Hi there

It's been a long time since we've had a bit of news in the HR camp whilst Mark Moldre has been recording his solo album...but we do have a little news to pass on.

Firstly, the last Hitchcock's Regret album, endless_intermission is finally available on iTunes. This was our 3rd album, produced by Aria award nominated producer, Tim Powles along with Michael Carpenter and for the first time the band produced a few tracks in our own studio, Alfred's Lair.

It was our most successful record which saw airplay on JJJ and FBi. For the first time videos were produced for 3 tracks - Happiness, (Your) Apathy (Is Killing Me) and uwontcmeanymore - and all tracks were featured on ABC music show Rage on a regular basis, including Rage's end of year retrospective.

The album received high praise in the media with critics saying things like:

Hitchcock’s Regret could rival Augie March as Australian indie’s favourite sons. The Central Coast band craft melodies with the same intricacy and deliver vocals with the same level of emotion. The third HR album is a masterpiece of guitar pop wrapped in esoteric instruments such as the mellotron, theremin and dobro. - Sydney Morning Herald

Engaging and hypnotic from beginning to end, Endless Intermission is a journey through a landscape of unhinged moods, jangly chord progressions, spacey lead guitar, expertly delivered pop with instant familiarity (you'll swear blind you've heard some of these songs before) and intelligent lyrics. The NSW Central Coast band is led by Mark Moldre, who, aside from playing "guitarsaplenty" also has a go at everything from theremin to Mellotron, autoharp and thumb-tack piano, making him either a show off or a genius, maybe both. While their old label failed to see the commercial aspects of this, their third album, Hitchcock's Regret have found a new home on Spacejunk, and new sound with Endless Intermission and no doubt hundreds of new fans. If you like the Eels, give these guys a serious listen - Australian Guitar Magazine

Endless Intermission is now available for download on iTunes

http://www.apple.com/search/store/?q=endless+intermission

Secondly, a new Hitchcock's Regret track will be appearing on a US compilation album which is a labour or love from our friend Tony Pucci. Tony has released an album entitled "Songs For Jenny" to raise money for the disease ALS. Tony's sister, Jenny, bravely battled the disease for 5 years.

ALS is a disease for which there is no cure and the average life expectancy for someone who is diagnosed is 2-5 years.

The album features music penned and recorded by Tony Pucci with lyrics and music donated by artists like Tim Powles (The Church) and Ricky Maymi (The Brian Jonestown Massacre), Donnette Thayer, Margot Smith, Hitchcock's Regret and many more. 

Please order a copy of the album or you can simply make a donation at

www.songsforjenny.com

Until next time.....

xx

Hey All

HR have been very quiet as late as Mark Moldre is working on a solo album. The lads though have managed to find the time to record a new song, Gathering Birds, co-written with a chap from the US by the name of Tony Pucci. The song has been mixed by HR band memeber Shane Pex. Tony has long been planning the release of an album entitled Songs For Jenny to raise money for sufferers of ALS. Tony sadly lost his own sister recently to this terrible disease. So we'll keep you posted on it's release date here.

We've also uploaded some new selections from endless_intermission and an old favourite from Her Life In Reverse, Milkwood Moon.

Hope all is well in your corner of the globe

love the HR chaps

A big thanks from us to Michael Smith, (Associate editor of Drum) who has always been so supportive of us with his reviews.

DRUM MEDIA
endless_intermission
Spacejunk/MGM

The first thing that strikes you about this album from Hitchcock's Regret is the sound. Remarkably rich and textured yet so full of space, it's like nothing you've heard on an ostensibly "pop" album since, I don't know, the first four solo Peter Gabriel albums as well as the world he created in his last Genesis album, The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway,or the more sonically experimental Church albums - and, truth be told, the Beatles of Revolver and beyond. The sound has an otherworldliness to it that is both intimate and dislocating, as if you're sitting inside someone else's dream, the landscape familiar yet just a little disorienting.

That textural quality is also contextual, subtly yet importantly adding layers to the intent of the lyrics singer, songwriter and guitarist Mark Moldre is delivering with such passionate restraint. You don't need to know that Moldre went through a pretty awful year of ill health before making the album to appreciate something of what he must have been going through, or to feel the mild claustrophobia and quiet desperation in some of these songs.

Yet as disconsolate as all that might read, in lines like "And as she scrubs her hands/She hopes that it will dull the pain" (inkstain), there's so much light as well, in the melodies that so easily float out of those often suprisingly uplifting soundscapes, and in the hope that fills other songs. As Moldre sings at the end of Uwon'tcmeanymore "I'm alright, I'm OK/Everything begins today". The message is clear.

MICHAEL SMITH
Drum Media

I confess

It has been quite a while since my last blog

…and it isn't that I haven't had anything to say

Life has been full

I just haven't felt the urge to sit down

and spill the details quite yet

But

Here I am

We weathered the recent storms and survived unscathed

My little family have all had the flu

And for once,

since I can't remember when,

I haven't yet caught it

I'm still popping a lot of pills….

The healthy kind

So they must be working

I have a very clever iridologist to thank

He was the main person who helped me through my health crash

And so far things have remained good for me

Out of the 16kg that I lost

I think I may have put a couple back on

So that's a good thing…..

Yeah?

