1. THE MUNKS and THE STALLERS @THE MOSH PIT, SYDNEY
Opening act The Stallers pumped out a high-energy set , a mix of obscure garage covers and originals. Loved it , good guys , great players led by head gunslinger DARREN FALCONSTEIN who plays in many other bands like BAHNE SUPER-FLEX.  All the way from Ulladulla  THE MUNKS pumped out the Raw ROCKNROLL, a sense of humour , showmanship and quality playing. Probably my favourite Semi - local band I've seen in a long time. 

2. The JOHNNYS, @THE OLD BOATSHED, MANLY
I saw THE JOHNNYS  many times in the ‘80s, one time at Selinas supporting the HOODOO GURUS and THE JOHNNYS blew them away. It's  ow 2024 , 40 years later. SPENCER, unfortunately, isn't there but HOODY, SLIM and BILLY still blasting the stuff that hooked me as a teenager. 

3. The DAMNED @ENMORE THEATRE, SYDNEY
Some bands get old and bitter, these guys don't. The more I listen to THE DAMNED the more I appreciate and love them.  Punk, Goth, Pop - call them what you want, I call them  awesome. RAT SCABIES was a highlight,  I didn't realise how good a drummer he was.....possibly second only to CLEM BURKE.

This year I honour my dear friend and musical collaborator the late Louis Rohan Tillett (13 March 1959 – 6 August 2023), whose music most readers of this webzine will be familiar with. Louis was a singer, song writer and multi-instrumentalist, who was based in Sydney. Sadly, he passed away in August 2023.

If it wasn’t for Louis’ encouragement and support of my music, I most probably wouldn’t have embarked on the musical path that has consumed my life over the last four decades.

First, I’ll get the rant out of the way. I’ve spent more time working with younger bands this year and there seem to be a few issues… 

Firstly, there are so many new young bands that they can’t find gigs… especially appropriate ones. The King Street strip in Sydney’s Newtown and surrounds has about eight venues and on any given night there are only up to 50 people in each room. 

So it’s February 2024 already and I’ve only now got around to compiling my lists of 2023 musical highlights.  The Barman has given me a late pass.

I’ve got two lists here and I’ve stuck with the age-old format of Top Ten albums and Top Ten EPs/ singles. And of course, these lists come with a disclaimer that there’s still plenty of great 2023 records that I haven’t got around to hearing yet, so of course my lists only cover the stuff that’s found its way to my ears.

1. R.I.P Ron Peno and Louis Tillett
To start on a sad note we lost Two of our greatest vocalist/Front men within days of each other in August last year - Louis Tillett and Ron Peno.

I don't have any of Louis Tillett’s albums apart from The Wet Taxis’ “From The Archives” record, but had seen his live performances lots of times over the years.  Of course, there were his legendary shows with Paris Green during their residency at The Sandringham Hotel in Newtown in the late '80's, and I recall seeing him solo on piano at Bar Broadway in the early '90s.  The last performance I saw him was at The Factory Theatre which I think was one of his last gigs.

Right...2023 from Birminghamham in the UK...here we go...

1 Civic – “Taken by Force”
Great follow up to their first record. Produced by Rob Younger and carrying on the great tradition of Oz rock'n'roll in the good old Saints/Birdman fashion.

2 Skull Practitioners – “Negative Stars”
Steve Wynn/Dream Syndicate guitarist Jason Victor's own thing...Great record...Power trio taking in Proto...Post...And everything in-between..!

3 Jeffrey Lee Pierce Sessions – “Vol 4 - The Task Has Overwhelmed Us”
Fourth and possibly last of these compilations. All the usual suspects: Cave..Lanegan etc...Great.

A  busy year for SoundPressing. A couple of 7" singles, a show here and there, an LP and a three-stop tour of SE Queensland with the one and only Mr Charlie Owen.

Here is a lil recap in no particular order. Thanks to everyone who came to a show or bought a record.

1. Collingwood- having done these Top Tens at the Bar for a few years now, I had to make a best team category, just so I could get my beloved Pies in. Now we won the flag, no need. The Magpies take their rightful spot as the best of the best of 2023.
   
   
2. Test Cricket- great series of cricket from the Aussies in India and England, and a ripper series between England and New Zealand, as well as the Kiwi’s against Pakistan. And while some controversy dominated the headlines (Johnny, what were you smoking?), at least people are talking Test cricket again.

El, Top Ten list in no particular order.

A lot of folk around the Bar profess a love of professional wrestling often adopting a pastiche of suitable attire and somewhat dubious accents and title belts.  But most of them talk about wrestling like it was something that happened 40 years ago.  Like their record collections really.

But wrestling is currently in a golden age with many of the highlights arising from the women's division (which has really dragged its way out of the two minute gimmick match that used to stink the joint out).

Here's my Top Ten of favourite wrestling related moments and people.  I know some of you folks will be yelling “But Bob!  It’s all fake.”  To which I say thank fuck for that.  If people really did stuff like that, you’d have to arrest them.

And besides, both the Stooges and the Dictators happily acknowledged their love of professional wrestling.  Who am I to disagree?