The April Maze Blog

lucky to be alive after nightmare flight!

The April Maze — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:00:18 +0000

Holy shit! Today I almost died. We were headed to Sydney for the Northern Beaches Music Festival. Traveling on Virgin flight DJ895. Flight was delayed by big storms in Melbourne. At 10:32 the captain announces we are half way to Sydney. He explains that the 11pm sydney airport curfew is an iron clad law that must be obeyed by all aircrafts. It looks as though we will arrive right on 11pm. And If we don’t land by 11 we will have to return to Melbourne! I turn to Sivan as she returns from the lavatory – and say you’ve got to be fucking kidding me! Holy shit. I have never been in a plane that had a sense of rushing through traffic like a took took driver in bangkok! It’s 1052 captain announces in a rush of words. “Cabin crew prepare for landing” Cabin crew are running to their seats. 1153 bam! the plane bolts downwards at a 30 degree angle… Fuck me he’s going for it! 1156 same thing again. I have never felt this fast so low to the ground before! Sydney buildings are flying past us! Shank down we go again ferociously toward the ground. Sivi takes out her headphones, turns off her tv screen and blurts “if we are going to die I want to spend our last minutes together, not watching sponge bob square pants!” We gaze deep into each others eyes and share a feeling of exhilaration, with asense of real life-and-death fear. Holy shit we are coming in fast! As the wheels hit the tarmac at 10:59:45 the plane bounces to the left then to the right. Our seats are the second row from the back so our vision is all these people in front of us, with their heads and shoulders bobbing back and forth in as the plane hurdles and bounces along the run way. Is this really happening! Are we risking our lives just to make Sydney’s airport 11 o’clock curfew! Fuck this. This is Ridiculous!! I can feel my chest in the pit of my stomach. As the plane finally slows to a normal pace the hostess says over the loudspeaker “welcome to Sydney, we made it with only sceonds to spare.” Hoorayyy The cabin exploded in applause everyone letting out a big sigh of relief along with cheers of delight!!! Wooo hooo! we are alive.. Was by far the scariest flight of my life! And an experience I will take to the grave.

xTodd

x Todd

T-Bone steak with Jam

The April Maze — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:28:36 +0000

here’s a little article about the Gulgong Folk Festival…

http://timberandsteel.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/gulgong-folk-festival-wrap-up/

the T-bone jam was amazing – but needs a little more explanation… Basically the story went like this… Massive electrical storm hit Gulgong and took out the power in the town.. Myself, Sivan, Steve Russonello and John were starving .. we searched the town for a cooked dinner, a sandwich, anything but everywhere we went said “sorry powers out”. The supermarket was closed as their tills require electricity… as we walked past one of the many pubs in town a classic aussie was calling out “come play us some music!” we said “have you got any food?” and the reply was “ahhh we have raw steak and eggs”… after a little deliberation we decided it was worth investigating.. turned out he was true to his word and the publican had a gas barbie and said he had some food he would cook us if we played some songs.. so we did. after a little tension between us folkies and the seemingly hardened locals.. we started up singing with banjo guitar and harmonica.. and they loved it! So we had broken through with a bit of country folk and blues and out came the free beers and T-bone steaks! There’s something special about performing acoustically when the power is out – no pokies, no TVs, no juke box, just the acoustic music, candle light and the people… is a special thing.. I think that’s what folk music is all about. It was an experience no one there will ever forget.

Needless to say, word got around town that there was free steak for muso’s, so the pub filled up and the jam went crazy – I was up on the bar playing banjo, Nello was blasting harp, John was cranking lead guitar, Big Erle was holding it all down while Matt Southon used the corrugated iron wall as a washboard.. on the last song Trevor came in with his real washboard! Man it was incredible!!! – the locals were dancing and going wild, and the barriers had been broken down… until closing time. x T

Hello Goodbye

The April Maze — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:02:50 +0000

Boom! Half of January gone just like that!