The main reason I'm writing here today though

Is to let you know about my new myspace page

Yes, it's finally happening

I'm well and truly working on my first solo album

This does not mean that HR is coming to an end

I'm just following a detour sign for while

Taking the tourist road

So

Over on my new page I will be regularly diarising

The making of the new album

All the gritty details

The funny stories about Prof Adam Lang

And his eccentricities

Of Reuben, GQ man of the year

Of Scott Hutchings, cool, calm and collected

Sister Sophie, graceful and usually as anxious as I am

Of guests Jamie from Bluebottle Kiss

And Tim Powles of The Church

Of Sydney's George Martin, Michael Carpenter

Of me and my panic attacks, nervous sweats

and smelly herbal teas

Well – Adam calls em smelly, like old socks he says

I say aromatic

I'll also regularly post new photos

of the album being worked on

And – when they're ready I'll post some new songs

I've added the new page link to the HR top friends list

So if you've enjoyed my occasional waffling

Please be a friend

Subscribe to me blog

Leave me some friendly words of advice

I'll be looking out for you.

Love

Mark

xx

It's been a while since my last blog

I think so much has been happening

that my brain is full

There was never that much room there anyway

There has been one major event in my life

And that's the birth of my second child

My wife, Jo, gave birth to Chet Moldre

Almost 4 weeks ago

I can't believe I just typed that

4 weeks have flown

Jo is extraordinary

She'd been having root canal therapy

and the day that her labour pains began

The packing that they'd shoved in her tooth fell out

So she had to go to the dentist and have it repacked

whilst in labour

Contractions only about 15mins apart at that time

But you know

She hardly batted an eyelid

Took it in her stride

Then toddled off and gave birth

My admiration for her was raised another notch

Then we spent a few days in intensive care with the little fella

His lungs were underdeveloped

And he was having trouble breathing on his own

So there were tubes in his mouth and nose and arms

And we couldn't pick him up for a couple of days

Waiting for them to work out what was wrong

Was a little scary

But now he's home

Safe and sound

And he's a brilliant little sleeper

Sleeps all day – wakes up for a feed and a little stretch

Then he's out again

Wakes up once each night

Thank goodness

Thank you so much for all your messages of congrats

 

Well there have been a few gigs too

We played our Central Coast launch at Lizottes

An acoustic show

By some Australia Post disaster our CD's did not arrive in the post

So we had a CD launch with no CD's

I dedicated "uwontcmeanymore" to our lost parcel

And that parcel still remains AWOL

We had a fun show regardless

We played a show to a large crowd of chatterers at the Gaelic Club

Supporting Toni Collette

They talked through the opening support

A cool little band by the name of The Model School

And the crowd talked through our set too

Whilst sipping chardonnay

Adam and I still felt we played a good show though (I hope so)

But a couple of nights later we really had a ball

Once again supporting our friends The Church

At the Basement

And no one even rattled a fork or raised a glass

Absolutely silent

which was wunnerful

Then our launch at Spectrum went off nicely

A modest lil' crowd (which is good for a Wednesday night)

And we had a ball as a band onstage

Adam and I were rejoined

by my old school chum and long time HR member

Shane Pex on drums

And the enigmatic GQ man of the year

Reuben Wills on bass

We played new songs and old ones

And got a little encore

The crowd seemed to enjoy it (I hope so – again!)

Can I say

without sounding like a vain moron

That there are some people who come to the shows

who I know have high expectations for us

And I also know that they are happy to call a spade a spade

The presence of our record company – Tim and Jane Powles

…and Tim also being the producer of many songs on the album

Well I know he'll always tell me if we're lame

And Michael Carpenter – also a producer I've worked with a lot

Well I know he'll say "Moldy, that sucked" if it's deserving

And often it is

But I was relieved to discover that Tim was beaming

And said we sounded "like an international band up there"

Michael was full of smiles and compliments

So can I say here – Tim, Jane, Michael –

thanks for all you've invested in us

And for your unwavering support

Also thanks to Kerri who worked hard for weeks before the gig

Going beyond managerial duties in an effort to help

And thanks to Mon for still being there

and helping out before and after the gig….

We couldn't do it without all your help –

We're lucky to have this bunch as our friends

Love to you all

I know that a lot of you who read the blog were there

So thanks for supporting us

and venturing out of the house mid week

We have one more band show

on the Central Coast coming up on the 20th

And then a little break whilst I finish my solo album

And start work on a song for a wonderful man

by the name of Tony Pucci

He's putting together an album to raise money for ALS

A disease which his sister is dealing with

Tony is providing instrumental tracks for a bunch of artists

To write words and melodies to

The album will feature Steve Kilbey, Tim Powles,

David Lane, HR

And plenty more

The album is to be simply called Songs For Jenny

I'll pass more info on about that at a later date

 

There are lots of funny stories that I could tell

The usual adventures of Prof Lang and me on the way to shows

But I'll save em or another time

When my mind isn't such mush

and I don't feel like I'm comin down with sumthin

To finish I'll paste a review that came in today for our launch

from fasterlouder.com

Lotsa good wishes and love

to anyone who has dropped on by for a read

Hitchcock's Regret Album Launch

Spectrum 4/4/07

It was always going to be a little risky throwing an album launch on a Wednesday night, but happily, the lure of a night out with Hitchcock's Regret was enough to break the midweek curse. First support Brian Campeau opened to a small but rapidly swelling crowd, and I'm glad I was there early enough to catch his set. Brian's an arresting performer; he matches an exotic percussive style of playing (tapping the strings, knocking the body of the guitar) with a soaring voice which put paid to any early chatterers. When he's on stage, a lone and humble figure pouring out his heart and ducking and weaving to his own inner muse, it's impossible to look away, and impossible not to be impressed.

