AUSSIE HIP HOP LEGENDS BUTTERFINGERS ANNOUNCE NEW SINGLE ‘DANCING (TO THE BEAT OF MY OWN DRUM)’ OUT TODAY + NEW ALBUM ‘BAD NEWS’ OUT MARCH 30 + MASSIVE NATIONAL ALBUM TOUR
Australias favourite musical misfits and auteurs of Aussie hip hop, Butterfingers are back, breaking hearts and bones (mostly their own) with a killer new single, Dancing (To The Beat Of My Own Drum), out today, January 30. Confident and with more ecstatic energy and sharp lyrical wit than ever before, Dancing (To The Beat Of My Own Drum) is classic Butterfingers. After a fourteen-year long album release cycle, this hectic new track is the first taste of a brand new Butterfingers album, Bad News, set for release on March 30. The beloved group will be celebrating the new record with a monumental national tour across April, May and June of 2020, kicking off in Fremantle at Mojo’s Bar on April 20, then moving through Perth, Scarborough, Bunbury, Burleigh Heads, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne, Frankston, Canberra, Sydney, Newcastle, Mt Gambier, Adelaide, Townsville, and wrapping up in Cairns at Gilligans on June 6.
With typical rhythmic brilliance and clever, incisive lyrics, Butterfingers’ new single Dancing (To The Beat Of My Own Drum) will delight dedicated fans and will appeal to the masses too. This track is rocky, powerful, and there’s no holds barred here – from start to finish, Dancing (To The Beat Of My Own Drum) is like lightening in a bottle. Speaking on the song’s inspiration, band leader and frontman Evil Eddie Jacobson explains, “We’ve drawn from a lot of different artists and genres over the years but this new track and album is born from our most recent influences, which range from alternative rock to grime and trap. Of course we’ve put our twist on all of it and it’s still definitely Butterfingers! Dancing (To The Beat Of My Own Drum) is that scene in the film when the protagonist slays the dragon, if you know what I mean. It’s just about that feeling when you’re absolutely sure and confident with who you are and what you’re doing, that no one else’s opinion matters anymore.”
With a new found vigor and a swag of new material, Butterfingers are officially back in the saddle and continuing to bend genres and the boundaries of good taste with a rare blend of obscenity, wit and charm. True to form, the new album Bad News encompasses hip hop, punk, reggae, drum & bass, stoner rock, electronica and just about anything that makes you want to shake your bones, into a cohesive mash-up all of their own creation. From potty-mouthed gutter rhymes to heartfelt crooning odes to love lost, this is an album that will keep old fans happy and will entice new followers at an alarming rate.
With a host of industry awards, multiple ARIA award noms, a bunch of features in Hottest 100 countdowns, and playing just about every major festival on the Australian circuit over the years, Butterfingers have continued to develop their unique and supremely high energy and fun sound throughout their career. And Bad News is testament to this dedication to growth. As Eddie enthuses, “The whole album is one complete story and it’s about where we’ve been and what’s happened in the last 14 years since our last album. It’s not as literal as a regular concept album, but each song represents a scene. The story within the album covers everything from self loathing, facing bankruptcy, battling drug addiction, failed friendships/betrayal, heartbreak – and then overcoming all that to make a rad album!”
During the break, Evil Eddie released a solo album, Welcome To Flavour Country (2010), spawning standout track Queensland that received great critical acclaim and charted in the triple j Hottest 100. Taking a step back from the limelight, he joined and released an album with Brisbane thrash punk outfit Spitfireliar as lead guitarist. Now bringing Spitfireliar bass player Bradzilla back with him, along with ex-Wolfmother drummer Tony McCall, 2020 looks to be the year that propels Butterfingers back into the Australian consciousness with fresh zest and their greatest material to date.
As ever, there’s a lot for fans to look forward to at the upcoming shows, as Eddie reveals, “We all know how hard it can be to win a crowd over with new material, no matter how awesome it is, so even though we’ll be playing a fair chunk of this new stuff we obviously aren’t going to ignore the back catalogue either. It’ll be a nice blend and the energy will be pretty hectic!”
Butterfingers is Evil Eddie (vocals, guitar), Olly Thomas (keys, samples, percussion), Bradzilla Cochrane (bass) and Tony McCall (drums).
