Dave Laing’s 2009, or bits thereof. Some random selections because I’m not exactly ‘in touch’… and kinda forgetful…

The Imperial Dogs ‘Live! In Long Beach (October 30, 1974)’ DVD

Read my rave here and order it here. If you dig the Stooges, BOC and Radio Birdman, your life is not complete until you’ve heard ‘Midnite Dog’, ‘Just Kids’, ‘Rock’n'Roll Overdose’ and the original and best ‘This Ain’t The Summer Of Love’. RIP Bill Willett.

Eilen Jewell – Sea of Tears

Boston-based country singer/singwriter with hot band adds a strong dose of early ’60s Brit rock and R&B – great covers of Johnny Kidd & Them – to create music that is dark, stormy and fabulous. Touring in March – be there.

Dwight Twilley Band – ‘Live From Agora ’77′

An absolutely screaming live show recorded inbetween first and second albums that shows these guys could rock with the best of them. Hot enough to redefine the term ‘power pop’ actually. Dwight released this himself – get it from Not Lame.

Big Star – the boxset

Worth it for the great Flying Burittos cover on the live disc, which sheds some new light on a band that’s been one of my all time favourites since Stuart Coupe hipped me to them in a Young Modern story in RAM in ’79.

Willie Nile – ‘House Of A Thousand Guitars’

New York singer-songwriter with big heart stuck on his sleeve and in love with the poetry and rock’n'roll romance of ’60′s Dylan & Lou & ’70s Patti etc. I dig how he seems to exist in a world that only still exists in old b&w photos and I guess in his head. Kinda corny in same way as Elliot Murphy’s great early records were corny. I like corny. Title track is a great anthem.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers ‘Live Anthology’ 4CD

Super great career spanning live set timed perfectly for my annual end of year Petty binge. Great covers of ‘I’m A Man’, ‘Oh Well’ and ‘It’s All Over Now’ show them to be garage rockers at heart. And hey, Scott Thurston’s been in the band for years now, so all you Stooges completists should get it.

Wooden Shjips – new album ‘Dos’

Maybe not as great as their first songwise, but no-one does droney loud rock stuff better than these guys. Kinda like early Spaceman 3 with better dynamics maybe? They’re here in March 2010, I think, and they’re a great live band.

Magic Christian – ‘Evolver’

I haven’t heard the UK release with extra tracks, and the original US release came out in ’08 I think, but whatever… Best tracks like ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’, ‘The Real Thing’ and ‘Turn Up The Heat’  and are almost up their with the best Groovies stuff, And the Beatles cover and Who covers are great…

Jenny Dee & The Denlinquents – Shake Some Action

Done ’60s’ Motown-style! It works a treat! Jenny is Jen D’Angora of Boston’s ever-rockin’ Downbeat 5. Check em here.

Stooges

The set of ’71 recordings on Easy Action. Sounds great turned up to deafening volumes in the car.

Beatles

The late stuff is all quite new to me, having been a fan of everything pre-”Revolver” since I was a kid, and having being pre-disposed to not dig anything I thought wasn’t rock’n'roll until I grew up (which must’ve been in the last couple of years, I guess).  But I’ve finally discovered “Abbey Road” and “Let It Be”, and the remasters are of course great.

Smithereens ‘Play Tommy’

He he. Trimmed of flab, it’s a better listen than the Who’s original, and I’m a sucker for Wm.Stout cover art. Also Dennis Diken with Bell Sound ‘Late Music’ – a fabulous tribute to the glories of 60′s AM Pop from the Smithereens drummer no less. And while I’m here I may as well say I dug Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoff’s ‘Under The Covers Vol.2′ plenty too, even the Carly Simon cover.

Roy Loney & The Phantom Movers – Raven records comp

I could argue abiout the track selection – and I did – but it’s 95% there, and evidence of Roy’s immense catalogue of greatness. Most of ‘Out of After Dark’ is there – and that’s definitely one of my all time faves – but it’s some of the later stuff, which I hadn’t paid enough attention to,  that really surprises.

Johnny Casino & The Secrets – Live at 3PBS

Best thing the boy’s ever done. He nails the vocals like nobody’s business these days, and of course his guitar can’t be beat. If I had money and time, I’d bring out John Felice, Roy Loney, and Roy’s replacement in the Groovies Chris Wilson, and have Johnny & the boys back them on sets of Real Kids and Groovies tunes. And I’d be a very happy man.

Dave Rawlings Machine ‘A Friend Of A Friend’

For whatever reason, a disappointment initially, but plenty of great moments. Love the version of ‘To Be Young’, which Dave wrote with Ryan Adams, and which never struck me as much of a song till now.

Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women ‘s/t’

Loved Alvin since Blasters days, and this is his rockin’est release in ages. Great to hear Christy McWilson’s wonderful ‘Weight of the World’ again too.

