After two years on the road, countless writing sessions, a name change
(yeah, you know from The Hive), various solo projects and many
hours in the studio, Baggsmen are jumping out of their socks
with excitement over the completion of their new album ELEVEN STAGES.
Viewing this record very much as the follow up to their well received
2001 debut album Curiosity Flow, which along with their almost
legendary live performances earned them a nomination for Best Debut
Artist at the 2001 Australian DMAs, a place on every major festival
in the country, numerous high profile international supports (incl.
Groove Amarda, Stereo MCs, Nitin Sawhney, Herbert)
and three high-rotation singles on radio stations across the country
(Cosmic Oversight, Thrill Popper,Yes:
I Bet You Have, ELEVEN STAGES was released on 1 September.
Eleven Stages covers vast musical territory. Departing from the
four-on-the-floor house beats of Thrill Popper and
Yes, I Bet You Have and the straight drum 'n bass of
Cosmic Oversight, Baggsmen have embraced various break
beat forms. Eleven Stages is a pastiche of hip-hop sensibilities,
cinematic soundscapes, Jamaican dancehall rhythms and rock performance.
The key to the fluency of the record is that, rather than using samples
of tracks of those styles, Baggsmen bring their own varied personal
musical influences to the way they play their instruments live – creating
their own unmistakable style.
The album heralds a new era in the production standards of Baggsmen.
Individually, Lachlan, Tony and Will have been
busy extending their production skills through solo projects and production
of other artists (from alt-country superstar Jenny Queen to RNB poster
boy Selwyn: seriously!). Coming together in earnest at the start of
2003 to start work on Eleven Stages, the boys felt confident
in producing a top record. They committed fat live drum sounds
to tape at world-class studios in Sydney and worked the rest of the
sounds into the night at Tony's own studio in Paddington, Sydney.
Unlike the quaintly lo-fi backyard shed recordings of Curiosity Flow,
Eleven Stages was mixed by James Cadsky ( Coldplay,
Bumblebeez, Alex Lloyd, etc…) at The Vault in Balmain.
Baggsmen have unearthed some exceptional vocalists to collaborate
with on Eleven Stages. The record features the lyrical flow of
Sydney MCs Rudy Jackson and Big Buxx who come together
as Lordz of the Fly on Eleven Stages’ first single Blown
Angels. Rudy's cheeky raps and deceptively huge voice is also
featured on the old school reminiscence of Hi-Top Days.
The schlock horror mega-anthem Long Strong Diamond is
host to the werewolf antics and verbal artillery of Jake Stone
– the only vocalist to perfectly blend sex, violence and comic genius
in one song. Seeing Jake do this live is a sight to behold… Sydney
vocalist Lior returns with another virtuosic performance bringing
together 80s new wave and his signature Middle Eastern verve on Watching
You. Vietnamese chanteuse, An, makes a cameo appearance on
Three Brands of Impossible.
Eleven Stages is a collection of songs with form, shape and substance.
Instrumental journeys like the nostalgic old-world soundtrack
The Straights sit comfortably next to the hip-hop meets rock
and RNB of Blown Angels and the 1980’s Bowie-esque
aesthetic of Eleventh Hour. While Curiosity Flow was a
set of tunes culled from live jams, Eleven Stages is a more determined,
intended recording – signaling a new beginning for Baggsmen as
one of Australia's most inspiring and musically ambitious bands.
Baggsmen will be joined by Lordz of the Fly, Jake Stone
and Lior as they tour the nation through spring and into summer.
Eleven Stages is out now through
Inertia Distribution on The Hive Label. Go grab yo'self a
copy!