By the time second support, astreetlightsong, struck up their first song, the crowd – a blend of fans, curious newbies and familiar music industry faces – had filled the room nicely. For all their youth, astreetlightsong is a very polished outfit, accomplished musically, with a couple of stand-out tracks that have earned their increasing rotation on FBi and Rage. I overheard a couple of onlookers murmuring that the band seemed a little too earnest, too serious about their craft and looking suitably intense, but I'm happy to put that down to youthful eagerness. It's a tough industry, these guys already know it, and they're ready to take it on. Flickering smiles between songs belied the too-cool-for-you exterior anyway – I predict that if we give them the chance to throw a few TVs in a few hotel pools, to relax and just enjoy the ride, astreetlightsong could make it all the way.

Headliners Hitchcock's Regret took the stage to genuinely warm and welcoming applause. Although they're still Central Coast based, recent supports in Sydney and Melbourne for high-profile bands like The Church, iOTA and Toni Collette have raised Hitchcock's profile, and tonight's album launch has been eagerly awaited by their burgeoning Sydney fanbase. I'm very pleased to say that they did not disappoint. The recent two-piece lineup we've become used to – singer Mark Moldre and music-whiz Adam Lang – was augmented for the launch by Shane Pex on drums and Reuben Wills on bass, and the sound was appreciably richer and more intricate for their input. For those of us who have never heard the full lineup before, it was the first chance to hear familiar and favourite songs as they appear on the album, killer songs like Sparks + Rain, Happiness, Your (Apathy) Is Killing Me, and the beautiful Last Day. Just to mix it up a little, they also threw in some tracks from their older albums (Jerry, and the indescribably gorgeous Milkwood Moon), and even a few new ones (Buzzing Of Bees, and Ferris Wheel). It was a real treat for fans to see Mark break out his glorious Nashville Gretsch and let loose his Rock Beast on blistering versions of Uwontcmeanymore, and encore Buried Deep Beneath My Skin. Although it can look a little incongruous to have a gent in his Sunday-go-to-meetin' suit kicking out the jams, it only takes a moment's attention to hear that these guys are much more than the gentle folky/pop outfit they can sometimes appear to be. As a fan, I can only say to that: more please!

Hitchcock's Regret proved once again to fans and novices alike that they're a force to be reckoned with on the Sydney music scene. With their videos for Apathy, Happiness and Uwontcmeanymore all on high rotation on local radio and Rage, it's not a question of whether these guys will make it big, only a question of when.

7 songs

I was tagged again by a coupla friends recently

And I thought instead of coming up with a new list

Of 7 odd snippets about myself

(I've already done that on my Mark Moldre page)

That I'd come up with 7 songs

that I remember along with defining moments in my life.

Or just songs that I've carried

in the pocket book of my heart  

These are by no means my 7 all time favourite songs

I'm no good at those kinda lists and they change daily….

these are just songs that have lived with me,

that make me feel something, that get me through tough times,

that travel with me on this well trod road

and being the nostalgic type that I am

it doesn't surprise me to look over this list and see

my sentimental heart…..

ps

Now, I don't mean the lame kinda sentimental, unmanly heart

no Hallmark cards and Bryan Adams songs

more like

the polaroids of your mind

fondly looking back

long gone summers

and scents that bring a lost thought home

Tom Waits, Ron Sexsmith and Paul Simon songs can rekindle

Times gone by

With a single line

Music has a wonderful way

Of making important events stay close in our minds

I've made up a mixed CD for my daughter

Full of songs that she chose

So she can start the relationship

Of songs to memories herself

 

Help – Help, The Beatles

When I was younger, so much younger than today

1979 in fact

I used to mime to Beatle albums with my two best friends

(we never had a Ringo)

I know I've described this to you before….

We'd charge our parents 20 cents each

to come on in and watch us,

dressed in suits,

hair brushed forwards,

red cellophane over the light bulb

and Beatle album covers stuck on the walls.

This is not my favourite Beatle song…

my faves are more like Hello Goodbye, Dear Prudence…

psychedelic era stuff.

But, this one brings back the clearest memory of Beatles II.

(Yeah, that's what we called it, original ay?)

And I always loved the urgency of the track

It'd make us jump around

Shake our heads

Lovin every minute of being 9 years old

 

Junk – McCartney, McCartney

This song encapsulates the side of McCartney that I love.

It's nostalgic, without being schmaltzy

(which seems to be difficult for him at times –

actually if I could point the finger

at someone creating my love of nostalgia

I think the blame would lie firmly at the feet of Paul)

the chord progression is classic McCartney

a minor descending bass line. 

It's a song that lyrically says nothing specific 

it's a general

and gentle

recollection of items left in an attic or at a garage sale or something

but almost everyone relates to its sentiment.

I play it often at solo shows

and if there was ever a song that I wish I'd written it'd be this

I once played it at a wedding reception for the bridal waltz

And although the guests had never heard the song before

Many eyes were filled with tears….

And that didn't happen because of me

it was Paul….

 

(Just Like) Starting Over – John Lennon, Double Fantasy

I can clearly remember the day John Lennon died.

It was 1980

I was 10 years old and shell-shocked.

I was such a HUGE Beatles fan at such a young age.

I can remember walking through the streets crying

with the frustration of knowing

that I would now never see the 4 of them onstage together.

I ran around from newsagent to newsagent

buying newspapers and magazines

with snippets of info on the shooting

or retrospectives of John's life.

