Meadow Argus
Handcrafted Psychedelia : Space Rock as Folk Art
Biography
Meadow Argus
Australian psych folk freaks, Meadow Argus travel forgotten mountain tracks and narrow country lanes collecting imagined folklore and abandoned ephemera. Found sounds intertwine with bubbling synths, intricate acoustic guitars, and spaced-out electrics. Woven into a tattered and worn tapestry of pastoral acoustic abstracts, whimsical electronica, and sparklingly dark jangle fuzz pop songs.
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Hailing from the outskirts of Eastern Australia’s hinterland town of Maleny, traditionally Gabi Gabi and Jiniburra country, Meadow Argus infuses elements of traditional psychedelia and space rock with themes common to the folklore and balladry of the British Traditional Folk Revival. Although a certain rural whimsy pervades the extended, cinematic pieces, the music still glimmers with power and invention.
Main songwriter and producer, Jevan Cole is an interpreter of folk music, songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist whose musical output has always veered towards the dark corners of the human psyche. As well as drawing from the deep well of traditional folk music and lore, his compositions are influenced and informed by mythic literature, esoterica and ecological soundscapes. His songs blend the earthy with the esoteric, dirt with space, logic with spirit. He is also a gardener, field ecologist and environmentalist.
Jevan Cole
Meadow Argus is the studio-based project from Australian guitarist, producer, and audio tinkerer, Jevan Cole.
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Following a brief stint in the mid-80s with Brisbane Psych-Pop kids, Baton Rouge, Jevan dove headlong into 30 of years of performance and recording with a series of bands that could loosely be described as 'folk', 'trad', or even 'art / trad / folk'.
During this period, he released 10 albums with various acts: One Straw, The Charlie Moorland Trio, Ragged and in various collaborative combinations with Seamus Kirkpatrick (vocals, wind), and Jan Van Dijk (fiddle).
The years spent immersed in this music culminated with “Cole and Van Dijk's" critically acclaimed second album, “Sins of a Li'l Later Kiss”.
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After the subsequent promotion and touring of 'Sins…', the pair hung up their stage glitters and went their own ways.
While Jan jumped into the burgeoning Brisbane gypsy jazz / a' la Django scene, Jevan dove down the rabbit hole of psychedelia, early electronic, and wyrd-folk; all genres that had piqued his musical heart early in life.
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At his home in the bucolic hinterland town of Maleny, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, a shed was transformed, gear was begged, borrowed, and recovered from long lost recesses of old, dusty cupboards and Meadow Argus was born.
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Through the new-found freedoms of individual practice, occasional collaboration, and absolutely no deadlines, Cole created an imaginary sonic world inhabited by the ghosts and aliens of soundscapes collected from years of musical exploration, collection and wonder.
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And while all of the new flashing lights and twirly knobs truly captured his attention and imagination, his deep and abiding affection for acoustic music remained, resulting in a gloriously messy cross pollination of genres and sounds.
With nods to the giants of musical innovation, exciting new protagonists and, of course, the most wonderful outliers in the folk / psych / wyrd world, Meadow Argus emerged, fully formed and ready for flight.
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A Potted History of (mis)Remembered Events and Highlights
From Meadow Argus backwards in time to Baton Rouge with some favourite tracks
Meadow Argus (2017 - Present)
Instruments, Singing, Field Sounds, Production
With:
Ellie Dalton: Vocals, Organ
Emma McDonald: Saw
David Megarrity: Vocals, Guitar
Nick Lavers: Modular Synth
Rob Longstaff: Percussion
Kaitlyn Hold: Guitar
Audrey, Django, Coby, Maia: Ebow Drones
Coby Cole Stegman: Vocals
Lizzie O'Keefe: Theramin
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Releases:
Fish Dreams the Universe (EP - 2019)
Hats for a Hollow God (EP - 2018)
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Small Engine Chorus (2019 - Present)
Effected / Affected Guitars
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With:
Nick Lavers: Modular Synth
Releases:
Phosphenes Vol. 1 - Re/Structure (EP - 2020)
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Cole and Van Dijk (2002 - 2013)
Acoustic Guitar
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With:
Jan Van Dijk: Fiddle
Releases:
Sins of a Li'l Later Kiss (CD - 2012)
Tunes of Curly Nature (CD - 2003)
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Performance Highlights:
East Coast Canada Tour 2013 - Folk Alliance International, Toronto to East Coast Music Awards, Halifax.
including Concerts with "Diesel", Old Man Leudecke", Vishten, Dave Gunning, Andy Brown, Tim Chaisson.
