MARVELLOUS MUSICAL MOMENTS OF 2022 AND MORE MUSINGS:
Firstly, thanks to The Barman and I-94 Bar contributors Keith Claringbold, Dylan Webster, Matty Ryan and Edwin Garland who included my shows with my band in NSW and Melbourne in their Top Tens for 2022. That is so cool and greatly appreciated! Thanks to everyone who came to these shows! It was fabulous to see so many “old” friends there!
Thanks to the musicians who played in my band – Tim McCormack on bass, Jason McGann on drums, Julian Held on guitar, Sam Billinghurst-Walsh on guitar and Ryan Oliver on keyboards. They are worthy of the attention they have been getting.
In fact, thanks to all the musicians who performed live on the indie rock circuit in 2022. These are not easy times for many musicians, and it’s been fantastic to see so many artists back in action on stage, in the post lockdown world. Often, I cross paths with them when they attend other people’s gigs as well. It’s a wonderful thing to behold - intrepid rock’n’roll soldiers leading the charge to bring live music back into the forefront of our hearts and minds!
Thanks to all the punters who have been supporting live gigs. Thanks to the music journalists for reviewing our shows and new releases and to the radio presenters who have been playing our music. Thanks to the venues and the promoters, with a special thanks to The Barman for his tireless efforts to keep our rock scene alive and well.
- Details
- By Penny Ikinger
- Hits: 3457
My radio program “Sydney Sounds” had been on 2RRR-FM in Sydney on Saturday nights from 6pm for almost 20 years. Earlier this year, it was moved to the earlier time slot of 2pm Saturday, which is a more accessible slot for many of its listeners, so has managed to maintain its faithful followers and gain new ones. It can be streamed live via website 2rrr.org.au as well as all online radio streaming apps.
- Details
- By Kevin Cherry
- Hits: 2840
Woody Radio – DJs Gidget and Boris
A non-profit internet radio station based out of Canada run by Gidget and Boris alongside a team of international DJs that plays the best mix of indie power-pop, rock, punk, goth, electro and metal music that you probably never heard of (unless you keep your ear to the ground and finger on the pulse of the up-and-coming bands and artists).
For the past two years, both Gidget and Boris have kept Suburban Urchins in their charts, firstly with the "Born In The Suburbs" album, and Gidget has closed out 2022 with the Zed Girl EP climbing to number-one on her chart. LIsten here.
- Details
- By Ernie O
- Hits: 2991
2022 was another year that was hampered by the pandemic; while we are seeing green shoots of recovery, the scars are still pretty deep. I’ve spent most of the year doing the usual stuff, so this is some of what has poked it’s head up in my rounds.
1. Guitar sales
2022 wasn’t all bad news for rock and roll. It seems that the market for new guitars has nearly reached $3b globally… which is a helluva lot of new Fender Strats. I know I’ve been doing my bit, but it does mean that the death knell for guitar based rock and/or roll may have been premature.
2. Young Rock Renaissance
On the back of those sales we’ve been seeing an increase in younger rock acts taking up the mantle. While the standard bearers of the Aussie bogan rock scene, Amyl & the Sniffers and The Chats, have gone from strength to strength, I’m seeing a lot of younger acts finding their feet on the live scene in Sydney. Special mentions to Euterpe, Polly and of course, out of self interest, Pocketwatch.
- Details
- By Peter Ross
- Hits: 3403
The Barman at an I-94 Editorial Board meeting with Our Man in Dimboola, Ron Brown (left).
THE BARMAN’S BEST ALBUMS OF 2022
Do The Understanding – Ron S Peno and The Superstitions (self released)
Ron S Peno has equalled and maybe surpassed his output with Died Pretty after a succession of excellent records with his champion Melbourne band. The man needs a muse and found an outstanding one in co-writer and guitarist Cam Butler. This is the Album of the Year.
The rest in no particular order:
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 3262
The Damned: A Night Of A Thousand Vampires (Live in London) 2CD & Blu Ray
One of my all-time favourite bands. The Damned can do no wrong. Been blasting this a lot over the summer.
