As you probably saw on our socials earlier in the week, Monday just gone marked twenty years since Music Farmers first opened. I’d hoped to do some sort of gig or release for it but the year got away, however I have been working on a lengthy feature about twenty years in the shop and everything that has sprung from it. There will also be some initiatives launching next year to tie into it, hopefully for Record Store Day. In the meantime, I put together this playlist featuring artists that have played in stores here, all-time best sellers and other tunes that have soundtracked the shop in the time.
Today sees one last bit of new music for the year, coming from the Silhouette Label it is the latest single from Steve Bourk, along with the announcement of his full-length album whicg you can pre order here. You may know Steve as the live bass player in Hockey Dad or from his band project Step Panther, but on his solo album he steps out to play a brand of nineties slacker guitar rock with at times some country twang. Recorded by Jez Player, Steve enlists a cast of local favourites to play on the album including Zach from Hockey Dad, Russ from Shining Bird, Jim from Shining Bird/The Pinheads and Luke from The Pinheads.
This Saturday night is another instalment of the always fun Spinning Around event. I’ll be on the decks at Howlin Wolf earlier in the night but I’ll be at La La La’s for a late slot after midnight. Also spinning across the evening are Jimmy BYO, Moody Girls and DJ Yutts. It is free entry all night!
Last year I started doing some music industry mentoring at my old high school, Bulli High while Russ (Shining Bird, Trropical Strength, Silhouette Label) mentored on the songwriting and production side. One of the first recordings from these sessions that Russ produced was by young singer/songwriter Penelope Church which is now streaming everywhere, have a listen below.
It’s getting so close to the end of the year for my final column of 2024 next Friday I’ll reveal my favourite albums of the year and recap a bunch of the music I’ve got to work with over the year. I’ll be behind the shop counter a lot more than usual over the holiday season and I’ll be DJing regularly around town so hope to see a lot of you over the coming weeks.