UK & Australian Music
#167
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 457
Re: UK & Australian Music
Stop right there...AC/DC is the Ozzie gift to the world and is worth a thousand good bands...Rock on ..
#168
Australia's Doorman
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: The Shoalhaven, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 11,056
#170
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 457
Re: UK & Australian Music
By the way a few years ago they had a street named after them in the city.
#171
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,188
Re: UK & Australian Music
That Brit Band with the Aussie drummer Street?
#175
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 457
Re: UK & Australian Music
There you go - pretty much dead bang in the middle of the city.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACDC_Lane,_Melbourne
#176
Re: UK & Australian Music
Those Bee Gees knew summink methinks......
Same reason AC.DC had to get the hell outta Oz to have a career beyond 5 minutes.
Oz immigration, border control and work relations would not let AC.DC play any dates back in Oz once.....they just stormed the UK and went back to Oz for some RnR and 'cos Cliff didn't have a work visa they said he could not do his job in Oz....completely forgetting that had he done his job with the rest of the band some 1000's more would get a job.
I don't think any of AC/DC members live in Oz any more.....aside Bon who is permanently RIP in Freemantle.
#177
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 397
Re: UK & Australian Music
This is not intended as a thread for 'bashing' Australia, though I am sure some of Australia's more sensitive fans will interpret it as such.
I am intending to begin an open and thorough debate.
My question is simply this: Why has Australia produced so little in the way of popular music when compared to the UK or USA?
I know that the obvious response to this is lower population, but I don't think that adequately accounts for it.
I mean there has been so much great, great music that has emerged from the UK and this shows no signs of abating. I know that Australia HAS produced successful artists but they are very few in number and arguably not of the same calibre in any case. In terms of international success I can think only of INXS, AC/DC and Kylie. Talking purely personally I only really rate Augie March, Lior and Sia. Cold Chisel weren't bad though.
Once again, I am not attempting to put Australia down here. I am merely making what I consider to be a fair observation and am curious to discuss the possible reasons for this. Also, if there are artists out there from Australia that I am not presently aware of I'd be interested to be introduced to them.
I am intending to begin an open and thorough debate.
My question is simply this: Why has Australia produced so little in the way of popular music when compared to the UK or USA?
I know that the obvious response to this is lower population, but I don't think that adequately accounts for it.
I mean there has been so much great, great music that has emerged from the UK and this shows no signs of abating. I know that Australia HAS produced successful artists but they are very few in number and arguably not of the same calibre in any case. In terms of international success I can think only of INXS, AC/DC and Kylie. Talking purely personally I only really rate Augie March, Lior and Sia. Cold Chisel weren't bad though.
Once again, I am not attempting to put Australia down here. I am merely making what I consider to be a fair observation and am curious to discuss the possible reasons for this. Also, if there are artists out there from Australia that I am not presently aware of I'd be interested to be introduced to them.
The other one is that in Australia there is good money and for some reason minor adulation to play music in a cover band. I have seen some seriously talented musicians who would rather play to 200 people a night for $300 guaranteed than take a punt to write an album and tour it. This has been the case since the 70's, you can out a cover act together in Australia and get 3-4 nights a week and make a living, you cant do that in the UK, therefore it attracts so many musicians, especially in Melbourne to that scene and they never leave.
Aside from that, Australians follow the US and not the UK when it comes to music and therefore country gets a much bigger profile and wrap. I bet there are much bigger country acts out of Aus than the UK, the bands here either want to sound like Nickelback or Keith Urban and have little interest in the block party and indie style scene.
But i think the biggest one is the lifestlye in Australia, when i was in the UK, the kids in my brothers schools were learning the guitar, piano, recorder (aged 4-5) and spend lots of hours doint it. My mates kids here are playing Auskick, cricket, football (world game, refuse to call soccer) so perhaps thats alsa a part.
Although I sure a parent will disagree with the last comment and tell me there kids and schools play everything too.
#178
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Somewhere dull. That'll be Australia then.
Posts: 648
Re: UK & Australian Music
Being a musician myself this has come up in the band room many a time. You know the whole trip from the dole office to being a rock star as sung in the oasis songs, the working class guy with nothing to lose, that doesnt have the same sting over here, people are generally better off and dont write music to get themselves out of a perceived shi* way of life.
The other one is that in Australia there is good money and for some reason minor adulation to play music in a cover band. I have seen some seriously talented musicians who would rather play to 200 people a night for $300 guaranteed than take a punt to write an album and tour it. This has been the case since the 70's, you can out a cover act together in Australia and get 3-4 nights a week and make a living, you cant do that in the UK, therefore it attracts so many musicians, especially in Melbourne to that scene and they never leave.
Aside from that, Australians follow the US and not the UK when it comes to music and therefore country gets a much bigger profile and wrap. I bet there are much bigger country acts out of Aus than the UK, the bands here either want to sound like Nickelback or Keith Urban and have little interest in the block party and indie style scene.
But i think the biggest one is the lifestlye in Australia, when i was in the UK, the kids in my brothers schools were learning the guitar, piano, recorder (aged 4-5) and spend lots of hours doint it. My mates kids here are playing Auskick, cricket, football (world game, refuse to call soccer) so perhaps thats alsa a part.
Although I sure a parent will disagree with the last comment and tell me there kids and schools play everything too.
The other one is that in Australia there is good money and for some reason minor adulation to play music in a cover band. I have seen some seriously talented musicians who would rather play to 200 people a night for $300 guaranteed than take a punt to write an album and tour it. This has been the case since the 70's, you can out a cover act together in Australia and get 3-4 nights a week and make a living, you cant do that in the UK, therefore it attracts so many musicians, especially in Melbourne to that scene and they never leave.
Aside from that, Australians follow the US and not the UK when it comes to music and therefore country gets a much bigger profile and wrap. I bet there are much bigger country acts out of Aus than the UK, the bands here either want to sound like Nickelback or Keith Urban and have little interest in the block party and indie style scene.
But i think the biggest one is the lifestlye in Australia, when i was in the UK, the kids in my brothers schools were learning the guitar, piano, recorder (aged 4-5) and spend lots of hours doint it. My mates kids here are playing Auskick, cricket, football (world game, refuse to call soccer) so perhaps thats alsa a part.
Although I sure a parent will disagree with the last comment and tell me there kids and schools play everything too.
Sorry that you felt your beloved Australia was under-fire.
#179
Re: UK & Australian Music
I know a fair bit about music and am a muso myself, but just because I do not share the same opinion as you my views are dismissed. Just because you read "magazines" Will, does not make you an expert