Scene Update!

Perth - the hip hop is right next the third building from the left.

 

Hey folks,

Being a producer in a small city like Perth, I quite often get to see the background work that artists are putting in to various releases.  So, being the kindly gentleman that I am, I thought I’d give you a heads up on a couple of releases that are in the pipelines at the moment.

Wisdom2th and Gbox have been hard at work on their conceptual sci fi epic “Null/Void: Existence is futile” for probably a year or so now.  Based in a dystopian alternate reality this release is probably 80% done at the moment – at the very least it’s in the mixing stage.  It’s equal parts hip hop noir, speculative fiction, introspective funk and glitchy experimentation.  I’ve heard probably every track they’ve made for it so far and I have to say that this is one to keep an eye/ear out for.

Another project involving Wisdom2th is Marksman’s upcoming release.  I’m not sure what he’s going to call it but the tracks I’ve heard so far are quite cool.  He rocked a few of the finished tracks a couple of weeks back at The Bird to a healthy response.  Wisdom2th is handling the majority of production and the beats are sounding tight (as most of Lenny’s beats do).

Aside from that I know that The Empty Cup is working on something at the moment.  He seems to be calling it a mixtape but I’m hoping it evolves into a full LP because the dude is pretty damn talented.

I guess that means that The Community is doing the business at the moment.  It’s a beautiful thing.

On a side note, if you haven’t already checked it out you should definitely get your hands on two recent releases: “Sri Diger” by Diger Rokwell, the first in what promises to be a number of “beat tourism” albums from this legend of the Perth hip hop scene; and “Dust Moats” by Maxy Bills who describes his music as “future cosmic funky glooping intergalactic resonance” – which is pretty accurate really.  Both are well worth your time and money.

Here’s a taster for your enjoyment!

 

PEESHE

 

Why does TV hate me?

Image via Wikipedia

Hi folks,

So after my last post about the sci-fi series Outcasts I did a bit of looking around on the interwebs and discovered that the BBC has axed the show.  As per usual, it was a short British season (only 8 episodes) and, after the final episode, the BBC announced that it would not return for a second season.  Balls!

Why does television hate me?  How can they keep beating the dead horse of “reality” television and continuously trash shows that involve some sort of creative expression?  I know the answer.  I just hate it.

Reality TV is cheap to produce and you don’t have to pay writers (except maybe copy writers).  Also, the vast and moronic mass of TV consumers actually watch that soul-destroying rubbish.  Now, I’m not saying that the dramatic TV series is the last bastion of fine art.  Not by any means.  But I want stories!  Damnit.  Stories are interwoven with our genetic and evolutionary constitution!  Why the neo-liberal TV executives feel the need to deny the roots of our fundamental humanity, I just don’t know.  Okay… maybe that was going a bit far.

Anyway, here’s a list of shows that I have enjoyed which got axed before their time:

1. Battlestar Galactica – the remake.

Apparently the Cylons had a plan.  Granted neither they nor the show’s writer knew what that plan was – but they had it nonetheless.  And, anyway, it’s not like Neighbours or Bold and the Beautiful or the Simpsons have any overarching story and they get to run for 20+ years.  At least Battlestar knew they were on their way out and could attempt to wrap up their many stories in the final 5 episodes.

2. Stargate Atlantis

Look, I know it’s not cool to like Stargate.  I accept that.  I defend myself by saying that Stargate SG-1 was absolutely abysmal.  It made me want to punch myself repeatedly in the face.  Stargate Atlantis, however, was pretty well written (and by that I mean the dialogue writers were quite good) and passably acted.  It made me laugh.  Sure, it was pulp nonsense, but it was entertaining.

And then it was killed by MGM.  Shame on you!

3. Stargate Universe

Yes, okay, I see the pattern emerging.  But that’s only because short-sighted TV execs (see: neo-liberal from my earlier paragraphs) only want to throw cash at established names.  And, sure, SGU started verrrryyyy slow but those of us that stuck with it found that it improved as the series progressed – at least until the end of the second season when it was stabbed in the back by the aforementioned TV execs.  Et tu brute?

4. Outcasts

8 episodes?! 8 EPISODES? Seriously.

5. Jericho

As a rule I’m not much of a fan of jingoistic American flag-waving patriotism, however, I really started to enjoy this show after the first three episodes.  Apparently I was the only one.  After one an a half seasons it went the way of the dodo.  So sad…

Anyway, the moral of this story is: STOP CANCELLING SHOWS I ENJOY WATCHING!  Yeah, it’s more of an imperative declaration than a moral but you get the point.

PEESHE