So, now, when I hear this song,

without fail I see the skinny 10 year old

with the tear streamed face

standing aimlessly in Towns Rd clutching his wad of magazines….

I made up a scrapbook of photos and memories

which I still have to this day.

 

Out On The Weekend – Harvest, Neil Young

My parents drove an old brown Valiant

when I was a kid.

Dented, scratched, hot vinyl seats

and a really old fashioned cassette player

that took cassettes that were the size of video tapes

(almost)

The only cassette we had for it was Harvest…

so I played it over and over.

Out On The Weekend was the first track

and it has always remained clear in my mind.

That scrappy guitar strum and lazy harmonica

I hear the song and I'm in that car….

my Dad in short shorts and a blue, kinda crocheted singlet top.

My Mum in huge sunnies and white shorts…

the only other song that helps me see this period of my life this clearly

is Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone.

 

I'm So Happy That I Can't Stop Crying – Sting, Mercury Falling

This is by no means my favourite Sting song.

In fact I have travelled through being

a ridiculously fanatical Sting fan

to being a quite disinterested one

(apart from the announcement of The Police reunion).

But in 1996 I had the enormous privilege of getting up onstage with the tantric one and singing this song at The State Theatre.

That was a reeeaal moment for me let me tell you…..

Sting thanked me

and gave me a little bow from the stage after I had sat down…

when I think back to that night

I still get goosebumps and butterflies

I'm a geek and I know it

 

Chet Baker – My Funny Valentine

The very first time

I heard Chet Baker's voice

I was hooked

I listened to him at first

because I'd always heard his name mentioned

In sentences along with Miles Davis

I heard so much sadness and regret in his voice

Almost the voice of a lost pre teen boy

But at the same time there's darkness there

Chet led a tortured life – much of it self inflicted

Jazz musicians tended to lead even more volatile lives

than rock muso's did

At first he was the new pin up boy of jazz

A James Dean type

Hollywood was beckoning…

Then his teeth were knocked out

and he couldn't play the trumpet for quite a while

Then…drugs, jail

and the usual stories that accompany that lifestyle

Theft, addiction, shattered relationships

The deaths of friends to overdoses

And finally falling from a window to his own death

in suspicious circumstances in Europe

In his voice and his trumpet I can hear it all

It brought out a spooky tune in me called

Goodnight Chet

Which is on our latest record

And yeah, there's a trumpet solo

 

It's No Reason – The Church, Seance

Picking a Church song is a bit like picking a Beatle song for me

They were the soundtrack of my teen years – 1985 onwards

So many to choose from

And Steve Kilbey's voice was like the whisper of a sage

He sounded so spiritual and full of wisdom

When I felt uninspired, young and ordinary

But then this song inspired me to write my first effort

A very dull tune called "Grey"…

Lost now on an old cassette somewhere

It's No Reason

always made me feel like I was being spoken to directly

Like I was receiving advice

About life

and my place in the universe

 

Hmmm

This has started something with me

I may have Seven Songs the sequel real soon

Lots of songs that I've missed…and the reasons why they're special…

Love to those few of you who read my ramblings

x

Hey All

I've been really really really busy lately....playing lotsa shows...rehearsing, recording.....and of course the big day for me and my wife is looming....new bub due any day now

....a new blog on the way I hope, as soon as I have a moment to sit down and type....the further adventures of me and Professor Adam Lang coming soon.

In the meantime we just got this review in from FasterLouder.com:

Introducing themselves as "one half of Hitchcock's Regret", Mark Moldre and Adam Lang were absorbing, emotive and exhilarating. Blending traditional folksy acoustics, with intensely original lyrics and instrumentation, they had no difficulty drawing a hearty applause from an attentive audience.

From the lyrically sparse 'Buzzin of Bees' to the intensity of Sparks and Rain, HR beautifully weld electronic effects into very organic arrangements.

Strangely, it was not until Mark introduced Adam Lang on Suitcase that I truly absorbed the peculiarity of their performance. In place of a kick drum was an old brown suitcase. The snare was replaced by a biscuit tin with a dog chain baffled inside of it. The high hat was a brake disc from an old Yamaha motorcycle and the electronic effects came from a composite of commercial and home made devices.

Divorced from any idea of being a novelty act, Hitchcock's Regret exude a maturity and intelligence that is thought provoking and engaging.  While songs such as 'Jerry' were caustic, 'Ferris wheel' took us for a ride and wore a smile.

Promising to get us to the Church on time, the boys finished up with 'Apathy', which cannot be said for the audience.

The Church are not unfamiliar with The Basement. Their loyal following braved a rainy Monday night to watch them re-invent themselves for the infinitesimal time. The launch of their new album featured some of their strongest offerings new and old; unplugged and re-arranged. The follow up to the surprisingly well received El Momento Descuidado, El Momento Siguiente is a treat if their live interpretation is to be any guide.

After sorting some muffled backing vocals and a noticeable twang, The Church's infamous bottom end and rousing guitars were synchronised by the second track, Hotel. A pure jazz version of Reptile divided the audience, while Steve Kilbey's banter gained everyone's attention for perennial favourite 'Almost with you'. 

The Church seemed to wash in and out of their now default acoustic sound, while sometimes branching out to experiment with different devices. New arrangements, a guest vocalist and a petulant lead singer produced mixed results. Stalwart songs, such as 'Metropolis' and Tristesse, exercised their considerable weight as a band.

The highlight of the evening was Steve Kilbey's amusing interpretation of a Grey's Anatomy melodrama which featured their widely acclaimed anthem 'Under the Milky Way'. 

