The Church keeps the faith with national tour

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By The Barman

The Barman

15 June 2022

Hits: 2714

Australian seminal psych-guitar masters, The Church have just announced a national headline tour of Australia - their first in four years - playing shows and will be playing shows in Sydney, Melboubne,  Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Margaret River this September.

Fans can access early bird tickets by signing up prior to pre-sale commencing here. Pre-sale starts Friday, June 17, 12pm local time.  General public tickets go on sale Tuesday, June 21, 12pm local time.

Entering their fourth decade of making music and playing live shows with all the fierce creative energy of their early years, ARIA Hall of Fame inductees, The Church will treat fans with two remarkable sets over 2 ½ hours with a taste of new songs from the band’s forthcoming 26th studio album, "The Hypnogogue" - plus performing a string of hit songs across their expansive music career including "Under The Milky Way", "Reptile", "The Unguarded Moment" and "Almost With You".

The 2022 epic five-piece line-up is bassist, vocalist and founder Steve Kilbey; with long-time collaborator Tim Powles, drummer and producer across 17 albums since '94; guitarist Ian Haug formerly of Australian rock icons Powderfinger, who joined the band in 2013 and Jeffrey Cain (Remy Zero), touring multi-instrumentalist who is now a full-time member of The Church since the departure of Peter Koppes in early 2020. The band has also recruited Ashley Naylor, long-time member of Paul Kelly’s touring band and one of Australia’s finest and most respected guitarists (Even, The Grapes, The Stems).

• the church
• australian tour
• steve kilbey

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Huge night ahead when X returns to Sydney

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By The Barman

The Barman

15 June 2022

Hits: 2879

This Saturday in Sydney will be huge when X return to the city of their birth. All-girl leather-clad groovers DollSquad and teenage tyros Pocketwatch will be in support at Marrickville Bowling Club with tickets selling here. If you're quick, you can pick up two tickets for the price of one by using the code RETURNOFX at the check-out. 

• steve lucas
• dollsquad
• marrickville bowling club
• pocketwatch

FRAUD SQUAD, Manufacturing Consent For Stupidly Dangerous World Wars, Big-Tech Censorship, Assassinating Journalists, Sheepdog False Prophets, and a book about ARTHUR KILLER KANE!

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By JD Stayfree

JD Stayfree

06 June 2022

Hits: 4484

"Boy I feel so outgunned today, but I'll get up and fight back, anyway. You and I are not huge mainstream stars, but unlike them we're really what we are..." - Iggy Pop

"The Squad doesn't exist. They have never used their power as a bloc to push for votes on progressive legislation or to block regressive legislation. They are not protesting on the Capitol steps or outside the White House. They are a media creation and a brand who won't disrupt status quo." - Anthony Zenkus, Columbia University

"After Joe Biden announced his extraordinary request for $33 billion more for the war in Ukraine — on top of the $14 billion the U.S. has already spent just ten weeks into this war — congressional leaders of both parties immediately decided the amount was insufficient. They arbitrarily increased the amount by $7 billion to a total of $40 billion, then fast-tracked the bill for immediate approval. As we reported on Tuesday night, the House overwhelmingly voted to approve the bill by a vote of 388-57. All fifty-seven NO votes came from Republican House members. Except for two missing members, all House Democrats — every last one, including all six members of the revolutionary, subversive Squad — voted for this gigantic war package, one of the largest the U.S. has spent at once in decades.” - Glenn Greenwald

"The Squad" isn't a political faction, it's a soundtrack to an empire. It's soothing noises people can listen to while the US hegemon destroys the world.” -Cait Johnstone

FEELGOODIST REBRAND MODELS SELLING WARS TO SUBURBANITES, BOOZY BIG GULPS, RIPOFF RENTS & HYBRID WARS OF THE ONE PERCENT... 

Australian treasure, Cait Johnstone, has become one of my favorite writers. Man, she is always so right-on, really and truly a last standing, shining fountain of truth and soul and gets it. Like in her latest article, where she explains why celebrities are such scumbags-because they're invested in the status quo-all these know nothing shit-lib celebrities are either gung-ho imperialist forever war supporters who cheered when Hillary had Gaddafi gutted "for feminism", or industry slaves, being temporarily exploited by their sick creepy elite handlers, "Because they're invested in the status quo".

• new york punk
• iggy pop
• new york dolls
• killer
• jerry nolan
• johnny thunders
• arthur kane
• cait johnstone
• i doll

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Spreading Fear and Loathing

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

09 June 2022

Hits: 2607

Super Spreader - Fear and Loathing (EC Productions)

So, to Adelaide's Fear and Loathing, an outfit who described themselves as "punk" way back in 1981 (or whenever the hell it was) and who are still standing, and who are also still punks (I've seen their toilet, it's STILL revolting). Now, as guitarist and maestro Chris Wiley once explained to me, for a long time FAL were fun but not very good. But, because they kept going and no-one stopped them, they "accidentally" became good.

To see Fear and Loathing (especially in Adelaide) is to witness what the past should have been, and what the future might be. I've seen the band a number of times, and every now and then I spend an entire night hypnotised by one member - for example, Terry, whose complex drum style and ferocity has to be witnessed to be believed, is utterly captivating.

Not this time out, however. "Superspreader" is brilliant, feral and ferocious, all jagged fucked edges and scraping vocals, pounding rhythm section that resembles a couple of out-of-control road trains (Hermann Lauss and Terry Rowe) and everybody's favourite, a twin-guitar assault meted out by Chris Wylie and Sean Tilmouth.