Dancing (to the beat of my own drum) is available now
Bad News is set for release on March 30 through Bewilderbeats
Tickets to the Bad News Tour will be available for a fan presale on Thursday January 30 and will go on sale to the general public on Monday February 3. Hit up the band’s website for more information: http://butterfingers.info
BUTTERFINGERS – BAD NEWS TOUR
THU, 16 APR 20 | MOJO’S BAR, FREMANTLE, WA (18+)
Tickets available from http://butterfingers.oztix.com.au/?Event=113224
FRI, 17 APR 20 | BADLANDS BAR, PERTH, WA (18+)
Tickets available from https://butterfingers.oztix.com.au/Default.aspx?Event=113225
SAT, 18 APR 20 | INDIAN OCEAN HOTEL, SCARBOROUGH, WA (18+)
Tickets available from http://butterfingers.oztix.com.au/?Event=113227
SUN, 19 APR 20 | PRINCE OF WALES HOTEL, BUNBURY, WA (18+)
Tickets available from http://butterfingers.oztix.com.au/?Event=113228
FRI, 24 APR 20 | MO’S DESERT CLUBHOUSE, BURLEIGH HEADS, QLD (18+)
Tickets available from http://butterfingers.oztix.com.au/?Event=113229
SAT, 25 APR 20 | THE TRIFFID, NEWSTEAD, QLD (18+)
Tickets available from https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/butterfingers-album-tour/119387
SAT, 02 MAY 20 | NIGHTQUARTER SUNSHINE COAST, QLD (18+)
Tickets available from http://butterfingers.oztix.com.au/?Event=113231
FRI, 08 MAY 20 | ALTAR, HOBART, TAS (18+)
Tickets available from http://butterfingers.oztix.com.au/?Event=113232
SAT, 09 MAY 20 | ROYAL OAK HOTEL, LAUNCESTON, TAS (18+)
Tickets available from https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/a2d551f0-8f52-417a-a258-3e8ef8578227
FRI, 15 MAY 20 | HOWLER BAR, BRUNSWICK, VIC (18+)
Tickets available from https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/butterfingers/119276?skin=4406
SAT, 16 MAY 20 | PELLY BAR, FRANKSTON, VIC (18+)
Tickets available from http://butterfingers.oztix.com.au/?Event=113234
THU, 21 MAY 20 | UC HUB, BRUCE, ACT (18+)
Tickets available from https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/butterfingers-album-tour-2020-canberra/119409?skin=UCLive2019
FRI, 22 MAY 20 | THE LANSDOWNE HOTEL, CHIPPENDALE, NSW (18+)
Tickets available from https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/butterfingers-album-tour-2020/119288?skin=thelansdowne
SAT, 23 MAY 20 | CAMBRIDGE SIDEROOM, NEWCASTLE, NSW (18+)
Tickets available from http://butterfingers.oztix.com.au/?Event=113237
FRI, 29 MAY 20 | SHADOWS, MT GAMBIER, SA (18+)
Tickets available from https://butterfingers.oztix.com.au/Default.aspx?Event=113238
SAT, 30 MAY 20 | CROWN AND ANCHOR, ADELAIDE, SA (18+)
Tickets available from http://butterfingers.oztix.com.au/?Event=113239
FRI, 05 JUN 20 | OTHERWISE, TOWNSVILLE, QLD (18+)
Tickets available from https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/butterfingers-townsville/119419
SAT, 06 JUN 20 | GILLIGANS BACKPACKERS HOTEL & RESORT, CAIRNS, QLD (18+)
Tickets available from http://butterfingers.oztix.com.au/?Event=113243
DISCOGRAPHY
2003 – Everytime EP
2004 – Breakfast at Fatboys
2006 – Deeper You Dig
2010 – Welcome To Flavour Country (Evil Eddie solo release)
SAGE SHARES DEBUT SINGLE & VIDEO ‘FROM DUST’ AHEAD OF FORTHCOMING EP ‘TETHERED’
Ethereal cellist and singer-songwriter Sage has today announced her debut single From Dust, a gorgeous, introspective meander made especially for soulmates, out February 3. Accompanying this stunning track is a beautiful, nostalgic video, shot in collaboration with director Hugo Rose (Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird). From Dust is the first taste of Sage’s upcoming EP Tethered, a collection of gentle yet striking songs for cleansing the soul, set for release on February 27.
