4 Questions – We ask 4 questions!

Great Gallery
Of Minds

INTERVIEWS WITH LEADING EXPERTS

ABOUT

THIS SITE IS ABOUT GETTING INSIDE THE GREAT MINDS FROM AN INFLUENTIAL MUSICIAN & RECORD LABEL OWNER THROUGH TO A SOCIAL WORKER

WE ASK ALL OF THEM 4 QUESTIONS. READ BELOW TO SEE THEIR ANSWERS.

NIC DALTON – LEMONHEADS & HAC

We speak to Nick Dalton ex Lemonheads bass player/songwriter and owner of the legendary Half A Cow Records.

Interview With Nic Dalton

1. How did you get into music and why did you choose to take it seriously or did one thing lead to another?

I’ve loved music since I was a kid and always thought I’d make music my living when I ‘grew up’. My school friends all assumed I’d go to art school but I just started playing music (in Canberra in the early 80s). So it just happened, year in year out. Being in bands, writing songs, recording them.

2. You’ve been in some of the most influential bands both here in Australia and internationally what would be the advice to people to follow in similar footsteps?

I don’t think anyone could follow in my footsteps. Everything is so random and full of sliding doors and what-ifs. If I hadn’t met Stevie Plunder and Elmo Reed, through them I met Robyn St Clare, through her I met Tom. If I hadn’t filled in for Robyn in the Hummingbirds I wouldn’t have met the Lemonheads and so on. The only advice would be: be yourself, finish that song and don’t dick around your bandmates and always remember the stage crew’s names.

3. Half A Cow has got to be one of the most influential label/stores that broke a lot of music locally in Australia and internationally why do you think it did and how has the landscape changed since it started in comparison to now?

Everything changes all the time and, since Half A Cow has been around for thirty years, there’s been a lot of changes. The main would be cds/digital/streaming/web coming along and changing the way music is consumed. For me, that has meant having to find other ways of making money, hence not having the same quality time to spend doing the music. Half A Cow (both shop and label) may have been ‘influential’ but they both never got out of the red and were/are very time-consuming. Despite this, I have enjoyed helping out bands over the years, but I would change a thing. If I could turn back time, there would be no Half A Cow Records.

4. What does a day in the life look like in the Nic Dalton world today?

I wake early and am doing work (Half A Cow, booking bands at the Petersham Bowling Club) until breakfast, then it’s usually TAFE (studying to be a librarian) or more HAC/PBC. Most days also involve some songwriting, four-tracking, digitising the archives (cassettes, four tracks), getting releases ready (both mine and other acts). Plus looking after a three year old, face-timing my 11 year old, feed the chickens. After dinner, If I’m not four-tracking, I’ll wind down with some TV. I read a lot too, have my whole life. Until a couple of years ago I would be addling doing art (mainly painting) but I’ve been too busy lately.

INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD KAHOTEA – CREATIVE DIRECTOR & ADVERTISING CREATIVE –

RK CREATIVE

Interview With Richard Kahotea

1. How did you get into creative adverting and why?

I fell into it. I’m a former banker that lost interest in that industry and was looking for a fresh start. I saw an ad in the paper that said ‘ Tired of the boring corporate world? Give us a call’. I was, so I did. I quickly discovered advertising was the rock and roll of the business world and fell in love with it.

2. What is your process when approaching an advertising brief?

If the strategy is good the obvious becomes blindingly obvious. Typically I start there. Then spread your thoughts out. As long as there’s a thread that ties you to the strategy it’s good. However, the mark of a good idea is you don’t immediately see the strategy. I also have the ending sorted before the start – meaning how I want the audience too feel or takeaway from the ad. Then work backwards from there.

3. What should all creatives do to evolve skill sets and improve

1. Copy. Paste. Repeat.

Do what you do until you do it well.

2. Don’t ever stop asking ‘What if?’ because chances are someone else will and they will reap the rewards of thinking big.

3. Surround yourself with likeminded people and share. Ideas are good in your head but even better in the open.

MORE TO COME

This is an ongoing series of interviews with people from all walks of profession, fame and those who service the community greatly. If you wanna check out the first batch of interviews with global tech business owners through to a professional Opera singer please visit the first batch of questions http://4questionminds.com/

LIZ MUDRI – SOCIAL WORKER

Liz has worked in many different settings from hospitals through to acquired brain injury services.

Interview With Liz Mudri

1 How did you get into the Human Services/ health sector and why?

I decided to become a social worker because I had a passion to empower people, those with no voice, those unable to source their basic needs, those who felt they had no direction, no place in their communities. I guess I had a pull towards ‘helping other’s’, but with the idea of empowering people, so that people can grow and support themselves, and find their way through life.

2 What are the challenges and achievements of working in this sector?

Plenty of challenges working as a social worker, so if you love problem solving, advocating and finding the best solutions, this job has the works! Social work practice uses critical thinking to address strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Particularly when it comes to working on complex cases, having the skills to review related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions, can be very rewarding when this gives individuals a new perspective and way forward, when faced with obstacles in life. That’s what interests me in my work, how to unpack the problem, and see the solution!

3 You have a broad range of experience from working on in hospital settings right through to acquired brain injury in the NGO sectors what how has this variety of experience changed you as a person?

The variety has definitely shaped me in being a more flexible and adaptable person! This has helped me grow to become a confident and resilient person, to be able to face challenges with curiosity and and questions, rather than react and assume the worst, and value those challenges as positives for growth. It’s what I model in many of my therapeutic sessions with clients, using techniques to enable people to realise that challenges are about finding our strengths.

4. What would be your advice to someone wanting pursue this path?

Best advice is to explore as many areas of social work as possible, early in your career, unless you have a passion for a particular type of social work practice. If your unsure, take opportunities with contracts roles, to find the pathway that interests you!

IHSAN ATKIA – AWARD WINNING UI DESIGNER FROM TRU AGENCY

Ihsan has worked on some of Canada’s biggest brands and has been awarded by Awwwards & CSS Design Awards.

Interview With Ihsan Atkia

1. How did you get into design?

Actually, the beginning of my passion for web development, but I have to experience from high school, I join in club graphic design and then I continued in university, I join with club Design Graphic again until now I focused in UI Design.

2. What is your proudest achievement?

For achievement maybe until now I am still learning and learn something new. because in a creative design you don’t feel enough for making a creative thing.

3. What is your process when approaching a UI brief?

Maybe I always research before I work looking inspiration and I always create wireframe before it.

4. What advice would you give to someone wanting to get into UI?

Always explore and I have quotes during I join in club design “there is no day without being creative”

Great GalleryOf Minds