A last lap from powerpop's Poet Leaureates

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By Patrick Emery

Patrick Emery

31 January 2023

Hits: 2437

Sunnyboys
+ Rocket Science
+ The Prize
Northcote Theatre, VIC
Saturday 28 January 2023
Michelle Bilson photos

A work colleague of mine told me once she’d had her wedding reception at the Northcote Theatre, back when it was known as Fani’s Receptions in the late 1980s, 70-odd years after its original opening as a picture theatre. The marriage didn’t last too long – about six months, I think – but the venue was still hosting sumptuously catered family celebrations up until it was taken over and reinvigorated as a live music venue.

The benefit of personal geographical proximity aside, I’m not sold on Northcote Theatre just yet. The combination of a high ceiling and a lack of absorbent surfaces renders the acoustic profile imperfect. Like the property prices in the local area, the drink prices are on the high side; frustratingly, it’s a cash-free venue and the distance between the stage and bar makes for a challenging journey for all concern.

• sunnyboys
• bil bilson
• richard burgman
• jeremy oxley
• peter oxley
• australian tour
• northcote
• threatre

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Anniversary "Ball Power" re-issue ships this week

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By The Barman

The Barman

24 January 2023

Hits: 2073

A heads-up to fans of the late Lobby Loyde: The 50th Anniversary Edition of the “Ball Power” LP by the Colored Balls ships on US label Just Add Water on January 27.

This touchstone of Aussie rock ‘n’ roll should need no introduction. Just in case it does, it's simply one of the finest hard rock albums to ever come out of Australia . You can file it under proto-punk, hard rock or psychedelic boogie.

This pressing has been painstakingly sourced directly from the 1973 quarter inch mix-down master tapes.

In the words of Just Add Water: “This has been an entirely analogue production chain and hasn't been touched by a computer at any stage of the process.

"Hear Coloured Balls as nature intended. Every copy includes a bonus poster!"

There will be 800 copies on black vinyl (100 each on opaque blue with white pinwheel swirl and half orange/half blue have sold out.) Order yours here.

• lobby loyde
• colored balls
• just add water
• ball power
• 50th anniversary

Winners are grinners, even when we're all losers

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By Robert Brokenmouth, JD Misfortune & The Barman

Robert Brokenmouth, JD Misfortune & The Barman

22 January 2023

Hits: 4356

Every Loser – Iggy Pop (Atlantic/Gold Tooth)

Best Ig album I've heard in a while.

On the other hand, after reading this you may be a bit peeved with me.

Hey, it's just my opinion. You?

You can go jump!

Ha!

Having just finished a review of Michael Plater's new LP, “Ghost Music”, I'm in a kind of “blown away” mood, which I initially thought perhaps isn't the right headspace to be if I'm gonna review Iggy's new LP.

• iggy pop
• stooges
• iggy and the stooges
• andrew watt
• every loser
• atlantic
• gold tooth

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Schizophonics return to Australia and New Zealand

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By The Barman

The Barman

19 January 2023

Hits: 2244

San Diego's dynamite trio The Schizophonics is returning to Australia and New Zealand after pre-COVID visits in 2019 and ’20.

Returning on the back of their latest LP, "Hoof It", The Schizophonics are husband and wife duo, singer/guitarist Pat Beers and drummer Lety Beers, and have built a formidable reputation around the world as an explosive live act.

Tapping the same wellspring that fuelled The MC5, James Brown, Iggy Pop, Little Richard, Jimi Hendrix and The Sonics, this electrifying outfit has released three albums since 2009.

Joining the Schizophonics for most Australian shows are The Unknowns, who hail from South East Queensland and share members and a record label with The Chats.

The Unknowns are set to release their second album "East Coast Low" on Bargain Bin Records around the time of this tour. Combining '70s style punk and power pop in a manner not dissimilar to the classic first three Ramones albums, The Unknowns' music is timelessly exciting and fun for all ages! 

Schizophonics
Australian-NZ Tour
MAR
Australia
1 – La La La’s, Wollongong, NSW
+ The Unknowns
2 – Crowbar, Sydney, NSW
+ The Unknowns
3 – Drifters Wharf, Gosford, NSW
4 - Tent Pole Festival, Mt Duneed, VIC
8 – Northcote Social Club, VIC
+ The Unknowns
9 – Hotel Westwood, VIC
+ The Unknowns
11 – King Lear’s, Brisbane, QLD
+ The Unknowns
12 – Vinnie’s Dive Bar, Gold Coast
+ The Unknowns
Tickets here
New Zealand
15 - Space Academy, Christchurch
16 - Valhalla, Wellington
19- - ONEONESIX, Whangarei
+ Neon Serpent
22 - Whammy Backroom, Auckland
+ Ratso
23 - The Green Room, Thames
+ Neon Serpent
25 - Piha Bowling Club, Piha
+ Neon Serpent
Tickets here

• australia
• tour
• new zealand
• schizophonics
• 2023
• hoof it

Chimers' new single ahead of extensive Australian dates

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By The Barman

The Barman

14 January 2023

Hits: 2465

_{Katelyn Slyer photo.}

Wollongong's Chimers - whose self-released and self-titled album of 2021 has found fans in Henry Rollins, Fugazi's Guy Picciotto, and members of The Mark Of Cain and Mudhoney - have released a new single "Generator" ahead of extensive live dates.