‘A Man Of Somebody’s Dreams: A tribute ot the Songs of Chris Gaffney’

Dave Alvin produced this comp in tribute to his fallen friend Gaffney, one of the greatest white country soul singers ever, and a much underrated songwriter. . Great tracks from the likes of Jim Lauderdale, Alejandro Escovedo, John Doe, Los Lobos, Boz Scaggs (!!!) and a reprise of a great recording of Gaffney’s greatest song, ‘The Gardens’, by the Texas Tornados, featuring the late and great Freddy Fender and Doug Sahm. Speaking of, the Sir Doug tribute ‘Keep Your Soul’, featuring a lot of the same artists, is fantastic too.

Tom Russell ‘Blood & Candle Smoke’

Another of Dave Alvin’s old buddies, Tom released his greatest record ever this year. Recorded with Calexico backing him, the feel is Western, but with Tom it’s the word’s that count – he is about the greatest lyricist you’ll ever hear.

Ry Cooder & Nick Lowe live at the Palais late November

I like Nick much more than I like Ry, and there wasn’t enough Nick, but the whole thing was cool – stripped back 3-piece blues stuff with an easy feel like Jimmy Reed or something. But no ‘Cruel To Kind’ was kinda rough.

Moby Grape

Been a sucker for ‘Fall On You’ since I tracked it down after hearing the Groovies do it on a bootleg that came out in the early ’80s, and even more of a sucker for ‘Omaha’, since I realised that it was the same great song as the one that I thought was called ‘Listen My Friends’ that Grooveyard did on a mixed tape of live goodies that Steve Lorkin sent me in ’83 or so. I thought that song was one of the best things I’d ever heard and of course the original is even better. 2009 was the year I finally gave the rest of Moby Grape’s debut album a fair go, and it’s all aces. Actually, it’s in my handful over favorite albums ever now I’d suggest.

Hitmen

Live, they’re better than any band of their vintage has any right to be these days. The Niagara record burns, but for me the highlights are the new original ‘Another Lost Weekend’ and the long-awaited first official release of Masuak’s great ‘Death By the Gun’. ‘Tora Tora DTK’ has come up a treat on cd too, and worth if if for no other reason to have their version of ‘Suspicious Minds’. That a band schooled on the Stooges and BOC could do this song without a trace of irony – or would do it even – still amazes me, and the fact they could nail it so perfectly and soulfully , still kills me. Hell, I’m convinced Elvis would’ve loved singing it with these guys.

‘Clap Your Hands & Stamp Your Feet’

Awesome comp of great ’70s Dutch glam. Led to my discovery and immersion into the wonders of Bonnie St Claire & Unit Gloria. Check ‘em out:

‘Daptone Gold’
Great label sampler, highlighted for me by the great closer ‘Stranded In Your Love’, by Sharon Jones and Lee Fields.

Eli Reed & the Trueloves

Live, and ‘Ace of Spades’ CDEP. Live show at the Prince at the start of January was a scorcher, and confirmed how many great originals this guy has in a variety of classic 60′s soul styles. And his James Brown-style Motorhead cover, which could’ve been just a novelty, works a treat too.

Best rock’n'roll book – Stooges book by Robert Matheu, the new Bomp! book ‘Born In the Garage’…

Best ‘zine (single issue) - Brain Lapse

Best blog – Blog To Comm, The Hound Blog

Kazzer and Ron cycled out to join the crowd around the crater of a wrecked UFO one weekend in a busy year.

Where did the year go. I seem to have been awfully busy, despite having a day job for only four weeks. Good thing I booked my holiday in right in the middle of those four miserable weeks.

1. Gigs

I only saw two that I didn’t play at. Blitzen Trapper failed to live up to the hype. They fail to even meet low expectations. Dull, and unfocused. There are probably some who think otherwise.

Our holiday took us out to Seattle to pick up Greg Martens, our pal from Melbourne. At the top of his wish list was the hope to see a rare Green Pajamas gig. He got lucky, they were doing a record release party at Easy Street, in West Seattle. Great to catch up with Joe Ross and crew. The show was pretty funny. Jeff Kelly was very drunk and didn’t want to play the songs on the set list. They still played well, but I think we got shorted a few songs. Greg M seemed to be impressed that we were invited to go back to the band’s house to hang out late.

2. Travels

The Seattle trip included a stop in Missoula, and couple of days in Glacier Park on the return side. We had an incredible dinner in Missoula, as it was Kaz’s birthday. There was a lot of wine, so I couldn’t actually tell you what I ate. We got a little time at Ear Candy, the only record shop worth seeing in Montana. We were a bit too early to see all the sights in Glacier, but the lack of tourists made it a pleasant trip. I missed the trip to Yellowstone, so I missed the bear sighting. Tom Azure held his 50th at the Izaak Walton Inn, just on the edge of Glacier. Being that his birthday falls on Halloween, it was a costume party. It was surreal taking over an otherwise empty hotel. They wisely closed the bar at 11pm.

