9th & 10th Dec 2011 – 9-10pm
Hellen Rose Schauersberger Laboratorium
Level 1/17 Waterloo St. Surry Hills (Sydney, Australia)
$10 bookings – hellen.rose (at) yahoo.com.au or at the door

It’s hard to sum up Hellen Rose in one paragraph. Sieving through the highlights from her raft of accomplishments alone would fill pages. Not one to conform, Hellen has achieved admirable success and commanded high levels of respect from those in the know for more than 20 years now. While she’s not busy pushing musical boundaries, her preceding reputation has also led her to tap into other creative pursuits, including acting and opening her eponymous performing space, the Hellen Rose-Schauersberger LabOratorium. And the list goes on. For a woman who has proven her worth many times over, we’ll keep the superlatives to a minimum and have Hellen shed some light on her past, present and future.

Covered: Back in the ’80s…, constant adjustments, The Hellen Rose-Schauersberger LabOratorium, Moonlight film and a one-woman show.

Audrey Lee: You’ve been making music for more than 20 years now and have sung alongside bands including X and Dangerous Curves back in the 80s. Care to give our readers an insight of how your career in music first began? How have you and your sound progressed since then?

Hellen Rose: I started singing when I was very young. I come from a family where one side is music and the other is… all the other stuff that I’ve never been into. I snuck into a pub at around 14 and pushed my way onto the stage and just got up and belted out a blues number I was making up on the spot! My first live show with a band called Great Dane who were totally cool about it and the crowd loved it!

When I moved to Sydney at around 18 I asked Peter Reid at a venue called Frenches if I could get up and play his guitar and sing when he finished a Moist set and he said yes! That’s how I got to know and work with all the Black Eye folk. One day before then I think, I ran into Ian Rilen on Oxford St when everyone lived in Darlinghurst and I had no idea who he was and I gave him a flyer for a band I was in at the time called Moral Fibro. It was OK but I didn’t really fit in with them and he said, “I’m in a band called X and we need some back up vocals for a tour we want to do”, so I became an Xette for a while. We were rehearsing in our lounge room and all my house mates knew who Ian was, while I sang back up vocals like “I’m Your Dip Stick Not Your Lipstick…” First gig I surely found out that X were great!

Dangerous Curves was a late ‘90s version of the original Peter, Paul and Hellen, only we got Rev Kriss Hades in for this round and new songs. In the ‘80s I was into extreme noise carve-up guitar and caused absolute outrage around town by carving up an SG copy with a kitchen carving knife. I loved the guitarist from The Butthole Surfers and Snakefinger, Fred Frith and Black Sabbath and Diamanda Galas and Yma Sumac and The Runaways all mixed into one with a touch of country.

AL: For the sake of our readers who aren’t familiar with your work, how would you describe Hellen Rose’s music and who or what has influenced you musically?

HR: Everything has influenced me. The blues and spirituals have always been my foundation. Meeting Jimmy Carter this year from The Five Blind Boys of Alabama at The Opera House and singing a Mahalia Jackson song for him was one of the best moments for me, he held my hand and he was so old, the last remaining member of the original band and the cool thing was that he was really total rock ‘n’ roll; the coolest 84 year old, full of energy and life, I loved that!

I have recently been training with an opera diva and my voice has expanded into further dimensions. I don’t really know how to categorise my music I’ll leave that up to the listener, hell – Sleazy from Coil died last week, they influenced me as well as Throbbing Gristle.

At the moment, I am working with Jeffrey Wegener (Laughing Clowns), just doing drums and voice. It’s amazing that the sound is full enough with just those two instruments. I’m definitely going to get out the carving knife and hack into that axe with a manic energy that will leave me feeling all calm afterwards, haha.

AL: Your work requires you to travel out of Sydney quite regularly, predominantly to Berlin. Do you feel like you have to make constant adjustments as an artiste as a result?

