Hard-Ons and Nunchukka Superfly co-founder, Peter Black, (aka Blackie) is launching his third full solo album with an Australian tour that includes a run of dates as special guest support to King Buzzo of The Melvins.

"The Paintings On The Wall Say Gambler! Gambler!" is said to be "a flaming solid ball of creative explosion, whereby storm-trooping guitars and rhythm" that abandons the storm-trooping sounds of Hard-Ons and Nunchukka for "beautiful, introspective and whimsical".

Here’s the first (blurry) photo of the original line-up of the Hoodoo Gurus, deep in rehearsal last weekend for Friday’s Splendour In The Grass festival appearance in Australia. It's courtesy of the band's Facebook page and is the first full reformation of the line-up since drummer James Baker departed in 1984.

Dave Faulkner, Clyde Bramley and Brad Shepherd with Baker (crouching) will play a warm-up mini-set at the Beresford Hotel in Sydney on Wednesday night under the moniker The Wayback Machine. Tickets have now sold out and the bracket will part of a full set by the current line-up. The original members are also recording - along with Roddy Radalj and Kimble Rendall, members of the preceding line-up Le Hoodoo Gurus - for a planned EP.

Flashback to 1994. A momentous and tumultuous time for music.

The world tragically loses Kurt Cobain and tragically gains the Presley-Jacksons (yep, that happened); the Eagles reform and charge $100 a ticket for their shows; Woodstock re-hits New York state; Korn introduces nu-metal to the universe; "Parklife", "Definitely Maybe", "Grace", "Dookie", "Crooked Rain Crooked Rain" and "Stereopathetic Soulmanure" all hit the shelves… and somewhere amongst all of it, Sydney band Smudge releases its debut album, "Manilow".

This is the closest thing you'll see to a full-blown reunion of seminal Perth band The Victims.

For one night only, The Television Addicts will perform songs by The Victims with origional members Dave Flick (nee Faulkner), James Baker and Ray Ahn (Hard-Ons, Nunchukka Superfly) at Perth's Rosemont Hotel on August 9.

Tickets will be available from June 25 from www.oztix.com.au

Fifteen years ago, US-based rabid rock and roll fans in Washington DC launched a mission to issue a tribute album to the songs of Radio Birdman played by what were then contemporary bands.

Reaction to the "Flattery" tribute was so positive that Jake Starr and Dave Champion were forced to package it as three standalone CDs through their Fandango Records and Nomad Records imprints.

Now well into the 40th anniversary year of Radio Birdman's first gig, Spanish label Ghost Highway has picked up the idea and will re-issue the cream as "(The Best Of) Flattery", a vinyl double LP, funded through crowd-sourced finance. The LPs will be accompanied by a 7" single.