Danny Handley and The Animal inside

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

11 November 2025

Hits: 571

Everyone thinks they know about “The Sixties” and of course the further away we get, the muddier it all seems. English R'n'B - or, if you like, English interpretations of R'n'B - set the world alight and we've never been the same since. Pop became tougher, bands wrote their own songs; thousands of bands around the world formed as a result - and the follow-on effects are still felt today. 

Today, few of the musicians who helped detonate that ground-zero remain; even fewer remain playing live. Along with, say, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, one who regularly presents himself to crowds is John Steel, the original drummer for The Animals, who is bringing The Animals And Friends to Australia again. 

It takes a band of high quality to present these songs. The guitarist and lead singer is Danny Handley. He joined Robert Brokenmouth at the Bar.

• the animals
• john steel
• danny handley
• australian tour 2025
• the animals and friends

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Sneaky launches for Ash while The Church isn't in session

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By The Barman

The Barman

11 November 2025

Hits: 567

Holy smokes! Ashley Naylor has snuck a handful of solo shows to help launch his fifth and arguably finest solo LP, “Alexandria Sunset”, whilst on the road with The Church.

Naylor is the renowned guitarist lending his talents to iconic Australian acts including The Church, Paul Kelly, The Stems and beloved Melbourne band Even. He’s parked the proverbial Even car in the garage and taken the wheel of his creative powers, driving head on with a string of successful solo releases in recent years. 

“Alexandria Sunset” was released in September and landed in the Top 20 of the AIR charts. It’s streaming, on CD and on LP via El Reno Music. These launch shows are in solo acoustic mode:

Ashley Naylor
"Alexandria Sunset" launches
NOV
14 – The Junk Bar, Brisbane, QLD
Tickets
18 – Odeon, Richmond, VIC
Tickets
DEC
11- Factory Floor, Marrickville, NSW
Tickets
21 – Grace Emily, Adelaide, SA
Tickets

• the church
• even
• ashley naylor
• alexandria sunset
• launch tour

Dead Moon Rising: Toody Cole brings her band Down Under

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By Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan

10 November 2025

Hits: 1194

Dead Moon and Pierced Arrows alumnus and DIY garage rock icon, Toody Cole, has returned  to the stage after a six-year break ,and is sweeping through Australia this month.

Toody Cole and Her Band is an underground showcase, playing songs from Dead Moon and Pierced Arrows, both of which Toody played in with her late husband of 50 years, Fred Cole. Her band features Christpoher March (Jenny Don’t and the Spurs) and former Pierced Arrows bandmate, Kelly Halliburton. 

No-one embodied the DIY/Independent spirit more then Fred and Toody. There are many bands that have achieved cult status, but not many get their own city paying tribute to them, with Portland declaring October 5 “Dead Moon Night”.

Toody spoke to Matt Munster from her Portland house, just after here return to Portland from gigs in Spain.

• dead moon
• australian tour
• pierced arrows
• fred cole
• toody cole

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Run Run Run's Australian tour will redress the musical balance of trade with China

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By The Barman

The Barman

07 November 2025

Hits: 1079

There’s been a steady stream of Japanese bands visiting Australia in the last decade but it’s rare that one makes it out of China. That’s one thing that will make this month’s tour by Run Run Run something special. The ever-evolving Chinese psych-rock band is playing six shows across Canberra, Sydney and Victoria.

Formed in 2014, Run Run Run has released several albums on seminal independent label Maybe Mars, also home to Carsick Cars and Birdstriking, and has played with Michael Rother (Neu!, Kraftwerk, Harmonia) and Gang of Four.

• australian tour
• moshpit bar
• shotkickers
• run run run

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Open Up and Bleed: Hard-Ons release a bloody box set

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By The Barman

The Barman

06 November 2025

Hits: 1042

“The Most Australian Band Ever!”, the internationally acclaimed 2024 documentary about the early days of legendary Sydney punk band the Hard-Ons, is being released on Blu-ray and the deluxe edition is a bloody ripper.

The Jonathan Sequeira-produced doco won Best Film at the LA Punk Film Festival and the physical edition is out just as its sequel “Harder and Harder” starts a run in Australian cinemas.

So here's the bloody low-down.

• hard-ons
• box set
• the most australian band ever
• harder and harder

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They've got a ticket to ride (they just need a train)

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By The Barman

The Barman

03 November 2025

Hits: 894

The new video for the single, "Will The Train Ever Stop At Banyo" by The Mick Medew & Ursula 4 has been released.  It's being streaing on all services or you can grab your own download copy here.

Filmed and produced by Tracey Walker,  it features Mick Medew (guitar, vocals), Ursula Collie (keyboards0, Lois Andrews (backing vocals, bass) and Stu McLaughlin (drums) and was written by Mick and Ursula. Production was by Stuart McLaughlin and it was mastered by Ernie O.

• video
• tracey walker
• mick medew and ursula 4
• will the train ever stop at banyo?

Belligerent Dickhead? He's been called worse

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

03 November 2025

Hits: 597

Theatre of Sorrow - Belligerent Dickhead (self released)

CAUTION: Smallish-scale own-trumpet tooting.

They do say that friends shouldn't review friends. Partly because friendship has an inherent bias, and partly because you could lose your friend. And your readership.

Personally, I think it's rather difficult to not meet musicians when you love music and hang in the same insalubrious establishments (usually smelling of stale beer and wee), which leads me to believe that vast swathes of music journos have, unbeknownst to the likes of us, given their mate's utter twaddle a firm thumbs-up. 

• theatre of sorrow
• belligerent dickhead
• marduk gault

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"Under The World" is all power and no self-pity

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

02 November 2025

Hits: 977

Under the World - Harry Howard with David McClymont (Monorail Music)

Like many break-up albums, “Under The World” mirrors our fears and losses. Unlike most albums in this genre, “Under The World”effortlessly avoids mopey me-me-me whining. Its lack of self-pity raises the bar of such experiences to the magisterial, touching on aspects of memory and forgiveness. Simple, powerful stuff which you can instantly relate to. 

No, I'm sorry, but this is one break-up albums which doesn't reference the bombastic and horribly overblown likes of Ronnie James Dio or Tina Arena. Because “Under The World” is like that David Lynch close-up of the white picket fence and the ideal home that you shudder at as soon as you see it. 

• near death experience
• harry howard
• crime and the city solution
• david mcclymont
• under the world
• orange juice
• the moodists

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No Trains, Planes or Automobiles were harmed in the making of the new Mick Medew and Ursula 4 single

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By The Barman

The Barman

01 November 2025

Hits: 764

The new digital single from Brisbane’s The Mick Medew & Ursula 4 has been released today. “Will The Train Ever Stop At Banyo” amplifies the frustrations of navigating urban public transport. Grab it at our Bandcamp or listen on all streaming platforms. 

Written by Mick Medew and Ursula Collie, recorded by Stuart McLaughlin and mastered by Melbourne sonic maestro Ernie O, the song namechecks Banyo on Brisbane’s Shorncliffe Line where the station’s accessibility upgrade is running six months behind schedule. 

• single
• screaming tribesmen
• mick medew and ursula 4
• banyo

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