Melbourne’s leading synth sensualist is proud as punch to unveil his new single Proud, taken from his stunning debut album Vanity is Forever (click on the pic to check out the video). A melancholically breezy ode to a faded relationship, Proud finds Geoffrey backed by ghostly harmonies and the keening strains of that most underutilised of instruments – pan pipes. Geoffrey has directed his own video for the track, featuring cameos from Ben Montero and Esther Edqvist, members of Geoffrey’s live band.

To celebrate the release of Proud, Geoffrey and band will make some very special live appearances around the country beginning with a set at Australia’s most iconic venue, the Sydney Opera House. On June 2nd, Geoffrey will be appearing as part of Vivid LIVE 2012 on a sterling bill put together by the fine folks of Good God Danceteria. Catch Geoffrey live in the Opera House studio alongside an extraordinarily eclectic array of performers- Egyptian Lover, Nicky Da B, Prince Zimboo, Straight Arrows, No Zu, Donny Benet and some of Sydney’s finest DJs.

The following week Geoffrey will make appearances in Melbourne on June 8th at Bleachers at Liberty Social supported by Mildlife and The Murlocs and in Adelaide on June 9th at Plus One at the Ed Castle supported by Bad // Dreems, Major Crime and Wild Oats. Full details below.

GEOFFREY O’CONNOR PROUD TOUR

Sydney – Saturday June 2nd

Good God Danceteria in the Studio @ Sydney Opera House

Tickets available here

Melbourne – Friday June 8th

Bleaches @ Liberty Social

with Mildlife and The Murlocs

Doors sales only

Adelaide – Saturday June 9th

Plus One @ Ed Castle

with Bad//Dreems, Major Crime and Wild Oats

$10 pre-sale available from Moshtix from May 11th, $12 door sales

www.facebook.com/geoffreyoconnormusic

Pick up your copy via the Chapter webstore.

Check out some songs on the Strong Love Soundcloud.

Then there’s Recovery, the new album from long-running scrap-pop wonders New Estate. Recovery presents a reinvigorated band, following the advent of new bassist Toby Dutton (ex Flywheel), making for their brightest, catchiest record to date. From ex-Sleepy Township keyboardist/guitarist Mia Schoen’s propulsive pop explosions, to the sprawling epics of guitarist Marc Regueiro-McKelvie (Teeth & Tongue, Popolice), Recovery shows a renewed dedication to New Estate’s ragged, intelligent pop, always with its centre of molten warmth.

Check out New Estate on Facebook.

Both records are out Friday May 4! Pre-order now from the Chapter webstore!

OUT NOW!

Strong Love explores the first wave of openly gay songwriting, emerging after New York’s Stonewall Riots kickstarted the modern gay rights movement in 1969. It took just a few years for the defiant chanting and interlocked arms of early 70s pride marches to reverberate onto record, and Strong Love begins with the earliest known example, 1972’s A Gay Song by London hippie collective Everyone Involved.

Across 15 tracks, the compilation takes in disarmingly personal folk, uplifting  soul, outsider country and dark synth-rock. But tellingly, none of its songs could be considered well-known. New York’s Steven Grossman released the first major label album by an openly gay artist in 1974, and Tom Robinson hit the UK Top 20 with the fiery Glad To Be Gay in 1978, but these are the exceptions. The coy ambivalence of Lou Reed and David Bowie was about as sexually adventurous as the 1970s music industry got, and most Strong Love artists released their own self-funded recordings in very limited numbers.

Unlike their lesbian counterparts, who joined forces to create long-lasting record labels, strong distribution networks and considerable sales figures for artists such as Cris Williamson and Holly Near, gay male musicians  in the 1970s existed largely in solitary bubbles. Which doesn’t mean they didn’t carve out niches of their own. Eccentric one man band Chris Robison played with the New York Dolls and Elephant’s Memory, while LA glam seducer Smokey saw members of the Stooges and Quiet Riot pass through his backing band. Steven Grossman was covered by Twiggy and Scrumbly & Martin are justifiably infamous for their work with San Francisco drag hippies the Cockettes.

Whether known or not, what the songs on Strong Love illustrate is the vision, talent and raw courage that drove 1970s songwriters to sacrifice popular careers for the sake of honesty and self-expression. Compiled by Chapter Music’s Guy Blackman, with an evocative introduction from drummer RIchard Dworkin (who played with Blackberri and Buena Vista and is one of the few to have witnessed many Strong Love artists firsthand), the album is a powerful tribute to pioneering artists whose music has been neglected for too long.

OUT NOW!

Melbourne scrap-pop wonders New Estate release their fourth album Recovery, their first for Chapter Music. As the title suggests, it’s a reinvigorated band you hear on the new album, making Recovery New Estate’s brightest, catchiest record to date.

The departure of bassist Brad Cosier in 2010 saw the band undergo a period of inner contemplation, but they have re-emerged with new bassist Toby Dutton (ex Flywheel) and a renewed dedication to their ragged, intelligent pop, always with its centre of molten warmth.

