Top Tens for 2024: Scotty Bradbury, drummer for The Dark Clouds

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By Scott Bradbury

Scott Bradbury

13 January 2025

Hits: 306

_{Scotty Bradbury. Photo by Lisa G Photography}

Top 10 Drum influences for 2024
Let me start this by acknowledging that John Bonham is a given for any rock drummer, so to make it fun I will leave him off this year, honourable mention to Zigaboo Modeliste of The Meters (Cissy Strut).. who had an influence on the great Bonzo of Led Zeppelin, for sure.

This list is a mix of old faithful and new players that got me off the sofa in 2024, only to land straight back on my ass … putting the drum throne through its paces.

1. Phil Rudd (AC/DC)
Phil Rudd is a feel, an adjective in drumming. Comments like “give it more Phil Rudd” can be heard in studios across the world. His less is more, play to serve the song, dig into the grove – see “Whole Lotta Rosie” approach is legendary. We only ever miss him when he isn’t there, because man… does he make a difference. The heartbeat to some of the most iconic rock songs ever, there is no other like him. I would refer the reader to the eight count at the beginning of “Back in Black”. The guitar scratches along for the first six beats … the last two hits on the Hi-hat “three…. four..” are to me, the best two notes ever played in rock’n’roll.

2. Dave Grohl (Nirvana, QOTSA, Them Crooked Vultures, Killing Joke, Probot)
Yeah look, a lot has been said about this guy musically …my wife rolls her eyes and leaves the room whenever I mention his name …I probably do talk about him a lot, so what, he really is that fucken good…albums like “Songs for the Deaf” or “Them Crooked Vultures “ and songs like “No One Knows” or “Elephants” come on!! Oh and please listen to “Killing Joke” (2003 album) this album lived rent free in my head for a full year when it came out, it’s a really cool record, the drums were recorded last and Dave Grohl worked to adapt parts written on a drum machine all of which is a little unconventional.

Dave doesn’t play fancy, lots of doubles and Triplets where the hand speaks to the foot in reply, he is creative and hits hard. You have to hit the drums to make em sound good, dynamics are fine but …tapping them won’t work. Drumming and music come naturally to Dave; he manages to play great parts most every time. “Dave Grohl – Play” (Official Video) is a good example of the level that this guy is at, it’s a journey no judgment if you don’t watch it all the way through. If an artist sounds like themselves then you are truly serving the moment. You can be influenced and inspired by anything, but when you play, if people recognise that sound as you, you channelling through an instrument …. That’s a most excellent moment.

• hard-ons
• rose tattoo
• peter kostic
• the dark clouds
• nitrocris
• andi dyson
• scott bradbury
• phil rudd
• dave grohl
• digger royall
• paramore

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Top Tens for 2024: MIne host at The I-94 Bar, The Barman

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By The Barman

The Barman

14 January 2025

Hits: 635

In no particular order and with the caveat that there are notable omissions because I haven’t heard the Chimers album yet and have only seen parts of the Hard-Ons documentary.  Yes, it’s more than 10 but I plead undiagnosed dyscalculia (i.e. I can’t count). As for the rule of not reviewing I-94 Bar label releases or shows, it's being bent. Slightly. 

The Dictators – The Dictators
It’s hard to come to grips with a Manitoba-less line-up and many of Andy's songs are re-heated versions of old material. Judged on its merits as the work of a new line-up, however, “The Dictators” is a credible comeback album that holds up to repeated listens. We need Ross The Boss' guitar roar and Andy's lyrical smart-arsery now more than ever.

In The Zone – Mick Medew and Ursula
Yes, it’s on the house label and Mine Host generally doesn’t review I-94 Bar shows or releases, but others have.  Great enough to earn Mick and Ursula the Keys to Brisbane City and have digi-single “Punk Grandma” finish Number-Three in the 4ZZZ Hot 100. All hail The Zeds (and 2RRR and 2XX and 3RRR and 3D…) 

• the on and ons
• cosmic psychos
• psychotic turnbuckles
• little murders
• the stems
• the damned
• jupiter 5
• the fadeaways
• the strike-outs
• the saints '73-'78
• the dictators
• pat todd and the rankoutsiders

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Top Tens for 2024: Ross Nelson of the Sonic Stew program on Sydney's 2RRR-FM

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By Ross Nelson

Ross Nelson

13 January 2025

Hits: 342

Another year, another stack of great recordings! From all the records that found their way to my ears and turntable throughout 2024 here’s my attempt at ranking some personal highlights. 

Rock & roll is still inspiring and remains the most exciting music on the planet. Here’s proof!

• john dowler
• the dahlmans
• the courettes
• jupiter 5
• vanity project
• lemon twigs
• the prize
• pleasants
• loose lips
• fleur
• 2RRR
• fastbacks

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Flashbacks galore as live album captures a magic Marrickville night for John Kennedy and his band

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By Edwin Garland

Edwin Garland

12 January 2025

Hits: 693

Live at The Marrickville Bowl. - John Kennedy  and the New Originals (I-94 Bar Records)

Lately, I have been thinking about the Australian movie “Death in Brunswick”, a bona fide classic and a brilliant black comedy. It features a kitchen from hell in a decrepit nightclub, populated by the dodgiest of characters. The smell of rat poison and mouse shit, and there’s a cockroach invasion that resembles an army removing food scraps. 

