He Gets Up Again

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By Patrick Emery

Patrick Emery

15 April 2018

Hits: 14324

_{Brian Henry Hooper being attended to by his angels, his nurses. Carbie Warbie photo.}

Four weeks ago Brian Hooper lay in intensive care, surrounded by family and his closest friends. The tumour doctors had found on Hooper’s lung just before Christmas was preventing Hooper from breathing without medical and mechanical assistance. Specialists suggested the even Hooper’s short-term survival was in the realm of miracles.

It wasn’t the first time Brian Henry Hooper had been told to fear the worst. Just over 14 years ago Hooper was told by specialists he may never walk again, after the balcony he was standing on at a gathering in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula collapsed, sending Hooper crashing to the ground, his back mangled from the fall.

Over the next 12 months, Hooper pulled himself back from the edge of permanent paralysis. Hooper’s resilience and psychological strength astounded all around him. In late 2004 Hooper limped back on stage with the Beasts of Bourbon for a gig at the Greyhound Hotel. Towards the end of the set, his battered spine unable to withstand the trauma of standing any longer, Hooper lay on the ground. His bandmates, save for Tony Pola on drums, followed suit, three battle-hardened rockers lying prostrate on the stage in sympathy for their comrade-in-arms.

• beasts of bourbon
• scientists
• kim salmon
• clare moore
• penny ikinger
• st kilda
• boris sudjovic
• hugo race
• six ft hick
• tex perkins
• spencer p jones
• mick harvey
• tendrils
• brian hooper
• carbie warbie
• rosie westtbrook

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Folk me! Rustic America meets Melbourne

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By Patrick Emery

Patrick Emery

07 April 2018

Hits: 4139

In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s ascendency to the American presidency, political sociologists scratched their heads trying to explain the emergence of the Trump vote. While some fumbled for the convenient crutch of a conspiracy theory, others acknowledged that there had been, maybe only temporarily, a seismic shift in the American voting demographic.

For those outside of the comfort zone of institutional politics, economic security and politically correct discourse, Trump’s colourful rhetoric was a beacon of hope.

Michael Hurley is a product of the Greenwich Village folk scene of the early 1960's. Back in the day, the Village was a haven for earnest singer-songwriters whose blend of poetic lyrics and folk melodies laid the musico-cultural foundations for the more celebrated counter-cultural movement that peaked toward the end of the decade. Some, like Bob Dylan, mutated into pop cultural icon; others, like Hurley, remained on the fringes.

• australia
• michael hurley
• darren hanlon
• northcote social club

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Meeting the Mexicans: Live in Melbourne - The Celibate Rifles (self released)

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By The Barman

The Barman

07 April 2018

Hits: 5285

It’s 14 years since the last Celibate Rifles release, the accomplished studio effort “Beyond Respect”, so this one’s timely. It’s the third live album in the Rifles’ 39-year history and a departure of sorts. 

If you expected trademark explosive guitar from the outset (a la “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”) adjust your expectations. “Meeting the Mexicans” - the title refers to playing to people in Melbourne - is from a half-electric/half acoustic gig at the Thornbury Theatre in Victoria in mid 2017. The first half is the Cellies mostly unplugged, with the full-blown configuration front-and-centre for the last five tracks only. 

The unplugged thing has been going on for a few years on the Celibate Rifles’ infrequent live runs. It’s an idea that links back to the 1996 “On The Quiet” album and mixes things up for fans and band alike. Considering the bulk of their songs were written on acoustic guitars before they were taken anywhere near a studio, it works. Plus, you get to absorb the words in a way that doesn’t happen at a “normal” gig. 

• live
• celibate
• rifles
• thornbury theatre
• meeting the mexicans

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Let There Be Rock: Greats gather to honour Gillsey

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By The Barman

The Barman

07 April 2018

Hits: 4926

"Let There Be Rock!" brings together three long-standing heavyweights of the Australian underground rock scene: The Celibate Rifles, Hard-Ons - Official and The New Christs in celebration of the life of Andrew Gillies.

"Gillsey", as he was more affectionately known, was a fixture at shows by all three of these iconic Sydney acts for over 30 years - the first decade as a resident of Sydney and the remaining two in the Northern NSW town of Uki. Even the tyranny of distance would pose no problem to Andrew’s enthusiasm and drive to see, and support, his musical heroes.

In addition to being a major fan of all these acts, young Andy also served as stage tech for the Hard-Ons touring Australia, Europe and the USA from the late '80s through the early '90s, a role he also commandeered for Ratcat, Ed Kuepper, Died Pretty and others.

A slipped disc while working as carpenter reduced his participation in such activity reduced him to more domestic tasks, though, he still continued to tour Europe with his beloved Hard-Ons working as their merchandise seller right up until 2017.

