Punching Above Your Weight With JASON WHALLEY From FRENZAL RHOMB

By Erin EddyEvery heavy music punter in Melbourne knows The Tote. It has incubated and hosted some of this country's biggest acts, such as King Parrot, Amyl & The Sniffers, Magic Dirt, The Beasts Of Bourbon, The Datsuns, The Hard Ons, Mudhoney, The White Stripes and the list goes on.The building itself is 152 years old, but has been operating as a live music venue since 1981. If you’ll allow me to do the maths for you, that’s 41 years of punk, rock and metal marinated into the walls of this iconic structure.In recent months, The Tote has been put on the market; not simply the business but the entire building. It has a hefty price tag of 6.6 million dollars, and unsurprisingly the Melbourne music community is extremely nervous that we’re about to witness the demise of one of the city’s most important hubs for rock and roll.The heroes of this story are power couple Shane and Leanne, who have been at the helm of another legendary Melbourne music venue, The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar, for around eight years now.They have embarked on a quest which they have titled “The Last Chance To Save The Tote!”Shane and Leanne have dedicated their entire adult lives to working in and running venues and they eat, sleep and breathe the city’s live music scene.Shane says The Tote is a venue he has wanted to own and run for 20 years, and has been waiting for his chance to swoop in. But he was never expecting that when finally, his chance arose, that the sale would include the actual building itself, and therefore was not prepared for the price tag associated with that.“I’ve wanted to run The Tote forever,” Shane told HEAVY, “simply because I love going to The Tote!”“We knew that at some stage it would come up for sale, but we were kind of blindsided by the fact that the entire building was up for sale and the price that’s on it… it’s not doable.”Shane isn’t exactly the type of person to let pesky finances deter him from a crusade to save this venue, however.Together, he and Leanne and the patronage of The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar have begun a crusade to raise funds for half of the asking price of the building, in a bid to save it from falling into the hands of developers, who Shane fears will convert this piece of history into “shitty apartments.”“With a six-million-dollar price tag, it’s unattainable for someone who is passionate about music,” Shane laments. He’s calling upon the Australian music community to rally and attempt to achieve the seemingly impossible and ensure magical music moments continue to take seed within the walls of The Tote.The deadline is this Thursday April 6 th .“The time is now,” Shane says. “Don’t protect the walls, protect what happens within those walls. If we’re going to let our most important venue die because some shitty investor has lots of money and they want to build apartments, then we can’t claim to be the live music capital of the world.”If Shane and Leanne are successful at obtaining The Tote, the first thing they’re going to do is put the building in trust, so that it remains untouchable and a live music mecca forever.Shane is one of the most enthusiastic, passionate, salt of the earth people we at HEAVY have had the pleasure of speaking with and his bid to save The Tote is nothing short of admirable.Please listen to our interview to get the scoop straight from the horse’s mouth, then make sure you hit up www.facebook.com/thelastchancerockandrollbar for updates on the campaign, and more importantly, to make a donation.No money pledged will be taken from your bank account until the start of May, and donations will only be extracted IF the guys are successful at meeting their target. So pledge today, you have nothing to lose, and can be a part of Melbourne music history if the target is met.The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar is also hosting a pledge drive spectacular this Monday the 3 rd and Tuesday the 4 th of April, which will be live streamed via YouTube, with some of the industry's most well known musicians getting involved.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

1 Huhti 202335min

Interview by Kris PetersGerman metal outfit Accept have rightfully carved their horns into metal history.Arguably the most influential and definitive heavy band to ever emerge from the German music scene, Accept left in their wake a score of classic albums such as Breaker, Restless & Wild, Balls To The Wall and Metal Heart that have defined heavy music for decades.Frontman UDO Dirkschneider was a large part of the bands drawing power with his tenure with Accept the most successful and recognised chapters in the bands history.Despite since forging a massively successful solo career, Dirkschneider has yet to perform a full set of the songs that made him a global name in Australia - a blemish that is about to be rectified with two select shows in Sydney on April 6 and Melbourne on April 8 where he will play nothing but tracks made popular by Accept.Not only that, his current backing band also includes original Accept bass player Peter Baltes, adding further authenticity and excitement to the shows.On the eve of the first show Dirkschneider joined HEAVY to discuss the upcoming history making performances."We tried it many times and it was sometimes very close to coming off, but it never happened," he shrugged, "so now I'm really looking forward after over 40 years for me personally coming down to Australia and performing there. Hopefully a lot of people show up and maybe we can open up a new market and do some more shows in Australia."Other than a full night of Accept music, we press UDO on what fans can expect from the shows."We try to make a good mix up with all the classic accept songs," he smiled. "We play songs from I'm A Rebel, Restless & Wild, Balls To The Wall, Metal Heart, Russian Roulette so it will be a hit parade (laughs). A lot of people ask me why I'm not coming under UDO but maybe the next time. Promotors have been asking for me to come and play only Accept songs because people want to hear the original voice and for me it's not a problem to do. I did a three year tour with Dirkschneider through Europe and that was only playing Accept songs. It's a good thing. I can make UDO and I can make Dirkschneider with Accept songs. In the end it's always what the people want."In the full interview, UDO tells why it has taken so long for him to perform Accept music to Australian audiences, having Baltes in the band and how that helps with the Accept set, the early days of Accept and riding the wave of heavy metal, leaving the band and what changed to make him return, burying the hatchet, at what point he knew Accept were going to be a force in metal, what he considers Accept has contributed to music and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

