Silverchair's 'Diorama' is, according to Rolling Stone magazine 'one of the boldest musical statements ever made by an Australian rock band'. For lead singer / songwriter Daniel Johns, 'Diorama' was an artistic odyssey, written and recorded amidst emotional and health issues that had plagued him. In this candid and revealing documentary, Johns tell us in his own words thejourney of Silverchair and 'Diorama', aided by fellow members Ben Gillies and Chris Joannau.
When Crowded House came to record their third album in 1990 the group was on the verge of splitting apart. In desperation, singer and songwriter Neil Finn fell back on his brother Tim to help. The resulting album, 'Woodface', was considered a masterpiece, but tensions in the group flared up to the point of mild violence in the middle of a world tour. Now that the dust has settled Neil and Tim Finn discuss the struggles of recording 'Woodface'.
The Triffids were hailed by the British music media as 'one of the most influential and important bands to come from Australia' and their 1985 album 'Born Sandy Devotional' has more then contributed to their legacy. This compelling and poignant documentary remembers the songs of David McComb and revisits the making of this classic album as told by former band members Rob McComb, Alsy MacDonald, Jill Birt and 'Evil' Graham Lee.
The Saints' brand of loud rock was shunned by the local music industry so the group took it upon themselves to record their first single, '(I'm) Stranded' in 1976. They sent the record to media in the UK and within weeks the Saints were the darlings of the international music press and the epicentre of the punk revolution. The extraordinary story of The Saints and making of '(I'm) Stranded' is retold by Saints' songwriters Chris Bailey and Ed Kuepper.
The Hunters + Collectors breakthrough came in 1986 with the album Human Frailty. The album began with the writing of "Throw Your Arms Around Me", their most personal and romantic song. "Say Goodbye" soon followed that with its memorable chorus "You don't make me feel like I'm a woman anymore!" The rest of the album documents, in the most candid terms, the course of a doomed love affair that Mark Seymour was then going through. A parallel narrative is also running through the album, which is of a group adjusting to life on the road and an exploration of what it means to be Australian in the 1980s.
The chemistry of the group was an integral part of its work and this film goes into the relationships that made the Go-Betweens in considerable depth. We also investigate the songs; especially the melodic chemistry which has made songs like "Streets of Your Town" classics. The album 16 Lovers Lane encapsulates all those qualities that made the Go-Betweens great: love, adventure, courage, idiosyncrasy, honesty. In its grooves is the history of one of Australia's national treasures.
A significant turning point in Cave's development as an artist Nick Cave is Australia's preeminent lyricist. The Murder Ballads, recorded in 1995 was made as the band reached the cusp of stardom. The album marked a significant turning point in Cave's development as an artist and the group's success. The album draws on ancient songs, which Cave has dramatically reinterpreted. It also represents the apotheosis of his "narrative" style and is a harbinger to the more intimate and confessional albums, which have followed.