3. Outdoor Activities

We started the year with a major ski trip in West Yellowstone. The Sunday blizzard, was followed by one of the most incredible winter days I’ve ever had. Blue sky, and the snow was like skiing on a cloud. Not a soul on the Fawn Pass trail either. We managed a couple more days of skiing before the snow melted. The goal this year was to bike all summer, so we’d be in better shape for skiing this winter. Weather kept us from the spring ride in Yellowstone.

They open the park to bikes in the period after they clear the roads, and before they let the insane tourists in. Midway through summer we signed up for the Fall ride. This meant we needed to do some serious training. Bozeman is laced with trails, so there is plenty of riding in town. We also got out for two serious hikes. It was a long late spring here, which meant the trails were muddy or still had snow well into June. I think we went to Yellowstone more this year than I ever had. Angie Pepper, her sister and Max Tek asked us to take them around the park in July. This isn’t the best time of the year, but we made the most of it, and had a fabulous time over two days.

The Fall bike ride was a benefit for the YP Foundation. I insisted we not try to do the 60 mile round trip. I’d been sick for a week prior to the big weekend, and had just bought a road bike, which I’d only ridden twice. Our friend Sarah for the YPF had invited us, and knew there was a 30 mile option. We took a van into Old Faithful, and did the return leg. This proved to be a wise choice. There was a strong head wind on the last part, which might have been discouraging if I was tired. At the end, I felt like I could have gone another 3 miles. As it happens, this was the first time they’d had good weather for this event. Unforgettable.

4. Making Music

Except for the week on the road to Seattle, I worked non-stop on the Donovan’s Brain record. I had set a pretty comfortable schedule, but in the end we missed the deadline by nearly a month. Gear failure stopped everything for nearly two weeks. In the end I thought it best to take my time and make sure it was done right. Having Deniz overseeing the final mixes helped considerably. By the time we were done, the band seemed to have lost a couple of long-time members. They just quietly drifted away. Not a bad thing. Deniz brought in Bob Brown to play bass, and as expected, he was the man for the job. The drum seat remains unresolved. Mike Musburger stepped in to do some of the critical work, and reminded me I know a lot of great musicians.

As soon as that was done, I had to sit down and learn the Soul Movers set. I didn’t have time to stop and think. This would be the first time I would be playing keyboards full time. I was lucky to get two rehearsals with the band. By the second night I could finally relax and breathe. Plans for a 2010 tour are being discussed. Meanwhile some of us are doing music for the daily ski films on BridgerBowl.com

5. Movies

I know we got out a few times…. right Star Trek. Finally, a film that lives up to the series. They had better make more. Great villain, great actors, and a good story. Too bad it took ‘em a dozen tries to get it right. We went to see Zombie Land not knowing what to expect. It delivered some great Saturday Matinee laughs. Well worth the time and effort. I am reminded once again why I love cinema, on the big screen.

A film I’m in and worked on was finally released. Penny Ikinger is in it, so you do the math. It’s been a long time in the making. Where The DJ’s Roam is a documentary that tells several related stories centered around KGLT, the college/community radio station I work at. I have had the rough cut for several years. We started work on the sound track while we were working on Roy’s album. Despite watching it over and over, I never realized that Keith Lockwood had done such a great job with it.

7. Records

Don’t ask me what new bands I like. I spent the early part of the year squandering what little money I had on a quest to fill the holes in my 60′s UK 45 collection. Did it. Picked up all the Who, Move, Small Faces, Rolling Stones and a few others I was missing. I have a lot of stuff in my collection, some of it very rare. I reckon I was satisfied with US pressings on having the song on an album. Not any more. There is nothing like the sound of a rockin’ single.

New bands? I was introduced to Tony Miller’s band, Ideal Free Distribution. I liked them so much I asked Tony to sing on our record. The Norwegian band, Deleted Waveform Gathering was the other discovery. Their new release is even better.

Other than that, it was the old favorites. The new Wilco is a great one. I understand they are a band people love, or don’t. I’ve always like their sound, but since Nels Cline joined, I think have kicked it up a notch or two. Old favorites, REM had three releases this year, or is that four? The reissues of Murmer and Reckoning gave up bonus live concerts. Both are from their early prime, the one on Reckoning being my favorite of the two. I think Accelerate must have been released last year. The Live at the Olympia was recorded over five nights of live rehearsals for Accelerate. The set list was pack with old songs, some which hadn’t been played for years. The slimmed down band tears through them like they mean it. Drummer Bill Reflin finally gets to cut loose and show he is the perfect replacement for the much missed Bill Berry.

In the midsts of all this, Scott McCaughey managed to complete a new Minus 5 album and get the long overdue Young Fresh Fellows record out. Scott, Linda and Steve Wynn stopped by Career HQ on their way out on a Minus 5-Baseball Project tour. I think Scott had Robyn Hitchcock gigs as soon as he got back to Seattle. I’m sure he would have played on some Donovan’s Brain songs if he’d had been here for more than two hours.

