The Johnnys elicit a lotta love at The Tote, 40 years on

Details

By Patrick Emery

Patrick Emery

16 October 2022

Hits: 3406

_{Liz Pommer photo}

The Johnnys
The Tote
Friday 14 October 2022

There’s some audio of The Johnnys live at Le Tote sometime in 1983, couple of years after the Doherty family had decided to host bands in the band room of The Ivanhoe Hotel in an attempt to address the pub’s precarious financial future.

The set is good ol’ sloppy cowpunk fun, replete with lyrical signposts to The Johnnys’ inebriated schitck and irreverent celebration of country music. “You know why we’re having fun?’, guitarist-singer Roddy Radalj calls out rhetorically. “Because we’re drunk!”

• tote
• cowpunk
• 40th
• the johnnys

Read more …

Too much fuzz is never enough for Dez Dare

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

12 October 2022

Hits: 2828

“Trashin’” is the latest video single from Dez Dare, the alter ego of expat Geelong boy Darren Smallman (ex-Warped among others), now living in the UK. It’s taken from the album “Ulysses Trash” and you can procure it here.

• geelong
• warped
• dez dare
• darren smallman

The Stranglers announce Australian tour

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

10 October 2022

Hits: 3098

Iconic British punk and new wave rockers, The Stranglers, have announced they’ll be touring Australia, playing shows across five cities in April 2023.

First forming in 1974, the band's no bullshit attitude saw the band blaze an experimental trail, from Art Rock to Goth to New Wave Pop, inspiring a wave of prog rock guitar players and confrontational vocalists to find their roots in The Stranglers’ unabashed confidence. 

• australian tour
• the stranglers
• 2023

Read more …

Baby, you can drive his car: Kevin K revs it up

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

10 October 2022

Hits: 2959

Cadallac Man – Kevin K (Vicious Kitten Records)

Around these parts, Kevin K records are like a comfortable pair of slippers: You slide in and feel at home with his slashing or chugging guitar and mewling vocal drawl. This record is sized extra-large with 26 songs putting it in the realm of what used to be called a double album.

For the uninitiated (and shamefully there still are some), Kevin K is a Buffalo, New York State raised, New York City-tempered veteran of the Lower East Side-CBGB scene, who remains musically true to that long-gone playground. This is his 33rd album of gritty, street-level rock and roll, and it’s more of the same.

• cbgb
• kevin k
• rolling stones
• johnny thunders
• vicious kitten
• cadallac man

Read more …

So what's the buzz, cock?

Details

By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

09 October 2022

Hits: 2724

Sonics in the Soul - Buzzcocks (Cherry Red)

I'm gonna be as objective as I can. I loved the Buzzcocks. I mean, I'm not alone. Everyone loved them, didn't they?

Okay. I came in at the beginning, heard their journey, was delighted by their first two LPs, their singles, then ... that third LP which initially bewildered me, but I grew to love better than the other two. Except, of course, the compilation, “Singles Going Steady”. 

Then, 42 years ago and five years after it all started (particularly with the “Spiral Scratch” EP, which unleashed the DIY independent music scene in the UK), came those three singles which sort of worked, but didn't quite. Something had changed. Because, you know, change happens.

• pete shelley
• buzzcocks
• cherry red
• Sonics in the Soul
• steve diggle

Read more …

Gunk is back

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

09 October 2022

Hits: 2708

• moshpit
• monday evening gunk
• thursday evening gunk

Lucky Country as the curtain comes down

Details

By Edwin Garland

Edwin Garland

09 October 2022

Hits: 4718

 
Midnight Oil
Hordern Pavilion
Monday 3 October 2022

Photos by Jonathan Armstrong of www.bigjphotography.com

The 1982 Capitol Theatre run of shows in Sydney was a crossroads for Midnight Oil. They were broke and had already notched 500 gigs since September 1977, which was the date that they decided to go full-time after a Bondi Lifesaver show.  

Midnight Oil was equally the largest drawcard on the Australian live circuit but it was not reflected in record sales. It had cost a lot to record their third album, “Place Without a Postcard’ overseas with legendary producer Glyn Johns (Rolling Stones and The Who). “Place” was a rocking, earthy and colloquial album. The production was warm - yet it was of the past and sounded like it had been recorded it in 1970.

• sydney
• midnight oil
• peter garrett
• hordern pavillion

Read more …

Rolling thunder from a band called Slug

Details

By Robert Brokenmouth, The Barman & Bob Short

Robert Brokenmouth, The Barman & Bob Short

06 October 2022

Hits: 5567

Caveat Emptor - Slug (self released)

Caution: this outfit ain't for the wispy.

I confess I was a bit late coming to “Caveat Emptor” - it's been in my to-do puddle for a few months, so I must apologise. If you wanted a vinyl record, too late, they sold out.

That said, there are four extra songs on the CD and they still have a few of those left.

Now, if these 14 ground-out hunks of dripping beef aren't your idea of rock'n'roll, I can sympathise.

• lismore
• dave slade
• slug
• caveat emptor

Read more …

Older Frowning Clouds still bring sunshine

Details

By Patrick Emery

Patrick Emery

05 October 2022

Hits: 2592

Frowning Clouds
+ Mug
+ Yep!
John Curtin Hotel, Carlton, VIC
Friday 23 September 2022 

I’m pretty sure the first time I saw Frowning Clouds was around 2007, upstairs at the Tote supporting The Dolly Rocker Movement.

The story was that the Frowning Clouds, at the time stumbling toward the end of their high school tenure, had been banned from the Tote for drinking in contravention of a venue management edict.

Apparently they’d been given a reprieve to play that night, on the promise no such unlawful activity occurred. But judging by the pint glasses in the band members’ hands and general unruly behaviour, they’d screwed the memo up and drop kicked it out of mind and sight.

At a subsequent gig, this time at the Birmingham on Smith Street, again supporting Dolly Rocker, the Frowning Clouds had accidentally brought Dolly Rocker’s psychedelastic set to an end when they managed to spill beer on the fold back monitors on the front of the stage.

• frowning clouds
• curtin hotel
• mug
• yep!

Read more …