Steve Lane (and the Autocrats)

Steve Lane is finally able to speak, back in Darwin after some weeks out of range deep in the Northern Territory where the Melbourne musician has been running songwriting and recording workshops in the large indigenous community of Wadeye.

It’s a big part of his time these days, these kind of outreach projects, and it does good work for many, while keeping him financial so that he could fund his new album Revenge Of The Lawn.

But there are other rewards, ones which are reflected in this new record that deepens his roots in a very Australian style of storytelling and music making that connects the Go-Betweens, The Church, Paul Kelly and Josh Pyke.

“On a purely artistic level, there is an immense reward in actively engaging local musicians to be involved and capturing their unique sounds,” Lane says. “On a personal level, just being fortunate enough to experience the culture in this way.”

That culture mattered even more as both Lane’s parents died in the past few years, during the time he was working on the new album – his father’s death a long and slow one over several years punctuated by multiple strokes – and he says “I’m really thankful for what I’ve been taught about mourning and grieving, the concept of sorry business” by the indigenous communities with whom he worked.
“It’s been a huge gift.”
Revenge Of The Lawn isn’t just about, and in fact is mostly not directly about the loss of his parents, but the work – spread out over five years it took - can be seen now as part of his take on sorry business.

“I’m fortunate enough to have this mad music lifestyle where things change over time but I also have the ability to create space and I found that really helpful to have my version of sorry business, to take that time.

“These songs came out at different times and I didn’t set out to write about that issue [of loss] but it gave me space to take as much time as I needed to see it through. We have this expectation [in western cultures] that stuff will get done and then the next thing will be out and you go through the process of selling it, and that can be really unhealthy.”

The process, including stripping everything back to bare musical as much as emotional bones – with contributions from old friends such as David Williams from Augie March, as well as Lane’s son, Kai Lane-U’Ren - is one reason why this is a solo record and not credited to his usual project, Steve Lane and The Autocrats.

“Most of it was me, at home, in my face, trying to birth these songs and see them through,” he says.

Seeing them through became a process which often involved him just letting go as stream of consciousness lyrics and free-form musical parts were allowed to follow their own path.

Or, in the case of Cocoon, trying to understand the way his father may have felt as his body stopped him communicating but wouldn’t let him go, using found sounds like the radio playing in the background of Lane’s playing, or what he recorded on his phone sitting alongside his father in the hospital.

“At the time, I wasn’t sure what I was doing,” Lane confesses. “I was feeling it. “

But while the album isn’t defined by this, with some songs predating his parents deaths, there are others with lyrics by his friend and long-time confidant and collaborator, the poet John Holton - “these [Richard] Brautigan-like poems” he set to music - that have connections which tie so many strands together.

It turns out that this solo album, like his experience of grief, wasn’t exactly a solo journey after all.

“We are a similar age, similar backgrounds, similar place in life and similar issues with loss – his sister just passed away recently from cancer,” says Lane of Holton. “So it was two old blokes sitting there, a glass of red, and we just have this connection that is beautiful.”


Revenge Of The Lawn is out now.

Steve Lane will play these new songs, as either a duo or a full band, at Nightquarter, Gold Coast, August 27; Triffid Garden, Brisbane, August 28; The Junkyard, Maitland, September 2; Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville, September 3; Golden Vine Hotel, Bendigo, September 16; and Spotted Mallard, Brunswick, September 17. - Bernard Zuel

Ahead of its release on Friday, Steve Lane’s debut album ‘The Revenge Of The Lawn’ is being premiered today on Rhythms.

Accompanying the debut release is a track by track breakdown by Steve Lane and John Holton, who collaborated with Lane on the album.

Read on and listen to Lane’s debut album now.



Steve Lane is a lifer.

Steve has written songs as played in bands since he was legally able to enter the pub.

His debut solo album ‘Revenge Of The Lawn’ is a culmination of some great and some shit life experiences shared with band mates and long time collaborators.

Steve’s songs come from the great Australian tradition of lyricists like Paul Kelly and Courtney Barnett. These songs have been co-written with acclaimed Australian poet John Holton and recorded with David Williams from Augie March on drums, Jacob McGuffie and Steve on guitars and his son Kai playing the Bass.

Steve’s solo career started with a bang with him signing recording and publishing deals with ABC Music upon release of his debut album. This album was also selected as a contender for the Australian Music Prize.

2015 saw Steve showcase at Canadian Music Week in Toronto and make the kind of connections that will see his career traverse both Australia and Canada from here on in.

The last few years have challenged Steve to the core with the loss of both of his parents. This loss has informed the heart of the songs on “Revenge Of The Lawn” but has not left them without hope.

The Revenge of the Lawn
“For me, Revenge of the Lawn is an allegory on love in all its many forms and absurdities. Love between people – love of place – love as an ideal – love as an absolute – love as motivation – all wrapped up in the day-to-day narratives of our existence. The small moments of extraordinary-ness amidst the ordinary.” – John Holton May 2017

TRACK BY TRACK

Monsoon Heartbreak
What started life as a poem inspired by two cartoon birds, evolved to become a grand scale homage to the power of the ocean and its influence on the history of this land. What are the central characters of this ill-fated journey fleeing and what are they seeking? Our history is full of journeys like this, people fleeing persecution, seeking peace in distant lands – from the convicts of old England, to the Italians, Greeks, Vietnamese… it continues today.

There Is Light
Fundamentally this song is about the deep need and desire we share as human to communicate with each other. It’s where we find the light when confronted with darkness. A meaningful connection can be like a blood transfusion, giving us the strength to face our situation, no matter how harrowing… even when ‘smoke haze breeds a blood red sun’… an occurrence that strikes a collective anxiety amongst many rural Victorians in summer.

Camber
Honed from years of song-smithing at the coal face, Lane has produced what he calls his first true single… a convivial highway alt country rock cruiser with a strong undercurrent of Americana, no doubt fuelled by their recent successful showcases in Canada.
Camber celebrates relationships of substance with some kilometres under the belt, and how small adjustments can make the ride smoother.
The song was good enough to attract the attention of Melbourne soul diva, Nkechi Anele whose voice glides effortlessly behind Lanes in a most ‘un-Saskwatch’ way.
There’s old and new on this track.
David Williams (Augie March) jumps back behind the drum kit to give the track its bedrock.
Latest Autocrat (and current Australian flat picking champion) Jacob McGuffie (The Fearless Vampire Killers/Davidson Brothers) provides the shimmer and shine with his sweet and purposeful slide guitar, always leaving room for bassist (and Steve’s son) Kai Lane U’Ren, whose melodic playing surfaces beautifully in the middle eight.

Dot Point
A grandiose and sweeping existential number about energy, love, life and death… where does it come from where does it go? Is the Dot Point love? Has that energy always existed?
A work of musing and abstraction.

Motherland
If there was a genre called ‘Kremlin Country’, then this song would be it.
The Motherland Hears, explores the life and impact on the Soviet era’s first cosmonaut (& rockstar) Yuri Gagarin. The Russians got the initial points in the Cold War space race, by sending former foundry worker Yuri into space. Early American reports cast doubt into the veracity of the mission as they were clearly pissed at being beaten. The Russians were also pretty keen to let the God-fearing yanks know that Yuri hadn’t seen any God out in space!