I quite like the Soul Movers record. I had no reason to think it would turn out as well as it did. The song writing makes it. When I sat down to learn the songs, the story told finally became clear to me. Roy Loney’s new record with Senor No struck me the same way. An ep recorded a couple of years ago was good fun, but nothing on it would have lead me to expect Got Me A Hot One. Their sheer enthusiasm, and power make up for any lack of finesse. Roy had a great year. The reunion with Cyril put them both back in the spotlight.

8. Reading

Haven’t had much time to spend with a good book. There was yet another newly discovered PK Dick novel on the shelf. They promise this is the last one. I haven’t finished Voices From The Street yet, but it is classic early mainstream PKD. The other good news is Shindig on a regular schedule, six time a year, rather than once every six years. The writing is getting better and the new layout is easy on the eyes.

9. Politics.

The harsh reality that 8 years of Bush-Cheney left us with a massive pile of shit to sort out. Not an easy task for anyone. Had no reason to expect it to get better in January. The good thing is there is now intelligent discussion of real issues.

10. Food

Curry dominated the menu for most of the year. Stops in Billings for a dose of Siam Thai was always welcome. A brand new Thai in Bozeman, Lemon Grass holds promise. The switch to white wine has been difficult, but produced some real surprises. Pretty much have gone off the beer.

Jake and his fellow Snoozefests

OK, so during writing this I’ve realised i haven’t done anything with my year, So i’ll mention some shit that wasn’t from this year, but i’ve played it / loved it this year.

1. Mick Hadley & The Others performing at Notes – My band opened this night, and i purposely cut our set short so i could see Mick Hadley sooner. So glad i did. Every band was great that night, but Mick Hadley has got the goods.

2. The Frowning Clouds – In my opinion, the best current band in Australia… The ep is great, The live shows are even better… can’t wait for the album.

3. The Black Lips – 200 thousand million – This is probably the only record i’ve bought that was recorded in 2009… i dig it though.

4. The Return of Clint Eastwood to the screen in Gran Torino – He’s everything a woman wants, and everything this man wants to be.

5. Danelectro – So, it was my 21st this year, and as a present i decided to buy a 1966 Burns double six 12 string… There were many complications with shipping, so it fell through. So i bought a much cheaper Danelectro DC-12 …. which took two weeks to arrive, and when it did arrive, i opened the box and discovered they had sent the wrong guitar, they had sent me a Danelectro ’67 Hornet (guitar Pete Townshend made famous) so i complained like a renegade freight train outta hell (even though i loved the hornet) and for an extra couple of bucks, they sent me the DC-12 on top of the hornet for basically the same price.

6. Playing with the Hitmen – I forgot to bring my guitar to this show, so luckily a friend lived around the corner and got to use his 1970′s telecaster. Gonna forget to bring my twanger more often… Also, Decline of the Reptiles and Hitmen both ruled.

7. El Topo - Carrie of the Booby Traps got me onto this one… This film opened my mind more, or as much as, any drug has. Alejandro Jodorowsky even got me reading up on all kinds of junk about tarot and enneagrams that my 18-year-old self would have cringed at.

8. New Michael Marshall (Smith) book – I haven’t even read it yet, only because i have a bookshelf of junk to get through… But this guy is my favourite author and although i know it ain’t gonna be another “Only Forward” or “Spares”… i know i’ll still love it.

9. The Macguffin generator - Best invention of 2009. Happy Phlegm enterprises.

10. The Seabarers – This up and coming band are going to blow the world’s butthole apart.

Tim Pittman showing ex-Moff Thee Alan Hislop, a thing or two about lawn bowls...

SPIRITUALIZED – MAIN STAGE ATP MT.BULLER

Live and on record Spiritualized have a reputation for being inconsistent. On this occasion however, with unlimited access to volume and taking full advantage of the headliner’s light show, Spiritualized, in full seven piece band mode (including two former Bad Seeds back-up gospel singers) gave us the show we always knew they could. Raw, powerful soul music at its best.

DIRTY THREE – MAIN STAGE ATP MT.BULLER
Performing their fourth album, Ocean Songs, in its (almost) entirety, the Dirty Three showed yet again that they are the most consistent live act out there. Consistently great that is. Joined by Nick Cave on piano, the Filthy Four attacked their set as if they were the last men standing: desperate and ragged and with Warren Ellis’ tortured violin howling in cries of relief over the rolling rhythms of guitarist Mick Turner & drummer Jim White. Sublime.

THE SAINTS – MAIN STAGE ATP MT.BULLER
They may have been indifferent at their other performances but ATP Mt.Buller brought the best out of The Saints. Loud and tight and with a set-list drawn in equal part from all three of their seminal albums, plus a storming rendition of Ike & Tina’s River Deep Mountain High, the reformed Saints did not disappoint. The adoring crowd thought so too. So much so that the normally poker-faced Mick Turner of the Dirty Three was caught pogoing in the mosh! What greater recommendation do you need?

