The ARIAs - Shit As Usual

My future husband Andy Bull - Robbed of ARIA glory!

So this year's ARIA nominations (Australia's equivalent to the Grammies) have just been announced and all the usual suspects are heavily represented. Seriously, if you're the overhyped product of a major record label, specialise in indie rock or are simply a pretentious singer-songwriter with an alternative haircut then chances are you're going home with a swag of awards. Don't get me wrong. I'm not going to argue with The Temper Trap, Empire Of The Sun or even Kate Miller-Heidke snagging a bunch of nominations but Sarah Blasko, Eskimo Joe and AC/DC? Bitch, please. Why not just nominate Missy Higgins for whatever vomit inducing "masterpiece" she's currently working on/squeezing out of her arsehole? I guess pop music will never be recognised in this country so I've decided to come up with my own nominees. I know some of my choices are not eligible (due to release dates) but here goes:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

AC/DC - Black Ice
Sarah Blasko - As Day Follows Night
Empire Of The Sun - Walking On A Dream
Eskimo Joe - Inshalla
The Temper Trap - Conditions

How depressing is this category? I have a sinking feeling that Sarah Blasko's cure for insomnia will win but I have my fingers crossed that Empire Of The Sun or The Temper Trap snatch it from her.

MY PICKS

Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke
Shelley Harland - Red Leaf
Sneaky Sound System - 2
Andy Bull - We're Too Young
Lisa Mitchell - Wonder
Jessica Mauboy - Been Waiting
Empire Of The Sun - Empire Of The Sun
Bertie Blackman - Secrets And Lies
Dash & Will - Up In Something

NZ acts are clearly eligible, so where is Ladyhawke? People actually bought her album. Speaking of commercial success, why isn't Jessica Mauboy being rewarded for being the closest thing this country currently has to an authentic pop star? The lack of respect shown to Sneaky Sound System's stunning sophomore album is just rude, while Bertie Blackman has taken things to the next level with "Secrets And Lies". At least she snagged a best "Independent Album" nomination - poor Andy Bull's brilliant debut was completely ignored as was Shelley Harland's gorgeous "Red Leaf". That's not even touching on the injustice of Dash & Will's "Up In Something" being overlooked despite being the best teenage guitar-pop album released in recent memory.

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

Empire Of The Sun - Walking On A Dream
Hilltop Hoods - Chase That Feeling
Ladyhawke - My Delirium
Kate Miller-Heidke - The Last Day On Earth
The Tempter Trap - Sweet Disposition

This is one of the few categories I can't really criticise. "Walking On A Dream", "Sweet Disposition", "My Delirium" and "The Last Day On Earth" are all exquisite. "Chase That Feeling" isn't exactly my cup of tea but it's catchy as hell and perhaps the only example of local hip hop that broke through to the mainstream.


OTHER WORTHY CANDIDATES

Andy Bull - Small Town Girl
Vanessa Amorosi - This Is Who I Am
Zoë Badwi - Release Me
Amy Pearson - Butterfingers
Bertie Blackman - Byrds Of Prey
Liena - Go Crazy
Jessica Mauboy - Been Waiting
Mandy Kane - 25 Seconds
Ricki Lee - Don't Miss You
Samantha Jade - Secret
Lisa Mitchell - Coin Laundry
@m8er - Kill That Bitch
TV ROCK ft Rudy - In The Air
Kylie - Chiggy Wiggy
Evermore - Hey Boys And Girls (Truth Of The World)
Lenka - The Show
Natalie Imbruglia - Want
Bluejuice - Broken Leg
Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars
Sneaky Sound System - I Will Be Here
The Vanish - Heartbeat
Nikki Webster - Devilicious

This is such a tough category. I think the ARIA voters actually did a pretty good job - with the obvious exception of forgetting "Small Town Girl", which is one of my favourite Australian singles of all time. I also think Jessica Mauboy was hard done by seeing as she is the only local artist regularly scoring top ten hits and has delivered a couple of top notch singles in the form of "Burn" and "Been Waiting". Zoë Badwi's massive club hit "Release Me" deserved some recognition, while Bag Raiders' breakthrough single is a true thing of a beauty. Another glaring omission is Lisa Mitchell's "Coin Laundry", which remains one of 2009's quirkiest pop songs. With any luck Vanessa's amazing pop anthem (currently #1 on iTunes!) will get a nod next year.

