Ash Mcgrath - What's He Like?

He's the man of the moment.

That winning kick- Great style.

Just recently winning the 'Jim Stynes Medal' for being the best Australian player in the International Rules series. He looked right at home standing in the goal square, not having to move to far. I might let him take that role next year playing on the oppositions Full Forwards.

Frustrated Goaly- always someone else's fault.

It's been one of those years for Ash, who can forget his kick after the siren to win the game in his 200th match. It was one of the greatest wins Ive been apart of & a fairytale for Ash.


Lets see what he's into-

What pop song get's stuck in your head- Karmin Acapella 

Do you listen to music before games? Yes got a little play list

To pump up or chill out- A bit of both

Any musical talents? Yes I can play a mean triangle and destroy guitar hero on  Medium level

Did u do any music at school? ie school choir/ play recorder/ start a band? Played recorder but if you tell anyone I'll  kill ya.

What radio station do u most listen to? Either morning radio station in the morning to get the traffic updates then on goes spotify tunes

Kareoke song? Cotton Fields - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Your thoughts on my musical taste? Very good bit out there

If there was only one song you could listen to for the rest of your life what would it be?

Seven Spanish Angels by Willy Neelson, it was my dads favourite song and his funeral song so means a lot to me and my family 

I love the way music does that. You can attach a certain song to a time in your life, everytime you hear that song it reminds you of that moment and the emotion.

Thanks so much for sharing that with us mate.

The GM- Simon Black

Blacky is said to do his finest work in September on the footy field. With three Premiership Medals and  a Norm Smith to go along with his three All-Australian, three Best & Fairest's and a Brownlow Medal, his record speaks for itself.

But I believe its the following weeks after September where Blacky does his best work on dance floors and Kareoke bars. Now that he is an older statesmen, the time spent on the 'D-floor' has shortened but he still dominates and when his arm starts pumping you know things are about to escalate.

Getting the Great Man on the karaoke stage is a hard feat but once up there he's impossible to get down. Let's see what Blacky's influences are when belting out a tune.

Blacky who's your favourite artist of all time? Pearl Jam

At the moment? Ben Howard 

Pop song stuck in head? Hey Ya- Outkast

Do you listen to music before games? Sometimes to chill out if I'm feeling nervous. Particularly on the bus to away games interstate. 

Any musical talent? 
I have very minimal music talent, learnt the guitar briefly at school, created my own song called 'Baby Don't Cry'. Those three words were the whole lyrics to the song, it was a big hit in my household growing up. I still sing it from time to time now when im having a flat day! I also learnt the recorder at school. 

Radio Station you listen to? Listen to Triple J mostly. 

Your Karaoke song would be? Santa Monica, Everclear. 

Thoughts on my music taste? You know I thoroughly enjoy your music taste and am often asking you about new bands or tips for me to check out, you're my go to man for cracking new music!

If there was only one song I could listen to forever probably be? Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah or Ben Harper - Amen Omen

Well, the great man has great taste no wonder he is a star!

Summer loving with 'Mac Demarco'

This Canadian groover has delivered my summer soundtrack.

Im not sure if it was spending most of my holidays with Byron Bay back drop that drew me towards these beachy/jazzy/ funky sounds but Mac Demarco does it well.

His film clip to 'Ode to Viceroy' is a bit trippy & the song is a at a slow pace but its a perfect paradise jam. His guitar work is simple yet howling... I love it.






My favourite tune of his is 'Freaking out the Neighbourhood' a more upbeat and super cool tune.



Can't wait for summer to get in the water and once my leg heals jump on my surfboard. Byron Bay & Noosa will be the choice spots for my new longboard.

The only only downer is that summer = Preseason training. Which = pain. Gotta love it.

Dont forget to check out this months playlist:
 

If you use spotify be sure to follow me for constant updates and playlists:danielmerrett21

Brent 'Heart Breaker' Staker- What's he like?

"Snag Central" just hanging out the dirty laundry.

Fresh from the magazine cover of Cleo, Brent Staker plays his 150th AFL game this weekend. A great effort after a rough few years & a couple of knee reconstuctions.  Stakes is a regular in the social pages and for good reason, this dreamboat is one of Brisbane's finest bachelors.