Like their debut album, 2004’s Considering, Recovery was recorded by the band at their home studio in verdant Jacana, but New Estate have honed their recording skills in the intervening years and bring a wealth of new life experience and musicianship to Recovery.

The album was made on Garageband over a period of two years, but as keyboardist/guitarist/singer Mia Schoen says: “We expected it to take a long time. Unlike the studio experience of our last two albums, recording ourselves is all about taking time, hanging out, having fun, listening, overdubbing, discussing and generally enjoying the recording process, with the luxury of time and reflection and no stress.”

Mia and guitarist Marc Regueiro-McKelvie (Teeth & Tongue, Popolice) share songwriting duties fairly evenly, bar a track each contributed by bassist Toby and idiosyncratic drummer Larry G. Mia’s songs, like Diamonds and Parallel are propulsive pop explosions, while Marc’s songs veer into sprawling guitar epic territory. Toby’s Can’t Do Without You could be a lost early 80s Oz Rock classic, while the extended emotional chaos of Larry G’s Whiskey Spider makes for a glorious mess.

It should also be pointed out that Mia and Larry’s history with Chapter Music, together and separately, dates back to its very first release in 1992. Their fine work in bands such as Sleepy Township, Molasses, Mustang! and Driving Past is dotted across a large part of Chapter’s early catalogue, so with Recovery, they make an endearing, warm-hearted and very welcome return to the label.

Melbourne scrap-pop wonders New Estate release their fourth album Recovery, their first for Chapter Music. As the title suggests, it’s a reinvigorated band you hear on the new album, making Recovery New Estate’s brightest, catchiest record to date.

The departure of bassist Brad Cosier in 2010 saw the band undergo a period of inner contemplation, but they have re-emerged with new bassist Toby Dutton (ex Flywheel) and a renewed dedication to their ragged, intelligent pop, always with its centre of molten warmth.

Like their debut album, 2004’ Considering, Recovery was recorded by the band at their home studio in verdant Jacana, but New Estate have honed their recording skills in the intervening years and bring a wealth of new life experience and musicianship to Recovery.

The album was made on Garageband over a period of two years, but as keyboardist/guitarist/singer Mia Schoen says: “We expected it to take a long time. Unlike the studio experience of our last two albums, recording ourselves is all about taking time, hanging out, having fun, listening, overdubbing, discussing and generally enjoying the recording process, with the luxury of time and reflection and no stress.”

Mia and guitarist Marc Regueiro-McKelvie (Teeth & Tongue, Popolice) share songwriting duties fairly evenly, bar a track each contributed by bassist Toby and idiosyncratic drummer Larry G. Mia’s songs, like Diamonds and Parallel are propulsive pop explosions, while Marc’s songs veer into sprawling guitar epic territory. Toby’s Can’t Do Without You could be a lost early 80s Oz Rock classic, while the extended emotional chaos of Larry G’s Whiskey Spider makes for a glorious mess.

It should also be pointed out that Mia and Larry’s history with Chapter Music, together and separately, dates back to its very first release in 1992. Their fine work in bands such as Sleepy Township, Molasses, Mustang! and Driving Past is dotted across a large part of Chapter’s early catalogue, so with Recovery, they make an endearing, warm-hearted and very welcome return to the label.

OUT NOW! Pasted Youth is the first digital-era re-examination of early 90s cult figures Clag, from Brisbane, Australia.

Formed around high school friends Bek Moore, Rachael Cooke and Alison Bolger in the very early 90s, Clag played a kind of psychotic kiddie punk, full of one note Casio keyboard solos and lyrics about cows, goldfish and gravy-covered hot chips. Their apparent innocence, however, was merely a front, disguising examinations of the human psyche that grew darker as the band progressed.

Live, the band would face away from the audience and play with masks taped to the backs of their heads, or dress in hospital gowns and bedeck the stage with fluffy Mr Men toys. Musically they were equaly confusing, staking out a bizarre middle ground between the Shaggs, Bikini Kill and the Banana Splits, In short, Clag were one of the most head-scratchingly strange bands in the world, and those who came across them either recoiled immediately or developed a lifelong obsession.

The band released three vinyl singles and were beginning to make an international mark, with releases on US and Canadian labels, before they disintegrated in the mid 90s. Clag members went on to play in bands such as Beaches, Panel Of Judges and Minimum Chips, but in the intervening years a considerable legend has grown up around their first musical venture. Copies of their original singles are now treasured artefacts.

This 23 track reissue comes with a 16 page booklet packed with photos and extensive liner notes. It includes all their officially released recordings, plus a whole raft of bonus material, including a live-to-air session on Brisbane’s 4ZZZ-FM, and a chaotic, foul-mouthed live recording from Melbourne’s Empress Hotel.

Finally, one of Australia’s oddest and most compelling bands is available on CD for the first time.

Pasted Youth is out on CD and digital Friday March 9! Available for pre-order now. Orders will be shipped March 9.

OUT MARCH 9 – PRE-ORDERS HERE!

Pasted Youth is the first digital-era re-examination of early 90s cult figures Clag, from Brisbane, Australia.