• fear and loathing
• adelaidepunk
• herm
• hermann lauss
• sean tilmouth
• chris wylie
• super spreader
• superspreader

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The quality of mercy is not The Strains

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By The Barman

The Barman

04 June 2022

Hits: 3361

The Strains – The Strains (No Solution Records)

Rock and roll is usually at its best when kept simple and played hard. Detroit’s Euro-American outThe Strains know this well and deliver in spades.fit 

With a bloodline that includes membership of Dark Carnival, Euro punks Dumbell and The Nitwitz, Cult Heroes and backing bands for Andre Williams and Cub Koda, you should have more than an inkling that it’s going to be good. I’m happily here to tell you it’s much better than simply good.

Recorded live in the studio with minimal overdubs, ”The Strains” is a no-nonsense instant classic. This band’s powered by a twin cab, heavy-duty engine room and armed with sawtooth twin guitars and attitude. Paul Grace-Smith spits out a dozen songs full with an anthemic, street savvy edge. These are stories about the streets and their populace. No bullshit. 

• detroit
• dark carnival
• nitwitz
• punk rock
• the strains
• cult heroes
• cub koda
• dumbell

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Mind the gap, DangerMen are back

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By The Barman

The Barman

03 June 2022

Hits: 3441

Wrong Train Home b/w Quicksand – DangerMen (Swashbuckling Hobo)

Lovely and raw. You do know those two words go together? This return 45 by Brisbane’s DangerMen after a five-year absence is as ragged as Grandpa’s undies after an unfortunate late night accident on the way home from the pub, with a sound that’s more than a little Stooge-efied, thanks to some single-note piano and Dr Rock and Dover’s “Raw Power” guitars.

“Wrong Train Home” is about an ill-fated train trip while tripping, and sounds like what health professionals these days call “a lived experience”. Zoltane the Maniac’s wail is both wrong and just right. Flip him, Danno, and you’ll sing along to “Quicksand” which, it must be said, is more of the same. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Buy it as a download if you must but drop some cash on the seven-inch here and you’ll get something that’ll last almost as long as herpes.

• brisbane
• punk rock
• swashbuckling hobo
• zoltane the maniac
• dr rock
• wrong train home

The Mark of Cain receives a mark of fame

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By The Barman

The Barman

02 June 2022

Hits: 3027

The Mark Of Cain - the band dubbed least likely in their high school year book - return to Australian stages this August in celebration of being the South Australian Music Awards' most recent inductee into the SA Music Hall Of Fame. 
 
TMOC join previous recipients like Jim Keays, Masters Apprentices, Glenn Shorrock, Cold Chisel, Archie Roach, Bart Willoughby, Sarah McLeod and The Zoot. The band will accept the award at a simple ceremony on August 19 at The Gov in Adelaids prior to taking the stage for a full career spanning set.

The Mark Of Cain will also play shows in Sydney, Melbourne this August under the banner “A Different Kind Of Tension”, a nod to legendary UK proto-punks Buzzcocks and their influential third album of the same name:

• melbourne
• the mark of cain
• adelaide
• sydney
• tmoc
• australian tour

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Chow down! "Pistol" is no shit sandwich

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By Bob Short

Bob Short

02 June 2022

Hits: 4003

Pistol 
Directed by Danny Boyle (DisneyPlus)

Okay, I’ll be first to admit that the trailer looked like a cold turd in a lunch box.  I did, however, persevere and found that I enjoyed this six-episode series enormously. 

Not that everyone will.  Fans of a perfectly delivered chronology are going to be nit picking every scene and episode like bickering zealots at a secular conflict.  Anyone who watched the CBGB movie and complained about how such and such wasn’t in the audience the night so and so did this or that is going to be in for a particularly unpleasant viewing experience.  You know who you are. 

• sex pistols
• john lydon
• steve jones
• sid vicious
• johnny rotten
• paul cook
• pistol
• danny boyle

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Fascinating dive into Oz music's hit factories and backyards

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

30 May 2022

Hits: 3538

Suburban Songbook. Writing Hits in Post-War Pre-Countdown Australia
By Clinton Walker
(Goldentone)

Only got this one recently, but I'm damned glad I did.

Once upon a Big Day Out, an event I only occasionally attended, I was mildly shocked by the text messages winding their way across a big screen (people paid a small fee to have their inane twatter up in on a big screen - you know, 'Best summer evah!' and 'Totally awesome!') which dissed 'old people' in favour of 'us hip cool young folk'...

Now, I won't say I wasn't like that to some degree when I was a teenager (and even in my twenties). But I don't recall being quite that dismissive of music simply because it was 'old'. I was brought up on my dad's music, as so many of us are: big band stuff, Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, as well as Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole ... you get the idea. Proto-rock'n'roll, you could say.

So when I got interested in modern music at the age of 12 (courtesy my chum Paul's record collection) we both knew that it didn't matter how old something was ... as long as it wasn't boring. We investigated everything we could lay our hands on ... dismissed so much, revelled in long-lost jewels. It was our secret joy - no other bastard seemed interested.

Fast forward a few years and Clinton Walker's first book, “Inner City Sound' came out. (A revised edition has recently been published - get it here. Mick Middles wrote in “Record Collector'”: "A shockingly vast document ... the most striking aspect is the prevailing musical sophistication". Well, yeah. 

• inner city sound
• clinton walker
• suburban songbook
• goldentone
• highway to hell
• buried country

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