BEST FEMALE ARTIST

Sarah Blasko - As Day Follows Night
Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke
Jessica Mauboy - Been Waiting
Kate Miller-Heidke - Curiouser
Lisa Mitchell - Wonder

With the exception of Sarah Blasko, this is pretty spot on. I used to hate Kate Miller-Heidke but "The Last Day On Earth" has made me a late convert and Lisa Mitchell's album is as beautiful as it is odd. Both Ladyhawke and Jessica Mauboy both featured heavily in my best of 2008 countdown, so it's nice to see them getting some props.


OTHER WORTHY CANDIDATES

Shelley Harland
Bertie Blackman
Lenka
Samantha Jade
Kylie

There should be legislation in place to ensure Kylie is nominated every year even when she doesn't release anything. On a more serious note, I think Shelley Harland and Bertie Blackman were robbed and Lenka should get some sort of recognition for her international success. As should Samantha Jade, who continues to proudly fly the flag in LA (despite never having had a hit!) and even appears as a featured vocalist (on an iTunes bonus track) on David Guetta's smash hit album. $ucce$$!!!

BEST MALE ARTIST

Paul Dempsey - Everything Is True
Bob Evans - Goodnight, Bull Creek
Daniel Merriweather - Love And War
Josh Pyke - Chimney's Afire
CW Stoneking - Jungle Blue

Now this is completely fucking dire. I guess Daniel deserves some recognition for selling records in the UK but apart from being a hot piece he doesn't do much for me. No comment about the other nobodies.


OTHER SUGGESTIONS

Andy Bull
Brecik
Jason Singh

Poor Andy Bull. Are you cunts telling me he doesn't have more to offer than Josh Pyke, Bob Evans and Paul Dempsey? I don't even know who C.W. Stoneking is and I really don't want to! The pickings for this category are pretty slim but I would have thrown a nomination Brecik's way for shits and giggles, while Jason Singh sounded pretty good on Todd Watson's "World As You Know It". Where's John Farnham when you need him?

BEST GROUP

AC/DC
The Drones
Empire Of The Sun
Eskimo Joe
Hilltop Hoods

This line up represents everything wrong about the Australian music scene. Fingers crossed that sanity prevails and Empire Of The Sun win.


MY PICKS

Empire Of The Sun
Bag Raiders
The Temper Trap
RAEN
Dash & Will
The Vanish

With Australian electro currently making waves around the globe, it seems appropriate that some of our best proponents of that genre (such as Bag Raiders and The Vanish) get some recognition. The Temper Trap should get a nod for the brilliance of "Sweet Disposition" alone. As for the other nominees, I think Dash & Will are the unsung heroes of 2009. They have released an amazing album and a string of great singles and noone seems to give a shit. I just hope they hurry up and release "Too Young Too Dumb" and finally achieve the commerical success they so richly deserve. Oh and RAEN should get something for carrying on in the face of constant failure.

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST - SINGLE

Art Vs Science - Art Vs Science
Bluejuice - Broken Leg
Ladyhawke - My Delirium
Jessica Mauboy - Running Back Feat. Flo Rida
Lisa Mitchell - Coin Laundry

I love all these songs. Congratulations to the ARIA committee for getting it right.


OTHER WORTHY CONTENDERS

Zoë Badwi - Release Me
Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars
Liena - Go Crazy
@m8er - Kill That Bitch

Dance music is always underappreciated but Australia's new Queen of dance should be applauded for spending 7 weeks at #1 on the club chart. Liena's "Go Crazy" is the closest an Australian will ever get to sounding like Rihanna and probably would have been a massive hit if it got any kind of promotion. The same goes for "Shooting Stars", which I'm pretty confident will get a much better reception in Europe than at home. As for @m8er, well I think she'll have the last laugh. Her album promises to be amazing.

