In These Hands Vol.1
Shane Oliver
Podcaster, Photographer
(The Shane Oliver Experience)
QLD
Loudmouth: Hey man, first up, tell us a bit about who you are, where you’re from and what you do?
Shane: So my name is Shane, I'm based in Meanjin (Brisbane) on the Southside. I moved up from Grafton when I was about 5-6 years old and had a pretty standard childhood. I currently run a page called 'The Shane Oliver Experience' which started just as a podcast for local musicians to plug their tunes and shows but I've sorta morphed it into a collective of photography, promotion and still keeping on with podcasts when I have the time.
Loudmouth: What was it that first pulled you into hardcore and gave you so much passion for it, and how old were you at the time?
Shane: I would've been around 13/14 at the time I discovered System of a Down, it was that typical 'There's nothing heavier!' moment which inevitably grew much, much heavier haha. Now when I went to my first 'metal' show, that changed everything. it was so much better to hear your favourite tracks live like Misery Hymn from The Red Shore or Cursed by Carpathian.. so I'd say when I was 13, I was exposed to the heavy, by 15/16 I was loving every minute of every new band I could find. This was right before Facebook took over too! So it was the Myspace era.. my god I found so many good bands on that, the structure for it and for bands was so much better too
I saw them [The Red Shore] at least half a dozen times in the day, not the og lineup sadly, but with Jamie and with Chase(Chase was in Before The Throne back in the day who were my absolute favourite localish band from the goldy)
Loudmouth: I remember them days well man! These days though, you’ve been smashing out the podcast for roughly 4-5 years? What keeps that spark alive to keep it going?
Shane: Holy shit it's been that long!? Jesus hahaha. I mean in the first couple years absolutely the passion was strong and I was really keen on getting the spotlight on the local bands that would never usually get a chance to do this sort of thing. It was an easy platform to promote on and it gives the artists something to use as their own promo or for their friends to listen too etc.
When the world went into lockdown, that's pretty much where the regular podcast scheduling died out and it was just about getting an episode out when I could and not catching the spicy flu hah. The passion for podcasting is still there of course, it's just not as often as it used to be and these days I've been more focused on building a photography portfolio of all the bands I've taken shots of. I'm a sucker for Black and White shots as well so if that interests anyone just swing a message when you're up in the sunny state!
Loudmouth: I’m a sucker for the b&w live photos so you can count me in! It’s good watching the podcast grow into something more though, I know you said it formed this way by accident but do you have plans to further grow the “Shane Oliver Experience”?
Shane: Thanks man I appreciate that. I actually do to be honest, but it'll take a bit of time to get the ball rolling. I'd like to turn all of this into a band under the same name as well as trying my hand at putting on a couple shows for later in the year. It's all a process and just getting around to it really, with everything else going on at the moment (work, parenting, trying to maintain a respectable amount of serotonin and so on. I'm not rushing those plans yet, but it is definitely the goal with TSOE in the future to incorporate all these things under the one name.
Loudmouth: You’re a busy dude! Quickly on the parenting though, your son and his smile is absolutely adorable! You’re an incredibly lucky man. To balance family & bands is crazy hard though.
Shane: Ahaha the good looks have done you in thats my boyyyy
I am incredibly lucky to be graced by my kid's presence. Now more than ever though the focus has to be on him you know? So if shows or photo gigs are missed so be it hey. And also credit where it's due, Jay (babymama) has been smashing it, as well as playing in her own music group, coparenting can be tough but it can be done.
Loudmouth: Y’all balance the work/band/family life well my man! Gotta respect that.
You’ve got a hectic cassette collection, where did that all begin? What was the first tape?
Shane: Adam [Team Glasses Records] gave me one of his Vestiges cassettes and Terra Maters Holocene Extinction ii when we recorded his episode years ago. I didn't really have that much interest in getting them until the pandemic rolled through to be honest, but since I've started I cant stop haha. There's just something really cool and raw about getting tapes, it's an easy way to support the artists as well.
Loudmouth: Do you prefer tape, cd or vinyl?
Shane: I do enjoy my vinyl, but I'd be lying if I didn't say tape haha
Loudmouth: Have you ever played in bands in the past? What’s your weapon of choice?
Shane: I tried to get one going a few years back with my mate Matt before he moved down to Melbourne called 'Get Bent' . It was a simpsons themed thrash/hardcore crossover combo that didnt have any songs over 2 minutes haha.
My weapon of choice would have to be the guitar but I do like dabbling with vocals. I used to get singing lessons back in the day as well covering frank sinatra bangers and so on etc. I absolutely still plan on testing the vocal range in the future too for sure
Loudmouth: Yo that’s my type of band. Dope name too so you gotta make that happen!
What’s been getting played recently in the world of Mr Shane Oliver?
Shane: Well it just might be what a live TSOE band could sound like?
Oh man ive been jamming some great aussie bands at the moment, the hardcore/heavy scene has got so many solid bands playing at the moment. Bands like TOY, Entrapment, Blind Girls, World of Joy just to name some Brissy bands. Outside of QLD it's just as good atm, Speed taking off in Sydney, I'm massive on The Chain, Fever Shack from Melbourne and Kid Presentable from the ACT. If anyone tells you the music is shit here they can go sniff their own farts cause the quality of tunes coming out right now is incredible.
If we're talking international, honestly just go watch some hate5six videos, I check that out everyday for my favourites and for finding the new rage.
Loudmouth: Random question time - If you had to take your celebrity crush out on a date,
A.) who would it be?
B.) what would you do?
Shane: Id take out Jason Momoa on an axe throwing date purely because I want to challenge him at it. During the lockdowns I took up axe throwing, got my own board at home as well. Also the man is gorgeoussss
Would bang 10/10
Loudmouth: Yo yes I wanted to ask about your axe throwing actually. So much for wrapping it up! How did you get into it all and what is the trick behind the perfect throw?
Shane: So I picked it up probably about 6 months into the pandemic, businesses started to open back up to a certain point and my friend suggested we go do it to kill some time, what else was there to do right? I grew up playing a lot of sport so I got the hang of it pretty quick, I throw in a league comp every monday night and honestly it's been a lifesaver for my mental health.
As for the perfect throw it's hard to say, I've got so many little rituals I do before, during and after I throw but lately I've found limiting/focusing your breathing right before you throw has stepped my game up so much.
It helps me to relax my shoulders (I tore my shoulder about 8 years ago and every now and then it locks up on me) and it's good at helping me reset
Loudmouth: That’s so sick that’s it helps both physical and mental health as well as just being a damn gnarly interest.
Last but not least, feed us your socials, and if you want to give any more shout outs/plugs, get it!
Shane: There's a Lumberpunks in Perth, highly recommend if you get the chance sometime
I’m rarely on facebook these days but you will definitely catch me on Instagram. My podcast is available on pretty much any platform, and if mine aren’t any interest to you go check out the other poddies under the That's Not Canon Productions website who gave me a to platform to do this.
Shout outs include: Team Glasses Records, Life. Lair. Regret Records, Last Ride Records, Blackblood Audio, Thrillhouse, Plant Based Disgrace, Idle Ruin, Entrapment (4215 forever). Anyone who has been kind enough to join me for the podcast and for those who have used my photos, it means a lot to me and I appreciate those who support The Shane Oliver Experience
Loudmouth: Thanks so much for giving me your time homie. You always got support from Loudmouth and I’m so keen to see the next chapter for The Shane Oliver Experience.