Juice Bar Girl
Juice Bar Girl’s genesis is a poem written by John after buying a juice from a girl who’d clearly been crying. The next step was to imagine why she was crying and why her day had turned to shit. Steve took the poem one step further, imagining the effect of this girl’s emotional outpouring on her customers, picturing a queue of regulars who returned to by a juice off the girl, because she reminded (validated) them of their own futility.
Steve and John both live in Central Victoria, a place known for its dry and harsh summers and this dryness is echoed in the Steve’s conversational chorus with lines like ‘would you like a little lime, coz your lips are looking dry’ and ‘I don’t think it will rain do you?’ … a distinct metaphor for the dryness of the spirit which her customers are seeking to soothe.

C’est Tellement Mysterieux
The song developed from a poem John wrote after reading Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince. We tend to underestimate our children’s ability to cope with the mysteries of life. We like to paint neat pictures and wrap things up in stories that say how the world is, and how people behave, but this doesn’t prepare them for the convolution of life. The Little Prince is a brave story for children AND adults – like all the best stories.
In a very hazy nutshell, this song is about freedom and abandon, and the happiness connected with being a little crazy.

Reap What You Know
A songwriter will often sing a nonsensical line to encourage the development of a melody.
In this case the line stuck and the following text message between Steve and John un-folded:
Steve:
Just come up with a song… really catchy melody… with a tag line… ‘You reap what you know not what you sow’. What does it mean? Is there a story in it?

John:
I think it’s a line about “real” understanding. Not just facts and information. It’s tied up with the oracle of Delphi “know thyself”.
If we truly know, then the sowing takes care of itself. Fuck that’s deep for a Sunday lunch:-)

Steve:
Have you heard that line or have I just made it up? As for the oracle of Delphi I bet if she was around she’d take a good selfie!

John:
The ancient Greeks would have loved a good selfie stick. I think you made it up… or maybe you heard it on the block?…. and the texts continued….

Zebra
An open plan office can be a pretty confronting place, at its worst resembling a jungle… its own animal kingdom. This is a song about finding others, with similar ‘markings’ and how that can change the way you feel about a situation. It’s also a song about the power of totems.
Steve says “Originally, I had asked my great mate Darren Seltmann (The Avalanches) to help me with this song. He was really busy but sent me some really thoughtful ideas and potential directions for the song, which helped me find a direction.
All his points were spot on, and I took many of them, but here was one that I struggled with:
“Building atmospheric tone?… Like the sound of wind or steam or a mechanical whirring?
Like a little melodically bending train”.
It wasn’t until I thought of the meaning of the song that I understood this … and the meandering intro of office type sounds sprung into life”

Cocoon
At the time of writing this song, Steve’s Dad had been in a ‘cocoon’ like state … bedridden, shrinking and unable to communicate for many years after a massive stroke at just 59. John finally passed away in 2015. When he recorded Cocoon, Steve thought the random soundscape at the end of the song was an attempt to be inside his dad’s head and portray what he might be hearing from his cocoon.
“I was grabbing instruments and throwing down my emotions … there was no thinking involved… it was all stream of consciousness… at one stage I grabbed my phone and recorded an ABC talkback show”
“After my father passed, I was listening to this song with a friend who wanted to hear it and was playing it over and over… it made me feel physically sick… it was too raw”
“For me know, that ending is his leaving”

STEVE LANE – REVENGE OF THE LAWN – OUT JULY 7
Includes the singles “Camber” and “There Is Light”
Touring Nationally August/September - RHYTHMS MAGAZINE

Melbourne singer-songwriter Steve Lane is steaming towards the release of his debut solo album this July and, ahead of the full-length's arrival, has gifted The Music the first look at the video clip for his moody new single, There Is Light.

Comprised solely of Lane's husky vocals atop a shifting, softly picked guitar line — backed up by the harmonies and instrumental interplay of Jacob McGuffie — There Is Light was co-written with poet John Holton, continuing the pair's lyrical collaboration over the past several years.

"John has given me many of his poems," Lane explained of the partnership in a statement. "Sometimes, the words will inspire an emotion and a piece of music will follow. Other times, I have written a piece of music for which I have no initial lyrics and I’ll read a few until one sticks. His words are phrased like songs and it doesn’t take much to manipulate them into the song.

"In many cases, I then just write my emotional reaction to the words … it may be a slightly different viewpoint or a different way of seeing. There is an amazing level of trust between us. I’ll offer my edits and additions to him to reject or edit as he sees fit. Amazingly, he’s never done any of that. We see things so similarly, and I don’t take that lightly at all. On many occasions, we’ve noted that we can’t remember who wrote what and the truth is neither of us cares. it’s all in service of the creative process the song. We just happen to see the world in a very similar way."

The album on which There Is Light appears — Revenge Of The Lawn — will be released on Friday 7 July, and is the culmination of an extended creative process that took Lane a little longer than initially planned, though it's undoubtedly to the end result's benefit.

"I planned to have the album out and ready to go [earlier], but it seems the music, and life, had other ideas," he said. "It felt like the balance was all wrong and the fun had gone out of it. I set out with the goal of producing an album that was of international standard in terms of songwriting and production.

"I wanted to push myself, but I was exhausted. I was overthinking everything and not in a good space. I had to find the right space in my life to do justice to the songs and get the performances right. I definitely did not need a deadline. So I decided to take a different approach and put everything on hold."

Lane thus pared back his songs and, with Holton's assistance, crafted the intimate songs that populate Revenge Of The Lawn's track list.

Keep your eyes peeled for further announcements around the album's release, including an upcoming tour and mini-documentary, over the next few months. - The Music

It was just over a year ago that Steve Lane And the Autocrats released single “Camber“, a convivial highway alt country rock cruiser with a strong undercurrent of Americana. “It was the start of a new year and I was keen to get the ball rolling on a positive note” said Steve of the release at the time. Everything was going to plan until a serious of events forced Steve to rethink and take a step back.

“I planned to have the album out and ready to go, but it seems the music, and life, had other ideas. It felt like the balance was all wrong and the fun had gone out of it. I set out with the goal of producing an album that was of international standard in terms of song writing and production. I wanted to push myself, but I was exhausted. I was overthinking everything and not in a good space. I had to find the right space in my life to do justice to the songs and get the performances right. I definitely did not need a deadline. So I decided to take a different approach and put everything on hold”. – Steve Lane

Steve worked on his songs, stripping them back, letting them breathe and dictate the way they should be realised. After a long process Steve managed to take his head out of the equation and just use his heart. This was a turning point and the start of a new direction for the Bendigo based artist.

A major part of his new approach was officially bringing his good friend and well respected poet John Holton into the creative process, continuing a lyrical collaboration the two have been working on for many years. John Holton is the author of more than a dozen publications, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry titles. He has worked as a journalist, copywriter, freelance writer and senior editor, and is currently a communications manager across a wide range of media. John’s interest in music dates back to his teens, when he first started collecting records and attending live gigs across a broad range of genres.

Over the years John and Steve have developed a true artistic connection as Steve explains – “John has given me many of his poems. Sometimes the words will inspire an emotion and a piece of music will follow. Other times, I have written a piece of music for which I have no initial lyrics and I’ll read a few until one sticks. His words are phrased like songs and it doesn’t take much to manipulate them into the song. In many cases, I then just write my emotional reaction to the words … it may be a slightly different viewpoint or a different way of seeing. There is an amazing level of trust between us. I’ll offer my edits and additions to him to reject or edit as he sees fit. Amazingly, he’s never done any of that. We see things so similarly and I don’t take that lightly at all. On many occasions, we’ve noted that we can’t remember who wrote what and the truth is neither of us cares. it’s all in service of the creative process the song. We just happen to see the world in a very similar way.” – Steve Lane.”