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST - ALBUM

Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke
Jessica Mauboy - Been Waiting
Lisa Mitchell - Wonder
C.W. Stoneking - Jungle Blues
The Temper Trap - Conditions

Who the hell is C.W. Stoneking and how can it be a breakthrough album if NOONE has ever heard of him? The rest of the choices are pretty spot on.


THESE POOR BITCHES WERE ROBBED

Andy Bull - We're Too Young
Shelley Harland - Red Leaf
Dash & Will - Up In Something

I know I sound like a broken record but these are three of my favourite albums of 2009. Andy captures the spirit of 70s soul in a way that Daniel Merriweather could only dream of and has pretty much come up with the soundtrack to (what remains of) my youth! Shelley's opus has provided me with so much comfort and joy this year. Her music is raw, honest and beautiful. "Panic To Control" is my new personal mantra, while I sent "Clouds Disappear" to a special someone because it said everything I was feeling but couldn't express in words. I've ranted enough about Dash & Will but it really is a great album. "Fighting Over Nothing", "Save Me" and "Some Like It Hot" are homegrown guitar pop at its finest.

AWARD FOR SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN POP TRASH

Amy Pearson - Butterfingers
Nikki Webster - Devilicious
@m8er - Kill That Bitch
The Wiggles & Kylie - Monkey Man
Samantha Jade - Secret

I thought I'd finish up with a category of my own. I find it hard to define "pop trash" but all these amazing anthems convey the essence of this website. Amy because of her utter desperation and sleazy lyrics. Nikki because she's a child star turned FHM glamour model. @m8er because she doesn't give a shit. Kylie for having a sense of humour. And finally Samantha Jade for dressing like a porn star and spending her video clip (below) trying to turn an arrested homosexual. Respect ladies!

Zoë Badwi - Pop Trash Interview

Zoë Badwi first rocked my world at the beginning of the decade as a member of the trashy trio of pop tarts otherwise known as Sirens. I was slightly obsessed with the group's fabulous brand of pure pop and blogged about them several times over the past few years. When the band parted ways, Zoë became a fixture of the live music scene but sadly dropped off the pop radar. All that changed last year when she re-emerged with a sizzling new dance sound courtesy of TV ROCK and topped the ARIA club charts for 7 consecutive weeks. "Release Me" instantly transformed Zoë into Australia's hottest dance diva and there's been no stopping her since. Our new Queen of Clubs (sorry Dannii) subsequently scored another top 10 club smash with "Don't Wan'cha" and is currently putting the finishing touches to her debut album. The thing I admire most about Zoë - well, apart from her music and killer dance moves - is the fact that she's such a trooper. She's been plugging away at her craft for the best part of a decade and is only now starting to reap the rewards. I was lucky enough to ask Zoë some questions recently about her colourful career path and future plans. Check it out.

Hey Zoë! I thought I'd start by asking how you got into the music business. Who put Sirens together? Wasn't 90s icon Merril Bainbridge involved somehow?
Well I started out with a DJ called Mark John doing house music. Then one of my roomates went out with Angie from Sirens. He said they had been looking for someone for 2 years. So I auditioned! It came down to myself and another girl but I got it! YAY! Merril was one of our managers and she wrote "Like Fire, Like Rain".

I think that song and "Give A Little Love" are forgotten pop gems. What do you make of them today? The foam party video for "Like Fire Like Rain" is pure class!
I had a ball in the film clip "Like Fire, Like Rain" - an 18 hour day in a car wash! Great dancers, great director. That is my fave clip!!

"I'm So Excited" was the group's biggest hit. Was getting 2nd billing to Sara Marie an insult? I hope she at least taught you how to bum dance.
Haha we did have to bum dance. I didn't mind the second billing cos it wasn't something we were looking at doing. After we did the theme song for the first Big Brother series, they approached us. We thought about it long and hard but she was so much fun to work with, we thought why not!

Are you still in touch with any of the other girls? Angie released her own single a couple of years ago but seems to have dropped off the face of the earth.
The other 2 girls are married with babies now. I didn't know Ange brought out a song. I will have to ask her about that one. Good researching by you! We keep each other informed on the big things in our lives. We shared some great moments so we will always have a bond.

