Some snaps of the book.
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Microwave Jenny – Musicians
Meat: Tessa and Brendon from Microwave Jenny
Where did your love for music first come from?
Tessa I think my real appreciation started when my Dad was running a karaoke business while I was still in primary school. He’d take me along and I’d be busting out everything from Anastasia, to the Beach Boys. This was then followed by High School where I fell in love with High School musicals…and BAM! I loved music.
Brendon My love for music came very early on. When I was super young my parents used to stay up late playing their old records all night, while I’d stay in my room drawing, and then falling asleep to the music. I’d wake up in the morning singing The Bee Gees, Fleetwood Mac, or Marvin Gaye. I was the only kid listening to the Classic Hits on AM radio. I loved it then, and still love it now.
How would you describe your sound? What do you hope your listeners feel when they hear your music?
Brendon Our sound is a little blend of acoustic folk and groove based jazz/ pop.
Tessa We hope they feel young! We kind of want them to feel a little pain in their cheeks from smiling too much!
How did your cover of Hanson’s ‘Mmmbop’ come to life? It certainly gives it a new flavour!
Tessa We both really love Hanson! To most people they were a teeny bopper band from the 90′s designed to make 14 year old girls go wild. They were actually killer songwriters with great voices, who were cursed because of their beautiful long blonde hair. We were having a conversation about them, and joked that ‘Mmmbop’ was actually Hanson scatting and it was originally meant to be a jazz song. It made us think, ‘What would that sound like?’
Do you prefer to perform at your own gigs, or at music festivals?
Tessa We get to be really creative with our own shows, and personalise the events for our fans. At our own shows our crowd will usually sing along to their favourite songs, which gives us a boost. It’s always a great feeling to see familiar faces in the crowd and Microwave Jenny written on those crisp new tickets at the door.
At festivals there’s less room to be creative because of the time restrictions. However, you get to play for a whole bunch of people who might never have heard of you before. To make them smile is one of the best feelings ever. Festival’s also make us go a little more crazy than usual because of all the adrenalin. They’re both amazing in their own ways.
Where do you hope to take Microwave Jenny? Do you prefer to plan or see where life takes you?
Brendon All over the world! We’d love to play to as many people as we can. Venue-wise, I’d really like to take MJ to the kinds of places where you wouldn’t normally expect to see live music. Laundromats, movie theatres…whatever! Part of what makes music so great is its ability to take you so many places you’d never expect to see. We have the skeletons of a plan, but like all bodies, the bones usually end up having very little to do with how it all looks in the end. We’re always open to opportunities and ready for whatever pops up.
Tessa’s Creative Inspirations
Shaun Tan He can draw with a child’s mind, so open and free to all things imaginative, which is a hard thing to do as you get older… It’s like trying to be as new and creative as a child on a piano, when you already know how to play and what keys are going to sound good together.
Colours If there was no such thing as colour I would be the most cranky, unenthused person on the planet. Colour determines my thoughts, my mood and the way in which I write.
Brendon’s Creative Inspirations
Megan Washington To me great songwriting is all about tension and release. Imagine someone pulling on a slingshot. She writes these verses that just build up all this tension and then lets it all go with really catchy, yummy hooks for choruses.
The Buried Life (Television Series) Four twenty-something guys, who remind me a lot of myself and my friends, go around with a list of 100 things to do before they die. Highly recommended.
Microwave Jenny’s website lives here.
Interview by Daniela Baldry
Thomas Goodin – Filmmaker
Meat: Thomas Goodin
Image by Amy Whitfield
Where did your love for photography/film come from?
I’ve always been passionate about film; from a very early age I was creating stories and movie scenes in my head. I always had very strong opinions about the movies I watched and considered becoming a movie critic. It wasn’t until recently that I decided I didn’t want to review movies – I wanted to make them. I was always in love with film, but it wasn’t until recently that I had the courage to apply that.
Who inspires you right now?
I’m currently obsessed with Lars Von Trier, I think his films are all so honest and evoke such strong emotion, that they are hard to sit through. He really delves deep into the human psyche so brutally, that as a result, the characters transcend the screen and you feel like you’re watching real people in unreal circumstances. I’m also obsessed with music videos lately, particularly Marilyn Manson, Bjork and Lady Gaga’s. I love the idea of portraying a story through imagery and music rather than through dialogue. This is something I tried to apply to previous shorts I’ve made in the past, such as Ok. I’m really excited that music videos are starting to become interesting again! I’m really sick of the same, uninspiring videos of people in a club or beside a pool.
Is there a particular film that has changed the way you look at the world?
