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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.
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It’s a bill to have fans of lysergic acid punk reaching into the cupboard for their paisley shirts and Cuban heeled boots, when the Green Spiders pair with old school punks Moot and garage throwbacks The Jane Does at Marrickville Bowling Club on Friday, February 24.
The Green Spiders come from the DNA of the Lime Spiders, Adolphus and The Most – all staples of the Strawberry Hills-Sydney Trade Union Club circuit in Sydney in the early ‘80s. They play the songs of the Lime Spiders that Green Spiders members penned.
Lime Spiders members Ged Corben (guitar), Tony Bambach (bass) and Tom Corben (drums) are joined by Ripley Hood (Mushroom Planet) on vocals to deliver a potent parade of hard rock and ‘60s punk gems.
Read more: Things will get fuzzy with return of the Green Spiders
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Asteroid B-612 with Scotty Nash, second from the right.
Founding Asteroid B-612 bass player Scott Nash has passed away after a protracted illness.
His partner Sarah posted the following on Facebook earlier today:
With no fuss and a little bit of pain relief, the one-and-only Scotty Nash took his final bow last night. He loved and was loved by so many and leaves a hole that no-one will ever fill. Evie, Sam and I could not be more proud of who he was and how he lived his life, particularly these past few very difficult months. Rest in peace now Scotty Nash . We will love you forever.
The Asteroids released four studio albums during their original lifespan – “Asteroid B-612” (1993), “Forced into a Corner” (1994), “Not Meant for this World” (October 1996) and “Readin' Between the Lines” (2000), before disbanding in 2004.
One of the best bands of the '90s (or any other decade) to emerge from Sydney's Northern Beaches, they recently partially reformed for shows in Spain but Nash was unable to make it. More recently, Scott played with Newcastle band Rangers of The Universe.
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Feeling Festive? Here’s a present for you in the shape of four songs from Joey Bedlam, leader of Melbourne band Dollsquad and better half of X frontman and solo artist in his own right, Steve Lucas.
Joey has assembled film clips for her tunes - all of them Shocking Blue covers - recorded with various bands outside of Dollsquad, including Perth's Chevelles. In the spirit of making somebody else’s Christmas a little brighter, she’s asking you to consider donating something to the Cancer Foundation.
Joey’s donation link is here and we’ll repeat it at the end of this story just to make it super easy, OK?
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Anna White photo
Two of the hardest working men in Australian show business, Ed Kuepper and Jim White, return for a short series of duo shows this summer.
Kuepper has just completed a run of residency shows with his new instrumental project Asteroid Ekosystem and drummer White is taking a brief pause from international touring with Bill Callahan, Xylouris White and Marisa Anderson.
The pair will continue their journey of exploration via Kuepper’s extensive catalogue and a studio release by the pair looms in 2023. Acoustic troubadour Darren Cross will open all shows which are on sale now via feelpresents.com
ED KUEPPER & JIM WHITE
FEBRUARY 2023
Thu Feb 2 Murwillumbah, The Regent
Fri Feb 3 Coffs Harbour, The Jetty
Sat Feb 4 Brisbane, The Outpost
Wed Feb 8 Sydney, The Great Club
Thu Feb 9 Cronulla, Brass Monkey
Fri Feb 10 Melbourne, Brunswick Ballroom
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It’s a match made in the sub tropics: Dave Smith, founder of ARIA-nominated Brisbane synth act Boxcar, has teamed with Queensland rock and roll hall of famer Mick Medew and partner Ursula to launch a series of steamy dancefloor remixes of the title track from Mick Medew and Ursula’s “Love Is Calling” album.
Dave and Ursula go way back - to Brisbane in the ‘80s, in fact, when Dave helped make a video for Ursula's then band, Ironing Music.
Mick Medew is the former leader of the legendary Screaming Tribesmen, whose “Igloo” single is an all-time Australian underground classic, and more recently vocalist and guitarist for Mick Medew and The Mesmerisers.
“Love Is Calling” was 4ZZZ’s Album of the Week on its release on I-94 Bar Records in early 2022. The remix project has realised four Boxcar remixes whose titles are inspired by Dave Smith’s love of Roma and Brunswick Streets in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley entertainment precinct.
The artwork is by Ash Moses and the songs were meticulously mastered by Melbourne sonic wizard Ernie O.
The ”Love is Calling Boxcar Remix” EP will debut on the Heyday program on 4ZZZ on Saturday after 6pm Brisbane time and will go live on all streaming services from Monday. Save the streaming songs here.
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Seminal Seattle four-piece Mudhoney returns to Australia in 2023, nine years since their last local shows. A mammoth odyssey spanning April and May will have them playing headline shows across six states, with a handful of festival dates among them.
Mudhoney has an enviable career spanning three decades 13 studio albums, five live records, and headline shows around the globe. Their provocative debut single “ and 1992 hit “” cemented them as pioneers of the grunge explosion.
The band has managed to find time to lay down tracks in the studio this year for their next opus due in 2023, which follows their 2019 EP “Morning in America” , giving Australian fans the opportunity to hear all of the new and a bunch of the former favourites live.
Dates after the fold.
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Tickets for the only Sydney show by Mick Medew and the Mesmerisers are selling - and how.
The I-94 Bar presents the former Screaming Tribesman and his all-star band at Marrickville Bowling Club on Saturday, November 5 with support from the impeccable powerpop stars The On and Ons and fuzz-fiends Jupiter 5. Grab yours here.
Mick Medew and the Mesmerisers will play a free show at Mayfield Bowling Club in Newcastle on Friday, November 4 with support from local heroes East Coast Low and Mick Medew and Ursula. It's free admission and you can see the Facebook event here.
Mick Medew and Ursula will launch their "Love Is Calling" album with a free Sunday show at The Golden Barley Hotel in Enmore on Sunday, November 6 from 6pm. Facebook event details here.