Plenty of his time is spent in the Lions gym and the man loves pumping his tunes,  let's see what he likes -

Who's your favourite artist? All time is Michael Jackson and Rolling Stones. At the moment Daft Punk 'Instant Crush' has my attention.

Pop song stuck in your head? 'Hello' by The Stafford Brothers

Do you listen to music before games? Yeah but nothing in particular.... I just let songs play out.

To pump up or relax? To pump up I'll listen to Def Leopard "Pour some sugar on me" and to chill out Frank Ocean or The Beach Boys.

Any musical talents? Nope not a musical bone in my body.

Did you do any music at school? I was in the school choir for Year 9 and 10.

What radio station do you listen to?  B105

Karaoke song? 'How do you do'... Roxette.

Your thoughts of my musical taste? It's really random but very interesting mix. Always something new but the on the flip side you enjoy the golden oldies.

If there was only one song you could listen to for the rest of your life, what would it be? Cat Stevens 'Father and Son'.

Oh what a snag!

Kicking goals on & off the field 

Thanks heaps Stakes. I can't wait to see the banner for Saturday nights game.

Splendour in the Grass: Preview

 Splendour starts tomorrow in Byron Bay and has another killer line-up. The guys from Village Sounds seem to do it every year!

 While I'm in Adelaide trying to knock over Port Power  in our most important game of the season the likes of Mumford and Sons, The National, Frank Ocean and TV On The Radio will be rocking out to 30,000 punters.

Of the 90 bands playing over the 3 days, I will give you a hand so you are not overwhelmed with choices.

-As a general rule always go International acts before local ones. At festivals you are always going to have clashes.You are a better chance to see the local acts again but it may be the last opportunity you ever get to see the International act.

Friday:

Must See:

Mumford & Sons
Darwin Deez
Haim
Robert Delong
Waaves

Clashes:

Portugal,The Man vs Boy & Bear (Portugal)
Baby Shambles vs You Am I ( Baby Shambles)
TV On The Radio vs Matt Corby (TV On The Radio)
Klaxons vs Architecture in Helsinki (Klaxons)

Mumford & Sons will close Friday night.

Saturday:

Must See:

The National
Flume
Bernard Fanning
Empire Of The Sun
The Polyphonic Spree(Doing 'Rocky Horror Show')
Cold War Kids
Vance Joy

Clashes:

Jagwar Ma vs Violent Soho (Jagwar Ma)
Jake Bugg vs Chet Faker ( Jake Bugg)
Cloud Control vs MS MR (MS MR)

The Tough Call:

Flume vs The National.

 Both killer acts.The National are the International, so on my theory they get the win but I know Flume will be dropping some new tunes, so its not one you wanna miss. Flip a coin.

Sunday:

Must see:

Frank Ocean
Of Monsters & Men
James Blake
Everything Everything
Passion Pit
Snakadaktal
The Jungle Giants
Little Green Cars

Clashes:

The Presets vs Laura Marling ( two different genres- whatever floats your boat)
James Blake vs You Am I ( James Blake)
Mystery Band vs Hermitude ( Alt -J was named as the Mystery band- Dont miss them)
Gurrumul vs The Rubens ( The Rubens)
Fidlar vs The Bamboos ( Fidlar)
Alpine vs Surfer Blood ( Surfer Blood)

Here is my Splendour playlist on Spotify to get you pumped and ready. Or it can just remind you what you're missing out on!

Have a good weekend.

In the Industry: Billy Russell Channel [V]

The [V] crew

Billy Russell is a music lover, presenter on Channel [V] and a mad Collingwood supporter.

Even though Billy does support the Magpies he's still a good bloke and has the inside word on the latest from the music industry.

Billy who is your favourite player?

My favourite player of all time is Tarkyn Lockyer. He was my absolute idol growing up. To me, Tarkyn was living proof that little dudes could match it with the big fellas out on the footy field. He was hardworking, consistent and a real unsung hero amongst a lot of the showier players running around in black and white at the time. I still beam a little when I see him on TV alongside the coaching staff.


Did you ever play?

My relationship with football is a lot like my relationship with music: one defined by a spectatorship where I sit on the sidelines and offer my uninvited and often unwanted criticism. This is a nice way of saying I can’t play either for shit, but that I’m very vocal about both. 

Which band is killing it at the moment?

