"Portraits, Punks & Pits" lifts the lid on 25 years behind the lens

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By The Barman

The Barman

31 January 2017

Hits: 4399

Rod Hunt is a passionate sharp shooting Sydney music photographer and has been perfecting his craft for more than 25 years. Now an accomplished and sought-after snapper, he has many published works and awards under his belt.

Hunt’s upcoming exhibition, “Rod Hunt: Portraits, Pits & Punks” draws on his extensive catalogue of work for his first major solo show taking place from February 16-26 at Chrissie Cotter Gallery in Camperdown, Sydney. Legendary Australian music photographer Tony Mott will be guest speaker on opening evening.

As a teen, Rod frequented his local music venues, shooting punk outfits such as Hard-Ons, Massappeal and the Hellmenn, at places like Sutherland Royal Hotel and Penshurst Den, the Lansdowne, the Journo’s Club, the Hopetoun and the Evil Star.

• sydney
• rod hunt
• photographer
• exhibition

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Descendents descend down under

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By The Barman

The Barman

30 January 2017

Hits: 4370

Back in Australia for the first time since 2012, punk rock pioneers Descdents are touring next month in support of their new album, “Hypercaffium Spazzinate”.

Many say that the Descendents invented pop punk. t. They perfected the warp-speed amalgam of adolescent angst, snotty attitude and championship melody infesting the airways today. They took a genre that was about spikes, chaos and anarchy, and brought it to earth, singing about girls, growing up and food.

• tour
• australian
• descendents

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The Winter Journey - Julitha Ryan (self released)

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

30 January 2017

Hits: 5287

“The Winter Journey” has been such a difficult album to review. Why? Well, I can’t concentrate on typing, I keep falling into it and staying there, hypnotised. It’s just bloody wonderful. I’ve tried with pen and paper, same thing. Just dragged in. Fabulous, really.

Seven bottles, Barman. This is the second of Julitha’s solo albums, hopefully of many more. Her first LP, “The Lucky Girl” I responded immediately to and “The Winter Journey” does the same. Sure, if you’re expecting a wall of guitars, you might pause when you get a wall of … Julitha’s delicate voice. But then everything else kicks in: piano, organ, guitars, pedal steel, synthesizers, strings, brass section, and oh, yes, her all male choir (The Wall of Men) used to intensely powerful effect.

• nick cave
• pj harvey
• julitha ryan
• the winter journey
• mick harvey

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The Clouds return with their first single in decades

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By The Barman

The Barman

30 January 2017

Hits: 3556

Sydney’s sublime popsters, The Clouds, are returning with their first new recording in 20 years.

The Clouds were among the leading lights of the Australian indie scene in the early to mid-‘90s, fronted by the dual vocals of Jodi Phillis and Patricia Young. With three Top 50 Albums - including the classic "Penny Century" - The Clouds were well loved by critics and their huge fan base. They reformed briefly in 2014 to play a national tour.

The new single, “Mabel's Bookshop“, is from a forthcoming EP “Zaffre” out on February 14, 2017 as a digital download. They’ll also play their first headline show in Sydney for three years at Newtown Social Club on March 31. It’s a warm-up to national dates on the Day on The Green tour with Blondie and Cyndi Lauper in April.

THE CLOUDS launch “Zaffre” EP
FRIDAY 31ST MARCH 2017 - NEWTOWN SOCIAL CLUB
Plus Special Guests Melodie Nelson + Jack Tickner
Tickets $35.00+BF from http://newtownsocialclub.com

• live
• clouds
• a day on the green

Williamson and Tek team for acoustic EP

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By The Barman

The Barman

28 January 2017

Hits: 4590

After collaborations for singles with Petra Haden (“Blues Jumped The Rabbit”), Lisa Kakuala (“I Love My Tutu”) and Maia (“Sickkk”) in the last six months, ex-Iggy & the Stooges guitarist James Williamson is poised to release an acoustic EP with Radio Birdman’s Deniz Tek.

