Trusty Chords

• Episode 50: Jesse Coulter – Grenadiers

  There’s no denying the fact that Adelaide is just one of those cities that can’t help itself but breed amazing bands. Sure, you can look at groups like The Angels, Cold Chisel, and more, but why not look at groups like Stolen Youth, The Rivalry, Sleeptalker, and Dick Wolf?They’re also amazing bands, and for the trainspotters amongst us, you might recognise that those bands have one constant thread, and that’s Jesse Coulter. Jesse’s been in the music scene for a good number of years now, whether it’s up the front of bands or behind the scenes, but at every turn he’s in charge of quality.One of the most prominent projects he’s been associated with is none other than Grenadiers, a three-piece rock outfit which formed in 2009 and released three records over the ensuing eight years.Following a lineup change in those formative years, Grenadiers released their second album ‘Summer’ in 2015, and it was a little bit of a corker. It got them some decent attention, and even nabbed them a spot on triple j’s Like A Version series.After their third album, ‘Find Something You Love And Let It Kill You,’ Grenadiers went a little bit quiet, and in fact, they’ve not actually played a show since 2019. But that’s all about to change this May, because Grenadiers are hitting the Crown & Anchor in Adelaide for a ten-year celebration of ‘Summer’ on May 3rd.It’s likely the last time you’ll see them, so I figured now was the time to have a chat with Jesse about the band.But before we get into it, I strongly urge you to buy a ticket to Grenadiers’ upcoming gig, and once you’re done doing that, pop ‘Summer’ on the stereo, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

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• Episode 49: Ella & Jesse Hooper – Killing Heidi

  If you’re anything like me, the name Killing Heidi was one that was synonymous with the Australian music scene at the turn of the millennium.Formed in regional Victoria by siblings Ella and Jesse Hooper, Killing Heidi first rose to fame as part of triple j’s Unearthed series, with the track ‘Kettle’ featuring a newly-teenaged Ella on vocals. This promise that triple j saw soon exploded in 1999, with tracks such as ‘Weir’ and ‘Mascara’ serving as an indicator of what was to come on their debut album, ‘Reflector.’‘Reflector’ was a monster success, becoming the fastest-selling album in Australian music history at the time of its release, and winning the band four ARIA awards, including Best Group and Best Rock Album.A few more albums followed in the years after, but then it all went quiet on the Killing Heidi front. While the Hoopers are still immensely active (Ella can be seen frequently in the media world), it was only close to a decade ago that Killing Heidi themselves became active again. Now, after years of shows, the band are hitting the road this year to mark 25 years of ‘Reflector.’ They’ve not only announced a 25th anniversary reissue, but they’re hitting stages around the country to play the record in full. Put simply, if you were a Killing Heidi diehard like me, then you won’t want to miss this.Recently, I was lucky enough to be joined by Ella and Jesse for a chat, and truly, I can’t thank them enough for the pleasure.So before we get into it, I strongly urge you to buy a ticket to Killing Heidi’s upcoming gigs, and once you’re done doing that, pop ‘Reflector’ on the stereo, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

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• Episode 48: Jesse F. Keeler – Death From Above 1979, MSTRKRFT

  There was a period of time in the early ‘00s when one of the most exciting bands in the game was Canada’s own Death From Above. Well, that’s what they were called at first, but by the time they released their debut album ‘You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine,’ Sebastien Grainger and Jesse F. Keeler had lengthened their name to Death From Above 1979 due to a lawsuit.But that didn’t detract from that album becoming a ferocious piece of work, with tracks like 'Romantic Rights,' 'Blood On Our Hands,' and 'Black History Month' being considered classics by all fans of the dance-punk and alt-rock genre spectrum.In 2006 though, the group split, and fans wondered what the future may hold. While Grainger launched his solo career and worked with other bands, Keeler served as one half of electronic duo MSTRKRFT.But in 2011, they were back together, and we’ve since received three new albums from the band, with 2021’s ‘Is 4 Lovers’ being their last to date.More recently, they’ve been a little busy touring the world as part of the anniversary of their debut album, playing the record in full in the process. Now this month, they’re visiting Australia for the first time in years to bring the stellar tracks to local audiences.To celebrate, I was lucky enough to have a brief chat with Jesse F. Keeler about the record and the band’s history, though he quickly abandoned our time constraints and we just kept it pretty casual.Anyway, I strongly urge you to check out Death From Above 1979’s ‘You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine,’ grab a ticket to their upcoming tour, and once you’re done doing that, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

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• Episode 47: Damian Cowell – TISM, Damian Cowell's Disco Machine, The Arseless Chaps

  When it comes to Damian Cowell, the only word that accurately sums up his career is ‘prolific.’A staple of the Melbourne music scene for close to five decades now, Cowell has been involved in more bands than I’ve had hot dinners. On the prehistoric side of things, there’s bands such as Tall Stories and I Can Run, and then there’s a rather well-known group called TISM. That’s probably the band he’s best known for, with the group’s anonymous, pseudonymous members releasing six albums, and nabbing two ARIA Awards across their initial 22-year span. They also boast one of the most passionate fanbases in Australian music history as well, and when the group announced an unexpected reunion in 2022, fans ensured it resulted in some of the band’s best-attended gigs of their career.But we’re not here to focus on just TISM – in fact, we barely do in our chat – because Cowell has also been a member of Root!, The DC3, and has been the eponymous frontman of Damian Cowell’s Disco Machine. Currently, he’s one half of The Arseless Chaps, a new duo formed with comedian Tony Martin that promises to operate in the same vein as names like Groove Armada, Daft Punk, The Presets, and Barlow & Chambers. (Well, maybe not the last one.)I’ve had a few chats with Damian over the years, and recently, he was kind enough to agree to a lengthy discussion about his career and myriad projects ahead of The Arseless Chaps’ upcoming tour of Australia.So before we get into it, I strongly urge you to buy a ticket to The Arseless Chaps’ upcoming gigs, and once you’re done doing that, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

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• Episode 46: Levi Cooper – Raccoon City

  For about 15 years now, Adelaide has been home to a stellar outfit called Raccoon City. Though not exactly trailblazers of the screamo and post-hardcore genre in the city, for a while, they were arguably one of the most prominent, setting themselves apart as a leading figure within those circles at a time when the genre du jour was a breezy indie-rock.Personally, Raccoon City were one of those groups that became rather formative for me during the time I would find myself at gigs in Adelaide. They were a constant presence, played intensely arresting live shows, and became a favourite of mine and others that I knew.After releasing their debut album ‘Nightlife’ in 2014, Raccoon City existed for about another year or so before putting things on ice for a while. All the while, folks like myself hoped that a return was inevitable, and thankfully in the midst of COVID the group did indeed return, this time with a stellar new record called ‘For Nobody, Nowhere’.It was the sound of a group having evolved. After all, their lineup had shifted somewhat (to actually include a friend I went to school with), and their music felt bolder, more adventurous, and more mature. Fast-forward another couple of years, and this year they’ve returned again with new album ‘FUGUE’.Once again, it’s a truly impeccable album and one that – if you’re a big fan of emotive vocals, crushing compositions, and passionate performances – you definitely need to listen to.At the front of the band is Levi Cooper, the vocalist of Raccoon City, which he co-founded with brother Dylan. Over the years, he’s been in a number of bands – a number likely too big to truly do justice to. But this week, he’s managed to find the time to have a chat to me about his most notable band ahead of their new record.Frankly, it’s just great to have more folks with South Australian accents on the podcast.Anyway, I strongly urge you to check out Raccoon City’s ‘FUGUE’, and once you’re done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

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