 Photo by Connor Malanos Name Niki Johnson Where are you based? Sydney, NSW How long have you been playing drums? And what initially drew you to the instrument? I have been playing percussion since around year 4 when my piano teacher told me I had good rhythm and thought I might like it! Do you play any other instruments? I used to sing in a funk band until end of last year, currently I am only really playing percussion, but I love playing found sounds and objects that aren’t classified as conventional percussion instruments! My personal favourite instrument set at the moment is a series of glass kitchen bowls. What bands/projects/collaborations are you involved in right now? Currently I am in an improvisation ensemble called Sydney Improvisors and Composers Kollective Orchestra or SICKO, an experimental theatre duo called Throat Pleats, a contemporary chamber ensemble called Ensemble Muse, and a collaboration with two dancers called Circles and Edges. I work casually with Synergy Percussion, Ensemble Offspring, and Hourglass Ensemble, and am a member of the NOWnow experimental music festival committee. What else have you previously been involved in (bands/shows/projects etc)? I have just returned from Singapore where I was performing with the DrummerQueens at a Chinese New Year show at Resort World in Sentosa. We performed a choreographed drum line with flag bearers and breakdancers. Last year I was one of six female drummers in Lauren Brincat’s work Other Tempo for the Carriagworks Liveworks festival. We played on drum sculputes with the likes of Lindy Morrison, doing a structured improvised show over a week of the festival. Until the end of 2019 I was a member of the Taikoz advanced ensemble class where I would rehearse and perform the traditional Japanese drumming style of taiko. Other exciting projects I worked on in 2019 include being a festival artist for the Canberra International Music Festival where I played in the contemporary opera ‘The Children’s Bach’, playing percussion in ‘Maninyas Concerto on Fire’ with an acrobatics troupe, being an Ensemble Offspring Hatched Academy recipient and performer, and various performances with my regular ensembles. Do you write music or develop your own shows? What are they about/how have they come about? I love curating events, alongside my collaboraton with Throat Pleats, Ensemble Muse and being on the NOWnow committee I have organized my own personal projects. In 2019 I curated a show for the Backstage Music event opening for William Barton and Veronique Seret where I chose to make a work with two dancers, Sarah King and Amy Pham. We wrote a work together where I made the music and they provided the dance. I performed on a set of glass bowls, pistachios and pasta shells. The work is titled Circles and Edges and is about flow and interruption of flow. We were also given the opportunity to film this work at the Dangrove space. In January 2020 I worked on a collaboration with two ceramic instrument builders Roxanne Nesbitt from Canada and Chayla Ueckert-Smith from Canberra. We put on a workshop and concert series at the Pottery Shed in Surry Hills where we performed on their instruments and they gave workshop presentations about their instruments. Roxanne and I also wrote works and performed on her instruments for Nights at Tempe: Summer Edition. What are your thoughts on collaboration in music and in the projects you’re involved in or the projects you run? I love collaboration in music, and am in various different types of collaborations. I find it really rewarding being in a curatorial role, or a role where I have a say in the artistic direction. I don’t love it when the bulk of decisions or organisations falls on me though, I love when all members are equally invested and on the same page. That being said, I also love facilitating other peoples dreams. I think I need to have a healthy balance of both those types of projects in order to be a happy artist! Who are you listening to/whose music are you enjoying right now? Aldous Harding, Janelle Monae, and Frank Ocean!  Photo by Claire Leong Do you have any favourite drummers? Or other musicians who inspire you? why? Bree Van Reyk is a real inspiration to me and is a great composer/creator/ percussionist/performer/musician/artist. She is particularly inspiring to me because along with being an innovative and great female creator, she is a really warm and lovely person. How would you describe the kind of music or projects you’re mostly involved in? And what kind of unique perspective/sound do you bring to these gigs? Mostly I’m involved in art music, contemporary classical, and free improvisation gigs. I hope to bring my own sound to these ensembles but never to dominate a space or to play something that isn’t appropriate for the style. I hope to have a unique sound that is compatible in various circumstances. Do you have a particular warm up or practice routine? Or favourite exercises? I have just started getting lessons from Simon Barker, so have been really going back to basics trying to learn his technique! Does social media play a big part in how you promote yourself as an artist and your various projects? Do you promote your work in other ways? I have a website and use social media more to document or to let my friends know about my projects. I will often email people directly about projects if I think they would be interested. Do you make a living from music? What different types of work does this comprise? I teach 2 – 3 days a week and make the rest of my money from gigging. Where’s the coolest place that music has taken you? Tarraleah in Tasmania for the Australia Art Orchestra Creative Music Intensive. If you could give your younger drumming self some advice what would it be? Always move in a straight line. The older you get, the more chances you will get to choose who you work with, what you play and why you play. There is definitely no fixed path and good on you girl! Website https://niki-johnson.com/calendar/  Photo by Claire Leong
