Laura Macfarlane

Laura Sandra MacFarlane is from Glasgow Scotland, her parents are George MacFarlane (1936–2006) and Patricia "Patsy" MacFarlane; she has two older siblings and one daughter Astrid MacFarlane .[1][2][3] The MacFarlane family migrated to Perth in October 1978.[2] George was an accomplished musician and had played trombone and percussion instruments both with Scottish and Australian army bands.[3]

MacFarlane began her interest in music as a child playing vibraphone and trumpet. She went on to receive a music scholarship at Perth Modern School for vocals and percussion and later studied music at University of Western Australia. MacFarlane began performing in independent bands in Perth from 1988 onwards. She was the main songwriter in the Brautigans from (1989-1991),[4] performing vocals, guitar and vibraphone.[5] She performed in other local bands including Halcyon Days on drums[5] and Louder than God which had an extensive line-up of ten members co-founded by Iain McIntyre.[5][6]

MacFarlane then joined Manic Pizza, on bass guitar and vocals, with Gareth Edwards (Sandro) on guitar and Cameron Potts on drums.[4] As a member of Manic Pizza, MacFarlane relocated to Melbourne in the early 1990s.[4] Edwards later told René Schaefer of Mess+Noise that "Cameron was heavily into the Pixies at the time; I was a Hüsker Dü freak; Laura provided the actual talent."[4] In 1992 MacFarlane formed Sea Haggs (later renamed, Keckle)[7] on guitar, viola, percussion and vocals with McFarlane and Potts. That group's material was later included on a compilation album, Jelly (1995).[7]

In 1992 Macfarlane began publishing Woozy fanzine with McIntyre. Woozy was a self published fanzine with a DIY philosophy that promoted local Melbourne and Australian bands as well as international underground acts and grassroots politics. Woozy produced over 20 publications from 1992-2002. In 1996 MacFarlane also co-founded with McIntyre, Choozy independent distribution (1996–2002) which distributed music, fanzines and small publications within Australian and overseas.[8][9]

MacFarlane on keyboards and vocals with ninetynine, Northcote Social Club, 2007

MacFarlane began playing drums and vocals, in 1994, with visiting United States rock group, Sleater-Kinney, and in 1995 she went to Olympia and Seattle to tour and record with the band. She is the drummer, co-producer and co-writer on their self-titled debut album, Sleater-Kinney.[10] She is also the lead singer guitarist on the track, "Lora's Song". MacFarlane provided drums, backup vocals and guitar (track 12) on their follow up album, Call the Doctor (March 1996).[11]

In 1996 MacFarlane returned to Melbourne and founded an indie rock band, ninetynine, initially as a solo project playing all the instruments on the debut album, 99 (October 1996).[12] Her project soon became a band including Potts (from 1997) and McIntyre (from 2000).[12][13] By 2010 ninetynine had released eight albums and toured the world several times. The band celebrated their 20th anniversary with release of Further in 2016[12][14] MacFarlane founded her own record label, Patsy,[12][13] which issued ninetynine material as well as that by other bands: Sea Scouts, Fiona Beverage, Boo Who, Baseball, Trixies Undersea Adventure and Vivian Girls.

MacFarlane has played a variety of instruments on a number of records, including vibraphone, drums, guitar, keyboard and vocals.[15] She has worked with other artists including Lee Memorial (alongside Karl Smith of Sodastream),[16] Bombazine Black, The Wonder[17] Winterborn, Tarantula,[14] New Buffalo,[18] Trixies Undersea Adventure, Deer, Boo Who, Popemobile, Bruna,[19] Dragster, Scared of Horses, Cold Cold Hearts, Madigan, Disaster Plan, Clag and Low Talk.

MacFarlane has worked as audio engineer at 3CR radio; and on many recordings including solo work, recent ninetynine releases, Covens Revenge, The Hatchets, Cleber Claux Memorial Singers, Baseball, Love of Diagrams, The Stabs and Jules Sheldon. MacFarlane is also a teacher and educator of music, establishing Augment Music Education in 2016. MacFarlane is based in Melbourne, and still plays as a member of ninetynine, as well as performing solo.[20]

.

• Laura MacFarlane Bandcamp page
• Ninetynine Bandcamp page
• Ninetynine Facebook page
• Ninetynine Youtube channel
• Woozy
• "Artist on Artist: Dead River Vs Ninetynine", archived from the original on 19 April 2015, Mess+Noise, February 2014. Accessed on 6 October 2015.
• "Photo Gallery: Lou Barlow + Laura MacFarlane @ Northcote Social Club – 17 April 2012"