The final three songs, Grind, Unguarded Moment and Block expelled the audacity of the band. Scintillating handy work by Marty Wilson-Piper layered over the muscular bass and sledging beat of Steve Kilbey and Tim Powles created a wall of sound that seemed to send Peter Koppes' Steinway crumbling.

http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/events/8169/

 

 

Wow

The last few weeks have contained a couple of milestones

My little girl, Bronte

Has started school this year

I think it was a bigger day for Jo and me

Than it was for Bronte

The first moment of letting go

It was a tough and teary morning

Yeah I was a little misty under my sunglasses

But Bronte is a confidant little trooper

And after a few hesitant minutes

And a couple of unsure days

She became her usual ringleader self

Jo is still a little lost without her offsider

….but our new bub is due in about 4 weeks

So the countdown is on to March 14

 

 

On the musical front….

Hitchcock's Regret has a new manager

Those of you who read my blog

Will know Kerri from her comments

(usually she's giving me a hard time, along with Vi)

She's taking the reins

off this meandering bunch of layabouts

We're more than happy to have her onboard

And we have a launch coming up

on the Central Coast at Lizottes

Wednesday 28^th Feb

Followed by a Sydney launch in March

We'll keep you posted

These will be the first shows that we will have played

In a 4 piece line up for quite a while

 

Another important milestone

Well at least important to me

Is the beginning of something new

Anyone who knows me

Knows that I'm a pretty nostalgic chap

And it's been a wonderful thing

To start working on a brand new album

With some of my oldest and best friends

I'm hoping this will be a special collaboration

A wonderful reunion

Sometimes too much time passes too quickly

And you don't get to spend time

With the people that mean most to you

So the making of this album

Is a celebration of friendship

Scott, Sophie and Jamie Hutchings

Will all be involved in various ways

Scott – drums, Sophie – piano

and Jamie will do some post production

maybe a little guitar

and make misc noises

Jamie is the singer/songwriter of Bluebottle Kiss

…and Scott and Sophie

have both been involved in and with BBK

Sophie has also played

with Marty Willson-Piper of The Church

And Holly Throsby

Over the years

I've been friends with this lot since I was five years old

And we've played music together a lot over the years

I was once in a band called The Fallen Scarecrows

That was made up of me, Jamie and Scott

There are recordings of those songs lying about somewhere

We've played in jazz line ups together

With their very talented father, Lee Hutchings

He's played with everyone from Sinatra to Vince Jones

On the tenor and soprano sax, flute, oboe, clarinet, piccolo….

As very young kids we mimed to Beatle records

And charged our parents 20cents to watch us

Cellophane over the light bulb

Us in dress up suits

Cardboard guitars stuck to tennis rackets

Hair brushed forward

Vacuum cleaners for microphone stands

There is still photographic proof

We have a lotta wonderful history

But we never all made an album together

So this is exciting

Sophie's husband Reuben has joined us on bass

You will never meet a more relaxed and laid back person

He is unflappable

And his bass playing is laid back and effortless

So far behind the notes he's in another room

He's become a great new friend

And of course the professor Adam Lang

Will be playing his array of instruments

Adam is a new friend –

well, it's been a few years now I guess

He just seems like an old friend

He brings a Tom Waits vibe to the sessions

Suitcases, Theremins, bike parts,

chains, banjos and lap slides

Little electronic gadgets that he's strung together

He's become an eccentric legend in his own time

And of course my two wonderful producer friends

Will both be involved

Michael Carpenter and Tim Powles

Both these guys mean a lot to me

Michael the king of powerpop,

upbeat summers and jangle

Tim the timebandit making music full of

space, melancholy and

Questions about the universe

I've been blessed to meet such great people

Like Reub, Tim, Michael and Adam

Over the past few years

Anyway, all in all

This bunch will make up

Mark Moldre and The Waiting Room

And yes, we've already started recording

…so expect the next blog to be full of stories

Of the first two sessions…..

 

And don't forget…

We'd love to see all the Central Coast HR fans

At Lizottes on the 28^th

As we launch endless_intermission

….you'll also get to hear special guests

Sarah Humphreys and Mike McCarthy

To ring and book a table you can call:

4368 2017

If you're there please come on up and say hi

And bring me a camomile tea

(I hear it's pretty calming!)

Actually a few red wines will have the same effect…..

I'm not too experienced at doing interviews

I've probably only done about 20-30 of them

…and I'm a talker

I mean someone asks me a question

and I don't even really think

I just start to ramble

…and I enjoy good conversation!

Sometimes though I see the things I said in print

or hear them on the radio

and wonder

Did I say too much?

Did I give away too much of myself?

Will all my friends read what I said and think I'm crackers?

Blubber boy?

......ahem....

