Nothing Grows in Melbourne (except great music)

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By Edwin Garland

Edwin Garland

18 July 2016

Hits: 6712

_{Garry Gray and The Sixth Circle owning the stage at The Tote.  Ripley Hood photo}

I don’t think I could ever live in Melbourne

Not unless I wanted to exist on on liver tonic and could handle being out seeing bands most nights of the week. The previous evening in Melbourne I was at HITS and maybe the mistake was to have my first beer at midday at Sydney Airport. The carnage that followed lasted long after midnight with visits to all the cool bars along Smith Street, Fitzroy.

My fellow fiend in booze and rock and I wandered into Ya Ya’s (a sleazy place at this time of night) and watched on from upstairs as another band hit the stage at 2am. It was either that or take a cab to the Cherry Bar, which is still having bands till the early hours. It all reminds me of misadventures of a long, lost Sydney live music scene.

• live
• tote
• garry gray
• los dominados
• marilyn rose

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Mutant Surfer - Hellmen (Buttercup Records)

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By The Barman

The Barman

17 July 2016

Hits: 5792

For six years at the cusp of the ‘80s and start of the ‘90s, Hellmen rode the skatepunk-surf wave better than most Sydney bands. Now Melbourne’s Buttercup Records reminds everybody what the racket was all about. Hellmen were explosive and slammed out song after song with not many longer than three minutes - exactly like this release. 

"Mutant Surfer" is a four-track seven-inch EP with two scuzzy rehearsal songs, an outtake and a previously released track. The title cut opens and is an especially potent example of what these guys sounded like live. “Don’t Do It” rocks like the proverbial but pales next to closer “Stone Rock”, left off “Electric Crazyland”. “Skate To Hell” is a cover of a Gang Green song that seems very familiar, even to a non-skatepunk fan. Now, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Hellmen back in the day (something about them being from enemy territory like the Northern Beaches maybe?) but this makes me want to track their old stuff down. It's all due for a re-issue and this is a taster for a Buttercup LP of some sort.

Art is by the mega-talented band member Ben Brown and there’s even a temporary tattoo in the packaging. It’s a limited run of 300 copies - a precursor to an LP - so don’t delay.

3/4

Buttercup Records on the Web

• punk
• buttercup records
• surf
• hellmen
• skatepunk

Crazy Pussy - Grindhouse (Conquest of Noise)

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By Ronald Brown

Ronald Brown

16 July 2016

Hits: 5850

Soaked in beer, sweat and sex, Melbourne’s Grindhouse delivers a loud ’n’ fast album dripping with guitar riffs. This is their second offering.

It sure sounds like Ricky “Pony Club” Audsley (lead guitar), Mick “Two Fingers’ Simpson (vocals-guitar), Adrian’”The Father” Cummings (bass) and Liam “Sticky Wicket” Chuffley are having a blast playing these tunes.

Kicking off this assault on the ears is “I Just Want To Drink At The Tote” (a song about a great little hotel in Melbourne’s Collingwood) is a good, old fashioned party song. “Throbbing Eye” and “Why” keep the album moving along. These are drinking songs…pub songs…fuck Facebook songs. “Old Ship” and “Casual Sex” are more flat-out rock ’n’ rollers - and they do rock, baby. LAMF!

• melbourne
• conquest of noise
• grindhouse
• crazy pussy
• steven mcdonald
• red kross

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Sydney show for Tamam Shud, Buffalo Revisited

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By The Barman

The Barman

15 July 2016

Hits: 5924

It’s a pairing of the music of two legendary Australian underground legends, the likes of which hasn’t been seen in Sydney in 46 years: Tamam Shud and Buffalo Revisited are playing a double-headliner show at the Bald Faced Stag Hotel in Leichhardt on Friday, September 9.

Regarded as Australia’s true progressive, surf and psychedelic music pioneers, Tamam Shud recently celebrated 45 years with the release of a new album, “Eight Years of Moonlight”.

Buffalo is held in the same high regard and was recently lauded as the Australian “inventors of heavy metal” by UK magazine Classic Rock, which said they’d paved the way for scores of hard rock and stoner acts.

Forming in 1971 and releasing five albums in six years, Buffalo dissolved after making their mark as a live act despite a lack of commecial radio acceptance. They’d left a potent legacy before bass player Peter Wells went on to form Rose Tattoo.

Archetypal bad boys, Buffalo’s early albums “Dead Forever”, “Volcanic Rock” and “Only Want You For Your Body” have been reissued numerous times and original copies change hands for hundreds of dollars in collector circles. 

A year ago, following constant approaches from fans, Dave Tice assembled a line-up to re-visit the original band’s legacy. They’ve since played a handful of select gigs, including a 40^th birthday celebration for iconic Brisbane radio station 4ZZZ.