The single will be launched in Sydney on January 20 at Vic On The Park with support from Private Wives, and in Wollongong on January 27 at La La La's with Uncle Pit.

Irish born Padraic Skehan and life partner Binx formed the band in their Wollongong backyard during the initial lockdown of 2020. Veterans and drummers both of the ‘Gong’s vibrant garage-scene - The Pink Fits, Drop Offs, Evol and more. Chimers is an altogether different beast, Padraic taking a giant leap forward by removing himself from the back seat and assuming the roles of singing, playing guitar song-writing.

• scientists
• mudhoney
• chimers
• generator
• me first and the gimmie gimmies

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The Breadmakers to send off a mate on January 29

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By The Barman

The Barman

13 January 2023

Hits: 2011

It was with great sadness that Melbourne cult retro band The Breadmakers learned of the passing of their old pal, Graeme Thomas, of the Preston Records studio and label, in November last year.

Thomas  was hugely influential to just about any roots, rockabilly or rock ‘n’ roll musician in Melbourne in the 1980s and 90s – and it was no different for the young Breadmakers. They’d heard some of the amazing recordings that Graeme had made in his home-built studio that sounded exactly like they had come out of the ’50 and ‘60s and asked him to record them too.

Graeme was a musical perfectionist, and taught the band so much about getting the sounds they liked in the studio. He could make his studio sound like Sun Studios in Memphis, or just about any other vintage studio by moving microphones, changing amplifiers and rearranging a few baffles.

Graeme once offered to truck in enough soil to completely cover the studio floor so that he could get the sound of the Fortune Records Studio from Detroit Michigan, which famously had a dirt floor.

• the breadmakers
• the gem
• graeme thomas
• dave hogan
• blues hangover

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Hooks galore as Superhands make their debut

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

05 January 2023

Hits: 2091

Scruff Myers' Superhands - Scruff Myers' Superhands (Blunder Town Records)

The Superhands' debut LP, and it's taken me far too long to get to it. The second LP will be under way shortly, I am told. 

Blunder Town's press release explains that Superhands started as a one-off party band, which clearly took off in Scruff's head. 

Scruff? John “Scruff” Ellis had 16 years’ service with legendary UK clockwork punks The Adicts, and if you're not familiar with them, I suggest you start here.  The Adicts play in an instantly recognisable style - it's catchy, anthemic, uplifting stuff.

• scruff myers' superhands
• the adicts
• blunder town records

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A dozen serves of trouble

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By The Barman

The Barman

04 January 2023

Hits: 2079

12 Super Duper Extraordinary Girl Trouble Rock ‘n’ Roll Tracks – Bang Bang Band Girl (Voodoo Rhythm)

First, the whinge. This is one of those cases where you’re left wondering what might have been if the contents matched the cover. A one-lady band from Chile via the Netherlands,  Bang Bang Band Girl, has great taste in covers but the sum of its parts make this album not so much unhinged as mildly off-beat and muffled.

The one-sheet for what's almost an album full of covers promises a “spaced out wall of fuzz, theremin, reverberation and a warm, dangerous yet sweet voice” and there are elements of all those, but they’re sometimes buried by so-so production.

• heartbreakers
• nancy sinatra
• johnny thunders
• motorhead
• voodoo rhythm
• the cramps
• bang bang band girl
• 12 Super Duper Extraordinary Girl Trouble Rock ‘n’ Roll Tracks
• sheri corleone
• hasil adkins

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Cramping their style

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By The Barman

The Barman

04 January 2023

Hits: 2219

Cramped – 50LgE (self released)
This six-song EP from the New South Wales Far North Coast trio 50LgE (“50 Large”) with lineage derived from The Eastern Dark and the Psychotic Turnbuckles is as stylistically diverse as they come, swinging from swampy rock to garage rockers. 

“Cramped” is an unabashed lift from the early Cramps, not weird enough to rouse Bryan Gregory from his grave but obvious enough to send the message that 50LgE are big fans.  “White God” chalks up one for the atheists without getting out of second gear. 

• cramps
• psychotic turnbuckles
• 50LgE
• The Eastern Dark
• cramped

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