Something Old, Something New will contain a mix of some of my favourite music including tracks from the past, particularly Australian bands from the 1980's, collections of cover versions plus the origina, recordings and music which rings my bell
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Scante Regarde (Bands from Perth, Australia)
Scante Regarde were (mostly) a three piece playing and recording in Perth between 1982 and 1984. They also spent some time touring the east of Australia
The band consisted of Ian Young on guitar and vocals, Andrew Yates playing drums, Norm Parkhill on bass and vocals and for the final month or so of the band's existence (and for the posted track) Kate Bent doing vocals and trumpet.
Between them the had previously played in a number of Perth bands including Eep Of The Grass, Photoplay, and would go on to play in Martha's Vineyard, Just Add Water and I Hear An Army.
To the best of my knowledge this 7" four track EP (Side A: Cabbage Hat - Virgin Head / Stretch. Side B: Animal Magic / Nocturne) was the only recorded product from Scant Regarde.
As you can probably tell, posts have been few and far between in recent months.
Partly I am losing interest in the whole blog thing, both writing and reading them.
And partly I am too busy having a life back in my home town of Perth, catching up with old buddies, seeing my family, making new friends, playing music, creating a vegie garden to feed Dr E and me over the summer months, trying to encourage my nephew to play guitar.
One project I have finally set up is the burning of my vinyl, including old Perth bands. So some of the future posts will contain ever less information, as the bands from Perth in the 1980s have left very few permanent records, unlike the plethora of information available on bands today, thanks to the online world.
If anyone has any further information on Scant Regarde, or any of the bands I post in the near future, please let me know and I will update the post.
Kno Matter played many gigs in the mid 1980's and were often as celebrated for their stage performance as for their musical abilities.
Drummer Russ Wilson had played in a number of well respected Perth original bands including Devils On Horseback and vocalist and guitarist Matt Wilson would go on to help create local circus troup Bizircus and eventually become a part of the legendary Circus Oz.
Some of Kno Matter would also go on to form party band extraordinaire the Bad Music Billies. Those guys played the soundtrack to some outrageous parties.
I have already posted a live track from Kno Matter, playing at the Red Parrot, but this is the A side to their only release (that I am aware of, at least).
Analog Mike is a composer, musician and music hobbyist who began playing original music in "alternative" bands (Two Faces of Culture, As Is) and "sixties garage/surf guitar" band (The Hoovers) before moving on to writing and recording experimental, minimalist and ambient soundscapes.
Analog Mike's track Home Soon, in collaboration with Brisbane Poet Michelle Dicinoski's words and images, was recently announced as the winner of the Queensland Poetry Festival2008 filmmakers challenge for a work that "explores the possibilities of poetic expression via audio visual technology."
Here is the winning entry:-
Posted below is the track Home Soon in its entirety plus a bonus track from Analog Mike.
Check out the links for more info and tunes and make sure you check out Analog Mike or his alter ego MAB.
The Red Parrot - The Attic Tapes (Bands from Perth, Australia)
I have been too busy moving back and setting up home, finding and starting a new job and catching up with friends and family to do any blogging ..... so to use a repost and continue the celebration of returning to Perth and posting music from my home town, here's a live compilation only ever released on cassette and of which I may have one of the few copies available.
The Red Parrot was the place to be seen (or should that be scene?) in Perth in the early to mid 1980's.
If my memory serves me right, these recordings were made at The Red Parrot over two nights, Thursday 15th and Friday 16th May, 1986.
As well as being the best night club in Perth (in my experience), it supported the local original music scene at a time when most pubs were only allowing cover bands to play. See the Kno Matter track "Playing Covers" for an obvious reference to this phenomenon. The Red Parrot was also the venue where many national and international bands played.
I still haven't had the time to break these tracks up, so here you have side A and side B of the cassette. The track listing is:-
Erol H Tout - The Sound Of Swimming Kno Matter - Playing Covers Greenhouse Effect - Rhyme Without Reason The Kryptonics - Trapped Inside
The Attic Tapes (this is the link to a zip file containing a song from all of the bands listed above)
Do you like these tunes? Then why not support the artists (and my blogging habit) by buying some music. Check out these links:-
Leaving On A Jet Plane
My belongings (well, some of my guitars, music stuff, books and clothes) are already on their way from Brisbane to Perth and I am only a few days behind .... so this will be my last post from Brisbane.
With a very heavy heart I am leaving my beloved Dr. E in Brisbane (and to her overseas conferences) and awaiting her first visit to Perth in only a few weeks time.
But I am also looking forward to spending time with my family and friends back home.
To celebrate this occasion, I have returned to an old theme of cover versions, and this song seems most appropriate.
Do you like these tunes? Then why not support the artists (and my blogging habit) by buying some music. Check out these links:-
Perthection (returning home redux edition)
Ten years later and I am moving back to my hometown of Perth to live amongst my family and friends for more than a long weekend at a time.
This also means that I will again have access to the vinyl which has been locked away for all of that time ... so this blog's voyeurs can look forward to future posts on the music I listened to all of those years ago.
As usual there will be some new, old music from Perth as well as many "lost" Australian bands from the 1970s and 1980s. Personally I can't wait to revisit my old singles including such classic Perth bands as Kno Matter, The Triffids, King Pig, the Marigolds, the Stems ... and much, much more which I have undoubtedly forgotten about after all these years.
To celebrate I have revisited this old mix of Perth bands from the 1970's through to the end of the millenia, when I left Perth and moved to Sydney (and then on to Brisbane).
This mix moves from punk to pub rock, surf instros to post-punk, guitar pop and more. This is only the surface of some of the great music that has come from, and continues to be created in, Perth - the world's most isolated city.
Most of these bands I saw live, many I saw numerous times, some I just liked, others I played in, or played gigs with. But it provides an idea of how vibrant the Perth music scene was. Check out the links (within links) if you want to find out more about any of these bands.
The bands featured are the same as for the previous post ... but for long-time voyeurs, and I hope that there are a few of you, I have changed some of the tracks posted ... but which ones?
As always, you need be quick as this mix won't be available for long and if you find something you like, go out and buy a copy for yourself, if you can track it down.
So Something Old, Something New presents "Perthection":-
For those of you who don't want to download this zip file, here are a couple of tracks from bands I played in last millenia which aren't included on this compilation.
