Dez Dare previews album with stinging new clip

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By The Barman

The Barman

29 April 2021

Hits: 2752

Operating in the crystalline shadows and existential backwaters of the psyche, Dez Dare constructs psych-hymns and soft-punk that punches you in the brain while tenderly calling you to inaction.

No other time calls for expression more than times of suppression. Trapped in reclusion under the germs' eye in the UK, expatriate Aussie Darren Smallman (BATTLE WORLDWIDE, Low Transit Industries, Thee Vinyl Creatures, The Sound Platform and Warped) has built a Frankenstein's Monster within his own house. Bolted together with old pedals, guitars and synths, he is about to release an album’s wortrh of tracks about existence, social normality and the illusion of reality.

New single “Dumb Dumb Dumb” is lifted from the forthcoming new album “Hairline Ego Trip”, out on June 4 on Ch!mp Records and is available for pre-order here..

• dez dare
• darren smallman
• chimp records
• hairline ego trip

Make the Zeros your new Heros

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

27 April 2021

Hits: 3844

"News From Nowhere" - Atomic Zeros (Ghost Highway Recordings)

If you don't like rock'n'roll, you'll hate the Atomic Zeros. They are all your worst irritants combined: garage, MC5, punk, surf, garage and Radio Birdman overtones.. But also: much of the phrasing reminds me more of Chris Bailey back in the day (see "Electric Chair"). Curious how insistent the Zeros are; yet so modern they seem compared to the rather lame “modern” music.

They've broadened and fleshed out their sound, but one major element remains: they sound bloody enormous. Play loud at people who like Justin Bieber and crap that's everywhere that you have to try so hard to like, and that red-haired git as well. No, not John Lydon, though he probably wouldn't like it either.

• spain
• atomic zeros
• ghost highway recordings
• dirty game
• news from nowhere

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Sonically speaking, you need to be at this party

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By The Barman

The Barman

25 April 2021

Hits: 3074

All Things BGP - Black Ghost Party (self released)

It’s fact, not theory, that when Sydney and Brisbane musicians of a certain age and underground persuasion seek a sea change, they head for the New South Wales Far North Coast. And why not? It’s often wet and always humid, but the parts not spoiled by hideous yuppies and mad anti-vaxxers are damned idyllic.

Can’t tell you whether all the members of Black Ghost Party are Lismore born and bred or blow-ins from the Big Smoke, but it’s not  important. They’ve been alternately cajoling and searing local ears since at least 2004 so they're part of the furniture, and this release of 11 songs is available on LP or as a download.

• slug
• black ghost party
• all things BGP
• rod black
• adam button
• matt lee

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Stu's collaboration bears pop fruit

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By The Barman

The Barman

25 April 2021

Hits: 3818

Collaborations from Stustustudio – Stu & The Connections (Crankinhaus)

Vaguely new wave-sounding pop from a combo led by well-credentialled Sydney drummer Stu Wilson (Loose Pills, Hammerfish, Aberration and ex-Lime Spiders, New Christs, Chris Masuak & The Harbour City Wave Riders, and the Soul Movers) and it’s damned good. Six tracks  - one a stripped-down alternate version – that showcase some adept song-writing and a disclination to be pigeonholed.

Stu’s one of the rare breed of drummers who sing - and that even rarer strain of drummers who sing well. He’s in the upper register and writes pop songs to suit. Wilson gets a bit of assistance – Sienna Egan, vocalist for his other current band The Rivers is prominent among a list of notable collaborators that includes bassist Andy Newman (ME-262, The Visitors). Matt Galvin (Barbarellas, Happy Hate Me Nots) and Ryan Elsmore (Loose Pills).

• loose pills
• new christs
• stu wilson
• andy newman
• matt galvin
• crankinhaus records
• Collaborations from Stustustudio
• Stu & The Connections
• crankhaus
• ryan elsmore

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Strange Flash! Ultimate Lipstick Killers collection looms on LP and CD

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By The Barman

The Barman

21 April 2021

Hits: 5139

The long-awaited anthology of material by Australia’s legendary Lipstick Killers finally arrives on CD and LP on Grown Up Wrong! Records on June 25.

“Strange Flash – Studio & Live ‘78-‘81” as a double-LP will include the original 1979 “Hindu Gods of Love”/”Shakedown USA” single, the posthumous “Sockman/Pensioner Pie’ 45 plus additional studio masters from the same ’78 session; an unreleased album-length 1980 demo session recorded by Australian guitar god Lobby Loyde; and the near-complete LA show that comprised the original live album “Mesmeriser”.

