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Steve Bell, Journalist

Steve Bell

Many, many moons ago Steve Bell was unassumingly writing a small fanzine for the inner-city Brisbane record store where he worked when on one otherwise normal day he was poached into the cutthroat world of street press, embarking on an eye-opening journey interviewing bands and banging on about music for the street press publication Time Off. It's an association that's now existed for well over 20 years - including a decade full-time as the print editor for Time Off/The Music - and one which still provides him with immense enjoyment and satisfaction, even though in recent times it's nestled alongside other music-related vocations such as co-owning a record store and indie label, radio broadcasting and navigating the podcast world.

Features / Music
Photo by Cara Totman
Not As Much Goes Into A J Mascis Guitar Solo As You Might Think
Decorated rock’n’roll veteran J Mascis tells Steve Bell about dialling back the rock histrionics in his solo work, and how if you want something done properly, you sometimes gotta do it yourself.
Reviews / Album
Album Review: Robert Forster - Inferno
"[The songs] shine due to Forster’s inherent pop nous and ability to conjure lazy melodies and hooks at will."
Features / Music
Julia Jacklin's New Album Was Born From A 'Very Unnatural Environment'
On her second album, 'Crushing', Julia Jacklin gave the bells and whistles a miss. She talks to Steve Bell about life on the road, and the struggle between the need for space and the need for comfort.
Reviews / Album
Album Review: Martin Frawley - Undone At 31
"Frawley’s affable everyman charisma shin[es] throughout this no doubt cathartic opening foray into a new creative chapter."
Features / Music
With Kendrick Lamar & RHCP On Side, George Clinton's Still Got The Funk
George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic collective has influenced everyone from Prince and Red Hot Chili Peppers to Kendrick Lamar and Wu-Tang Clan. The legendary funk pioneer George Clinton tells Steve Bell how artists like those helped his band to "reinvent themselves".
Features / Music
'Still Here' May Mark The End Of Beasts Of Bourbon, But The Beasts Are Just Getting Started
After losing two members in quick succession last year, Beasts Of Bourbon are Still Here, if in a new form. Tex Perkins talks to Steve Bell about The Beasts' renewal.
Features / Music
Lucero 'Actually Give A Shit For The First Time In A Long Time'
Twenty years into their storied career beloved Southern rockers Lucero are embarking on their first Australian headlining tour ever, and frontman Ben Nichols tells Steve Bell how it’s now family rather than whiskey driving his heart-on-sleeve creativity.
Reviews / Live
Live Review: IDLES, City Rose
"Rock’n’roll dreams are made of nights like this, majestic punk mayhem with a conscience at its absolute finest."
Reviews / Live
Live Review: Calexico, Andrew Tuttle
"Long may they spread their inimitable and welcoming gospel."
Features / Music
Calexico: 'That Spirit Of Openness Will Hopefully Shine A Light' In Trump's America
Desert noir exponents Calexico have been dragged into the political sphere by their proximity to Trump’s proposed wall, but frontman Joey Burns tells Steve Bell that positive vibes are more important now than ever.
Features / Music
The Music 2018 Writers' Poll: Steve Bell
Here's what The Music's writers rated in 2018...
Features / Music
Toto: "We’re Not Just The 'Africa' Band"
Forty years into their career LA pop-rockers Toto have been catapulted back into the zeitgeist courtesy a Weezer cover, and guitarist Steve Lukather tells Steve Bell about embracing the madness.