Issue #2

Interview with Ludo’s Hard Hittin’ Drummer, Trina.
by KJ Elizabeth

Wollongong band Ludo first came to my attention some years ago when their debut CD ‘Idolised puppet’ found it’s way to my pigeon hole at 3SSR FM in Melbourne. After a line-up change the talented foursome produced another two demo cds and they too became a regular feature on the ‘Indie Show’ play list. The band popped by the 3SSR studio’s earlier this year during their mini tour of NSW and Victoria where I understand Ratcat featured regularly in the Ludo tour mobiles! With the next issue of Pretty Ugly upon us I thought I time to delve into the mind of Ludo’s drummer Trina to find out more about Ludo & drumming!

When did you start drumming?
I started getting lessons at the beginning of high school. I got my first drum kit a 60’s yamaha four piece from my sister six months later. She gave it to me as a gift after I performed in a high school play. I was snow white who turned evil, my first and only leading role.

Do you play any other instruments?
I got into piano really young but gave it up when I was around 10. Five years later I sat down and just jammed out some moody stuff I made up and really liked it. I found I could actually play so I kept doing that, just writing my own stuff. I also own a couple of electric guitars and an acoustic, a few keyboards for my DJ stuff and I also got a violin last year, I’m pretty crap on that though. I saw Naomi from Mick Hart’s band play violin and feel in love with the sound, I went and got one a week later.

Why did you decided to play drums over other instruments?
I enjoyed hitting things

How would you describe Ludo’s music?
Baroque’n'roll

Could you tell me a little about Ludo, when the band started etc..?
It started in 1996 as an all girl band called Medusa. I was playing in another band called Koven with Andrew at the time and thought Medusa could use another guitarist. Andrew came in 98. Alicia former guitarist left early 99 and we thought a name change was in order as there was another band called medusa rotating around in Melbourne. The band changed name to Damiana and then went on to become Ludo, named after Medusa’a first and only demo recording. The name was taken from the movie the labyrinth..Alex entered early 00 left mid 00 and then Toby entered in mid 00 and Tanya left late 00. Dan entered early 01 and that’s how it is, from an all girl band to a all male band, oh and me.

Could you tell me about the band members?
Toby = rock guitarist, drives a panel van, can give good head (on a beer).
Dan = pumps the bass, sonic youth fan, the chicks love him.
Andrew = just got a job at a comic book store, likes singing and guitars, loves the taste of a bourbon and cola

Do you have any recordings/demos available?
We released a EP in ‘98 called Idolised Puppet its still available in some stores, or you can get it from us. With this line up 3 recordings have been done. One is crap, the second is good the third is good but not as good as the second. These are not available in shops only from us. They haven’t been released in jewel cases yet or with booklets, just burnt and boring discs with a bit of artwork.

Early in 2002 Ludo did a mini tour of VIC/NSW/ACT, could you tell us a little about that?
We started the tour in our home town of Wollongong and set down to Nowra, bummed around in Ulladulla for a couple of days before heading down to Tathra. Melbourne and Geelong was next then up to Canberra and out to Newcastle and back down the south coast.

We played with a few different bands along the way including Kilter, French Clock, Puss’m'Meow, Forte, Audiophile, Afterglow and Mousemoon, each band was very different to the next so each gig was really interesting.

The fun and madness, there is always so much of that I don’t know what to say. This is something you tell over a few beers because there is way to much to write.

Challenges, well besides for all the mixer trouble we had it went OK. We left with a buck and came back with a $1.10, its a slow improvement, but if we keep doing a tour a year we should have enough to buy a couple of guitar peltrums by the time we are 80 or so.

