BULLY HAY SHARES STIRRING NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘BUSHFIRE MOON’ + DEBUT ALBUM ‘BLACK DOGS AND SONGBIRDS’ DUE OUT OCTOBER 30
Embracing Australian rock with swooning acoustic adornment, the brand new single Bushfire Moon out today from Tasmania singer-songwriter Bully Hay is a stirring new cut taken from his forthcoming debut album Black Dogs And Songbirds, due out on Wednesday October 30. Also accompanied today by a striking music video reflecting actual events, Bushfire Moon is a reflective yet charming outing from this gifted Australian creative and storyteller, with production courtesy of the legendary Jeff Martin of The Tea Party fame.
With each song on the upcoming full length album Black Dogs And Songbirds channelling their own unique sonic flavours, Bushfire Moon effortlessly, and inadvertently, found its way into semi-country-meets-singer-songwriter terrain, with some classic Australian rock undercurrents also flourishing in the steady hands of Bully Hay, aka Jonathon Coleman. Taking inspiration from some of the greats, including Paul Kelly, Bruce Springsteen, Crowded House and Eddie Vedder, Bushfire Moon was also ultimately motivated by real-world events in the aftermath of the bushfires that devastated parts of Bully Hay’s home state. “Bushfire Moon came to me after the Dunalley bushfires in Tasmania a few years ago,” shares Bully Hay. “The fire wiped out most of the Tasman Peninsula and caused a lot of damage and disruption. It ended up cutting off a lot of people from the rest of the island to the point where people could only get on and off the peninsula by boat. So, the community had to band together to get help to those that needed it. It felt like just about anyone that had a boat was ferrying supplies and people back and forth for days because the roads were all blocked with debris from the fires. I had this fictional story in my head inspired by those events of a volunteer firefighter right in the thick of it, fighting the fires and totally exhausted. At some point he knows it’s a lost cause. The situation is hopeless and too far gone and he needs to get out of there. All he can think of is finding his love and he sets out, determined to find her amongst all the chaos.”
Produced, recorded and mixed by Jeff Martin (The Tea Party), who Bully Hay will also support on his Australian tour starting tonight and closing out in October, Bushfire Moon is ultimately “at its core, an acoustic guitar ballad that builds with layers of electric guitars and subtly intertwines a touch of violin”, brought together Bully Hay himself on guitars and vocals, Martin on guitar, Hellhound Brown on slide guitar, Drew Castles on drums, Ben Conicella on bass, and Luke Moller on strings. And also teaming up with Thomas Roach of Roach Media to bring the accompanying visuals for Bushfire Moon to life, the new music video snapshots the unique reality of bushfires in Australia, as Bully Hay elaborates, “We kept it simple with this one and just took the Australian landscape, lit it on fire (not literally, just found footage of it on fire!) and projected that onto me playing through the song. As traumatic as bushfires are, there is something quintessentially Australian about our country where fire is both the great destroyer and creator. So, we wanted that to be a focus of the video.”
Joining earlier singles Wash Off The World and the upcoming new album’s title track, Black Dogs And Songbirds, Bushfire Moon furthers the core notions of change, self-reflection and life’s highs and lows in general beating at the heart of Bully Hay’s debut full length. Along with Bully Hay and Jeff Martin’s incredible fingerprints across the entire album, Black Dogs And Songbirds also brought onboard Paul Pilsneniks (Silverchair, Dope Lemon, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard) on engineering, and Grammy Award-nominated Joe Carra (The Teskey Brothers) on mastering duties, as well as sonic inspiration spanning Soundgarden riffs, Rage Against the Machine basslines, Jeff Buckley, Paul Kelly, Powderfinger, Crowded House, The War On Drugs and, fittingly, Jeff Martin’s own band The Tea Party. Opening with buoyant empowerment via Wash Off The World, Bully Hay bursts into vivid view with heartrending melodics, acoustic flourishes and a glistening sonic reflection of the ocean itself in all of its cleansing and naturally wild beauty. From here, Bully Hay flits between wistful twangs (Breathing Out and I Can Be Your Lover), pensive, stripped-back ruminations (Black Dogs And Songbirds), swooning country hues (Bushfire Moon), an indie love ballad that melts and charms with measured simplicity (The World Is On Fire But You Look So Great), potent storytelling set against swelling textures (Cinnamon Perfume Cabernet), as well as injections of Aussie rock, both upbeat (Flinders Street Station. And whether diving headfirst into woozy and heavier territory (Arrest The Youth and Such Confidence) or buffeting across the album’s gossamer closing track (I Know What You’re Saying Love), Bully Hay not only showcases his dexterous abilities across a sea of different genre elements; he also effortlessly captures the entire gamut of the human existence in 11 powerful tracks.