Del Toro are an instrumental three-piece who formed in Brisbane in late 2004. Their sound has been compared to "something between Can and Kyuss" and also as "desert rock".
At times Del Toro play with the reverb tank, venturing into almost surf and hot-rod influenced sounds with plenty of distortion along for the ride, or they're leading you into a valley of spaghetti westerns or through a disjointed post rock musical landscape.
Although Del Toro live on a shifting landscape they play rock solid instrumental music both in the studio and live. Their latest tracks have just been released on the band's new album Hydra.
Check out the links for more info and tunes and make sure you check out Del Toro.
Well, it looks like the theme for this year is bands I have seen live (this year).
So ... on (or perhaps that should be back) to the shiny electro pop of Caribou who played a fun set at GOMA (the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art) in January this year.
There has been an excellent multi-media exhibition of the work and life of Andy Warhol. We enjoyed it so much we went twice, the second visit was on a Friday night and included beers and Caribou.
The four piece played a loud, live set augmented with their sample loaded lap top computer. There was much swapping of instruments and for different tracks there might be dual drummers, dual guitarists, dual lead vocalists ...
It was an unusual live set up with the two drum kits set up pretty much front and centre and Mr Caribou Dan Snaith edged to the front bouncing between guitar, keyboard, recorder, melodica, drum and vocal duties. Behind the band were projected some pretty groovy and very sixties influenced graphics.
The vocal harmonies, with a heavy nod to Brian Wilson, at the front of their latest album "Andorra" are ably managed in the live space by bass man Andy Lloyd and the band's glassy, psychedelic surf-pop is much more muscular in the live setting.
Caribou was originally a solo laptop musical venture which evolved from Dan's previous existence, Manitoba, who from 2000 released a number of E.P.s and albums.
Following a legal tussle with Richard "Handsome" Dick Manitoba (of the Dictators) who claimed trademark infringement against Dan Snaith for the use of the shared name, Caribou evolved from Manitoba and released their (his) debut under the new moniker in 2004.
The band really found their sound at around the same time and have released two very good albums in 2005's "The Milk of Human Kindness" and 2007's "Andorra".
Do you want to hear more tunes from Caribou? Check out these links:-
Lullatone
Lullatone played an innocently and unashamedly joyous set of whimsical ditties at the Judith Wright Centre on Thursday night (before the easter four day weekend) at another unique Room 40 event
the performance space was transformed, with all of the theatre seats rolled back to reveal a huge open area strewn with rugs and cushions and a small stage at floor level with a selection of drums, keyboards and a table full of electronic goodies
we were invited to wear pyjamas and to bring pillows or cushions to this event and some people even brought their children, all of which completely suits the lullatone aesthetic
local duo dollface (who have chosen a cyber-free existence) played the first set and seemed a bit shy and occasionally giggly, which only added to the charm
with drums, a selection of keyboards and xylophones and even one song accompanied by tap dance (an under-utilised rhythm instrument) it was an appropriate start to the evening. as the girls played their slightly off kilter mix of experimental pop ditties and instrumental meanderings i was occasionally reminded of the melodic mayhem of circus and cartoon theme music
there were xylophone or drum and keyboard duels, some of which ended in more giggling, but there were also some complex melodies thrown into the mix. keep an eye out for dollface if you're in Brisbane
Lullatone also didn't anticipate the response they received from the audience (there were whoops and woos from the start)
there were repeated efforts to involve the audience in the performance, with a "beatbox" sing-a-long, balloon raindrop volleyball (in "honour" of the China Olympics). a number of instruments were distributed amongst the crowd for several of the songs throughout the performance, building to an orchestra throughout and including the audience for the final songs (i got to play the red bell!)
performing before a huge screen projection of the band's home creation using lots of stop motion camera, cardboard cut out shapes and great imagination, it was all cutely DIY
there was a consistent dialog between the band and the crowd, with frontman Shawn James Seymour seemlessly flipping between performer, maestro and MC mode. he also played a mean melodica
it was a fun evening of homemade cartoons, toy instruments and simple, soft breath and lyrics
Lullatone originated after Shawn James Seymour moved from his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky to Nagoya, Japan, to live with his girlfriend and bandmate, Yoshimi Tomida. the couple had earlier met in America where Tomida had been studying
after moving into their tiny japanese apartment Seymour (who had trouble sleeping) composed his child-pop tunes using an orchestra of toy instruments and whatever else he could find ... pillows, whispers, heartbeats, xylophones, keyboards, music boxes, sine tones, harps, toy drums, ukuleles, cymbals, shakers, wood blocks, bubbles and daydreams and a lot of fun and laughter
Lullatone recently provided the theme music for a Hello Kittie exhibition and have just released their new collection of tunes on The Bedtime Beat
with their sing-along lap top jap pop, it's all such sweet fun
Do you want to hear more tunes from Lullatone? Check out these links:-
Explosions In The Sky
February was an amazing month for live music experiences, as well as the aforementioned PJ Harvey and Sonic Youth gigs we were also lucky enough to catch a number of other shows, which I am still to blog.
Seeing and hearing Texan post rock group maestros Explosions In The Sky was a wonderful way to celebrate Valentine's Day.
None of that Hallmark Holiday claptrap! Just the one I love (yes, I managed to drag Dr E away from her never-ending research) and cinematic, instrumental music played with passion and emotion.
The band had little to say, deciding to let the music speak for itself. And it did that in volume(s) (both soft and loud) as the four piece brought their guitar dynamics to The Zoo.
Alternating between two guitars and bass, or three guitars, and with an amazing powerhouse of a drummer, they would build their epic tracks from a gentle touch on the strings, slowly growing to a loud and powerful, overdriven yet still very clean, cacophony. With no lyrics at all, the music speaks for itself and creates its own narrative.
If you're a bit of a guitar geek like me and are interested in what gear they use, you can check that out here.
Explosions In The Sky have produced six releases since they first got together in 1999 and were seemingly well supported and appreciated from the moment they began.
Do you want to hear more tunes from this great band? Check out these links:-
Sonic Youth V's The Scientists
There is a reason why QANTAS was voted the "worst airline" by Choice magazine last year.
I have had a long history of problems and bad attitudes when flying QANTAS which I won't bore you with here, besides, you don't have to take my word for it.