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 Names Jolene Lawrence Harriet Fraser-Barbour Where are you based? J- I live in Maningrida, West Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. H- I live in Adelaide, South Australia. How long have you been playing drums? And what initially drew you to the instrument? J – I started learning the drums in high school at Maningrida College when Jodie Kell was teaching us when we was 13 or 14 years old. H – I had one drum lesson in high school, I remember going to meet the drum teacher with my mum the week beforehand and memorizing the lesson taking place at the time. I practiced this one beat with pencils on biscuit tins (drove my bro crazy) in the lead up to my lesson and then left that first lesson with a note from my music teacher to my mum saying ‘the sky was the limit’ for me – but never had another lesson after that!? Maybe it was too expensive or we couldn’t accommodate a drum kit at home, but I continued to practice that one beat for months afterwards. Then when I was in my early 20s and living in a sharehouse full of boy musos I started smacking the drums again between their band practices until eventually one of them invited me to play drums with them! (Thanks Pat Heath) Do you play any other instruments? J – Too many! Bass guitar, rhythm guitar, drums, singing, sometimes keys. H – Like Jolene I play a bunch of different things – guitar, bass, keys. Learning how to use the electronic things, drum machines and synths. What bands/projects/collaborations are you involved in right now? J – Just my girls Ripple Effect Band. H – I play in a band called Fair Maiden and another called Workhorse, occassionally a solo synth thing under the name Millenium Cowboy.  photo of Jolene by Jamie Wdziekonski What else have you previously been involved in (bands/shows/projects etc)? J – In high school I played with some friends, messing around singing love songs – we were called Ocean Girls. H – Previously played in bands Wireheads and Theta, and I also book shows and an annual music festival in Adelaide called Half Strange. Do you write music or develop your own shows? What are they about/how have they come about? J – I write songs on the guitar and songwriting in my language, Na-Kara. One of my songs is called Hunting Song, its about mud mussels and fishing and I wrote it with my family. H – I usually write a song around a particular musical melody or chord progression first and lyrics secondary/begrudgingly. Lyrical content usually a mix of dream journal/phrases that gets stuck in my head. Maybe more focused on a mood or atmosphere than technical prowess or lyrical prose. What are your thoughts on collaboration in music and in the projects you’re involved in or the projects you run? J – I enjoy playing with other people if they like me to play with them, because it’s good to share and learn together. H – Collaboration is a really important part of music for me, but it can also be a complicated dynamic. I’ve discovered that I really love playing in other peoples bands or projects, but find it difficult and complicated being the person who’s invited others to play on their project. I think I usually do have a pretty specific idea of how I would like things to sound but may not always be the first to admit that, so communicating these feelings or ideas can be tricky. However I feel really lucky to be surrounded by so many amazing musicians and I always value their input whether it be musical contributions or just listening ears and advice. Who are you listening to/whose music are you enjoying right now? J – Letterstick Band, Saltwater, Band Ripple Effect Band, Rayven Justice, Celine Dion, Shellie Morris. H – Not drum related because there are none on this album but I’ve been listening to Jessica Pratt’s latest album religiously for the last year or so - as well as lots of other melancholic folk like Sibylle Baeir, Vashti Bunyan etc. I really like the new album by Blonde Redhead frontwoman KAZU– it’s got some sick improvvy style drums. Also into some weird contemporary pop like Carla Dal Forno, Exploded View, Johnny Labelle, Carolyn Polachek oh and Kim Gordons new album too. Do you have any favourite drummers? Or other musicians who inspire you? why? J – Harriet (lol) and Yuka from the Japanese girl band Chai – we saw Chai play in Tasmania at MonaFoma Festival and met them backstage. Yuka is an awesome drummer! H – I’m really into wonky self taught drummers. Super profesh stadium style drums are snore. Suzanne from the Melbourne band Primo plays a regular kit but left handed so like open armed. Omg also there was this band