Evil Roomers: "Then Again/Revibe" 2CD
Comprising of an Evil Roomers rehearsal tape plus an additional disc of reworked and overdubbed recordings. Listening to this it is clear that the late Ian Krahe provided X with quite a lot of music that lives on in many of their signature songs.
Albert Bouchard: "Re-Imaginos" CD
Originally released in 2020, I only managed to grab a copy this year. Former Blue Oyster Cult (BOC) drummer Albert Bouchard re-imagines their much-maligned “Imaginos” concept album, originally a Bouchard solo project, released back in the mid-80s. “Re-Imaginos” features all new recordings and a double-album’s worth of material as initially intended. His talent as a writer and arranger is fully evident here, and the understated acoustic based backing lets the songs stand on their own without distraction. It is easy to see how the quality of BOC releases following his departure dropped in quality, his absence highlighting the importance of his artistic contributions to the original band. Guests include Ross “The Boss” Friedman and former BOC bassist Joseph Bouchard.
- Details
- By Ned Alphabet
- Hits: 2803
R.I.P. Ed Yonker. At the time of his passing earlier in 2022, I was going to write a few words about this legend of the Australian music Industry.
This quiet achiever in an industry full of sycophants, where inflated egos don’t match their mediocrity.
There few gems I have encountered in “the industry” like Ed Yonker. He was one of the good ones. A hip cool cat with his leather jacket who, as a teenager, had seen the Beatles, Rolling Stones and The Animals in Holland in 1963-65. At first, he was not that impressed by what he found in the Australian musical landscape when he migrated here.
Ed was of the one first attendees at Beatle Village on Oxford Street in Sydney. He used to catch the train, avoiding the bogans who wanted to fight a cool kid in what was the early days of the Bohemian inner-city music scene. He was often at the gigs by The Easybeats , The Creatures and The Missing Links.
- Details
- By Edwin Garland
- Hits: 4062
Jeez! I can’t remember what happened yesterday, let alone early 2022. I do know the Dark Clouds played a lot. So much we nearly filled up that tiny little pocket on the front of our jeans from all the cash we made.
11. Big thank you to all eleven people who purchased our new CD, “My Way or the Highway “via Bandcamp. We know who you are!
10. Private Function!!!
Finally got to see them and bloody hell am I glad I did.
“What’s that mate? Never heard of ‘em."
How about you stop banging on about Doc Neeson being the best Aussie frontman of all time, park ya Zimmer frame by the duck pond and have yourself a little nanna nap”. Chris Penney is Neeson, Gleeson, Bon, Stevie Wright, James Reyne and Isabella Manfredi all wrapped into one and turned up to 11.
I saw a lot of shows this year but these guys were standouts. Amazingly entertaining. Chaotic, shambolic, funny & wildly insane. A performance that makes most bands look like chopped liver. A band that makes Jimmy and the Boys look bland. The only band I can think of that comes remotely close to such a wild performance is …. Nobody ya hear! Nobody. A true force of nature. Driving past Albury Wodonga will never ever be the same.
9. WAAX.
The new album. What a creeper. Wasn’t too keen on it the 1st couple of listens but I’m glad I kept spinning it. Really cool album. Lyrically smart IMHO. It may not grab everyone. A bit too JJJ as they say but it’s classy! I Got to see them live too. Enigmatic, theatrical, mesmerising & aesthetically pleasing. Incredibly entertaining live band. Sounded just like the record. Maz DeVita is the bomb! What a voice. Superstar performer.
8. Do the Pop festival in Victoria.
This was a cracker. Rock stars young and old. So grateful to have been on the bill. Too many brilliant acts over the weekend to mention but the surprise package for me was The Refuge. I bought the EP. It’s good, but as a live act they killed it. Even the guy napping by the duck pond would like ‘em. Check ‘em out
7. The Weed.
The Tumbleweed lads have still got it. Whatever the nostalgia event was called, Tumbleweed kicked it off in world class style. Extra special for me because my kids got to see one of their favourite bands with me. Richie helped me out and got them in the press pit and they took some cracker shots for a school assignment.
Here's one. Pretty cool day out!