So sadly, due to the incompetence of QANTAS and their staff, who not only forgot to put my bag on the flight from Brisbane to Melbourne in the first place, but also took over 7 hours (despite their "commitment" to the contrary) to get that bag to me at my hotel in inner city Melbourne, I missed the start of the set by the Scientists.
But the ineptness of the flying kangaroo(d) wasn't going to stop me enjoying what promised to be a huge night at the Metro with The Scientists and Sonic Youth both performing a classic album as a part of the All Tomorrow's PartiesDon't Look Back series of concerts which recently toured Australia.
We arrived a few songs into the set with Kim Salmon and The Scientists performing "When Fate Deals its Mortal Blow" from their classic Blood Red River album (actually it was originally an EP). For a collection of songs over 25 years old, they sounded rather contemporary and filled the cavernous Metro.
It was a youthful looking and sounding Salmon who took centre stage, in turn screaming and howling his way through the pre-grunge Scientists sound. It was obviously Kim's band as well, as he would look around to ensure that each of the band members knew when the changes or song conclusions were coming in.
The band were loose and loud in equal parts, they certainly didn't appear over-rehearsed, which totally suited these raw songs. With classics such as "Swampland" and "We Had Love" being well received by the growing audience it was a fun opening set and set the pace for the main event.
Sonic Youth took to the stage and immediately launched into a blistering version of Daydream Nation's opening track "Teen Age Riot", complete with a 5(?) minute guitar feedback extravaganza which was so well controlled I couldn't decide whether I should be screaming and howling my joy to express how impressed I was at their abilities, to take photos as Thurston and Lee held their guitars aloft in praise (adding to the cacophony), or to just let the wall of sound wash over me.
The band then proceeded to play through the entire double album, and what a great performance it was. For an album which is 20 years old, and which the band were initially reticent to revisit, they certainly did it justice and played with delight.
Unlike the Scientists, Sonic Youth are obviously a band where each member has an equal position. Vocal duties were shared by Kim, Thurston and Lee and drummer Steve was in equal parts ferocious and inventive (such as drumming with a maracca).
I was enjoying the gig so much I only made one visit to the bar for the whole Sonic Youth two hour set, and that was only because I needed to make a pit stop which took me past the bar in the first place.
If playing Daydream Nation in it's entirety wasn't enough, Sonic Youth also played an interesting version of Kool Thing, sadly there wasn't a Chuck D in the audience to rap with Kim Gordon, but it was a fitting finale to an album which laid the stepping stones to Sonic Youth's two most commercial albums (Goo and Dirty).
What a night! Two excellent bands playing two classic albums. Plus I still had a few more days to enjoy all that Melbourne has to offer (which is much indeed!) including a very interesting (and free) retrospective on Nick Cave at the Arts Centre.
Especially the strong young woman who tore into my musical conscience in 1992. I provided a brief history of this amazing woman here and after last night I am even more besotted with this gorgeous musical and sartorial chameleon.
Polly is currently touring her eight studio album, the bleak and raw White Chalk and last night it was Brisbane’s turn.
Aussie legend Mick Harvey, playing acoustic guitar and supported only by double bass, played an opening set containing a few of his own tracks plus covers of songs by The Triffids, Chris Bailey and even a few unreleased tracks from the headlining lady. Sadly there were no tracks from Mick’s two interesting albums of re-workings of Serge Gainsbourg tracks.
Polly entered to a rapturous reception, looking gorgeous (as always), this time in her virginal white Victorian wedding dress, gentle and ethereal. Yet there was something hidden beneath (the sexy stiletto heeled shoes which would occasionally emerge from beneath her dress), it was a pure yet slightly dangerous look to match her new piano-based album.
QPAC wasn’t quite sold out, but the venue was full of fans and we were immediately treated to classic Rock Queen PJH, roaring through “To Bring You My Love” on her Gibson Firebird guitar. Polly would play 5 different guitars throughout the night and visit tracks that spanned her career, including one of my favourite ever tracks, “Rid Of Me” (has it really been 15 years Polly?).
But for much of the set it was the gentler and darker White Chalk album which Polly wanted to play for us and for these tracks she bounced across the stage between piano, zither, harmonica (the scaffolding of which keeps tearing out her hair) and acoustic guitar. It is amazing to think that this talented woman taught herself to play piano and during the night would also play a Moog Taurus bass synth, drum machine (and cymbal), and sing in her new, almost broken falsetto style which seems to have gained strength from the vocal sounds on the album. Polly was constantly moving around the stage, changing instruments and charming us all.
There was a wonderful rapport between artist and audience throughout the evening, with several brief conversations (not always heard or understood) and many of cries of devotion and lust with everyone on and off stage obviously having a fun time.
During the performance, Mick Harvey came out on several occasions to accompany Polly on piano, allowing her to fill out the sound on guitar, although the was not a requirement as PJ’s solo reinterpretations of her own tracks had a power of their own. And were closer to their true, original form - as Polly told us in one of her many little chats with the audience.
The show was over far too soon. Polly, please come back again, soon.
Do you want to hear more of PJ Harvey's tunes? Not sure which albums to buy? Check out these links:-
Essential Australian (on Australia Day)
To celebrate Australia Day in my own way, I thought I’d provide all of my voyeurs with a list of the Australian bands which I consider to be essential and their signature song to listen to, if you don't already know any of their tunes.
Australia has produced some amazing bands, especially since the late 1970s, and I hope that you all find something old or something new here that you like and that you then go out and support these artists - making music is their job.
Don't forget to check out the links to hear some tunes and to find out more about these bands, because I have taken the lazy aussie way out and not provided any tunes for youse bastards.
This selection reflects my own personal taste, it is not based on sales, chart positions or the financial support and advertising funds provided by record execs.
It is also listed in alphabetical order, because beyond this list I am unable to prioritise my favourites.
So here goes, a list I call “Something Old, Something New’s Essential Australian”:-
AC/DC - High Voltage
No essential Australian mix can exclude AC/DC, arguably Australia’s most successful musical export, they are still rocking strong today, nearly 35 years later. For my money it’s the Bon Scott years which not only defined the AC/DC sound but which will always be the purest version of the band. I still remember watching AC/DCon Countdown and sitting at my friend Scott’s house in the mid 1970’s, playing those first two albums over and over.
The Beasts Of Bourbon - Drop Out
The Beasts of Bourbon were the first alternative (as this music used to be called, back in the day) supergroup. They are also still playing today, having recently reformed with yet another different lineup to record a new album and do yet more touring.
