The Passengers Reimagined - The Passengers (self released)

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By Bob Short

Bob Short

07 June 2017

Hits: 4866

The talent that stumbled out of the late ''70s Darlinghurst scene in Australia was astonishing: a match for anything coming out of London, New York or Los Angeles. But geography and population density is a fucking bitch.

Even scene bosses Radio Birdman are considered an underground phenomena.  So what chance is there for the small fry?

Meet The Passengers (if you have not already done so.).  Hey.  Make sure you find the right ones because there are some dodgy international acts with the same moniker.  They briefly graced us with their presence as the seventies clicked over.  A gift we clearly we did not deserve because we utterly failed to surrender the charts to them.

• jeff sullivan
• the passengers
• angie pepper
• jim dickson
• reimagined
• in the garden of good and evil

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Birdman doco screening dates unveiled

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By The Barman

The Barman

05 June 2017

Hits: 6059

Yeah Hup! The Radio Birdman documentary public screening dates have been announced. You can indulge in post-screening Q&As at a handful of them. Book your own "Descent Into the Maelstrom" at these cinemas via the links after the MORE link. 

The soundtrack (pictured above) is now available for pre-order on LP and CD. Go here to grab a copy. 

• radio birdman
• documentary
• descent into the maelstrom
• screening
• dates

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City Lights b/w The Drunken Galah (Swashbuckling Hobo)

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By The Barman

The Barman

03 June 2017

Hits: 4273

UK-born, American-based Dan Melchoir is a longtime Holly Golightly and Billy Childish collaborator and his old band, The Broke Revue, had a string of albums out on Sympathy for The Record Industry and In The Red. 

He’s not as prolific as Childish but he’s not far off. How he got to record in Queensland with two members of Australia’s Ooga Boogas (Richard Stanley and Perl Bystrom) is unclear. I'm willing to bet it came of paths crossing at one of those underground gatherings in the US like Gonerfest.

• city lights
• onyas
• swashbuckling hobo
• dan melchoir
• oooga boogas

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Brisbane b/w It’s Your Fault - Death of a Nun (Swashbuckling Hobo)

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By The Barman

The Barman

03 June 2017

Hits: 5640

Members of this early ‘80s Brisbane band went on to Subsonic Barflies and Splatterheads. Taking their cue from American hardcore, Death of a Nun put down these tracks as demos in 1984-85 and Swashbuckling Hobo has exhumed them - or, in the label’s own words, “reached deep beyond the S-bend”. 

This single is very much of its time - an era of repression and extreme prejudice against any music that vaguely resembled punk (whatever that is) and “Brisbane” reflects that. It's two-paced (like the Gabba wicket used to be) and would have passed for sophisticated songwriting in the scene of the time. My guess is that somebody was listening to Minutemen.

• hardcore
• brisbane
• swashbuckling
• hobo
• death of a nun

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First Radio Birdman film screening announced

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By The Barman

The Barman

03 June 2017

Hits: 7348

The first date of Australian public screenings for the Radio Birdman documentary “Descent Into The Maelstrom” has been announced. It’s in Adelaide on July 21.

Writer-producer-director Jonathan Sequeira will field a Q & A in conjunction with the screening at GU Film House in Hindley Street, starting at 7pm. Tickets are here and more dates in other Australian cities will be announced next week. 

"Descent Into the Maelstrom" is the true story of Radio Birdman, from their original formation to the present. Like the band itself, it’s an independent production, made from outside the industry. It shows what the band meant to the fans, and how they changed Australia, by inspiring a golden age of indie music from Cold Chisel to Midnight Oil.

• radio birdman
• descent into the maelstrom
• jonathan sequeira
• documetary

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El Humo Te Have Mal b/w Te Pegare - Los Peyotes (Dirty Water)

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By The Barman

The Barman

03 June 2017

Hits: 3977

Every member of the Record Collector Scum fraternity knows that South America has the BEST acid punk garage bands. To paraphrase somebody with small hands and terrible hair, South American garage bands are TREMENDOUS. Los Peyotes might be the best since Los Yorks.

Hailing from Peru and Argentina, Los Peyotes borrow stylistically from The Sonics and The Music Machine and process it through their own blender of primal yet brutally skilful re-arranging. Both sides of this single are sung in Spanish. Comprendes?

• dirty water records
• los peyotes
• el humo te hace mal
• te pegare

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Don’t Give It Up Now b/w How Do You Know? - Lyres (Dirty Water)

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By The Barman

The Barman

03 June 2017

Hits: 4014

These were the first recordings released by Lyres. What else do you need to know? It’s on UK label Dirty Water and listening to it is as close to the state of Garage Godhead that any of us mere mortals will reach.

Boston’s Lyres inarguably were, and probably still are, the pick of the turn-of-the-'70s US bands that went on to wear the “garage” tag. Not that you should use that term in front of Jeff Conolly (aka Monoman), the band’s leader on organ and vocals. And never append “The” to the band’s name. Just don’t.

• garage
• dirty water records
• boston
• lyres
• dmz

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On your marks...go! "Passengers Reimagined" on sale now

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By The Barman

The Barman

02 June 2017

Hits: 4340

That “Passengers Reimagined” CD is we told you about a few days ago is back in stock and selling here. It’s a limited edition of 200 and won’t be re-pressed.

This special release is hand-labeled, signed and numbered. The package includes the original acoustic album "In the Garden of Good and Evil” and “Reimagined” - the album with electronic instruments and drums added, played and produced by Jeff Sullivan.

• passengers
• jeff sullivan
• jim dickson
• reimagined

Kim Salmon taking 1988 Scientists on the road

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By The Barman

The Barman

01 June 2017

Hits: 7670

Mark this one in your diary: Kim Salmon is taking the late period line-up of The Scientists out on the road in Australia for just four gigs later this year. 

• scientists
• kim salmon
• boris sudjovic
• leanne chock
• tony thewlis

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