11 Dec Wrapping up 2013 – the year of Vienna
It was the best of times, it was the best of times. 2013 was an absolute stunner of a year for Vienna People, quite simply. Come with us now on a journey through time and space as we relive our best moments, successes, the long nights, and the people who brightened up every second of being at our little studio wonderland!
Our Proudest Moments
We love everything we work on, and are always proud of our artists. Here are some highlights!
L-FRESH the LION had an enormous 2013. He released his debut single ‘One’, the title track from his Vienna people recorded and produced record, due for release in 2014. Gaining high rotation on JJJ, getting shout out on some huge blogs, with a killer video premiering on home and hosed. Fresh released the follow up single ‘Faithful’ and accompanying video in October to huge buzz. In July we announced Fresh was our first signing to our new record label ‘Vienna People Recordings’. Looking forward to the album dropping and working with Fresh for a big 2014!
Little May have had an absolute blinder of a 2013. Their debut single ‘Boardwalks’ and video premiered and got spins on JJJ, their second single from the VP co-produced and mixed debut EP ‘Hide’ was added to high rotation on JJJ, is currently sitting at almost 350,000 soundcloud listens. Little May-hem also won the JJJ unearthed competition to OPEN LANEWAY FESTIVAL, and have been nominated for the FBi SMAC award for ‘Next big thing’. We adore these incredible songstresses and see giant things in their future!
The Khanz won our 2013 Vienna People Demo competition, to have produced, recorded and mixed one song at the studio, the result of which was their track ‘Falling Apart‘. It and the accompanying brilliant stop motion video have gone gangbusters, getting some JJJ/FBi play, trending on reddit, and getting near the 50000 view mark in only a couple of weeks. Look out for the 2014 version of this demo comp, it could be your track getting played on rage to the masses at 330am also! We’re very much looking forward to having more studio onesie parties with this amazing live band!
–> An album recorded at the studio won an ARIA – ZING! The Idea of North recorded some of their ‘Best Jazz album of 2013’ at Vienna People. Harmonies to die for!
–> The Toyota Starmaker project with Trav Collins, Luke Dickens, Luke Austen and Liam Brew, and their VP recorded Bob Seger cover of ‘Turn the page’ has been nominated for a Golden Guitar award.
–> We also took on a very handsome new employee – pretty chuffed in the current state of the music industry where downgrading is rampant we were able to make an opportunity for full time employment. It was really weird to write this about myself.
We’re up all night to get lucky
2013 also allowed us the privilege to work with some amazing charities and causes we feel strongly about and would like to take a second to acknowledge the hard work these organisations do every single day.
–> The Believe/Achieve initiative – A group of people educating the wider community about, and providing encouragement and services to those living with cerebral palsy – We recorded the song ‘Raise you up’ with the duo Xater Bay, for the initiative’s promotional film.
–> The Red Cross – Our friend from Shadows at Play, Liam McAlary is a case worker for refugees at this organisation, and asked us to help record a song called ‘cafe’ for two Iranian asylum seekers who had fled their home country in fear of persecution. A humbling and inspiring project we talk of often.
–> Football United – This wonderful charity provides support and networking opportunities for asylum seekers in Australia through the medium of football as a means of enjoyment and camaraderie. With our great friend Brian Elkington (we’re about to start his 4th vienna people album!) Michael wrote a song which we recorded and mixed over a few days with some of the kids from the program. You can check out the track here!
–> Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation – This group assists Kinchela men, their families and communities recover their identity, dignity and well-being. This includes full-as-possible reconnections of members to families, communities, culture and land. We recorded a song Mark Ellis wrote along with one of the charities members Crow, called ‘our pain’ – a poem and tune about the removal of aboriginal boys from their homes and the abuse they suffered as a result of this.
The other humans that made 2013 our best year yet
It was a busy year, plenty of 16 hour days, bathing in coffee and powerade, blackouts, a dropped Gibson J45 acoustic (worst), but the people we got to meet and work with erase all that crappy stuff every time. This year we met and worked on records with Lachlan Macarthy aka ‘Sam + the Bird‘, Tom Stephens, A gentlemen’s agreement, Gerard Masters, Anabelle Kay, Jeremy Harrison, Ragdoll, Liam Brew, and made some amazing new friends. We also welcomed old friends back to the studio like Mary Bokey, Luke Escombe, Joe Kelly, Brian Elkington, Cam Nacson, Jupiter and the moon, Andy Scott, Vanessa Heinitz, Dinah Lee and of course Castlecomer, to work on various projects ranging from new singles to new albums. We did some killer live recording with bands like The Khanz, Elwood Myre and the wing walkers, The Swamp Crocs, and The Frauds, and began working with some cool businesses like SongDivision and Nurture Pod. Each of you were nothing short of a complete pleasure, WE THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
OPEN MIC CHECK
We started our notoriously party-filled open mic night on thursdays in August this year, and the good times did roll. The amount of talent in this city is mind blowing and arresting to say the least. 3 artists in particular absolutely blew our socks right off our body – the haunting sounds of Little Deed, the organic and mesmerising Ellana Hickman, and the folky gospel love from Dylan Orsborn. Excited to work with all these artists in the new year. One of our top moments of the year was the open mic night that filled the studio to the brim, with over 10 performers rocking it in an amazing and supportive environment. Open mics are back in January, bigger and better than ever (yes they will also have a bbq in the new year) (i know).
TWENTY FOURTEEN
After we recover from the rainfire of the New Years period (hello, pools and beers), there is some really cool stuff coming up early in the year. Records for the reggae master Tyran Hall, the pop maestro Alex Hopkins, the trippy Callum Whyte, the elegant Emily Harrison, the American wonder woman Ainsley Farrell, and perhaps in the most exciting news ever, we’ll be recording one of our favourite gals of all time, Jess Dunbar in February. After that Scotty will be jetting off to New York for a few weeks to get amongst the snow and splendour. It’ll be Mike and Scottys longest time apart for over a year. OH DEAR.
Seriously, a huge thank you to every songwriter, video director, session musician, producer, visual artist, equipment technician, supportive family member and friend who stepped foot in our little home away from home this fine year. We’ve tasked ourselves to make 2014 the year that counts for the studio, and its been your love and involvement that makes that goal seem attainable!
All our love to you and your families over Christmas and party time. Wishing you the best 2014 imaginable!
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