The Marketeers: all for one and one for all

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And how does it all work? On the principle of a gentleman's handshake, apparently. That's right, no contracts, just a verbal agreement. From a band playing covers in their parents tool shed in the dusty country town Brisvegas, Queensland, to playing local gigs and a failed attempt to crack Triple J Unearthed in 2003, they've turned their back on asking establishment "grown-ups" for help and recorded and released a debut album, Subtle As A Brick, shortly followed by a teaser single Walls Go Up, Walls Come Down from the second album scheduled for a January release next year. Busy playing local Brisbane gigs and touring with the likes of Horrorpops and Zombie Ghost Train, the Black Market decided not to take no for an answer and just got on with it all themselves. This ain't no bubblegum pop; they're playing songs with a strong old-school aesthetic, inspired by protest musicians Bob Marley and The Clash. They're setting a high standard for themselves not only musically, but also ethically in the way the business is run and what they say. As the website says "Never mind the majors... here's Black Market Records."

Toby Market, front man of the band and main man behind the Black Market enterprise, boasts unflagging energy. He hasn't accepted anything less that full force commitment from his band co-members, leaving two members, Bruce Wilkie (guitar and vocals) and Matt Smith (drums) from the Subtle as A Brick line-up, bobbing in the band's wake when it became apparent that their enthusiasm wasn't up to par. Now The Black Market is a three-piece, with founding member Easy Steve Reed on bass and vocals and new boy Bryce "Banana" Responsible on drums.

I spoke to the fervently-paced Toby about how it all works and what motivates him.

EW. It started out in a tool shed doing covers - now you're playing tours, have airplay and are organising other people's bands on top of your own busy schedule. When did it really take off for you?
TM: For the band, it was releasing our debut record Subtle as a Brick. We had 350 people and some awesome bands at the launch and since then more and more people have been coming to our shows. For the label, every release we do gets more people interested. At the moment we're the only record label of our kind in Australia and I think people are taking notice of that. Every place we go, whether it be cities like Sydney and Melbourne or smaller places like Woolongong or Toowoomba, there is a very strong underground music scene. We're tapping into that.

EW: What prompted you to make the decision to really go for the DIY thing?
TM: I don't know if it was a conscious decision, it's just the way we do things. I think that we've been forced into it because people have been very unwilling to help us. In the end we realized if we didn't do it ourselves, then no one was going to do it.

EW: How did you end up organsing or helping out so many other bands? Are they friends or did you just start approaching people you liked?
TM: We all met at shows. All the Black Market Record's bands are bands that we have played with over the last 2 years. We'd play with them and I'd be like, "Do you have a cd?", and the response would be, "No, it's too expensive." I have a recording studio at my house, so I recorded most of the bands for free. Most Black Market Records releases have been done at my house. In Brisbane, although crowds are big, your lucky to make 50 cents a show. It's impossible for a band to make enough money to record and usually they end up doing it in someone's bathroom and the results aren't so good. Once we had some good records we needed some way to get them out there, so we did it ourselves.

EW: Walk me through how the Black Market enterprise works.
TM: It's very band friendly. Black Market Records works for the bands, not the other way round. There's no formula: We record the music, when we have enough money we make the cd's. We do that. The first release was a compilation called Black Marketeers Vol.1, the proceeds from that paid for the next cd and the proceeds from that paid for the next cd and on and on. The bands play tirelessly and I think that is what makes the label relatively successful. The bands are willing to work for it. The Black Market has played over 400 shows in just over 2 years and the same goes for many of the other bands.

EW: You've said that you don't have contracts and that it's basically an understanding between people. Have there been any misunderstandings so far, and if so, how did you deal with it or how would you prevent it in the future?
TM: Thats right, no contracts. Its a handshake deal. I know that all the bands have fierce loyalty to Black Market Records. We have disagreements but we're all working for the same thing. We never lose sight of that. If a band no longer wants to be on BMR then I'm not going to use a contract to keep them. Thankfully that hasn't happened yet and I don't see it happening anytime soon. If the bands want to put songs on other label's compilations or something I have no problems with that.

EW: Does it concern you that if any of the bands, including yourself start to make big bucks that it might change the way things work in principle?
TM: No. Maybe our office will get some proper facilities, maybe our studio will get some better equipment, maybe our cd's will be better mastered and have better cases but the principles will never change. If someone makes the big bucks then it's gonna be good for all the bands. If one of the bands makes big bucks and decides to leave then that's what's going to happen. I don't think any of the BMR bands would do that.

EW: You seem pretty ambitious with everything you've taken on. Would you guys like to be really successful? What does success mean to you?
TM: To us, success would be changing the world, changing the way people think. That's why we do it. We live in a world where material possesions are more important than peoples lives, where millions starve for no reason. We want people to know that they are still in charge. We vote for governments, not the other way round. We are the bosses. They are meant to be working for us. If we can change any of these things we will be successful.