from Brisbane for a while recently called Bent, their drummer Skye was the most beautiful drummer to watch! Technically trained as a violinist so she just had this really unconventional, super emotive style, like she was dancing. The Melbourne band Love Of Diagrams were a big inspiration for me as a young aspiring teen, Monika had a real solid but simple drum style. I also really like whats her name, is it George from Yo La Tango –a dreamy lazy drum style. (and voice) How would you describe the kind of music or projects you’re mostly involved in? And what kind of unique perspective/sound do you bring to these gigs? J – I like different kinds of music, just to make myself relax and calm down, forget everything. Reggae, RnB, Hip Hop. H – I think it varies a lot, but guitar wise at least I tend to play a lots country and western style chords and picking techniques. Drumming with the Ripple Effect Band has been really interesting for me because it’s a totally new style! I’d more naturally be inclined to play real straight simple rock and roll drums, but Jolene writes most songs with this reggae 4x4 beat that took me some time to get a feel for. But I’m super open to anything and love to experiment with different styles. Do you have a particular warm up or practice routine? Or favourite exercises? J – Before a show we jam and practice in the music room. When we are backstage before a show, we sit together and sing songs with our guitar to practice, and then we say a prayer. H – As Jolene said, the Ripple Effect Band sometimes do a little acoustic practice and then usually say a prayer before gigs. But for my other bands, a warm up routine usually consists of sharing a foolishly large meal together before playing and then regretting it on stage.  Photo of Harriet by Elliot Oakes Does social media play a big part in how you promote yourself as an artist and your various projects? Do you promote your work in other ways?
J- We got our own Ripple Effect facebook that we share events so people can see it. H – I think social media is a super useful platform for promoting yourself as an artist these days, especially with the essential death of things like free street press and pretty limited avenues for exposure in other ways (local radio, posters, word of mouth) I basically only use facebook so that I can invite people to gigs - it’s a really efficient way of reaching out to lots of different kinds of audiences but the increasing sway to monetise even this with things like limits on the amount of people you can invite without buying an ad really blows! Do you make a living from music? What different types of work does this comprise? J – When we play shows and tour, we sometimes have hotels paid and a good feed. When we visit big city we go shopping, buy new clothes, headphones and eat lunch together. H – Most bands that I know have humble aspirations of merely covering costs and sometimes even that is too much to ask. I work a couple of different casual jobs that allow the flexibility to tour etc but that does make it hard to stay afloat financial when taking time out to tour, like two weeks for the recent Ripple Effect tour. For a big band like Ripple Effect Band, coming from the remote community of Maningrida in Arnhem Land, NT – the travel costs alone are huge. Add to that accommodation and other basic costs like food and it’s virtually impossible to cover those costs without the help and support of government funding! Which is also an ever diminishing resource (fund the arts!!!) Where’s the coolest place that music has taken you? J – Anywhere outside of community like big city – Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Tasmania. We just played two shows in Melbourne, both sold out – so many people was watching and enjoying. Our first time in Melbourne show! H – The opposite to Jolene, I’ve really loved any opportunity to visit the communities around Arnhem land where Ripple Effect are from! We played on the island of Milingimbi at Gattjirrk Festival last year and it was such a beautiful island and community. I’ve also toured USA twice with my band Wireheads, and recording on the island of Anacortes in Washington with Calvin Johnson from Beat Happening was pretty sick. If you could give your younger drumming self some advice what would it be? J - I want to teach young people at school to learn more drums so when they get older they play music like me and my friends Harriet and Stephanie. H – Hit the things and hit them hard! I think the drums in particular can be such an intimidating instrument for young girls and women so its really important to provide a safe and encouraging space where kids can experiment with being loud and taking up space. This is something that I still struggle with even after playing the drums for 8 years or so – feeling like I need an invitation or permission before I can just get up and make some noise, but men don’t wait for permission to take up space, they just do! Other thoughts/info J - I love music, music is my life. And I can’t give up playing with my girls. H – What Jolene said <3 Website https://www.ripple-effect-band.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Maningrida.ripple.effect/ https://www.instagram.com/ripple_effect_band/ https://fairmaiden.bandcamp.com/ https://workhorseaus.bandcamp.com/  Photo by Dan Grant Name: Lauren Reece
