FOR an original band that's yet to release any material, indie-rock act Turpentine Babycino have certainly been busy getting their name out in the Newcastle music scene through old-fashioned hard gigging.
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The four-piece of Georgie Winchester (vocals), Gabriel Argiris (drums), Cormac Grant (guitar) and Manuel Rohrl (bass) have already played The Gum Ball and Sound Station festivals and supported the likes of Northeast Party House and Eliza & The Delusionals.
Of course, Turpentine Babycino's members aren't newbies to the music scene. Last year Winchester released a handful of transfixing acoustic folk songs - such as Calling It A Day and Golden Times - and Argiris is well-known as dave the band and Bloody Hell's drummer.
"Georgie and I just started making music together and decided we wanted to go in a pop-punk and rock direction," Argiris said.
"We've been writing music together, me and Georgie, as a rock project."
On Thursday, Turpentine Babycino will release their debut single Write A Song Sounds Shit - a three-minute slice of early 2000s pop-punk about letting loose after a relationship breakdown.
"It's about the period when you break up with someone and you kind of go off the rails and go crazy and head into a life of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll," Winchester said.
Write A Song Sounds Shit was recorded at The Grove Studios on the Central Coast by a bunch of sound engineer students, before the single was sent to Paul McKercher (Josh Pyke, Sarah Blasko, You Am I) to be mixed.
Turpentine Babycino have an album of recorded material they plan to drip feed over the coming months. Last week they hosted a 50-person house party to film Write A Song Sounds Shit's video directed by local creative Wanagi Zable-Andrews.
Next month they hit the road on an East Coast tour and have a hometown launch show at the Hamilton Station Hotel on October 16 with special guests Daphzie and Lamphead.
Musicians tie knot
This year's Toyota Star Maker and Carrington local Max Jackson tied the knot with long-time love Jeremy Minett at Wallalong House in the Hunter Valley on September 9.
"We are just over the moon," Jackson told the Herald's Lisa Rockman.
"Jeremy proposed to me back in 2019 at the Kacey Musgraves concert in Sydney. Our first date was set for September 2020 and after four date changes, we are finally married.
"We had the day of our wildest dreams. All of our friends and family together celebrating in a relaxed, intimate and perfectly 'us' way. For as long as I can remember everything has been better with Jeremy by my side."
Jackson is opening for Gina Jeffreys at Lizotte's on Friday night and will be performing at Groundwater Country Music Festival (October 28 to 31) and Cruisin' Country in November. Keep an eye on her socials for new Runnin' Acoustic Tour gigs.
Minett is also a musician and a member of The Viper Creek Band who are releasing single Starts With A Girl on September 30 and are performing at Boolaroo Sports Club this Saturday at 7pm.
Crocq launches Avails
Crocqhenri Lucero, better known as Crocq, is a solo artist renowned for his cooking talents as well as his voice. He sells his own Filipino-style marinade called Mini Pinoy Grill - All Purpose Marinade as well as a hot sauce on his website (minipinoygrill.com.au).
Lockdown, though, made him think about ways to improve the gig scene for punters, venues and musicians.
"I had an idea that I had been putting off for six years," he told Lisa Rockman last week.
"Essentially, it is a platform to help musicians book themselves at venues. Since this initial idea things have evolved. I thought, 'How can we create more revenue for venues during the week to help justify the payment for artists on the weekend?' Avails was born. Avails is short for availability. It is the muso/venue/agent lingo that would usually be heard at the start of every quarter, 'Send me through your avails'."
Crocq is an ideas man, that's for sure (for more details go to avails.com.au). He's playing a 4pm gig at The Crown and Anchor Hotel on Sunday, at MEET on September 23 (8pm) and Harrigan's on September 25 (1pm).
Grab a ticket
Don't forget, Thrashville is on at Dashville, Lower Belford, this Friday and Saturday. The weather is looking good (fingers crossed). Day only and camping tickets are on sale now.
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