What did you do between Sirens and your re-emergence with "Release Me". Did you ever feel like throwing in the towel? Tell us a bit about Black Dogs.
Never ever thought of throwing in the towel! I love it too much! After Sirens I was still working with DJ Mark John and joined a house band called Black Dogs. I am still with them now. I have a blast with the boys. We have another male vocalist Andrew De Sliva, bass, guitar, congas and Mark John driving the beats from the decks.

How did you get involved with TV Rock? They seem to have taken you under their wing.
Grant came and watched my band play one night. After he asked me if I write my own songs. I told him I do. He said he would send me a couple of beats to see what I could come up with. I wrote "Release Me", sang it to them and they loved it! Thank goodness, I say haha. Yes, TV Rock have been good to me. We work well with each other. It is hard to find people who just get you musically and we get one another. I am lucky they found me.

"Release Me" was absolutely huge in the clubs. When you recorded it did you have any idea it would be that massive?
Ha! I had no idea!!! It was just something that was on my mind. I was constantly singing it. I remember the first time I sang it out. People were dancing about but now they sing it back louder than I do! I love it!

Given its club success, were you surprised that it didn't quite cross over? I was sure you'd be giving Pink and Britney a run for their money on Video Hits!
It got a fair bit of radio play. Channel V and MTV played the film clip but I am not sure I could imagine it on Video Hits!? Even though I would have loved it! There is more to come so you never know....

The song has been picked up by a UK label and is already a club hit over there. Do you know when it's being released? Will you be going over to promote it?
It was released 2 weeks ago and it is at number 10 in the UK club charts!!!! I cant believe it!! So exciting. I just got back from London last night. I had some meetings and all is looking good.
I sang in Beijing and Mykonos with great feedback about my tracks - keep ya fingers crossed for me!

Your latest club smash "Don't Wan'cha" is currently riding high in the club charts. Can we officially crown you Australia's new queen of dance?
Yes, it's going well! I am always suprised, I think its number 7 at the moment. I'm very happy with that! Ha! Australia's queen of dance!? I'll take that hahahaha. Oh mum will be proud!

The "Don't Wan'cha" artwork is.... very different. Did you draw it yourself after a big night on the tiles?
Hahahahaha I wish I could draw! I love the artwork because it is different and a bit rough!

Are you working on an album? Will it feature more club anthems or will you mix it up and throw in some more commercial pop tunes?
I am working on an album. I have about 5 or 6 tracks almost finished. And one of them is a bit of a pop tune, still with a club edge but I do wanna mix it up a bit.

I hear you're considering doing a cover version. I think La Toya's "Sexbox" would be fun!
Ha! That is so funny that film clip! Maybe not that song - but keep the suggestions coming!

What have you been up to in Mykonos and Beijing?
Singing! Laughing and tanning. Meeting up with some of the big wigs like David Guetta, Martin Solveig and Axwell. I have been travelling with Grant Smillie from TV Rock. It has been such an amazing experiance singing my songs all over the world!

What's been your biggest diva moment?
I am no diva. BUT one place I play at sends me limos filled with my favourite drinks, fresh lemons and limes. Has 12 red roses waiting for me! A security guard that walks me to the bathroom and waits for me haha - it is just lovely.

I've seen you perform at the Big Gay Out and Arq. Why do you think you connect so well with the gays? I put it down to your killer dance moves.
Haha oh my dancing. I honestly didn't realise I move that much!? Then I see videos back and think to myself "Oh Zoe, put it away"! Haha! I have had great support from the gay communitity, but I couldn't be happier with that. They are the ones who dance like nobody's business and know all the words! They say if you make it in the gay community you can make it anywhere!

Good luck with "Release Me" in the UK. I hope it's huge for you. Thanks so much for your time.
Thanks you for having me! Keep your eyes peeled for my next single. I will give you the scoop...... It's called "In The Moment".

Check out Zoë's Myspace to learn more about this amazing diva. Make sure you watch the glamorous "Release Me" video clip (below) filmed live at this year's Sensation NYE party.