HR: Yes it’s just so difficult shoving those shoes and dresses into one small bag and not getting charged excess. I have to get around like all artists must, especially Australians, as we are so so so far far far awayyy from the hub of the world.

I love performing in Berlin, Switzerland, wherever I can; I got to sing at the Australian Embassy on Australia Day last year. That was weird. I sang ‘Summertime’ in my unique style, in a glass atrium and it was 20 degrees below zero outside – wacky it was. I loved singing to generals and bureaucrats and other artists; a unique gathering.

AL: Sounds like you already have so much on your plate. What’s more, in 2007, you actually opened The Hellen Rose-Schauersberger LabOratorium in Surry Hills. What gave you that idea? How has the space evolved since its launch?

HR: Well now. I have spent a lot of time living in warehouse spaces since squatting The Gunnery in Woolloomooloo in the ‘80s with many Black Eye folk and painters and dancers. Then I moved to another warehouse space called Gearco with Bain Wolfkind and the painter Adam Cullen, but I missed being in a space that was full of constant thriving creativity and where all artists must have freedom to create. I think there should be a bohemians and artists strike march downtown to demonstrate about the ever-crushing state of trying to fight for a studio, living space and exhibiting/performing space where artists can be free to create what the buyers fight over, and what all the punters pay to see and hear: music and art!

This town is constantly crushing the goose that lays the golden egg. Galleries are in a sense a dead space for the final processed product of the artist; studio galleries are a place where art is in full throttle and the work is whirling straight off the hands and lips and out of the soul of the artist.

AL: OK, music aside, let’s talk about your acting pursuits. I’ve read that you once trained as an actor at the Victorian College of Arts. What fuelled your decision to pursue an acting career? And how has that endeavour been going for you?

HR: In Melbourne training as an actor at VCA, I became interested in performance art rather than traditional ‘acting’, I wanted to incorporate music into my work too. This was considered bizarre at that time as no one really knew or understood what I was exploring. Many times the police were called to my shows or they were described by the media as shocking, dangerous, satanic, haha. My work at that time looked heavy and some of it was, but in reality I was playing with the hypocrisy around me and directly attacked homophobia, misogyny, paedophilia. A lot of my work was pranksterish – the world was much darker in the ‘80s and ‘90s with Roger Rogerson running Taylor Square cop shop, Frank Arkell getting killed by Mark Van Krevel, Justice Yeldham committing suicide etc.

In the ‘80s I formed a group called ACHHAC and we performed at the old Performance Space and other galleries around at the time. Around 1987, I was asked to join a group called Butchered Babies; this group had a huge influence on the band Thug and contributed to the whole artistic oeuvre of that time. That group as well as another group I was in called Big Mac Overbite with Joe Claxton and Sybilla Vassali, both from the legendary riot girl band Matrimony, used to perform in between bands like Thug, Lubricated Goat, Box The Jesuit. We’d do these strange theatre pieces that converged with music; it was great, though for some reason we weren’t taken very seriously as no one really knew how to sell or promote what we did. And probably because we were girls (in BMOB) we really got ignored or vilified for even being on stage. Jo really copped it when she shaved her hair off! Bloody weird now to see that level of sexism in retrospect, I’m so glad we busted through that!

In 2009 I did a performance at the MCA dedicated to an Afghani friend. She had told me in an email that she was going outside without a burqa on as she just wanted to feel the sun on her face and the wind in her hair; for this she was killed and mutilated. Wade Keighran from The Scare accompanied me on bass and I worked with the fabulous interactive sculptures of the genius sculptor Philip Barnes.
I am currently working on a neo magic realist/surrealist play called Ladders By The Sea by Keiran Carrol. It’s going to be on here in The LabOratorium – 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 Dec 2010.

AL: You were recently in Pakistan making a film with the Australian artist, George Gittoes. Tell us, what was the experience like, and perhaps you can also tell us a little about the upcoming film?