East Coast of Australia Tour, 2012. With Vishten, Andy Brown, Tim Chaisson, Andy Gunning
QFF Festival of Small Halls Tour 2012 with Rose Cousins and Jordy Lane
Featured artist, Closing Concert, "Atlantica Pacifica", Woodford Folk Festival, 2012, 2013
Featured artist, Fire Event, Woodford Folk Festival, 2013
Featured artist, Fiddler's Concert, Woodford Folk Festival, 2012
Live Collaborations with MacMaster / Hay, Josefina Paulsen, Vishten
Support slot for Seamus Begley and Jim Murray, The Powerhouse, 2006
Support slot for Sharron Shannon, The Powerhouse, 2006
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Woodford Folk Festival
Apollo Bay Music Festival
Fairbridge Folk Festival, WA, 2013
Port Fairy Folk Festival, Vic, 2013
National Folk Festival, ACT, 2013
Mullum Music Festival 2012, 2013
Woodford FF Site Plantings and Program Launches
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Other Highlights
2 Nominations for Best Song at the 2012 Queensland Music Awards:
Red High Chair / Old Leaves and a Cold Cree
Got me all at Sea
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The Charlie Moorland Trio (2001 - 2006)
Acoustic Guitar
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With:
Seamus Kirkpatrick: Vocals, Clarinet
Jan Van Dijk: Fiddle
Releases:
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Performance Highlights:
Featured artist, Woodford Film Festival - Live improvisation to Buster Keaton Movies
Live Collaborations with Ewen Mackenzie (Gypsy Jazz Guitarist)
Live Soundtrack to "Brown Room" theatre production, 2006
Woodford Folk Festival
The National Folk Festival
Tablelands Folk Festival
Apollo Bay Folk Festival
Port Fairy Folk Festival
Brunswick Music Festival
Woodford Plantings and Program Launches
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Ragged (2003 - 2005)
Acoustic Guitar
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With:
Jenny Fitzgibbon - Vocals
Jan Van Dijk: Fiddle
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Releases:
Live at the Powerhouse (CD - 2003)
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Performance Highlights:
Support slot for Martin Wyndham-Read, The Powerhouse, 2002
Woodford Folk Festival
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Cole, Kirkpatrick, and Van Dijk (2000 - 2006)
Acoustic Guitar, Octave Mandolin
With:
Seamus Kirkpatrick: Vocals, Clarinet, Flute, Whistle, Acoustic Bass
Jan Van Dijk: Fiddle
Releases:
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Performance Highlights:
Featured artist, Guitar Concert, Port Fairy FF 2001
Woodford Folk Festival
Hervey Bay Folk Festival
Port Fairy Folk Festival
National Folk Festival
Brunswick Music Festival
Apollo Bay Music Festival
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Jevan Cole and Seamus Kirkpatrick (1996 - 2000)
Acoustic Guitar, Octave Mandolin
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With:
Seamus Kirkpatrick: Vocals, Clarinet, Flute, Whistle, Acoustic Bass
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Releases:
Feet Marked by Change (CD - 2000)
Gamins and Grandees (CD - 1998)
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Performance Highlights:
Support slot for Richard Thompson, The Tivoli, Brisbane 1998
Support slot for Bert Jansch, The Tivoli, Brisbane 1997
Live accompaniment to Hervey Bay FF Fire Event 1997, 1998
Live accompaniment to Harvest Rain's theatre production of Bocaccio's 1347, outdoors at the Mt. Cootha Botanical Gardens, 1996
Woodford Folk Festival
Hervey Bay Folk Festival
Port Fairy Folk Festival
National Folk Festival
Tablelands Folk Festival
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Solo Performances (1994 - 1997)
Acoustic Guitar
Solo fingerstyle guitar instrumentals
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Releases:
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Performance Highlights:
Support slot for Bert Jansch, The Aussie Nash Hotel, Brisbane 1996
Featured artist, Guitar Concert, Woodford FF 1997
Woodford Folk Festival
Helidon Folk Festival
The National Folk Festival
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The Toothfaeries (1993 - 1994)
Mandolin
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An early, pre-recording, pre-publicity line up of Brisbane's Feral Funksters. Lots of fun gigs - 4ZZZ Market Days, Hervey Bay Folk Festival, Cafes, Bars, Green Left Actions etc... I bailed at the first mention of seriousness...
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With:
Marcello Milani - Vocals, Guitar
Grant MacMillan - Vocals, Guitar
Robert Pound - Bass
Ben Ely - Congas, Vocals
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One Straw (1991 - 1994)
Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Percussion
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With:
Annie Deller - Vocals, Silver Flute
Michael Peterson - 12 String Guitar, Mandolin, Glockenspiel
Bill Rodgers - Wooden Flute, Celtic Harp, Whirly Tube, Whistles, Percussion
Steven Stanley - Double Bass
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and an earlier, brief incarnation with:
Chris Burton - Acoustic Bass
John Edwards - Congas
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Releases:
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Performance Highlights:
Support slot for Fairport Convention 1992????
After party gig for De Dannan, 1991
Maleny Folk Festival (1991, 1992, 1993)
Cabarlah Folk Festival
Helidon Folk Festival
Pangola Rainforest Festival
Hervey Bay Folk Festival
Port Fairy Folk Festival
National Folk Festival
Tablelands Folk Festival
Residencies at The Valley Markets, Petrie Markets
Lots of Medieval Fayres and Weddings
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Baton Rouge (1986 - 1987)
Electric Guitar, Phasers, and Paisley
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With:
Ian Walker - Vocals, Bass
Sean Koerner - Guitar
Tod Lindemann - Drums
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Releases:
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Baton Rouge (3 Track Demo Tape)
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Performance Highlights:
Various seedy bars and parties around Brisbane whilst still underage:
The Outpost
The Love Inn
St. Paul's tavern
Rochedale Scout Hall
Backyard parties
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