But there's a side of me that's really honest

I'm an open book

Ask me and question and I'll give you and honest answer

Regardless of how personal

The interview below was my 3^rd interview

with Michael Smith at Drum Media

And he's a lovely chap

Who's really easy to talk to

….and of course I jump in straight away

talking about my difficult year

Amongst lots of other things

Adam was standing close by as I was speaking on the phone

Cringing at my honest description

Of my recent health crisis (see my first ever blog)

My panic attacks when returning to gigs

My loss of confidence

Adam was there during all of that

Watching me down calming remedies before a show

…and me pushing myself to get back on the horse

Knowing that if I didn't

I just may not find the courage at all

My health crisis had stripped away my balance

I lost my centre

I don't need to go into details

…gotta keeps some things to myself hehe

But it was painful and scary

For a good 5 months

I lost 16 kgs in about 4 weeks

Could barely walk or sleep

And the fear of daily and intense pain

takes a toll on your nerves

The endless tests also take a toll on your psyche

As doctors search for all the nasties

that you hope you don't have

Tears were often very close to the surface

Every minute of every day

And my grip on just coping with day to day life

was slipping

Due to the fear of pain

one difficult moment was realising

That the 5 shows that we had booked in to play with The Church

Well, there was no way that I could do it

(not so important in the grand scheme of things I know,

But a looming disappointment just the same)

Luckily I have good friends

People who watched out for me and called me up

They slowly helped me out of the hole

You guys and gals know who you are and that I love ya

Many of them are Myspace friends

Maybe some of them didn't even realise how much they helped

But they did

I won't go naming everyone

Dare I leave someone out

But I will mention my wife Jo

who is a pillar of beauty and strength

My little girl, Bronte,

who did her very best to cope and look after me

She's only 6

My incredible parents and my sister

Watching someone experience intense pain and waste away

Is often worse than experiencing it yourself

Anyway, after that,

as I was getting better

Lotsa good things happened

Rage picked up all our film clips –

Apathy was even featured recently

In a 2006 retrospective

JJJ playlisted Happiness

FBi played all our singles

And we were asked again to support The Church

…and this time I made it.

Now we have some launch dates coming up for the album

So please keep your eye on our gig list

And this Thursday I start recording my first solo album

With a group of old friends

So I have lots to look forward to…

my health is still a delicate balance

a fragile thing

But I'm learning how to cope

and what triggers my problems

And the thing I'm looking forward to the most

is the birth of our new baby

…only about 7 weeks to go….

if you feel inclined to keep reading,

below is the interview I gave to Michael Smith

a few weeks ago…..

love to all

x

PS you may think this is all too personal….

particularly if you don't know me,

but somehow

(and I have a few friends who are avid bloggers and I'm sure they agree)

putting my thoughts down and throwing them out

into cyberspace kinda helps –

even if no one is reading a word…..

 

SINGING AWAY THE DARKNESS

 

It's funny how a songwriter can write about the deepest, darkest, most personal things and then stand onstage and sing them to 1000 people. Mark Moldre of Hitchcock's Regret talks to Michael Smith about doing just that.

 

"There were some lines that, when I was singing them occasionally I would wince a little bit, feeling a twinge or a memory," says Mark Moldre at performing songs from the band's latest album, endless_intermission. "The whole experience of making this record, when I came out of it, made me quite anxious, and I was becoming quite nervy at gigs and I lost a lot of confidence and that really took its toll on me for the first few shows, me having little panic attacks backstage."

 

The album was actually finished just over a year ago but "sat in the can" while Moldre recovered from a pretty serious and extended period of ill health, which included a couple of operations, and had begun manifesting itself during the making of it. Not that Hitchcock's Regret had gone into making the record with any real idea of just how personal endless_intermission would become.

 

"I think we've worn our heart on our sleeves in terms of influences a little on our last couple of records, so one thing  we really worked with this time was making an album

that sounded like us. We didn't really know what that was at first, and the first couple

of songs we were finding quite difficult, but once we got those two tunes out of the

way, everything seemed to flow really, really easily."

 

Then things started to get a bit wobbly. Though there was a lot of positive stuff going on – Moldre was also making an album with Michael Carpenter as The Supahip, and he was playing on two other bands – Hitchcock's Regret was itself splintering as a band. As the recording progressed, only Moldre and drummer Shane Pex were still standing.

 

"We discovered that Shane and I worked really well together just on our own in the studio, so there was a lot of discovery there. Plus we got to work with (drummer/producer) Tim Powles (The Church), who brought a lot out of us that I don't think we personally even realised was there"

The sound of this record is much more complex in texture, but that texture is also contextual, adding layers to the intent of the lyric rather than just merely being there to sound good.

"There's also a lot more personal material this time. Some of these songs are almost lyrical diaries and I hope that's given the record another layer of depth to go along with all the textural stuff, that there's some lyrical depth too. Part of that was driven by some of the health problems that I had at the time. I was really looking at myself and what I was doing with my life and relationships and all that; the important stuff I guess. It made me refocus and a lot of that came out in some of the songs, particularly songs like Happiness.

"I started feeling very sentimental I guess as you do when you're faced with your own mortality or whatever it is. Which is kind of what happened a few times when I was quite sick. I was doing a lot of just filling diaries with streams of consciousness thoughts, and then I started going through all the stuff that I'd written and pulling lines out and melding them into songs. So even the lyrical writing process was different this time round."

 

All of which contributed to those initial anxiety attacks when Moldre got back into band-mode and started gigging the songs. "After all the hospitalisation, I was feeling a little apprehensive about getting back up there and singing songs that were so personal. It does take you back there and there were moments, the guys will tell you, when I could feel the tears welling up, a lot of emotion that I couldn't control. But, as time has gone on, I can feel the old me coming back."