Gulgong Folk Festival was so much fun. folk festivals are definitely where it’s at.. so much can happen in a weekend it’s incredible! Highlights included

attending a song writing workshop with Anne Kirkpatrick (daughter of the great Slim Dusty) and Bill Chambers (Kasey’s dad)

hosting a spontaneous workshop with Sydney folk band The Lurkers

late night jam circle’s up in the rotunda at Red Hill where we passed the guitar after each song and everyone had a chance to share a song, story or poem
And just meeting new friends on the circuit and catching up with others that live the world of folk music just like us!

Our Next festival will be the Northern Beaches Music Festival held at Narabean, in Sydney. Then a couple weeks after that its over to Western Australia for the Nannup Music Festival which is shaping up to be AMAZING! Really looking forward to FINALLY exploring a little bit of the western side of this massive country.. unfortnately its going to be shorter than we hoped, but all the more reason to get a taste and come back for a more extensive tour at a later date. Ningaloo reef and the kimberley’s must be done at some point!

And its looking like come 2013 we will finally get over to Canada and Europe for some shows and I already can’t wait for that!

x Todd (& Sivan)

2012 the year of the …..

The April Maze — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:10:01 +0000

Happy New Year! 2012 is going to an AMAZING year in history of the earth! So we’re starting the year enjoying some time out playing music in the country! Enjoying the simple pleasures that life offers, reflecting and projecting…. and writing out our New Year resolutions. This has been a tradition since I first became friends with Sivan. On the firts day of the year we like to find an inspiring or just plain comfortable place to spill out all our dreams and goals onto paper. The idea being to get the most out of the year ahead both in a personal achievment sense and in regards to where we want to take our creative endeavours. Memorable mantra’s we have lived by so far and continue into each new year include ‘less is more’ and ‘health before money’. I have a feeling the creative goals will be stepped up another notch in 2012… and the word community will have even more importance than it has in the past. Yes we are both very excited for what lies ahead…

Our next show is up near Mudgee in a little country town that lives for quality food and wine called Gulgong, NSW for the Gulgong Folk Festival (http://www.gulgongfolkfestival.com.au/) on Friday 6th January. We’re looking forward to spending the weekend checking out other bands and artists and jamming and sessioning with fellow muso’s as much as possible!

Peace out, Todd xox

Everyone’s a winner!

The April Maze — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 04:51:17 +0000

Hello Friends!!

WOOHOO!!!! We just recieved an email from Movember International, to let us know that we won first prize in the Moscars in the category of Best Movember Music Video!!!!! (to see it go to http://youtu.be/35ecPHIUel8)

After having a little celebratory dance in the kitchen we have decided that a bigger celebration is in order so we will be having a moustahe party to celebrate. Keep an eye on our facebook and twitter pages for the details!

We would like to thank everyone involved – especially Joshua Levi, for filming and directing! To watch our video, and all the other winners Click Here!

After winning such a prestigious award, life indeed does go on…and Xmas/Hanukah/New years is coming up – the good news for you is that EVERYONE’S A WINNER!! Yes that means YOU too!

You see, recently we had 1000 Album Samplers printed (a CD featuring 4 tracks from the Album ‘Recycled Soul’) with the idea that YOU could order as many as you want (well, up to 5), and give them to friends and family, who you think will like our music, as a little gift! the best part is it is 100% Free! Click here to place your order!

Over the xmas/new years break we will be mainly retreating to write some new material, but will be keeping in touch online! Keep an eye on the website for any upcoming shows! 2012 is looking like it will shape up nicely. We have had some big ideas, so we can’t wait to share them all with you!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Lots ‘o’ Love
Sivan and Todd
The April Maze
www.theaprilmaze.com

Living the dream in our kombi camper!