HR: Well I could write a book about that! Working with George is like working with the high priest of ‘uberpranksterism’. Just getting me into the country was a kind of intervention and prank. After shooting the film Moonlight on location in the day, we would shoot all the nightclub scenes, in the large dining room of the hotel at night. This became like doing live theatre every night as it attracted many men from the mountain villages. They came to see girls without burqas and word had got around that there was a foreign actress on set: me. The scariest thing we did was to make a dance video clip in the film where I come up wearing a pretty ‘risqué for Pakistan outfit’ – very tight fitting – and performed a super-wild “vampire” themed interpretive performance/dance with the small guy actor/comedians Bul Bul and Arshied, Na Na and plastic AK-47s. The local Taliban were in the audience and they seemed both shocked but thrilled to see something like that, seeing women live without burqas was a big drawcard. What personally cracked both George and me up was that we did it to ‘I Wan’t Everything’ by The Ramones – nice way to introduce a legendary band to the good folk of The North West Frontier Pakistan, now officially known as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was scary because it could have been seen as really overstepping the mark and we may have had to face the wrath of locals with real AK-47s, but somehow we seem to have got away with it so far.

I have worked with George a few times now, but it was great, and a real privilege, to be the first person George has ever taken into a war zone. Many soldiers and male artists have asked him many times, but it was good to be a woman and going to a place where there is apartheid against women so that I might fight against the misogyny we face today through art. George has always been a staunch supporter of women and that has been something that attracted me to him as an artist. Bullets of the Poets, a film about the female Nicaraguan freedom fighters and poets he made in 1986, totally amazed me.

Wearing a burqa or niqab was a very strange experience for me and gave me a very deep understanding of the nature of that form of oppression and torture, a combo of a type of Stockholm syndrome and Chinese water torture – a subtle psychological daily torment that can drive you mad. It was strange to be bullied/shunned/ignored openly because of my gender.

AL: Finally, what are your plans for 2011?

HR: 2011 I’m in heaven. I hope not literally! I will be working again with George, this time in Afghanistan working on more films and… radio plays! I have always wanted to do that mainly because I love Orson Wells’ radio plays and now I get to create some. Happy day! I am also planning a move to NY at some stage, which will be great fun I hope. I will be recording with Jeffrey Wegener and fantastic bass player Mme Julie Kim, someone whom I’ve had the privilege to work with previously in a performance music group called Young Shaved Pissing Boys and more recently Prowler with The Rev Kriss Hades.

I am also working on a one-woman show with the very clever actor and director David Field helping in the background, and I am almost popping to get that on a stage in Sydney and show everyone a work that will be a real conglomerate of my experience and styles in performance, acting, writing and music.

hellen rose schauersberger, X, ian rilen, george gittoes, dangerous curves

http://blog.kluster.com.au/post/hellen-rose-says.aspx

Posted by Audrey Lee on November 29, 2010

Anlässlich der Vernissage zur Ausstellung des Künstlers und Filmemacher George Gittoes am 15.1.2010 zeigte Hellen Rose eine Kunst-Performance, die mit dem Thema der gezeigten Arbeiten korrespondiert.

http://www.utesinthepaddock.com.au/australian-country-music/

Ute Lovers Music

The Utes in the Paddock Album CD

$28.95 (including GST, shipping and handling) 

 

A “must have” album of 11 original country blues songs featuring performances by the great names of Australian rock:

Jim Moginie, Stephen Coburn, Doc Neeson, Neil Murray, Hellen Rose, Alan Healy, David Twohill and Trent Williamson, and new band The Utezillas (named after Jim and Stephen’s collaborative sculpture UteZilla on permanent display in the Utes in the Paddock gallery, Ootha Central New South Wales).

