Oh Crash…- The Volcanics (Citadel Records)

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By The Barman

The Barman

12 August 2017

Hits: 6128

It’s a well worn path that The Volcanics tread but they’re not afraid to stretch out and take a slight detour on this, their fourth album.  For the most part, however, “Oh Crash…” finds the Perth band doing what it does best: Delivering straight-up, guitar rock and roll. 

Yes, the reference points are all obvious - at least to these ears. They include latter-day Asteroid B612, mid-period MC5 (without the tinny production) and the New Christs (in their sullen moments.) Vocalist John Phatorous has that steely edge and lets slip the occasional guttural utterance that conveys that he's not a man to be fucked with - at least on stage. He can sing the shit out of this sort of music, too. 

• citadel years
• new christs
• asteroid b612
• rob younger
• the volcanics
• oh crash
• john phatorous

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How The West Was Won – Peter Perrett (Domino)

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By Bob Short

Bob Short

11 August 2017

Hits: 4669

The Horniman Museum in South London is a monument to its founder's eccentricities.  A giant stuffed walrus vies for space beside antique musical instruments.  Medieval torture chairs sit next to a delightful selection of monk’s undergarments.  Both horsehair and spiked.

They had a couple of live piranhas and a virtual history of pipe smoking.  The Addams family would have felt right at home.

One unusual exhibition was a wheel of Chinese opium.  It sat happily in its case for 80 years until some reprobate walked in, opened the case and vanished off into the English Autumn.

The legend shared by South London’s heroin users was the perpetrator was one, Peter Perrett.  This wasn't based on fact.  He just lived around the corner from the museum. 

• london
• johnny thunders
• how the west was won
• the only ones

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The Mummies, Tex Perkins and King Khan in new Ozploitation film

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By The Barman

The Barman

11 August 2017

Hits: 7181

Hey garage-trash fans!  A new chapter is opening in the history of Ozploitation films and its cast includes The Mummies, Tex Perkins, Russ Meyer actress Kitten Natividad, El Vez, King Khan and many more.

“Fags In The Fast Lane” is a new camp rock and roll road movie from Melbourne film maker Josh “Sinbad” Collins. It makes its debut at Cinema 3 at The Factory Theatre in the Sydney suburb of, Marrickville on Saturday, September 16.

Some of garage rock's most identifable figures have roles and the ubiquitous frontman, Tex Perkins, is the narrator.

It’s part of the Sydney Underground Film Festival and you’ll need to be aged 15 or older to be admitted. Tickets are available here. You can watch the trailer after the Read More link.

• tex perkins
• king khan
• el-vez
• john collins
• fags in the fast lane
• factory theatre
• the mummies

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Guess who's coming to town again?

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By The Barman

The Barman

10 August 2017

Hits: 4392

Packing a set-list of "all Ramones, nothing but Ramones", long-time drummer for the Bruddas, Marky Ramone, is bringing his show to Australia and New Zealand in November. 

One of three surviving Ramones (excluding Elvis Ramone, who only lasted two shows, and including CJ and Richie), Marky handled skins duties for the classic punk outfit between 1978-83 and '87-96.

An original denizen of the NYC punk scene centered on Max’s Kansas City (Marky also played with Wayne County and Richard Hell’s Voidoids), he flies the flag for his old band live and as a digital radio host.

• live
• ramones
• marky ramone

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Warm welcome looms for new On and Ons record

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By The Barman

The Barman

10 August 2017

Hits: 3510

Sublime Sydney pop-rockers The On and Ons are preparing to unleash their second album, “Welcome Aboard”, this month on the redoubtable Citadel label.  They’ll launch it at Marrickviille Bowling Club in Sydney’s inner-west on August 26 with special guests, Loose Pills..

With a line-up of Glenn Morris (guitar-vocals), his brother Brian (drums/vocals), Clyde Bramley (bass/vocals) and Jon Roberts (guitar), this is a band with a musical pedigree that includes the Hoodoo Gurus, the Screaming Tribesmen, Paul Collins Beat and The Barbarellas.

