Beddy Phil
The thinking person’s folk-ruffian, The Bedroom Philosopher (Justin Heazlewood) has the heart of a musician, the brain of a comedian and the face of a hot female character actor. He found himself dancing on the tables of the music industry in 2002 with a regular segment on JJJ’s Morning Show. His lo-fi idiosyncrasies resonated so much with their audience that when he released his debut album In Bed With My Doona in 2005, he took pride in placing in the Hottest 100 with his ode to absurdity, I’m So Post Modern. He quickly gained a reputation for stage annihilating live performances that were both “life changingly memorable and a cause for major concern.” An only-child steam train of ideas – he deftly spins a radical rumpus of wit, song smarts and madcap banter.
In 2007 The Bedroom Philospher formed his dynamic backing band The Awkwardstra to expand his sound. The band began with Melbourne based players Nature Boy Hazel and Mad Dog Rabinovici and now comprises of electric guitar / sitar (Gordo), percussion (Donny Maracas) and horns (Donald Trumpet and Audrey Horn).
The B.P. recently released his third studio album Songs From The 86 Tram which was nominated for an ARIA award. It was based on the multi-award winning show of the same name. (Directors Choice, Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2009.) The album showcases The Bedroom Philosopher’s ability to impersonate a huge range of suburban characters with depth and empathy, backing them with lively, genre-hopping soundtracks – think Chris Lilley meets Beck.
The first single Northcote (So Hungover) has been a cross-over hit, scoring high rotation on triple J, backed by a brilliant film clip directed by Craig Melville (Chaser, John Safran) and featuring cameos by rock royalty Tim Rogers, Kram and Angie Hart. The clip was video of the week on Rage and Channel V and has won two US film festival awards and the Australian Director’s Guild Award for best video 2010.
The Bedroom Philosopher has recently appeared on Spicks & Specks, Collectors and Gordon St Tonight, while performing shows at Falls Festival, Woodford, Queenscliffe and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. He has supported Tripod, Dan Kelly, Tim Minchin, Flacco and The DC3. As Justin Heazlewood he writes for Frankie, JMag, The Big Issue, Scrivener’s Fancy and Mess & Noise. He created Triple R’s sketch comedy show Lime Champions and played a young John Safran on Race Relations.
He currently lives in Thornbury with his 70’s tie collection.
HIS AWKWARDSTRA
Nature Boy Hazel – Bass
An academic, journalist and musician, Andy Hazel has played in several respected bands including The Ruby Suns, School Of Emotional Engineering (with whom he worked on a remix for Bjork), The Paradise Motel, Skipping Girl Vinegar, Sea Scouts and Kat Frankie. He produced the music documentary Acting Normal, co-founded Edinburgh venue The Forest and Melbourne record label Neika Records. Hazel holds a Bachelor of Health Science from the Southern School of Natural Therapies. His favourite colour is aquamarine.
Mad Dog Rabinovici – Drums
Perpetual student, Musician and Composer, Hugh Rabinovici completed his Bachelor of Music Improvisation from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2009. He has also undertaken intensive study of Carnatic Music at Vijnana Kala Vedi in Kerala, Southern India. M.D. Rab can be seen performing with such ensembles as Mamushka, Susie Blue, Watson/Liow Project And Uncle Dynamite. His culinary skills have been received with mild to vague interest amongst close friends and relatives.
Gordo – Electric Guitar / Sitar
Gordon Blake is a musician and transport engineer for the Melbourne City Council. He completed his BSC in Marine & Freshwater at Deakin University and Environmental Engineering at RMIT University. He is also a member of Melbourne band Vicuna Coat and has done guest recording work with The Triangles, The Boats, Van & Cal Walker and Go-Go Sapien. He is the Warrnambool B grade table tennis champion 2001 and Victorian interschool chess championship bronze medal winner 1996.
Donny Maracas – Percussion
Julius Millar is a composer and musician who is currently studying his craft at the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne. He
has contributed his musical talents to numerous bands in Melbourne, including
Sex On Toast, The Donaldsons And Combover. He has performed with Melbourne musical figures such as Adam Simmons, Bar Mackinnon and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. His other interests include pipes and scaffolding.
Donald Trumpet – Trumpets
Liam “Mr D.T.” McGorry is a VCA graduate, completing a Bachelor of Music (Improvisation). He has played & recorded with Felix Baloy (Buena Vista Social Club) & Little Red and is a member of successful Melbourne band Eagle & The Worm as well as Saskwatch. He teaches music and his interests include architecture and Chinese culture.
Audrey Horn – Trumpets
Audrey Boyle fronts the band The OMG’s and is a girl.
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A brief Q&A with The Bedroom Philosopher by The Bedroom Philosopher.
Hi, I’m the Bedroom Philosopher and today I’ll be interviewing myself:
Q. So tell us about…
A. No.
THE END.
Day two of my expose on the world’s most talented musician slash comedian. We are at his desk with a blocked nose.
Q. What was it like being on heroin in the 70’s?
A. I think you’re thinking of Marianne Faithful.
Q. Oh yeah. Do you know much about her?
A. No.
THE END.
According to his Wikipedia page, The Bedroom Philosopher is the fourth largest lake in Arizona. Talk about not trusting information on the Internet! I tried to do digging around to find extra information on this intriguing blight on the Australian entertainment landscape. Here are some friends and family members that I found through a basic police search and their thwarts.
His Mother: “As per my agents email, $4500 is my minimum fee. $2 is my minimum chips” (she works at a fish and chippery in far-east Western Australia)
His ex-Girlfriend: “We were going out six months and he didn’t even cut me a key to his share house yet. Having said that, the new album Songs From The 86 Tram is a bit of a genre defying marvel of fiercely intelligent satirical lyric writing, pitch perfect performances surmising the iconic nuances of modern Australia and the kind of full, smooth yet eclectic production you’d expect from Beck or the Pointer Sisters.”
His Band, The Awkwardstra: “Yeah man we’re like trying to make this organic fusion of like music and ideas and we want to have something to say you know? We have this unique opportunity and so we’re writing concept albums about things that are important to us like Melbourne Tram Culture and tuna fishing. Did you know that most canned tuna brands use wide-net fishing that also kills turtles and sharks? Ow, my overwhelming sense of powerlessness! Only one thing to fix that – Christian yacht-rap, 90’s style!”
THE END
IN CONCLUSION:
The Bedroom Philosopher rose to fame in 2002 and then some other stuff happened which involved him performing and people hearing him and some liking it and others not being that keen but enough radio talkers playing his songs so that eventually he was known enough to get a photo in the street press and have his arty friends get jealous and weird. Much like the Bible misses out a lot of what happened to Jesus between 12 and 33, we too shall skip to the chase and tell you more about the present happenings. There is an album of songs called Songs From The 86 Tram that The Bedroom Philosopher did. He is a funny music singer who is also clever and has quite nice cheekbones and a dimple. He plays with a band that has four in it and also a sitar and drums. Together it makes for a brilliant kind of presentation that is worth spending some time on, especially $50.
THEND
