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Sounds
From The Underground
"When we go to places like Kazakhstan where nobody ever,
ever goes, we’re mobbed like The Beatles because they’re
so pleased someone’s turned up to play there,” TRANS-GLOBAL
UNDERGROUND’s HAMILTON LEE tells ANDREW TUTTLE.
In early 2003, disillusioned with the music industry, Trans-Global
Underground’s Hamilton Lee and Tim Whelan were left with
two options. Let their departure from Universal terminate their
career, or soldier on independently. Fortunately, they chose the
latter option, and set to work creating Impossible Broadcasting.
The result of an intensive year of creation, Impossible Broadcasting
is alive with world-dance-fusion grooves, and continues their
unique talent at discovering relatively obscure talent from far
flung locations (Malian rappers Tatapound and renowned Bulgarian
vocalists Trio Bulgarka) and collaborating with them.
Trans-Global Underground’s departure from Universal meant
that they operate on a tighter ship financially, however the total
autonomy over their product more than. Despite the increased workload
on their hands, Lee revels in the knowledge that Trans-Global
Underground’s niche fan base will actually be able to purchase
their album locally, wherever that may be.
“It’s a slow process when you’re doing everything
yourself. It’s great that we have total control over its
[Impossible Broadcasting] release. Our last album Yes Boss Food
Corner was released by Universal worldwide, and although we got
a release in certain territories, the people in other countries
don’t know about us and didn’t sign us, so they couldn’t
be bothered. Now we’re going to individual licensees in
each country, so they care a lot more about it and want to release
it rather than are obliged to.
Trans-Global Underground’s history of unconventional live
performances have seen them visit exotic and unconventional locations
including central and eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia, The
Middle East and Africa alongside more conventional locations such
as America, western Europe and Australia over the past decade.
These experiences have highlighted the diverse range of audience
reactions worldwide.
“We’ve played some great shows in places like America,
but when we go to places like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and
Hungary, it’s different again because people are a lot more
open and receptive. There’s a lot of new music there and
people aren’t so jaded. Then when we go further to places
like Kazakhstan where nobody ever, ever goes, we play a couple
of places and we’re mobbed like The Beatles because they’re
so pleased someone’s turned up to play there. It’s
pretty wild, and over the years we’ve found ourselves in
really strange and exotic lands.”
Although this will be Trans-Global Underground’s third visit
to our shores in the past four years, Lee stresses that due to
the ever-changing nature of the band’s sound, Australian
fans will be in for a treat.
“Expect the unexpected. Because we’ve been there a
couple of times before, some people might have an expectation
of us, but we’ve got a more streamlined lineup now. We’ll
be presenting stuff from this album and some oldies.”
Asked for his perspective on the future of Trans-Global Underground,
Lee points to the varied history of the group as an indication.
“With an outfit like ours, we get invitations to strange
places and never know what’s around the corner.” Andrew
Tuttle
Trans-global
Underground play The Zoo, Brisbane December 9th and The Gaelic
Club, Sydney December 10th