Where are you based? Perth, WA How long have you been playing drums? And what initially drew you to the instrument? I’ve been playing drums for about 14 years. As soon as I could play a drumbeat I was hooked! Do you play any other instruments? I started out playing clarinet when I was young. Then I got promoted to tenor saxophone for the school concert band. I started teaching myself other instruments on the side like piano, guitar and bass. What bands/projects/collaborations are you involved in right now? I mainly play in a punk band called The Shakeys. I’ve been playing drums with them for around 10 years. Last year I joined a new punk band with the lead singer from Scalphunter, we’re called Anxiety Whores. I also play in an all-girl tribute to AC/DC called Ballbreaker. What else have you previously been involved in (bands/shows/projects etc)? My first band was a grunge two-piece called Lantana. After I started getting some more experience, I joined my first punk band called Aaagh Bats! which only lasted a couple of years. I did some session drumming for The Spitfires years ago. I recorded and played a few shows with them until the singer decided to move back to England. I also did session work for Liam Naughton and The Educators. He also moved back to the UK. Sensing a pattern here! Ha-ha! Do you write music or develop your own shows? What are they about/how have they come about? I contribute to writing songs for The Shakeys. I used to write a whole song on guitar, then record the guitar and program the drums into GarageBand and send it through as a demo for the band to listen to. These days I provide riffs here and there and help structure the songs together as a band. What are your thoughts on collaboration in music and in the projects you’re involved in or the projects you run? It really depends on the dynamic of the band. If there is a clear leader who writes the songs or a solo artist who has hired a backing band then I mainly leave it up to them. I always love to contribute to writing though! Who are you listening to/whose music are you enjoying right now? Tricky one… These days I just chuck on a 60s, 70s 80s or 90s playlist on Spotify. I did recently discover a few bands on a Stoner Rock playlist. I’m digging: Clutch, The Sword, Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, Sleep, All Them Witches. I’m into that kinda stuff right now. I’m hoping in future I could join a band with that more of a style or possibly even write and record my own music in that style. Do you have any favourite drummers? Or other musicians who inspire you? why? Fav drummer of all time is Dave Grohl. Always have, always will love him. He’s the heaviest hitter ever and totally inspired me to hit the drums as hard as possible and to make it sound good. Also love John Bonham, Stewart Copeland, Torry Castellano (The Donnas), Sheila E – most inspiring female percussionist ever! Such a great musician. How would you describe the kind of music or projects you’re mostly involved in? And what kind of unique perspective/sound do you bring to these gigs? I play mainly punk and hard rock. I grew up with a lot of hard rock and Aussie rock. I love to hit the drums hard. It just feels amazing and gives the song a whole different energy. I also love playing funk. When I started getting lessons my teacher taught me funk drumming and opened my eyes to a whole other way of drumming. Just grooves that are so intricate but powerful. Sometimes I sneak in some funk drumming in my punk bands. I don’t know if they like it. They better! Ha-ha! Do you have a particular warm up or practice routine? Or favourite exercises? Usually about 1 hour – 30 mins before a show I play single stroke rolls on my legs with just my hands instead of drumsticks. I find this warms up my forearms better than stretching. My fav exercises is Table of Time. I teach Table of Time to all my drum students. It’s a valuable exercise that involves every subdivision all at the same tempo. If I didn’t know Table of Time I wouldn’t be the drummer I am today! Do you make a living from music? What different types of work does this comprise? I mainly teach drums and percussion at various primary schools and high schools. I love my job and it’s such a rewarding experience. My students are pretty great! Where’s the coolest place that music has taken you? I’ve been on tour to Japan with The Shakeys. That was just the coolest tour ever! We were treated so well, and the Japanese bands are such high quality. The loveliest bunch of people If you could give your younger drumming self some advice what would it be? Don’t worry about what other drummers might think of you, just be you  Photo by Ilze Kitshoff Name
