When historical accuracy is A Complete Unknown

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By Edwin Garland

Edwin Garland

26 January 2025

Hits: 7612

"A Complete Unknown"
Directed by James Mangold
Screenplay by James Mangold and Jay Cocks

New York City was Ground Zero for many of the significant 20th Century cultural upheavals, notable events and musical movements that exploded over the course of a few decades.

The late '40s brought on The Beat Generation of William Burroughs and Gregory Corso. The smoky jazz clubs spawned Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and later John Coltrane who were smashing down the walls down and redefining music, in particular jazz.

A bit over two decades later, Max's Kansas City and CBGB gave rise to Patti Smith, Blondie, Ramones and Television, off the back of The Factory scene with the Velvet Underground.

It was late 1950's that birthed a folk movement in small coffee shops in and around New York City's East Village, with characters like Rambling Jack Elliott and Pete Seeger. Accoustic folk music, with its roots with The Carter Family and acoustic blues from the cottonfields and The Dustbowl, took root with intellectuals and hip kids from inner-city university campuses. The songs became anthems for the labour movement and civil rights activists - In particular the music of Woody Guthrie.

The USA was exploding with a new sense of wildness and free thinking embodied in new art movements. It was also a time when classic older bluesman like Son House and John lee Hooker, ignored and working hand-to-mouth shit jobs, were discovered by a new hip, young and white audience.

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Guitar Wolf bring Jet Rock 'n' Roll back to Australian audiences

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By The Barman

The Barman

22 January 2025

Hits: 2880

Tokyo's incredible Guitar Wolf are returning to Australia on a five-state tour in March and April 2025.



Since forming in 1987 and releasing their first album on Memphis's legendary Goner Records in 1993, Guitar Wolf have taken their wild and dangerous sound to the world, working with labels like Matador and Third Man in the process.

Guitar Wolf have released 12 albums and are signed to a major label at home in Japan. They first toured Australia in the late '90s, when mainman Seiji (pictured right) rode onto the stage of a packed Tote Hotel on the back of a borrowed motorcycle.



Inspired by the ultra-violent records of '50s guitar wielding maniac Link Wray as well as motorcycles, Ramones, Johnny Thunders, the Cramps and Joan Jett,

Seiji has called their sound "Jet Rock'n'Roll". He explained in a 2012 interview: "I love jet plane. I love noisy music, too. So...there were records...many records...every record have no big sounds. So...easy to listen. I hate that! So! I add jet sounds. Bwaaaahng! Explosion!"

Guitar Wolf are icons. They have their own branded motorcycle jacket, the 613 GW (made by Schott NYC of New York, who made the iconic 613 Perfecto jacket worn by the Ramones) and are movie stars, starring in the 1999 low budget sci-fi horror movie "Wild Zero".

• australian tour
• guitar wolf
• 2025
• seiji

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Crunchy single "Hey Jack" released ahead of The Crisps shows

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By The Barman

The Barman

21 January 2025

Hits: 2313

Sydney via Berlin band The Crisps have released a single to coincide with their brief return run of gigs this weekend. "Hey Jack" is the song and it's available for download here.

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 shows are happening because Thomas is back in Australia from his adopted home of Germany. The band has plans to play Europe later in 2025. 

Catch them in and around Sydney at Manly Boat Shed (January 24) with DISGRACELand and The MoshPit Bar (January 25 from 2-6pm) with The Research and The 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.  

• single
• the crisps
• hey jack

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: 6259

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

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

12 January 2025

Hits: 7095

_{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: 3713

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: 3198

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: 2858

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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Two more shows loom for The Beasts

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By The Barman

The Barman

09 January 2025

Hits: 3788

Homegrown supergroup The Beasts will play two special performances next month to celebrate their latest full-length studio release, “Ultimo” - with the prospect of more to come if drummer James Baker’s health holds up.

Melbourne (The Corner Hotel, February 21) and Sydney (Manning Bar, February 22) are the lucky cities and both gigs are expected to sell out. If you caught The Beasts last year on their national sold-out “Alive" tour you’ll know why.

The Beasts are surviving Beasts of Bourbon members James Baker, Tex Perkins, Kim Salmon, Boris Sujdovic and Charlie Owen.

The Beasts
Corner Hotel, VIC
- Feb 21
Tickets
Manning Bar, NSW
- Feb 22
Tickets

• manning bar
• the beasts
• ultimo
• corner hotel