Fester Being Candid

Transcription from ABC radio broadcast 5/6/2004

Howard Katsenberg:   We have a special guest in the studio tonite: Roderic Fester who is one half of the Melbourne based duo ‘Smiling for Beginners.'   Welcome Roderic

Roderic Fester:   It is a pleasure to be here.

HK   Roderic, where were you born?

RF   I was born in small town in Eastern Victoria called Trafalgar, although much of my early life was spent travelling overseas with my mother and sister.   My mother was a make up artist with the glam rock band The Smoochers who had a very high international profile during the 1970s.   My mum Helen Fester was actually responsible for both the hair and the facials that spawned the glam rock look of that generation.

HK   Is age relevant and if so what is your age?

RF I can't really say if age is relevant… relevant to what? Relevant to me? Relevant to your audience… I am on the up side of 32.

HK   Before S4B what were you doing in the music scene?/What were you doing outside the music scene?

RF   I am not aware of there being a music ‘scene'.   I certainly don't consider myself to be a part of it if there is one.   I am part of the under underground arts scene which is a much bigger concept than just music.   The music scene implies the commodification of an artistic medium which I find personally repugnant.

HK How do you prepare for a gig?

RF   You know herbal tea, yodelling, root vegetables…that sort of thing.

HK   What are your main influences (both musical and otherwise)?

RF   I guess the Smoochers and that whole scene was so integral to my early artistic development that I see it permeating my song-writing and singing and my interest in combining macramé with pilates to this day.

HK Now some observers have described Smiling for Beginners as an avant guard pop-art band that mixes in doses of poetry, philosophy and jazz ballads.   How would you describe S4B?

RF  Again it is not really a band but a movement.   It's a point of convergence in my artistic continuum.

HK   How did you and GW Clothes Painter meet?

RF  It was early 2001 and I had been touring central America on a fact-finding mission and had the opportunity to visit Cuba, which was the very thing I was most eager to do.   And one night in Havanna GW and I met in a bar and discovered we were both from Australia and the rest will be well know to all of your listeners I am sure.

HK   What is your religion?

RF   I am fascinated by the interaction between Christian spirituality and post-modern fundamentalism.   I certainly don't see myself as a Hare Krishna.   I am opposed to those religious organizations, cults and movements that manipulate and patronise their members and label and marginalise dissenters.

HK   If I mention the titles of some of your most famous songs, could you give me a phrase that points to the deeper concepts behind your songs.

RF   I'll give it a go

HK   Just a kiss

RF   Pashing on can be both highly over-rated and highly under-rated

HK   I gave you my heart

RF   Only idiots make themselves emotionally vulnerable

HK   Vegetarian Indigestion

RF   The fable about the three billygoats gruff and producing stew

HK   Take me to Cuba

RF   That's where I want to be

HK   Africa in Time

RF   You'll need to speak to GW, I have no idea where he came up with that.

HK   Do you have any personal philosophies you believe are unusual, unique or not shared by very many other people?

RF   No.   Deep down I am just an ordinary Aussie bloke.

HK   What is a self-fulfilling prophecy, and give an example of one in a modern day context.

RF   People say they have low self-esteem and this talks them in to having low self-esteem when in fact they didn't when they started and only said they did because they were experiencing normal anxiety

HK   Is irony as expressed in Kleist an overused concept in today's society?

RF   No

HK   Roderic Fester: thank you for your time

RF   No worries

HK   That was Roderic Fester from Melbourne Act S4B and tomorrow night we will have the pleasure of meeting GW Clothes Painter.   The reason that we were unable to have them both here to perform for us tonite is the duo's well-publicised decision never to be in the same place at the same time…