Steve Lane symbolised his artistic rejuvenation by removing “The Autocrats” from his band name and is set to release his debut single “There Is Light” under the new moniker. An intimate affair, the single features just two guitars and two voices. Lyrically the song started it’s life as a John Holton poem, written about the deep need and desire we share as humans to communicate with each other as Steve explains- “It’s where we find the light when confronted with darkness. A meaningful connection can be like a blood transfusion, giving us the strength to face our situation, no matter how harrowing. Even when ‘smoke haze breeds a blood red sun’… an occurrence that strikes a collective anxiety amongst many rural Victorians in summer.”

“There Is Light” is the start of a new and exciting chapter in the life of one of Australia’s most loved songwriters. The coming months will see more announcements, tour dates, a mini documentary and of course the release of Steve Lanes solo debut album Revenge Of The Lawn on July 7. - Rhythms Magazine

After releasing a couple of albums with his band the Autocrats,
Melbourne singer-songwriter Steve Lane made the decision to release
his third album The Revenge Of The Lawn as a solo project. The songs are stripped back from his original intention. The sound varies from the quiet, acoustic ‘There Is Light’ to mid-paced soft rock tracks such as ‘Reap What You Know’ and to slower songs like ‘Dot Point’, emphasising Lane’s wordsmith qualities. The drifting ‘Monsoon Heartbreak’ has a twangy guitar backing, sort of like a spaghetti
western soundtrack. ‘Camber’ is more rock than anything else on the album and, with its catchy chorus is one of the album’s best. Lane’s vocals possess an honest, endearing quality and his ability to write a good song has held him in good stead here - Owner Driver Magazine

Steve Lane is a lifer, he’s been written songs as playing in bands since he was legally able to enter the pub. His debut solo album The Revenge Of The Lawn is a culmination of some great and some shit life experiences shared with band mates and long time collaborators. Steve’s songs come from the great Australian tradition of lyricists like Paul Kelly andCourtney Barnett. These songs have been co-written with acclaimed Australian poetJohn Holton and recorded with David Williams from Augie March on drums, Jacob McGuffie and Steve on guitars and his son Kai Lane-U’Ren playing the Bass.

Officially bringing his good friend and well respected poet John Holton into the creative process was a natural step for Steve, continuing a lyrical collaboration the two have been working on for many years. Holton is the author of more than a dozen publications, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry titles. He has worked as a journalist, copywriter, freelance writer and senior editor, and is currently a communications manager across a wide range of media. John’s interest in music dates back to his teens, when he first started collecting records and attending live gigs across a broad range of genres.

Steve’s solo career started with a bang signing recording and publishing deals with ABC Music upon release of his debut album under the name Steve Lane And The Autocrats. This album was also selected as a contender for the Australian Music Prize.

2015 saw Steve showcase at Canadian Music Week in Toronto and make the kind of connections that will see his career traverse both Australia and Canada from here on in.

The last few years have challenged Steve to the core with the loss of both of his parents. This loss has informed the heart of the songs on The Revenge Of The Lawn but has not left them without hope.

He worked on his songs over the course of two years, stripping them back, letting them breathe and dictate the way they should be realised. After a long process he managed to take his head out of the equation and just use his heart. This was a turning point and the start of a new direction.

Steve Lane symbolised his artistic rejuvenation by removing “The Autocrats” from his band name and releasing his debut single “There Is Light” in April under the new moniker. An intimate affair, the single features just two guitars and two voices.

“I planned to have the album out and ready to go, but it seems the music, and life, had other ideas. It felt like the balance was all wrong and the fun had gone out of it. I set out with the goal of producing an album that was of international standard in terms of song writing and production. I wanted to push myself, but I was exhausted. I was overthinking everything and not in a good space. I had to find the right space in my life to do justice to the songs and get the performances right. I definitely did not need a deadline. So I decided to take a different approach and put everything on hold”. – Steve Lane

“For me, The Revenge of the Lawn is an allegory on love in all its many forms and absurdities. Love between people – love of place – love as an ideal – love as an absolute – love as motivation – all wrapped up in the day-to-day narratives of our existence. The small moments of extraordinary-ness amidst the ordinary.” – John Holton

The Revenge Of The Lawn – Tracklisting
1. Camber
2. Monsoon Heartbreak
3. There Is Light
4. Dot Point
5. Motherland
6. Juice Bar Girl
7. C’est Tellement Mysterieux
8. Reap What You Know
9. Zebra
10. Cocoon

STEVE LANE THE REVENGE OF THE LAWN TOUR
Sat 26th AUG – NIGHTQUARTER, Gold Coast (duo) QLD
Sun 27th AUG – THE TRIFFID GARDEN, Brisbane (duo) QLD
Sat 2nd SEPT – THE JUNKYARD, Maitland (4 piece band) NSW
Sun 3rd SEPT – LAZYBONES LOUNGE, Marrickville (4 piece band) NSW
Sat 16th SEPT – GOLDEN VINE HOTEL, Bendigo (band) VIC
Sun 17th SEPT – SPOTTED MALLARD, Brunswick (7 piece with strings) VIC - Australian Musician

Finally dropping the Autocrat's part of his musical vehicle, Bendigo-based Singer-Songwriter draws heavily on the poetry of fellow Bendigo resident John Holton. Sotires/songs connect as Lane takes us along on this particular journey.
The connective tissue of love embraces the planet as it draws us into ourselves in 'Dot Point', while the mood is leavened with a jaunty look at the world from the perspective of Russia's first cosmonaut in 'Motherland', another view if you like to the 'core' of the world to which we are all drawn, the 'inner' space of the final track 'Cocoon; all 'angry' chorus guitars counterpointing sparsely-backed musings on the inevitability of loss, fading out into unsettling ambience.
There's slow groove Tex Mex Mystery in the mix for 'Monsoon Heartbreak, contrasting the easy lope of opening cut 'Camber', two views of love's possibilities.
Some lovely lines too, such as 'Some days we are bags of light overflowing...' from the single 'There Is Light'.
The obvious complementary symmetry between Lane and Holton reminds me of the early collaborations between Jack Bruce and Pete Brown, though this is light years away from Cream. - RHYTHMS MAGAZINE

“Steve Lane’s songs aren’t ripped from the headlines, they’re torn out of your diaries, overhead from your friend’s stories and about as real and Australian as dual citizenship and marrying who you love because who gives a stuff what the suits say.” - Bernard Zuel - Bernard Zuel

For Bendigo-based troubadour Steve Lane, the making of his new album Revenge of The Lawn took a decidedly different route than originally planned. Exhaustion, and a general sense of misdirection forced the songwriter to take a step back and re-evaluate the process and the way the album was unfolding.

“I planned to have the album out and ready to go, but it seems the music, and life, had other ideas. It felt like the balance was all wrong and the fun had gone out of it. I set out with the goal of producing an album that was of international standard in terms of song writing and production.” Lane has noted. “I wanted to push myself, but I was exhausted. I was overthinking everything and not in a good space. I had to find the right space in my life to do justice to the songs and get the performances right. I definitely did not need a deadline. So I decided to take a different approach and put everything on hold.”

Stripping things back and bringing poet (and friend) John Holton into the process brought new life to the Revenge of the Lawn sessions and saw Lane lead with his heart over his head and really explore the influences that were ticking away inside.

