Slide Blog

Angus and Julia Stone Slide into the States

Angus and Julia Stone aren’t your average brother and sister. They’ve lived on two continents – soon to be three. They’ve recorded an album that went platinum in Australia, and they’ve toured the world together, performing and collaborating with artists such as Martha Wainright. But though they’ve experienced what most musicians can only dream of, the pair seem to maintain a relatively low-key life, and a gratitude that shows they’ve worked hard for their success. Before they embark on a tour with musician Brett Dennen in March, Angus and Julia have been playing small shows around the United States. Julia was kind enough to take some time out of a busy schedule to chat about life, music, and everything that comes along with it. The two siblings were also cool enough to record a Slide Exclusive Cut intro to the video for their song, “Babylon!” Check out the video on Slide FunSpace and be sure share it with all your friends!

On the possibility of moving to the United States after having lived in both Australia and the UK:

“We’ve been talking about it actually, just because we’re coming back for the tour and our album is being released in March. It feels like this is the next place where we haven’t really done work or shows or anything – it seems like it’s more of a possibility than moving back to London. It will be the next place we move, it’s just deciding the East Coast or the West Coast and deciding the whereabouts.  We’ve just got to sort of figure out where we’re happy. San Francisco just looks beautiful, so this is definitely a possibility. The only thing about San Francisco that maybe would make us move further south is that there is such cold water up here. It’s so tempting to want to go swimming and then it’s like ‘brrr.’ Same with New York– it’s just too cold. I think we’re looking for a place where the sun shines all year ‘round and the weather is warm enough."

 

On how the brother/sister duo maintains a healthy relationship:

“We drive in separate cars and try and give each other space. It’s hard cause you always are in the same car, in the same hotel room and everything. You don’t expect when you grow up into an adult [that] you’re going to be hanging out with your brother or sister all day, everyday, traveling the world. We kind of just try when we get the chance to say, 'OK, see ya, be back in an hour,' to give each other time apart. And it’s hard to do sometimes cause so you’re so used to being together so it’s like, 'What are we going to do now?' But yeah, we try really hard to get the fighting down to a bare minimum."

 

On almost giving up as a band:

“You know, we’re only 2 years apart so we’re very similar in age and both have opinions. But other than that, we know how to get under each other’s skin. At the beginning we were definitely like, 'Let’s just give this up. There’s no joy in this.' And then we’d sit and talk and [say] ,“Actually, it’s not that bad.'”

 

On the band’s (lack of) groupies:

“I wish we had some cool story about that. It’s never that crazy. The people that listen to the music so far are a pretty mellow crew. Our music is pretty mellow I suppose and the people it attracts are also really gentle and nice. I mean we’ve had a few crazy girls after Angus but he can handle himself –  he’s pretty tough. And boys must be scared of me because I don’t really get many."

 

On people mistaking the duo for a romantic couple:

“It was the weirdest thing yesterday because we were at this photo shoot and I was thinking, “I wonder if they know we’re brother and sister because the photographers were saying, ‘So, just get a little bit closer.’ I was like, ‘We’re getting really close here.’"

 

On Angus and Julia’s album “A Book like This” going platinum in Australia:

“We were away at the time. We hadn’t been in Australia and we go back every six months. I think our family was more excited for us– it was in the paper and stuff so they cut it out. It was exciting. We kind of get excited for the really small things, so a big thing like that was really cool. But when it comes to record sales, it’s kind of a bit distant from me. It’s like when you meet someone that’s got our record and they say ‘Oh, this is the song when me and my boyfriend first met.’ And we’re like, ‘Wow! We’re like the soundtrack to someone’s lives.’ And that’s cool- we get excited about that stuff."

 

On finding the time to make creative videos with a hectic touring schedule:

“Well, we haven’t for a while because we have been touring so hard. I suppose you do have a little idle time on the road. Maybe that’s how we fit it in? I don’t know. So far it seems we’ve had enough time to swing in a couple of clips [every] couple of weeks. It’s the most fun part. I just find the most enjoyable thing is making videos. We always find time somehow."

 

On sightseeing while on tour:

“Sometimes it’s a blur. Europe was kind of a blur. We were in some really cool places but we were driving ourselves so it was Norway, then Denmark the next day, then it was Germany and Holland. When we were in Ireland we had three days off so we went up the Giants Causeway. Sometimes you get to hang out. Here, we get to hang out for four days rehearsing, so you get to see more of the town and get to know people and I like that. When you get the chance, it’s good."

