Author: Troy Culpan

The Snowdroppers

The Snowdroppers

From Bio: Three and half years since their debut long player Too Late To Pray heralded the arrival of a charismatic new talent The Snowdroppers announce the release of their second album Moving Out Of Eden on March 22nd (FOUR | FOUR). Whilst their debut was naturally an extension of the band’s swampy blues-rock influences, Moving Out of Eden marks […]

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Travis Stever of Coheed and Cambria

Travis Stever of Coheed and Cambria

“I consider Coheed to be a rolling ball in a way, and every album has rolled through and collected the parts of that album, the experimenting and this and that and then we just rolled into what Afterman is. I think if I had to choose a record that represents that band, and I know most musicians would say this, […]

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Ken Casey of Dropkick Murphys

Ken Casey of Dropkick Murphys

“As a matter of fact I think the secret to our success is never looking to new, modern music because we’re never trying to change with the times or even from an engineering, sound standpoint, say well all the current albums sound like this. I think we want to sound as old and out dated as possible, that usually means […]

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Frank Turner

Frank Turner

“I wanted to make a record that sort of was a little bit more ambitious sonically, a big kind of guiding record for me was Weezer’s ‘Pinkerton’ which has always been one of my favourite records, but I was really pushing for that sort of vibe this time around.” After hitting the studio for the best part of 2012, recording […]

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FIDLAR

FIDLAR

“I think our lives shows are really based on that we just play really hard, it’s a lot of energy. Every show is 100% of us and I don’t know how it comes off actually.” From Bio: When they started in 2009, seeing FIDLAR meant showing up to a house party and eventually having this exchange with one of them. […]

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Jenna McDougall of Tonight Alive

Jenna McDougall of Tonight Alive

“We don’t get big heads about anything, I mean being Aussies it’s our humour to cut each other down, so we really appreciate it and we’re hugely grateful for everything and for everyone’s support worldwide but I think we’ve got a really high bar set for ourselves so we’re always working towards something.” From Press Release: After coming back off […]

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Andrew McKeag of The Presidents Of The United States Of America

Andrew McKeag of The Presidents Of The United States Of America

“I didn’t know that it was just a rock and roll band with some clever, silly lyrics too, but just a rock and roll band and then I started playing with them and they’re just so tight without ever really discussing being tight. It’s not like we practise all the time, it’s just that everybody’s ears are open and you’re […]

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Bon Jovi – What About Now

Bon Jovi – What About Now

Ok, so everyone that knows me personally knows that I’m a huge Bon Jovi fan, have been for 25 plus years and I’ve seen it all. Been through the good times and bad times with the band and stuck with them every step of the way. Each album as they’ve ‘grown’ or ‘evolved’ with the day and ages sound to […]

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Kiss, Mötley Crüe and Thin Lizzy – Allphones Arena, Sydney – March 10, 2013

Kiss, Mötley Crüe and Thin Lizzy – Allphones Arena, Sydney – March 10, 2013

On the second night of their Sydney jaunt, we see Kiss, Mötley Crüe and Thin Lizzy back to take on Allphones Arena, after what I was told was a monster show the night prior it will be interesting to see how tonight plays out. Diva Demolition are on early to a small yet receptive crowd with some minimal crowd participation […]

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The Offspring – Enmore Theatre, Sydney – March 8, 2013

The Offspring – Enmore Theatre, Sydney – March 8, 2013

A sold out crowd at the Enmore tonight for the last of the Soundwave Sidewaves in Sydney sees The Offspring in Australia for the first time in five years, here to play their 1992 ‘Ignition’ album in full as well as some hits, and judging by the eager crowd here tonight, we are already in for a great show. As I watch […]

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Fredrik Åkesson of Opeth

Fredrik Åkesson of Opeth

“At the time he said if it wouldn’t have been for ‘Heritage’ maybe the band wouldn’t have existed anymore. So it was in a way it was some kind of, well I wouldn’t say cleansing, but I’m proud of the album, I still like it, I understand people, hardcore metal fans because there was no screaming but in a way […]

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Noodles of The Offspring

Noodles of The Offspring

“We try to cater these shows to the more hardcore Offspring fans that have been around for a while you know, the fans that grew up with ‘Ignition’ and not just ‘Smash’ and all the records since, it’s kind of self-indulgent but it’s fun *laughs* and I think the fans are loving it.” From tour press release: If you were […]

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Ricky Warwick & Scott Gorham of Black Star Riders / Thin Lizzy

Ricky Warwick & Scott Gorham of Black Star Riders / Thin Lizzy

“I really think this is probably one of the best albums I’ve ever been on… I went there OK? *laughs* It’s just the way we wrote the songs, the arrangements, Ricky’s phrasing, his lyrics, Damon’s playing some kick ass guitar in there, Jimmy DeGrasso is like a fresh face in there, the whole deal. Lighting a fire is kind of […]

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Jon Dette

Jon Dette

“It’s been great man, it seems like it would be a little more challenging *laughs* which it is, but it’s a welcome challenge and I’m just taking care of myself out here, not having as many beers as I probably would like to have *laughs* but it’s been going great, the shows have been going amazing and everybody seems really […]

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Journey & Deep Purple – Sydney Entertainment Centre – March 2, 2013

Journey & Deep Purple – Sydney Entertainment Centre – March 2, 2013

Tonight, a night of old school classic rock with two bands that really are miles apart in terms of style so it will be quite interesting to see how the balance is tonight and not only with the bands but also for the fans that will be here tonight. I personally am more excited for Journey; I mean I have a ‘Dont Stop […]

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Spencer Sotelo and Mark Holcomb of Periphery

