MONSTER MAGNET HIT AUSTRALIAN SHORES
Metal punk monsters Monster Magnet are touring Australia for the first time in a decade, bringing their mix of retro rock punk, space rock, and psychedelic influences to bear for for shows only.Not since Blue Oyster Cult's heyday had heavy rock seen a combination of brains, brawn, and humor quite like that orchestrated by Monster Magnet's Dave Wyndorf. With the 1995 breakthrough release of ‘Dopes to Infinity’ featuring ‘Negasonic Teenage Warhead’ they had created a shag carpeted soundtrack for the world that was “rawk: sexy, dark, melodic, celebratory and, above all, huge.” (Rolling Stone). With each of their albums wallowing in excess it was Monster Magnet’s fourth effort, ‘Powertrip’ that catapulted the band in to the stratosphere. The psychedelic, experimental ‘Space Lord’ became a massive worldwide hit mixing power riffs with Seattle-sounding melancholy and pure metal aggression.
Touring Australia for the first time in over 10 years, Dave Wyndorf promises fans one thing... “You'll swim in the sweat of a million orgies”.
SATURDAY 5 SEPTEMBER BRISBANE, THE HI-FI – 18+
www.ticketek.com.au 132 849, www.thehifi.com.au, Rockinghorse Records & Kill The MusicSUNDAY 6 SEPTEMBER SYDNEY, METRO – Lic All Ages
www.ticketek.com.au 132 849 Metro Theatre Box Office 02 9550 3666 & UtopiaTUESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER MELBOURNE, BILLBOARD – 18+
www.ticketek.com.au 132 849 www.billboardthevenue.com.au & Missing LinkTHURSDAY 10 SEPTEMBER PERTH, METROPOLIS FREMANTLE – 18+
www.bocs.com.au, 78 Records, Mills Records & Planet
IRON CROSS SKATEBOARDS RETURN
US skateboard brand Iron Cross is re-emerging with two combat-ready boards, one of them based on the Radio Birdman logo. The first model is their team board, a double kick concave 8.75 x 32.25 x 15.25 wheelbase. The second is the official Radio Birdman model, also a double kick concave but measuring 9.0 x 33 x 15.5 wheelbase. Iron Cross Skateboards is brought to you by Art and Steve Godoy and Daniel Creadon (who play in The Last Of The Bad Men with Deniz Tek.) Place your order or make an enquiry here
THE NEW CHRISTS TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM IN MAY
Twenty five years after they first formed and more than five years since the release of their last studio album, The New Christs are set to release their brand new full length album in May.
It has been an interesting journey since Radio Birdman front man Rob Younger formed The New Christs in 1984 to support Iggy Pop on his Australian tour of that year. A number of single releases featuring several line ups of friends followed before the band recorded and released their debut album ‘Distemper’ in 1989. Following the European tour in support of the album release, the band split up before briefly reforming in 1990 to support The Ramones on their Australian tour. Once again after that tour the band took a three year hiatus before Rob teamed up with bassist Christian Houllemare (Happy Hate Me Nots) and Bill Gibson (Lemonheads, Eastern Dark) to record 'The Pedestal' ep and 'Woe Betide' mini-album. This was then followed by the 1997 release of the album 'Lower Yourself' which the band once again toured Europe on the back of.
In 2001, The New Christs recorded their full length album 'We Got This' but due to problems with the label who had initially commissioned the recording, it would be some time before it was finally released and by that time due to various reasons the band had once again split. After spending a couple of years producing bands and touring with the reformed Radio Birdman, Rob assembled the current version of The New Christs in 2006. Former bass player Jim Dickson and drummer Stu Wilson returned to the band and new recruits Dave Kettley (guitar) and Brent Williams (guitar/keys) to lead the band into a new era.
They headed off to Europe, playing to adoring fans across Spain, France, Germany and Belgium while also managing to play some shows in their home country. With the bands line up the most stable in the history of The New Christs, they churned out a bunch of new songs in preparation for the recording of a new album.
December of 2008 saw the band begin work on their as yet untitled full length album which has been scheduled for worldwide release on the Impedance Records label in May 2009. The New Christs will kick off a European tour at the Azkena Rock Festival in Spain on May 16th to support of the release.
In the meantime you can get a live preview of what to expect from the album this Friday February 20th in Sydney when the band take to the stage of the Excelsior Hotel in Surry Hills.
CLYDE JOINS BANG SHANG A LANG, EYES OFF SPOT IN THE WIGGLES
Sydney party-band-around-town Bang Shang a Lang is "very proud, excited, and deliriously happy" to induct a new bass player in Clyde "Boom Boom" Bramley. Keen-eyed Barflies will note that Clyde did the hanky panky with the Hoodoo Gurus from "Leilani" to "Like Wow! Wipeout", leaving the band in 1988 after the release of three killer rock’n’roll albums, a zillion top pop singles and countless sweaty gigs around the world. A number of Bang Shang a Lang members spent many steamy nights in front of Clyde and the Gurus during the early '80s, studying the pop group stylings of the band and trying to emulate the quality of their paisley. The band's ranks already include Murray Cook (aka the Red Wiggle from the Wiggles.)In a statement the band said: "Clyde moved on to the great garage/pop/surf sounds of bands such as The Stepfords, The Wetsuits and The Rainy Season, with plenty of guest spots helping out mates in Sydney’s music scene and beyond. ‘Boom Boom’ was inducted into the Aria Hall of Fame with the Gurus in 2007, establishing himself as Australian Rock Royalty, a phrase not bandied around nearly enough these days. His heroes include Tommy Raudonikis, Tommy James and Tommy Ramone and he is a real fair dinkum nice bloke – a perfect fit for Bang Shang a Lang!"
View their website and upcoming gigs here.
DARROCH NAME LIVES ON IN BENLEESACARNT
That's Alex Darroch in the middle, flanked by Bill Gibson (left) and Geoff Milne. If the surnames look familiar it's because they were last used in the same sentence to describe membership of legendary Australian band The Eastern Dark. The Eastern Dark's short career was snuffed out by a tragic road trip accident on March 4, 1986, which took the life of guitarist James Darroch. Bassist Gibson, drummer Milne and soundman/manager Tim Pittman survived. The band's legend also lives on.
James' daughter Alex and her band Beenleesacarnt made their debut at an in-store at Mojo Records in Sydney on August 21 with her late father's ex-bandmates looking on. Alex plays bass and her's band's brand of hardcore is said to be like that of Zeke. Alex blew up her amp but - in true Darroch style - soldiered on.