I reckon there’s a heap of good stuff coming out of Melbourne at the moment, but my favourite is probably Dick Diver. Their first album came from nowhere to define my 2011, and their follow-up effort, Calendar Days, is doing similar things for me this year. I don’t know what it is about them, but there is something incredibly special about their odes to suburban Australia and that state of being all sad and mopey in your late twenties. Plus, Steph Hughes’ songbird voice just slays me. Definitely a band on top of their game.



Which band would win the NAB rising star?

I’m pretty enamoured with The Preatures right now. That new single, Is This How You Feel?, is one of those rare pop gems that literally stopped me in my tracks when I first heard it. These guys have such a bright future. 

Runners-up: Parquet Courts, Standish/Carlyon, Courtney Barnett. 



What gig you looking most forward to this year?

Like pretty much everyone else, I’m on board the Frank Ocean train. I can’t wait to swoon and carry on when he brings the live set to Splendour and its sideshows. I’m also pretty pumped to see TV On The Radio again. They’re a band that is incredibly important to me and their gigs never disappoint.  

Wonderwall or bitter sweet symphony ?

Wonderwall for the song, Bitter Sweet Symphony for the video.

Smells like teen spirit or killing in the name of?

Ooh, controversial! I totally get Smells Like Teen Spirit’s cultural significance and influence blah blah blah… but I’m a Killing In The Name man. It’s just so angry, defiant, and totally unifying. We cranked this track at my mum’s 50th birthday party and even my Maltese nanna who can barely speak English was screaming “Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me!”. I reckon we’ve all got a bit of rebellion somewhere in us; it just takes a badass track like this to unlock it.

Who's your pick for the GF?

I’d love it to be a Pies/Swans grannie, and I don’t think it’s completely out of the question (however unlikely it may seem). After relocating from Melbourne to Sydney a few years ago, I’ve been faced with an onslaught of dumb Swans fans who look for any chance to put me in my place (and who had a great opportunity after last year’s Prelim). Oh, how sweet it would be to hit them where it hurts this year.

Do you like Bucks as a coach?

Yes. Next question.

Billy "Belieber" Russell

Hey thanks so much mate, keep up the good work and keep the dream alive, clubs are always looking for mature recruits. And on that budding music career, you can always become a DJ. 

Stay Rad.

Joely Patfull- What's he like??

Joely 'Porky' Patfull played his 150th game on the weekend, a great achievement for someone who was given 'the arse' from Chocco Williams at Port Adelaide. No one is happier then myself that he was, Joely has had my back for most of my career, he's ever reliable & one of the most underrated players in the competition. 

He's also one of the coaches favourites. Vossy is always saying how he loves when Joely 'puts blokes to bed' ... oh wait that doesn't sound right??

Anyway let's see what Porky's music taste is like - 

Who's your favourite artist of all time?  Taking Back Sunday

 Who is it at the moment?  The Rubens

What pop song gets stuck in your head? 'Alive' from Empire of the Sun

Do you listen to music before games? Yeah man to get me pumped up.

Have you got any musical talents? Playing guitar badly. Ahh nice, ever started a band?  I started a band with my mate from school in Year 10 for about 2 weeks. 

Radio Station of choice?  Triple J 

Whats your Karaoke song?  Jessie's Girl. 

Whats your thoughts on my music taste? 'Right on', you're always listening to the new cool band before anyone's heard of them. Very diverse taste. Real hipster. 

If there was only one song you could listen to for the rest of your life it would be? Scar Tissue from Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Putting another one to bed

   Thanks again mate, be good to finally join you out there again sunday.

                             

Warner Music new music- Portugal. The Man - Evil Friends

Portugal. The Man - Evil Friends is the latest from the guys that brought us 'So American'.



So American was one of my top tracks in 2011 but their new release 'Evil Friends' is a much more up tempo, with help from producer Danger Mouse (the tall dude on the keys from Gnarls Barkley) this is one of the albums of the year.





They are coming to Oz for Splendour in the Grass, be sure to catch one of their sideshows if you are not lucky enough to see them at Splendour. I'm spewing I'll miss these guys when they are in town.

Here is their next single 'Atomic Man.' A trippy film clip and a little hard to watch but its another cracking tune.

Enjoy!

@ The Tivoli : The Rubens

This band of brothers have become Australia's golden boys of rock very quickly. Lead singer Sam Margin oozes charisma and is a real lady pleaser. 