• psychedelic
• live
• sydney
• buffalo revisited
• surf
• tamam shud

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What year is it? The Jam, Troggs members touring

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By The Barman

The Barman

13 July 2016

Hits: 4312

Hard on the heels of an announcement of a visit by The Sonics, '60s British rock legends The Troggs (what’s left of them) finally return to Australia this November to celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Wild Thing” with an extensive tour.

Led by sole founding member Chris Britton (pictured) on guitar (Reg Presley and Ronnie Bond having left the planet), the inspirational source of songs like “Wild Thing”, “With a Girl Like You”, “I Can’t Control Myself” and “Love is All Around” will play 13 shows across four states in November.

The line-up includes bassist Peter Lucas (who has been with the band for 40 years) and drummer Dave Maggs, who has clocked up a quarter of a century.

• tour
• australian
• the troggs
• from the jam
• bruce foxton
• chris britton

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Sonics shift Sydney date

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By The Barman

The Barman

11 July 2016

Hits: 4525

Sydney fans of Portland’s mighty The Sonics take note: The previously scheduled performance date of Sunday October 2 at The Manning Bar has now been brought forward to Friday, September 30. Support acts (The Crusaders and The Pink Fits) remain the same and all tickets purchased remain valid for the new date.

Unfortunately, Newcastle has been lost in the shuffle with all tickets purchased to be refunded at the point of sale.

In related news, all supports are now locked in. Check the dates below for the added goodness at your chosen show:

• garage
• live
• tour
• australian
• the sonics
• the crusaders
• pink fits

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Don’t Fall In Love With Some One Like Me - Screamin Stevie and the Hobby Rockers (self released)

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By The Barman

The Barman

10 July 2016

Hits: 4815

This five-tracker snuck out digitally via Bandcamp six months ago and is now available as a physical CD. Somehow, having a tangible artefact available makes a release more “real”. It’s not on vinyl but it's still better than an MP3..

For those in the dark: Screamin Stevie makes garage-soul music that resonates in all the right places. A veteran of the ever-shifting outfit that was The Hekawis, he’s become something of an institution on the small but lively Brisbane underground scene. He's distinctive in an ever-present cape and camped behind a Vox organ with vocal stylings that are all his own. Stevie won’t win a spot in the church choir but that won’t matter to most of you. If he was based in Europe he'd be touring the cafe and provincial festival circuits all year-round. 

• garage
• brisbane
• screamin stevie
• hobby rockers
• don't fall in love with some one like me

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Space Age Blues - Sonics Rendezvous Band (Easy Action)

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By Stewart Cunningham

Stewart Cunningham

07 July 2016

Hits: 6670

I originally heard this new release in its raw format three years ago now and was surprised by the laidback feel of it….wow, Sonic’s Rendezvous Band playing a front bar pub type of gig to 25 people….how cool to have seen that? I didn’t even know they did that sort of thing

There’s plenty of on/off stage banter, some jamming and tune ups; it was a nice surprise and refreshing to hear a recording of one of my favourite bands playing in a different situation and early on in their development. This recording joined some of the dots in the band’s history (no they didn’t just appear out of nowhere as this blindingly amazing live band – it took years and plenty of gigs) and fleshes these guys out as players.

• sonics rendezvous band
• fred sonic smith
• scott asheton
• rock action
• scott morgan
• ron cooke
• geoff ginsberg

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Neon Angel. A Memoir of a Runaway by Cherie Currie with Tony O’Neill (Harper Collins/Itbooks)

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

05 July 2016

Hits: 5875

If medals were given out to musicians who’d somehow survived to succeed in the face of horror, The Runaways would be instant recipients. Cherie Currie’s book is a damn fine read. It’s worth four out of three McGilvrays or whatever iconic ‘70s TV star The Barman uses to denote: cracking r’n’r book. Four out of three: you with me so far?

First, let it be known that we have too many books on ’60s rockers who turn out the same old wan sludge with a smirk and a wink. There are plenty of ’70s and ‘80s rockers who’ve done the same. Once you reach a certain level, you can wet-fart in your audience’s face with impunity and thousands will pay for the privilege.

Step forward and take the bouquets of flowers, Cherie Currie. Tony O’Neill has probably done the horrible typing, editing and transcribing, but Cherie’s story is told with verve, honesty and … yes, more than a tinge of bitterness. Although bitterness is not the prevailing theme; the themes are abuse, self-abuse, self-awareness and basic morality.

For all those who think The Runaways had it sweet, “Neon Angel” will disabuse you of that notion. Cherie’s story is unpleasant and horrific in many ways; and as members of the Blank Generation we can all make a few guesses. But the truth is vile (there were moments where I found myself pointlessly looking away from the page), and beneath all the glam rollercoaster of success was the greedy, ugly industry (personified by Kim Fowley, whose depiction will turn everyone’s stomach. Picture a moist tall slug in a dirty orange jumpsuit, that’s how I’ll always remember him).

• runaways
• cherie currie
• joan jett
• lita ford
• jackie fox
• neon angel
• tony o'neill

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