John Kennedy signs off for now with a gem

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

13 March 2023

Hits: 3090

John Kennedy and the New Originals - John Kennedy and the New Originals (Foghorn/MGM)

Brisbane-raised English expatriate John Kennedy patented the Urban and Western genre after he transplanted himself to Sydney 40-something years ago and found underground success. It’s been a long (and winding) road since.

There’s been a decade living overseas in Los Angeles, Berlin, London, Holland and Hong Kong. Kennedy on paper’s had what appears to be a revolving cast of backing bands - J.F.K. And The Cuban Crisis, John Kennedy And The Honeymooners, John Kennedy's '68 Comeback Special and John Kennedy's Love Gone Wrong.

Reality is that there’s been an intermingling of players in those bands and the line-up’s been stable in recent years, but perseverance has been a by-word.

• matt galvin
• murray cook
• peter timmerman
• phil hall
• John Kennedy and the New Originals
• Urban and Western
• J.F.K. And The Cuban Crisis

Read more …

Josh and Hugo's sensory overload

Details

By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

12 March 2023

Hits: 2985

Memento Mori - Hugo Race and Josh Lord (independent)

You shouldn't put “Memento Mori” on as background music while you do the dusting or writing funny memes. I mean, you can, of course. But it's a lovely slow-paced creature, and it will snare you.

You'll find yourself slouched on the couch, wanting sleep and comfort but ... despite all the gorgeous sounds, it's damned unsettling. You'll wake with a stiff neck and your limbs out of joint, I promise. No, skip to the end for how to fully appreciate this.

But first, I must apologise unreservedly to both Josh Lord and Hugo Race. I was unable to do this review quickly enough. 

• hugo race
• bandcamp
• john lord
• memento mori
• neotribalism

Read more …

Are you ready for Ready? Plastic Section keeps it real

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

11 March 2023

Hits: 2395

Ready! – Plastic Section (Outtaspace)

Self-consciously retro rock and roll bands can be a real problem. There are ones that overplay their hand and fall back on gimmicks. They almost always have a name with “Thee” appended to the front. And then there are those that apply their three chords with genuine regard for where the music emanated.

Plastic Section is part of a loose Melbourne aggregation of bands in the latter category; their peers are The Breadmakers, The Vibrajets and The Cha Cha Chas. Each faithfully plunders the past while applying their own take.

• garage
• plastic section
• outtspace records

Read more …

This banger from a ranga is a family affair

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

09 March 2023

Hits: 2309

Following the release last month of the new EP "Periodical Fits" by his band LEECHES!, Rhinearts and ex-Screwtop Detonators member, Perth punk and powerpop everywhereman, Benny J Ward, has released his first solo single "Tell Me Tell Me" on Cheersquad Records

With a career that spans 20 years, half a dozen bands, a dozen albums, EPs, and singles; it would be safe to assume that Benny J Ward has scratched all his musical itches. No. Taking a sojourn into solo territory, Benny J hunkered down in the studio he built with his bare hands, and produced the first single ever released under his own name – the psychedelic garage pop belter "Tell Me Tell Me".

This is not the first time Benny J has gone solo. Back in the early 2000s he caught the attention of Triple J with his ginger pride-themed country-music alter-ego The Lone Ranga (subject matter that would later resurface in five-piece alternative outfit The Red Panthers).

"Tell Me Tell Me", however, is the first time Benny J has played every instrument on a track – from his native guitar to the bass and drums – as well as recording and mixing the tune himself.

You can buy it here.

The adorable icing on the cake; Benny J enlisted his 10-year-old son, Sonny J Ward to create the animation for the video clip to "Tell Me Tell Me" – following an inspired 2am New Year's Day kitchen brainstorming session.

• leeches!
• benny j ward
• rhinehearts
• tell me tell me

Read more …

Schizophonics make it one for the road

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

09 March 2023

Hits: 2129

San Diego's dynamite Schizophonics are throwing a special farewell to Oz show in Melbourne on Labour Day, Monday. 13 March . Venue is the John Curtin Hotel in Carlton.

Cementing themselves as "one of the best bands to see live, ever!" with their performance at Tentpole Festival, this will be your last chance to catch them before they head home.

Local garage-punk faves Blowers are special guests, tix are just $20 + bf and you can get them here.

• farewell
• schizophonics
• curtin hotel

No fringe required when Scientists hit town

Details

By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

06 March 2023

Hits: 3444

The Scientists
Earth Tongue
Cull - The Band
Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide
4 March 2023
Photos: Alison Lea

It's the middle of Festival season here in Adelaide. As I walk toward the Lion Arts Centre, in the mid-1980s a sprawling, possibility-ridden centre of the most extraordinary range of Fringe shows for several years, Adelaide is chockas with assorted revellers starting out on their Saturday night of revelling, or whatever it is people do on a night roaming from club to club.

