OKA Talks Touring with RPM

Australia’s OKA is no stranger to the Canadian West Coast summer music scene. They’ve toured Canada several times over, traveling as far as Evolve Music Festival and Folk on the Rocks. I had a few questions for the boys and Zappa gladly accepted the opportunity to answer.

EB: Of Evolve, Shambhala, and Folk on the Rocks, which outdoor music festival have you enjoyed the most and why?

Z: Oh man. That is too hard. I thought these interviews usually start with an easy question? We love the crazy uniqueness of Shambhala, the awesome vibe of Evolve but I must say from last year my personal favorite was Folk on the Rocks. There was something magical about being so far north. Oh yeah… and I also partied extra hard. Ha.

EB: You’re from The Land of Milk and Honey; Folk On The Rocks happens in the Land of the Midnight Sun, what was your experience of Yellowknife like?

Z: It really surprised us. We had no idea what to expect. All we heard about in the lead up to the festival was the famous enormous mosquitoes. I don’t know what happened – but hardly any were around. You can tell the festival really lights up the town. Our shows were so much fun and we met some awesome people. The sun not really going down was also a trip out too. My favorite time of the day is twilight. I call it the ‘goo’. When we were there the goo lasted ALL night. Super stoked.

EB: I saw you guys play at Shambhala Music Festival outside of Nelson, BC, last year. I had a really good time. Although Nelson is in the Kootenays, I’m curious of your experiences of the West Coast of Canada – the fans, the people, the scenery – what’s your take?

Z: There’s no doubt the West Coast of Canada holds truly some of the most staggering and beautiful landscape we’ve ever seen. As a touring band you quickly get sick of the 4-6 hour drives between every gig. For us some of the most incredible journeys have taken place through the Kootenays and beyond. I still remember my first ride on the Jasper Highway to Robson Valley Music Festival. Every turn we were met with mind-blowing mountain ranges and such pristine glaciers. Makes traveling easy. The people we meet? Well lets just say they are better than the scenery.

To read the rest of the interview with Oka at rpm.fm, click this link.

Thelma Plum Feels Change For The Better

Thelma Plum has been making some major noise in Australia after winning the triple j Unearthed competition, and now shares some answers to some questions.

The triple j Unearthed competition for the National Indigenous Music Awards in Australia took place last month, and a surprising winner surfaced from its ranks. Seventeen-year-old Thelma Plum took the judges and audience by storm and took the honors of winning the competition and the opportunity to perform at the National Indigenous Music Awards on August 11th in Darwin.

We got a chance to ask some questions of Thelma and she was kind enough to answer.

RPM: What is your name, location and occupation?

Thelma Plum: My name is Thelma Plum, I am from Brisbane and I am a musician.

RPM: How do you do today?

TP: Very well thank you, recovering from a gig last night!

RPM: After winning the triple j Unearthed competition, congratulations by the way, how have things changed for you?

TP: Thanks so much! Things have changed so much – for the better though! I think this was a great thing for my music as it has now opened lots of doors.

To read the rest of the interview with Thelma, and to watch a video of Thelma singing an unreleased song, click this link.

DOWNLOAD: The Medics – “Joseph”

Australian band The Medics are hot right now – with their recent new album, new videos, and now multiple NIMA nominations.

To get a taste of why this band’s “rock songs with a melodic pop heart” are catching on fast, download this track, Joseph. The Medics’ passion and drive is infectious – turn it up and enjoy.

To download the track Joseph by The Medics at RPM.fm, click here.

#RPMLive Tonight in Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories, BC →

NIMA 2012 Finalists Announced

The National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA) celebrate Australia’s most outstanding Indigenous musical artists, from “the Top End to Tasmania.” Young newcomers The Medics have scored three nominations, with multiple noms also going to Troy Cassar-Daley, Busby Marou, Gurrumul Yunupungu and Impossible Odds.

Here are the highlights of this year’s finalists:

National Artist of the Year

• The Black Arm Band
•  Gurrumul Yunupingu
•  Jessica Mauboy
• Busby Marou
• Troy Cassar-Daley

National Album of the Year 

• Ngambala Wiji Li-Wunungu – Together We Are Strong - Shellie Morris and the Borroloola Songwomen
• Winanjjara - Warren H Williams and the Warumungu Songmen
• Foundations - The Medics
• Busby Marou - Busby Marou
• Home - Troy Cassar-Daley

National New Talent of the Year 

• The Medics
• Impossible Odds
• Dewayne Everettsmith

Read the full list of finalists at nima.musicnt.com.au.

Watch the video for National Song of the Year finalist Song of Arnhem Land, by East Journey at RPM.fm by clicking this link!

The Black Arm Band Company Holds a Mirror

Australia’s The Black Arm Band Company is a music theatre group that reflects and expresses contemporary Aboriginal identity. NPR recently featured the muti-media music company on their work as protest, education and positive action.

From Aboriginal Musicians ‘Band’ Together To Expose Oppression, on npr.org:

A black arm band is a gesture of mourning around the world. But for aboriginals in Australia it has come to mean something else.

The “black arm band view of history” is a version of history that takes a critical — some would say militant — analysis of Anglo-Australia’s mistreatment of indigenous people. Much like American Indians, indigenous Australians — who’ve lived on their continent for at least 40,000 years — have had their land stolen, treaties broken, and children taken away.

That’s exactly what The Black Arm Band sings about. …it’s a kind of all-star protest music supergroup, featuring a rotating roster of Australian indigenous musicians who are all successful in their own right.

…Dan Sultan is a 28-year-old aboriginal rocker who’s played with The Black Arm Band from the beginning.

“What The Black Arm Band is trying to do,” Sultan says, “is open people up, open peoples’ eyes up to the situation, just put a big ole mirror up so people can have a bit of a look at themselves.”

Together since 2006, The Black Arm Band Company has produced 5 major productions, their most recent being Dirt Song which explored Aboriginal languages, and features both Indigenous and non-Indigenous performers, as well as international guests. In the below video, About Black Arm Band, member and songwoman Lou Bennett describes their work as “an act of reconciliation, that both black and white can co-exist and worth together to create beautiful, high, excellent art.”

Read more of this article at RPM.fm, and be sure to watch the short documentary about the formation of The Black Arm Band.

Racism →

The ABC Speaking Out June update with Ostwelve is out now - check out Os sharing some of Turtle Islands’ best and brightest with Rhianna Patrick and Australian music lovers, including tracks from Mob Bounce, Holly McNarland, Artcirq, and more!

Follow us on Twitter! →

Follow us on Twitter for the latest updates about artists, music, contests and live events in your city or town! Tweet at us! We love chatting with our fans and our artists’ fans!

Stay connected. We want to hear from you!

http://twitter.com/rpmfm

New Speaking Out podcast featuring RPM’s Ostwelve! This episode, Os shares some of Turtle Island’s freshest Indigenous music makers with one of the land down under’s premier indigenous music culture platforms, and also shares a snippet of a new collab with Kinnie Starr. 

Boom!