“His words are phrased like songs and it doesn’t take much to manipulate them into the song.” Lane says of Holton’s influence. “In many cases, I then just write my emotional reaction to the words … it may be a slightly different viewpoint or a different way of seeing. There is an amazing level of trust between us. I’ll offer my edits and additions to him to reject or edit as he sees fit. Amazingly, he’s never done any of that. We see things so similarly and I don’t take that lightly at all.”

Now due out on July 7th, Revenge of the Lawn is a snapshot of a captivating songwriter and musician who is embracing this new chapter of his career and overall artistry. There’s a vulnerability and an intimacy heard on record that is undeniable, and acts as a warm invitation for fans and newcomers alike to learn some more or be introduced to Lane – a rejuvenated and optimistic artist with his sights firmly set on what is to come.

Take a look at this mini-documentary put together to stoke the fires of anticipation in the lead up to the release of Revenge of the Lawn and find out a bit more about how this one came together. - The AU Review

It seems like Steve Lane & The Autocrats will jump on any excuse for the tour. The hardworking bluesy rock act will tour the country yet again this month and the next to support the release of their new single “Far, Far Away.”




The song comes from the band’s debut album The Romance of Communication, which hit stores late last year. Like the other cuts from the album, this song sounds so seasoned that it’s amazing to think the band’s only just starting out. However with members coming from Augie March, Paul Kelly’s band, The Shedshakers, and other esteemed acts it’s easy to see why this outfit gels so well.

Steve Lane & The Autocrats are rapidly gaining a reputation as one of Australia’s most exciting live acts. See what all the fuss is about at the following shows.

26 Feb 2012 – Toff in Town, Melbourne
3 March 2012 – The Palais, Hepburn Springs
10-11 March 2012 – Lake Mountain Music Festival, Marysville
12 March 2012 – Buxton Ridge Winery, Marysville
13 March 2012 – The Basement, Sydney
14 March 2012 – Great Northern Newcastle
15 March 2012 – Port Macquarie Hotel
16 March 2012 – The Loft, Gold Coast
17 March 2012 – The Beetle Bar Brisbane
18 March 2012 – Peregian Origionals, Sunshine Coast
20 March 2012 – Gold Coast University, Gold Coast
20 March 2012 – Palmy Cafe, Palm Beach
22 March 2012 – The Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
23 March 2012 – The Federal Hotel, Bellingen
24 March 2012 – The Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland
25 March 2012 – The Front Bar and Gallery, Canberra
30 March 2012 – The Golden Vine, Bendigo
31 March 2012 – The Loft, Warrnambool - Sounds of Oz

Steve Lane and the Autocrats: making fruit salad

BENDIGO’S residential Strategy will be reviewed because of greater than expected growth.

The State Government has announced a grant of $50,000 to carry out the review.

The review is needed because, according to the State Government, 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.

Regional Development Parliamentary Secretary Damian Drum made the announcement this morning.

Mr Drum said the Bendigo Residential Strategy Review would deliver greater community and investor certainty, helping the region grow.

“The Bendigo Residential Development Strategy was adopted in 2004 and is currently being audited because of the faster than anticipated growth that has occurred in Bendigo in recent years,” he said.

“Strong residential growth has many flow-on economic benefits and having a clear framework for future development will position Greater Bendigo City Council to undertake more detailed, place-based planning in the future.”

Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said about 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.

The Residential Strategy impacts directly on where and how property developments use “infill” parcels of land, range of housing styles and also on housing affordability.

“This project will review the strategy, assess current and estimated land supply and demand and consider various legislative and policy changes,” Mr Ryan said,

“It will also consider the latest demographic data and establish a new strategic framework to guide the long-term residential growth of Greater Bendigo.

“The project will result in a revised residential strategy that will give developers, the community and service providers greater surety and confidence about where land can be developed for residential purposes, and that sufficient land is available to accommodate the City of Greater Bendigo’s future growth.”

Mr Ryan said a contemporary strategic planning framework was essential to the economic development of a large regional centre like Bendigo.

“Clearly identifying future growth options and supporting infrastructure needs will enable the Greater Bendigo City Council and other infrastructure providers to plan their capital works programs well in advance,” he said.

“Identifying long-term growth areas will enable the council and other service authorities to start planning for the delivery of services, thereby minimising the lag time between when residential development occurs and when the services need to be in place.” Comments Ben Cameron | Bendigo Weekly | 22-Feb-2012 2.10pm


« Steve Lane got out of his comfort zone with his latest tune. »
It was probably never in the original plan but Steve Lane and the Autocrats have broadened their musical palate to the world of children’s entertainment. Well, kind of.
Signed to the ABC’s music label, Lane was asked to contribute The Wiggles’ hit Fruit Salad, to their tribute album ReWiggled; an offered he couldn’t refuse.
“It was something that was too good to pass up,” Lane says.
“It’s been magic... I was heading overseas just before we got the offer to do it (so) we had to cram.
“It all had to be done on one day were we could all get together to physically record it.”
Lane was surprised at the size of The Wiggles' back catalogue.
“We looked on iTunes and there’s about 700 odd Wiggles songs,” Lane laughs.
“They have a distinctive songwriting style, a recipe I suppose.
“It’s a hard one to interpret, and a lot of them had already been done.
“I said ‘they all sound pretty similar, you just tell me the one you want done’.”
The Autocrats also shot a film clip for Fruit Salad, which had its own complications.
“It’s hard to know what to do, because you can’t make a serious rock 101 clip when you sing about Fruit Salad,” he laughs.
“It’s like a fruit salad version of Wilfred.”
While Lane has three kids ranging in age from 16 to eight, the song d - Bendigo Weekly

Veering into the fast Lane

Date: March 22 2012


Arne Sjostedt
It's his first band with his name out the front. Having spent plenty of time as an engineer and producer, working in remote communities and playing in bands like voicepopfoible, Steve Lane has put down a collection of songs that are unquestionably Australian.

The Romance of Communication album has immediately drawn comparisons with the work of Paul Kelly, Ben Lee, Mick Thomas, Tim Freedman and The Go-Betweens.

''That stuff is really quite sobering,'' Lane says of the praise. Though with the calibre of players he has assembled - Edmondo Ammendola (from Augie March), Dave Williams (Augie March, Dan Kelly), Jimmy Williams (Paul Kelly & The Dots, The Shedshakers) and Pete Slater (Dalriada) - it's little wonder the plaudits keep coming.

''I was at a festival and Augie March were playing with Paul Kelly, and I remember saying to my partner, 'Geez, I'd like to be in a band like that,'' Lane says. ''When I wrote the songs I never thought of taking it as far as we've come. But when the line-up sort of settled, and we did a bit of touring in October, it was a real joy. It was really easy and simple.

''As a photograph in time I'm quite proud of it,'' he says of The Romance of Communication. ''I'm wise enough to know I could have lost it quite easily, and I feel proud that that I managed to pull [it off].''

Touring the single Far, Far Away, which they are doing now, you get the feeling that a few kilometres on the odometer, literally and in life, has had a positive influence on Steve Lane and the Autocrats. ''I reckon we've all had experiences of difficulties travelling with bands and I reckon if you're still doing it, you're doing it for the music in the end,'' Lane says.

And putting himself in the band's name? ''I think it's good therapy for me, but it depends on what day you ask me that. I've always been a band player, and part of it, and for me to put my name in front of something that was actually quite a massive thing … I'm not a solo player, just because I really enjoy the input of others, and so there is something in the name, the Autocrats, that plays that up a bit.''

Humour is rife in a cover they have done for Rewiggled, a Wiggles tribute album released by ABC Music late last year.