The band members for their debut album “The Axeman’s Jazz” (recorded in 1984 in one afternoon for only $100) came from The Hoodoo Gurus, The Johnnys and The Scientists and were lead by frenzied front man Tex Perkins (who along with guitarist Spencer Jones has been the only constant member since the band’s inception).
The Beast’s sound has mutated over the years from the swamp rock, gothic blues of their first album(s) through to the punk-infused blues-based pub rock (consider the Rolling Stones with balls) they play today.
The Birthday Party - Release The Bats
The Birthday Party were the renamed Boys Next Door when that band relocated to England in 1980, escaping the suffocation of the Australian music scene at that time.
Although they had limited commercial success, and only existed for 4 years under their new moniker, the Birthday Party would influence many bands with both their music and performance style and band members Nick Cave, Mick Harvey and Rowland S Howard all went on to have successful "solo" careers. Their menacing and manic sound and brutal performances led to the band being referred to as 'The Most Violent Band In Britain'
Boys Next Door - Shivers
The Boys Next Door formed at the exclusive Caulfield Grammer School in 1973 when a group of arty students started playing school dances and parties. Initially playing 1960’s pop and 1970’s glam rock, their sound would develop fully with the addition of Rowland S Howard on guitar, who brought the track “Shivers” with him.
The band were influenced by the burgeoning Australian punk scene with bands such as The Saints and Radio Birdman and by 1978 The Boys Next Door were considered one of the best post-punk bands in Melbourne. Despite their influences, the band would soon develop their own sound, travel to Europe and change their name to become one of Australia’s most important alternative bands, The Birthday Party.
The Church - The Unguarded Moment
Another classic Australian band who are still recording and performing today with the same core members, The Church grew out of Canberra in 1980 and quickly developed an atmospheric, 1960’s influenced neo-psychedelic sound based heavily around Marty Wilson-Piper’s jangly 12 string Rickenbacker guitar and vocalist Steve Kilbey’s poetic lyrics.
Although they had greater chart success with their 1980’s recordings (in 2006 the Melbourne newspaper The Age voted Under The Milky Way as the best Australian song of the last 21 years in their EG Music Awards) The Church’s sound has continued to develop and mature and they still have a strong following around the world.
The Easybeats - Friday On My Mind
The Easybeats are considered to be one of the greatest Australian pop bands of the 1960s and they were the first Australian rock and roll band to score an international hit with this classic 1966 single "Friday on My Mind".
All of the founding band members had migrated to Australia, forming in Sydney’s Villawood Migrant Hostel, and the band released a string of hit singles in Australia before relocating to England where they had some early success but too soon developed internal friction and the band dissolved in financial debt.
Harry Vanda and George Young would eventually return to Australia as an active creative unit and would go on to work with the Albert Productions record label writing, recording, producing and basically helping to create much of the Australian music scene of the mid 1970’s including Stevie Wright, The Angels, John Paul Young and most famously George's younger brothers Angus and Malcolm Young’s band AC/DC.
Fun Things - Savage
The Fun Things formed in Brisbane in 1978 and were heavily influenced by punk and the Detroit sound as well as Australian legends Radio Birdman. In 1980, they recorded four tracks for what would be their one and only release and the band split in 1980.
Like The Victims, the Fun Things were as important for going on to help form the Hoodoo Gurus and The Screaming Tribesmen, as for the few songs they recorded.
The Go-Betweens - Cattle And Cane
The Go-Betweens had a turbulent history, forming in Brisbane in 1977 they were seemingly always a cult band with limited commercial success despite the chart friendliness of their sound. They moved to Europe in 1979 and spent much of the 1980’s touring the world.
This touring schedule along with internal frictions, including inter-band romances, and constant label problems and interference eventually led to their demise in 1989. After this time both Grant McLennan and Robert Forster managed mildly successful solo careers, and the cult of the Go-Betweens continued to grow.
The boys reunited as the Go-Betweens 10 years later and recorded more two more acclaimed albums which added to their legacy until the untimely death of McLennan in 2006.
Hoodoo Gurus - (Let's All) Turn On
I always enjoyed listening to and seeing the Hoodoo Gurus during their early years, and with Dave Faulkner and James Baker being local boys the band toured Perth regularly. The classic 1983 Hoodoo Gurus line up formed from the ashes of punk bands The Victims and The Scientists from Perth and the Fun Things from Brisbane.
I watched the band go from alternative paisley-clad, winkle-picker wearing swamp rockers playing their power-pop/psychedelia/grungy garage rock at small venues to chart, ARIA and larger venue botherers within a few short years, but they were certainly fun years. Stoneage Romeos has my vote as one of the best Australian albums of the 1980s.
On this track from their debut, the Hoodoos set out their manifesto – check it out!!
Hunters & Collectors - Betty's Worry or The Slab
The Hunnas had a huge sound unlike anything else on the aussie pub circuit in the early 1980s. They made their live debut in 1981 as an eleven man ensemble who would often encourage punters up to the stage and provide them with percussive instruments to add to the mayhem and cacophony.
As the number of releases increased the number of band members decreased and by the time they recorded their archetypical “Jaws Of Life” album in 1984 vocalist Mark Seymour’s lyrics had developed a decidedly blokey Australian flavor. But the lure of chart success, which they achieved with moderate success, would dilute the impact of their sound and for me this mid-1980’s period was their zenith.
Laughing Clowns - New Bully in Town
When Ed Keupper returned to Australia, after The Saints imploded in London in 1979, he quickly gathered together like minded musicians and created the avante jazz-punk of the Laughing Clowns. With songs often constructed around complicated structures with difficult time signatures the Laughing Clowns were another unique Australian band, creating their own musical vision.
Ed Keupper is surely one of Australia’s surly musical maestros and before he would go on to create his solo legacy he managed to show another musical direction for a few disillusioned ex-punks.
The Lime Spiders - Slave Girl
This 1984 release from The Lime Spiders is undoubtedly one of the all-time classic Australian singles, a bona fide fuzzed up guitar, garage rock stomp from a band who never managed to repeat the same level of success, perhaps in part due to the constant instability in their lineup.
The Lime Spiders still managed to release an impressive collection of garage-punk laced singles and if you are lucky you may catch them playing in your back yard as they are still getting together to play the occasional gig.