 

On taking a “Do-it-Yourself” approach to music, press and album distribution:

“I mean, it works for us. For me personally, I think being creative crosses over in many forms. I really like looking at film and nature as well. We encourage each other to try different things and put our minds to do stuff that challenges us. We really enjoy it, whether it’s always going to be like that or not, and so far it has been really exciting to do it like that. It’s just right now, it feels like the right way for us to create – for us to be involved. It puts you out in the world."

 

On the song “Paper Aeroplane” being featured in fashion icon Giorgio Armani’s runway show:

"I have no idea. I only heard it from people telling us. I didn’t know Giorgio Armani liked it. I never met him. ‘Paper Aeroplane’ was released on a compilation album called ‘Hotel Costes X,’ and was one of those compilations that had a big following. Maybe he heard it on that or something? I don’t know, and it’s pretty random. I read it on Wikipedia or something."

 

On dealing with harsh music critics:

“We are really lucky in so many ways because our Auntie manages us. So we have this person look after us and she is very protective of us hearing about things – good or bad. We don’t read anything that gets written about us. It’s kind of like a rule I suppose. That’s her side of the thing – she gets to see how it’s going so you we don’t have to worry about what people think. We do what we do because we love music. We like playing for people and we like doing shows and when you can kind of skip all that other stuff it’s kind of good. It works for us anyway. I think I would be really affected if I was reading that people thought I was shit. So it’s good for me that I don’t even know what it’s out there. So that’s how I deal – I ignore.  You’re struggling on a day to day basis as a human to come to terms about how you feel about yourself and feeling confident, and if you add everyone’s opinion about what you’re doing and the music you’re making… I mean, it would be horrible. It would be so hard to just sit down for the love of music. And that’s why you play music. It’s good fun and creative [apart] from all this crazy shit that’s going on."

 

On the importance of sites like MySpace:

"Myspace has been amazing for us. It’s been a big part of connecting with people on a personal level. When we first started, we were much more able to help ourselves – Angus isn’t really into computers at all – I mean he loves watching YouTube, but he loves writing songs as well so he doesn’t often get on Myspace. I’ll go on and tell him the messages and stuff. But when we’re on the road it’s really hard. A friend of ours helps us with it. If it’s a personal message like someone who has been to a show and wants to say something to us, she’ll forward it to us. So yeah, we kind of manage it pretty well, and it has been really helpful. I think the fact that people can write you personally [to] tell you their experience of your music... I don’t know; the Internet is an amazing thing isn’t it?  It’s so mental."

 

On fans sharing personal experiences involving the band’s music:

“Someone will tell you such a crazy story. Just kids will write in and say they didn’t have confidence to get on stage and they wanted to play music. And after listening to our song, they’ll get up on stage at the school assembly and they have this great experience playing music. It’s very corny, and you read it and it’s like, “Yeah, rocking.” Some people ask us about playing at their wedding and stuff, and it’s crazy. They date and a song becomes 'their song.' And it’s so cool because I’ve never had a song when I’ve met someone. People you don’t even know are out there living their lives and somehow we’re still connected through music. We’re never going to bump into each other on the street but we’re always interconnected in this world somehow and I think that’s nice."

 

On performing at a friend’s wedding:

“A couple of friends of ours got married in Greece, which was great because we were over in Europe. We just did a flight down. It was a really small wedding – it was like six friends and I was so emotional because I’d never been to a wedding before. I was like crying and could barely sing and it was fun. It was really an amazing experience. I mean I don’t know if I believe in marriage, but I think for people [to] stand up in front of their friends and say, ‘This person is rocking it, I’m going to give it a go.’"

 

On Julia’s voice being described as a mix between Bjork and Billie Holiday:

“Wow– it’s pretty amazing. If people say that, that’s cool. I don’t feel pressured or anything. I’m not like ‘Sh*t, someone said I sound like Billie Holiday, how am I going to ever live up?’  I just don’t think about that. It’s a nice thing that people would say that. But you know, I think you know when you’re a music writer, you have to find something to compare to so people are like ‘they sound sort of like…’ I think sometimes it’s more of a comparison and not like 'they are going to be like this.'  It sort of points people in the right direction. If you like Billie Holiday and you like Bjork, maybe you’ll like this girl’s voice. Maybe you won’t. But it’s kind of in that realm somewhere. It’s cool, I’d like to be in the realm with Bjork and Billie Holiday, hanging out and drinking margaritas."