Thanks firstly to all of you who have been reading my nocturnal ramblings and commenting, I enjoy chatting with all of you. For all those who found yourselves thinking I'm an old fart whilst reading my last blog, well, you're probably right but check out this DVD release....at least I'm not the only one..this movie looks brilliant (thanks to Kerri for bringing it to my attention recently)

http://www.beforethemusicdies.com/

Anyway, I thought I'd pass on a little bit of the back story on the making of endless_intermission. So here goes....

endless_intermission is our 3^rd album

We had the privilege of working with two brilliant producers Tim Powles and Michael Carpenter

And I'm lucky enough to be able to say now

That the 2 of them have become two of my closest friends

Nothing seems to ruffle Tim,

he's the most cool, calm and collected person I've met

until he attacks a drum kit

MC is full of enthusiasm and always raring to go, it's infectious

often when we're meant to be working,

we just talk and laugh

My main partner in HR, Shane Pex,

also produced some trax on EI

I've known Shane a looonng time

HR was a four piece when we started out

And right up to the end of recording this album

we were a 4 piece

Been together, as a band, since about 1998

Actually Shane, his brother David and I

had been school chums

And had played in a band together as teenagers

But like anything in life, times change,

peoples situations change

and life goes on

So the 4 became 2

David Pex, our long time bassist

decided it was time to give it all a miss

And Paul Grant,

our pianist moved to Singapore to teach music

That left Shane and I

And HR became something new

A collective

Of what we had no idea….

Tim Powles joined us at a few gigs on drums

MC played bass for us at a gig

A lot changed, including our label

Our old label weren't keen on the new album

And Tim Powles and his wife Jane signed us up

Then Reuben Wills and Sophie Hutchings

played some shows with us

….and finally Prof Adam Lang,

whom many of you have seen play shows with me recently

joined the ranks

Shane Pex and his wife had a baby

and times were hectic for them

So Shane took a back seat for a while,

Though he was busy behind the scenes

creating our film clips...and did us proud

…he's raring to go again now though

Actually he'll be joining me at the Dekk Bar this Saturday

Anyway, I digress

The purpose of this blog

was to upload an old interview with all four of us

As we were recording the latest album

This goes back a couple of years ago

Before my health crashed and the album got put on the shelf

This interview was solely for our website,

but it has since been removed….

So here it is

a little of the back story of making endless_intermission

If you'd like a little more of the story

you can check out my storyboard drawings

depicting the making of the album

at our official website

we used the drawings as our press release

I plan to add some HR historical photos

to the myspace page soon

along with some shots of the recording in process

anyway, if you're so inclined

read on……

 

HITCHCOCK'S REGRET RECORDING SESSIONS

endless_intermission album no3

 

First up we should say that this record is a pretty different affair in that it's a true collaborative effort between HR and 2 producers  –  well, 3 really, as HR have  produced some tracks on their own as well.  The band has continued their successful and enjoyable run with Australia's very own "George Martin", Michael Carpenter.  This time around the band has also worked with producer Tim Powles. Tim has produced albums for The Church (he also fills the drum chair for the same band), Skulker, Stella One Eleven, The Camels, iOTA, Laura Imbruglia and plenty of others.  

 

Alfred's Lair (or "Is Shane Finally Losing His Marbles?")

"Alfred Hitchcock visited me in a dream and whispered repeatedly 'Hitchcock's Regret must have the space to be truly creative' so I awoke with the idea that Alfred's Lair, which is what our new studio came to called, would finally become a reality. (laughs)   So with the help of my brother Dave – who is a carpenter by trade – we knocked up some walls and filled them with stuffing – so that we could have our own studio space" - Shane

Stepping Into The Fuzz (or "Shall I Drench You In Feedback?")

Your Big Mistake – Session No1 – Alfred's Lair w MC – Sat 8 and Sun 9 Nov 2003

"On the first day we were all feeling a little apprehensive – we hadn't used the new studio space before and we were hoping to make a pretty different kind of record this time round.  But MC pulled up with a car full of musical goodies and before we started recording we had a long chat about the kind of music we'd been listening to lately and what sort of new sounds we were hearing in our heads, by the time we'd finished talking we were raring to go" -  Mark

"To keep the Alfredisms flying – if the last album could be likened to 'To Catch A Thief' then this album will be 'Vertigo'" - Shane

"We purposely attacked things in a different way – Mark started with a track of feedback, Paul played a simple repetitive keyboard part, I used more fuzz on my bass than I ever had before and Shane bashed away harder and straighter than ever before" - Dave

"As always though, the Hitchcock's curse had to rear its ugly head and we had some computer problems, we got them sorted but we lost about ½ a day. Although, as always we made up the time and got the work done, and working with MC is always a blast" - Paul

 

Farewell to Stagefright @ Five Dock (or "Do I really have to work out?")

Apathy – Session No2 – Stagefright Studios w MC – Sat 6 Dec 2003

"This trip down to Sydney will be our last in Michael's Five Dock studios.  He's been building a new studio along with producer Matt Fell. So it's kind of an historic day! Unfortunately, Dave couldn't make this session so we had to throw down a rough bass guide that he can re record later" - Paul

"After I put down a guide acoustic track – outside in the concrete staircase – Paulie and I went off for coffee at the gym across the road, we sat and drank it and dreamt of getting fit…..maybe for the next record" – Mark

"As always Mark puts down about 10 guitar tracks – he can't help himself – he played thru a mini Marhsall stack, and I mean mini! He used MC's Gretsch Duo Jet, Fender Jagstang and his Epiphone tuned Nashville style and mainly played thru an AC30. Meanwhile I played drums doing my best effort to channel Keith Moon…..did I succeed? I dunno…." - Shane

 

Dreams Of David Lynch (or "The Long Dark Night of Chet Baker")