The Loved Ones - The Loved One
The Loved Ones formed in 1965, with an early history of jazz clubs and listening to the blues, so when the Rolling Stones came along with a similar history and The Beatles started creating their own music, these Melbourne musicians understood not just the excitement value of the music, but how it was done and they did it for themselves. But the band split in 1967 after just one album, Magic Box.
The Missing Links - Wild About You
The Missing Links are considered by many to be the wildest group Australia has ever produced, certainly from the pre-punk period.
They were the first Australian band known to use feedback and the first Australian band which can rightfully be labelled "punk". The Missing Links were wild on record and wild on stage, with front man Andy James known to climb the walls and hang from the rafters, or to put his head through the drums, doing things no-one had seen done on stage before. Sadly The Missing Links were another band who had line-up issues, they only existed between 1963 and 1966 and only released 1 album before growing extinct.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Tupelo
There can be little doubt that Nick Cave is one of Australia’s greatest (alternative or not) creative artists. With an eclectic and illustrious career as a singer, award winning songwriter, actor, cutting-edge composer, novelist, poet, artist, screenwriter … .
The Bad Seeds has a(n) (ir)regularly changing lineup which always contains a(n) (un)healthy smattering of Australian musicians as well as others with sympathetic musical leanings, helping to create the musical soundscape for Caves often gothic tales.
Nick Cave has been the front man for and creative driving force behind the creation of a number of acclaimed bands (The Boys Next Door, The Birthday Party, The Bad Seeds, Grinderman) each with their own unique style and substance but always leaning towards the dark side. With Tupelo is he singing about Elvis, Jesus or his own mythic creation? The king is dead, long live the king!
Paul Kelly - From St. Kilda To King's Cross
Paul Kelly has had a long career, from his days playing pub rock in Melbourne in the late 1970s through leading his own bands (The Dots, The Coloured Girls and The Messengers) in the 1980s when he started regularly bothering the Australian charts and finally his solo guise which has helped garner critical acclaim and record sales.
During this time he has also written film scores and worked as a producer and is member of the ARIA Hall of Fame. Paul Kelly sings of Australian experiences and history perhaps more candidly than any other artist and is still very active, having just released his eleventh collection of new songs.
Radio Birdman - Aloha Steve and Danno
Radio Birdman were there at the beginning of the Australian punk movement, forming in Sydney in 1974. Influenced by The Stooges, MC5, 1960's garage punk and surf instrumental groups but creating their own sound and look. They were another great do-it-yourself story before the punk movement in the UK and USA had widely spread this message. They initially financed their own low budget recordings, created their own label, self distributed their records at a low price and even ran the management of the Oxford Funhouse, a venue which went on to help nurture the nascent Sydney punk scene.
Radio Birdman only survived for 4 years, recording two albums and undertaking one overseas tour before disbanding and scattering musicians across Australia to augment the country's already thriving music underground. But the band reformed for the Big Day Out 1996 tour and since that time they have recorded another album (Zeno Beach) and continued to tour sporadically.
The Saints - (I'm) Stranded
The Saints are the stuff of Australian music legend. Forming in 1974, they were punk before the genre had been defined. Famously releasing their “(I’m) Stranded” single in September 1976 before the Damned’s “New Rose” (October 1976) and the Sex Pistol’s “Anarchy In The UK” (November 1976).
The Saints were another band that lived the do-it-yourself ethic, independently recording and distributing their debut single, creating their own label and their own "club", the 76 Club in their suburban Petrie Terrace house as a reaction to not being able to play anywhere else. The Saints only recorded 3 albums before musical and personal differences saw the band deteriorate and Ed Keupper return home to Australia to create The Laughing Clowns. Chris Bailey would soon after reform his version of The Saints in London, to some commercial success.
On July 14, 2007, Chris Bailey, Ed Kuepper and Ivor Hay re-united The Saints for a one-off gig as part of the Queensland Music Festival’s “Pig City” festival. Sadly I was overseas at this time and missed this historic occasion.
The Scientists - Swampland
The Scientists were born in May 1978 from the ashes of Perth’s first punk bands, The Cheap Nasties, who had also been formed by frontman Kim Salmon and The Geeks. The Perth era Scientists played more in the punk-pop vein and after releasing one album split in January 1981.
By September 1981 Kim Salmon had moved to inner city Sydney and created a reformed Scientists with a swampier, darker sound. Salmon also helped form the Beasts of Bourbon in 1984 before taking the Scientists to Europe where they were soon touring Europe (with The Gun Club). By 1987 the band had returned to Australia for one last tour. Salmon and the Scientists and would go on to influence bands such as Mudhoney and would be considered one of the early driving musical forces in the genre that would be known as grunge.
Severed Heads - Dead Eyes Opened
Severed Heads were one of Australia’s first post-punk electronic bands, forming in 1979, with a heavy use of tape loops and synthesizers and they were early pioneers in multimedia performance.
In 1984 they release “Dead Eyes Opened” which provided the opportunity for a world tour. Since 1985 Tom Ellard has been the main human component of Severed Heads. Label problems saw them adrift for some time before creating the internet based www.sevcom.com which became one of the first band-run sites on the Internet and now runs hundreds of artists.
A remixed version of Dead Eyes Opened entered the Australian top 20 in 1994 and that year they were the first electronic band to play the Big Day Out. The following year they headlined that festival’s electronic “The Boiler Room”. In 2004, Severed Heads created the soundtrack for The Illustrated Family Doctor.
The Stems - Tears Me In Two
The Stems were considered by many to be one of the most seminal rock bands of the 1980`s to emerge from Australia. They grew in Perth in 1983 with a musical (and sartorial) style initially influenced by sixties garage punk and later by power pop. They completed several Australian tours and were perhaps one of the first bands to gain national success while remaining in Perth, and despite never having toured internationally (until their reunion) they are held in high esteem in Europe and the US amongst fans of classic 1960's inspired rock 'n' roll.
Although only releasing 5 singles, an E.P. and one full length album, The Stems set an impressive record with each release reaching No 1 on the Australian alternative charts. Their album "At First Sight … Violets Are Blue" released in 1987 received national and international critical acclaim and would be one of the best selling Australian albums of that year. The Stems reunited for a tour in early 2003 and they are still gigging today.