“All of the song themes are taken from real life inspiration and reflection,” shares Bully Hay of Black Dogs And Songbirds. “Musically, I’m definitely a product of my listening habits and these vary so much from classical and folk music to grunge and metal, rock and acoustic singer songwriters. So perhaps this is why the songs vary a lot in style and are tricky to pinpoint. It’s a very self-reflective album. Most of the songs are about change and dealing with those changes in different ways. That could be rejecting change, embracing change or just noticing that something is happening whether you like it or not. Being true to yourself and recognising your own flaws and unpacking them. The songs differ quite a lot in style and feel. So, the album itself takes the listener on quite a journey. One of the songs on the album (Cinnamon Perfume Cabernet) has a lyric in there: “You cannot have the light without a little bit of darkness” and this very much sums up the experience of listening to this album. There are plenty of moments of light and shade and a little in between. Sums up the highs and lows of life in general.”
A sixth-generation Tassie boy currently based in Southern Tasmania, Bully Hay’s upbringing saw him utterly immersed in music, with his musical family helping to ignite his lifelong passion at an early age. Ultimately sparking his desire to become a musician by his father, who introduced Bully Hay to some chords on the guitar at the tender age of 14, the rest well and truly was history, with the self-taught Coleman going on to learn music by ear, and performed in bands and as a solo artist for the years to follow. Settling on the moniker Bully Hay for his solo endeavours, the name was inspired by Coleman’s uncle who was one of “The Rats of Tobruk” in World War II.
Ahead of the upcoming release of Black Dogs And Songbirds on October 30, Bully Hay will perform some solo acoustic shows supporting Jeff Martin on his Australian solo tour, with Martin performing interpretations of classic David Bowie songs on his Aussie run. Kicking off tonight in Belgrave, Martin and Bully Hay will trek to Melbourne, Adelaide and Cronulla, before closing out on Thursday October 24 in Newcastle. For Bully Hay, the chance to not only tour with Martin but also strip back his own live show is the perfect complement to the origins and creative journey for Black Dogs And Songbirds, as Bully Hay explains, “I couldn’t be more pumped about these shows. Normally these songs would be performed as a 5-6 piece band. But I’m hitting the road first in reverse and supporting Jeff in a solo acoustic format. I love playing these songs solo. In fact, every single song on the album began with just me on an acoustic guitar so it feels very natural. You can expect these songs stripped back and distilled into rather intimate versions. Often, it’s easier to connect with the audience when it’s just you and your guitar. As for Jeff jumping on stage, I would say there’s a strong possibility, but you’ll have to come along and find out!”
And with a national tour with his full band also on the cards following the release of Black Dogs And Songbirds, the best for Bully Hay seems only yet to come.
Bushfire Moon is out today.
Black Dogs And Songbirds is due out Wednesday October 30.
BULLY HAY – UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
Acoustic Solo Shows supporting Jeff Martin
FRI 20 SEP | SOOKI LOUNGE, BELGRAVE VIC | 18+
Tickets available from Oztix
SAT 21 SEP | CORNER HOTEL, RICHMOND VIC | 18+
Tickets available from Oztix
SAT 5 OCT | JIVE, ADELAIDE SA | 18+
Tickets available from Moshtix
WED 23 OCT | BRASS MONKEY, CRONULLA NSW | 18+
Tickets available from Oztix
THU 24 OCT | KING STREET WAREHOUSE, NEWCASTLE, NSW | 18+
Tickets available from Oztix
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT ANNOUNCE ‘21 YEARS OF BEGINS HERE’ BY DEMAND REGIONAL TOUR FOR EARLY 2025 WITH SPECIAL GUESTS HANDS LIKE HOUSES
Get set to revisit where it all began for iconic Aussie rockers The Butterfly Effect, with the quartet today announcing a massive regional run in 2025, celebrating 21 years since the release of their seminal debut album Begins Here. By popular demand off the back of their hugely successful 2024 capital city 20 Years Of Begins Here national tour, and with destinations voted by the fans themselves, The Butterfly Effect’s 21 Years Of Begins Here 2025 regional tour will span 25 dates around the country from late January through to March, with the quartet returning to new and familiar stages playing Begins Here in its entirety – and beyond!
