Seems that the long EP is the way to go. A CD single was always a bit naff, a CD EP was okay but seemed a little wasteful in terms of time; a full CD these days is the equivalent of a double vinyl LP back in the mists of time.
Speaking of going back, a decent 7” was a work of art, whether it be by the Clash or the Psycho Surgeons, the Cramps or The News (I’ll never forget the first and only time I’ve held a single-sided single in my hands - utterdelight and incomprehension all at once). An EP was harder to achieve but was still a work of art.
Now I have to be upfront here. During the early '80s I was a huge Sacred Cowboys fan. I only saw them twice in Sydney but felt they were The Real Deal: a band in this territory of cool, alternative cowboy/Delta punk be that was coming from USA via people like The Gun Club and Wall of Voodoo, yet with a savage savage edge that was a nod to the "Blood River" period Scientists.
“Nothing Grows in Texas” simply was one best Australian singles of the '80s. Of courses Molly Meldrum slagged them off on TV on "Countdown". So we all knew they had so much going for them. At the centre was Garry Gray and his sneering vocals, somewhere between Alex Chilton and Jonathan Richman with a belly-full of hard, home brewed liquor.
Let’s make the assumption that many people reading this will never have heard anything from Californian band Love’s substantial back catalogue and they’ll barely know the band’s singer and only constant member, the late Arthur Lee.
There might be a vague recollection of “My Little Red Book” (a Burt Bacharach-Hal David cover, for gawdsake) or the New Christs’ flint-hard version of “She Comes In Colours” (on the “Pedestal” EP). But that's it.
The shadow of the original Saints looms large in most places where people give a toss about punk rock but Switzerland seems the most unlikely. Think Switzerland and banks, cuckoo clocks and expensive chocolate spring to mind before “Nights in Venice” but then you’ve probably never heard of The Goodbye Johnnys.
The Goodbye Johnnys are named after a Gun Club song and hail from Zurich but Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, (circa 1976) is their spiritual home. Their LP sounds a lot like the early Saints with less sonic leakage and a few rough edges filed off.
Hardcore is an odd beast. Visceral energy is its stock-in-trade. All too often it paints itself into a corner and whatever it has to stay is lost in a blur of downstrokes and angry intentions. Then somebody works out that you can play with dynamics and (shock!) melodies.
Perth band Leeches! stand out because they can do both. “Blurred Visions” is compelling, surging punk rock that seethes and burns - but also surprises with its no-nonsense harmonies and skilful playing. It reminds of Massappeal’s more creative stuff or even Off! That’s no faint praise.
About that band name: These guys hail from Ballarat in regional Victoria, Australia. Their touring schedule is unlikely to include the USA after they unwittingly named themselves with a derisive term for African Americans. You Yanks may know the term but it's almost unheard of in Australia. The faux pas is a pity because this album is a cracker.
“Should’ve Stayed Home” is a big step up from the debut record, “Devil’s Road”. It’s fuzzier, dirtier, nastier and more in your face. There’s a foot planted in rock and roll’s nursery (that’d be the 1950s) but they’ve taken it to a new sonic level.
Originally a member of South American garage band Los Peyotes, Rolando Bruno is now a solo artist in his own right. He’s peddling the weirdest brew of salsa-garage-exotica heard outside of an Buenos Aires coke den.
Los Peyotes were on Dirty Water Records. Rolando dipped his toe in the solo artist water while still with them. Voodoo Rhythm Records is his new home. The label has a habit of signing weird and wonderful one-man bands (case-in-point: its owner Beat-Man) and Bruno is no exception to the rule.
To those who witnessed Ed Kuepper’s live shows last year in which he first aired this new crop of songs, we were set afloat in a dimly-set world and intimate setting.
Ed was sitting on his throne; his approach was self-absorbed, ambient and ethereal, yet focused. With the odd Scotch on the rocks being downed, Kuepper was in fine form.
Here we have Javier Escovedo's new release, "Kicked out of Eden", courtesy of Saustex Records in San Antonio, Texas, and it's a good one.
We probably all know Javier from his work with The Zeros and The True Believers. He co-founded The Zeros (the so-called “Mexican Ramones”) and was a leading light in the West Coast punk scene. Surprisingly, "Kicked Out of Eden" is only his second solo recording.
Artifacts and reviews from days gone by.