Now, I once worked one night as a kitchen hand at the notorious Kardomah Café (aka "The Dark Coma") when I was living in Kings Cross. The kitchen was not as horrifying as the one as in the movie, but I did feel like the Sam Neil character, channeling Dostoyevsky as I chopped onions, prepared soggy fries and tried to cut over-ripe tomatoes to sit forlornly atop nondescript cheeseburgers. 

• i-94 bar records
• matt galvin
• john kennedy
• murray cook
• peter timmerman
• phil hall
• live at the marrickville bowl

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Top Tens for 2024: Our Man in Adelaide, Robert Brokenmouth, "vocalist" for Smallpox Confidential and The Molly Fet Circuit

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

12 January 2025

Hits: 652

A bit like last year, this one was pretty rotten.  Anyway, here's a short list of bands I saw that I rate very highly.

If you have the chance, the opportunity ... don't be wedging your sweaty dewflaps to the couch and watch the cricket or footy or some TV series fuck up their “story arc” (ie, find more reasons to extend the season - will it ever, ever end?) ... but do what I couldn't do this year... 

• top ten
• robert brokenmouth
• 2024

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"Strange but right": Hugo Race on "100 Years"

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

12 January 2025

Hits: 347

_{Sara Alice Ceccarelli photo.}

He's as well known in Australia for fronting '80s Melbourne blues rockers The Wreckery as he is in Eruope for his work with The True Spirit, Fatalists and Dirtmusic, and onetime Bad Seeds guitarist Hugo Race is a man who never stands still. His latest album is a moody collaboration with Michaelangelo Russo called "100 Years" that's as sweeping in its musical vision as it is deeply rooted in the blues. 

After immersing himself in "100 Years, Robert Brokenmouth was prompted to seek an audience with Hugo and ask him some probing questions. Their wide-ranging chat is here.

• hugo race
• the wreckery
• michaelangelo russo
• 100 years

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The Crisps pad up for three shows and a quick single

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By The Barman

The Barman

11 January 2025

Hits: 553

Their membership is spread over the globe but that's not stopping portable party The Crisps returning for a quick surprise run of New South Wales shows later this month.

The Crisps reformed in 2023 for an Australian east Coast tour after a 20-something year lay-off and released a self-titled killer EP on Vi-Nil Records. Guitarist Dave Thomas' return from his adopted home of Germany has made a quick second reformation possible.

The Crisps are bassist Graham Hood (The Johnnys), vocalist-drummer Stuart Wilson (New Christs, Lime Spiders, Chris Masuak's Dog Soldier), Dave Thomas (Doomfoxx) and guitarist Chris Nacard (Orange County).

The Crisps play Sydney shows at Manly Boat Shed (January 24) with DISGRACELand and The MoshPit Bar (January 25 from 2-6pm) with The Research and Sugar Beats before heading north to Woy Woy's Link and Pin Cafe with The Dunhill Blues and The FNCs on January 26 from 11am-5pm. A digital single "Hey Jack" is due to be released next week.

• moshpit
• link and pin
• the crisps
• 2025

Dom and James team as The James Baker Beat for superb 45

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By The Barman

The Barman

11 January 2025

Hits: 356

Perth music luminaries, James Baker (Hoodoo Gurus, Beasts of Bourbon, Scientists, Victims, Dubrovniks) and Dom Mariani (The Stems, DM3, Datura4) have come together to release single under the moniker The James Baker Beat.

"Friday Night Friend" and "She Said (Bad Weekend)", out now and both penned by James and Dom are classic garage punk and pop fare which recall the rock and roll sounds and tradition of both the early Scientists and Stems.

The release of the single coincides with the second of two benefit shows  at Lyrics Undergrouind in Perth tonight to assist James in his fight with liver cancer.

From one of the most influential punk anthems (The Victims – "Television Addict") ; to the pre-swamp pop n’roll leanings (The Scientists – "Frantic Romantic"/"Last Night") ; to the tall-tale future of the term Australian Super Group (The Beasts of Bourbon – "The Axemans Jazz") to the Hoodoo Gurus and The Dubrovniks, James Baker has no peers when it comes to a rock n roll curriculum vitae.

• james baker
• hoodoo gurus
• dom mariani
• the stems
• the victims
• james baker beat
• friday night friend
• she said (bad weekend)

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Kim Salmon and band go on the road to plug one smoking new album

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By The Barman

The Barman

10 January 2025

Hits: 472

Kim Salmon's new outfit Smoked Salmon have announced a national tour to promote the forthcoming self-titled debut album, which is out February 28 on Cheersquad Records and Tapes.

The tour in March and April will take in Perth, Fremantle, Margaret River, Castlemaine, Canberra, Wollongong, Sydney, Newcastle, Geelong, Brisbane, Gold coast, Bangalow and Adelaide before finishing back in Melbourne.

• kim salmon
• australian tour
• 2025
• smoked salmon

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