Many of the professional scroungers have arrived and are already parked on the footpath. A few will raise enough shrapnel for a box of goon and spend the rest of the night abusing passers-by until they're either kicked or arrested or both, followed by Maccas for brekky at the cop shop. A top night out; Adelaide can compete in the big leagues.

It's early yet (6.30pm), the doors open at 7, and the first band, Cull, will be on shortly after.

So. I see this bloke amble out of the venue. Spotting me, he ambles down the stairs and comes over. It's probably my new Josh Lord “Neotribalism”. T-shirt (huge red skull on the front) (note product placement). He comes over; 'Are you here for the gig?'

• adelaide
• scientists
• kim salmon
• boris sudjovic
• leanne cowie
• fringe
• tony thewlis
• negativity
• cull the band
• earth tongue

Read more …

Get a ticket to this circus

Details

By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

04 March 2023

Hits: 2335

My Circus! My Shitshow!! - Ben Gel (Ben Gel)

You're gonna love this one. It’s kicking, rampaging, no-holds-barred, pounding rock'n'roll. 

I've written about Ben Gel before. He's a no-nonsense, hammer-down-the-line bass player (currently playing in Perdition and Cull-The Band) and guitarist ... in his own outfit. On “My Circus! My Shitshow!!' he plays lead and rhythm guitars, bass and handles lead and backing vocals. Chris Charlton also handles lead and rhythm guitars, and Nick Hadley is on the kit.

Geez, I'd love to see this lot live. It looks like the drums were recorded in Camden Town, UK, and the rest in Rosewater, South Australia. How the fuck this ended up sounding so damn tight I have no idea. Loads of talent and patience, I assume.

• perdition
• ben gel
• cull the band
• my circus! my shitshow!!

Read more …

Ex-Birdman Chris Masuak returns to Australia for three-week tour

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

01 March 2023

Hits: 4027

Six years after his last visit to Australia, former Radio Birdman guitarist Chris “Klondike” Masuak is returning with his hand-picked local band, Dog Soldier, for a select run of East Coast shows.

Masuak and Dog Soldier will play a three week tour with shows in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT.

Masuak’s musical history reads like a muscle car ride through the mean streets of Australia’s rock and roll underground.

The Canadian-born prodigy achieved notoriety as teenage guitarist for Australia’s legendary Radio Birdman, and then waged a War Against The Jive with the country’s hardest working rock and roll band, The Hitmen.

Next came a stint with the original live version of the New Christs, followed by international prominence with the chart-busting Screaming Tribesmen.

A member of the ARIA Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Masuak has an impressive back catalogue of rock, pop and blues releases under his own name and fronting the Viveiro Wave Riders. He is now based in Galicia in northern Spain.

Dog Soldier comprises bassist Tony Bambach (Aberration, Green Spiders, ex-Lime Spiders) and drummer Stu Wilson (Aberration, Leadfinger, ex-The Rivers, ex-New Christs, ex-Lime Spiders).

Their tour will re-trace Klondike’s storied career, drawing on material from his key bands - with a few surprises thrown in.  

I-94 Bar Records & Promotions presents
Chris Masuak & Dog Soldier 2023 Australian Tour
MAY
19 - House of Music & Booze, St Peters, NSW + Starcrazy + The Dark Clouds + Pocketwatch Tickets
21 - Link and Pin, Woy Woy + The Silver Dragons (1.30pm) Tickets
26 - Northcote Social Club + River of Snakes + Electric Purrs Tickets
27 - Barwon Club Hotel, Geelong + Baby 8 + Sacramento Sweaters Tickets
28 - Smiths Alternative, Canberra + Il Bruto (7pm) Tickets
JUN
2 -Stag and Hunter, Newcastle + Joeys Coop + East Coast Low Tickets
3 - Federal Hotel, Bellingen + Nikki Websters
4 - Vinnies, Gold Coast + The Square Tugs + Mick Medew & Ursula Tickets

• hitmen
• screaming tribesmen
• chris masuak
• australian tour
• 2023
• radio birman

Dunnies take their best laid plans to France and Spain

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

02 March 2023

Hits: 2578

Sydney's garage trash favourites The Dunhill Blues have got plans. They involve a new vinyl EP and what's shaping as a "no sleep till we're sober" French and Spanish tour. 

The band heads off next week and their new EP "I Got Plans" is available for pre-order here through local labels Outta Space and Evil Tone.

"It's a fairly wild recording; it should have been an album but we lost our nerve. Mkey Young pulled it together in the mastering," says The Dunnies' Adam Brozowski. 

"We are really happy with it and we're gonna re-record the other 20 or so songs when we get back."

The band is picking up the EPs while in Europe so if you want to hear it now, you'll have to stream it. 

For tour dates and the film clip, click MORE.

• france
• dunhill blues
• 2023
• i got plans
• european tour

Read more …