The April Maze — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:24:30 +0000

Sivan and I have just spent a couple days refurbishing the inside of Shirley! After years of talking about it we finally ripped out the old fridge and stove to make more room for band equipment and clothes, so we will have some more breathing space in our camper van! So when we need to pull over for a nap we don’t have to play tetrus for half an hour just so we can put the bed out!! AND its amazing how much lighter she is – so hopefully this will save a little fuel too! Next job will be to pul up the old lino floor and timber floor, rust proof the metal floor, and lay new ply wood floor with funky vinyl tiles so she looks like new as in 1976 again! But that will have to wait – tomorrow we continue on the open touring road…. its 9 hours drive to Adelaide, then 17 hours to Sydney and another 12 hours down the beautiful east coast back to Melbourne… We plan to take our time and not drive more than 4 hours a day and make some video blogs of our life on the road, writing songs by camp fire and so on as a potential practice run for a much bigger journey up the West coast of Australia next year! Stuff dreams are made of! xoxox Todd

revamp of shirley's cupboard space!

Its Movember again!

The April Maze — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 10:30:10 +0000

Hello friends!We are so excited! On Wednesday night we hopped on a Melbourne tram and recorded a LIVE video for Moustache Man! This is the song that we wrote to help promote Movember – and we are so happy that it is already up on the world wide web to share with YOU!

Here is the youtube link: http://youtu.be/35ecPHIUel8

Please Please Please check it out and SHARE it with all of your friends, forward it, like it, comment on it, tweet it…whatever you do best! It is lots of fun and promo for a really great cause!!!!

And now we are hitting the road again! See below for upcoming shows!

Lots and Lots of Love to you…hope to see you at a show very soon!!

Todd and Sivan
The April Maze

www.theaprilmaze.com

THIS WEEKEND!!! : Nov 18 – 20 – Commonground Festival, VIC

Sat Nov 26 – S.A. Folk Centre, Adelaide, S.A.

Sat 3 December – The Shack – Narabeen, NSW

Sun 11 December – Yarra Glen Grand Hotel – VIC

Fri 6 January – Gulgong Folk Festival, NSW

Mar 2 -5 – Nannup Music Festival, WA

Nov 19, 2011 Add comment Share

Its frustraing being a mute!

The April Maze — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 06:44:05 +0000

Its quite frustrating being a mute! With 30 hours left until a planned live video (in which i sing.. details here)-

This is the note i wrote for the doctor in the waiting room today (I always leave going to doctor as a last resort…

—–

Hello – I have lost my voice.

I can whisper but is important to rest my voice as I am a singer.

Have had a raw sore throat and been tired since last Friday. I have been gargling with salt water and Betadine throat rinse and drinking lots of warm water with honey and lemon and the odd by of garlic.

My throat is feeling better today but now I have some phlegm and blocked nose.

I am a singer so my throat needs to heal as soon as possible. please help me.

Thank you!!!

Do you think I am contagious ? Will my wife and friends catch it?
—–

Thankfully the answer to these last questions were No! As usual I found myself in another unfamiliar – new doctor surgery (I have not used the same doctor twice since I left home many years ago)

And the majority of patients and staff are speaking a foreign language. So after filling out the usual ‘are you dying of any of the following’ forms, the doc calls my name and I follow him through to his room in silence. He asks me a few more questions.. my silence is awkward as he is not looking at me. Unable to answer I gesture that I have lost my voice and pass him my iPhone. He reads the note, takes a look in my ear and my throat and says ‘yes you have de nasty virus,’ are you okay with penicillin?’I answer with a nod as he recommends an injection of antibiotics as well as a weeks dose of tablets! I think to myself ’holy shit!’ I avoid antibiotics at all costs and now I’m getting recommended it intravenously and orally! Not being able to discuss makes it hard for me to accept – but at the same time I have been on honey lemon and garlic for a week and am worse off than when this bug started.. I have no time left so I’m gunna go for it! After getting the drugs from the ‘farmacia’ i return to wait around for my turn again.. now the waiting room is packed and there is only one doctor on… so here i am writing this blog on my iphone. oh Oh my name is being called for the injection – in my bum – Ouch!

From the road to the nest! Our journey continues….

The April Maze — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 10:24:14 +0000

G’day Earthlings!