“For this tour, we basically threw it open to the fans to tell us where they wanted us to play!” shares drummer Ben Hall. “We put most of the suggestions into a voting form, the punters voted, and from there, we made the final cut. Some towns had a massive amount of interest, but unfortunately, finding a venue proved too difficult this time around. Next time, we might just bring a stage on the back of a truck!”
The 21 Years Of Begins Here regional tour in 2025 will kick off on Thursday January 30 in Cairns before journeying to Townsville, Mackay, Gladstone, Caloundra, Ipswich, the Gold Coast, Coffs Harbour, Gosford, Wollongong, Penrith, Dee Why, Albury, Torquay, Ferntree Gully, Frankston, Margaret River, Bunbury, Fremantle, Joondalup, Castlemaine, Mildura, Mount Gambier, and Pooraka, and closing out proceedings on Friday March 14 in Darwin. Tickets for the 21 Years Of Begins Here regional tour are available now from thebutterflyeffectband.com.au.
Releasing in 2003, Begins Here immediately turned heads reaching #23 on the ARIA Charts, topping the independent charts and went on to be certified gold in 2006. Boasting enduring favourites in the form of singles Crave, Beautiful Mine, Always and One Second Of Insanity, with the latter two tracks also snagging #99 and #68 respectively on triple j’s Hottest 100 in 2004, Begins Here powerfully paved the way for The Butterfly Effect’s worldwide legacy, with international touring and high-profile festival appearances swiftly following the album’s release. Celebrating the 20thanniversary of Begins Here earlier this year with a huge national Australian tour, the chance to carry the festivities into 2025 to regional Australia, with Canberra rockers Hands Like Houses also along for the ride, is one equally exciting for the band themselves as much as it is for the fans, as vocalist Clint Boge shares, “It feels amazing to still be doing what we love and to be celebrating 21 years of our first album is very humbling. I never envisioned having a career spanning three decades, but I am very grateful and eternally thankful to the fans, friends and people who have helped along the way and made it possible.”
A group significantly well-versed in writing, recording and life on the road, The Butterfly Effect remain one of the all-time Australian greats of their generation, from their critically acclaimed releases through to their voracious live shows, both at home and abroad. And while the trademark Butters sound has been one that has endured, evolved and thrived since the band’s inception, the quartet’s distinct brand of distorted emotive rock that pays homage to the likes of Silverchair, Helmet, Rage Against the Machine, Iron Maiden, Faith No More, Muse and Deftones has remained in hot demand, with their most recent material showcasing that time has boldly sharpened their already formidable sonic wares, and that The Butterfly Effect remain a force to be reckoned with.
Releasing their self-titled debut EP in 2001, The Butterfly Effect’s trajectory into the mainstream eye was nothing short of explosive, with their breakout single Crave sparking national radio airplay, record deals and performances when Livid Festival and Homebake were in their prime. Following the release of Begins Here in 2003, The Butterfly Effect cemented their reputation on a worldwide scale, ultimately going on to release three top 10 charting albums, with 2006’s Imago, 2008’s Final Conversation of Kings and, following an extended hiatus, their most recent work with 2022’s IV.
Locked and loaded to perform Begins Here in its entirety across regional Australia in 2025, along with some other gems taken from the extensive and enduring Butters back catalogue, the upcoming 21 Years Of Begins Here Tour will be one for the ages. And, as Ben Hall concludes, some of the upcoming towns and cities will offer the band a chance to revisit familiar ground, as well as tick off a few new locations for good measure. “We haven’t visited some of these towns in over a decade — possibly even longer!” says Hall. “And come to think of it, some of these towns we’ve never visited at all! Fans can expect the album in its entirety, with a splash of the back catalogue to boot! For us, we love playing, and as long as we’re not losing a tonne of money to put the show on, we’ll pretty much play anywhere, anytime!”
Tickets for the upcoming 21 Years Of Begins Here regional tour are available now from thebutterflyeffectband.com.au.