The Sunnyboys - Happy Man
The Sunnyboys formed in Sydney in 1980 under the direction of singer/songwriter Jeremy Oxley. With their 1960’s influenced melodic power pop tunes they went from playing inner-city venues to scoring hit singles all within a year of formation.
Their first four singles and first two albums all hit the Australian mainstream charts and in 1984 the band played two sold out shows at the Marquee Club in London and the band recorded their third album in the UK. But after returning home to an Australian tour, and with minimal chart success of their new release, internal friction caused the band to dissolve.
In 1987 Jeremy Oxley attempted to revive The Sunnyboys with a new line-up and released an album, but limited acceptance caused the band to break up again in 1990.
The Triffids - Red Pony
Regular readers of Something Old, Something New will know of the fondness I hold for The Triffids.
Forming in 1976 with an ever changing lineup of friends and musicians, the band released several well received (in the alternative scene) singles and privately recorded and released tapes. They drove across Australia on numerous occasions before the line up stabilized in 1983 and The Triffids released their debut minor masterpiece album Treeless Plain and my favourite track, Red Pony.
The Triffids self-financed a three month trip to Europe in late 1984 and ended up on the cover NME’s first edition of 1985, which predicted it would be “The Year Of The Triffids”. But they still couldn’t secure any label interest in Europe and again returned home and self-financed their sophomore album Born Sandy Devotional, which reached # 27 on the UK charts. The track “Wide Open Road” received widespread (albeit minor) success and would go on to become the band’s signature tune.
Their popularity in Europe grew, although at home they were still considered a cult band. After signing to a major label in the UK, their recordings would suffer from too much production and despite some success the band split in 1989 and singer/songwriter David McComb died in 1999.
The Triffids back catalog is slowly being re-mastered and re-released with bonus tracks. The remainder of the band performed with guest vocalists in Belgium and Amsterdam in 2006 and they recently played at 2008’s Sydney Festival with a collection of vocalists sharing the role of David McComb.
The Victims - Television Addict
The Victims emerged from the Perth punk scene in 1977 from the ashes of The Geeks. Like all good punk bands of the era, they self-released their debut single Television Addict and created their own scene “Hernando's Hideaway” on Wednesday nights in an inner city jazz venue.
The band only survived for two years and, apparently after a poor review in the NME, they split in 1979. But not before recording the five tracks that would become their “No Thanks To The Human Turd” E.P..
Members of The Victims would go on to help shape the independent Australian music scene of the 1980’s playing in bands including The Hoodoo Gurus, The Scientists and The Beasts of Bourbon.
You Am I - Berlin Chair
You Am I were formed by Tim Rogers in December 1989 and were especially renowned for their early blistering live performances and the occasionally erratic on-stage behavior of Rogers.
The band had released some E.P.’s and singles before catching the attention of Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo at 1993’s Big Day Out festival. Ranaldo would go on to produce the band’s fourth E.P. and debut album “Sound As Ever”. Their second (Hi Fi Way) and third (Hourly, Daily) albums moved ever farther away from the harder sound of their earlier recordings, although both received ARIA awards and sold well. I consider this period up to the mid 1990’s to be the band’s high water mark.
Since 1999 the ever hard-working Rogers has been releasing solo and other collaborative albums as well as irregular You Am I releases and he maintains a grueling touring schedule as a solo performer, playing in other guises including T'N'T with Tex Perkins and of course with You Am I.
Do you want to hear some of these tunes? Not sure which bands or albums to buy? Here are some links to some great compilations of Australian bands:-
Six Ft Hick (Bands from Brisbane, Australia)
Six Ft Hick are most probably one of the wildest and coolest bands to emerge out of Brisbane, or Australia for that matter, since the glorious “alternative” era of the early eighties when bands like the Scientists, The Birthday Party and the Beasts of Bourbon helped change the musical landscape in Australia.
It is this legacy which Six Ft Hick grabbed by the balls, felt up to make their own, and are still running hard with 10 years later.
Fronted by the dual headed Corbett Cane Toad, the brothers take turns spitting vitriol and rock ‘n’ roll. Their live experience sits somewhere between an evangelical moment of pure realisation and a sticky moment during a lap dance.
In the early 1990s, Geoff and Ben Corbett crawled down to the city from the swamps of the cane country a few hours north of Brisbane and became involved in performance art and rock n roll theatrics.
In 1995 the Corbett brothers presented their death-country musical "Country Style Livers". This proved to be a 3 week sellout at the Metro Arts theatre in Brisbane and, ditching some of the performance art component for the Brisbane Livid Festival, soon morphed into a pure music experience.
The Hicks have been playing their Cane Punk to Australia and the world for over 10 years now and have played at intimate gigs in tiny venues through to festivals such as Livid and the Big Day Out.
The band have also released a handful of EPs and 4 albums including last years On The Rocks, perhaps the album to have best caught their live sound and attitude in the studio.
But if producing this music alone isn’t enough, each of the band members also play in other bands. Geoff Corbett leads The Tremors, brother Ben fronts Gentle Ben and his Sensitive Side and fellow Hicks Fred, Dan and Tony are all involved in their own projects.
I first saw 6fthick supporting Reverend Horton Heat in Sydney in 2001 and for my money the Hicks were the band of the night. It was a hard act for the Reverend to follow and his music seemed innocent in comparison.
I last saw 6fthick last month at Rics in Brisbane, a venue where they cut their teeth, and they were on fire. The tiny room was packed, but Ben still slithered between us all and over the tables, broke glasses over his head and generally sexed up the room, while Geoff taunted and threatened everyone.
Go to their myspace page and listen to some tunes, go to your local record store and buy their albums, or buy them at spooky records but most importantly, go to their gigs – you will see the light, you will be healed, and you will be saved by the damnation of rock ‘n’ roll.
As a "festive season" treat, I've posted a xmas card/comic written and illustrated by a great, old buddy of mine.
Dirk has produced many cool works of art and has also written his own comic, Fatman, a parody of Batman as an old, broken man - very black humour. I don't think you can find this apart from ocasionally on eBay. Dirk is more involved in graphic design nowadays, but he still finds the time to produce art, although his preferred medium has moved to photography.
You may have noticed the lack of posts over the last few months?
I have been too busy working and lost the urge to spend my few free hours posting, prefering to spend the time playing guitar, writing or just hanging out with the ever-sexy Dr E.