Highlights were the cover of The Roots song 'The Seed' and their classics My Gun, Lay It Down and The Best We Got.

Fun Fact: Lead Guitarist Zaac Margin has no fingers on his right hand, what a great effort.

Be sure to see these boys next time they are in town.  

The lads are quality and will be rocking the Aussie music scene for years to come.

@ The HiFi Bar: The Bronx

Its been a few years since I've seen a punk band. I spent my youth listening to Millencolin. NOFX, Unwritten Law & Strung Out but nothing of that ilk lately... Boy have I been missing out!

 The Bronx have been rocking for 12 years now & have not lost any of their energy. I haven't seen a mosh or crowd surfing like that since the Vans Warped Tour 99'. Its awesome that it still allowed to exist.

Frontman Matt Caughthran demands the crowds full attention and participation. Even the Energizer bunny would run dead trying to keep up with him. He is a classic frontman.

My ears were ringing for days after this concert but it was well worth it. No wonder I couldn't hear the umpires yelling at me on the weekend....

@ The Zoo: Local Natives

I plugged 'Heavy Feet' from  Local Natives earlier on my blog. When I went to see them I was expecting a very chilled out relaxing Sunday night gig. But I was hit in the face by an energetic, harmonious & thumping performance which blew my mind. Local Natives are amazing live! A definite for any festival promoter & a must see band for any punter going to a festival they feature in. The LA locals bring that on stage presence that we expect from US bands. They have drawn comparisons to Grizzly Bear, Fleet Foxes & Vampire Weekend. I found them reminding me of a mixture of Cold War Kids & Grouplove. All are amazing bands you would agree & Local Natives sit comfortably in their presence.

Check out their new album 'Hummingbird'.

Twenty Thirteen Movies I can't wait to see

There is nothing better then a relaxing afternoon/evening at the movies after a solid training session or game. Big Goose Maguire & I are regulars at Gold Class on a Tuesday afternoon. How awesome is it to get your hot choccy delivered halfway through a movie while your kicking back in a recliner!
Here are a few movies we will be hitting up shortly....

 

1.ONLY GOD FORGIVES- From the same guys that made 'DRIVE' which was my favourite movie from 2011. DRIVE had a killer soundtrack, I'm expecting more of the same stuff for GOD ONLY KNOWS.




2. THE GREAT GATSBY- The most anticipated movie of twenty thirteen. An all time classic story of passion, violence & love. It's got an all star soundtrack to boot. Hurry up already!



3. STAR TREK INTO THE DARKNESS- Since JJ.Abrams has taken over the realm, the Star Trek 'enterprise' has made a respectful comeback. With word JJ.Abrams has agreed to do the new STAR WARS films, classic SCI-FI is back! Live long and prosper.



4. AFTER EARTH- The fresh prince new one looks cool from the previews, hopefully he doesn't rap on the soundtrack. I think the use of real life Father-Son duo in the movie is also pretty awesome.

Introducing.... Vance Joy

The winner of my favourite film clip of 2013 goes to....

 


Vance Joy's real name is James Keogh. A handy footballer who used to play seniors at Coburg Tigers with one of my team mates Andrew Raines. A dour defender who was good on the lead & stuck to the job, no frills but got the job done. Rainsy saw him play a few acoustic sets at some Coburg functions. "He belted out some ripping covers!".


Keep an ear out for Vance Joy. Kicking it at a venue near you!

The Great Zorko: What's he like?

'The Zorks' has exploded onto the AFL scene & quickly become a favourite of the fans, particularly those who have a dream team.

I've known Dayne since my school days, when he was known as 'Tinker' (Tinkerbell) for being so small & girly looking (haha just jokes). His older brother was school captain when I was in Grade 12 at Benowa State High & we both played for the mighty Surfers Paradise Demons JFC.

I was super stoked & proud to see Zorks get his chance at AFL with the Brisbane Lions.

Now let's have a look at his music taste. WARNING he did grow up on the Gold Coast so this could be interesting.

Who's your favourite artist of all time? The Script  At the moment? Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Pop song that gets stuck in your head? MKTO- Thank You

Do you listen to music before games? Yeah

To chill out or get pumped up? Bit of both really (this explains alot about Tinkers personality)

Any Musical Talents? I think I'm a good singer but I'm actually terrible.

