Hi, Talei Wolfgramm here. My sister Eliza and I have been performing as The Wolfgramm Sisters, for around a decade now. In this time we have appeared on SBS RocKwiz dozens of times, backing up artists such as Wolfmother, Jet, Tim Rogers, Dan Sultan, Lanie Lane, Paul Kelly and many many more. We’ve also toured with Australian Legends and International One-Hit-Wonders for the Countdown Arena Spectacular shows and appeared numerous times on Good News Week. Our personal highlight was singing with Sharon Jones a few years ago, although performing at the MCG for the AFL Grand Final series was pretty ace too. In 2009 we released our self-titled debut album. We are generally working on solo projects at the moment but will be united for the Stones Exile 40th one more time! C’mon!
You’re taking part in the celebration of the 40th Anniversary release of The Rolling Stones LP ‘Exile On Main Street’, what should we expect from your involvement with the show? What tracks will you be performing?
Eliza and I will be joined by the super talented Helen Paterson for this show. Collectively we will be adding some femininity and class, BUT ALSO some awesome backing vocals for Nick Barker, Dave Larkin, Pat Carmody and Spencer P. Jones. Then, we will clean the floor with them when we step into the limelight for Let it Loose and Shine A Light. Ha. Just kidding Boys… or am I? ;)
What is your earliest memory of The Rolling Stones? (Maybe finding them in your dads record collection).
When I was a little lady I remember Dad buying Tattoo You. The cover of that album put me in a trance. I’d stare at it for hours on rainy days.
What’s your personal favourite song from the classic album?
Hmmm, Loving Cup. Nick Barker kicks it in the butt. But we also gave it a kick in the butt on our album. You should listen to it. Very sexy.
Who is your favourite Stones member and why?
Keith. I like his teeth. I like his scarves. I like his hair. I LOVE his riffs.
Have their been any fights or arguments in rehearsal over who would be performing particular songs?
‘Let it Loose’ pretty much scared the crap out of everyone, so I didn’t have to fight anyone. It scares the crap out of me too. And that’s why it’s a revelation to sing. ‘I Just Wanna See His Face’ was a funny one also. It’s sort of a moody jam that no one wanted to sing. It landed in Pat Carmody’s lap. There’s this backing vocal riff all the way through, that’s sort of harmonically wrong – but so right. If you count bars it’s a fuck up. You just have to feel it and swagger your way through.
What’s your earliest memory of performing and who inspired you to start?
One of my earliest memories of performing was at a biker pub in Fitzroy when I was 16. My band was discovered busking in Brunswick street by a toothless biker who said he’d pay us $20 each. We thought we’d made it.
Us Wolfgramm sisters wanted to be The Pointer Sisters. They did a song called Happy on one of their cool 70s albums. (Little did we know, Happy is a Rolling Stones song off Exile. We were on to shit before we knew shit.)
What’s on heavy rotation on your iPod right now?
Anything produced by Phil Spector. The Black Angels Phosphene Dream and Exile On Main St.
Do you have any particular ritual before you go on stage, or even a lucky charm you take with you?
It used to be a Sambuca shot. I’d have one and take one with me. But these days I’m a clean living Mama, so… I check that I don’t have baby spew on me and then I let it rip.
If you could curate your own festival, where would it be, who would be on the bill, how many people would you let in and what features would it have?
Haha. I don’t cope well with crowds, so I’d be the only person invited. I played the Big Day Out with Jet and seriously the best place to be is on stage. So I’d play a set… I might need a crowd for that? Ok, you’re all invited. Um, festivals are about discovering new bands, so the line-up would be a whole bunch of bands I haven’t heard of yet. SOOOO fresh, that even I can’t say who they are. Cos I don’t know yet. But they’ll blow my mind. And the festival would be somewhere exotic and warm but not too hot. Cos thigh chaffing is a bore.
Because it’s more fun to do things together, which living Australian artist would you most like to collaborate with?
I’m quite lucky to have played with many of my favourites already… but if I had to nominate one I’d like to do more stuff with Andrew from Wolfmother. He liked my voice. I liked his sound. I think we could do some far-out 60s psychedelic soul.
Which other artist involved in ‘The Exile On Main Street ‘ are looking most forward to sharing a stage with at Yarraville Club on Saturday 3rd November?
I love Ash Naylor because we’ve had him in our band and on our album and we’ve sung on his latest Even album. But we’re not on his songs. So, I’d say all three of us love Pat Carmody. He is a Rock God. But he is also one funny, funny man and a pleasure to work with. And Ladies, he’s alright to look at too. He’s dynamite.
The Rolling Stones’ Exile On Main Street – 40th Anniversary Celebration
SAT 3 NOV – YARRAVILLE CLUB
7pm Dinner & Show $45 (includes b/fee)
General Admission Tix ($25) are available now from www.cherryrock.com.au
