Your room is ready

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By The Barman

The Barman

24 August 2022

Hits: 2272

Cheap Motels After Midnight – Dave Favours and the Roadside Ashes (Stanley Records)

Forget the “alt.country” tag. It might be a comfortable peg on which to hang an urban cowboy’s hat but after 15 years, Sydneysider Dave Favours surely occupies his own musical niche.

Maybe the tag should be “Ditch Country” – the twang is there, but like mid-70s Neil, he’s skirting a course along the gutter because it’s more interesting place to travel.

• dave favours
• stanley records
• roadside ashes

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These hills are alive with the sound of Doom Trash Blues

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By The Barman

The Barman

24 August 2022

Hits: 2344

It’s a Matter of Time – Reverend Beat-Man and The Underground (Voodoo Rhythm)

And it’s a Matter of Taste whether you dig the Reverend. We at the Bar have a lot of time for the venerable High Priest of Trash Rock, whether it’s in his clerical guise or cloaked in his garage trash skronk identity as leader of The Monsters.

This long player (available as a CD or LP) re-visits some old songs and goes in a few new directions, but is unmistakably the work of Switzerland’s most cuckoo garage/trash rock original. 

The back story goes a little like this: Beat-Man was coaxed to spend a week in a remote Swiss Alps chalet to record with a hand-picked line-up of people he’d long admired. He chose Milan Slick (keys), drummer Beatrice Graf (of Ester Poly) and local rockabilly guitarist Benjamin Claus. The material was played live. What you hear are complete takes. No overdubs.

• garage
• voodoo
• voodoo rhythm
• reverend beat-man
• the underground
• it's a matter of time

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They Will Persuade You: Huxton Creepers return to home town

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By Matt Ryan of Munster Times

Matt Ryan of Munster Times

23 August 2022

Hits: 3056

_{Huxton Creepers in their '80s heyday.}

Combining elements of powerpop, grunge, and the sort of hard-edged rock ‘n’ roll that only comes out of Melbourne, the Huxton Creepers were one of the of the best bands in Australia in the ‘80s. With three well received LPs and non-stop touring, the Creepers, while only round for five years, certainly made their mark on the scene in Melbourne but also all over the country, playing anywhere and everywhere.

The Creepers are back playing a rare show at the Corner Hotel on Saturday, 27 August, along with other ‘80s legends the Gas Babies and Intoxica.

Huxton Creepers lead singer Rob Craw was happy to reminisce on the bands original run, and also what keeps them coming back for more.

• melbourne
• huxton creepers
• rob craw
• the corner

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Seven Mutants walk into a bar...

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By The Barman

The Barman

19 August 2022

Hits: 2931

Curse of the Easily Amused – The Mutants (Liberation Hall)

The Art Punk genre is a mixed bag. Throw in a New Wave descriptor and the name can refer to anything, really. So if you’re confused approaching this retrospective collection by a late ‘70s San Francisco band, be not alone.

At last count there were enough bands using the name The Mutants to fill a large tour bus. As well as Art Lyzak's ‘70s Hamtramck, Detroit, outfit with Bootsey X, there was a Pink Fairies-inspired Merseyside, UK, combo and a 2000s supergroup featuring Rat Scabies. There’s even an instrumental Finnish band, so there’s been a whole lotta mutating goin’ on.  

These West Coast Mutants sprang from the same diverse scene that had already spawned Flipper, the Nuns and the Avengers but took a more artful approach inspired by the trash films of John Waters and the vibe of Andy Warhol’s Factory crew. Which doesn’t mean they sound anything like the Velvets.

• san francisco
• joy division
• the mutants
• Curse of the Easily Amused
• liberation hall
• art punk

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World Premiere: Turn on Datura4's "Black Speakers"

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By The Barman

The Barman

10 August 2022

Hits: 2730

“Black Speakers”, the new single for Perth’s retro rocking and extremely potent Datura4, the current vehicle for The Stems leader Dom Mariani, is making its world debut here, and the new album is not far away.