Definitely. I always attribute A Clockwork Orange as my first obsession and greatest fear as a child. If you pause the film anywhere in its running time, it looks like a photograph. Also, every film Charlie Kauffman has ever written has changed my view on the limits that film can be pushed to. Adaptation, for example opened my eyes to the idea of a meta-narrative, which is basically a tool used in writing that describes a story about a story. Unfortunately, Kauffman makes it look so much easier than it is.
I’ve noticed a lot of your photographs show peoples faces hidden or masked. Is this something you’ve done consciously?
It’s intentional to a point. I find obscurity and absurdism a lot more interesting that straight out portraiture, so naturally I like to create images that take time to deconstruct and process. I often find myself taking photos of people that are in unusual circumstances or contorted positions for this reason.
Can you describe the process of creating your three part shorts Television, Mannequin and Ok? What reactions have you received to them?
I really wanted them to be visually beautiful, with the intention of making every shot look like a photograph. They are all non-linear stop motion “mood films” that don’t adhere to the conventions of mainstream film. I wanted to create a series of short films stylistically reminiscent of a David Lynch film crossed with a music video. The feedback I got was great, some people liked them, and others didn’t. The best critique I received was from people claiming that they felt the films were more style over substance, which was my initial intention.
What do you think photography/film provide for an audience?
Film encompasses sight, sound and storytelling. There’s something magical when you fuse the three together. Filmmaking is about lying to an audience. It’s creating a believable universe through a completely artificial process. So believable, that for those 90 minutes or so, the audience is transported into another world. It is important that a filmmaker manages to find truth in its lies.
Where do you see yourself in the future?
There’s nothing else I would, or could do. I love film too much. As I’ve said many times, I am willing and expecting to work my way up from the absolute bottom, and I am passionate and dedicated enough to reach my potential. I am really thankful that I have found an industry where I will be looking forward to working every day. That’s all in the future however; at the moment I am still a student and working my ass off to get there!
Thomas’s Films of Choice:
A Clockwork Orange
This film made me fall in love with Stanley Kubrick. I think it’s as close to perfect as a film could ever be. If you pause the film anywhere throughout its running time, it looks like a photograph.
Synecdoche, New York
I love this film because it was Kaufman’s attempt at a horror film. Although, to the average viewer it is anything but a horror. He has said that he approached it in this manner because the film deals with life, sickness and death- which were what Kaufman believed were the most horrific things in his own life.
Inglourious Basterds
I love the fact that Tarantino sticks his middle finger up at society by not only rewriting history and killing off Hitler, but by also changing the spelling of the title to whatever-the-fuck-he-wants.
Funny Games (US version)
Michael Haneke directed Funny Games and it remains one of the most sadistic and thought provoking films of our times. The real victims are in fact the viewers, as they are almost ‘punished’ because they wanted to come and see a family tortured in a cinema.
You can find Thomas’ Facebook film page here.
Interview by Daniela Baldry
Sneak peek at Fresh Meat
Nicole Cooper – Photographer
Meat: Nicole Cooper
Image by Chloe Nour
Where did your love for photography first come from?
I blame my lovely mother for stirring such a love for images within me. She’s a bit of a collector and one for creating memories so ever since I can remember, my mother always toted around an old Nikon film camera that she used at every opportunity. She was never in any way a photographer, but her camera was always around and so capturing each little moment was an important part of my childhood.
I know you’re an avid blogger. What attracts you to this world? Is this how the majority of people come across your work?
Blogging plays a large role in what I do, it’s a strange little world filled with some of the most inspiring images and people. I find it to be a good medium to inflict my work upon the world and collect ideas. Considering that I haven’t set up a website yet, I regard it as my own version of a personal site. A very, very personal one at that.
You’ve been covering a lot of gigs lately. What attracts you to live music photography?
Honestly, it’s the difficulty involved in covering a live gig that I love the most. The majority of live music events are held at night, in very low lighting and understandably, photographers are not permitted to use a flash. Most nights I walk away with just over 2000 images, crossing my fingers that I have 50 worthy images in the collection. To top it off, I get to be in the most amazing atmosphere, filled with talented musicians and their screaming fans. It all makes for an indescribable mix.
You recently covered Good Vibrations Festival 2011 for Sportsgirl. How did that gig come about? What were some of your favourite sets and photographs of the day?
I was fortunate enough to win a competition they had running on their site to be the official Sportsgirl photographer for the festival. The most memorable sets of the day were from Jinja Safari, Bag Raiders and Phoenix. Over the day I captured two shots that I’m particularly proud of, one of the rain soaked crowd during the Bag Raiders set and the other of Thomas Mars from Phoenix in the middle of performing ‘1901’.
Covering Splendour is a photographers dream. What do you hope to capture throughout this years festival?
During the festival this year, I’ve been specifically asked to cover Kanye West, Coldplay, Cut Copy, Elbow, and of course whatever else I’m able to. Ultimately, Kanye’s set will be what I’m looking forward to the most, as he’s the one with the slightly inflated ego and hopefully a strong stage presence. I’m also particularly excited to photograph the festival life, those moments that you’d never really find elsewhere.