Goodnight Chet – Session No3 – Alfred's Lair, Mark and Shane – Mon 22 Dec 2003

"I had an idea to record a song about Chet Baker after reading a book called Deep In A Dream. I've always been a HUGE Chet fan but the book painted him in a completely different light and I got a whole new insight to his persona and so called "cool" image. So I'm hoping the song turns out quite spooky and torturous. I'm also playing piano on this track which should be interesting as I can't really play" - Mark

"We'd wanted to make a track for a long time that felt like it had the feel of a David Lynch film. Hopefully this time we've nailed it. Mark and I always talk about tracks in movie terms. We've still got to throw down some drums, bass and strangely enough trumpet and clarinet – at this point Dave and Paulie are yet to hear the tune, hopefully they'll like it" - Shane

 

HR welcomes Tim Powles to Alfred's Lair (or "As the Church Goer enters The Fiery Temple")

Inkstain, Untitled No1, Sparks and Rain, Happiness – Alfred's Lair w TP – Mon12 to Thur 15 Jan 2004

"Coincidences!  Firstly we discover that Tim Powles has relatives that live in the same suburb as our studio is located – so Tim has somewhere to stay for the next 4 days.  Then at around 11am of the day of the first recording we received a phone call from Tim telling us to walk outside our house.  So – we walk out on to the road and there about 10 houses up is Tim standing on the side of the road waving.  Not only is he staying in the same suburb but it turns out that he has relatives that live on the same street!" - Shane

"I'd been a big fan of The Church since I was about 15, I used to play "Reptile" and "The Unguarded Moment" in a covers band that I was in. So when I was given the opportunity to write reviews for a website which was coordinated by Marty Willson-Piper I jumped at the chance – the site is called Newspaper Taxi. Anyhow, I sent a copy of Her Life In Reverse to Marty and somehow Tim also ended up with a copy. Someone also must have passed on a copy to Steve Kilbey and apparently Steve liked the album – Next thing was we were being discussed as a possible for support for The Church on their upcoming "Forget Yourself" tour. It didn't happen – nice thought though. Next thing was Tim turned up at our last gig at The Hopetoun and emails followed and, well, here we are with Tim working on  this record" - Mark

"We spent the first day in pre production with Tim, working out feels and arrangements for 4 songs. We were all a little nervous so to break the ice we suggested to Tim that he wear a bra on his head so as to make us feel less self conscious – Tim went one step further and pulled a sarong out of his bag, dropped his shorts and put it on. He stood in the middle of the room waving his arms and pointing like a bohemian orchestral conductor as we played. It turned out fantastic and I ended up feeling really relaxed" – Dave

"Tim pushed all of us out of our comfort zones and had us approaching the material from a completely different wavelength.  Pushing Mark harder with vocal takes, suggesting drum and bass grooves and forcing me to play in time. (laughs) Actually we were out of our comfort zones anyway because the temperature in the room was stifling – I mean, no air conditioning, 2 or 3 amps turned on, computers, preamps and compressors all running all in a room the size of a garage with 5 people all breathing out hot air!!" – Paul

The Return Of The Time Bandit (or "One Man Down")

You Won't See Me Anymore, Nothing Really Matters – Alfred's Lair w/Tim Powles August 29 -30 2004.

"The first day of the session Tim was running pretty late – so we had some time to kill.  We practiced our new tunes for a while, so as not to fall to pieces when Tim arrived, watched some TV, ate lunch….still no Tim….recorded a demo version of the song we were going to record that day….still no Tim…we really started worrying that we were going to get nothing done….then when Tim arrives he swings into action so quickly, listens to the demo and we start recording and finish drums and guitars for the first track before the day is out" – Shane

"This was our first session without Paulie, as he has moved to Singapore – believe it or not – so Tim played some electric piano on "Nothing Really Matters" – which is turning out great.  It was weird not having Paul in the room though, there was talk of hooking him up via the internet, so that we could see him on the monitor and he could record from over there….that just seemed too hard though.  I mean we have trouble getting gear to work when we're all in the one room, let alone with someone being 1000's of miles away!!" – Mark

"I'm in the middle of pulling down walls at my house, lately I'm always smothered in gyprock dust, my hands are cut up, I'm feeling pressured – I hate renovating.  But today I got to sit down with my bass and record a track with Tim Powles – drummer of The Church – behind the kit!  So for me today was a highlight. So the track "Nothing Really Matters" features Tim on electric piano and drums – Shane played a guitar track which was fun for him too" – Dave

Alfred's Lounge (or "Paulie's Final Gift")

Opening Credits, The Perfect Ending, Last Day, Buried Deep Beneath My Skin, Goodnight Chet - Alfred's Lair /w HR -Various Recording Dates between April and November 2004.

"Recording these tracks has been loads of fun….apart from one particular day that stands out which was filled with arguing….Paul was still around for Last Day and The Perfect Ending so he played some of the piano that will be heard on these tracks. He played a killer track on Last Day, actually he up and went to Singapore leaving us with his most inspired moment which was wonderful. Mark played a lot of keys on all these tracks and I played a little too.  I've been engineering and mixing these tracks, which has been a lot fun for me, and also the first time that I've been able to do so in this band.  I do have an engineering degree – there had just never been a good time to give it a go" - Shane

"We've had regular HR session guy, Adrian Chapman come in to Alfred's Lair – he played some clarinet on Goodnight Chet. A friend of ours named Darren Pedley came in and played some trumpet.  We also had a group of friends come in and sing a group vocal on a song called "happiness" – that's been one of the great things about recording in our own environment.  We've thrown some interesting instruments on these tracks too – thumb piano, autoharp, lots of vintagey keyboard stuff and this time around there's a lot more guitars" - Mark