A small part of Adelaide's underground music mosaic
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- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 1625
The Beautiful Black – The Beautiful Black (self released)
Before we start, perhaps I should explain. This article is not just a review, but a homage to Ross and Caz. As the Barman politely explains to me, “Uh, Robert. ...Who ...? Context?”
Right, then, context.
First, like so many other large Australian cities, Adelaide has had a strong and diverse music scene for decades. There was a distinct hand-over of the baton, too. You could see it in the composition of the audience which rolled out to see XTC on their first tour compared to their second the following year: the first tour, it was mostly older folks (I was 15, so everyone was older than me, but I'm talking 30+ here).
Not just a tribute, "Retaliate First" lays it bare
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 2753
Retaliate First: How one band smashed the rules of Australian rock and roll
By Murray Engleheart
(Allen and Unwin)
What becomes a legend most
When the musicians have come and then leave her
What becomes a legend most
Besides being a legendary star
What Becomes A Legend Most” - Lou Reed (1984)
It’s finally here and it’s great. For the first time, the Radio Birdman story has been thoroughly told from start to dotage (if not the end) in print, and with a sense of perspective that puts contestable versions of the story in plain view.
For the first time? What about Vivien Johnston’s 1990 “Radio Birdman”? For many years it was the best (only) reference point. As invaluable as it was, it was ultimately a biography shoehorned into a university thesis, and the tenuous link it tried to make between the band and Australian indigenous culture was odd.
And there's “Radio Birdman: The Illustrated History” from George Munoz, an amazing visual record of the first life of the band but doesn’t try to be commentary.
Murray Engleheart’s “Retaliate First” is an effort to re-tell the story as it should be told and it’s an invaluable companion to Jonathan Sequeira’s brutally honest “Descent Into The Maelstrom” documentary.
The rise (and The Fall) of cover bands
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- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 1763
When is a cover band not a cover band?
“Doing The Fall songs can often feel a bit like driving a juggernaut with no brakes, or falling down some stairs, pissed...” according to Ben Toft - one of the singers in The Fall tribute band, The Look Back Bores.
So, no. It's not as easy as you think.
The Animals(and Friends) have just finished an encore tour of Australia with 83-year-old John Steel behind the kit and a well-seasoned group of younger English musicians, all steeped in r'n'b, boogie and so on. The band provides high quality entertainment, doing justice to a time and place that the participants can only remember but hazily.
Sydney's heading to Pismo Beach on Saturday while The Fadeaways cruise to a sell-out in Melbourne
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 1485
It will be 40 years to the day since their debut on Australian shores at the Vulcan Hotel in inner-city Ultimo, the now defunct pub in which they crash-landed after being exiled from Southern California's Piso Beach Wrestling Federation for bad behaviour. They'll play a room that's a stone's throw from their spiritual home, The Pismo Bar, in the nearby Petersham Inn.
There's somnething of an after party the following day at MoshPit in St Peters where The Fadeaways play the final Australian show of their short two-state tour, supported by Jupiter 5 and one-man band Dirtbag. Tickets for that one will be on sale on the door from 2pm.
The Saints (dead and alive) keep marching in
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 1969
Latter Day Saints: Chris Bailey (right) with drummer Peter Wilkinson and bassist Caspar Wijnberg, in Amsterdam in 2006. Elisabet Corlin photo.
Here's some more news on long-rumoured posthumous recordings from late Saints singer Chris Bailey.
In an Instagram post today, Church Street Studios engineer Sean Carey flagged that the recent digital single, “Break Away”, comes from a forthcoming album, “Long March Through the Jazz Age", It is the first release of new material since Bailey's passing in 2022.
Recorded by Sean Carey in Church Street Studios, Sydney, Bailey is on vocals, guitar and bass and is aided by long term drummer, Pete Wilkinson and guest Davey Lane (You Am I) on guitar.
Charlie Owen takes to the road again
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 2770
Guitarist extraordinaire Charlie Owen (Beasts of Bourbon, New Christs, Tex Don & Charlie, Paul Kelly, Working Class Ringos) is taking his “Searching For Charlie Owen” stories and song show on the road again in Australia in August and September, following last year’s run of sold-out gigs.
Presented by Soundpressing Records, I-94 Bar & Rhythms, the tour takes in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
Part spoken word, part songs, "Searching for Charlie Owen" is an engorssing, emotional and illuminating journey through the ace guiatrist's back pages. Full dates and ticket link:
Soundpressing, I-94 Bar & Rhythms present
Searching for Charlie Owen
Australian Tour
AUG
8 – Vinnies Dive, Gold Coast QLD
+ Dana Gehrman Duo
9 - Doo-bop Jazz Bar, Brisbane
+ Dana Gehrman Duo
10- The Citadel, Murwillumbah, NSW
+ Andrew Kidman
11 - Banshees Bar & Art Space, Ipswich, QLD (2pm)
+ Dana Gehrman Duo
16- Django Bar, Marrickville, NSW
+ Cam Butler + Peter Ross & The Sapphire
17 - Smiths Alternative, Canberra, ACT (8pm)
+ Cam Butler
30 - Wesley Anne, Northcote, VIC
+ Martin Frawley
31 - Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, VIC
+ Martin Frawley
SEP
1 - George Lane, St Kilda, VIC (2:30pm)
+ Martin Frawley
Tickets
https://www.charlieowen.au/tour
Your flight boards now if you don't want to miss happy hour
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 3685
Happy Hours Air Travel Club – O.C. Rippers (Ruined Records)
From what can be worked out their online footprint, OC Rippers are your typical punk rock band circa the 2020s: Feet firmly planted in their home turf (New Jersey), they’re not out to win friends or influence people and aren’t embarking on any world tours any day soon.
They’re not fussed being pigeon-holed because their influences are as varied as the quality of cocktails in a beer barn. They’re also realistic about their chances of hitting the heights because they’re aged (at a guess) in their 40s and not named Taylor.
Turnbuckles tackle The Tote this weekend and are full of Tonic
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 1429
Pismo Beach's Kings of the Ring, the Psychotic Turnbuckles, kick off their anniversary "40 Years Undefeated" tour of Australia's East Coast at The Tote Hotel in Melobourne this Saturday. Supports are crazy great Sydney glam rockers Starcrazy and hometown retro champions The Vibratones.
Asked how the Turnbuckles would fare with no competitive matches under their collective belts since last October's triumphant Japan tour, frontman Jesse The Intruder told us: "Champions never fold. We've been training hard in the Pismo Clam Club gym and amping up on Turnbuckle Tonic. We will wipe the floor with those pathetic support bands".
Man of few words and drummer Buddy "Bam Bam" Balam The Brooklyn Bruiser added: "They are bums. So are you. Get out of my way."
Tickets for The Tote, Sydney (July 13) and Brisbane (September 7) shows are here, and are presneted by The I-94 Bar (Melbourne and Sydney) and Punkfest (Brisbane).
It's almost Aloha to those final Radio Birdman tickets
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- By The Barman
- Hits: 1959
Five of the eight Radio Birdman ”Birdman 5-0” Australian tour dates have sold-out and the remaining three are poised to go the same way.
The run kicks off at The Croxton Bandroom in Melbourne this Friday. That show and Saturday at the same venue are down to their final ticket allocations.
All three Sydney gigs and two Brisbane dates have had the House Full signs put up and Adelaide on June 23 is showing signs of going the same way. Extra shows are not being added so go here to buy.
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