DEAD MEADOW – THE ABOM, MT.BULLER
The scene inside the 300 capacity ABOM resembled the inside sleeve of the MC5′s High Times: bodies gathered around the low rise stage – standing, kneeling, sitting on chairs, sitting on equipment – all desperate to soak up Dead Meadows psychedelic jams and Hendrix-inspired groove. A late afternoon surprise for those in the know and an inspired choice from Bad Seeds bassist Martyn Casey.

PASSENGER OF SHIT – ABOM ATP MT.BULLER
The Passenger, a friend of Nick Cave’s son, had stayed on the floor of the Bad Seeds UK office and inadvertently left his myspace page open on the office computer. Stumbling across it the next day, Nick was so impressed that the request for an ATP appearance came through soon after. Creating a racket that crossed speed metal with a dentist’s drill whilst wearing a penis mask and giving us all the finger, one-man band Passenger of Shit created so much controversy at his ABOM show on the Friday night that we just had to have him back on the Saturday. The result? More of the same but this time the ABOM was packed to capacity and there were lengthy queues to get in. All this while The Bad Seeds were on the main stage too. He was also great in Sydney.

LAUGHING CLOWNS – ATP MT.BULLER & COCKATOO ISLAND
Arguably the most anticipated act of all ATP, the Laughing Clowns did not disappoint. Featuring the mid-career line-up of Kuepper, Wegener, Elliott and Millar and with Alistar Spence guesting on keyboards, the Clowns played a typically obtuse set from an already eclectic catalogue and included the six minute funeral dirge Collapse Board. Not your normal festival fare. It worked a treat.

AFRIRAMPO
“We love ATP!” We Love Nick Cave!” “We Love Australia!” And the Australian ATP audience loved Japanese duo Afrirampo and their abstract concoction of heavy metal riffs, tribal drums and wailing vocals – all learned from a stint living with some Pygmies in Africa – or so they told me… Genius.

FUCK BUTTONS – ATP MT.BULLER & COCKATOO ISLAND
It was with some trepidation that we placed Fuck Buttons mid-afernoon on the main stage, after all, these are just two dudes working with laptops and programmers and very little else. But they had a show to do in Hobart the next day and such as travel is in and out of that isle their programing was pre-determined. We need not have worried. The ‘Buttons electro-pulse proved irresistible even in the broad daylight and a previously slow selling Melbourne side-show sold out all remaining tickets very quickly. They were even better under the stars in Sydney.

BEACHES – ATP MT.BULLER & COCKATOO ISLAND & WITH MOGWAI
I like this band. They have probably the best Australian release of the last 12 months or so and while their live shows are slightly stilted the songs and sound they generate is enough to overcome any inhibition. A new release is highly anticipated by me at least.

MICK HADLEY & THE OTHERS
Wow, this was great! I had no expectation whatsoever but the former singer for Australian sixties punks, the Purple Hearts, proved a truly entertaining front man with a great voice and The Others finally had the material to show off their talents. A career best for the band and rare treat from Mr.Hadley.

Would buy a used Ramones hat from this man?

Not in any order, as usual:

1. Laughing Clowns at ATP Sydney: I wasn’t a big fan back in the day but the re-release of all their recordings on Hot prompted a major re-evaluation. If you can’t see the logical progression through the Saints to Ed Kuepper’s solo stuff via the Clowns, you ain’t looking hard enough.  This show was the highlight of ATP for mine and left the pyjama party antics of a certain Saint in the shade. Wish I’d taken the trouble to catch the return engagement at The Basement.

2. Hitmen Re-Loaded: Dave Laing of Savage Beat excelled himself with the “Tora Tora DTK” package while the “St Valentine’s Day Massacre” live recording with Niagara has the impact of a kick to the face. Live, the Hitmen’s two-night stand in Sydney at the Sauna – sorry, Sando – required super-human commitment in sweltering heat and stifling humidity, and the band pulled two shows out of the fire to come out smiling. There’ll be another 2CD package of archival gems in the racks any tick of the clock and assaults on Europe and Australia (hopefully with Niagara) loom. You can hate ‘em but you can’t kill ‘em.

3. Simon Chainsaw and Sonny Vincent: I’ll not hear better punk rock albums than “Rock and Roll Uranus” and “Sonny Vincent With Members of Rocket From The Crypt” in the same year. Two guys on different continents doing it their own way.

4. The Snoozefests: This trio of youngsters from the New South Wales Central Coast are the best new band I heard in 2009. I’d probably have a similar opinion of The Frowning Clouds from Geelong but missed their under-the-wire Sydney visit. Grab the Snoozefests’ album, “One Way Ticket To Snoresville” (it’s not) and catch ‘em live. They’re rough around the edges, apt to take the piss out of themselves, funny and fun. Thanks for the tip, Carrie.

5. Mick Hadley & The Others live: Some thought Mick Hadley and his backing band would deserve a Purple Heart for their slot supporting the Stems’ farewell gig in Sydney. They walked away with a Medal of Honour. Watch for a repeat gig or three in 2010.