For fans of Laura Marling and classic folk auteur Joni Mitchell, From Dust is a soft bed to fall into after a long hard day. Enchanting and delicate, this song allows space for Sage’s elegant vocal to feature front and centre, while her adroit cello playing provides a warm glow that eminates throughout. Speaking on the inspiration behind From Dust, Sage says, “This song is about soulmates, innocence, memories, and endless love. It’s one of those miracle songs that was written in no time at all by myself in my run-down apartment. When I sing this song, I think about the movie Stardust. At the end of the film the two star-crossed lovers, having lived a full and beautiful life together, pass away and become stars in the sky, their love living on forever and shining over everyone. There’s longing involved, but also hope.” The film clip for From Dust is a perfect visual representation of the track – pretty, graceful, and sentimental, with a ‘70s film-camera flair.
Tethered is an exquisite collection of songs from this inimitable artist. Like a nostalgic fairytale, these songs unfurl themselves flawlessly; from the pizzicato of All My Lost Loves, to the sweet, strings-infused pop of The Loveliest Thing, Tethered is a glorious, sun-soaked triumph of arresting folk-pop. Reflecting on the concept behind the songs on Tethered, Sage explains, “This EP was a cleansing process of feelings I wanted to get out of my system through music. The concept behind Tethered was to write a collection of songs about things that can hold us back and keep us tethered to our place in life, in the hopes of understanding these experiences and learning to let go. Feeling stuck is a terrible thing so I always try to change and improve.” Fellow cellist Richard Vaudrey (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Sammy J, Anna Cordell) was the producer and audio and mix engineer throughout the recording process, and was a gem in the studio, as Sage notes, “I knew I had to work with Richard because he embodies so many things I wanted to do as an independent artist. Having an engineer who is also a singer-songwriter-cellist like myself was so useful in the studio and nothing ever got lost in translation between us.”
From Dust is set for release on Monday, February 3.
Tethered is set for release on February 27.
PARKER ANNOUNCES ARRESTING SINGLE & VIDEO ‘BECOME THE FOOL’
Visual artist, songwriter and musician PARKER has today announced her devastatingly beautiful new single Become The Fool, a heartbreakingly powerful song about an unbalanced relationship in which one person ends up sacrificing too much of themselves and their dreams for another, out now. PARKER has also announced a gorgeous Bauhaus-inspired clip to accompany Become The Fool. This affecting new single is the first taste of what is set to be an incredibly exciting 2020 for this innovative artist.
Become The Fool is about as vulnerable as a song can be. Everything from PARKER’s delicate, glassy vocal delivery, to the melancholy synths and deep, arresting percussion, bleeds with heavy emotion, and will speak to anyone who has gone through a complicated heartbreak – one that perhaps they wondered if they would ever recover from. Speaking on the inspiration behind the track, PARKER reflects, “This is the first song that was co-written with my writing and production team, Hans Van Vliet (QLD) and Becki Whitton (VIC), across three states and I’m really excited about it. When a relationship ends it can be devastating. But what happens afterwards can be a beautiful mess of experiences and vivid feelings. When I got to the end of my longest relationship, I realised I had lost so much of myself. I had been living for someone else and their dreams for so long I didn’t know who I was without them. But through this experience, I was set free to find myself again, to pursue my creative practice with all my heart.”
The video for Become The Fool is a stunning journey that explores the depth of emotion behind this extraordinary song. The viewer feels connected to the main character as someone who is left behind in a world built for someone else. The narrative begins in sepia tones, and as the clip progresses and the character reclaims the city for herself through expressive dance, the scene begins to fill with colour as an empowering metaphor for this story. PARKER explains, “The clip for this song is so incredible! It was made in one month on a super tight budget. It was made by Hans Van Vliet (7 Bit Hero + HUNZ) in just three weeks. We took inspiration from bauhaus design; we wanted to create something that felt nostalgic yet contemporary. Every single element in the clip has a meaning and a reason to be there. Nothing is superfluous.”
This wonderfully considered release is just the beginning of what is set to be a spectacular year for this multi-disciplinary artist, as she gives fans a taste of what is yet to come, “I’m really excited about all the singles and music videos we have lined up to release this year. I’ve also got a number of live videos in the making! I feel so lucky to be working with so many great film makers, musicians and audio engineers on these projects.”
PARKER is Tash Parker.
Become The Fool is out now.