1 Huhti 202310min

Words by Kris PetersWhile the perils of COVID shone a murky light on many in the music industry there are some bands who possibly benefitted from the experience in various ways.When the onset of the pandemic halted the gathering momentum newly formed of Newcastle heavy outfit Telurian the band elected to use the extra time to strengthen their musical resolve and tighten their existing material with a view to coming out even stronger when things returned to normaility.Thankfully the young band survived where others sadly met their demise and used their time creatively, fine tuning an already promising landscape and harnessing those songs into what would become the two track EP Of Earth.Following the success of their debut single Arachnid, Telurian earlier this year dropped the title track, in the process giving a glimpse into the exciting musical future that awaits the Novacastrians.Vocalist Brenton, drummer Lochie and bass player Eric sat down with HEAVY to delve deeper into their brace of songs and flesh out the narrative some more, starting with the cracking new track Of Earth."It started with the initial iteration of the band, which actually was a little less technical," Lochie began. "When Liam (guitar) got his 8 string and I jumped on the drums and Brenton jumped on the vocals we decided to rewrite the song, particularly after the intro we just wanted to change the whole thing. We jammed it out... we just wanted a, long, seven minute pic. Me and Liam just jammed it out and it came out as it is now basically."In the full interview the boys discuss both singles in greater depth, what they were going for musically, releasing a lengthy track as a single in the modern age of music, why they chose these two songs to introduce their music to the world, forming through COVID, drawing influences as a young band and knowing your boundaries, new music and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

1 Huhti 20239min

By Kris PetersEsteemed American rock outfit He Is Legend recently announced their return visit to Australia this May for their first run of shows here since Soundwave 2015.And if that isn't enough to get your live mojo firing, He Is Legend have hand selected Aussie rock monsters Hammers to support the whole tour.Hammers are well known for their dynamic live performances and typical Australian sense of adventure not to mention their love of a good time. As such they look set to launch into the second half of 2023 on the back of another triumphant tour.Axeman Lucas Stone joined HEAVY soon after the announcement to share his excitement."It's an honour and a privelege," he smiled. "They are one of those special bands. We love that band. We've been a fan since they were wee burns. I think the biggest thing about that band that I've been most impressed with is they were essentially a scene band in the early 2000s and obviously with the release of I Am Hollywood and Suck Out The Poison they slotted right into that part of their world. Their general trajectory and growth where they started out as one thing and became something totally different and so much more mature... they're a special cult status band that has probably been a bigger influence on bands around the world than we know."In the full interview, Lucas talks about what fans can expect from Hammers on the shows, constructing set lists to showcase the bands natural ability, what defines an "Aussie twist" with music, how Hammers' sound has changed over their career, new music and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

1 Huhti 20238min

By Erin EddyNot too many of us would be fortunate enough to be able to claim to be more passionate about our job 15 years in, than we were at the very beginning, but Orpheus Omega frontman Chris Themelco says that’s precisely the case for him.“This far into the band, I actually feel more energised and motivated than any other point,” heexplains. “During lockdown there were definitely those moments where we had that chat of ‘what if we’re done?’ you know, but we very quickly realised that was definitely not the case.”Orpheus Omega is about to release a five track EP that approaches song writing from a different angle than the band ordinarily takes.Each of the five members has penned a song of their own, and the band has compiled these to create the Portraits EP.“Everyone wrote their own song with their own sort of take and it’s where everyone’s at at this point in time as a person,” says Chris, regarding this project.They have also put a lot of thought and effort into the way in which this EP will be released.“We’re doing it as a limited vinyl release through Antivinyl Vinyl Club and that’s specifically because the artwork and everything is really put together to be as a package,” says Chris, “It’ll be on Spotify and stuff, but the whole idea was centred around doing it as a vinyl, and that makes it kind of exciting as well.”Each song is being released as a single, with the fifth and final song, Exit To Observe, dropping on April 20, when the entire EP will be available. Currently four of the five songs have been released into the wild and can be found on streaming platforms, and music videos can be found on the band’s YouTube channel.To celebrate the release of Portraits, Orpheus Omega have scheduled a launch show on May 6 at The Evelyn in Melbourne.“We’ve got some pretty cool ideas in mind specifically for this show,” teases Chris, “so I would say if you haven’t seen us before, or even if you have and you want to see something a bit different from us, this is definitely the show to get to.”HEAVY got the chance to have an in depth conversation with Chris about the new EP, the launch gig and music festivals, including his take on the experience that was Knotfest.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