There are still lots of visitors to this little corner of the web, with over 360 000 hits in the almost 3 years of this blogs existence.
Howdy everyone! I hope you've found something old or something new to listen to and to go out and buy.
Posting will remain intermittant for the forseeable future, check out the links off to the right hand side, there's lots of music out there.
I'm also of the bah humbug opinion when it comes to the commercialisation of christmas. What's with the lights suffocating houses throughout suburbia across much of the globe?
Maybe the money spent on all of that crap (including the power bills) could be donated to charities which could use more funds at any time of the year?
Ramone-a-thon!
It's on again, Ramone-a-thon is being presented by Tim from Tym Guitars who organises Ramone-a-thon to, in his words, "say thanks to the greatest band who will EVER walk this earth".
It's on this weekend in my hometown of Brisbane, Australia. All profits from Ramone-a-thon go to charity and more information can be found here. Tim's band Roshambo also play every year.
Ramone-a-thon 2007, with TWO stages of Ramonesmania is rocking the valley on Saturday December 1st at The Step Inn (it was previously The Shamrock) on the corner of Brunswick Street & St. Pauls Terrace (186 Brunswick Street. Fortitude Valley) and here's a list of the bands playing
Tickets $15 at the door
Stage One:- 11.50-12.30 - The Spazzys 10.50-11.20 - Roshambo 9.50-10.20 - Spod 8.50-9.20 - The Fancy Boys 7.50-8.20 - Black Level Embassy 6.50-7.20 - Killer Birds 5.50-6.20 - Nova Scotia 4.50-5.20 - The Stabs 4.00-4.20 – The 10-4's 3.20-3.40 - Stolen Bikes Ride Faster 2.40-3.00 - One shot Salute 2.00-2.20 - Team Dickhead 1.20-1.40 - Hits 12.40-1.00 - The Rousells
Stage two:- 11.20-11.50 - The Ramonettes 10.20-10.50 - Shooting at Unarmed Men 9.20-9.50 – Turnpike 8.20-8.50 - Texas Tea 7.20-7.50 – Razorhurst 6.20-6.50 - Death Rides a Horse 5.20-5.50 - The Gels 4.20-4.50 - Del Toro 3.40-4.00 - The Boondal Boys 3.00-3.20 – Little Lovers 2.20-2.40 – The Dry Horors 1.40-2.00 - Suzy loves Dick 1.00-1.20 - The Sips
The Kryptonics began when Ian Underwood and Cathy Webb met at Perth's Balcatta High school in 1982 and the band proper formed in 1984 when drummer Shakir Pichler answered a drummer wanted classified ad.
The band started rehearsing every weekend and after 18 months of hard work in the garage they were lucky enough to play their first gig supporting none other than the Stems, in August 1985. They scored some sweet gigs playing with other Perth bands such as The Marigolds and The Bamboos.
The Kryptonics became the band of the moment in Perth as soon as they hit the scene, but then drummer Shakir left to join The Bamboos. They would suffer through countless lineup changes and the band relocated to Sydney in 1990, where they toured the east coast. The Kryptonics finally lost their power in mid 1992.
The Kryptonics features past and present members of such great aussie bands as You Am I, Radio Birdman, Front End Loader, Lubricated Goat, Regurgitator, The Chevelles, Challenger 7, New Christs, The Monarchs and The Hard-Ons, making The Kryptonics essential listening for anyone interested in the family tree of their favourite oz rock bands.
Rejectionville , the definitive 37 track anthology of yet another under-appreciated garage/power-pop outfit from Perth, was released earlier this year.
Plus The Kryptonics have announced one show only on Friday 23rd Nov at the Rocket Room in Perth.
And they'll be playing with Special Guests the M-16's!
Unfortunately i'm all the way over in Brisbane, so I won't be able to catch the gig. But some of my mates will be there. If you're in Perth try to make it along, I'm sure it'll be a fun, noisy night.
Greg Malcolm was playing 3 guitars simultaneously, a gaffa-covered, very battered-looking guitar played with his left foot, almost like a bass drum, using a wrench jammed between the strings near the pickups; a pristine Fender Jaguar reissue (bravely, or perhaps foolishly? lent by Lawrence) played with the right foot and also an ebow, a battery operated mini fan, steel wool, a slinky and a metal ruler; a third guitar ... and a tamborine!
The third guitar is played more traditionally (in his lap) and was created especially for Greg by Christchurch instrument builder Peter Stephen. This guitar is unusual in that it has 2 sets of strings - the standard set and another sympathetic set of strings which run diagonally inside the guitar body, creating sympathetic droning sounds similar to a sitar. This guitar was played in Greg Malcolm's typical finger picking style, but was also mutated with the use of a huge spring, a camera (flash), additional metal wires and rubber bands.
It was a very enjoyable performance and I managed to sit right at the front to closely watch the man in action. He doesn't stop moving! Between the constant rhythm created using his left foot, the finger picking and the contrasting melodies and harmonies using the guitar on the floor at his right foot (which also manages the tamborine) it is a very busy performance. I left with a copy of Greg's new CD Hung and a few new ideas to try out myself.
There were two other performers playing last night, starting with ex-pat kiwi Leighton Craig and his solo keyboard works, using two keyboards to create some lovely, almost whimsical little pieces and ending with another New Zealand musician, electronic musician and laptop performer Rosy Parlane who created a rather organic sounding and hypnotic piece for a man sitting in the corner of a room with only a computer.
Reverend Tom Frost spent much of his youth watching B-Horror, Spaghetti Westerns, old-timey movies and devouring Southern Gothic literature.
Tom Frost constructed his own world. Haunted by the twisted deformity of the self and by the vision of a more and more absurd world, his music is a merry ingenious mix of his own tortured (yet funny) mind and the songs he grew up with.
He sounds like the bastard son of Screaming Jay Hawkins, brought up by his estranged uncle Jerry Lee Lewis but having spent his youth hanging out with those "bad" cousins Tom Waits and Lux Interior. This music sounds like it was recorded in the fifties, you can almost smell the dust and acetate.
However, the Reverend's excellent blog Spread The Good Word, which has been running even longer than this little effort, has been in hiatus for 6 weeks now. This alone is sad enough.
But even worse, the Reverend is living his own gothic tragedy and has been homeless for this time, literally living in his car.
What can we do to help? Is that the cry I hear from all of my voyeurs out there?