Don’t forget to share the Slide Exclusive Cut video of Angus and Julia Stone’s “Babylon” on Slide FunSpace! Just go to FunSpace and find the video on our home page to share with all your friends!

~ Tony P.

Slide Spotlight: Backstage with Jay Brannan

Jay Brannan is a quirky guy. “Unconventional,” is a word he often uses to describe himself. Brannan loves the smell of Swiffer Wet Jet, he's not such a fan of Air Canada, and creamy dressings and condiments make him want to barf – all his words.

It is the little things like this that make Jay Brannan different from the rest. After his role in last year’s controversial breakout film, “Shortbus,” Brannan received his first taste of entertainment stardom when the film premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival to a standing ovation. “I was just so overwhelmed, it was so emotional,” Brannan said. “I was just crying – the support of these 2,000 people in the room who just saw the film and seemed to really like it. That was just a magical moment.”

If Brannan follows the road to success that he’s paved, there should be plenty more magical moments. Recently, before a show at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco, I sat down with Jay backstage to chat about how the Internet has shaped his career as a musician, why he plays guitar in his skivvies, his love for "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and much more. He also filmed an exclusive Slide greeting for his video to “Housewife!” Check out the video here, and forward it to all your friends on FunSpace!

On how the Internet plays into the success and visibility of Brannan as an artist:

“I’m nothing without the Internet – I mean, I’m totally [of] the Internet generation. My entire following comes from the Internet. I mean, I’m kind of a weird person. I have a specific personality that isn’t necessarily conventional in a lot of ways and my music is very much the same. So with the Internet, people can put their stuff out there without a small group of rich and powerful conservative people making career decisions for you. I think we have a lot more options as artists, and listeners have a lot more options because they can choose what they want to hear without it being spoon-fed. So I’m nothing without my mailing list, MySpace, YouTube & Facebook.”

 

On whether or not Brannan manages all of his websites:

“All the blogging, all the newsletters, all the bulletins – I do all that myself. I send out my own email blogs, answer all my own emails. I’m usually 2 months behind on e-mail since I’m on the road and it’s hard to keep up. It’s a lot of work. People don’t understand how much work it is to keep up five or six social networking sites.”

On being shirtless in many of his YouTube videos:

“I bought a new laptop and just started f*%king around with it in the middle of the night by myself in my apartment. I just wasn’t wearing a shirt and I never really thought about it. I was behind my guitar so it’s like, you only see my shoulder. I am very self-conscious, and had I not been hiding behind my guitar I would have felt more exposed, but I never thought about it and just posted it. I was so shocked by how many people were like “If you want to be taken seriously, put a shirt on” and “Why are you naked in all of your videos?” So then I ended up doing a video on the toilet with my pants down to say, “OK, you know, I’m going to give them something to talk about.” (The video, for his song “Soda Shop” was featured on the YouTube front page, and sparked thousands of e-mails). It’s not like I have a stylist for my YouTube videos. Who’s wearing full clothing when they’re home in the middle of the night?”

On living his dream:

“It’s a little bit surreal. I’m no Madonna or anything – I’m very small in terms of the success I’ve had. But as far as personal achievement, it’s hard to believe I’ve been able to play all over the world. I mean, I’ve played in South Africa, Israel, Brazil, Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, Italy and Australia in the past three years. I’ve been able to go to places I never thought I’d go- it’s crazy. It’s a lot of work and it’s sort of terrifying, and it’s hard to make money doing this. But it’s also sort of incredible, so I’ll take it as far as it goes. And if it doesn’t work out, I guess I’ll go back to waiting tables.”

On avoiding the rock star life:

“I don’t drink anymore, and I don’t smoke. I’m very boring – I want to sleep all the time and as late as I can. I’m always trying to get late checkout at hotels, and I never go out partying afterward. I’m the grandpa of touring.”

On the ideal man to his “Housewife,” the title of a Brannan song:

“Honestly, I haven’t dated anyone in like six-and-a-half years. For me, the number one quality I’d love to find is someone that’s just f*%king reliable, someone who follows what they say, someone who has expressed interest and can show up to things. Someone who just wants to spend time with you, or talk on the phone. Someone who is funny that I can laugh with, and someone who understands me, my personality, my sense of humor and someone who has a high tolerance for my cynicism and how 'angsty' I am."