Music experience at school? Just played the recorder because we were made to.

Radio station? Nova

Thoughts on my musical taste? Not too bad. I normally Shazam off your playlist so it must be alright.

If there was only one song you could listen to for the rest of your life, what would it be? Mario- let me love you.

The Zorks can bust a move on & off the field. Hope to see more of this action in 2013.

Tinker, thanks for dropping into Music with Merrett.

I hope this song gets stuck in your head :)

Dan

Music to start your day with....

Finding the perfect tune to consume your morning grub isn't that easy. Consider that the tune you are listening to with breakfast or in the car is most likely to be stuck in your head all day! So it better be a good one... Imagine it's a shocker & here you are at work whistling Taylor Swifts' latest song - eeek!

Here is a tune I've been recently starting off my day with:

After pouring myself a bowl of museli, turning on my Sonos, selecting a recent Spotify playlist then turning on Fox Sports News with the volume on mute. This song from Ben Howard is also a morning favourite.

I think it's the uplifting nature from these tunes that I love to start my day with.

If I hop out of bed on the wrong side in the morning I always have a "go to" tune to get those positive vibes going.... When in need, go to the classics.



What songs do you like to start the day with?

Have a good weekend guys,

Dan

Kishi Bashi- Tuesday Tunes

Start your day with this tune & you are bound to have a great day.
I'm fortunate enough to have few days off to relax & this tune is on repeat... I hope you enjoy. 


Here is Kishi Bashi performing the same tune live..... very impressive.


      

Also check out this months playlist on Spotify: MArch 13'

Tuesday's Tunes

The Bronx should get you pumped up this morning. I will definitely be listening to this tune before Friday nights NAB cup final against Carlton.

They are touring later in the year with local Brissie boys DZDeathrays & will be a must see show.

Dropping the tempo a little, Local Natives produce a cracker with 'Heavy Feet'. This tune is uplifting, it puts me in a good mood every time I hear it.

Dan Rich- What's he like?

This chunky little character bursts on the scene with a flash of blonde hair. A ripping bloke who looks like he belongs in the surf next to Occy. Dan has a knack of getting stuff for free, he is also a crowd pleaser..... And I love having him in my team.

A regular at concerts from tickets that were complimentary, here is what he's into:

Richy Boy who are your favourite artists right now & of all time?
Right now is Alt-J & all time is Jack Johnson.

Pop song that gets stuck in your head?  Impossible - James Arthur

What do you listen to before games? City & Colour, Beautiful Girls & Art of Sleeping. I like to chill out then pump up.

Any Musical talents? I was in the choir at school for a bit but was never talented enough to be in the school band.... I didn't want to anyway :(

What radio station do you listen to? JJJ

Kareoke song? Wonderwall - Oasis

Your thoughts on my musical taste? The occasional diamond in the rough.

If there was only one song you could listen to for the rest of your life, what would it be? Jack Johnson - Taylor

Thanks Richy boy

I'm going to be interviewing a few of my team mates in the future, let me know who you want to learn more about.

I hope this song gets stuck in your head ;)

Mid Week Gigs: Father John Misty

Mid week gigs definition: The only gigs I can get to now footy has started.

Myself & Sezmez went to "The Zoo" last Wednesday night to see the man Father John Misty.

The former Fleet Foxes drummer oozes charizma. He turns his folky/country album into a slightly grunge, soulful display that exibits confidence & connection with his audience. His voice was amazing & makes you wonder, "why isn't he more popular." He gives all his songs some extra guts & grunge.

It was their last gig, finishing off a 10 month tour, as he swirled his bottle of red wine there was no lack of energy or fatigue in his voice. It was smooth, passionate vocals all night.

Thank you Father John Misty, a joyful surprise - one of the best gigs I've been to.

Feb's Fab

My February playlist looks very solid. Just like my preparation for round 1 the foundation has been laid & now I'm  starting to see some of that hard work come to fruition.

The Rubens belt out a cracker with 'The day you went away'. From reports they smashed there Laneway sets... the boys are on fire atm.

The Foals,The Griswolds, Papa, Cold War Kids, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Delphic bring there usual high energy sound with all there new singles hitting the target.