Genevieve Wilkins Where are you based? I’m from Perth and have just returned from 15 years living and playing Percussion in London, UK. How long have you been playing drums? And what initially drew you to the instrument? I started in High School when I “illegally” switched in the school band from piccolo to kit and percussion. I didn’t have lessons then, so no technical clue, but when they saw me playing in time using my piccolo as a stick they gave in and let me have actual sticks! Do you play any other instruments? Piano (started my Degree on this actually), Flute and Trumpet (very badly at a school level!) What bands/projects/collaborations are you involved in right now? Since returning to Perth I have started a piano/percussion duo with my brilliant colleague and friend Emily Green-Armytage. I am also excited to have had the first rehearsal of a new percussion duo with Jackson Vickery, watch this space for when we decide on names for both of these projects! What else have you previously been involved in (bands/shows/projects etc)? In the UK I was a member of the renowned “ensemblebash”- a long standing percussion quartet. I also founded a cello/percussion duo with Gabriella Swallow called “The G Project” which is still ongoing. I also was a permanent member of the Andrew Poppy Ensemble, as well as Galvanise New Music Ensemble. I have also played and/or recorded with the Nash Ensemble, Joanna MacGregor, Joby Burgess, Stephen Montague, Colin Riley, Max De Wardener, Lionel Richie, Gavin Bryars, Mark-Anthony Turnage, City of Birmingham Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic and West Australian Symphony. I have extensive experience as performer and music director in theatre and musical theatre, with 9 shows at the Shakespeare Globe Theatre, MD of American Psycho at the Almeida, Never Forget: The Take That Musical and Thriller (both West End productions). I got my first big break while in Perth with numerous AYO opportunities and scholarships and importantly with Tetrafide Percussion- I was a member with them for 8 exciting years before leaving for the UK- I got to see a lot of Australia and Europe with them, perhaps they are to blame for encouraging the travel bug?! Do you write music or develop your own shows? What are they about/how have they come about? Not really. I am very hands on in creative collaborations, but don’t claim to ever sit down and write my own music. What are your thoughts on collaboration in music and in the projects you’re involved in or the projects you run? I thrive on it and can’t recommend this process strongly enough! Who are you listening to/whose music are you enjoying right now? I have sat down in my studio today for the first working day of 2020 and have finished the latest Yael Naim album, followed by Ani Difranco’s new album. Rocking my world right now. Do you have any favourite drummers? Or other musicians who inspire you? why? I don’t even know where to start on this one- there are so many and often I find inspiration outside of percussion and drums as I am open to general music inspiration, without getting hung up on how they hold sticks and technique etc. I watched a jazz guitar workshop by Sheryl Bailey last year, as well as an opera Vocal masterclass with Lucy Schauffer (as part of my work with WAAPA) and it totally resonated (no pun intended). How would you describe the kind of music or projects you’re mostly involved in? And what kind of unique perspective/sound do you bring to these gigs? I feel lucky to love and be able to play lots of styles of music. That’s no accident, but I am proud to think of myself as a musician rather than defined or limited to a particular genre. But, it you push I would say Classical New Music, World Music (hate that term!) and Contemporary Pop Groove. Do you have a particular warm up or practice routine? Or favourite exercises? Sometimes I need to trick myself into the zone for practice, so I pretend the metronome is playing a fat pocket and lock in to get into it with rudiments and technical stuff. That normally does the trick. When I was preparing to go on for Tap Dogs- a full on rock show- I used to play constant single stroke rolls to Muse in my dressing room on the pad- with it really cranked! Does social media play a big part in how you promote yourself as an artist and your various projects? Do you promote your work in other ways? Absolutely. I’d say over half if not three quarters these days. As always, I am sure I can do a lot better to stay current with this. I am torn between wanting to keep away from it with my personal life and needing to be on it more professionally! Do you make a living from music? What different types of work does this comprise? I am fortunate to have made a living exclusively from performing music since 1998. The first few years I topped up my income teaching part time (I graduated with a bachelor of Music Education), then in approximately 2002 I was full time performing. I lectured in performance at the Royal College of Music in London part time since 2009 and since returning to Perth I have taken up a contract lecturing at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, which I absolutely love for it’s vibrancy and diversity of disciplines! Where’s the coolest place that music has taken you? Napoleon’s holiday house for a small but totally amazing New Music Festival (curated by Stephen Montague) with Ensemblebash in the Black Forest in Germany. Found ourselves performing in derelict barns, mowed clearings in a wild meadow and in rocks in the middle of a creek for the former muse of Stockhausen! If you could give your younger drumming self some advice what would it be? Be open to input; Work with the musician you are today-not the one you want to be tomorrow or the one you were yesterday. Other thoughts/info Pretty sure that covers it! Website www.genevievewilkins.com |
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