“Black Speakers” was preceded by the dark and heavy blues-based thumper "Secret Society" and "Going Back To Hoonsville" (the non-LP version of which features Perth blues Legend Dave Hole on slide guitar) and "Open The Line".

"Open The Line" was chosen as "The Coolest Song in the World" by Stevie Van Zandt aka Little Steven on his influential and much-loved rock'n'roll radio channel on SiriusXM, “The Underground Garage”.  Dom, who is a long-time favourite of Stevie's, was also interviewed on the channel on their weekly "Coolest Conversations" spot.  

The "Neanderthal Jam" album is the band's fifth long-player and will be out on US label Alive/ Records on August 26. It will be distributed in Australia by MGM. You can pre-order splatter vinyl from the US here.

• datura4
• dom mariani
• dave hole
• black sneakers
• neanderthal jam

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Packed lunch

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By Ron Brown

Ron Brown

09 August 2022

Hits: 2986

Real Gone – The Naked Lunch (self released)

Hello Barflies. The Farmhouse has been rocking these past few weeks as I’ve been kindly gifted an advance copy of The Naked Lunch’s album “Real Gone” and it’s full of surf-punk-pop tunes.

The album is a couple of covers as well as the single, also called “Real Gone” which I reviewed a few weeks back here at the Bar, so I was very excited when this landed.

• album
• naked lunch
• real gone

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Summoning rock and roll's spirit

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By JD Stayfree

JD Stayfree

07 August 2022

Hits: 2742

Ghosts of Isolation – Ricky Rat (I-94 Recordings)

First song bangs straight into a Ricky Rat signature, garagey, Romantics or Plimsouls-style powerpop song, with an ‘80s feel. If you are hip to Ricky's discography, this is his thing, exactly.

"We're still shining, we're still shining" he croons. I suspect it was most likely written during the COVID clampdown, to try to rouse his old cohorts outta those dark and depressing pandemic blues. 

"Glow Of Gabriels" reminded me instantly of "Child Of The Moon". Again, this is pretty much, your quintessential Ricky Rat. A Rolling Stones-influenced song with Nicky Hopkins type piano courtesy of Jimmy Bones and a Bobby Keyes style horn solo. They really put some ace production on to this one. Jimmy Bones, the dude who's tickling the ivories does a real good job.

• detroit
• trash brats
• i-94 recordings
• ricky rat
• Ghosts of Isolation

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Flu time trumps showtime but Sunnies will be back

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By The Barman

The Barman

05 August 2022

Hits: 2436

It is with deep regret and many apologies that Sunnyboys announce they are unable to perform this weekend's shows in Byron Bay and Brisbane.This Australian ‘flu season is one of the worst on record and unfortunately it has struck the band, leaving one member bed ridden. However, the boys have been able to reschedule quickly.

The new and remaining dates are:

Sat August 13: Melbourne, Corner Hotel  (limited tickets available) with Underground Lovers & Little Murders
(tickets from July 9 valid for this date)
Fri August 19: Byron Bay, The Northern (limited tickets available) with Mick Medew & The Mesmerisers
(tickets from July 15tand August 5 valid for this date)
Sat August 20: Brisbane, Princess Theatre (limited tickets available) with Mick Medew & The Mesmerisers
(tickets from July 16 and August 14 valid for this date)

• brisbane
• sunnyboys
• byron bay
• postponement

Getting ripped, and not ripped off, in Ocean County

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By The Barman

The Barman

04 August 2022

Hits: 2464

Wasteland Blues – O.C. Rippers (Ruined Records)

Ocean County, New Jersey, is a 40-minute drive from the Ashbury Park foreshore of Bruce Springsteen and a million miles from his $5000 concert tickets. The same goes for the music of O.C. Rippers, whose 16-song “Wasteland Blues” album is a million times more exciting.

It’s the vinyl version of the 2021 debut CD and if you hang around the I-94 Bar you’ll know the modus operandi: Equal parts Dead Boys, Stooges and Candy Snatchers (especially) with songs that mostly last less than two minutes and are spat out at breakneck pace (for the most part) with venom.

• wasteland blues
• o.c. rippers
• ruined records
• bruce springsteen

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