6. “All Your Love” by Mick Medew & The Rumours: Album of the Year (but I’m biased – I put it out) and a top bunch of blokes.

7. The usual truckload of albums drifts in and out of the ranks of my top ten…“Stop Plus Singles 1978-86” by Little Murders is a gem…I played shit out of ”Cave Girl” by in-exile Brendan Kibble’s Austin, TX band The TexReys…”Deutschland” by the eternally underrated Kevin K…  Gloria – New Christs: It’s not “Distemper Mk II” but so what? It stands on its own legs…Dr Tek’s soul band and their “On The In Side”…a retrospective (“A Million Miles An Hour”) and a newie (“Got Me a Hot One”) from vet Roy Loney rocked da Bar…X’s “X-Aspirations” re-issue… The Interconti nental Playboys’ “Hymns Of The Flesh” was a winner, even if the street press critics are yet to wake up…Penny Ikinger’s “Fragile” EP…Kill Devil Hills’ ragged and glorious “Man You Should Explode” was a mindfuck… “The Eternal” by Sonic Youth…“Think Rational!” by The Rationals: Fusing beat-band rock with blue-eyed soul and psych….volumes two and three of “Drink Fight Fuck” (like a punk rock K-Tel collection, only better) on Zodiac Killer….”De Ja Blues” by The Pink Fits (R.I.P.)…”Makin’ It With…” – The Booby Traps…”Romance and Adventure” – The Ooga Boogas.

Mentions for some late arrivals “Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is! (Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears), “With You Right By My Side, Baby The Deal Just Can’t Go Down” (punk-gospel-rock from Sydney band The Maladies), “Damn You Ra” (a killer album from Sydney’s Holy Soul), the Daptone “Gold” collection and “The LP Is Dead” (solo album by Dictators skinsman JP Thunderbolt Patterson.) Plus the ones I’ve forgotten (and the Stooges box that’s yet to arrive.)

8. Best Fest: ATP Sydney by a country mile. Honourable mention to Flip Out! Sydney, even if a little variety might not have gone astray.

9. Best Comeback: I’m reserving judgement on the Stooges as the YouTube of their Brazil return was scratchy and a little low energy…so step up Decline of The Reptiles who were pretty close to great most times their stepped onto the green.

12. Neil Young at Sydney BDO: Stunning shit. Front row view. Skidmark (who was along for the ride) doesn’t drink and nor did I this  ‘cos the lines were horrendous but no enhancement was needed.

11. Death: As in passing away. Farewell Ron Asheton, Sky Saxon, Les Paul and Lux Interior. Not a Good Thing in a Top Ten but there had to be some way of mentioning the fallen. We will remember them.

The Beat-Man Way!

What’s been on my turntable this year:

MOVIE STAR JUNKIES – MELVILLE (VOODOO RHYTHM RECORDS)

V/A – I WOKE UP ONE MORNING IN MY (MISSISSIPI RECORDS)

CELESTE RODRIGUES – THE ART OF PORTUGESE FADO (QLYMPIC RECORDS)

GRAUZONE – SAME (WELT RECORDS)

NATHAN ABSHIRE – PINE GROVE BLUES (SWALLOW RECORDS)

THE PUSSYWARMERS – MY PUSSY BELONGS TO DADDY ( VOODOO RHYTHM RECORDS)

CELTIC FROST – MONOHEIST (CENTURY MEDIA)

PRETTY THINGS – SF SORROW (EDSEL RECORDS)

DEUTSCH AMERIKANISCHE FREUNDSCHAFT (D.A.F.) -FÜR IMMER (VIRGIN)

OM KALSOUM – (LIVE) ROBAYAT EL KHAYAM (SONO CARIO)

Sophia Tsipidis photo

1. Propagandhi – Supporting Caste: they just keep getting better and better, how many bands that have been going for 15 years can we honestly say that about?

2. Thin Lizzy – Still Dangerous: yes it has most songs you can get off live and dangerous, and phil is no longer with us, but still, its Thin FKN Lizzy, and they are better than all of us

3. Black Crowes – Before the Frost/Until The Freeze – their best record in a long long time, recorded in Levon Helm’s studios 100% live in front of a select group of black crowes fans, great playing, great songs and great grooves – what’s not to like?

4. Mariachi El Bronx – Mariachi El Bronx – the bronx go mariachi = brilliant!

5. Rancid – Let the Dominos Fall – i can’t not love a rancid record, they’re always great, this is no “Out Come The Wolves” but it fucking rocks

6. Grand Fatal – Free Infractions – great record, the boys have come a long way with this one – good dudes, GREAT band

7. Clutch – Strange Cousins From The West – well it sounds like the last 3 clutch records – which still shits on most other bands…

8. Slayer – World Painted Blood – motherufcking sllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaa

9. Kiss – Sonic Boom - what can i say? i am sucker for Mr Stanley and co,

10. Jet – Shaka Rock: fuck the haters, this is a great record

Tobacco and Dave Graney are Anne's vices.