Flux Pavilion, Rudimental, Disclosure bring the beat with some  heavyweight & I got the tune 'waves' -Joey Bada$$ from Kevin Durant who posted he was listening to this tune before his game for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Flume continues to kick goals with his tracks 'insane' & 'left alone'.

A sweet tune from Junip puts the body into recovery mode with the beautiful vocals of Jose Gonzales.

I can't wait for the games to begin! Go Lions.

Please enjoy my February 13' playlist: Feb 13'

Papa.... Got a brand new bag

My new Tune for the week is from Papa.

I've love these guys ever since I heard there single "I am the lion king" a theme song for our next co-captain perhaps.

They are unique in the Drummer Darren Weiss is also the lead singer (Like Spiderbait). He also has an awesome beard.

Check out their new song 'Put me to work'.

Hopefully they tour down under soon.

St Jeromes

St Jeromes Laneway Festival is fast becoming one of my favourites. They seem to deliver each year with their line up, finding artists who have just peaked or are about to and with their smaller stages the artists feel more accessible.

I was really excited to see Alt -J, they have become one of the bands of the year.

As an athlete you are always having to make sacrifices, usually it's your social life first. It is rare to be able to go to festival or gig without it affecting your training schedule. Luckily we have Friday afternoon off after a morning session at the Enoggera Army Barracks. We also have a 5:45am start Saturday morning with a running/skills session. So, Laneway was perfect, it starts at lunch, the main bands I wanted to see were playing between 4-7pm.... perfect! Except I forgot I had an AusKick clinic from 5-6pm at the Ferny Grove Falcons which I had to make up from last year when had to fight a charge at the tribunal.So I was going to miss Alt-J & Of Monsters & Men, two of the biggest acts.

But all good I was still going to catch Flume, Japandroids & Chet Faker.

Flume is a Star! With a huge future. Cannot rave on enough about how good his set was. His flight was  delayed 3hrs from Sydney due to lightning. He was expected to arrive 15mins late for the set but came running onto the stage only 5mins late... what a legend.
After the Laneway tour Harley Streten is off to tour with his mate Emoh Instead as 'What So Not'. Worth a look.
Here is a sick remix that they did of 'Warrior'.

After Flume blew the roof off the 'Car Park' stage Japandroids exploded on the 'Eat Your Own Ears' stage.
This two piece from Vancouver put out an outstanding sound & rocked hard! The energy they brought remind me of the punk bands I used to listen to in the 90's. A must see band while they are in Oz, you will not be disappointed with the show these two lads put on.


As I headed to watch Chet Faker I was locked out as the venue was at full capacity..... shattered :(

I had to make a tough call to stay for Devine Fits at 8:40pm or head home and prepare for my 2km time trial at 5:45am. In the end Football came first as it always does. Chet Faker we will meet again.

An all in with.....Royston Vasie

There's nothing better then an all in sing along & stage invasion to finish a night.

Here is one of my favourite Aussie bands Royston Vasie dominating the Ding Dong Lounge in Melbourne.
You may catch a glimpse of  Triple J's unearthed hero Courtney Barnett having a sing along.



Here is some more Royston Vasie

The " Rap" Up - Hottest 100

Maklemore & Ryan Lewis produce the first rap song to go #1 in Triple J's Hottest 100

Thrift Shop coming in at the top has caused a stir with a lot of people unhappy with it's top placing & Of Monsters & Men coming in at #2, a little to mainstream for the usual alternative Triple J listeners.

But someone must have voted for them & they are both quality songs.

My top pick alt-J came in at #3, the British newcomers scored 3 songs in the top 100 & will draw a big crowd at next weeks St Jerome's Laneway Festival. Can't wait.

The People's Champ Flume gave us 4 songs, his highest at #4. It's been a massive 12 months for Harley, his album was one of my favourites of the year. Another one to catch at Laneway.

Tame Impala capped off a great year with 2 songs in the top 10... number 7 & 9. Pretty amazing & Im proud they are Australian. I saw them live at The Tivoli a few weeks ago & they are the country's best rock band at the moment.

All in all you can't be unhappy with the countdown, you voted for it people! Well done Triple J on another awesome broadcast.

Out of my 10 votes 6 of them polled. With Father John Misty, Cat Power, Millions & Deep Sea Arcade missing out.

Most of my songs were in the 40-20 range which says something about my taste in music... it's a little alternate but still popular.

