New "MC5" album out in October and here's the first taste

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By The Barman

The Barman

08 June 2024

Hits: 2429

“Heavy Lifting” – which is being marketed as the first MC5 studio album in 53 years – is out on October 18.

Led by late founding member Wayne Kramer (pictured right) and recorded with iconic producer Bob Ezrin (Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, KISS), the album features original Five drummer, also late Dennis “Machine Gun” Thompson, on two tracks along with special guests including Slash, Tom Morello, William DuVall (Alice in Chains), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Don Was, and Tim McIlrath (Rise Against).

"Heavy Lifting" will be on LP and CD with a bonus disc of live tracks by MC50, the band Kramer fronted on a world tour to showcase MC5 songs for the 50th anniversary.

earMUSIC will release the album a  day prior to the MC5’s induction into 2024’s Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

• mc5
• wayne kramer
• dennis thompson
• heavy lifting
• earMUSIC

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Tight connection to his heart

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By The Barman

The Barman

05 June 2024

Hits: 2260

Crawling Back To You – Stu & The Connections (Crankinhaus Records)

There’s a lot of ground covered on this mini-album (digital only) from Stu Wilson and his all-star collective The Connections. The drummer with Lime Spiders, New Christs, The Crisps, Loose Pills, Leadfinger, Aberration and Chris Masuak & Dog Soldier, Stu contributes lead vocals, keyboards harmonica, drums and percussion..

Looking at his c.v., you might have certain expectations. Leave your preconceptions at the door. This is a cohesive collection of  seven songs that cajole and captivate rather than assault. 

• loose pills
• new christs
• stu wilson
• lime spiders
• matt galvin
• aberration
• crankinhaus records
• big al creed
• crawling back to you
• chris masuak's dog solider
• the connections
• ernie o

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Still saying it 40 years later

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By Colin Gray

Colin Gray

01 June 2024

Hits: 1987

Say It - New Toys (13^th Street Records)

The years 1979-82 were stellar for power-pop, with many pundits looking back with a great deal of affection for bands such as The Knack, the Romantics, Nick Lowe, Greg Kihn, Dwight Twilley and so on. All giants of the genre, with lesser-known acts such as the Shoes, the Records, 20/20 and The Beat also holding their place amongst power pop fans.

Yet there was one band from New York City on par with any of them: New Toys.

New Toys released one album of stupendous, melodic power pop called “Say It” in 1982. Long out of print, it was recently re-issued by 13^th Street Records with all songs restored, remixed, and remastered from the original multi-track tapes.

• alan k
• road vultures
• new toys
• the toys
• 13th street records

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Don't Let Them Be Misunderstood

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

01 June 2024

Hits: 1931

_{Barney "Boogie" Williams on keys and Danny Hadley on guitar and vocals.}

The Animals and Friends
The Gov, Adelaide
May 28 2024

Expectations are a bugger of a thing.

We don't know we have them until we find ourselves hung-up by our own preconceived ideas.

Take Chain. The blues band. They're gritty, muscular, and utterly themselves. 

Yes, I've been watching a few recent live things on YouTube, prompted by a Melbourne chum who went to see them a week or so ago. He was blown away.

• the gov
• the animals
• john steel
• australian tour

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Rip into SSD's latest Shit or Bust

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By Ronald Brown of Dimboola

Ronald Brown of Dimboola

26 May 2024

Hits: 1415

Rip Shit or Bust - S.S.D. (self released)

Hello I-94 Barflies, hope you’re all well. “Rip Shit Or Bust” is the new four-song EP from Queensland underground punk rockers SSD. With members all over the country, it took a bit of time to follow-up the excellent “Resurrected” EP. 

“Rip Shit or Bust” just grooves. It really is a strong effort. 

• the dope smoking morons
• ronny dap
• SSD

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Twin volumes of "Ostralia" plot punk's Aussie pathway

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By The Barman

The Barman

23 May 2024

Hits: 2586

It had to happen: Californian imprint PR Press is publishing a ground-breaking new book on Australian punk, “Orstralia: A Punk History 1974–1989” by Tristan Clark, on July 9. And on the same date, Clark will self-publish a companion volume “Orstralia: A Punk History 1990 –1999”.

