Last Gang in town brings the entertainment! 40 years later

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

24 August 2019

Hits: 4320

 If you subscribe to the popular  notion that post-punk started in 1976, Gang of Four are to blame. Established in Leeds in England's north, Gang of Four - or Go4 - are widely recognised as originators of the genre with their potent political lyrics and stripped-down blend of funk, punk, dance and dub.

Originally singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bassist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham, there have been many G04 line-ups down the years. Founding member Gill is the only one remaining and he'll bring the band to Australia and New Zealand in November, marking the 40th anniversary of the debut album "entertainment!"

While we don't want to encourage you to read it these days, Rolling Stone magazine rated their debut album "entertainment!" as the fifth greatest punk album of all time. Pitchfork (it's a hipster bible but don't hold that against Go4) ranks it the eighth-greatest album of all time.

Go4 will play "entertainment!" In full plus selected songs from the band's other nine studio albums.

Our resident post-punk devotee ROBERT BROKENMOUTH is a dyed-in-the-wool Go4 fan. He spoke to Andy Gill about the band's history, recent output and what makes its music tick.

• australian
• new zealand
• gang of four
• andy gill
• entertainment!

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Fast Cars rev up for Australian live gigs

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By The Barman

The Barman

21 August 2019

Hits: 3766

Trans-global pop combo Fast Cars will play live in Australia for two shows only in October, promoting their new album “Soft”.

Principal members Fabian Byrne (based in Australia) and Di Levi (who lives in the UK) will be joined by friends and various supports for a gig at Marrickville Bowling Cub in Sydney on October 12, and as part of the Modtoberfest bill at the Lansdowne Hotel also in Sydney on the afternoon of October 20.

Byrne and Levi will be joined by original bass player Dave Pye and drummer Pete Bennett (ex- The Welcome Mat). The first 50 payers at the Bowlo will receive a Fast Cars CD of rarities and outtakes and tickets are on sale here.

Supports for the Marrickville Bowlo show are Love Minus Zero (launching their “No Limit” album and a single) and The Smart Folk.

Originally a part of the 1980s Sydney mod scene, Fast Cars reformed over the Internet as a recording unit around Byrne and Levi in 2016 and have released two albums so far.

• lansdowne
• fast cars
• marrickville bowling club
• modtoberfest

It's murder when those kids dance

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By The Barman

The Barman

20 August 2019

Hits: 3938

There will be a a special encore cinema screening of "Descent Into The Maelstrom" at the Sedition 2019 Festival in Sydney on September 21 - part of a three-film offering that will bring together some unlikely bedfellows. And we don't mean past and present Radio Birdman members...

To complement the screening of "Descent", producer Jonathan Sequeira is putting together some of the documentary's extra material for a short film about the Darlinghurst underground music scene and The Funhouse, called "Let the Kids Dance".

"This will be a ONE OFF SCREENING only. Some of the material might be in the extras, but the film itself is ALL NEW and will only show at Sedition!," Sequeira said. 

Capping it off will be a screening "Murder Ballads", the story of the creation of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ album of the same name, featuring exclusive interviews with Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue, among others. This could be the first and last time The Dark Lord Cave, The Budgie and the Birdmen appear on the same silver screen at the same time. The venue is the Palace Cinema at 17 Oxford Street, Paddington, and it runs from 7-11pm. 

• bad seeds
• nick cave
• radio birdman
• descent into the maelstrom
• jonathan sequeira
• murder ballads
• sedition 2019

ANZ tour looms for Gang of Four...decades

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By The Barman

The Barman

20 August 2019

Hits: 4329

One of the most influential and groundbreaking bands to rise from the British punk scene in the late '70s was Gang of Four.

To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of their debut album “Entertainment!”, the UK dance-punk pioners will play the album in full with other“hits” on an Australasian tour in November.

Gang of Four
Australia-NZ
NOV
2- PERTH Rosemount
5- ADELAIDE Lion Arts Factory
7 - BRISBANE The Zoo
8 - SYDNEY Manning Bar
9 - MELBOURNE Croxton
12 - AUCKLAND Tuning Fork
13 - WELLINGTON San Fran

• tour
• australian
• new zealand
• gang of four

Filth gig canned but Celibate Rifles tribute to Damien Lovelock set for September

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By The Barman

The Barman

19 August 2019

Hits: 4542

That sold-out Celibate Rifles-Filth show, being held on September 11 as part of the Sedition 2019 festival at Oxford Art Factory in Sydney, has been cancelled. Organisers issued an online statement this afternoon:

We regret to inform you that we have had to cancel the “Do You Feel Lucky, Punk - Celibate Rifles + Filth” event.  After the death of Damien Lovelock, the lead vocalist for the Celibate Rifles, we endeavoured to find an alternative line up however we couldn’t make it work. We deeply apologise for any inconvenience caused by the cancellation of the event. If you have purchased tickets for this event and have not yet received an email from us, don’t hesitate to get in contact and we can refund you the cost of your ticket/s.