EW: The Black Market have really set yourselves a standard in terms of energized political music and strong messages backed up with protesting blogs linked to the website and a dictum on the groups ethics. Do you feel any pressure to constantly live up to that?
TM: Yes and no. We don't want to let anyone down, we want to live up to what we stand for but at the same time we don't want to tell people what to do. We want people to take what we are saying and make up their own minds. That's the point, we want people to make their own decisions, do what they think is right.

EW: Are you guys all like-minded with your thinking or do you slog a few issues out and disagree on what you should and should not be saying?
TM: We have never had a fight about what we are saying. We listen to what each other has to say. I think we actually teach each other a lot.

EW: Would you classify yourself as protest music? What's your favourite political song/band/album?
TM: Politics all filters down to the way people get treated at ground level. We are more concerned with peoples everyday situations than telling John Howard to change tax thresholds. You know what I mean? It's about getting people to fight what they think is wrong at a base level. If we can work together as a group of dissaffected minorites then we can fight the big boys. You know, all of my friends are on the dole, they don't fit into society and they can't get "proper" jobs. People are in these kinds of situations and a lot worse all round the world. In this country we basically have two political parties and the difference in their policies is very minor. Until people can work together at a grass roots level then we don't have much chance of taking on the Government. My favourite political song/band/album is Washington Bullets by The Clash off Sandanista! The best thing about The Clash is that they were saying "Here's the evidence, what do you think?" rather than, "John Howard is a wanker." It's better to make people think, rather than shove what you believe down their throats.

EW: Is it hard to distill all the things you obviously have to say - blogs, zines etc. - into the abrupt songs The Black Market write?
TM: Yes. Writing songs is very different to writing the zine and the stuff on the website. I first wrote the zine because I couldn't express everything I wanted to say in song. Maybe with time and as I become a better song writer I will be able to.

EW: How do you get your mind to shut up and stop thinking about stuff? Do you're friends, say, hey shut up for a minute!?
TM: My friends are very willing to listen to what I have to say and for that I'm very thankful. I never stop thinking about the world and what's going on, I have an over-active mind and I don't sleep a lot. Unfortunately, one of the only remedies for that is booze and drugs.

EW: You're pretty young and motivated. Have you guys ever had the so-called "real" jobs. If so, what were they and what was it like?
TM: I have a "real" job now moving boxes and photocoping, that's how BMR got off the ground. One day I hope to give it up. Easy Steve and Bryce Responsible get jobs when they can. None of us have any qualifications. Same for the rest of the bands, half the guys are working class, the other half are on the dole. I don't like my day job but I don't want to be supported by our government.

EW: Your line-up has changed, from four to three, losing Bruce Wilkie. What happened there?
TM: We actually lost Bruce and our old drummer Matt Smith. They were just lazy, didn't want to tour or write songs so that was the end of that. They played a lot of shows with us and they're both on the first record but I think they lost the passion you need to be in The Black Market.

EW: Is The Black Market a full-time job?
TM: We put alot of work into it. We really believe in the band and what it stands for. Being in a touring band is not the glamourous life style it is made out to be, especially being an independant band. It's what we do with every extra moment we have so I guess it's full-time.

EW: What do your parents think of The Black Market?
TM: Not much, they would prefer I concentrated on my "proper" job.

EW: Do you think that people can make change happen through music? What do you want to see change?
TM: There are times at shows when everyone is singing along, arms around each other that it seems like no one can stop us. Change can definitely happen through music, we saw it in 1977 with the original punk bands, hip-hop and rap in the 80's too. The thing is this, everyone knows locking up children is detention centres is wrong, it's getting people to do something about it that is the hard part. You know what I mean? That's where music comes in, everyone can take part in it, you can sing along and add your voice to the crowd. Music is a universal language, everyone likes music of some kind, it's that common bond that gives music it's power.

EW: What advise do you have for anyone starting up their own label and touring company?
TM: Stick to your guns. Be prepared to sacrifice. If you truly think you're doing the right thing then you probably are and nothing can or will stop you. Be prepared to work with people, talk to bands, talk to promoters, talk to radio presenters, get involved. Be prepared to put yourself out there and never relent, never let anyone tell you it won't happen. I have always kept these words close to me, "No one man can change a nation, it takes many." Nelson Mandela.

Look out for the new album from The Black Market next year on January 6 - the title is yet to be announced, but you can get the single Walls Go Up, Walls Come Down for a sneak preview of what's to come.

Toby sent down a bunch of Black Market merchandise, including a T-shirt, badges and the zine The Blacklist, all of which are up for grabs. Just write in and tell us about your favourite protest song and why you like it so much in under 100 words. The winner's answer will be printed in the next issue of The Dues, plus we'll send you The Black Market goodies, as well as a Musician's Union T-shirt. The runner up will receive a Musician's Union T-shirt. T-shirt sizes may be subject to availability.

