave, it was obvious that he was not only familiar with a range of techniques but his approach was also informed by a keen attention to detail, displaying an enormous amount of effortless confidence in communicating feedback on how his suggestions work with the canvas he has been presented with, asking patiently the right questions without sacrificing adaptability or making assumptions.

What I value in such situations are people skills, which is not nearly as often found as I would hope for along with the right level of engagement to make quick yet not overreaching connections and a barber’s sensitivity to acknowledge that while you are happy to chat, you are also perfectly fine just keeping your trap shut to enjoy the experience. 

Essentially, it felt like my barber had my best interest in mind and it certainly is an accomplished skill if being portrayed within mere minutes of meeting without being superficial.

Once the cut commenced, it felt like the barber turned into a surgeon with his tools and every piece of equipment being meticulously organised and every expert move having become second nature.

After the cut, I treated myself to what I was informed is Truefitt and Hill’s  signature offering, i.e. Royal Shave, which is quite an extravagant treatment yet totally worth it as it literally transported me into another dimension. Apart from the hot and cold towel treatments, it was specifically the Truefitt & Hill range of moisturizing and shaving potions and lotions that not only made it a sensual but also olfactorily experience, with T &H’ No.10 skin care range being a particular pleasant component. Having something work on your face for a prolonged time is a pretty intimate experience and given the fact that I not only felt exposed for a single second was due to the masterful technique applied, which has been clearly honed over years of practice.

The Formative Years - Atari Teenage Riot 

I have always loved my first Atari ST computer, so even if Atari Teenage Riot had not fused anarchist and radically socialist views with screamed vocals and gabba techno to create their idiosyncratic melange of what became known as digital hardcore, I would have probably purchased their debut 1995.

Having recorded their album 1995 with fairly simple simplistic tools, sonically it was a wonderfully assault on all senses ranging from drawing on looped metal guitar riffs, all out noise, skits based on excerpts from cartoons and a focus firmly centered around unambiguous sloganeering to unapologetically get their political points across.

While one could argue that beneath all the hullaballoo and rage there was not necessarily a clearly defined concept, the nihilism, desperation, aggression and conviction it was delivered with, left an indelible impact, was fun and after tours with a range of big alternative acts saw their debut album eventually being released in the US by Grand Royal Records under the title “Delete Yourself”.

Apart from their musical output, Atari Teenage Riot managed to exert their version of the Rock’n Roll Swindle by setting up their own label by channelling a handsome advance they had secured from a major label without delivering something commercially viable in return.

Atari Teenage Riot’s live performances were never not a memorable event, with a performance at a protest march in Berlin being a particular standout as it resulted in them igniting and providing the soundtrack to a full blown riot.

Following a reunion, Atari Teenage Riot refined its approach and was able to excite huge festival crowds, especially in Japan which cemented their status as a powerful, volatile futuristic outfit which continued to proudly wave the flag of their punk rock roots and DIY ethics.