''It was just one of those opportunities that you have just got to take. It was just there. The guy said 'All right, pick out a Wiggles song, and I look up on iTunes and there are 750 odd Wiggles songs on there and I'm thinking 'Mate, what do I choose?' ''

When the first two tracks he wanted were taken, Lane let the label decide. The result is a hilarious, grungy, Aussie version of Fruit Salad. With a film clip inspired by ABC TV comedy Wilfred, it is both temperamental and insouciantly fun.

Steve Lane and the Autocrats

WITH: The Fuellers

WHEN: Sunday, 4pm-7pm

WHERE: The Front

TICKETS: $10 at the door - Canberra Times

BENEVOLENT LEADER
Steve Lane, of esteemed pop-rock group Steve Lane And The Autocrats talks with Sam Hobson about the romance of place, and the politics of corralling the right configuration of age and experience.
An autocrat is a person that governs and decrees with absolute, unquestionable power. A term in politics, an autocracy generally refers to instances of despotism, or tyrannical rule, and in literature, an autocrat can also mean a person who is markedly ‘domineering’ or ‘dictatorial.’ Steve Lane, though he’s the head of his band The Autocrats, stops the associations there. In fact, he takes a particularly egalitarian, and downright communal approach to being in charge.

But first, back to the beginning.

“I was in Alice Springs,” Lane begins, tracing back the album’s origin,“and we were visiting the Telegraph Station, and they had some old articles from when the station was going to be set up, and lines were going to be linked right through the centre of Australia, and the little phrase they had was ‘The Romance Of Communication,’ and it just stuck with me.”

Planting a great seed in his head, this theme of ‘communication’ began to snake its way out from that day, blossoming into a larger, defining creative aesthetic for the man.

“I think music is actually an amazing form of communication. People will often say things that really mean a lot to them, and they may not say it verbally in a normal conversation, but give them an opportunity to say something through music, and most people will say something pretty special.”

From there, Lane expanded this idea of communication as something that could unite people in particular in their love of ‘place.’

“I think there’s a sense of honesty in [writing] those kind’ve songs,” he says, in fond response to being labelled particularly ‘Australian’ in his music. “I think it’s about being honest to myself, and honest to where I live. There can be some beautiful things here in the ordinary, and the everyday.”

But what’s communication without people?

“A lot of the songs found their start [with] a really good mate of mine,” he continues. “He’s a poet, and we collaborated a lot. The songs existed before the band existed, really. We’ve got such a great writing relationship in that way. With the guys, I jammed a lot of these songs with different friends and [at] different times, but it wasn’t until this [current] line-up arrived that I just really felt that it was right; it just clicked.”

But that’s not in the least to say that Lane controls the band’s sound. Though it is a project of his creation, he’s warm, and welcoming of input from other members. Here is where they’re allowed to be the autocrats.

“I’m one of those people that, if I invite someone to be part of a project, I really invite them to bring their ‘thing’. That’s what I love about [The Autocrats]; it’s such a ‘sum of the parts’ scenario, and I just love what they [each] bring.”

But this inference of ‘authority’ in the band’s name isn’t completely ignored by Lane.

“I think our sound [comes from] a bunch of fellas who’ve had a lot of musical experiences. It was really important, I guess, that…well, I wasn’t going to go recruit a 20-year-old to join us. There’s something in [our music] that shows that we’re really easy and comfortable where we are in our musical life. I was only ever going to write and be part of a project of people of [a] more mature [leaning]; people who ‘still have it’, too.

“It’s a shared experience,” he concludes, “and it’s us sharing this time in our lives. And [our music] is unashamedly placed [in that time], too.”

Sam Hobson

Time Off (Mar 14, 2012) - themusic.com.au

Hailing from Bendigo, STEVE LANE and his all-star band, THE AUTOCRATS, weave quintessentially Australian stories around layered melodies and slide guitar. MORGAN JOHNSON boards the Ghost Train.
MORGAN JOHNSON: Your band is comprised of Augie March’s Edmondo Ammendola and Dave Williams, Pete Slater and fellow ‘Bendigonian’ Jimmy Williams. What is it you share that enables you to have such chemistry?
STEVE LANE: I think there is a real musical honesty in the band. We’ve all played for many years with many different artists and we know why we are still playing and what we want out of it. There is a real sense of respect for space and for each other’s skills and what each of us brings.
MJ: Can you tell us about the creative process behind your debut, The Romance Of Communication?
SL: My job for the last 10 years or so has been to help others express themselves through music by facilitating songwriting and recording within communities. I’ve been fortunate to work all over the place from Indigenous communities all around Australia to prisons, schools and more recently in bushfire-affected communities. I actually met Jimmy when we worked with some Aboriginal elders and produced an album of songs about their lives. To do this well I need to explore my own musical stories. This band started as an outlet for that. I wrote a bunch of songs and asked my mates to help me record them when this line up got together finally. That’s when the band started.
MJ: Australia has a rich tradition of smart pop artists, able to pull a thread that rolls out common themes at even the slightest mention. Do you think there is a key to the simple, evocative pop song?
SL: A great recipe doesn’t need a thousand ingredients! The great songwriters make it look simple, if you look at any song that’s been a hit you’ll find it is built from a seed of an idea, they’re not symphonies, they are songs. I think it’s about being really present in the process and honest too. Not an easy question to answer!
STEVE LANE & THE AUTOCRATS play Brisbane Powerhouse’s Live Spark event on Sunday Nov 6 with The Daisycutters. Check out www.stevelaneandtheautocrats.com for more. - Rave Magazine

There's a wealth of potential singles on Steve Lane & The Autocrats' debut album, writes Tony McMahon.
Victorian Indie supergroup Steve Lane & The Autocrats feature members of Augie March, Paul Kelly & The Dots and The Stillsons. Their debut album 'The Romance Of Communication', presents squarely as both heartfelt and important music, as well as something that could only have been made by seasoned musicians who share a vision and strong emotional connection. It could be worth listening to for this alone, of course, but it is also a deliciously fun record - the cheeky narrative art of 'Literary Man' being the track that this writer would nominate as a standout. 'Far, Far Away' is the new single from the album, and Lane seems to indicate that he hopes it's release will make up for the record having been slightly swamped upon its release late last year.
"It came out in October last year, which is not a great time to bring something out. There's a lot going on. For an album that's grown out of a bit of a project, I'm really happy with it. I've been around long enough to realize you can pretty easily lose the plot with stuff like that, so I'm really happy with where it got to. It helps a lot having such a bunch of amazing musicians helping you out."
And why the choice of this song in particular for a single? Honestly, the album is a genuine all-killer affair, and any one of the tracks could stand more than admirably on it's own, but Lane syas that the choice of 'Far,Far Away' came down to a belief thing.
"It's an interesting question. As a songwriter, I find it really hard to make those kind of judgements. it just seemed from talking to people who are involved in the band, and Footstomp who are doing the promo, that everyone around us thought it was the go. I just kind of really trusted that on some level. I think if people around you are pushing for something like this, then you've got to sit up and take notice. That's just my point of view though. One of the really beautiful things about having had all these people get back to me is that there's lots of different favorite songs. I was really trying not to have any filler in there, just a different range of songs, I guess. So. yeah, I just went with the trust thing. That's not to say I don't think it should be a single. It's just that I love all the songs. how do you pick one?"
When it comes to Lane's philosophy of playing these songs live, he indicates that it is all pretty simple really.
"The songs have a life of their own. There's a fine line between guiding the songs through and letting each member play then the way they want to play them. As far as the live thing goes, I guess I just can't emphasis enough how fortunate I am to have such a great band with me up there on stage."
Having said that Lane's thoughts on live shows are fairly uncomplicated, he and his band are embarking on a whopper of a tour, hitting major cities and several far-flung locales as well - never as straightforward as it sounds.
"We do get along really well, so it's really enjoyable. The other thing is, when you make a decision to do this, you may as well go the whole hog. the band's made up of full-time musicians, so it's not really a holiday. I've got to guarantee the guys are going to get paid. And the out of the way shows are the really great ones. I guess you could say we've gone for the musical experience rather than just playing the name venues. Bellingen is a good example: it's full of George Negus types with cash." - INPRESS

Gigfest a go-go

BENDIGO’S residential Strategy will be reviewed because of greater than expected growth.

