Austin, Texas, resident John Schooley was a substantial blip on the I-94 Bar radar in the mid-1990s when Australian label Dropkick put out one of his records (“ You Won't Like It ... 'Cuz It's Rockn'Roll!”) with his band The Hard Feelings.
Here was a guy who crunched rootsy Americano with raucous garage grit in the most emphatic fashion. “You Won’t Like It...” even scored a write-up in Rolling Stone - but died a comercial death when the label head was struck down with cancer and couldn’t press up any more copies. Thankfully, he recovered - and Schooley, too, is still kicking. Like a mule.
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 5926
Do you take album titles at face value? Let's take this legalisation of everything one step further. In an ideal world, we could also frame a law to make listening to worthwhile music compulsory. Frowning Clouds would be one of the first cabs off the rank.
Earlier this year, Frowning Clouds supported Sunnyboys and The Stems at a sold-out theatre show in Sydney. It was a prestigious gig. Among the pre-show chatter at the pub, I heard a comment that Frowning Clouds had been "psychedelised."
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 5696
"Will you nail yourself on to a cross for me? Will you blow your fucking brains out with a gun for me?"
James King and the Lonewolves have a reputation that precedes them; evolving out of the Glasgow punk scene in the late '70s and early '80s, the band quickly became renowned as hard-drinking sociopaths whose mercurial live shows featured a punked-up Velvets' approach. Curiously, their singles tended to showcase the catchy pop side of their repertoire, which die-hard fans felt was unrepresentative of the band.
- Details
- By Gus Ironside
- Hits: 8470
Okay. Let's get one thing straight. This album is great. Here's your six bottles, James. (Last time I tried to give you six bottles for something, the Barman turned me down but now we seem fine with that kind of thing). Now, if the Barman would do a quick edit we could be three for three. Six. Six. Six. Apt.
Of course there are elephants in the room. Great hulking elephants and the occasional five foot one elephant. I guess we'll just have to tackle them head on. (Can I pun my way through this whole review? ) As a spoiler, I've read Robert's review because I know he'll have a different take to me. I haven't read the Barman's because it is always funny how often we write the same review. There could be some overlap.
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth, The Barman and Bob Short
- Hits: 20582
New Zealander Delaney Davidson is like a lot of musicians who saturate themselves in the blues, country and modern rock.
Unlike the majority, he still gets it. The music is as vital for him now as when he picked up a guitar. He’s never still, always moving to improve and expand his range. Why? Because he doesn’t want the songs to sound the same.
I must apologise - this has been sitting along with a couple of other CDs, waiting their turn as I try to complete a documentary about a rather brill Australian rock band and another book. I’ve been a tad busy elsewhere too. So the review may be a little old.
Should you chase a copy?
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 6361
Take the massive rhythm section of Fear and Loathing, add ex-Love Fever and Primevils’ David Mason on one guitar and the redoubtable Sean Tilmouth on the other guitar and you have a crunching, bowel-scouring rock band.
The Bums were first put together a few years back by the late Renestair EJ; their first gig featured a rather heatstroked Ren beaning a startled Mr Tilmouth with the mic stand. Mr Tilmouth’s response to this was not, "I say, that’s a bit harsh, Ren old buddy". No.
Sean knocked Ren out cold, and floored him again when Ren got up and went for the cuddle of forgiveness. I’ve seen the video and this band owe me a new pair of underpants.
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 6712
Once upon a time blues had led rock to a powerful, muscular, emotional place.
You don’t see this much anymore. And most of the practitioners who plod from town to town are long, long past their relevance (never mind their heyday).
But Love Child from Sydney...now here’s the kind of band you want to see on a Saturday night but you’re not allowed out anymore. There are no duff musicians here, it’s all tight and glossy and yearning. The singer, Steve Hancock, has the sort of voice which swells men’s chests and moistens um, erm, lady’s lips. He really knows how to belt a song out. The girls must heave themselves at him like despairing lemmings.
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 5473
At first, second and third glances there are copyright problems all over this CD EP. And that’s just the cover. This is wonderful.
Inside we have three beguiling, entrancing tunes - the title track, "Vice City Cop" and "Space Lounge." Your intrepid reviewer has been exposed dancing to all three, and even bouncing around in an Adelaide radio station studio to "Let’s Go To A Disco!" Is it a band or an individual? These days you can’t tell.
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 5255
What a brilliant record this is. I’ve played it about six times since buying this one on spec. Fuck but it’s great.
See, this is why I like exploring Amazon. The Clash were panned in their day for their dub experiments, journos always banging on about how super they were live.
Funny. I saw them once and got bored fairly swiftly. Their LPs are not always cohesive, but sod that. That’s what cassette tapes were for, and making your own versions of their LPs was always fun.
