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vinil records

  • mark fraser 2025Ten personal musical highlights from 2025. In no particular order…

    1. The privilege of releasing the 40th anniversary edition of the Hard Ons' "Surfin On My Face" EP on the Vi-Nil Records label. Originally planned as a limited run of 300, it was extended to 500, after 100 or more were sold in the first ten minutes…the remaining copies selling out within a week of pre-sales opening. Hard-Ons have an amazing fan base, and copies of this EP went to all corners of the globe.

    2. Hard Ons live at Avalon RSL Club, NSW
    In three-piece mode, and still carrying that same passion, frantic punch and infectious affability that they possessed back in 1984. Riding high on the release of their two docos and a host of community awards, they show no sign of ever slowing down. True Aussie icons…and nice guys to boot.

    3. The Indie Sounds From the Gong album launch tour.
    This tour seems to get bigger each year. Featuring some of the best indie bands from Wollongong and surrounds, this was the fourth release in the INDIE SOUNDS series and saw a tour that took in Bellingen, Port Macquarie, Lismore, ACT, Port Kembla, Ulladulla, Penrith, Dee Why, Woy Woy, Fortitude Valley, Wynnum, Burleigh, Newcastle, Ourimbah and Erina. Fifteen shows over five weeks. An epic venture that saw most of the bands on the comp playing live, along with a handful of awesome blow-ins who jumped on board to fill some slots…namely Tshitaki, CHAMBERLane, Thee Repton County Killers, Punktilious, the Warts, Outer Control, Zipper Clone, Van Ruin, Doxxed, Non Binary Code, A Commoner’s Revolt, I Hate People, Crowbar Scars, Blistered Minds, Hairy Mother of God, Dead Pennies, Eat City and The Nikkis. A massive thanks to you guys, and all the Indie Sounds bands that jumped on the tour.

  • the sugar beatsThe Sugar Beats – The Sugar Beats (Vinil Records)

    It was a Saturday afternoon earlier this year when I stumbled on a Sugar Beats set. I was filming a documentary at MoshPit Bar in Sydney.  There were whispers on the grapevine that the band was awesome.  So, we raced down with a cameraman and a buddy in tow, in the hope that the band would deliver.

    The word on the street was correct. Live, The Sugar Beats were overwhelmingly tight, blistering, gutsy and hooky, a  three-piece playing high-powered punk rock.