Troy, Kasey, Beccy and Melinda explain good songs don't ... - APRA

Melissa Raser
>> Trash Ivory
our culture and who Bininj people
are. If we can understand Balanda and
they understand us then our worlds
can change and we can work together
better with less misunderstanding
between us.
“Through music I am learning to manage
the band’s business, to plan ahead,
keep accounts. This is important to us
and our community because we want to
be free of always relying on ATSIC or
government for things. We want to be
able to build our own houses with our
own money one day. This will happen
and when it does it will be a big change
in our world; it will really mean that we
will be in charge of our community, not
the government.
“The last way that music has changed
our world is with computers, we live
in the middle of Arnhemland and we
have got Pro-tools so we can record
our songs and do rough mixes of them
at home. We don’t have to travel 600km
to get to Darwin to do demos. We can
stay with our families and in our
country. Music helps to keep
our community together. It
helps stop our kids from
getting bored and moving
to a bigger community
where they are likely to
get into trouble.”
*as told to Joshua Muirhead
at Skinnyfish Music, Darwin.
STEVE TOWSON
has been challenging
audiences since his
first gigs in 2001. Now
on the verge of his
fourth release his voice
is raised louder than ever,
tackling head-on the issues of
racism, selfish gain at the expense
of others, and an unrepresentative
government, advocating a more just
and compassionate society.
“Like many people, I’ve always been
intensely moved by music - the sounds,
rhythms and lyrics. My early role
models revolved almost entirely around
musicians, particularly The Clash, Billy
Bragg, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, the
Dead Kennedys and others whose
music symbolised change and a call
for justice. I’ve seen first hand the real
effect that music that’s connected with
belief can have.
“[With] the Rock Against Howard
compilation and gigs in the leadup to
the federal election … [they had] that
mix of music plus human rights and
civil liberties. Average people who were
sick of feeling helpless about politics
came out to listen to music and rally
for the cause. Musicians who wanted
to make a difference played music to
express their valid opinions.
“There are examples throughout history
of governments fearing this kind of
experience. Regimes like those of Pol Pot,
Stalin, Hitler and the current Burmese
junta are examples - their treatment
of musicians and the censorship and
control they attempted to exercise on
music and art indicate their fear of
its potential as a catalyst for change.
Likewise back in the Banana Republic
days under Sir Joh’s reign here in
Queensland. Music reflects, reacts and
inspires, it has for millennia and will
continue to do so.”
MELISSA RASER is a performer,
composer, teacher, dancer, therapeutic
and musical masseuse. She performed
and toured nationally with Fiddlers
Green Bush Band and the Fiddler’s
Heaven Bush Band in Perth and WA. She
supported Sarita, as part of the WAM
showcase tour in Albany in March.
“Music touches people’s minds, hearts,
values, their spirit or maybe even just a
toe as it taps in a magnetic rhythm and
gives them a smile they can’t explain.
Sometimes it can relieve stress by a
funny statement and a giggle escapes.
Some tones touch undefinable spaces
in people’s lives. Some are moved to
tears and inspired to look at their lives
differently. Some can make a person
question their environmental values and
contributions and yet another might
touch on someone’s grief.”
TRASH IVORY is Madeleine on
guitar and vocals; sister Lady Caroline
on bass; and Kato behind the leopard
print drums.
“If you look back only one hundred
years you can see the influence music
has had on the world. It was rare to
ever really find a female band member
unless they were being used for back
up vocals or go-go dancers. The 60s
saw the birth of bands like the Shangri
Las, singing songs about the impact
of war through to empowering songs
about women’s rights. In the last 20
years or so, you can see that women
aren’t afraid to be angry and loud
anymore. With a growing number of
girl bands emerging from the closets,
it’s clear that music has changed gender
restrictions the world over.
“We would like to think that we could
inspire girls everywhere to do what
they have passionately wanted to do,
but reserved themselves due to social
limitations. If there’s one girl who sees
us play and goes home to pick up her
drum sticks or her guitar, we would like
to think we’ve done our part in keeping
women musical!”
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