blues

Matthew "Matt" Taylor (born 1948) is an Australian blues musician. He is best known for his work with long-lasting blues band Chain and for the hit song "I Remember When I Was Young".

Georgia Rodgers has fused her many years of playing and learning the guitar with an authentic vocal style.
Leaning into her dynamic guitar playing, she is slowly but surely developing a discography of music that abstains from the stereotypical verse, chorus, verse structure of song writing.

“I’m basically a singer/songwriter,” says Georgia, “but I am more-so taking people on a dynamic journey through a song. With more of an emphasis on a composition as opposed to your typical verse, chorus, verse.”.

Although evident in the music she has released and the live performances she has showcased, she admits that the sound she is creating is a work in progress.

“I’m still kind of finding what sound I want to put out there,” says Georgia, “I’m so much more comfortable behind a guitar than my vocals because I’ve always fallen back onto being a guitarist. I learnt guitar for a long time and then singing just became a part of it, so I depend heavily on that. I can write nice lyrics it’s just the way of how I can best suit that and include the work I’ve done as an instrumentalist as well.”

However, this journey to find a sound she is content with releasing and performing lends to the style of music she creates. The dynamic nature of her pursuit of establishing such a sound is also woven into her music with complexity. A process she pins down to experimenting with layering and ebbing and flowing between stripping a song down and building it up again.

“A lot of it is layering,” says Georgia “So I might play a song live that goes for eight minutes, and a lot of it is a little bit of atmospheric layering and it is kind of floaty and then the next song I might play might start with just the one note, the root note of the chord and then progress into playing the full chord.”

“It’s just stripping back and then including in other songs that layering to build that dynamic and then dropping it down and doing that to draw people in.”

When it comes to her compositions, she also places a significant importance on including any iota of a live resemblance or authenticity that might arise in a recording setting.

“I like a live-ish feel to my songs.” Says Georgia, “I’ve always been very particular in the recording. The next single I’m releasing I want to sound awesome, but if it’s not capturing that live element, I can’t see it as the song. I can see it as a good song, but without that live element, that’s not what I want.”.

In her most recently released single ‘Hold On’, the emphasis on replicating a live sound is abundant throughout the velvety and dreamlike near six minutes. Georgia iterates that minimising the number of vocal takes in conjunction with utilising a damaged guitar pedal resulted in the rich, dynamic and authentic sound.

“The last time I recorded I did one warm-up vocal take and then I did another one and finally one more and after that I was like ‘nup, that’s dead now’, that was the live one. If there is a note that is a bit off, or some element of it being quite live, authentic, or honest I don’t really care.

“So, the start of the song I recently recorded, I had bought this pedal from cash converters, and it was completely a piece of crap and I thought it was awesome. It was leaking battery acid. When I clicked it on it made this cool crackling, almost like a needle on a record sound.

“The engineer ended up asking me if I wanted to cut that out, but I was like ‘no way’. Instantly that was a sound that’s not the song, it was something that can be that authentic, you’re in the room feel. I think it’s hard conveying your songs in the studio.”

For her forthcoming gig at the Wesley Anne on Friday September 30, Georgia has pieced together an arrangement that is set to amplify her dynamic storytelling. A set that is due to fluctuate between a big band supporting her and individual renditions of songs.

“I’ve got a launch for that single ‘Hold On’ on Friday September 30 at the Wesley Anne in Northcote. I’m performing with a band, which I have never done, at least in a rehearsed setting. I’m going to have a few backing vocalists, a cello, a double bass, and a drummer, possibly with some piano too.”

The first offering from The Pleasures (Catherine Britt and Lachlan Bryan’s new outfit) is “The Beginning of the End”. Americana twang meets dirty rock n roll on this sassy single with its themes of mischief and recklessness - the perfect antidote for these austere times. Britt and Bryan’s perfectly matched vocals holler over a stomping, swaggering band, leaving us in no doubt that The Pleasures have come out swinging!

A 70s-psychedelia inspired music video accompanies the single, and it’s filled with the energy and intensity you can expect at The Pleasures’ upcoming live shows.

While Catherine and Lachlan already have established careers, this collaboration which began with a late-night sms exchange, quickly ascended into a feverish fortnight of writing and recording. The project represents a significant stylistic shift for both artists. Their debut album is already in the can and is set for release later in 2022.

“Lachlan and I have always clicked in life and in song” explains Catherine, “and we’ve always had an unspoken understanding and respect for one another. These songs came so easy - they flowed out of us like a raging stream. I just want more honest, real music in the world, and I couldn’t think of a better person to make it with!”

“I don’t think know anyone else who feels and understands country music the way Catherine does”, says Lachlan. “She sounds authentic because she is authentic. When she opens her mouth and sings you can hear the neon lights buzzing, you can taste the tequila and you can barely see for the cloud of smoke. It’s all that stuff that people try and fake – they try and put in on – but it’s like she was just born with it”.

“The Beginning of the End” was released January 21 2022 through Beverley Hillbilly Records via MGM Distribution.

The Pleasures will play their first shows in February at the following venues:

Wednesday 9th February – The Grant Junction Hotel – Maitland NSW

Thursday 10th February - Lazybones Lounge – Marrickville NSW

Wednesday 16th February – Ziggy Pops – St Kilda VIC

Thursday 17th February – Brass Monkey Cronulla NSW

A rescheduled show in April at the Welders Dog in Tamworth for

Tamworth Country Music Festival will be announced soon.

Matt Hansen is a multi-instrumentalist and producer from California. His music combines elements of pop, rock, and folk to create a unique sound. With a wide variety of instruments ranging from the electric guitar to the mandolin, Matt is able to create music with a wide range of textures.
Early Life & Career
Born in 1985 in California, Matt grew up playing music from an early age. He began playing drums and guitar in his early teens and eventually picked up other instruments such as bass, banjo, mandolin, harmonica and more. After graduating high school he moved to Los Angeles and began performing as a session musician for various artists. He also started producing music for various indie labels.
Music Releases & Collaborations
In 2016 Matt released his debut album 'The World Through My Eyes'. The album featured 10 tracks that showcased his musical talent by blending multiple genres together. Since then he has released two follow-up albums 'Somewhere Out There' (2017) and 'A Million Dreams' (2018). He has also collaborated with other artists such as Lindsey Stirling and Tycho.
Latest Projects
Matt continues to write and record music. Recently he wrote the score for a short film titled 'The Unseen'. He's also been working on an instrumental album which will be released later this year. His latest single is titled 'Let Go' and was released in April 2020.
Influences & Style
Matt credits artists such as John Mayer, Jeff Buckley, and Radiohead as some of his major influences. His style is often described as being melodic with intricate guitar work. He also incorporates aspects of folk and jazz into his music which adds a unique flavor to his songs.}