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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
The On and Ons
New Album Preview Show
+ Velvet Parade
+ Jupiter 5
Marrickville Bowlo, NSW
- Nov 8
Tickets
The Cha Cha Chas
Back in Oz Australian Tour
NOV
9 - Desert Highways Reservoir VIC
(2pm - All ages)
15 – The Gem
+ The Breadmakers
w/ The Fadeaways (JP) +) DJ King O.P.P + Mystery band
16 - TBA, VIC
22 - The Drunken Poet, VIC
(9pm - 2 Sets)
The Johnnys
+ The Mick Medew & Ursula 4
+ Scrambler
Mos's Desert Clubhouse, Burleigh Heads
- Nov 28
Tickets
The Soft ‘n’ Sexy Sound Tour
Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes
NOV
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
“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
The Saints ’73-’78
North America and Europe
NOV
5 - Los Angeles, CA - Teragram Ballroom
7 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
8 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
9 - Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre
11 - Chicago, IL – Metro
13 - Toronto, ON - The Phoenix Concert Theatre
14 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
15 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
16 - Washington, DC - Union Stage
21 - Bristol - Trinity Community Arts
22 - Leeds - Project House
23 - Glasgow - The Garage
24 - Manchester – Academy
26 - London - Electric Ballroom
28 - Stockholm - Debaser
29 - Malmo - Plan B
30 - Berlin - Astra
Tickets
Punkest, Lockdown, Renegade Playground & 4ZZZ present
GIG CITY
Custard + The Johnnys
+ Gazoonga Attack
+ Monster Zoku Onsomb! + Dad Fight
+ Mark N [Bloody Fist Rec.] + The Disables
+ Combat Wombat + Paul Abad + Fat
+ Viper Snatch + Mitch Please + Gurridyula
+ Coral Outcrops Half Star Band + The Distained
+ The Stress of Leisure + Kunt
+ Red Devotchkin + Evil Dick Industries
+ Strange Stains
The Brightside, Brisbane
- Nov 29 from 3pm
Tickets
I-94 Bar presents
"Psychotic Turnbuckles
Festive Spectacular"
Psychotic Turnbuckles
+ The Dark Clouds
+ The Sugar Beats
Marrickville Bowlo. NSW
- Dec 13
Tickets
Cosmic Psychos
"I Really Like Beer Tour"
NOV
7 — Singing Bird, Frankston, VIC
8 — Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, VIC
9 — Corner Hotel, Melbourne, VIC
12 — UC Hub, Canberra, ACT
13 — Uni Bar, Wollongong, NSW
14 — Crowbar, Sydney, NSW
15 — King Street Bandroom, Newcastle, NSW
19 — Racehorse Hotel, Ipswich, QLD
20 — Vinnies Dive Bar, Gold Coast, QLD
21 — Solbar, Maroochydore, QLD
22 — Crowbar, Brisbane, QLD
23 — Bangalow Bowlo, Bangalow, NSW
26 — The River, Margaret River, WA
27 — Rosemount Hotel, Perth, WA28 — Indian Ocean Hotel, Scarborough, WA
29 — Queenscliff Music Festival, Queenscliff, VIC
JAN
1 — Edge Hill Tavern, Cairns, QLD
2 — Dalrymple Hotel, Townsville, QLD
3 — Magnums, Airlie Beach, QLD
4 — Metropolitan Hotel, Mackay, QLD
7 — Harvey Road Tavern, Gladstone, QLD
8 — Grand Hotel, Childers, QLD
9 — MO’s Desert Clubhouse, Gold Coast, QLD
10 — Seaview Tavern, Woolgoolga, NSW
11 — Bellingen Brewery, Bellingen, NSW
14 — Moonshiners Honky Tonk Bar, Tamworth, NSW
15 — Finnian's Tavern, Port Macquarie, NSW
16 — Avalon RSL, Avalon, NSW
17 — The Marlin, Ulladulla, NSW
18 — Beer Deluxe, Albury NSW
22 — Tanswells Hotel, Beechworth, VIC
23 — Sooki Lounge, Belgrave, VIC
24 — Westonport Hotel, San Remo, VIC
25 — Social Club, Balnarring, VIC
26 — Volta, Ballarat, VIC
29 — Whalers Hotel, Warrnambool, VIC
30 — Torquay Hotel, Torquay, VIC
31 — Riverview Hotel, Tarwin Lower, VIC
FEB
12 — Royal Oak, Launceston, TAS
13 — Forth Pub, Devonport, TAS
14 — Altar, Hobart, TAS
PO Box 334
Oatley NSW
2223 Australia
Get in touch: barman@i94bar.com
