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- By Tim "Napalm" Stegall
- Hits: 3714
“We're the most underground, underground band out there,” says Loren Molinare of the Detroit-born-and-bred early L.A. punk veterans The DoGs, whose second LP “Hypersensitive” from 2012 will finally be released on vinyl via prestige Polish punk ‘n’ roll label Heavy Medication Records on September 1.
“We’re really proud to reissue this ‘lost classic’ for the first time on vinyl,” says Heavy Medication president Derrick Ogrodny. “We're honored to work with such protopunk legends and think it’s about time these DoGs had their day.”
“We're one of the last bands with original members that actually sound like a proper Detroit rock band,” continues Molinare, the man Ogrodny calls “the Pete Townshend of punk rock.” “And yes, I mean some things never change. We carry on that tradition. That's what we do.
“We're just kind of picking our spot. We're white trash Detroit rock ‘n’ rollers about the same age as the old black blues men who were out doing it before they died. A lot of our peers have passed away, and we do not take it for granted.
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- By Patrick Emery
- Hits: 3569
Shake Some Action: My Life in Music (and other stuff)
By Stuart Coupe
Penguin Books
“You’re talking to Stuart Coupe?” remarked my wife excitedly, after I told her I’d catching up with Stuart at the tail end of an impending work trip to Sydney. “Tell him I used to read his column in ‘Dolly’ all the time! We all did!”
To thousands of teenagers – especially teenage girls – in the 1980s, Stuart Coupe was the guy who wrote that column in Dolly, championing music he liked, dissing commercial dross he didn’t, and offering various observations and advice on various non-music topics, including kissing and the art of romance.
Not being a reader of the magazine, I wasn’t familiar with Coupe’s work with “Dolly”, though his by-line did appear in regular dispatches in music magazines and newspapers. Decades later I interviewed Coupe for my Spencer P Jones biography; one thing led to another, and he became instrumental – in fact, was the critical force – in my obtaining a publishing deal. So, full disclosure, I consider Stuart Coupe a friend and sincere supporter of all the best things in music.
“Shake Some Action” tells Coupe’s story, from his childhood in Launceston, to his formative years in Adelaide as a music writer, to syndicated columns (and "Dolly"!), the chaotic world of band management, the heady, drug and alcohol fuelled world of music industry largesse and the harsh economic reality of tour promotion and label ownership.
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 3422
Sydney teenage powerhouse rock trio pocketwatch, will mark the release of their debut EP, "It's Time" in their home town on Friday. Rock along to Marrickville Bowling Club and you’ll receive a CD copy as part of your admission.
“It’s Time” will also be on all major streaming platforms from August 4. Support acts are Polly and Vertigo and tickets are here. Accompanied under 18s will be admitted.
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- By JD Misfortune
- Hits: 2605
Beautiful Decline – Richard Duguay (Cursed Blessings Records)
I've already told pretty much everyone I still know personally about this one-in-a million original black cat, Richard Duguay, who's been kickin' around the glam rock underground maybe even longer than myself.
He's played with everybody from Personality Crisis to Duff's solo band, there was even talk of him replacing Izzy Stradlin in Guns N Roses at some point.
I'm obsessed with all his songs-you know they get compared to vintage Bowie and Alice and 70's punks like the Heartbreakers, but for me what makes his music so resonant besides the stellar production, amazing guitar tones, lived it vocals and poetic heartfelt lyrics is the simple fact that Richard is expressing his own uniquely distinctive point of view and doing it all his own way with imagination, guts, and style and flair.
His wife who he collaborates with also has a really good voice.
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- By Darryl Mather*
- Hits: 2374
Luther Russell and Jody Stephens in Those Pretty Wrongs duo format.
As drummer and a founding member of the legendary Big Star, Jody Stephens is an icon to so many of today's musicians. The musical legacy of Big Star is as omnipresent as it's ever been and undoubtedly this enormous global respect is due to the band's recording of three of the greatest albums ever set to vinyl.
A hugely successful reformation by Big Star in the early ‘90s produced a world tour and a fine fourth album. Pleasingly, over this past decade, Jody has gone on to create even more marvellous music wth a duo outfit with Luther Russell, Those Pretty Wrongs.
As a songwriting pair, their music is refreshingly honest, supremely melodious and inherently tender in its style. And the recordings are super hi fi harking back to the quality of John Fry’s famous work at Ardent Studios with Big Star.
It is therefore the music of Those Pretty Wrongs I primarily wished to focused on in this Q&A in advance of Those Pretty Wrongs’ exciting upcoming second tour of Australia. I was especially keen to seek a deeper understanding of how Jody’s own musical journey influences the music of Those Pretty Wrongs.
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 1782
Chirality - Michael Canning (Ghostjogger Records)
Michael Canning, a UK-based New Zealand scientist and occasional multi-instrumental character, has released his fourth LP. Which is joyful, groovy, interesting and downright fun.
The word "chirality" comes from the Greek “kheir”, meaning “hand”; a familiar chiral object. It's a term used by chemistry and physics characters. To quote a textbook: "Stereoisomers are isomers that differ in spatial arrangement of atoms, rather than order of atomic connectivity. One of their most interesting type of isomer is the mirror-image stereoisomers, a non-superimposable set of two molecules that are mirror image of one another. The existence of these molecules are determined by concept known as chirality."
But you knew that, right?
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- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 2668
Replay the Adverts - TV Smith and The Bored Teenagers (Easy Action Records)
You say you liked the punk stuff at the beginning? If you don't have the first Adverts LP, “Crossing the Red Sea with..”, or their second, “Cast of Thousands”, then this will do nicely.
Sure, we weren't at the fabled 100 Club, or the infamous CBGBs in the Bowery, or the Mermaid in Sparkhill when Swansplayed ... but we have our own memories of the fantastic, never to be repeated underground.
And, let's face it, the only thing that elevates a shithole is the scene we punters and creatives make. When the scene ebbs and flows away, the shithole is still a shithole. I bet CBGBs is a lot cleaner now (it's a designer clothing shop) and while the 100 Club is still around at a different location, it's well and truly part of the establishment. Perhaps appropriately, the Mermaid stands as a gutted derelict after a fire.
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 2536
Music industrty charity Support Act has launched an appeal to support Died Pretty frontman Ron Peno through his new battle against cancer.
Peno was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2019 and after multiple treatments, major surgery and rehabilitation, the cancer has moved to his brain.
Ron’s partner, Charity, is his primary caregiver. With rises in the cost of living and inflation everywhere, it’s become a struggle to provide around-the-clock care, maintain a steady income and keep on top of living costs.
Support Act's Help A Mate appeal is targeted to cover rent bills, essential utilities, groceries, transport, in-home support services, and much-needed medication. Peno’s cancer has affected his ability to work and stay on top of the cost of living.
Donations of more than $2 are tax deductibile and can be made here.
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 1782
It’s 30 years since the “Night of the Wolverine” album and to mark the occasion, Dave Graney is reforming The Coral Snakes and going on the road to promote a vinyl pressing.
Originally only available on CD, “Night of the Wolverine” was the breakthrough that took ex-Moodists leader Graney to overground success and his eventual crowning as Australia’s Kling of Pop.
The 53-minute album will be pressed over four long player discs and isw available via Graney's Bandcamp.
Graney will be joined by original Coral Snakes Clare Moore on drums, Rod Hayward on guitar and Robin Casinader on keys and violin, and his frequent sideman Stu Thomas on bass.
“We will be playing two sets, the first being the 'Night Of The Wolverine' album and the second filled with songs that came before and after that breakthrough (for us) record,” Dave says.
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