Performances and the outdoors
Dan and Tony discuss 2017 in its shiny new glory, as well as live performances. Colouring Cats has an upcoming gig on February 2, 2017 – at which they will debut what Dan calls a “rock opera song” and what Tony calls “a new awakening”. They discuss stage presence and performance (and why Tony walked out on Bob Dylan), as well as what it’s like to go camping as a band (“fucking awesome”).
On the uncreative nature of recording
In this week’s episode Dan and Tony talk about Ozzy Osbourne’s penchant for encouraging fan-suicide, the thoroughly uncreative nature of recording, and the psychological effects of doing the work without getting the reward.
On song-writing exercises and techniques
Turn off the lights and dig out the half-melted candles from your bottom drawer, it’s How to Colour Cats’ first birthday! So let’s cut a piece of cake separate from the main cake so that this over-enthusiastic child can spit all over it it without ruining it for everyone else.
This week we talk to Henry, the drummer of How to Colour Cats, who quits the band on mic within the first five minutes of the show. Then Henry shows Dan and Tony three songwriting techniques and they each write more songs in this single forty-seven minute episode than they have this entire past year. It’s a birthday bonanza!
But wait, there’s more! This week’s episode is the piñata that keeps on giving. It also features:
The writing exercises we explore on this episode are:
On persona
This week, Dan and Tony talk persona in both music and in our lives, generally, as well as what happens when we embrace our ignorance toward a topic (cough, math) as a badge of honour. Dan has a pre-episode pact with Tony not to talk about Pokemon, but Tony has a secret pact with himself to try to talk as much about Pokemon as possible.
On music on television
Dan and Tony talk about days of yore when bands made appearances on sitcoms, and the current age of music in commercials. Bands are now shameless about being featured in ads – does this allow musicians to support their art, or is it kinda gross? Arguments ensue. They also discuss commissions and patrons and grants.
On Click Tracks and Band Bookers
Dan and Tony discuss click tracks and recount a gruelling experience with a band booker – they delineate the band do’s and don’ts of booking a show – and what you, as a band, can expect from a venue.
Talking with Joel Morrison, co-owner and band booker of the Old Bar
The Old Bar is an iconic Melbourne venue – it’s a small room on Johnston Street that established bands come back to, and where new musicians get their start. Joel Morrison co-owns the place, and books the bands that play there.
We discuss how to book your first gig, how to approach a venue booker, how venue bookers choose bands, how to get a support slot, and of course, what it’s like to own a bar.
On the importance of grammar and the joy of music videos
This week, Dan and Tony talk with Colouring Cats’ bassist of four months, who still hasn’t been added to the band website. They discuss why he joined the band (“it was the most-well written band advertisement I think I’ve read”), Winamp, music videos, and the importance of band image.
The group shares a few compelling music videos in order to convince Dan that it’s a worthwhile medium:
On stage presence and recording an EP with Matt from Destrends
This week, our guest is Matt Savage from Melbourne post-punk slash art-rock band Destrends. They recorded their first EP at Head Gap Recording Studios in Preston just last week. It’s been a hectic few weeks for them – and so we scheduled an interview on the first day Matt has had free to relax.
Matt discusses stage presence and recording an EP for the first time with Dan and Tony.
Destrends are playing a show at at the Worker’s Club on Tuesday June 8 with As Above, So Below. Notice too short? Get tickets to see them at the Tote on July 1, 2016.
On scheduling issues and finding new band members
Schedules are a huge cause of bands not being bands anymore. Colouring Cats recently went down a member (again), (again) due to scheduling difficulties. Now they have to decide whether to find another violinist or learn to play as a four-piece.
They discuss difficult conversations, Violin Tinder, the best places to find new band members online, and Dan updates the matter of Dan v. Parking Ticket.
How to Colour Cats 