Send your responses to:
email: musiciansua@aol.com
snailmail: The Dues (Musicians Union)
291-293 Albert St,
Brunswick, VIC, 3056
Make sure you include your current postal address and ongoing email address so we can notify the winner and runner up.

Competition Terms and Conditions

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Nic Dalton: happliy ever after

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There are similarities between Evan Dando's voice and Nic Dalton's and similarities in the easy, lazy feel that disguises the work and skill lavished on both these artists' recorded efforts. Anyone who enjoyed the homespun bucolic charm of Evan Dando's Car Button Cloth would be well rewarded by checking out Nic Dalton's Home of the Big Regret.

The Home of the Big Regret is Morongla, where Nic and his girlfriend Lucy Lehmann lived together for many years. Through the highs and lows of their relationship, which you can read about in the liner notes courtesy of the one-time Missus (she never wanted to be a Mrs, but you can read about that for yourself too), they exchanged lyric and song ideas, beginning the process of creating material for the album. The lyrics are laden with domestic imagery like "cook books and cake tins" a "towel on the rack", "moving out to the country" and the very Aussie "ug boots."

Some tracks, notably There's Nobody Coming Over and Deepwater (of which more later) are underlaid with the constant bramble-like rambling of the banjo (particularly impressive when played by speedy-fingered Jenny). In fact five different banjo players twang their way through this album. It is rich with string instrumentation, from the mandolin of Mick Moffat, to acoustic guitar, cello and strings arranged by John Encarnacau - sweeping larklines swing the mood of the song through the sky over the underlying 4-1 bass-line keeping it all country. In fact, Dalton employed some of Australia's finest bluegrass musicians, including The Lynch Mob from Cowra. Dalton's vocals are understated, fireside, Sunday-paced, a country amble. His voice is sometimes accompanied by whistles, and to lighten the mood, some bah dah's, oohs and wooh's.

Speaking of wooing. Nic and his long-time girlfriend, Lucy had been cleft in twain and fallen apart into a long-distance friendship for about a year by the time the album song list had begun to form. It soon became apparent to Nic that this list was pointing toward a break-up album of songs either written or co-written by Lucy. He called her up to inform her of this, and they wrote some more songs together to complete the story. What a marvellous ruse! As a result of this project, he and Lucy are back together.

Long time cohort from the early Half a Cow and Sneeze days Tom Morgan (who also co-wrote with Dando for the album It's A Shame About Ray) has written his own song on the album. You get the feeling that it wouldn't feel right for him to not be on the album, having schemed and conspired with Dalton for so long previously.

This isn't Nic Dalton's first solo album. Romolo released in 1998 was a collation of four-track recordings from 1986-88, but in a sense Home of the Big Regret does feel like Nic Dalton really doing his own thing here. There is the feeling of community with the "Gloomchasers Orchestra" (affectionately photographed for the sleave notes). Many years of ideas, from 1997 onwards, bounced between people close to him have come to fruition.

The themes are personal. Nic sings regrets like, "I should've got that mortgage and cleaned out the fridge" on Play All Night, and more playful lyrics like "don't know if I fell in love with you or your record collection first," reportedly about a former French actress girlfriend.

Deepwater is a song steeped in metaphorical language depicting relationship difficulties. Ostensibly it tells the tale of a river rising (Lucy's voice, awash in echo and reverb) and how the flood washes the bridge away. The crux of this is that the pub is on one side of the river and their house is on the other. As you can probably guess, the girl makes it home, while the boy stays on at the pub drinking and is consequently stranded. Hmmm.

Play All Night has sumptuous sweeping strings that lift the song beyond its initial scope while Tom Morgan's contribution, There She Is elicits a deeper melancholy.

There are still traces of jangly Lou Reed Velvets influenced melodies in Nic's songwriting (while touring with the Lemonheads they did a support of the Velvet Underground wherein Nic persuaded Lou to sign a banana), but repositioned in an environment of outback self-deprecation.
The whole "bluegrass orchestral folk" concept is a defiant but comfortable one for Dalton and is tinged with his psychedelic and alterno-pop background. For the most part it is oddly and charmingly successful, although the relentless banjo may get on your nerves on a niggling level - it is often buried a little in the mix.

Home of the Big Regret really does seem like the culmination of Nic's past, and the voice of the mid 80's-90's songwriting is still evident. The wonky star, an ongoing fixation of his (he has the tattoo) features on the cover along with a Velvets half-peeled banana.

Nic, pictured inner-sleave as our green-caped crusader, stands stoicly, overseeing the overrun train tracks, acoustic in arms, maybe listening for rolling thunder. Lucy, on the facing page, sits by the bookcase, acoustic in arms. And that's it. Instead of each other, they took up the acoustics and made an album about breaking up - together. They've been touring together, away from Morongla promoting the album too. Wooing it up.

When Lucy left Nic he "declared Morongla Home of the Big Regret" and changed the the number on the population sign from 40 to 39. What will it be when they finish touring? 38? 40? 39? Guess we'll find out on the next album.

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