Any memorable gigs on the tour?
Lets just say the most memorable experience on the tour was at Tathra Pub a few nights after we played when the band decided it would be fantastic to get a photo with the huge mechanical whale called winky which happened to live on top of the bottle-o. It was all going well until the security guard spotted us scaling the building with the aid of a trailer filled with empty beer cases. Andrew jumped down into the high end of the trailer causing it to lift up and start rolling, Dan managed to jump on the other end to stop it rolling away, it stopped only literally a metre from the edge of the cliff. Toby slashed his wrists on the tin roof and everyone thought he attempted suicide. Meanwhile I just pissed myself laughing.

What is Ludo’s most memorable gig?
All the ones were there isn’t a drink rider, I seem to remember them a lot better.

Are you involved in any other bands besides Ludo?
I compose my own electronic/acoustic music through the computer, I go under the name DJ Getdown. I have been compared to Aphex Twin a bit. I haven’t done much on that stuff lately though. I have also been asked to do a few side projects around the W’gong area, just working out what I think will work and what wont at the moment, but I really love jamming with other people, I have done heaps of these mini projects, to many to name.

Do you have any other interests, projects/hobbies outside of the band?
I study graphic design and new media at uni although I spend most of my uni time at the uni’s pub. I also enjoy listening to music, hanging with my house mates and friends preferably at the pub and watching live music at the pub. Oh and I love the Karaoke (at the pub).

Do you have any advice for any one wanting to take up the drums?
Buy your neighbours some ear plugs.

Now here’s the standard “what’s it like being a chick in a band” Question
It’s sensational. When I see a cool guy I want to chat up I have no competition hehe… Besides for those odd times when Dan thinks he is a raging homosexual.

Have you ever had some weird reactions or experiences due being a woman in a generally male dominated music scene?
Arrrr feminism questions. Ok then: I would be lying if I said I have ever had someone say first “are you the drummer” when you say you are in the band and not holding some sort of drum paraphernalia. It doesn’t bother me though about that, there isn’t that many chick drummers out there compared to chick bass player for instance, its just a statistical guess.

What I find funny though is the look people give you when you say you are the drummer in a male based band, not many people think you are going to be good, but after the show they always came up and just say ‘wow’ and normally follow up with some stupid line like “you drum better then most guys I’ve seen”. I know they don’t mean anything by it, they just can’t believe a little chick half their own height and weight can bust out a big fat beat. I always pretend I’m offended though and they buy me a beer to make up. Like most women I see my gender as an advantage not a disadvantage. If I was a guy would you want to do an interview with me? I don’t know maybe, but you couldn’t ask me these questions!

What are the band’s plans for the rest of 2002
We are writing more songs and sparatically playing gigs around NSW. We would love to go on another tour but first we want to release an EP with previously recorded tracks and add a couple more new songs on, we just need some money to fund it.

What are your hopes for the band, would you like to get signed?
I guess it is heaps rock to say ‘No we don’t care about getting signed” but that is a fucking joke. We want to keep doing this for a living, tour Australia and overseas, release stuff, spend time recording and jamming and drinking. We know we need to get signed to live this life, the question is how much will we pay to get signed. The answer is we are open for inspiration from a producer, agent but the song writing credit is totally in our name and judgement, we wont change a song if we don’t want to.

Where are people likely to see Ludo play (areas/venues)?
Wollongong is a good start and NSW. We have no plans for interstate touring for the rest of this year as of yet.

Are there any hot and happening local indie bands you know of that you think our readers should check out?
There are so many great W’gong bands, along with a few shit house ones but I’ll mention a couple of super groups.
Traces of Nut - great fuzz rock sound, awesome live shows, heaps of energy, I compare them to Girls against Boys and early Filter.
Thumlock - have just broken up but i still reccomend getting at lest one of their recordings. They sound like Sabbath giving birth to Kyuss.
Doubled (the band) - The singer Deaton can get his voice to do fucking amazing things, very irish, tribal sounding of course all over dubbed with rock. Other notable locals include, Dropping Honey, Hee-Haw, Monsterous Blues, Pancake Day, Free Flow, Puss’m'Meow, Kenada and Fugg.