In no particular order:

1. ATP Australia – A wonderful festival, that I wish we were having next year and that I hope we will have in 2011. Spending a day on an island with like-minded people listening to good music (if you cut Chris Bailey from your memory), with the absence of dickheads (if you cut Chris Bailey from your memory), and in particular no dickheads in fluoro or wearing flags. Lovely. I didn’t go to Mt. Buller but I’m told it was even better than Cockatoo Island, and I’ll believe it. I think I’d have overdosed on seratonin had I attended.

2. Flip Out – Again, an awesome festival full of good music, with a relaxed vibe, and the market stalls really made it. Amongst other great stuff, I got a Mink Deville LP, The Triffids ‘Calenture’ for ten bucks, and a couple of Link Wray 45s (including the Batman theme, which means I now have four different versions of the theme – how good is it??). I went to both Sydney and Melbourne gigs, and had a great time at both. Let’s do it again, folks.

3. The Red Rattler – Sydney venues aren’t having a good time at the moment, and Sydney warehouse venues are having it worse. The Red Rattler is a warehouse that got its shit together enough to get a licence, which means it can’t (easily) be touched by the powers that be. My first time at the Red Rattler was The Holy Soul’s album launch, and it was brilliant. The venue is set up like a ’20s cabaret bunker – dim lamps coming from the walls, reproduction Edwardian furniture all around, a reasonably priced bar and a decent sized stage. The sound was great, the vibe was great, the people were great.

4. Andrew Ramadge’s “Tall Tales and True” feature for Mess+Noise - I was a big fan of Ramadge before I became a colleague, and his writing continues to make me wish I could be that good. There’s not much I can say about the story that would be better than just reading it yourself – check it out.

5. Dave Graney “Knock Yourself Out” - What a brilliant rekkid. Smart, sexy, and real fucken cool. I reviewed it for M+N with the line “rarely has an album so made me want to fuck,” and it was true. Graney appeared to like that line, and has it in bold on the reviews page of his site, as well as declaring that line on a couple of social networking sites as “the BEST note [he has] ever received”. If I had a cock, it’d feel really massive having read that. Just getting to own that album was joy enough. If you haven’t heard it yet, you’re a fool.

6. Wifey – “Salt, Sugar, Fat” – This one’s great. The debut EP from Sydney band Wifey had me dancing around my flat like a maniac. Still does. They do a great cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Diamonds in the Mine”, except it’s not boring. Cohen’s lyrics over a fine rock’n'roll tune of their own arrangement. Some online reviewer apparently missed the part in the sleeve notes where they wrote “lyrics by Leonard Cohen”, and accused them of ripping him off. What a dick. If you haven’t heard this one either, you’re an even bigger fool.

7. The Nice Folk – “Devil At My Door” – The Nice Folk, from Wollongong, play a dirty, blusey kind of rock, but in a real Australian style – it’s about death and the dole and smack and booze and hatred and indifference and makes me think of a bushranger running from the law and himself – in a kind of Dronesy, Rowland S. Howardy lyrical vein. The only member in the band with a drivers license lost it for a while so they couldn’t do Sydney gigs. He got it back recently and they were meant to play at GoodGod Small Club in Liverpool St on November 29 with Partyline, but the gig got cancelled that day because the venue apparently asked for a $500 venue hire fee, like the Sando is doing now. What a fucking jive. Anyway, when they get another gig, go see it if you can. Totally worth it. I hope they get massive.

8. Sam de Brito – I often worry that I’ve peaked too soon, and I will never be a better writer than I already am. Then I read Sam de Brito, and I feel so much better about myself. If de Brito can really get away with his dull, uninformed, uninspired, misogynistic tripe every week (see “Hope Down”, in which he gave his solution to the woes of the Sydney music scene in the aftermath of the Hoey’s closure: “…get hotter chicks to gigs.”), then I can get away with publishing my shopping list, which employs more thought and creativity than anything he could blurt out. We should not hate Sam de Brito – we should hold him as a beacon of hope. If he can – well, anyone can, and better.

9. Melbourne – A long-distance relationship means I’ve had the chance this year to visit the place an awful lot more often, and though Sydney still remains my home, I could definitely learn to love the place. Particularly the Old Bar.

10. End of year lists – Unless you run out of things to say.

Buy Tiffany a drink for her birthday before she expires.

Promoting THE Event of the year X’s “X-Aspirations” album re-launch in March, an absolutely killer show! Being asked to loan my eyeliner to Kim Volkman pre show – one of the more unusual requests I’ve had – now what year is it? Could have sworn I’d gone back to the eighties.

Promoting Decline of the Reptiles come back shows and realizing that golf is also rock ‘n’ roll and this is one mighty fine band.

Promoting the surf and garage spectacular at The Empire and watching the Awesome! Alohas play in moon suits – Spectacular indeed!

Meeting the extremely humble Mick Medew and helping to Promote his Mick Medew & The Rumours album – Our Pleasure!

