1. The First Record I Bought
My mate and I went halves in Takes A Nation Of Millions… by Public Enemy and Mel and Kim’s ‘Respectable’ on 12-inch at the same time from Central Station Records on Pitt Street. We were both heaps into the emerging rap scene and dance music, I guess. Over the years, Public Enemy has proved to be more of an inspiration than Mel and Kim – my life could have been very different if it were the other way around!
2.The Last Record I Bought
I bought Dawn by Emma Donovan and The Putbacks after seeing them burn up the stage at WOMAD. Emma’s got a true soul voice and presence and The Putbacks are one of the grittiest, funkiest soul bands around. It’s short and sweet; I can’t wait to hear more from this amazing collab. Sounds amazing on vinyl.
3.The First Thing I Recorded
First stuff I recorded that was released was for the early Elefant Traks compilations in 1998. I was working with Rollerz Music’s DJ A.L.F., and producing tunes using an early tracker called Hammerhead. I can’t even listen to those tracks now – my voice is wack, lyrics are lame and the production would blow your car speakers out!
4.The Last Thing I Recorded
Our latest Astronomy Class album is Mekong Delta Sunrise, a tribute to the music of Cambodia’s “golden age” of rock’n’roll. It’s a concept album traversing 40 years of Cambodian history, given the Astronomers treatment by Chasm and Sir Robbo. It features the inimitable Srey Channthy from The Cambodian Space Project, one of the leading lights in the Khmer rock revival. Channthy will be joining us for the upcoming shows, along with long-time collaboratorVida Sunshyne.
5.The Record That Changed My Life
Jorge Ben Jor’s A TЗbua De Esmeralda. I’ve had a love of Brazilian music since I was a child, and Jorge Ben was the king of bossa nova. It wasn’t until years later that I discovered his more psychedelic work. A TЗbua is absolutely epic, mystical in scope, spaced out but funky still. It closes with ‘Cinco Minutos’, famously sampled by The Black Eyed Peas.
Mekong Delta Sunrise is out now through Elefant Traks. Catch Astronomy Class, along withJoelistics, atNewtown Social Club onSaturday May 30.