• Track 1 Magic Ute – Doc Neeson
• Track 2 Cover Your Load – Jim Moginie
• Track 3 Belt Hat and Boots – Neil Murray
• Track 4 Wheels of a Working Man – Stephen Coburn
• Track 5 Black SS – Hellen Rose
• Track 6 Level Crossing – The Utezillas
• Track 7 Tarmac Tara – Jim Moginie
• Track 8 Iron Pack Horse Boogie – Stephen Coburn
• Track 9 Galarganbone Rag – The Utezillas
• Track 10 Anything Else But Utes – Jim Moginie
• Track 11 Glorious Ute – Alan Healy

“The UteZillas” at the opening of the “Ute Artists at the Carrington” collective art exhibition at the Carrington Hotel in Katoomba, NSW. The exhibition features 17 great Australian artists and is open daily 10am to 4pm through Decmber 13th, 2009.

Utes in the Paddock, the album was recorded mixed and mastered at Oceanic by Jim Moginie; produced by Stephen Coburn and Jim Moginie with all rights reserved Moginie/Coburn/Neeson/Murray/Rose/Healy c. 2009

A Profile of Performers

Jim Moginie

A founding member of Australia’s legendary band Midnight Oil, Jim played guitar and keyboards as well as writing songs for the band throughout the mid seventies until the group disbanded in 2002.  Midnight Oil had a massive and loyal following in Australia, made 15 albums and EPs, breaking through internationally with the song Beds Are Burning.

Since 2002, Jim has been actively producing and playing on many records with artists as diverse as Silverchair, Sarah Blacko, End of Fashion, Jimmy Barnes, Neil Murray, Kacey Chambers, The Fauves and Neil Finn.  He has also released two solo works; the four track Fuzz Face in 1996 and his first full-length solo album Alas Folkloric in 2006.

Stephen Coburn

A founding member of Mental As Anything, Stephen joined his college friend, Martin Murphy (Martin Plaza) and fellow students Chris O’Doherty (Reg Mombassa) and Wayne “Bird” Delisle, as bass guitarist during the band’s first year.  After some early party appearances when they performed without a name, but before the gig at a Chippendale Settlement Dance in 1976, promoter Paul Worstead chose the name Mental as Anything based on a description by Ken Bolton of one of the band’s early performances.  Later, Stephen’s replacement as bass guitarist was Mombassa’s younger brother Peter.  The band is sometimes better known by their fans simply as Mentals.

Doc Neeson

Before his music career, Neeson was an education corps sergeant who served in Papua, New Guinea in the late 1960s and, during late 2007 Doc while performing as part of the Tour de Force tour of Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait, supporting the Australian Troops, he was presented with two military medals.

Neeson has been a part of the Australian rock scene for as long as many of us can remember.  Best known as lead singer, bass guitarist and front man for hard rock band The Angles, Neeson is an iconic Australian musician.  During his time with the band, The Angles’ 1978 albumFace to Face reached #16, stayed on the Australian charts for 79 weeks, and produced the band’s first hit single “Take a Long Line”.  The band’s album Beyond Salvation, released in 1990 reached number one on the charts and spawned five successful singles including “Dogs are Talking” and “Backstreet Pickup”.

In February 2001, Neeson performed at the Tour of Duty Encore! concert at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.  ABC featured Doc Neeson and The Angles in the music TV series Long Way to the Top, an insight to 50 years of Australian rock ‘n’ roll.  Since then, he has formed the band Red Phoenix and released a self titled album.  In 2006, The Angels and Doc Neeson were featured on a postage stamp for Australia post as part of their Australian Rock Posters The Stamps collection.  

Neil Murray

In 1995, Neil Murray was awarded the APRA song of the year for ”My Island Home” originally written for the Warumpi Band and re-recorded by Christine Anu. The song gained international recognition as part of the closing ceremony for the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and since then ”My Island Home” has become something of an unofficial national anthem.

One of the country’s most original and respected singer/songwriters, Neil Murray has enjoyed a solo career since 1989.  Murray has released nine albums including Calm & Crystal Clear, These Hands, Dust, The Wondering Kind, Going The Distance and Overnighter which reflect an inner landscape to the heart and soul of Australia.