Most young photographers explore different forms and industries while they’re young. Is it important for you to find a niche, or is having a variety preferable?
At this stage of my life, variety is certainly preferable as it’s allowing me to feel my way through the different industries and discover what I enjoy the most. When the time comes though, I’d love to be able to settle into my own little niche and work within that market. For now, I’m just happy to dabble in a little of everything before I make any real decisions.
Nicole’s Inspirations:
Most of my inspiration comes from different locations, blogs I read and the people I’m surrounded by. However, if I were to specifically name names, I would include Terry Richardson, Diane Arbus and Elize Strydom. They’re all very different in subject matter, but they generally have a theme that they stick to and somehow manage to keep it fresh every time.
You can follow Nicole on Twitter @nicolecooperr and her blog lives here.
Interview by Daniela Baldry
Ben Simpson – Photographer
Meat Ben Simpson, photographer, and the guy who shot our cover image.
Where did your love for photography first come from?
I think it was about five years ago… I guess like everyone I was always taking photographs, but I first started really taking interest in photography when I was shooting my friends skateboarding.
I was working at a bar at that time and told someone I was a ‘photographer’. It turned the guy ran a modeling agency and wanted to see my portfolio. This was a Wednesday night. I rounded up five of my gorgeous girl friends and photographed them from 1pm till 1am on Thursday, stayed up all night editing the photos, got them printed first thing Friday morning, stuffed them in a folio I bought from an art shop underneath the modeling agency and made my 10:30am meeting. I was ruined, I could barely talk.
After that I started shooting models, I remember my first shoot. I was like “This is what I want to do”. That’s when I really fell in love with photography.
You have an incredible portfolio of highly styled portrait photographs. What steers you to this area of photography?
I think that is just where I am at right now. I have been assisting pretty heavily for the past year and a half and really trying to perfect my lighting techniques. I guess studio is what I love most right now, I do enjoy locations but only if it’s the ‘perfect location’.
Photo by Ben Simpson
Do you feel that the type of camera makes a big difference to the quality of photograph?
Look, that’s a tuff question. I would love to say it doesn’t, but I really think it does. I guess it depends on what sort of vibe you want from your photographs. If you want a really clean high-end look than a good camera is going to do a much better job, but if you want more of a vintage look then a not so great camera is going to be ok too. You can always make good quality ‘worse’ but you can’t really make it ‘better’.
If you had the choice to shoot any person you desired, who would it be, and why?
Keith Richards. I LOVE The Rolling Stones. I just finished his auto- biography; he has lived an amazing life.
How did you find shooting the Fresh Meat cover?
We had heaps of fun. Shayli is awesome. I was a bit scared at first when she told me the concept, but she did a really good job with the piece. The team I’m working with at the moment are great too, so we always have a good time when we’re together!
Where do you plan/hope to take your photography in the future?
To the stars. No, but seriously I want to go to Europe. I haven’t traveled overseas yet, so I guess that will be my next adventure. I would love to base my self in London and travel around.
Ben’s Photography Inspirations
I get my inspiration from magazines, blogs, websites, my friends and the weather. Sometimes I’ll see a single shot I like and use that as a general point of reference for a mood board. I get the most inspiration from the people I work with. Studio photography depends so much on what is in front of you, the model, clothes, the hair, the makeup, that’s what inspires me the most.
Photos by Ben Simpson
A HUGE thanks to Ben from us here at Fresh Meat for shooting our cover image of Shayli and the meat necklace. It absolutely rocks.
You can find more of Ben’s photography at his website.
Interview by Daniela Baldry
Sinead Curry – Bloody Lovely Audrey Vocalist
Meat: Sinead Curry from Bloody Lovely Audrey
Image by Tom Llewelyn Griffiths
Where did your love of music first come from?
Every Saturday and Sunday, my parents would watch Rage and Video Hits and I was always fascinated by the musicians on the TV. We had a Janet Jackson video and I would watch it every day and copy her moves and sing along. Mum and Dad always had great bands playing at home, too. I wrote my first song at 3. Mum has a video of it, and she tells pretty much any of my friends that I bring home. She got me in to Janis Joplin and Led Zeppelin (who I’m obsessed with – if I had a special topic on a game show, it would be Led Zeppelin) and other awesome bands from the 60s and 70s. My folks are very proud and encouraging of this career path. For that I’m really blessed.