Promoting The Intercontinental Playboys – Hymns of the Flesh Album Launch. And hearing this awesome new album – Bloody Brilliant!

Including La Mancha Negra on three Barfly bills, excellent! – Love this new young act!

Getting right royally shafted by The Empire Hotel when they decided the main bar should be a TAB and sports bar leaving us with 10 shows that had to be cancelled or shifted – absolutely priceless!

Moving to an off-the-radar Sydney venue, providing bands, production and promoting the hell out of the place at no cost to them only to find they want to rip patrons off with ever changing and climbing astronomical bar prices and put a db meter in that kills any chance of any band playing – Unmentionable!

Getting right behind every band we’ve promoted this year and helping to keep Sydney’s live music scene alive in economically trying times and still loving it!

The years’ not over yet – still lots more to come – Young Docteurs – Dec 1, Steyne Hotel, Manly. Buzz Deluxe (Canada) Tour about to commence 8 -13 Dec, Wrong Turn album launch Dec 11 at the Subculture Garage n Swamp Xmas bash – Town & Country Hotel – Can’t wait! Its my birthday Dec 13 – I will be commencing celebrations on the 1st – Someone buy me a drink!

Leadfinger gets his Rory Gallagher groove on.

Bap Kennedy – Howl On

Nick Lowe – Jesus of Cool (don’t know why it took so long to find this – good music finds you when you are ready)

Gibson Hummingbird 1978, best guitar I’ve ever owned

Van & Cal Walker – Live at Ryans Hotel, Thirroul, October – great blokes, great music (see below)

Van Walker – The Last Record Store/ The Celestial Railroad (Got me through some long drives)

James McCann – Bound for the Blues (and live, James McCann’s Dirty Skirt Band + The Nice Folk at Wombarra Bowling Club in November.)

The Wire, Breaking Bad.….watching multiple series of a tv show on DVD whenever you want with no ads is very addictive

Tooth’s Old Brown Ale – an almost forgotten Sydney beer

The Kangaroos – The Saga of Rugby League’s Great Tours by Ian Heads – got it from the Salvos for $5

Playing the Grand Junction Hotel, Maitland in October – the owners Ben and Lissa are genuine music fans. Best pub gig in NSW

Jason Walker – Billy Thorpe’s Time on Earth

Carrie and Bec: Coming to a venue near you

1. Mick Hadley & The Others @ Notes
2. Doin’ Backups for Mick Hadley on Gloria
3. The Frowning Clouds live @ The Hoey (R.I.P.) & Ruby Rabbit
4. The Snoozefests-Welcome to Snoresville LP
5. Reigning Sound- Love & Curses LP
6. The Pretty Things- Live in Bristol
7. Interviewing Normie Rowe & Dinah Lee for the re-birth of Born Loser Fanzine
8. Reaction Mod Club- Flinders Hotel
9. Cooks River Motor Boat Club (R.I.P.)
10. Rediscovering the genius of Jodorowsky films

(Honourable mention- Kickstarting Purple Pit Promotions as we’ve had a blast throughout the year, with more fab times to come!  Muchas Gracias Sara & Su)

Writer, photographer, surf music enthusiast, ex-Stiff Kittens member from Melbourne.

1. Dirtbombs@ The Tote- Years ago I also saw these guys at the Ding Dong Lounge. I squeezed right up front with a pot in each hand and a grin from ear to ear, just fabulous. Nothings changed. Mick Collins vocal/guitar attack and twin drummer energy grooves just blow me away every time.  

2. Ian and the Aztecs-“Don’t Ha Ha” 7inch vinyl. Featuring Ian Carlton from New Yorks Rocky Velvet and the rhythm section from Los Straightjackets, great reverb driven rock and roll.

3. Mojomatics-“Don’t Pretend That You Know Me”.  This Italian duo cover a lot of ground under the garage rock pop umbrella and I’m still diggin’ em! I hope they make it down here next year.

4. Little Red- Listen To Little Red- Impressive debut from young Melbourne band.

5. Dead River Deeps- “You Can’t Fight The Sun”. Rockin alt country from this Melbourne four piece. I caught the cd launch for this their debut release and the performance and buzz in the room was a real turn on.

6. Cramps- Stay Sick.  A friend I haven’t seen for years showed up recently and returned this old Cramps album of mine. I took it on a recent road trip and loved every minute of our reunion.

7. Hunger- The movie. I’ve had trouble getting any free time this year, but this was worth it.

8. Combat- The Best Of Sgt Saunders. A Christmas gift. Nothing like getting out of the midday heat over summer, drawing the curtains, cracking a beer and watching Vic Morrow and squad put the German army to bed in this classic WW2 based B&W US television series.

9. Lowenbrau- Lager. A beautiful beer. Still hangoverless…..PLAY ON!

10. The Atheist Manifesto. A wonderful book for anyone who loves Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny, but has alittle more trouble with Christianity, Judaism and Islam.