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT – 21 YEARS OF BEGINS HERE 2025 REGIONAL TOUR DATES:
With special guests Hands Like Houses
Tickets available from thebutterflyeffectband.com.au
THU 30 JAN | GILLIGAN’S, CAIRNS, QLD | 18+
FRI 31 JAN | DALRYMPLE HOTEL, TOWNSVILLE, QLD | 18+
SAT 1 FEB | MCGUIRE’S HOTEL, MACKAY, QLD | 18+
SUN 2 FEB | HARVEY ROAD TAVERN, GLADSTONE, QLD | 18+
THU 6 FEB | KINGS BEACH TAVERN, CALOUNDRA, QLD | 18+
FRI 7 FEB | RACECOURSE HOTEL, IPSWICH, QLD | 18+
SAT 8 FEB | SOPO, GOLD COAST, QLD | 18+
SUN 9 FEB | HOEY MOEY, COFFS HARBOUR, NSW | 18+
THU 13 FEB | DRIFTERS WHARF, GOSFORD, NSW | 18+
FRI 14 FEB | WAVES, WOLLONGONG, NSW | 18+
SAT 15 FEB | PANTHERS, PENRITH, NSW | 18+
SUN 16 FEB | DEE WHY RSL, DEE WHY, NSW | 18+
THU 20 FEB | BEER DELUXE, ALBURY, NSW | 18+
FRI 21 FEB | TORQUAY HOTEL, TORQUAY, VIC | 18+
SAT 22 FEB | VILLAGE GREEN, FERNTREE GULLY, VIC | 18+
SUN 23 FEB | PIER HOTEL, FRANKSTON, VIC | 18+
THU 27 FEB | SETTLERS TAVERN, MARGARET RIVER, WA | 18+
FRI 28 FEB | PRINCE OF WALES, BUNBURY, WA | 18+
SAT 1 MAR | FREO SOCIAL, FREMANTLE, WA | 18+
SUN 2 MAR | LOOP, JOONDALUP, WA | 18+
THU 6 MAR | THEATRE ROYALE, CASTLEMAINE, VIC | 18+
FRI 7 MAR | THE SETTS, MILDURA, VIC | 18+
SAT 8 MAR | BEER & BBQ FEST, MT GAMBIER, SA | 18+
SUN 9 MAR | BRIDGEWAY HOTEL, POORAKA, SA | 18+
FRI 14 MAR | DISCOVERY, DARWIN, NT | 18+
QUINNY SHARES JOVIAL NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘EVERYTHING YOU WANT’ TAKEN FROM DEBUT ALBUM ‘OUTER MONOLOGUE’ DUE OUT OCTOBER 17
A charming pop turn from Scottish-born, Melbourne-based artist Quinny, the brand new single Everything You Want, out today, expands Quinny’s indie folk sonic universe into buoyant new territory, also armed with an endearing accompanying music video. Following on from his recent singles Settlers and Found & Lost, Everything You Want also unveils yet another sneak peek ahead of Quinny’s debut full-length album, with Outer Monologue officially set for release on Thursday October 17 and available to presave now.
A track that took on many forms during its recording process, Everything You Want saw Quinny team up with Graham McCusker, a composer for BBC’s His Dark Materials and lead artist in Glasgow/Manchester bands KAZE and Marouli, as well as fellow creative Kieran Logan, drummer for Kassidy, to bring the charming new single to life. Mixed and with additional production courtesy of Nathan Cable and mastered by Neil Pickles, Everything You Want ultimately flourishes with balanced modernity and classic craftsmanship, drawing on some dazzling influences and real-life experiences along with performances from Quinny himself on vocals, guitar and bass, Marie Collins (from The Vegan Leather) on backing vocals, Graham McCusker on backing vocals and keys, Dan Drennan on guitar, and some integral drum work courtesy of Kieran Logan. “This song is fairly new, and it got changed a lot in the recording process, so I definitely still feel in our honeymoon phase,” shares Quinny. “Everything You Want is one of my poppier tracks, very upbeat with a good groove – and props for the groove goes out to Kieran Logan who played drums on this one. Once we got right into the weeds of this tune, we were really aiming for a 1975 feel. Bit of Bombay Bicycle Club, Biffy Clyro and Steely Dan in there too. It’s about us not realising how good we have it. I feel like when things are going well, we can create problems to justify ourselves and our struggles.”
Recorded at Tpot Studios by Robin Evans in Quinny’s homeland, Scotland, Everything You Want’s cheerful wiles are perfectly matched by its accompanying music video. Centred around a wedding photo booth, the clip for Everything You Want follows the bride and groom and their guests posing, drinking and everything in between as the evening wears on, serving as a clever yet simple reminder to relish the good times when they pass your way. “We just wanted a fun vibe that fitted the feel of the song,” reveals Quinny. “The video features some people in the photobooth at a wedding, capturing the highs and lows of the evening as things get messier. The video was directed and produced by Eilidh Loan, known for her performances in ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘How To Have Sex’, and features an ensemble of performers including Anna Russell-Marti, a Screen International Rising Star, known for her TV performances in ‘Karen Pirie’, ‘Falling Into Place’ and ‘Annika’, and Reuben Joseph known for his run as Alexander Hamilton in London’s West End and TV roles in ‘Vigil’ & ‘Crime’”.