• Citadel
• powerpop
• live
• sydney
• the on and ons

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The Devil Won’t Take Charity - Kim Volkman (self published)

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By The Barman

The Barman

04 August 2017

Hits: 8028

It’s been said that everybody does have a book in them, but in most cases that's where it should stay. Melbourne musician Kim Volkman begs to differ.

Now, he’s not exactly a household name so you could well ask what business Volkman has writing an autobiography. If you do I’ll not-so-respectfully point out that Justin Bieber has five (allegedly) self-penned books against his name on Amazon right now.

It helps that Volkman has led an interesting musical life. Guitarist with Ian Rilen and the Love Addicts - one of the most underrated, raw and real bands to appear on Australian stages in the last 30 years - he’s also had three stints filling his late ex-band leader’s bass spot in X.

Volkman’s played with many lesser-known bands - including his own very good Whiskey Priests. Unlike Justin Bieber, he’s never had notable success. That’s probably a good thing in Kim’s case - on his own admission, it might have killed him.

• melbourne
• ian rilen
• x band
• kim volkman

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Binic Folks Blues Festival is a safe European home for Australia's best bands

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By Don Simon

Don Simon

03 August 2017

Hits: 12284

_{Ben Corbett makes a point to the crowd as SixFtHick play on.}

In May 2012, I had the good fortune to travel to Brittany in France to see HITS plays three club shows in the cities of Brest, Lorient and Lannion. The brilliant Ben Salter happened to be touring France at the same time, so he arrived, guitar in hand, to see his friends in HITS - and was promptly added to the bill for those gigs.

HITS and Salter were welcomed with open arms and rapturous applause, but I started to hear French people say the same thing to them after every show - "You have to play at Binic!"

• beast records
• festival
• shifting sands
• gentle ben
• los dominados
• binic
• folk and blues
• sixfthick
• shimmering hands
• brittany
• cash savage and the last drinks
• king khan

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White Mice are Exploding - again

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By The Barman

The Barman

03 August 2017

Hits: 6336

Here’s one you might not have expected: Adelaide’s hard ‘n’ heavy Exploding White Mice are reforming for shows, in conjunction with the Adelaide Film Festival.

The Mice were a staple in the ‘80s and ‘90s with their landmark “Nest of Vipers” EP (1983) and a string of albums with a variety of line-ups. They were renowned as one of the best Radio Birdman-Ramones influenced outfits in Australia and took a distinctly poppy turn in their later days.

• live
• ramones
• radio birdman
• exploding white mice

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Farewell seminal producer Tony Cohen

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By The Barman

The Barman

03 August 2017

Hits: 6919

Australian underground music’s most influential producer, Tony Cohen, has died.

Tony’s brother Martin announced his passing in a Facebook post yesterday: “Just arrived home to learn that my only sibling, my older brother Tony Cohen, passed away peacefully in Dandenong Hospital this afternoon. He turned 60 in June this year.

“Tony was a legend of Australian music shaping the industry and many of the best artists to come out of Australia including Nick Cave and the Cruel Sea," he wrote.

"He won three ARIA's in the 1990's for producing and engineering and was featured on several documentaries on the history of Australian music including ‘Its a Long Way to The Top’.

“Tony lived a hard life with drugs and alcohol playing a big part of his professional career. He did give them up many years ago but always knew that he would eventually pay for his 'sins'.

“As brothers we were like chalk and cheese. But, I loved him and fully respect what he achieved in his career. He was technically brilliant, but also a caring, big-hearted man. He sometimes frustrated me belong belief, but I will miss him for the rest of my days.”

Cohen’s production credits read like a Who’s Who of Australian music in the 1980s and ‘90s. They include Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Boys Next Door, The Birthday Party, The Cruel Sea, Beasts of Bourbon, TISM, Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes, Sacred Cowboys, Models, The Ferrets, The Johnnys, Supernaught, Kim Salmon and the Surrealists, The Moodists, Pel Mel, The Go-Betweens, The Saints, Spencer P Jones, The Devastations and Cold Chisel.

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