Spencer Sotelo and Mark Holcomb of Periphery

“There’s one word that I can say is what we aim for, and I always aim for our set as a whole, collectively to be sort of a spectacle. I want it to look like one massive unit, I want it to look like a spectacle and sound like a machine and want us to all look the same way, […]

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Motion City Soundtrack, Early November, Deaf Havana – The Factory Theatre, Sydney – February 28, 2013

Motion City Soundtrack, Early November, Deaf Havana – The Factory Theatre, Sydney – February 28, 2013

Sydney. Thank you for your amazing last day of summer and your ridiculous rain that currently sees me in a cab stuck in traffic on my way to the Factory Theatre to catch Motion City Soundtrack, The Early November and hopefully Deaf Havana, but that all depends on how fast Mr Cab Driver can get me there. Ok. I made […]

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Mike D’Antonio, Joel Stroetzel & Justin Foley of Killswitch Engage

Mike D’Antonio, Joel Stroetzel & Justin Foley of Killswitch Engage

“It’s a great way to come down here and get the most people, like the most bang for your buck with people watching because we don’t get here that often but when we do get here and see tonnes of people it’s a really great way to get our band out as much as possible.” From Bio: Sometimes, a much-loved […]

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Ian Berney of Birds of Tokyo

Ian Berney of Birds of Tokyo

“The whole idea of this record is like a very communal based thing like engaging people as listeners and it’s a record for a listener rather than a record for musicians or about a singer in the band or the band itself.  The idea of being able to read it as a headline sort of connected the community to the […]

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Bullet For My Valentine - Photo by Inside Edge Photography

Bullet For My Valentine, Cancer Bats, Miss May I – The Hi-Fi, Sydney – February 27, 2013

Tonight, it’s time to get a little heavy in my Sidewave week, so it seemed like the right thing to do to go and check out the perfectly matched trio of Miss May I, Cancer Bats and Bullet For My Valentine for a night of loud, just loud… Miss May I make their way to the stage and ambitiously call […]

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Linkin Park and Stone Sour – Sydney Entertainment Centre – February 26, 2013

Linkin Park and Stone Sour – Sydney Entertainment Centre – February 26, 2013

Oh another Sidewave? Don’t mind if I do… This time we’re heading up to Soundwave headliner status with Linkin Park, and along for the ride tonight on this awesomely paired show is Stone Sour. This is shaping up to be a big night and I for one can’t wait to see both of these monster bands who I have had […]

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Loaded - Photo by Peter Coates

Loaded, Danko Jones & Fozzy – The Manning Bar, Sydney – February 25, 2013

The wrath of Soundwave continues. In the midst of Sidewave week here we are at The Manning Bar in Sydney tonight to see Danko Jones, Fozzy and Loaded and I’m set for what I know will be a rockin’ night. Danko Jones are up first tonight, this three piece from Canada are in Australia for the first time and doing […]

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Soundwave Festival – Olympic Park, Sydney – 24 February, 2013

Soundwave Festival – Olympic Park, Sydney – 24 February, 2013

Here we are again this time, this year Soundwave is bigger and better than ever before as headlining you have the one and only Metallica. In an amazing turn of events the day before it was torrential rain but today is absolutely marvelous! I know, right, so let’s keep our fingers crossed that the day remains perfect. In with absolutely […]

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Blink-182 – Allphones Arena, Sydney – February 20, 2013

Blink-182 – Allphones Arena, Sydney – February 20, 2013

As I walk through Sydney Olympic Park tonight there are many a barrier, food van and ride sitting there in preparation, readiness for Soundwave on Sunday, but as we keep walking and the crowd start making their way in to Allphones Arena tonight they are off to see a show nine years in the making. Yes, it has been nine […]

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Deen Castronovo of  Journey

Deen Castronovo of Journey

“To write songs for the people and the people can like it, instead of writing something about drugs or chicks, that’s not Journey’s thing, it was more about beautiful ballads, great rock songs with a cool message for the people, they were a band for the people, still is.” As a band for forty years now, with some of the […]

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Jason ‘Cone’ McCaslin of Sum 41

Jason ‘Cone’ McCaslin of Sum 41

“We’re looking forward to coming, sucks that we had to cancel last time but we’re ready to come this time and we hope the shows will be good and it will be a fun time. I think this line-up is actually better, it’s probably the best line-up I’ve seen in a long, long time since I’ve been touring, so it’s […]

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Coheed and Cambria – The Afterman: Descension

Coheed and Cambria – The Afterman: Descension

In summary: A perfect companion and conclusion to The Afterman storyline concept. Musically and lyrically heartfelt and one to definitely check out. Following on from 2012’s ‘The Afterman: Ascension’ here only a few months later Coheed and Cambria bring us part two of this opus in ‘The Afterman: Descension’ and if it’s anything like the first then this will be […]

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Frank Bello of Anthrax

Frank Bello of Anthrax

“So this is an absolute beast that’s coming on the road and we couldn’t be more proud, we feel like we’re back with a vengeance and we’re really hungry, this is a hungry animal and I’m really proud of the band, I couldn’t be more excited, I’m so stoked to be coming over there.” From Press Release: If you have […]

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Chris Barnes of Six Feet Under

Chris Barnes of Six Feet Under

“I know we haven’t been down there before and it’s going to be awesome for everybody, man, for us, for the fans that haven’t seen the band ever down there. We’re just looking forward to it; we’re going to be at the top of our game so we hope everyone can stand the brutality.” When you’re given the title of […]

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Duff McKagan of Loaded

Duff McKagan of Loaded

“We just do our own thing and that’s what we’ve done, and we try to keep turning the screw a little musically on the new music that we write and we like to be a little different and we’ve got ourselves a nice little following around the world and Australia’s next.” From tour press release: When names like Guns N’ […]

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