Meanwhile, the Rifles will celebrate their late much-loved frontman with a tribute gig at the Factory Theatre in Sydney in September. Guitarist Ken Steadman told the band's Facebook page:

On Sunday September 22nd at the Factory Theatre, we'll be performing "Damo the Musical". We will do our best to say farewell in honour of him in our own style. Likely to run from around 4pm till 8pm with the music he loved, grew up with and contributed to. A few covers, some Wigworld tracks and plenty of Celies with guest musicians and multi media tributes to Senor Lovelock. Tickets will be available in a few days.

• filth
• celibate rifles
• damien lovelock
• sedition

In Every Dream Home - Atom (It Records)

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By The Barman

The Barman

18 August 2019

Hits: 7018

Atom have been playing around Melbourne for several years, and this is partly the result. I say 'partly' because I know they have other songs up their sleeves (and a few deft covers), and also because they're most engaging live, drawing you in like a nurse soothes a muscle-man pretending he doesn't have a fear of needles.

Those of you alert to the ways of the musical underground will recognise at once that this is another brainchild of Harry Howard and Edwina Preston. With the first track, 'Run Out', we're right there in that cut-up era Harry and Ed have created for themselves (somewhere between 1958 and 1989, it seems). In a different place and time, they'd have John Peel thrashing Atom's every B-side while turfing The Cure and The Mission sessions into the archives.

• edwina preston
• harry howard
• every dream home
• atom .
• it records

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Record Play Pause: Confessions of a Post-Punk Percussionist: The Joy Division Years by Stephen Morris (Hachette Australia)

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

18 August 2019

Hits: 4876

He's the drummer chap in Joy Division and now New Order. Morris has written about how he got there, but with a rather rueful (and lucky for us, gently comic) look back at what a twat he once was. Cleverly written, sensibly contrite and a bit ashamed of himself, this is corking stuff. Even if you weren't interested in his music, in fact.

However, we're also in modern myth territory. That means the tragic suicide of frontman Ian Curtis; a death which seemed to grip the nation's rather maudlin youth and media of the day to such an extent that death of The Ruts' frontman, Malcolm Owen a couple of months later, was completely eclipsed; surely both were equally as tragic. 

But no, the Joy Division wave, which was only just rearing up, hit the UK quite hard. 

• postpunk
• new order
• joy division
• hachette
• stephen morris
• record play pause

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This is Filth - Filth and The Sound of My Broken Heart - Dead Rabids (Full On Noise)

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

17 August 2019

Hits: 3131

The Barman has already reviewed "The Sound ..." EP, but I thought I'd have a listen as well.

"The Sound of My Broken Heart" leads and it's a firmly-driven tubercular guitar snarl which allows Bob to vent in his rather strangulated vocals. I was never able to see the Dead Rabids, unfortunately - and I suppose that's the thing we find to our horror as we get older - other stuff gets in the way of us getting out the door.

There are about five or six local bands I enjoy seeing, and if I were able I'd be at pretty much every gig. Did the Dead Rabids deserve that kind of love? I've no idea, but "The Sound of My Broken Heart" is, as the Barman says, a stone cold classic. Buy yourself admission and freak people out when the track comes up on your mix cd in the car (no, I won't buy a car without a CD player) or your (snigger) mix stick - "My god," they'll squeak, "What's this?!"

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Fog of Forgiveness - Eric Mingus (Fort Evil Fruit) and The Train. Part 4 - Mark E. Smith & Ed Blaney Cog Sinister)

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

17 August 2019

Hits: 3948

I was pondering the nature of what genuinely constitutes the avant garde. Encountered live on a good night (they weren't always good) outfits like Joy Division or the New York Dolls, would have had a considerable impact. But they still operated within the confines - sort of - of the rock'n'roll structure.

One wonders what the ordinary punter (ie, not a seeker of bonkers enlightenment) would have made of that extraordinary masterpiece, "Trout Mask Replica" much less "Sketches of Spain". However, here we have two recordings which well and truly fit the term avant garde.

First, to Eric Mingus, a man of considerable talent, who rarely seems to give interviews - probably because he keeps getting asked about his dad, Charlie (if you don't know who I mean, do some digging), which would miss the point: Eric is well and truly an extraordinary multi-instrumentalist and composer. 

• the fall
• mark e smith
• eric mingus
• ed blaney
• fog of forgiveness
• The Train. Part 4

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