Formed around high school friends Bek Moore, Rachael Cooke and Alison Bolger in the very early 90s, Clag played a kind of psychotic kiddie punk, full of one note Casio keyboard solos and lyrics about cows, goldfish and gravy-covered hot chips. Their apparent innocence, however, was merely a front, disguising examinations of the human psyche that grew darker as the band progressed.

Live, the band would face away from the audience and play with masks taped to the backs of their heads, or dress in hospital gowns and bedeck the stage with fluffy Mr Men toys. Musically they were equaly confusing, staking out a bizarre middle ground between the Shaggs, Bikini Kill and the Banana Splits, In short, Clag were one of the most head-scratchingly strange bands in the world, and those who came across them either recoiled immediately or developed a lifelong obsession.

The band released three vinyl singles and were beginning to make an international mark, with releases on US and Canadian labels, before they disintegrated in the mid 90s. Clag members went on to play in bands such as Beaches, Panel Of Judges and Minimum Chips, but in the intervening years a considerable legend has grown up around their first musical venture. Copies of their original singles are now treasured artefacts.

This 23 track reissue comes with a 16 page booklet packed with photos and extensive liner notes. It includes all their officially released recordings, plus a whole raft of bonus material, including a live-to-air session on Brisbane’s 4ZZZ-FM, and a chaotic, foul-mouthed live recording from Melbourne’s Empress Hotel.

Finally, one of Australia’s oddest and most compelling bands is available on CD for the first time.

Pasted Youth is out on CD and digital Friday March 9! Availble for pre-order here.

For a start, it’s our 20th birthday! That’s right, back in 1992 a pimply 17 year old Guy Blackman gave birth to Chapter Music with a compilation tape of Perth bands called Bright Lights, Small City. We’ve got a bunch of amazing things planned to celebrate our 20th, so stay tuned for more info in the months to come.

Right now, though, there’s a lot of news we wanna tell you:

CHAPTER CURATES FINAL FRIDAY NIGHT AT EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB

For the final Friday night at the sadly soon-to-close East Brunswick Club, Chapter Music has curated an amazing lineup, a co-headline show for expansive poet-rockers Dick Diver and synthual slink-master Geoffrey O’Connor, who both released fantastic albums on Chapter late last year. They will be joined by relocated Canberra emo-rap visionary Jonny Telafone, and high-cheekboned pop sprites Velcro.

Friday, February 24

East Brunswick Club, Melbourne

Dick Diver, Geoffrey O’Connor, Jonny Telafone, Velcro

tickets $12+bf here

TWERPS DO REAL ESTATE, GIRLS, SXSW, JESSICA ALBA

Twerps have a busy few months ahead of them, after their October debut album turned them into global shamble-pop sensations (including a recent Twerps-endorsing tweet by Jessica Alba to her more than 2 million fans!). In February they’re supporting US heroes Girls at their Melbourne show, then in March they pick up with sunny New Jersey buddies Real Estate for Melbourne and Sydney supports. All this before they head to US music mega-conference SXSW for some boozing and shmoozing, and then stick around until May for a huge US tour. More US details to be announced soon!

Wednesday, February 8

Corner Hotel, Melbourne

Twerps support Girls (US)

tickets $45+bf here

Friday March 9

The Standard, Sydney

Twerps support Real Estate (US)

tickets $42+bf here

Monday March 12

Corner Hotel, Melbourne

Twerps support Real Estate (US)

tickets $42+bf here

GEOFFREY O’CONNOR NEW SINGLE, REMIX EP, LANEWAY ETC

To celebrate the release of Geoffrey O’Connor’s new single Proud (lifted from last year’s celebrated solo LP Vanity Is Forever), Chapter Music has teamed up with Sydney label Yes Please to release a digital EP featuring remixes by YP artists Oliver Tank, Guerre and the Townhouses. The Oliver Tank remix of Whatever Leads Me To You was premiered by Triple J’s Home & Hosed show last week, while Guerre’s take on Proud appeared on Pedestrian TV, and the Townhouses’s So Sorry remix can be downloaded from Sydney blog Life Aquatic. You can also stream the EP in full from Geoffrey’s bandcamp.

Geoffrey is, of course, as busy as a beaver with live shows too, having just come off a series of gigs with glittery pop kids Alpine. Next up he’s doing the national Laneway tour, as well as supporting US crash-pop stars Pains Of Being Pure At Heart in Melbourne.

Thursday February 2

The Hi-Fi, Melbourne

Geoffrey O’Connor supports Pains Of Being Pure At Heart (US)

tickets $45+bf here

Laneway Festival

Saturday January 28 – Brisbane

Saturday February 4 – Melbourne

Sunday February 5 – Sydney

Friday February 10 – Adelaide

Saturday February 11 – Perth

more details www.lanewayfestival.com.au

Friday, February 24

East Brunswick Club, Melbourne

Dick Diver, Geoffrey O’Connor, Jonny Telafone, Velcro

tickets $12+bf here

www.facebook.com/dickdiverband

www.facebook.com/geoffreyoconnormusic

www.facebook.com/twerpsmusic