#40- R U Mine?- Arctic Monkeys
#39- Hold On - Alabama Shakes
#36- Paddling out- Miike Snow
#33- Can't get better then this- Parachute Youth
#24- I'm into you- Chet Faker
#3- Breezeblocks- Alt J

Here is the Hottest 100 playlist on Spotify Hottest 100 2013

Cant wait for what 2013 brings to my ears.

Australia Day!

 Happy Australia Day & Hottest 100 ya flamin' mongrels!

Here are a few songs I believe will be a chance for #1 in Triple J's Hottest 100. I voted for Alt-J & Parachute Youth but still believe Tame Impala and Of Monsters & Men will be popular votes.

Have a great day!

Hopes & Falls of January

Well as January comes to an end football games are just around the corner with NAB cup starting on Feb 15.

January always has an air of excitement to it, with a whole lot of  hopes for the year ahead & new years resolutions broken. I know footy fans are chomping at the bit for games to start after a long summer of cricket where our nations hopes fall on an under performing team, plus the fact we are just flooded with a cricket game being on television every second night. On that note congrats to the Brisbane Heat for winning the big bash!

My January playlist has a bit of Everything Everything. Flume gets another couple of tracks, I think I have almost added every song off his album to at least one of my playlist. I finally got the Frank Ocean bug with his track "rich kids". There are plenty of aussies as always & "Cant  Pretend" from Tom Odell gives you the impression he is one to watch for the future.

Cheers to the weekend

Jan 13'

Highlights From 2012- Take 5 with Zan : 08/06/2012

The wins against West Coast Eagles & Adelaide Crows are definite highlights for 2012 on field, my chance to go into the Triple J studios & Take 5 with Zan Rowe was one of my highlights off the field.

When asked if i would be interested in doing it I jumped at the chance but anxiety replaced excitement when I realised the task ahead- how do you only choose 5 songs??

My topic was songs that have influenced my life. I started with Incubus 'Certain shade of green'- the soundtrack of my youth.

Sublime 'what i got' followed, this song was played everyday when I spent a month in Tahiti on a surfing trip with 2 mates as a 15yr old. A huge time in my life which I feel i matured into a young adult during this trip.

My favourite band Bloc Party got a run with 'Helicopter'. When this Brit Rock band came out with  'Silent Alarm' it changed my ears forever. I found a new confidence in what was good music. Amazing album & touring soon yeew!

Cold War Kids where the first band I met, though it was in the subway line at the airport waiting to order a six inch chicken teriyaki. Still a moment I'll remember forever, over coming fear & nervousness to go talk to someone famous. I chose there song 'hang me out to dry'.

'All I want is you' by Barry Louis Polisar was the song my wife Sarah & I walked out of the church to on our wedding day. It was meant as a kids song but we heard it used in the movie 'Juno'. We loved it & so did Nigel lappin, I remember him coming up after the ceremony & the first thing he said after congrats is 'was that a barry louis polisar song'?

Thanks Triple J & Zan Rowe for the awesome experience.

Here is the recording of the interview with Zan Rowe:    [Take 5 with Zan : 08/06/2012]

Ghosts in Heaven

The Presets single 'Ghosts' was voted single of the year by Rolling Stone Magazine Australia's readers. This is my favourite single off there new album but would have to say an interesting vote for 'song of the year'. Let's wait & see where it comes in Triple J's Hottest 100.

500 days of summer

500 ways to get down this summer! This is a compiled list of my monthly playlist I do on spotify for 2012. This is a great playlist to reflect on how great 2012 was for music, particularly Aussie artists. The playlist is also great for pool parties & roadtrips... yeew!
  500 Favourite Tunes of 2012

Bruno got moves

Not my usual genre but i'm loving Bruno Mars new single. I heard 360 pump it up the other day which I didn't take to much notice of. But when watching the Graham Norton show the other night- mainly because Ricky Gervais was on the show, I was blown away firstly how good he sounded live in a small studio & secondly I loved how his band danced in sync...... very cool.

Peking duk..... Sounds Yum Cha!

First heard this song on Triple J a month ago & loved it straight away. Since then things have been good for the boys from Canberra from being #1 on the aria dance charts to touring Falls Festival & with the Bloody Beetroots. boom

Hold On... Wait a minute

One of my first nominations for Triple J's Hottest 100. This video shows why. Great tune.