"Ostralia: A Punk History"will be the first comprehensive overview of the story of Australian “punk”, from its beginnings as an underground movement in the '70s through the emergence of hardcore in the '80s, and extending into its commercial ascent in the '90s.  

Both volumes seek to go beyond the music to take in cultural context and sociological concerns. They tell the story on a city-by-city basis with regional centres also covered.  

Author Tristan Clark has been involved in the Melbourne punk scene for mor than three decades. He has done his homework. Clark conducted 130 interviews, with members of The Saints, Radio Birdman, Boys Next Door/Birthday Party, Babeez/News, Victims, Leftovers,  Fun Things, Zero, Psycho Surgeons and X, through to the likes of Depression, Hard-Ons, Cosmic Psychos and Grong Grong, TheLiving End, Bodyjar and Frenzal Rhomb.

• ostralia
• pr press
• tristan clark

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Hooray for Hollywood: The Fiction deliver again

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By The Barman

The Barman

23 May 2024

Hits: 1807

Hollywood – The Fiction (Off The Hip)

Much water has passed under the bridge since 1978 when The Fiction was one of a handful of struggling punk rock bands in the womb of a nascent Melbourne underground music scene.

Like a spark, The Fiction came and went. Some of their songs made it into the setlist of mod-flavoured pop-rockers Little Murders, which has become as much a brand as a band for vocalist-guitarist-songwriter Rob Griffiths, its only constant member.

Griffiths (vocals) and Rob Wellington (guitar) remain from the original band and although the passage of time may have buffed off the sharper edges, the reconstituted Fiction still trades in high-energy pop punk.

• hollywood
• little murders
• rob griffiths
• the fiction
• rob wellington
• negative fun
• ramona

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Pat and his Rankoutsiders give stadium band fans a lesson

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By The Barman

The Barman

17 May 2024

Hits: 2357

Keeping Chaos at Bay – Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders (Hound Gawd)

Let’s level up: We’re on a Pat Todd and The Rankoutsiders jag at the I-94 Bar and it’s a jones that can only be satisfied by more of the L.A. band’s trademark Heartbreakers punk ‘n’  Stonesy roots Rock Action.

This is their third killer long-player in as many years – their second in six months! - and the prospect of a tour of Australia later this year just increases the high-rotation.

So if “Keepin' Chaos At Bay” confirms the purple patch that is “Sons of The City Ditch” (2013) and “…There’s Pretty Things In Palookaville” (2021) - the keen-eyed will note there’s an EP and some seven-inchers sandwiched in there, too - and you’re one of the uninitiated, well you’re entitled to ask, Why?

• pat todd
• hound gawd
• keepin' chaos at bay
• pat todd and the rank outsiders

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Stems announce supports, venue change and a new date

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By The Barman

The Barman

17 May 2024

Hits: 2414

Legendary garage rockers, The Stems, have announced supports, an extra show and one venue shift on their tour to celebrate 40 years. .

Power-pop rockers The Prize will kick off the national run as support for both the August 24 show at The Corner Hotel in Melbourne and a newly-added date at the Theatre Royal at Castlemaine in August 24.

Adelaide can expect the dark folk-pop of Romana Ashton & The Reeds as support. Acclaimed indie-pop rock outfit Ups And Downs are set for the Brisbane gig, which is now at the Mansfield Tavern.

In Sydney, The Stems will be joined by The New Christs. The Rinehearts have the main support in WA with Fremantle alt-rock four-piece Vancool opening.

The Stems
40^th Anniversary Australian Tour
AUG
+ The Prize
23 - Theatre Royal, Castlemaine. VIC
+ The Prize
24 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
+ Romana Ashton & The Reeds
25 – The Gov, Adelaide
+ Ups & Downs
30 – Mansfield Tavern, Brisbane
+ New Christs
31 – Manning Bar, Sydney
SEP 
+ The Rhinehearts
+ Vancool
5 – Freo Social, Fremantle
Tickets here

• new christs
• dom mariani
• the stems
• australian tour
• ups & downs
• the prize
• 40th anniversary tour
• the rhinehearts
• romana ashton & the reeds