“Acoustic KO” is being released digitally and as a vinyl EP on March 31. The track listing is “I Need Somebody”, “Penetration”, “Night Theme” and “No Sense Of Crime” and you shouldn’t need to be told that the first two come from “Raw Power” and the others from the Williamson-Pop “Kill City” album. Tek provides vocals and guitar on three cuts and Williamson contributes guitar (naturally) but expect acoustic drums, guest singers and an orchestra in there too.

• james williamson
• radio birdman
• deniz tek
• iggy & the stooges
• acoustic ko

Let It Slide - Mark Porkchop Holder (Alive Natural Sounds)

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By The Barman

The Barman

26 January 2017

Hits: 4561

Hard to comprehend that this is Mark Porkchop Holder’s debut album. He’s a founding and former member of the blues-stomping raunch machine, Black Diamond Heavies, and that should tell you something straight away, even before you play a single track.

“Let It Slide” is roadhouse blues - no, not those “Roadhouse Blues” with the drunken clown out front singing about mute nostril agony. I mean the shit you might hear in little bars when you get off the interstate highways in Tennessee or Louisiana. Best served with a corn dog side dish, grits and catfish fried in possum sweat. As featured on "Man versus Food".

• alive natural sound
• black diamond heavies
• blues rock
• mark porkchop holder
• let it slide

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Heath Green and the Makeshifters - Heath Green and the Makeshifters (Alive Natural Sound)

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By The Barman

The Barman

25 January 2017

Hits: 4364

It’s just a theory so bear with it: As music’s once essential ingredients like passion and energy become even more diluted, those who still want to practice rock and roll as it used to be known will be forced right back into their past.

The ‘70s will become Rock’s Golden Age, even if the ‘60s were better, simply because that was the time when mass media first took a real grip and force-fed culture to the populace. Rock and roll will become more reactionary, tougher and more comfortable within its own leathery skin.

The meek will have already inherited the earth and occupied portable electronic devices and the digital channels. The only contestable ground will be bars and clubs where earthy, honest rock and roll will make a vinyl-like resurgence among a small but devoted following, and select newcomers (aka bored Milllennials.) Which is where someone like Heath Green comes in.

• blue
• alive natural sound
• heath green
• makeshifrters
• southern rock

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Unbelievably Bad zine Issue 20

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By The Barman

The Barman

25 January 2017

Hits: 5402

One of the last Aussie ‘zines standing is setting some sort of record for durability, but issue 20 is tinged with deep sadness.

Editor Danger Coolidge’s opening column, detailing the life and tragic loss of his son, Angus Reekie, who took his own life late last year at the age of 16, is one of the most powerful things you’ll read. Cathartic in the extreme, if it doesn’t touch you, you’re not human.

On the brighter side of the coin, this issue is the usual mix of gems, surprises and obscurities. The interview with Buffalo vocalist Dave Tice is detailed and comprehensive (and we played a small part in making it happen so it’s all the more satisfying.) The chat with Link Meanie is long overdue and covers a storied and ongoing career that's taken on fresh legs wityh Sun God Replica.

As for obscurities, Unbelievably Bad invariably shines a light on acts most of the world hasn’t heard of and there are pieces on Undinism (the Geelong band - not the Donald Trump allegations), Nick Singer (of Newcastle band Brandon’s Island) and Jonah Wallis (Fucked Up.) Harriet Hudson might be a name known to the kids who follow Miss Destiny but I didn’t like Circle Pit (her other band) so I can take or leave her interview.

• unbelievably bad
• meanies
• holy soul
• undinism
• brandon's gate
• link meanie
• mu mesons

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Sydney to have its own vinyl pressing plant

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By The Barman

The Barman

24 January 2017

Hits: 3912

The vinyl revival will suddenly become more accesible if you’re an Australian band looking to press an album or single.

With just one local pressing plant (Zenith in Melbourne) capable of a substantial run, Australian bands have been starved of choice with the cost of having a record manufactured offshore compounded by shipping costs. A new plant is set to open in Sydney’s inner-western mid-year, according to the facility’s manager Vincent Chen.

• sydney
• vinyl

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