6. Stewart Cunningham of Leadfinger
I’ve been a Stewart Cunningham fan my whole life. There hasn’t been a thing he has released that I didn’t like. Let’s hope he doesn’t release a Christmas album next year. Yeah - Nah I reckon I’d even like that. The new Leadfinger album. Well it’s got some dark clouds on the front cover so you know it’s gunna be good.
Seriously though, Stew has been dealt a pretty poor hand of late. I was therefore expecting a bit of a poor bloody me album. Couldn’t be further from the truth. It feels more like an album about love, connection and the lust for life. From the very first Brother Brick-ian strums of “You Think So” I was smiling. I danced, I cried, I air guitared and cried a little more (yeah yeah I played side 3 first). Incredible song writing. Beautiful record. Love the production and the packaging. Every silver cloud has a dark lining.
5. Mad Max
It’s no secret we are big Mad Max fans. We have had the pleasure of hanging out with & playing our MFP tune to a lot of the original cast. Fifi, Goose, Charlie, The Night Rider, Cundalini but earlier this year singing “Johnny the boy has done it again” on the back of a truck with Johnny the Boy AKA Tim Burns standing in the crowd in front of me smiling was pretty special.
At the drive in. No, not the band. Wasteland the documentary screened at the skyline drive-in in Blacktown. A Doco about Mad Mad Max fans. Forgot how much I loved the drive-in as a kid and then we got to see ourselves, very briefly on the big screen
3. Rot TV.
Some pretty cool guitar picking on their debut album. It’s good, in a New Yorky, Detroitian, 1st wave British punk, ‘80s Melbourne, new era Scandinavian kind way. I like it. Well worth tracking down. Finger picking good.
2. The Owen Guns
Yeah, they have a potty mouth. Yeah, I don’t quite get the contempt for either cyclist or ska music but The Owen Guns smashing out "C.S.M.F." live in Dapto was one of my rock n roll highlights for 2022.
1. Psychotic Turnbuckles
Coming out of the rock ‘n’ roll Corona abyss for a tag team rumble with the Psychotic Turnbuckles in front of a very solid crowd at the Marrickville Bowlo was tops. They were on fire. The lead up banter with Jesse and the girls was pretty cool too. There is no disputing The Turnbuckles are still the undefeated champions of the Universe.
And Best song of 2022 goes to Bad//Dreems… What ya think about that? Jack!
- Details
- By Deanov Darkcloud
- Hits: 3161
10. Fifteen blokes of a certain age in a dodgy bar somewhere.
In the latter part of 2022 I quipped on FB that our (Joeys Coop) lot in life appeared to be to play to the same 15 blokes of a certain age in a dodgy bar somewhere. I got a bit of feedback from some of my musician age peers that I’d pretty well hit the nail on the head.
Now my quip might sound like a bitch about bands with a collective history, but no heritage, not being able to get a decent gig – and to be fair in part it is – but in truth it was also a celebration of the fact that after 40 odd years of playing we could still get a gig in a dodgy bar (my favourite kind) somewhere and we could rely on 15 blokes of a certain age to turn up to support us. That sure beats the fuck out of playing golf, going to fancy restaurants with pretentious retired couples, playing bridge, accompanying the better half to a musical, or other age-appropriate activities.
So, to Keith, Graham, John, Ian, Murray, John, Kev, Dan, Tony, Chris, Ben, Jeather, Henny, Sue, Diane, Adriene - OK that is 16 and some of them are gals of a certain age but you get the idea – we and every other band of a certain age thank you for joining us in not acting our age. We love youse all. You make it all worthwhile.
- Details
- By Mark Roxburgh
- Hits: 2821
More Articles …
- Top Tens for 2022: Munster Times zine editor Matt Ryan
- Top Tens for 2022: Radio 2RRR-FM presenter Chris Virtue
- Top Tens for 2022: Guitar god Chris Klondike Masuak, ex-Radio Birdman, Screaming Tribesmen, New Christs and Hitmen
- Top Tens for 2022: Smallpox Confidential frontman and author Robert Brokenmouth from Adelaide
- Top Tens for 2022: Simon Li, Sydney solo artist and member of Phringe Dwellers and Lethal Mercenaries
- Top Tens for 2022: Dylan Webster of the Yassville Skyline radio show and The Howlin' Threads
Page 5 of 28