Why not take a listen to the Reverend's tracks and buy one or two, hell, why not buy the whole bloody album!
Unfortunately I won't be joining my beautiful and talented wife on her (now shortened) research tour of the US and she flew out today. So this post is for Dr E who is flying above the Pacific Ocean as I create this post - Love You Baby!! Have a safe and successful trip.
The Glitter Band were named due to their association with glam idol Gary Glitter. They were formed in 1972 to support Glitter's first major concert tour and would ironically become almost as successful, although much less infamous, as Gary Glitter himself.
The band did not play on any of Glitter's hits, but accompanied him on his tours and television appearances until 1976, when Gary Glitter announced his retirement. The Glitter Band also scored six Top Ten hits of their own in the UK.
The Stiffs formed in 1977, a bunch of 15 year old schoolkids, and briefly signed to Stiff Records in January 1981 for this posted one-off single 'Goodbye My Love'. Although the track received good radio airplay, it missed out on bothering the Top 50 charts.
With no label support, The Stiffs broke up in 1988, but reformed in 1999 to support the release of a compilation CD. Since that time the band have had an on-again off-again existence.
For my money this is a classic case where the cover version of a song is much better than the original, but you can make up your own mind. The Stiffs' version comes from the excellent "All Covered In Punk" compilation, well worth checking out if you like punk bands and cover versions.
Do you like these tunes? Then why not support the artists (and my blogging habit) by buying some music. Check out these links:-
The Smokin' Eldorados and Shanghai Sisters (Bands from Perth, Australia)
I only managed to get to one gig while in Perth this time, at the Hyde Park Hotel front bar. It sounds like The Hydeys' future is still not certain, so if you live in Perth go and support the venue and the bands that play there.
The first band I saw was the cute girly three piece that is the Shanghai Sisters. They have a country-fied sound, with a nod to Rockabilly stylings, and strong vocal harmonies based around guitar and drums and played a good set well supported by the bar staff (who kept sending drinks their way) and camera toting punters and less well supported by a lone, drunken heckler - who they wisely ignored.
But the headliners for the evening were The Smokin' Eldorados. Lead by local legends Rodney Radalj (aka Roddy Rayda) (who has played in bands including The Scientists, The Rockets, le Hoodoo Gurus and The Dubrovniks) and Matthew de la Hunty (of Tall Tales and True fame) sharing guitar and vocal duties and with a strong rhythm section of Laurie Sinagra on bass (Laurie also has a long history as a sound engineer, having worked with Jebediah, Downsyde, Dom Mariani, Sodastream, Gyroscope and Turnstyle amongst many others, including my two bands As Is and The Hoovers) and Tim Bates on drums. Laurie was also asked to stand in on bass only 2 weeks before this gig, and managed to buy a bass and learn all of the songs within that short time frame - Go Laurie!!
As soon as the band started there was a surge from the crowd to the "stage" (which is actually at floor level at The Hydey) and the band were obviously (and understandably) well liked and supported. The set was an interesting mix of blues rock, pop, country and soul and was occasionally reminiscent of a tamer Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (with less posturing and theremin). The band really hit the mark when Rod and Matt were playing off each other, sharing guitar and vocal leads and they seemed to moved into free form jams every now and again giving each other ample opportunity to play as Laurie and Tim maintained the foundations.
The demo mp3 I have posted below is missing something in comparison to the version they played live (and it's not only the bass). Keep an eye out for these guys, cos they are in the process of recording their first album together.
Laurie and Matt have also been working together on the film Greenhead.
Do you like these tunes? Then why not support the artists (and my blogging habit) by buying some music. Check out these links:-
Perthection
To continue the celebration of returning to Perth and posting music from my home town, here's a repost.
Sadly my old buddy from The Hoovers didn't turn up to the party, so there were no Hoovers tracks, no Boss Hoss. But John from The Volcanics did get up for a few songs, including Teenage Kicks, which was fun.
This mix is of Perth bands from the 1970's through to the end of the millenia, when I had already left Perth and moved to Sydney. This mix moves from punk to pub rock, surf instros to post-punk, guitar pop and more. This is only the surface of some of the great music that has come from, and continues to be created in, Perth - the world's most isolated city.
Most of these bands I saw live, many I saw numerous times, some I just liked, others I played in, or played gigs with. But it will give you an idea of how vibrant the Perth music scene was. Check out the links if you want to find out more about any of these bands.
Perthection (this is the link to a zip file containing a song from all of the bands listed above)
Do you like these tunes? Then why not support the artists (and my blogging habit) by buying some music. Check out these links:-
The Red Parrot - The Attic Tapes (Bands from Perth, Australia)
To continue the celebration of returning to Perth and posting music from my home town, here's a post of a compilation only ever released on cassette and of which I may have one of the few copies available.
The Red Parrot was the place to be seen (or should that be scene?) in Perth in the early to mid 1980's.
If my memory serves me right, these recordings were made at The Red Parrot over two nights, Thursday 15th and Friday 16th May, 1986.
As well as being the best night club in Perth (ever?), it supported the local original music scene at a time when most of the pubs were only letting cover bands play. See the Kno Matter track "Playing Covers" for an obvious reference to this phenomenon. The Red Parrot was also the venue where many national and international bands played.
I haven't even had the time to break these tracks up, so here you have side A and side B of the cassette. The track listing is:-
The Red Parrot - The Attic Tapes
Side A
The Holy Rollers - Afraid Homecoming - Compromise The Waltons - My Husband Beats Me The Moment - G Dead The Marigolds - Down By The River
Side B
Erol H Tout - The Sound Of Swimming Kno Matter - Playing Covers Greenhouse Effect - Rhyme Without Reason Kryptonics - Trapped Inside
The Attic Tapes (this is the link to a zip file containing a song from all of the bands listed above)
For those of you who don't want to download this zip file, here are a couple of tracks from a couple of my favourite Perth bands recorded at the Parrot during these sessions.
Do you like these tunes? Then why not support the artists (and my blogging habit) by buying some music. Check out these links:-
Perth Cover Versions
I am about to head home to Perth to visit my family and friends for a few weeks. To celebrate I am posting a very rare collection of cover versions of songs by Perth bands, or of Australian bands containing members from Perth.
Don’t forget to check out the links for more information on these bands and also the opportunity to hear even more great tunes from them.