I suppose their musical guidance blossomed into my devotion to reading Rolling Stone from about 10 years old, the age at which I realised I couldn’t identify the with diet and fitness sections in popular girls magazines. They annoyed me. I became very obsessed by the White Stripes at 13, and followed a pattern of investigation that influenced my music taste today: I always wanted to find out what their influences were! From the White Stripes I learnt about Son House, Leadbelly and even to an extent about Iggy Pop, who is now my idol. The first time I heard ‘Phenomena’ by Yeah Yeah Yeahs was a turning point, too. I had to stop slathering peanut butter on my toast until the song finished! Yeah Yeah Yeahs also broadened my idea of the place for a girl in a band – Karen O is so fierce and sexy that I immediately wanted to be like her.
My closest friends have always been in to the same music as me. Sharing this common interest is so important, particularly when no one else in your school has heard of Led Zeppelin.
How did Bloody Lovely Audrey first come together? How would you describe your sound?
When I was in first year I met Seb and Rob, who were third year Theatre/Media students. Andy was a graduate of the same course and had played in another band (a folk band in fact) with the guys before. They formed the idea that they wanted to start playing rock n roll, heard from someone I could sing, and asked me to come and have a jam one day after class. It’s exciting that a project so fun could come from them hearing I sing – via the grapevine. Oh Chinese whispers, you mystical beast. The guys are awesome. They’re like my brothers. We are friends first and foremost and we always look out for each other.
How did the band enjoy recording Bloody Lovely Audrey’s second EP?
BigJesusBurger is one of Australia’s most highly regarded studios and it was an absolute honour to record there. So many of our favourite Aussie bands have made amazing albums there, so it was humbly and inspiring to be in BJB’s colourful surroundings. We worked with Evan McHugh (Freelance industry professional / mad cunt) and Wade Keighran (of The Scare and Wolf and Cub), who pushed us to create an EP that is far beyond the musical goals we set ourselves in the past. It was such an incredible period of growth for us as musicians and I am grateful for that every day.
What have been some of the bands greatest achievements, thus far?
Winning the Triple J Unearthed competition meant we got played on triple J for 30 seconds, which was absolutely awesome. It was very reassuring to know that we were producing music of a groovy-enough standard to win a prize!
When we noticed on RAGE’S ‘upcoming show’ playlist that our self-made film clip would be shown on RAGE, it was a new level of awesome. It was very reassuring to show everyone that had helped us on the shoot that their hard work was being recognised by such a well-respected TV program. We stayed up to watch it together, the band and the whole crew. It was so rewarding. At the same time, I felt slightly strange to see us on tv. It was a surreal experience. We’ve since been played a couple more times.
What’s the bands favourite venue to play at?
Low Bar on Crown St, Surry Hills are very awesome and treat us well when we’ve played. The owner, Aref, is a very cool guy, with wonderful taste; his bar is the kind of place we like to hang out, so I suppose that’s why we enjoy it so much. Strangely enough, its the crowd that make a gig rather than the venue. That said, we’ve never really had a bad experience with a venue so we’re extremely lucky. ROCK N ROLL!
What is Bloody Lovely Audrey’s ultimate dream?
World domination of the musical variety!… Kinda anyway. If we could record a few albums and keep playing alongside great bands, meeting inspiring people, we would be very blessed. In line with world domination, if we could play Coachella festival, that would be incredible. We’d love to attach ourselves to a festival that garners so much respect within the music community. There’s something magical about being part of a festival, it’s as close to being at Disneyland as I can imagine. That said, its probably even better. I’ve never been to Disneyland.
Image by Amy Whitfield
Sinead’s Musical Inspirations
Muddy Waters Incredible, guttural tones that inspired any band worth listening to today. I would never date someone who didn’t know who Muddy Waters was. This man is sex on a blue, blue stick.
Karen O She’s incredible on stage and such an inspiration. She’s a total rock star in the boys club of today’s industry. I look up to her wholeheartedly.
IGGY POP My greatest inspiration and probably the coolest guy on the planet. I remember the first time I heard ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’. That was the first time my head exploded. I listen to him every day. I saw him at 2011 Big Day Out. That was the second time my head exploded.
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Our bandcamp site – our first EP is 100% free to download and our second EP will be up there just as soon as its finished being mixed and mastered. We can’t wait to unleash it, so keep your ears out.
Also, our facebook site is good if you wanna find out about upcoming B.L.A. gigs
And our twitter is cool too!
Interview by Daniela Baldry
Fresh Meat, New Medium
Hello there lovers of creative expression! Almost a year ago, Daniela Baldry began interviewing and compiling photos and ideas that have evolved into The Fresh Meat Project.
On this blog you will find excerpts from the Fresh Meat coffee-table book, updates on the forthcoming exhibition and regular profiles of fresh young talented individuals working hard at what they love. We simply want to share them with you.
You can now see our updates pop up in your Twitter and Facebook feeds, bookmark us and share your appreciation for young Australians of the arts.
Check out our featured necklace of meaty goodness by Fashion Designer Shayli Harrison.
