Wall of Sound Presents: “2020 YEAR IN REVIEW” – By Wall of Sound Writer Will Oakeshott
Today we’re heading to RADelaide again to check in with writer Will Oakeshott. Our beloved bearded bloke pushed through the year thanks to loved ones by his side, heavy music in his ears and a few surprises along the way. As an essential worker, he was on the frontline in his day job with COVID keeping him busy both at work and in his spare time (interviewing some big names in the process to pass the time).
We can’t do what we do without people like Will, so mad props to him and all of the medical frontliners who played a HUGE part in keeping us all safe in 2020!
TOP 10 RELEASES OF 2020?
#10 –SÓLSTAFIR – Endless Twilight of Codependent Love
#9 – Hjelvik – Welcome To Hel
#8 – Ulver – Flowers of Evil
#7 – Me & That Man – New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 1
#6 – Gaerea – Limbo
#5 – Killer Be Killed – Reluctant Hero
#4 – Misery Signals – Ultraviolet
#3 – Deftones – Ohms
#2 – Touche Amore – Lament
#1 – Greg Puciato – Child Soldier: Creator of God
TOP 10 SONGS OF 2020
#10 – In Hearts Wake – ‘Worldwide Suicide’
#9 – Behemoth – ‘A Forest’
#8 – Ulver – ‘Machine Guns And Peacock Feathers’
#7 – Asgeir – ‘Bury The Moon’
#6 – Rotzak – ‘Sassy Frass’
#5 – Polaris – ‘Hypermania’
#4 – Wardruna – ‘Grá’
#3 – Deftones – ‘The Spell Of Mathematics’
#2 – Every Time I Die – ‘A Colossal Wreck’
#1 – Every Time I Die – ‘Desperate Pleasures’
BEST MUSIC VIDEO OF 2020
Hjelvik – ‘Glory Of Hel’
LAST GIG YOU CAUGHT BEFORE COVID
POLARIS, Wage War (USA), Crystal Lake (Japan) and Alpha Wolf, The Gov, Adelaide, 21st February 2020
HOW DID COVID/LOCKDOWNS AFFECT YOU IN 2020?
In reality this was just a gigantic “pause” for everything and it was extremely painful. I don’t want to go into too much depth about my personal experience as almost everybody suffered worldwide. I lost very close family members and friends, some of whom I was unable to properly say goodbye to; work was strained on both ends of the spectrum and is now in a constant “high stress” mode from excess scenario – constantly behind and incapable of balance.
I had to give up holidays and trips away, miss an inordinate amount of live music, festivals, theatre, film, acting opportunities on my own accord and events involving both family and friends. However, in the stress and change, I grew personally for the better and I am thankful.
BIGGEST THING YOU LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF THIS YEAR?
I appreciated what I actually have and what is available to me; I learned to really cherish those I love: My beautiful girlfriend and her incredible children that I am so fortunate and thankful to have in my life, close friends (throughout the world) who I maintained contact with through amazing advances in technology, my family who supported me especially during my recent quarantine due to a COVID exposure at work (I am an essential worker in the medical field) – the tests came back negative thankfully!
Of course, the opportunities Wall Of Sound and the other publications I write for offered me in the quietest year of music and the arts with unquantifiable rewards. How much I really enjoy surfing and returning to that passion strongly, being creative again to a level that I missed so much – more to follow there. Really, I learned that in the face of one of the most challenging times this world has faced, I have a lot to be thankful for.
FAV NEW BAND/MUSICIAN DISCOVERED IN 2020
Rotzak – a post-hardcore band from Belgium. Combining some Refused, Every Time I Die and (older) Greyhaven. Adrenalincredible!
NEXT BIG AUSSIE ACT TO WATCH IN 2021?
If Gay Paris release a new album, it will change the world Satantastically.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2021?
Every Time I Die’s new album, Dark Mofo festival, live music in general and festivals, film, theatre, my life (our lives) progressing with my partner, possibly growing professionally too, my new creative projects coming to proper fruition, a return to some form of normalcy even if that has altered to what we used to know and a lot more cowbell.
Words by Will Oakeshott. Insta: @teenwolfwill