Hope all is well in your corner of this wonderful planet! We have been busy settling into a cozy share house in Brunswick – Melbourne, which has involved building our very own Queen size loft bed (we built it with our bare hands and its 2m off the floor!) and furnishing a room with the few possessions we have. I can’t express how good it has been good to give Shirley, our beloved kombi van, a rest and be in the one place for more than a few days! Since arriving back in Melbourne we dropped by to visit the crew at Balcony TV for a chat and a sing and here is a link to the video! http://youtu.be/1_dunSxg3Xo

We are in the process of writing some songs – which we are super excited about, and we can’t wait until they are ready to share with you!

Meanwhile the gigs continue so we can keep some food in our tummies and some clothes on our backs in these beautiful yet chilly Melbourne winter months.

Last week we were asked to play the support for Ash Grunwald’s Melbourne show at The Corner on Friday 5^th of August (this Friday!)– which we cannot wait for – it is our first time playing at this iconic venue and it’s going to be a wonderful night! We open the night for Ash at 8.30pm!

We also play the Wesley Anne on Sunday 7^th August for ‘Letter Box’ event with a bunch of talented Melbourne Muso’s! Woop!

AND for those of you in Queensland – we are coming up for a visit and we will be playing a show in CAIRNS & Yungaburra. We will be playing a special acoustic dinner cruise show as part of the Cairns Festival (see poster attached for details!).

For upcoming tour dates see below and www.theaprilmaze.com If your not already getting our mini blogs and latest updates jump on our Facebook Page www.facebook.com/aprilmazemusic and www.twitter.com/theaprilmaze

If you have a minute please forward this email onto any friends that you think may like our music…… and we’ll see ya when we’re lookin’ at ya!

Love Todd (and Sivan)

The April Maze

www.theaprilmaze.com

Tour Dates this week:

Fri 5 August, The Corner, Melbourne, VIC
(support for Ash Grunwald w/ Kram on their Road Dog Diaries Tour Tickets $22 + bf from The Corner box office (03) 94279198 Doors open 8.30pm)

Sun 7 August – Wesley Anne, Northcote, VIC (with Broni, Jehan, + more bands + shadow pupperty plus home cup-cakes and honey joys more details at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=120681971360182)

Sun 14 August – Belgian Beer Cafe Bluestone, Melbourne, VIC, 3-6pm

(featuring guest saxophonist from the Album Recycled Soul ‘Jason Chalmers’)

Sat 20 August – The Village Chapel, Yungaburra QLD

with support from ‘Shells’ (tickets on the door $20/17conc for more details or bookings call Michael 0405 279 045 or michaelspiralee@gmail.com)
Sat 27 August – Cairns Acoustic Dinner Cruise, Ocean Spirit Cruises, Cairns QLD

with support from ‘Shells’ ($79 all inclusive see flyer attached – for more details contact shelleyspiralee@gmail.com or 0410 240 762)

Sun 11 September – Island AID Fundraiser, Wesley Anne, Northcote, VIC

(For more details see http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=222592404451765 )

Fri 4 November – The Front – Canberra, ACT
Sat 5 November – Woden Valley Festival, Canberra, ACT

2-5 March 2012 – Nannup Music Festival, W.A. (more W.A dates to be announced)

For more details and all tour dates see http://www.theaprilmaze.com/tour

From the Gold Coast to the Snowy Mountains!

The April Maze — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 05:50:57 +0000

Wow! Time flies when your on the road!! Been way too long since we have had a chance to update our tour blog. So i’m making the most of some seriously good internet here at a good friends place in Sydney, and getting some photos uploaded from the past few months! check our facebook page (www.facebook.com/aprilmazemusic) and click on photos. Sivi and I have spent the last 10 weeks on the east coast (mainly in NSW) touring our most recent radio single ‘The Protest Song’ and what a ride it has been! It has been awesome to soak up some warmth and get our music to new ears. We are now on our way to the Snowy Mountains for the music festival there (www.snowymountainsofmusic.com.au).. so its time to get some warm thermals and i’m on the look out for a funky 60′s/70′s woolie coat!!! We have some new songs on the way, and i can hear Sivi playing cello right now so i am going to go and join her! More soon,

Lotsa Love,
Todd (and Sivi)
xoxo