The “Mesmeriser” tracks will add additional tunes and subtract a couple that one band member wasn’t happy with.The set features liner notes by Ugly Things contributor and Grown Up Wrong! Records’ Dave Laing, some killer pix and flyers and repro’s of the stunning Lipstick Killers posters designed by highly collectable Sydney poster artist John Foy, and a piece by Byron Coley.

The LPs will be a run of 500 copies on orange vinyl an 500 on black.

The double-CD includes adds a near complete live show recorded in Adelaide in 1978, some of which was released on a handmade cassette by members of the band in the mid-‘80s, and a couple of the tracks of which appeared on a very limited run 45 also released by the band in later years. But a good chunk of it has never been heard - and it is wild.

• psychosurgeons
• lipstick killers
• mark taylor
• dave laing
• grown up wrong
• strange flash
• peter tillman

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And they did Get The Band Back Together

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By The Barman

The Barman

21 April 2021

Hits: 2900

The reformed Dictators - three founding members Andy Shernoff, Ross The Boss and Top Ten, and Albert Bouchard from Blue Oyster Cult - are back with a fun secxiond single from their recent recording sessions. Top Ten has since stood down from the band due to health reasons but "Let's Get The Band Back Together" was recorded before he made his decision.  

• dictators
• ross the boss
• top ten
• andy shernoff
• let's get the band back together
• Albeit bouchard

Second Turks tribute on the way

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By The Barman

The Barman

21 April 2021

Hits: 3140

What did we say about it being high time for a tribute to New Bomb Turks? Just when you think it’s safe to put your PayPal password away, here’s a second collection from Poland-based Heavy Medication.

Label owner and expatriate American, Derrick Ogrodny, first laid ears on the Turks in 1992 and has been loving them ever since: “Almost 30 years later, we’re still finding traces of the Turks’ flamethrower DNA in hundreds of other bands.

“So it’s in their honor we put together an international tribute of bands interpreting their songs, from garage-punk to motorpunk, from speedrock to action rock — and a few surprises too!”

Pre-orders for vinyl or CD editions are open now and here’s the line-up which includes Aussies Aberration and Howlin’ Threads:

Hell Nation Army – “Point A to Point Blank”
Poison Heart – “Snap Decision”
Aberration – “Rat Feelings”
Doojiman & The Exploders – “Automatic Teller”
Red Crap – “If I Only Could”
Randy Savages – “Leaving Town”
Howlin’ Threads – “Professional Againster”
Ville Fantome – “Born Toulouse-Lautrec”
Flash House – “I’m Weak”
Dog Toffee – “Id Slips In”
The Satanic Overlords Of Rock ‘N’ Roll – “Tattooed Apathetic Boys”
Smalltown Tigers – “Girl Can Help It”
Puffball – “Never Will”
Moron’s Morons – “Wine & Depression”
Jack Saint – “Grounded Ex-Patriot”
Tongue Action – “Telephone Numbrrr”
Hell Nation Army – “I Want My Baby… Dead ?!”
Jet Boys – “Killer’s Kiss”

• new bomb turks
• aberration
• heavy medication records
• doojiman
• defiled

New Scientists album to land in June

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By The Barman

The Barman

21 April 2021

Hits: 3640

The Scientists’powerful brand of deranged swamp-rock returns with a vengeance on June 11th, when Los Angeles’In the Red Recordsunleashes “Negativity”, an all-new magnum opus and the first full-length album by the Australian band’s penultimate line-up in 35 years.  “Outside”' is the single first release from the album, out to the world today.

The bruising 11-track collection features aScientistsconfiguration much beloved by connoisseurs of the band’s work: singer-guitaristKim Salmon, lead guitaristTony Thewlis, and bassistBoris Sujdovic, all veterans of the group’s defining 1981-85 outfit, and drummerLeanne Cowie, who replaced drummer Brett Rixon on the storming 1986 release "Weird Love".

• scientists
• kim salmon
• album
• in the red
• negativity

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Ride On, Tony Pola

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

20 April 2021

Hits: 9908

All photois: Greg Walsh.

Let's start with a jovial reminder of who, Tony Pola, the man really was, in his own words. From one of his social media messages: 

PC "culture" is a cancer to freedom of expression.

In the real world, Tony recently died. I believe he was 58. Six years ago he fell off his pushbike and broke a few ribs.

In mediaworld, Britain's Queen's Personal Comedian has also died, aged 99. Two years ago he came out from a local laneway and biffed into a car with two women, causing them "minor injuries".

• beasts of bourbon
• kim salmon
• surrealists
• the beasts
• tony pola
• the brass ring

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