By performing for twenty years, Murray has helped to make indigenous music heard in mainstream Australia.  He first appeared in the early eighties as a founding member of the groundbreaking Warumpi Band.

As author of the novel Sing for me Countrymen, which is regarded as an Australian classic; author of the poetry book One Man Tribe and of the play King For This Place, and as performer/song lyricist of the spoken word CD Spoken and of Native Born, Murray demonstrates a strong affinity for the land and respect for its indigenous culture.

Hellen Rose

An original X ette back up vocalist for X in the early 80s, Hellen Rose is featured on the legendary Black Milk album by The Beasts of Bourbon.  Rose has performed in Sydney and overseas for over 20 years.

Infamous for running many shows at a squat venue known as The Gunnery in Woolloomooloo during the late 80s, her performances as the lead singer for the band, Dangerous Curves are best remembered by the demonstrative way in which members of her audience expressed their appreciation of her talent. 

Rose is a passionate singer who is influenced equally by Australian rock classics such as ACDC and Rose Tatoo, by ‘belters’ and ‘growlers’ such as Mahalia Jackson and Koko Taylor and by her love of pure country crooners like Johnny Paycheck and Johnny Cash. 

Originally trained as an actor at VCA, Rose became a performer and is known for her outstanding performing talent and the ease with which she flouts the conventions of the stage.

Now working between Sydney and Berlin, Rose is putting together a show titled Dangerous Curves and Hair Pin Bends which is based on her experiences growing up in Wollongong.  Track 5 on the Utes in the Paddock album, Black SS is a true story from Rose’s time in the ‘Gong.

Alan Healy

Alan Healy, Irish-Australian visual artist, writer and musician, was born in Dublin in 1954.  Alan comes from a large family of musicians and artists – his mother would often say that even the sewing machine was a Singer!

He plays the guitar, mandolin, banjo, mando-cello, and bodhran (traditional Irish drum) and his repertoire as a singer and musician mainly comprises traditional Irish ballads, dance and country music.

Alan exhibits his painting and sculpture regularly both here and overseas.  His main themes relate to Irish literature and the parallels of visual art and music.  One of his latest installations was a work called “Acoustoopticaldinoratorio” which involved 32 artists who are also musicians  Part of this installation can be seen on Youtube (search: Alan Healy).

Alan is represented by Nolan on Lovel Gallery in Katoomba.  His next show at Katoomba is part of a group exhibition to be opened October 31 at 4pm.

Alan’s next solo exhibition is at Mary Place Gallery in Paddington opening on November 24.

David Twohill

Ever heard the song “Looking for Bird” from the platinum album released in 1981 by Mental as Anything?  The song immortalised David Twohill’s nickname “Bird” which was given to him by fellow band member, Reg Mombassa who apparently thought the scavenging seagulls at Bondi Beach reminded him of Twohill.

Percussionist Twohill is often better known by his pseudonym “Wayne Delisle” and for his 27 years of performances as the drummer for Mental as Anything.  His face is instantly recognised by Australian rock fans from the screen print image of him which appeared on the cover of the band’s first album, Get Wet.  The original screen print by Paul Worstead hangs in the National Portrait Gallery.

As a member of the quintessential Australian band, David contributed significantly to the Mentals’ record achievement; they have the most top forty hits by any band in the country’s history.  The band was inducted into the Aria Hall of Fame in 2009.

Trent Williamson

Trent Williamson’s harmonica, voice and jaw harp performances are an integral part of many of the country’s most popular music.  Williamson can be heard on James Blundell’s Higher Than Heaven and Portrait of a Man, Grinspoon’s Alibis and Other Lies, and Alex Lloyd’sAmazing: the Best of Alex Lloyd.   His engineering and remix skills have been highly sought for two decades by bands such as Savage Garden (Animal Song-US Cassette) and Cold Chisel (Last Wave of Summer).