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 6174
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Page 105 of 180
Gig Ads
The Living Eye
Hugo Race and Michaelangelo Russo
100 Years Tour
AUG
8 – Tanswell’s, Beechworth, VIC
23 – Brunswick Ballroom, Melbourne
SEP
12 – Odessa, Creswick, VIC
Tickets
The New Christs
UK and Europe Tour
AUG
13 - Night ´n Day, Manchester UK
14 - Stereo, Glasgow UK
15 - Oslo, London UK
16 - Edonè, Bergamo IT
17 - Flog-On Plen Air , Firenze IT
19 - TBA Bologna IT
21 - Shake Club, La Spezia IT
22 - Molotov, Marseille FR
23 - Secret Place, Montpellier FR
24 - Le Moulin du Rousseau, Perigueux FR
28 - Relache, Bordeaux FR
29 - Festivalle Tobalina, Quintana Martin Galinde ES
30 - 16 Toneladas, Valencia ES
31 - Stereo, Alicante ES
SEP
2 - Sala Upload, Barcelona ES
4 - Sala El Sol, Madrid ES
5 - Sala Milwaukee, El Puerto de Santa Maria ES
6 - Hogaza Rock, Alfacar ES
East Coast Low
"Badlanding" Album Launches
AUG
17 – Royal Oak, Tighes Hill, NSW
23 – In-store @ Hiss and Crackle, Wallsend, NSW
(2pm, free)
23 - Link & Pin, Woy Woy, NSW
+ The Strike-Outs + The Dark Clouds
24 – MoshPit, St Peters, NSW
+ The Dark Clouds + The Strike-Outs
Van Ruin
French Tour
SEP
5 - La Petite Rade, Le Havre
6 - La Trinquette, Rennes
11 - Le Ravelin, Toulouse
12 – TBC, Perpignan
13 - La Cigale dans la fourmilière, Nègrepelisse
18 - Shapers Club House, Marennes
20 - Irish Pub, Frontignan
26 – L’Armony, Paris
27 - La Griffe, Lille
“Ramones Appreciation Night”
The Dark Clouds
+ The Strike Outs
+ Arturos
MoshPit Bar, St Peters, NSW
- Sep 12
Cherie Currie Australian Tour
with Hot Machine
SEP
5 - Rosemount, Perth
6 - Crown and Anchor, Adelaide
11 - The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
12 – Sydney Crowbar
13 – Brisbane Crowbar
Tickets
Dead Kennedys
Australia and NZ
SEP
16 - Auckland, Powerstation
17 - Wellington, Meow Nui
19 – Melbourne, Northcote Theatre
20 - Brisbane, Tivoli
24 - Perth, Astor Theatre
26 - Adelaide, The Gov
27 - Sydney, Metro Theatre
Tickets
Soundpressing presents
Datura4
+ The Spivs
Iron & Resin Garage, Currumbin, QLD
- Oct 24
Tickets
The Soft ‘n’ Sexy Sound Tour
Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes
OCT
3 - Factory Theatre, Marrickville, Sydney
Tickets
4 - Waves, Wollongong, NSW
Tickets
5 - The Street Theatre, Canberra
Tickets
10 - The Corner Hoyel, Richmond, Vic
Tickets
11 - Bundy Hall, Bundalaguah VIC
Tickets
24 - Freo Social, Fremantle WA
Tickets
25 - The River Hotel, Margaret River WA
Tickets
31 - Brisbane Crowbar QLD
Tickets
NOV
1 - The Imperial, Eumundi QLD
Tickets
2 - Mo's Desert Clubhouse, Gold Coast QLD
Tickets
7 - Byron Bay Theatre NSW
Tickets
8 - Bellingen Memorial Hall NSW
Tickets
13 - King Street Bandroom, Newcastle
Tickets
14 - Avoca Beach Theatre NSW
Tickets
15 - The Lounge, Chatswood NSW
Tickets
16 - Dangar Island Bowlo NSW (matinee)
Tickets
21 - The Gov, Adelaide SA
Tickets
28 - Royal Oak, Launceston TAS
Tickets
29 - The Pier, Ulverstone TAS
Tickets
30 - Longley International Hotel, Longley TAS
Tickets
The Jesus Lizard
Australian Tour
OCT
15 - The Croxton, Melbourne, VIC
17 - Liberty Hall (ex Max Watts), Sydney, NSW
19 - Crow Bar, Brisbane, QLD
4ZZZ presents
“ZED 50”
Ther Saints ’73-‘78
+ Regurgitator
+ Tropical Fuck Storm
+ Full Flower Moon Band
+ Big Noter + Butterfingers
+ Screamfeeder
+ Nice Biscuit + Party Dozen
+ Frangipanis + Dancingwater
+ Platonic Sex + Velociraptor
Roma St Parklands, Brisbane
- Oct 25
“4ZZZ Joint Effort 50”
Dave Warner’s From The Suburbs
+ X
+ The Survivors
+ XERO
+ The Black Assassins
+ Pineapples From The Dawn of Time
Hamilton Hotel, QLD
- Nov 8
Asteroid B612
Australian Tour
NOV
6 – La La La´s, Wollongong NSW
7 – Marrickville Bowling Club, NSW
8 – Avalon Beach RSL Club, NSW
14 - The John Curtin Hotel, Carlton VIC
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