On keeping up with fans:

“It’s hard to keep up with people 1-on-1, so that was a big reason I started the blog. It’s a way to keep up with and communicate with a large amount of people. I feel bad, like, my mother taught me that when someone writes you a letter, you write them back. So I feel obligated to write personal responses to everything, and people get mad when you don’t. It’s not easy, it’s like a full-time job keeping up with it.”

On whether Brannan’s heart lies in music or acting:

“I definitely want to do both. I focus on music because you’re out on your own, whereas acting is more collaborative by nature. With music, you do need help to make a career out of it, but just to make the music, you can do it yourself and put it up on the Internet for however many people to see. It’s something I could do without waiting for someone else to give me an opportunity. But acting and being in “Shortbus” brought a lot of traffic to my MySpace and YouTube. For me, film is the only reason I got any attention for my music in the first place.

On his obsession with “Buffy the Vampire Slayer":

“I have it on DVD and I’ve literally seen every single episode like 20 or 30 times. It’s one of the few things in life I really enjoy. It’s my everything – I love it.” And as for whether Brannan is an Angel or Xander guy? “Angel is my everything – but I’d take Xander at this point.”

Don’t forget to share the Slide exclusive video cut of Jay Brannan’s “Housewife” on FunSpace! Jay's video is currently on the front page so just click on it to share with all your friends!

~ Tony P.

Visit the Pussycat Club with The Kin - win a signed guitar!

*CONTEST* The Kin have released their new album, "Live at the Pussycat Club"! Create a Slideshow featuring the music and skin of the Kin and you may win a guitar signed by the guys! Find out how!

The Kin may not be from America, but they sure are making waves in the States. The two folk-rocking brothers, Thorry and Isaac, recently sat down and discussed some of the things they've experienced on their journey to success. Nightmares on the road, run-ins with the police and classic sibling rivalry all play into the story of The Kin. Their new album, "Live at the Pussycat Club" has dropped, and you can create your very own Slideshow using the band's music and custom skin. Bonus - the guys are helping pick the winner of the contest! What don't these guys do?

On the perks of being an Australian musician in the United States:

Isaac: The Australian drawl has gotten us out of a few run-ins with the law; swerving in Georgia, fireworks in Indiana, negligence in South Dakota, disturbing the peace in Los Angeles and generally being layabouts.

On sibling rivalry:

Isaac: Of course, we've had each other up against the wall, screamed in faces, gnashed teeth. But we are talking about something else in 10 minutes. It goes way beyond being brothers I guess.

On some of the guys' nightmare stories from touring:

Isaac: Driving through Montana at night through abandoned hills and ranches and having the trailer tire burst. Being theatened to be locked up over the 4th of July weekend by a cop in South Dakota, having to get to Northampton, Mass. from Los Angeles in 55 hours... to name a few!

On hearing their music on shows like Lifetime's "Army Wives" and CBS's "Moonlight":

Thorry: It was really cool to hear our song "Nowehere to Now Here" in a really epic scene and have the emotion of the song be emphasized to loads of people.

On the song that made the guys decide to perform together:

Thorry: "When Doves Cry" was blasting in the car and we started making out some harmonies as kids - it was the first song I think we jammed to.

On keeping up with fans using social media:

Isaac: We like to keep the flow of ideas, images and sounds pretty constant by posting blogs and videos and webcasts as much as we can.

It sounds like guys of The Kin are pretty involved online, so show them some SuperPoke! love and "visit the Pussycat Club" with them on MySpace - and don't forget to enter the contest for your chance at a signed guitar. Have fun making your Slideshows!

~ Tony P.

Enter the SuperPoke! Pets Thanksgiving Habitat Contest!

Hi Everyone,

It’s that time of year – time to give thanks! We want to thank all of you for taking such good care of your SuperPoke! Pets and their habitats by giving you a chance to show off your creativity on the SuperPoke! Pets forum.

With Thanksgiving only a couple of weeks away, it’s time for the Thanksgiving SuperPoke! Pets habitat contest! Browse the Pet Shop, and spend your coins on awesome Fall-themed items like a cornucopia or a Turkey mini-buddy!

Design a nice Thanksgiving dinner table setting, decorate with the theme “Give thanks to,” or create your own ideas! Go crazy and have fun!

Prizes will be awarded to the top three winners – including a lot of gold you can use to buy extra special items in the Gold Shop!

Read all the directions and get your creative juices flowing by checking out examples here! Happy habitat decorating, but hurry – the contest ends November 27^th!

~ Tony P.

PS- If you're looking for inspiration, here's the winner of our Halloween habitat contest!