• feelpresents
• celibate rifles
• let there be rock
• andrew gilles
• gillsey

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Hey Australia: Lydia's coming to Lunch

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By The Barman

The Barman

02 April 2018

Hits: 5917

American Singer, poet, writer and actress, Lydia Lunch returns to Australia with her all-star cast of sonic brutarians in a no-holds-barred survey of her musical output from 1977 to the present.

Lunch will be including music from Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, 8 Eyed Spy, Queen of Siam, 1313 and Shotgun Wedding.

Lydia Lunch Retrovirus features members from Sonic Youth, Pussy Galore, Chrome Cranks, The Flying Luttenbachers, Child Abuse and more and marries No Wave, Skronk, Hard Rock and Psychedelic Out Jazz to create a dynamic live performance which is dangerous, infectious and aggressively sexy the way Rock music once was.

• tour
• australian
• sonic youth
• lydia lunch
• james chance
• 8 eyed spy
• teenage jesus and the jerks

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Never To Be Released - Maximum Security (self released)

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By The Barman & Robert Brokenmouth

The Barman & Robert Brokenmouth

01 April 2018

Hits: 4210

This is a clever record. Meaning: just enough thought went into its recording and production to make it special. 

Two declarations up front. I know most the people involved with “Never To Be Released”, so there’s a slight degree of bias in their favour. Secondly, most music that passes for “punk rock” bores me shitless. 

It’s like the second wave of UK punk: Once the first rush of anger and spontaneity had subsided, it fell victim to fashion. Style over substance. Saying the same thing over and over got real old, real quick. Learning two chords and starting a band is fine but you need to educate yourself in what to do with them. The chords and the band, that is.

• punk
• the stukas
• maximum security
• never to be released

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An Instant Classic By Sean O'Callaghan (collective effort press)

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

01 April 2018

Hits: 5227

Jim Morrison! John Lennon! Leonard Cohen! Mark E. Smith! Bob Dylan! John Lydon!

Yes, that's right, these dirty rockers have all had books published outside their main area of expertise. Now here's Sean O'Callaghan. Name might not quite be as familiar as the above pus-bags, but you've probably seen his memes about on Facebook and stuff. 

Australian Sean O'Callaghan is a poet who ain't like other poets. You know the bloke who stands upright and mumbles his words with embarrassment because, deep down inside, he knows he's a dick? 

That's not Sean O'Callaghan. Sean doesn't just read, he performs (often with a backdrop or musical racket banging away). The man has a distinct taste for chaos and mayhem, whose performances usually upset (if not silence) most other poets (apparently a bit too rock'n'roll and tend to separate the wheat from the chaff by the end of the performance. And, beneath all the big impact... that's where you see the man himself.

• sean o'callaghan
• an instant classic
• collective effort press

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3 Cheers to Nothing - Trixie and the Trainwrecks (Voodoo Rhythm)

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

01 April 2018

Hits: 4870

"3 Cheers to Nothing" arrived in my box unannounced and unasked for. I put it on as I was driving (as I do) and nearly rear-ended a bus.

I can see the children looking behind them with little circles for eyes and big open mouths, horror written all over... and then there was the rest of the drive, complete with sirens (bloody things, they take ages to get rid of), driving on the wrong side of the footpath, and a few dents on the roof (bloody cyclists).

You should be familiar with her record company: they declare they stock "Music to Ruin any Party" (they don't, the only parties they'd ruin would be political ones), Voodoo Rhythm (the folk who bring you Bob Log III, Dead Brothers, Delaney Davidson, Pierre Omer, The Pussywarmers and (in Europe) Rocket Science) and a host of others ... so Voodoo Rhythm have form, as they say of old lags, and fine, fine taste.

• san francisco
• voodoo rhythm
• trixie and the trainwrecks
• trinity sarratt
• berlin

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Workshy by Dave Graney (Affirm Press)

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By The Barman

The Barman

01 April 2018

Hits: 5306

Let's get one thing straight: Musicians do work. It may not be work as we know it, Jim, but it is a form of employment, and it requires a well-defined skillset.

Talent is important but so is patience. Professional musicians do more waiting around than almost any other occupation on Earth. Other than midwives - and at least they receive universal praise.

Solo artist, ex-Moodist and leadr of the White Buffalos, Coral Snakes and more, Dave Graney, knows this about his trade and much more. He conveys much wisdom in "Workshy". It is the ideal read for anyone thinking about sending their offspring into rock and roll. Which is where Dave hides. Pun intended.

"Workshy" is Dave's second autobiography. I know what you're thinking: He might have been crowned King of Australian Pop but where does Graney get off writing TWO books about himself? Well, Billy Thorpe managed to do it. And more of Dave's books might be true. Both men have bodies of work with parts that are wryly funny. I could be referring here to The Aztecs' "The Hoax Is Over". "Workshy" is considerably more focussed than that mess.

• dave graney
• clare moore
• workshy
• affirm press

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