Housekeeping

It's time for a little blog housekeeping. Basically, this post is a dumping ground for thoughts and little tidbits of information that I've been meaning to share for the past couple of weeks. I guess I should get the (really) boring stuff out of the way first. I finally pulled my finger out and made a Pop Trash Addicts Myspace. Add me as a friend if you can be bothered. I also need to overhaul my links. If you write or simply want to recommend a quality pop blog, send me an e-mail. You can find the address in my profile. Warning: I reserve the right to place a voodoo curse on anyone who directs me to a Girls Aloud fansite! Moving on to more exciting things, my Asian tour edition of "X" (pictured above) finally arrived. It's beautiful and actually worth owning - unlike the Australian version. I love the "making of" videos and it's nice to have Kylie's BRITS performance of "Wow" on DVD... even if the poor old thing looks like a bored housewife on Valium.

Speaking of fabulous Australian divas, how fantastic is it to see Jessica Mauboy at #1 on the singles chart? Written and produced by the Danish team behind Kylie's "Like A Drug" and "All I See", "Burn" really is a sparkling slice of urban dance-pop. I wasn't crazy about the song to begin with but it just gets better with each listen. Jess is now one of only three Indigenous performers (that I can think of) to reach the summit of the charts - along with Casey Donovan and Jimmy Little. If Sony manages to pick a decent follow-up single, I don't see why she can't do it all over again. Don't be put off by the hideous cover, "Been Waiting" is a really great pop album. Another quality local release that I've been playing all summer is Sneaky Sound System's "2". Unfortunately, this fabulous opus is suffering from serious BSC or bad single choices. After flopping miserably with "When We Were Young", the group have settled on "16" for single number 3. Great move. Another depressing piece of filler that you couldn't pay radio to play. It's frustrating because "2" contains so many hot jams with great hit potential. "I Want Everything" and "Lost In The Future" are two very obvious choices.

I'm on a roll, so I might as well continue with the local acts. Pop Trash readers will be very familiar with Melinda Jackson. I wrote about her regularly in 2007 ("Fall In Love" is still one of my favourite songs) but she sadly dropped off the pop radar last year. Happily, Mel has returned with a hot new sound and even a new name! She is starting over as Mindi and I wish her all the best. Mindi's edgy new tracks are streaming on her Myspace. They are definitely worth checking out. Another diva to feature regularly on Pop Trash Addicts is Zoe Badwi. I was completely obsessed with Sirens and raved about her first solo single way back in October. "Release Me" ended up being a #1 club hit for 7 weeks and three months later, it's still hovering in the top 5. A video has finally been released - sort of. Zoe's live performance at Sensation (a big NYE party) will serve as the clip unless "Release Me" crosses over to the pop charts. Check it out below. I really hope the song takes off. Zoe is amazing and "Release Me" deserves to be huge.

Now for the international divas. I'm not sold on Kelly Clarkson's new song. Pink did it first and Katy Perry did it better. There's no denying Max Martin's ability to knock out a catchy pop/rock tune but the man is turning into a boring production line of mediocrity. Pink and Katy get away with it because they have enough attitude to make his songs their own. I can't imagine anyone but Pink singing "So What" and who else but Katy Perry would blurt out "you PMS like a bitch, I should know". Kelly, on the other hand, gets completely lost in the mix. She's harmless enough but the woman is a personality free zone. For an example of Max Martin trying something different, I recommend Pink's new single "Please Don't Leave Me". It's one of the best songs on "Funhouse" and I love hearing it every 5 minutes (literally) on Australian radio.

While on the topic of American pop, I have to mention Christina Milian's amazing new single. "Us Against The World" sounds like the bastard child of Alicia Keys' "No One" and Whitney Houston's "My Love Is Your Love". In my mind, that's a very good thing. The sing was released digitally way back in October without making much of a splash but it finally seems to be taking off thanks to the recently filmed video clip. It's pretty classy - Christina basically rolls around some sand dunes wearing a series of increasingly skimpy outfits. I'm looking forward to her new album, "So Amazin'" was a real guilty pleasure. I guess I should also mention Beyoncé's new singles. Talk about going from the sublime to the ridiculous. "Halo" is my favourite song from "Sasha Fierce" and I'm thrilled, if a little surprised, that it's going to be the next Australian single. Unfortunately, Beyoncé is going with "Diva" in America, which more than likely means we'll get it next. Words can't adequately describe how much I hate that song. A diva is NOT "a female version of a hustler". May drag queens smite you down, bitch! Annoyingly, the "Diva" video is totally fierce. I love the 80s shoulder pads and wicked dance moves. The "Halo" film clip, on the other hand, is the most insipid piece of shit Beyoncé has ever put her name to. At least the song is brilliant.