31 Maalis 202356min

By Erin Eddy,The World Is A Vampire Festival is an amalgamation of music and wrestling, headlined by thelegendary Smashing Pumpkins.HEAVY had the privilege of speaking to the Pumpkins’ main man Billy Corgan in the lead up to this exciting event that will be happening across the country, commencing in Brisbane on April 15.The festival’s line up also includes veterans of alternative rock, Jane’s Addiction, as well as Aussie bands Amyl &The Sniffers, Redhook and Battlesnake, plus local acts opening each show.“For years we’ve talked about the idea of having our own kind of travelling festival and we finally made it happen,” Billy told HEAVY, “Everybody loves to headline and be the star of the show, but the best thing is when you can put together a line-up that everybody wants to see and there’s something for everybody.”“I feel really good about it on every level,” he continues, “and of course adding wrestling makes it that little bit sweeter.”Billy’s wrestling organisation, National Wrestling Alliance (or NWA) will be bringing wrestlers over to take on some of Australia’s pro’s of the Wrestling Alliance of Australia (WAOA).“We like our wrestling like the Aussie’s like their rock, we like our wrestling straight forward,” Billy explains, “so if you’re not a fan and you give us 10, 15 minutes and watch the show a little bit, hopefully you’ll be intrigued and interested by the way we present it and that’s the whole point of it, it’s supposed to be something for everybody.”Listen to the full interview to hear Billy speak more about the upcoming shows, The Smashing Pumpkins epic new 33 song project Atum: A Rock Opera In Three Acts, playing the hits versus playing new material and a proposal to add some jousting in the mix when they play Kryal Castle in Ballarat!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

31 Maalis 202338min

By Erin EddyAd Infinitum are a Swiss/German symphonic metal outfit that, in 2018, was born from the vision of vocalist Melissa Bonny and took root as her solo project. It very quickly manifested into a full band though, when the combination of Niklas Müller, Adrian Theẞenvitz and Korbinian Benedict proved to be a formula that really worked.Three, soon to be four, albums later and the band is powering forward, captivating fans the world over with their intense energy and emotive songs.Their impending release is Chapter III: Downfall, and the central theme to this record is Cleopatra and ancient Egyptian mythology.HEAVY got the chance to speak with drummer, Niklas, to delve into the world of Ad Infinitum and learn about what to expect from this new record.“It might get a little bit darker,” Nik explains, with comparison to previous releases. “It’s verydiverse, more diverse than Chapter II.”Nik says that while the album has a specific theme, it’s not a concept record, and more a collection of stories.“It’s like a theme we follow, most importantly regarding the lyrics, but lyrics is Melissa’s department so I’m not the expert here!” he laughs.Chapter III: Downfall is available as of March 31. The most recent single From The Ashes is out now and has a music video well worth checking out!You can hear Nik speaking about the making of that music video, the album and more by checking out our interview below.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

31 Maalis 202325min

Interview by Kris PetersAustralian alternative rock outfit The Angel Affair recently released the first chapter in an epic Renaissance EP series.Titled Def-Eye: The Renaissance Part 1, this is the first of four bodies of music telling the musical tale of a dysfunctioning dystopian society.HEAVY sat down with mastermind Luke Melton to find out more."I'm from a heavy background," he explained. "I started off in a heavy band playing drums and developed my skillset from there. I really wanted to develop this story line I thought of about a dystopian future where people had had augmented implants in their brains which made a cybernetic race. Outside the walls of the city there are the people who developed psychically. Instead of using technology to develop their minds they used the psychic and spiritual essence. It's about a clash between these two races."In the full interview, Luke talks more about the concept and how it arcs over four EP's, the musical composition of the release, creating a visual landscape with music, each track and its part in the story, performing all musical parts himself, separating himself from the music to be objective in his roles of mixing and mastering, the release schedule for the remaining three EP's and more.Check out HEAVY's review of Def-Eye: The Renaissance Part 1 here: https://heavymag.com.au/the-angel-affair-def-eye-the-renaissance-part-1/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

24 Maalis 202313min