The State Government has announced a grant of $50,000 to carry out the review.

The review is needed because, according to the State Government, 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.

Regional Development Parliamentary Secretary Damian Drum made the announcement this morning.

Mr Drum said the Bendigo Residential Strategy Review would deliver greater community and investor certainty, helping the region grow.

“The Bendigo Residential Development Strategy was adopted in 2004 and is currently being audited because of the faster than anticipated growth that has occurred in Bendigo in recent years,” he said.

“Strong residential growth has many flow-on economic benefits and having a clear framework for future development will position Greater Bendigo City Council to undertake more detailed, place-based planning in the future.”

Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said about 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.

The Residential Strategy impacts directly on where and how property developments use “infill” parcels of land, range of housing styles and also on housing affordability.

“This project will review the strategy, assess current and estimated land supply and demand and consider various legislative and policy changes,” Mr Ryan said,

“It will also consider the latest demographic data and establish a new strategic framework to guide the long-term residential growth of Greater Bendigo.

“The project will result in a revised residential strategy that will give developers, the community and service providers greater surety and confidence about where land can be developed for residential purposes, and that sufficient land is available to accommodate the City of Greater Bendigo’s future growth.”

Mr Ryan said a contemporary strategic planning framework was essential to the economic development of a large regional centre like Bendigo.

“Clearly identifying future growth options and supporting infrastructure needs will enable the Greater Bendigo City Council and other infrastructure providers to plan their capital works programs well in advance,” he said.

“Identifying long-term growth areas will enable the council and other service authorities to start planning for the delivery of services, thereby minimising the lag time between when residential development occurs and when the services need to be in place.” Comments | Bendigo Weekly | 17-Jun-2011 9.15am
« Steve Lane was all class at Gigfest »
GIGFEST (Winter 2011) kicked off in splendid style once again on Saturday, with local music icon and founder of Rock Pride Music, Albert “Skip” Skipper opening the show with an acoustic set, accompanied by RPM bass guitar specialist Ben Gibbons.
Skip suffered through a recently acquired hand injury to nonetheless give great value, as always – not the least of which was an exquisitely performed interpretive (table-top) dance routine to Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights (played through Skip’s iphone, held up to the mic by Ben).
Only at Gigfest people, only at Gigfest
Some other highlights of the action-packed show at the Newmarket Hotel, from this humble drummer’s perspective were TJ (Talisa Jobe), who mesmerised audience members yet again, with her sublime performance, including another new masterpiece of a tune to open her set.
The success TJ is achieving and attention she is attracting, in the industry in Melbourne as well as locally, is well and truly deserved.
The Sheriffs ripped into a fun-filled and rugged set of their own very special brand of country/rock; Blackbird showed mountains of potential as they tore it up on the Lounge stage with a harmonious bounty of riffed up grooves.
El Montez (featuring the song-writing prowess of Bridget Keena) shook the walls with their recently acquired drummer, Tim Young, supplying a thundering foundation for Bridget and the very colourful Sean Taylor on bass.
Gigfest veterans Anti-Social Commentary, Master of None, The Bride Stripped Back, Fall of Dawn and the mighty Lee Rosser all gave the kind of solid and dynamic performances that have endeared them to Bendigo music fans over the last few years.
Manic rocked as hard as anyone in the house, perhaps except for The Blister Transister, who’s bass player (riff-master Lee Chatterton) melted the head of the in-house bass rig within the first couple of songs of their set… thankfully Gigfest organiser and all around fix-it-man Don Webb quickly replaced the frazzled head with a back-up and the band were firing on all cylinders again within a minute or two.
The Psychouts (a Melbourne band with strong Bendigo connections) gave a fine exhibition of the kind of brilliant pub rock that has been the hallmark of the Melbourne scene for three decades or more.
Shane Kendall blasted away full tilt at the drum-kit w - Bendigo Weekly

29
Nov
Re-Wiggled - A Tribute To The Wiggles
Written by Shout Out Music

In what is possibly one of the coolest album releases of the year, a handful of Australian artists have banded together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of iconic children’s band The Wiggles in tribute album Re-wiggled. The concept is straightforward: musicians from Adalita to Washington cover some of The Wiggles most loved hits so get ready to dust off that coloured skivvy of yours, point your fingers, and do the twist.
Instead of being carbon copies of Wiggles’ classics, each artist and band is given the artistic free reign to create their own twist on the tracks. And with this creative free-for-all, there are certainly some interesting takes on the songs we have all come to know and love (regardless of how many children are present in our lives).
Whilst The Wiggles’ songs have become synonymous with party times, happy vibes and all-round merriment, Re-wiggled is not all cheer and joy. Adalita, bless her rock goddess socks, turns Get 'Ready To Wiggle' into one moody, ominous number and makes wiggling seem a far less appealing idea than Architecture In Helsinki, who seem to have been born to do this album. Their take on 'Wiggly Party' is raucously fun, their penchant for xylophones and electronic beats make it an absolute highlight of the album.
As for other highlights, The Living End’s opener of 'Hot Potato' has their trademark rockabilly sound to it whilst Papa Vs Pretty take 'Can You (Point Your Finger And Do The Twist?)' and make it their own, full of licks and grunge-fuelled stomps. Washington manages to make The Wiggles sound sultry with her version of 'The Monkey Dance', which becomes a lo-fi, surf-rock affair and Frenzal Rhomb infuse a whole lot of punk into the 77 second 'Captain’s Magic Buttons'.
Sarah Blasko maintains her trademark sound on the track 'I Love It When It Rains' while Spiderbait inject synth and guts into the normally lullaby-esque 'Rock-A-Bye Your Bear'. Another real treat is Jebidiah’s 'Getting Strong'. If I didn’t know any better, it would not seem out of place on one of their albums. It is so true to their style and catchy as all hell that I could see it being added to regular rotation on the radio.
The second-half of the album sees the pace drop off a bit. Angie Hart’s 'Our Boat Is Rocking On The Sea' tends to drag and the fun of the song seems to be lost in all the indie-ness. A similar fate is given to Paul Greene’s all-to-serious take on 'Henry’s Spinning'. The most surprising (and unfortunately underwhelming) contribution on the album would have to be Bluejuice and their rendition of 'Wake Up Jeff!' The boys, who like Architecture in Helsinki have developed a distinct fun-loving sound, take one of the most recognisable tracks on the album and turn it on its playful head, turning it into a Spanish samba of sorts. Disappointing when you imagine the sort of cheeky fun they could’ve gotten up to had they taken another path.
Sons Of Rico’s 'Shaky Shaky' could fool anyone into thinking it’s come straight out of the 60’s and Steve Lane And The Autocrats play with 'Fruit Salad’s' already existing stomping sounds and turn it into a garage-y romp. Clare Bowditch is yet another artist who has done a complete 180, turning album closer 'Georgia’s Song' into a sombre affair, complete with strings accompaniment.
It is these sorts of re-imaginings of classic tracks which is Re-wiggled’s true hook and those expecting 20 tracks of typical Wiggle-esque sounds are going to be disappointed. I would be hard-pressed to classify this as a children’s album but it certainly goes far enough to bring out the inner-child in myself as I gained a new-found appreciation for Dorothy the Dinosaur and co.
WORDS BY: Keshia Hanbury - Shout Out Music