Just a few more things to get off my chest. Firstly, Spain is fucked. Soraya came second in the initial Eurovision vote - to this revolting rubbish. Even the shirtless men can't make that shit bearable. On the bright side, Soraya got enough votes to progress through to the next round, which will be a televised gala. I'm convinced Spain will fall under Soraya's beautiful spell when she belts out "La Noche Es Para Mi" in front of a live audience. If not, I'm moving to Portugal. That is when I find my Spanish husband. If nothing else, Eurovision has breathed new life into Soraya's amazing album - it's climbed from #99 to #57 over the past 3 weeks. That's true Dannii-esque $ucce$$! Soraya isn't the only fabulous Euro-diva desperately trying to revive their career at the moment. Germany's Sarah Connor has recorded a duet with Enrique Iglesias for the German version of his Greatest Hits. Amusingly, it's a re-make of "Takin' Back My Love" - the current American single that Enrique recorded with Ciara. Poor Sarah might get Ciara's sloppy seconds but at least it's a good song. Last but not least, spare a thought for poor La Toya. I can't believe Toy Toy was evicted from the Celebrity Big Brother house. The United Kingdom clearly has no fucking taste!

More Sirens! Give A Little Love

I'm turning into something of a Sirens fanatic! In the past few weeks I've featured their sublime cover of "I'm So Excited" as well as the poptastic "Like Fire, Like Rain". Both singles are explosions of pure pop - the kind of music that Australia has produced far too little of in recent years. After hearing the girls' third and final single, I'll go as far as describing Sirens as pop revolutionaries! "Give A Little Love" sounds like something the Teen Queens recorded in 1992 - only with tacky dance beats. Yes, it's that good!

The spoken introduction (with an Australian accent, no less) announces the song's strong 1960s influence, while the adorable opening verse - "It's a teenage dream, to be 17 and all wrapped up in love" - continues the quirky retro style. As with their other songs, I'm hugely impressed by the band's brilliant harmonising and energy. The high quality of "Give A Little Love" makes the fact that Sirens never released an album all the more depressing. I've done some research and an album was indeed planned (and probably recorded) but, as far as I can tell, remains unreleased. On a somewhat brighter note, lead singer Angie Hilton did release a fabulous solo single, which you can hear on her website.

None of Sirens' singles are readily available, so your best bet is to keep an eye on Australian Ebay. Angie's fantastic solo single, "Day In The Sun", can be purchased from iTunes.

Sirens - Three Trashy Divas

I had completely forgotten about Sirens until my recent post on Sara-Marie's fabulous cover of "I'm So Excited". The song is credited to Sara-Marie and Sirens but it seems the latter did all the singing. And I mean all of it. Sara-Marie's contribution was limited to shouting out "bum dance" instructions! "I'm So Excited" has been a guilty pleasure of mine for years, so I thought it was time that I did some research and explored the short but fabulous career of perhaps Australia's most obscure and fantastically tragic girlband.

Unfortunately, my search was rather futile because I could only find one other Sirens single. The whole process was complicated by an English girlband of the same name, who were releasing material at the same time. I'm sure the Australian Sirens did more than support Sara-Marie's floptastic music career and release one other song but if that was it, they should hold their heads high. "I'm So Excited" is brilliant and "Like Fire, Like Rain" is equally delightful. "Like Fire, Like Rain" is the kind of glorious nonsense that makes me proud of the local music industry. The ladies sound amazing and the disco flavoured backing track is wonderfully crap. There's even an embarrassing guitar solo - I could listen to "Like Fire, Like Rain" all day!

Let me know if you have any information on the band's other releases. I'd love to hear more of their sonic brilliance!