errol jm and the trade secrets

Indie rock outsiders Errol J.M and the Trade Secrets emerged from the Australian blue-collar port city of Newcastle in late 2005. Following a seven year tenure as co-founder of Australian indie rock road warriors Muzzy Pep, Errol J. Moyle wasted little time recruiting Muzzy drummer Luke Bennett to begin the writing and recording of Moyle’s debut long player, The Truth Is Boring. Released under the banner of Errol J.M, it features renowned Australian sound engineer and producer Tim Whitten behind the mixing desk.
The debut single Zeros and Ones enjoyed instant success, receiving high-level national airplay, glowing reviews and a place amongst Australia’s best independent releases for 2006 on Triple J’s annual Home and Hosed Australian music compilation CD. Errol and Luke then teamed up with fellow Novocastrians Cameron McKenzie and Anthony Frampton to round out the Trade Secrets line-up. No strangers to the follies of relentless touring in previous bands, they opted to spend the following two years writing, recording and performing select gigs and small festivals throughout regional N.S.W, Newcastle and Sydney areas, developing a modest yet devoted fan base. Mid 2008 saw the band return to the studio to begin production of their ‘difficult second album’. With an ongoing desire to embrace a stronger D.I.Y ethic, Cameron and Errol (both experienced tradespeople) constructed permanent recording studios at their inner city homes. This time they chose to write, perform, record and produce the band’s second album at their own pace, without the cliché burden of time limits and budget pressures. The second long player, creatively titled Errol J.M and the Trade Secrets, sees the band finding its core sound. After years experimenting with various sonic ideals and exploring individual musical tastes, the new album is a far more abrasive and angular listen than its predecessor. Multi instrumental layering and keyboard fluff has been replaced by a more intentional, sometimes nasty, wall of guitars. Errol J.M and the Trade Secrets will be released through fledgling Australian indie label Rack Off Records in April 2009, followed by a string of nationwide inner-city and regional shows throughout the rest of the year and beyond. www.myspace.com/erroljm

The Receptionists

The Receptionists, sisters Alice and Jazz Williams, have been writing and performing together since they learned to be civil to each other in their teens, producing a large catalogue of carefully crafted folk/rock songs with a focus on dynamic vocal harmony.  After growing up in the Bega Valley, Alice and Jazz worked in Melbourne and Sydney before settling for three years in Newcastle, where they developed a strong following through local venue and festival gigs, and received the Broadcaster’s Choice award in the 1233 ABC Music Awards in 2006. Their debut EP will be released in late 2009 through Rack Off Records.

www.myspace.com/receptionists