RECORD REVIEWS

Share This

Various Artists
Rewiggled: A Tribute to The Wiggles

20 Track, LP (2011, ABC)
Related: Wiggles.


Latest proof the apocalypse is nigh? A full spread of today’s non-kiddie music acts covering the same Wiggles tunes that have gripped our children in an unholy fever these past two decades. And yet the yield is not abysmal. There are of course highs and lows, but the combination of short songs with the requisite simplicity and repetition makes this tribute freakishly listenable.
The highs? Architecture in Helsinki’s ‘Wiggly Party’ is luridly silly, channelling Vincent Price via Yo Gabba Gabba!. Bluejuice twist ‘Wake Up Jeff!’ into a sultry little samba – complete with faux Brazilian accents – and Adalita makes ‘Get Ready to Wiggle’ somehow ominous and badass, as if wiggling one’s toes were a terribly high-stakes proposition. There’s actually a decent number of noisy rock burners, from Steve Lane & The Autocrats’ garage-y ‘Fruit Salad’ and Spiderbait’s synth-buzzed ‘Rock-A-Bye Your Bear’ to The Living End’s rockabilly opener ‘Hot Potato’ and Frenzal Rhomb’s 78-second and quite close-to-type ‘Captain’s Magic Buttons’. In fact, Jebediah’s ‘Getting Strong!’ is such a shaggy power-pop-a-thon that it could see regular rotation on (now or mid-’90s) triple j without giving away its kiddie cred.

Rock-a-Bye Your Bear by Spiderbait Official

The lows? Between lyrics and delivery, Busby Marou’s pop-folked ‘Dressing Up’ is a touch creepy, while Dead Letter Chorus’s ‘Wiggle Bay’ is more blandly sweet than most other tracks. Angie Hart’s ‘Our Boat is Rocking on the Sea’ dovetails into the nautical-themed indie chic of recent years, but drags along for a drowsy three minutes. Paul Greene and Sarah Blasko each transform their contributions into such serious, potentially heartbreaking affairs that most any whimsy is left far behind.

Bluejuice - Wake Up Jeff (Sample) by sgcmedia

The above mixed bag aside, this whole cock-eyed experiment is a chance for artists to do something different. Papa Vs. Pretty sound much smoother and more country-licked than usual, and Oh Mercy more rock and less bookish. Washington may keep her deadpan murmur – which sounds especially cool on a song full of imperatives – but she injects surf-rock flair into ‘The Monkey Dance’. The Audreys embrace the twilight-on-the-trail fantasy of ‘Cowboys and Girls’, and Sons of Rico take ‘Shaky Shaky’ from bar-band romp to Beatles pomp. One more surprise: Clare Bowditch’s ‘Georgia’s Song’ is darkly disorienting and not the least bit precious or preening.
These songs may have started off cute and one-note, but that just makes it all the more interesting to see them roughed up and turned on their bright, grinning heads.
by Doug Wallen
- Mess and Noise

RECORD REVIEWS

Share This

Various Artists
Rewiggled: A Tribute to The Wiggles

20 Track, LP (2011, ABC)
Related: Wiggles.


Latest proof the apocalypse is nigh? A full spread of today’s non-kiddie music acts covering the same Wiggles tunes that have gripped our children in an unholy fever these past two decades. And yet the yield is not abysmal. There are of course highs and lows, but the combination of short songs with the requisite simplicity and repetition makes this tribute freakishly listenable.
The highs? Architecture in Helsinki’s ‘Wiggly Party’ is luridly silly, channelling Vincent Price via Yo Gabba Gabba!. Bluejuice twist ‘Wake Up Jeff!’ into a sultry little samba – complete with faux Brazilian accents – and Adalita makes ‘Get Ready to Wiggle’ somehow ominous and badass, as if wiggling one’s toes were a terribly high-stakes proposition. There’s actually a decent number of noisy rock burners, from Steve Lane & The Autocrats’ garage-y ‘Fruit Salad’ and Spiderbait’s synth-buzzed ‘Rock-A-Bye Your Bear’ to The Living End’s rockabilly opener ‘Hot Potato’ and Frenzal Rhomb’s 78-second and quite close-to-type ‘Captain’s Magic Buttons’. In fact, Jebediah’s ‘Getting Strong!’ is such a shaggy power-pop-a-thon that it could see regular rotation on (now or mid-’90s) triple j without giving away its kiddie cred.

Rock-a-Bye Your Bear by Spiderbait Official

The lows? Between lyrics and delivery, Busby Marou’s pop-folked ‘Dressing Up’ is a touch creepy, while Dead Letter Chorus’s ‘Wiggle Bay’ is more blandly sweet than most other tracks. Angie Hart’s ‘Our Boat is Rocking on the Sea’ dovetails into the nautical-themed indie chic of recent years, but drags along for a drowsy three minutes. Paul Greene and Sarah Blasko each transform their contributions into such serious, potentially heartbreaking affairs that most any whimsy is left far behind.

Bluejuice - Wake Up Jeff (Sample) by sgcmedia

The above mixed bag aside, this whole cock-eyed experiment is a chance for artists to do something different. Papa Vs. Pretty sound much smoother and more country-licked than usual, and Oh Mercy more rock and less bookish. Washington may keep her deadpan murmur – which sounds especially cool on a song full of imperatives – but she injects surf-rock flair into ‘The Monkey Dance’. The Audreys embrace the twilight-on-the-trail fantasy of ‘Cowboys and Girls’, and Sons of Rico take ‘Shaky Shaky’ from bar-band romp to Beatles pomp. One more surprise: Clare Bowditch’s ‘Georgia’s Song’ is darkly disorienting and not the least bit precious or preening.
These songs may have started off cute and one-note, but that just makes it all the more interesting to see them roughed up and turned on their bright, grinning heads.
by Doug Wallen
- Mess and Noise

Steve Lane & The Autocrats
MONDAY, 31 OCTOBER 2011
Hailing from Bendigo, STEVE LANE and his all-star band, THE AUTOCRATS, weave quintessentially Australian stories around layered melodies and slide guitar. MORGAN JOHNSON boards the Ghost Train.
MORGAN JOHNSON: Your band is comprised of Augie March’s Edmondo Ammendola and Dave Williams, Pete Slater and fellow ‘Bendigonian’ Jimmy Williams. What is it you share that enables you to have such chemistry?
STEVE LANE: I think there is a real musical honesty in the band. We’ve all played for many years with many different artists and we know why we are still playing and what we want out of it. There is a real sense of respect for space and for each other’s skills and what each of us brings.
MJ: Can you tell us about the creative process behind your debut, The Romance Of Communication?
SL: My job for the last 10 years or so has been to help others express themselves through music by facilitating songwriting and recording within communities. I’ve been fortunate to work all over the place from Indigenous communities all around Australia to prisons, schools and more recently in bushfire-affected communities. I actually met Jimmy when we worked with some Aboriginal elders and produced an album of songs about their lives. To do this well I need to explore my own musical stories. This band started as an outlet for that. I wrote a bunch of songs and asked my mates to help me record them when this line up got together finally. That’s when the band started.
MJ: Australia has a rich tradition of smart pop artists, able to pull a thread that rolls out common themes at even the slightest mention. Do you think there is a key to the simple, evocative pop song?
SL: A great recipe doesn’t need a thousand ingredients! The great songwriters make it look simple, if you look at any song that’s been a hit you’ll find it is built from a seed of an idea, they’re not symphonies, they are songs. I think it’s about being really present in the process and honest too. Not an easy question to answer!
STEVE LANE & THE AUTOCRATS play Brisbane Powerhouse’s Live Spark event on Sunday Nov 6 with The Daisycutters. Check out www.stevelaneandtheautocrats.com for more. - Rave Magazine

