SENSORY OVERLOAD - 2020 Highlights
Pictured: All the things! Some old ones too because, you know, it was 2020
Tom Wilson’s 2020 in a Teacup
Written by: Tom Wilson - Sense Music Media
2020 has been a bizarre year. It has tested our resolve, and forced us to think differently about how we live our lives. For me, it served as the perfect excuse to get back into journalism for the first time in over a decade, interviewing rock stars, celebrities and athletes. It’s been a year where some artists let me down, and others surprised the hell out of me. Compiling this list wasn’t easy. Even I am surprised by some of the results.
Best Album
RUNNER UP: VENOMOUS CONCEPT – Politics Versus the Erection
A savage, uncompromising tribute to old-school punk played by grindcore royalty, VENOMOUS CONCEPT came out swinging with an album that managed to do what so many 2020 big metal albums failed to do – be memorable. Lead single Lemonade set the tone early, and Politics Versus the Erection has been on my personal rotation all year. An exercise in thought-provoking velocity.
WINNER: CLOWN CORE – Van
Yep, I still haven’t shut up about the clowns. In a year where some of my favourite bands have released painfully boring albums – listened to a few times, then quickly forgotten – Van was 17 minutes of avant-garde jazz-grind insanity from two anonymous clowns I couldn’t stop listening to. Every time the end came around, I would start it over. Far from weird-for-the-sake-of-weird, Van is what happens when two supremely talented musicians decide to fuck with people, and it is clearly getting attention, because it took an interview with a Wiggle to top the traffic we got with this review. It seemed like everyone wanted to know more about these two. I implore you: get in the Van.
From “Business Clown”:
“THOMAS.
Because they do not speak, I don't know if the Clowns feel any emotions other than rage or deep sadness. But I do know that I, Business Clown, am moved that Van has been named your album of the year. It is an honor. That blue Previa certainly reeked of filth once they were done with it, but the resulting recordings did make for a powerful musical statement, which I personally think is worthy of being launched into space as a way to communicate to beings from other worlds.”
Frankly, I agree. Honk.
Best Interview
RUNNER UP (TIED): Michele Madden
Blistering insults, side-splitting humour and even tears of sadness – an hour on the phone with Amazonian metal warlord Michele Madden is never boring. One of the funniest, most brutal people I’ve ever spoken to, she let rip down the phone from her home in None of Your Damn Business, Australia ahead of her life-changing breast surgery this month.
RUNNER UP (TIED): Kevin Sharp
When Kevin Sharp, vocalist for grind legends VENOMOUS CONCEPT and BRUTAL TRUTH, told me that he had borrowed a gun off his friend to protect his home in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests in Atlanta, the gravity of the widespread unrest became apparent. Australians were watching the aftermath of George Floyd on TV. Kevin Sharp was living it, and he didn’t hold back in describing America in 2020. I would later ask him on Instagram who he thought would win the U.S. election. “Not the American people,” he answered. A brutal truth indeed.
WINNER: Anthony Field
When the Blue Wiggle told me that he had lost his religion, I was speechless. In an hour-long discussion about military service, mental health, mortality, and life as a famed children’s entertainer, full of achingly candid moments and raw honesty, this was the revelation that knocked me on my backside. This interview remains SENSE’s most viewed feature, and with good reason. At the end of the interview, he told me that he enjoyed our conversation so much, he might not need to do therapy that week. That is possibly the greatest compliment I’ve ever received.
Then, I saw this, and I could’ve cried:
Pictured: Twitter exchange between Anthony and one of his followers
Parenting achievement unlocked! I am Wiggle-approved!
The Mister Rogers Award for Nicest Person of the Year
WINNER: PROFESSOR ELEMENTAL
The steampunk MC who raps in character as an 18th century British explorer – complete with safari suit and pith helmet – Paul Alborough is without a doubt one of the most pleasant and accommodating people I’ve encountered this year. When he told me that he used to work with people with disabilities, my first thought was, “Of course you did.” Disarmingly polite, genuine, and endlessly knowledgeable about rap music, he offered to do the entire interview in character (which would’ve been exhausting). He even wore his safari suit. Ace.
The Prof on winning this most prestigious award:
“I am chuffed to bits to get an award like this. To be honest, as a working musician in 2020, I'm just pleased to be noticed by someone. if there's been one good thing to come out of this absolute dog nugget of a year, it's been the reminder that people are generally lovely. I've seen so many acts of kindness and community in 2020, that hopefully will carry on after the pandemic. Better days are ahead for us all. Hooray!”
The Henry Rollins Award for Best Work Ethic
WINNER: Gavin Brooks – 0% HATE
When a video message from Gavin Brooks popped up in my Messenger, I just assumed that it was spam. “Hey Tom, what’s up man? My name’s Gavin. I saw you were into ION DISSONANCE, which is one of my favourite bands. I recently put out a record that’s sort of inspired by them – it’s like mathcore meets technical death metal.” He held up a white-and-red cassette. “I’d love if you could check it out.” I soon realised that he had sent personalised video messages to thousands of ION DISSONANCE fans on Facebook – an absolutely staggering amount of work. I had to check him out, and ended up interviewing him for SENSE to promote At the Mercy of our Own. There is no substitute for putting the work in. The album rips too.
Gavin had this to say:
“Creating can become a very intimidating and daunting thing, especially when it is a focus of your life and you put all sorts of pressure on it. And despite that, it truly is the most valuable and rewarding thing you can do. Time spent making, building, writing, creating, is never wasted. Act on inspiration immediately.”