The Bank of Melbourne have announced the finalists of this year’s Melbourne Music Bank, inviting the public to cast their votes for their favourite and give them the chance to break into the music industry. We chat to six of the finalists.
HeavyHeads
When was the moment you realised you wanted to be a musician?
When we realised we needed to lose our virginity! Nah, when we were kids a lot of our friends were in bands at school or youth centres and we just thought it looked like good fun.
Describe your sound in three words.
British Indie Rock
What does your song (entered for the comp) mean/what’s its back story?
We wrote the song for our fellow ‘prisoners’ in Bowen Penitentiary who also had to endure 88 days of backbreaking farm work in order to secure another Australian visa.
James Franklin
Describe your sound in three words.
Honest Soul Music
Best live performer?
When it comes to performing Michael Jackson was the king for me. Aside from his incredible songs, his dance moves were out of this world. So intricate, yet still so tasteful and soulful. I don’t know if we will ever see anyone better than MJ.
What does your song (entered for the comp) mean/what’s its back story?
Officer Mindy came from the saying “women love men in uniform”. I wanted to twist it around and see if it was the same for men, so I created Officer Mindy (I also secretly wanted to write myself in as a bad boy in at least one of my songs). Now I understand the whole authority/uniform thing – Officer Mindy is definitely one hot lady.
Zii
Describe your sound in three words.
African Roots Hip-Hop.
What would you rather release on: digital, disc or vinyl?
Vinyl because it just presents itself better and the sound of the music is more authentic.
What does your song (entered for the comp) mean/what’s its back story?
The song “This is Afrika” is about perception and how perception can be a reality that is not necessarily true. The concept of the song was inspired by a friend’s poem titled ‘Thoughts of Home’. After coming to the realisation that not many people actually know what it’s like to leave home for whatever reason, and have to constantly hear about them through negative narratives that don’t necessarily paint the picture of what home truly means to them.
Tempus Sun
When was the moment you realised you wanted to be a musician?
I think on Rage or Video hits in the late 90s when I was seven or eight, I saw the film clip of ‘November Rain’ by Guns N’ Roses and at the end Slash lays down an epic solo – I wanted to be Slash.
Describe your sound in three words.
Ambient, Large and Interpretive
What does your song (entered for the comp) mean/what’s its back story?
It’s about speaking up if your struggling with something. It can be a mental illness, a risk you’re faced with, a challenge in general etc. But it’s intended to be a motivational kick too – that could be to speak up about your mental illness, take a risk or take on that challenge. It’s really interpretative, we’ve had so many variable meanings in feedback from individuals.
Sal Wonder
When was the moment you realised you wanted to be a musician?
Probably while studying. I always had an interest in music. Coming from a small rural town, I didn’t get much of an opportunity so when I moved to the city I put myself in an environment where I was living and breathing music. It didn’t take long to feel a deep connection and fulfilment from performing.
Describe your sound in three words.
Future Funk Soul!
What does your song (entered for the comp) mean/what’s its back story?
King Fool is essentially a break up song. I wasn’t personally going through a break up at the time but I was aware of some close friends that were going through hard times and decided to tap into what I imagined they were going through.
Anna Oliphant Wright
What song “speaks” to you?
“Did somebody make a fool out of you” by Tony Joe White, as the story is so clear and relatable. I could sit and listen to it for days.
Describe your sound in three words.
Bluesy, Country and Youthful.
What does your song (entered for the comp) mean/what’s its back story?
I was looking at changing my environment where I wasn’t getting very many opportunities. As soon as it was discovered I was thinking of changing, I started receiving little opportunities or ‘hooks’ to encourage me to stay and make it more difficult to leave. The message I was given was it is better to put up with the current situation than try and change for a better possibility. I was trying to decide what I should do – stay and be caught up in the hooks, or leave for an uncertain future.
To learn more about the finalists, check out their music, and cast a vote, visit the The Melbourne Music Bank website.