Tue 12th Jul, 2011 in Music Reviews
Steve Lane’s Autocrats are Jimmy Williams, Pete Slater, Edmondo Amendola and Dave Williams. Separately they have worked with the likes of Paul Kelly and the Dots, Augie March, and Dan Kelly. United as the Autocrats they’ve called on the talents of Melbourne singer song-writer Racheal Kane and The Avalanches’ Darren Seltmann for their latest release The Romance of Communication.

Unafraid of presenting their ‘unique take on Australian life,’ the music of Steve Lane and The Autocrats’ The Romance of Communication is refreshingly Australian and humble, with echoes of artists like Paul Kelly and Ben Lee.

Rexarama, an instrumental track, has a surfy feel, and transitions listeners into the final stage of album. While the harmonies created by Kane on tracks like Aspirin and Literary Man complete songs beautifully.

Steve Lane is certainly not a man of closed doors and limited perspectives either. Having written and recorded material in a number of remote communities (Timor-Leste, Fiji and outback Australia) and worked recently with Victorian author John Holton, there is a wealth of experience and influences on the album.
Izzy Tolhurst - Faster Louder

Author: BERNARD ZUEL
Date: 25/11/2011
Words: 83
Source: SMH
Publication: Sydney Morning Herald
Section: Metro
Page: 12
THE ROMANCE OF COMMUNICATION
Steve Lane and the Autocrats

(Popboomerang)

If more pop-rock was this unfussy yet smart (not to mention well read and funny), we would all have easier lives. Melburnian Steve Lane doesn't do anything new here; he just does it well. There are moments of '70s rock, twangin' instrumentals and open-hearted ballads that sit somewhere between the Go-Betweens and Tim Freedman. This is music for a Sunday afternoon at the pub with some snags and a few good mates. - Sydney Morning Herald

It’s a pretty special thing to find new music that takes you back, but I’ve found it in Steve Lane and the Autocrats’ new single “Ghost Trains.” It’s got that lovely Paul Kelly storytelling quality about it, with a splash of Weddings Parties Anything thrown in. It’s good honest Aussie pop rock, melodic but heartfelt. Pop’s almost gotten to be a dirty word in the music industry, but this song shows us the term isn’t synonymous with vapid.The film clip plays up the track’s nostalgic qualities, with vision of the band spliced together with archival film footage.

“Ghost Trains” is our first taste of the band’s forthcoming debut album The Romance of Communication, which hits stores on Friday. Can you believe something that sounds so seasoned comes from a debut?

To celebrate the album’s release, the Steve Lane and the Autocrats will play shows along the east coast, with their first tonight in Warrnambool.

19 October 2011 – The Loft, Warrnambool
20 October 2011 – The Front Gallery & Café, Lyneham
21 October 2011 – The Heritage Hotel, Bulli
22 October 2011 – Clarendon Guest House, Katoomba
23 October 2011 – The Vanguard, Newtown
27 October 2011 – Beavs Bar, Geelong
28 October 2011 – The Northcote Social Club, Northcote
29 October 2011 – TBC
30 October 2011 – The Palais Theatre, Hepburn Springs
6 November 2011 – Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm - Sounds Of Oz

Seriously super

The Autocrats
We're living in the era of the supergroup.

From the well intentioned coupling of Soundgarden and Rage Against the Machine that produced Audioslave, to the slightly less effective hybird of Velvet Revolver, spawned by Guns 'n' Roses and Stone Temple Pilots.

So it only seems natural that Bendigo has one of its own on the circuit.


While it's not quite earned the super tag just yet, it comes from mighty fine stock.

Like a good chef, Bendigo musician Steve Lane has taken some of the freshest available produce to form his new band, Steve Lane and the Autocrats.

After a few jams in the lounge room, Lane got sticky fingers.

Poaching Paul Kelly's guitarist (Jimmy Williams) was a handy start. Borrowing the drummer (Dave Williams) and bassist (Edmondo Amendola) from Augie March was equally inspired. And with long time friend and rhythmix axeman Pete Slater from Dalriada, it makes for a more than tidy alalgamation.

b.entertained caught up with Lane at his Emu Creek property last week amid a deluge. Which is ironic, as Lane is the type of songwriter who likens lyrics to falling rain.

"I see songwriting a bit like a watertank", he said.

"You allow yourself to turn the tap on every now and then…sometimes the tank gets so full, you've got to let it out."
Lane is undeniably multi talented, in the sense he's both gifted in the art of self expression, and releasing it in others.

His company, Realtone helps young people tell their stories through music, which has happily taken him all over the globe, from the outback, Fiji to Timor-Leste.

"My job is to basically work in communities and help people tell their stories,"he said.

"It doesn't matter where I go, people appreciate the opportunity to write songs and record."
He's not only inspired creation, but earned trust.

"One young woman chose to talk about how she was sexually abused when she was five,"he said.

"It was the first time she'd talked about it. It just blew me away. It was an honour to be trusted like that."
Now though, he's telling his own stories through the Autocrats, with a lyrical hand from local author and colloborator, John Holton.

Holton felt deep personal connections with the songs of Lane's former band, voicepopfoible and together, they've strived to reflect the conflicted nature of every day life, from memory, longing and the 'Aha moments'.

Many of the band's songs have evolved from Holton's poems , to which has Lane has added his own experience and interpretation.

"To see the songs performed live for the first time was quite emotionally overwhelming," Holton said.

"Most of my poems are very short, seemingly absurd or humorous pieces, but with a serious intent. Steve got them straight away.

It was a case of handing Steve the poems and saying, ˜see what you can do with these".

"For me, as a non-muso, it's been a fascinating process to be part of. I feel very lucky.

"He has this uncanny ability to take my words and turn them into something else, but still retaining the spirit of the original words.

So much so, that there are songs now that I honestly can't remember who wrote which bits. For me, that's the collaborative process at its best.

"I totally trust Steve with my words and there's never been any sense of this is mine and this is yours. I love that.

I hope I'll always be lurking around in the background as a sometimes co-writer."
The Autocrats play Newstead Live! festival this weekend, which is a skewed homecoming for Lane.

It was at the Maldon Music Festival, in Newstead Live! chief coordinator Andrew Pattison's Troubador Wine Bar tent, where voicepopfoiblee first got its festival wings.

The Autocrats will their blend indie pop-rock with a tinge of roots in the Troubador on Saturday night.

"A good song can be portrayed in any kind of style," Lane said.

Which is good, because they've got plenty.

The Autocrats debut album The Romance Of Communication was mixed and produced by Steve Lane and Ben Hurt from Newmarket Studios.

The band play Newstead Live! today and tomorrow night, and The Golden Vine on April 3.

- Bendigo Weekly: Ben Cameron