Something in the Water (2008 film)

For the 2019 environmental film, see There's Something in the Water.

2008 Australian film

Something in the Water
Original poster
Directed by	Aidan O'Bryan
Written by	Aidan O'Bryan
Produced by	Janelle Landers
Cinematography	David Le May Aidan O'Bryan Mark Parish
Edited by	Leanne Cole Aidan O'Bryan Chris Trappe
Distributed by	WBMC
Release date	14 February 2008 (2008-02-14)
Running time	75 minutes
Country	Australia
Language	English

Something in the Water is a 2008 Australian documentary film written and directed by Aidan O'Bryan. Using live, archival, and interview footage shot in Los Angeles, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and Windsor in Berkshire, England, it explores the history and environment behind the development of local and nationally acclaimed musical talent in Western Australia.

The film was funded by Perth media production company WBMC, headed by screenwriter/director Aidan O'Bryan and producer Janelle Landers.

The film follows the rise to fame of some of Western Australia's most successful musicians. Something in the Water features more than fifty interviews with bands including Little Birdy, The Waifs, The Sleepy Jackson, Eskimo Joe, End of Fashion, Jebediah, Le Hoodoo Gurus, The Panics and Red Jezebel. The film asks whether Perth's talented spawn can be attributed to the city's isolation, the environment or the music scene itself, or whether there is, in fact, something in the water.

Something in the Water premiered at the Astor Theatre in Perth and had a limited theatrical run in that city. It later was shown at the FTI Fremantle Film Festival and the 2008 WAMi Festival. An accompanying two-disc compilation of various Western Australian artists became available via MGM Distribution as well as online in January 2009.

The film was screened on ABC2 on 13 May 2009. Following this national broadcast, the film was released on DVD on 3 July 2009 via MGM Distribution. The DVD includes additional interview footage with Eskimo Joe, John Butler, The Triffids, Dave Faulkner and Kim Salmon.

Some people have noted that the film neglects to mention some of the more notable Perth performers from the 1970s and even 1960s. While Johnny Young makes an appearance, other performers like Glen Ingram & The Hi-Five, Bakery, The Elks, Fatty Lumpkin, Sid Rumpo, Dave Warner, The Dugites and Rip Torn & The Stockings and groundbreaking producer Martin Clark and his Clarion Records are completely ignored (although The Dugites do make an appearance on the film's soundtrack double CD release).

Featured entertainers

Eskimo Joe
Little Birdy
John Butler Trio
The Sleepy Jackson
The Triffids
Hoodoo Gurus
The Scientists
Rolf Harris
Baby Animals
Red Jezebel
Schvendes
Robbie Buck and Richard Kingsmill from triple j
Stephen Malkmus from Pavement
The Kill Devil Hills
Birds of Tokyo
Karnivool
Snowman
The Victims
The Silents
Johnny Young
Gyroscope
The Stems
The Panics
Sugar Army
The Panda Band
Bob Evans
Jebediah
Sex Panther
Abbe May
The Waifs
End of Fashion
INXS

Soundtrack

The soundtrack includes music from the film as well as music that inspired the film.

Track listing

Something in the Water - Disc 1
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"From the Sea"	Eskimo Joe	3:21
2.	"Relapse"	Little Birdy	3:40
3.	"O Yeah"	End of Fashion	3:04
4.	"Beware Wolf"	Gyroscope	3:26
5.	"Good Dancers"	The Sleepy Jackson	4:14
6.	"Flame"	Bob Evans	3:18
7.	"Sun Dirt Water"	The Waifs	3:39
8.	"Something's Gotta Give"	John Butler Trio	3:11
9.	"Drinking Too Much"	The Kill Devil Hills	4:01
10.	"Desire Be, Desire Go"	Tame Impala	4:13
11.	"Hoodoo You Do"	The Devil & Abbe May	4:10
12.	"Swimming with Sharks"	Snowman	2:40
13.	"Bish Bosh II: The Bish Bosh"	Tucker B's	4:46
14.	"Pretty Boys"	Sex Panther	3:34
15.	"Sleeping Dogs"	Schvendes	4:38
16.	"City Walls and Empires"	Institut Polaire	4:23
17.	"Black Sheets"	Birds of Tokyo	3:16
18.	"I Got Your Soul"	Sugar Army	3:30
19.	"Nightcrawl"	The Silents	2:51
20.	"Kicking Deadly Sins"	Red Jezebel	2:45
21.	"The General Calling"	The Panics	5:13

Something in the Water - Disc 2
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Wide Open Road"	The Triffids	4:11
2.	"At First Sight"	The Stems	4:03
3.	"Tojo Never Made It To Darwin"	Hoodoo Gurus	3:25
4.	"Frantic Romantic"	The Scientists	2:48
5.	"Television Addict"	The Victims	3:00
6.	"Centre of Pride"	The Manikins	2:47
7.	"I Like It Both Ways"	Supernaut	3:41
8.	"In Your Car"	The Dugites	3:00
9.	"Heaven (Must Be There)"	Eurogliders	3:45
10.	"Rush You"	Baby Animals	4:11
11.	"Restoration"	Header	5:24
12.	"Drugs"	Ammonia	3:29
13.	"Leaving Home"	Jebediah	3:08
14.	"Old Soul"	Rosemary Beads	3:47
15.	"Crystal Beerhouse"	Adam Said Galore	3:57
16.	"Jump for Joy"	Cinema Prague	3:08
17.	"Enemy Mine"	Blackeyed Susans	4:09
18.	"Set Back"	Johnny Young and Kompany	1:53
19.	"Hallowed Ground"	Yummy Fur	8:40

References

"WBMC awarded WA producer for Gen Y". Screenwest. 13 April 2007. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
^ Washington, Michael (12 January 2008). "Something in the Water". PerthNow. The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 18 February 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
"WA short filmss screening at Fremantle Outdoor Film Festival". Screenwest. 25 January 2008. Archived from the original on 12 January 2010. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
"WAMi Festival 2008". Western Australian Music Industry Association. Archived from the original on 24 October 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
"Something in the Water". MGM Distribution. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
"ABC2 TV Guide". ABC. 13 May 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
"'Something in the Water' finally being released on DVD in July". Film Ink. 17 June 2009. Archived from the original on 18 September 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
"Something in the Water". FasterLouder.com. 15 May 2009. Archived from the original on 6 June 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
"MILESAGO - Groups & Solo Artists - Bakery".
"MILESAGO - Groups & Solo Artists - Fatty Lumpkin".
http://www.milesago.com/Industry/clarke.htm
"MILESAGO - Record Labels - Clarion".

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