An artist capable of seamlessly harnessing jovial and moody overtones with unbridled relatability, Quinny’s fusion of innovation and fresh sentimentality is on full display throughout his forthcoming debut album; the aptly titled Outer Monologue. Opening with the airy melancholic beauty of Raining Monarchs, Outer Monologue traverses pulsating calls to action (Up the Dollar), wistful indie folk (Settlers), raw and plaintive rumination (An Act of Contrition and Astral Plane), Beatles-esque lush melodics (Darkness at the Door), crisp nostalgic odes (Friends and No Place to Die), as well as jukebox-ready swoon (Found & Lost), all helmed by Quinny’s captivating Scottish lilt lining his vocals while the additional acoustic version of Settlers brings in Marie Collins, Hannah Daman and Graham McCusker performing alongside Quinny. And while the overall album has been many years in the making for Quinny, nodding to his core influences of The Beatles, Biffy Clyro, Blink-182 and The Flaming Lips, as well as more recent nods to the likes of The Killers, Rufus Wainwright and Pixies, the end result of Outer Monologue is something that has been entirely worth the wait – and it’s one ready to resonate with new and old fans alike. “It’s been a long time coming,” says Quinny of his upcoming debut album release. “It’s sort of unbelievable that I managed to commit the time and money to it. I remember a lecturer of mine when I was 20 telling me it was time I wrote an album… so it’s overdue! I often can’t spot the themes of my songs until after the fact. Now that all of the creative part of the work is done, I can realise that the whole thing is me trying to look at things from other people’s perspectives, but I always end up just writing from my own. I can’t escape my own take!”.
A talented singer and songwriter hailing from Scotland, renowned for his tongue-in-cheek Christmas sonic creations, as well as frequently having strangers mistaking him for Ed Sheeran in public, Quinny’s musical endeavours has seen him fuse his burgeoning musical flair over the years with his four influential B’s, namely Biffy Clyro, Blink-182, The Beatles and Bombay Bicycle Club. With tours in the UK and North America under his belt, the multifaceted creative relocated to Melbourne in early 2020, with his newfound hometown sparking creative excitement that is now set to culminate in 2024 with the release of his debut album – and Quinny is certainly not bidding farewell to Australia any time soon. “I’m here for a while!” says Quinny. “I’m currently starting the hunt for somewhere to buy with my girlfriend. We met in London, did long distance once her visa ran out. I then moved here in 2020, got stuck… and never left.”
Alongside headlining shows at The Gaso, Last Chance, Retreat and Fitzroy Pinnacle since moving to Melbourne, Quinny also previously won the 2020 Darebin Songwriters’ People’s Choice Award shortly after moving down under, scoring the nod for his single Found & Lost that will also feature on the upcoming album Outer Monologue. Described by Tenement TV as “an enthralling mix of the raucous and sentimental with witty lyricism and poppy charm”, Quinny had also spent the past few years releasing older material and flippant Christmas songs, with One Foot In The Grave’s Richard Wilson making an appearance in one of Quinny’s infamous Christmas videos.
To celebrate the release of Outer Monologue this October, Quinny will host a special album listening party on Saturday October 19, with the free event set to take place at The Gem in Collingwood, before christening the album live in action this December. “I’ll play the album in full for the first time in December, followed by a set of my wonky Christmas tunes,” Quinny shares. “It’ll be high energy, and I’ll try not to derail the sombre mood of the songs by talking too much – though that seems to be half of what people come for now!”
“I’m looking to do more recording next year,” Quinny concludes. “I’m currently trying to suss out dates and see if I have enough ideas left after this. I might be hitting up my pop punk roots for the next thing. They’ve been calling me a bit lately.”
But before Quinny’s pop punk roots return, Outer Monologue is primed to delight this October, and keep your ear to the ground for a new Quinny Christmas song this December, also.
Everything You Want is out today.
Quinny’s full-length album Outer Monologue is due out Thursday October 17 and is available to presave now.
QUINNY – UPCOMING SHOWS:
SAT 19 OCT | THE GEM (UPSTAIRS), COLLINGWOOD, VIC | ALL AGES
Album listening party – Free entry
THU 19 DEC | SHOTKICKERS, THORNBURY, VIC | 18+
Tickets available from Moshtix