Thinkin' about the good times that are gone and the good ones that remain

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By General Labor

General Labor

29 August 2021

Hits: 6117

_{Joey Pinter, Walter L:ure and Daniel Rey.}

When we were young and skinny and fearless, it was easier to celebrate the ch-cha-cha-changes, than it is now, when so many of our favorite places, people, bands, and way of life are just vanishing a little more each day. I can't keep up with all these changes.

In my head, I'm still a new wave kid with a Walkman. Probably listening to the Cult "Love", on 10, right? Making rehearsal tapes on a boombox in the basement. You could save 20 or 30 dollars, and come home from the big city record store with a new t shirt, some little buttons, a copy of "Flipside" or "Maxiumum Rock And Roll", some Jesus & the Mary Chain and Bauhaus postcards to send to your goth girlfriends in far away cities, a Gene Loves Jezebel or Flesh For Lulu promotional poster the nose-ringed death rocker cashier gave you for free, and a whole stack of winning indie punk $1 vinyl from the cut out bin. Those were different times.

For most of us, there ain't no rock ‘n’ roll no more, just the ludicrous worship of bullshit do nothing politicians, media monopoly lies and propaganda, and cos-play lab-coated scientific astronaut rich people on TV, and/or, always more blandly insufferably mediocre and meaningless mainstream garbage like the Foo Fighters - there's nowhere to go, no more basement shows. No real underground bands or real underground rock press in Amerikkka.

• waldos
• heartbreakers
• rolling stones
• ramones
• joey-pinter
• walter lure
• spencer p jones
• charlie watts
• dee dee ramone
• the knots

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Similarities and contrasts from Sydney and Melbourne

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

28 August 2021

Hits: 3261

Space Travels - Sonic Garage (self-released)
Welt – I Am Duckeye (self-released)

Sydney's Sonic Garage have produced a fine rock'n'roll album. Victoria's I Am Duckeye have produced a brutal, beautiful fucking monster. The fiorst bvand is from Sydney, the latter from Melbourne. 

There are similarities to both records - Sonic Garage dedicate their album to Luke Lovelock. Duckeye dedicate theirs to one, Matt Browne. And both have striking covers; Sonic Garage show us Saxon Wyatt's bonnet art (it's got that 1970s and Eric Von Daniken vibe which all Hyundai cars should have), while Duckeye found a roadkilled bird which had then been half-painted over by a careless road-line marker.

Their back cover is very boganista - a bunch of beery customers you can barely see as most of a very smashed guitar goes sailing over someone's adjoining breezer block wall.

• melbourne
• sonic garage

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Dead sexy with power to burn

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By Ron Brown

Ron Brown

24 August 2021

Hits: 3881

Sex Punk Power – Grindhouse (self released)

Grindhouse – Melbourne’s most sexy band (their words, not mine) -  have released their fifth album. Fuck, this band has been busy. That’s five albums, numerous singles and a couple of split singles. And gig after gig, here in Australia and in Europe .All since forming in 2014.

“Sex Punk Power” is just a really good album with plenty of garage rock to keep you, well, drinking VB after VB.

Grindhouse is fronted by Mick “Two Fingers” Simpson on vocals, guitar, grunts and groans. He’s accompanied by Rick Audsley on guitar, Adrian Cummins on bass and Neil Matthews on drums. They’ve also called on the fabulous talents of Shannon Cannon from Juliette Seizure & The Tremor-Dolls on vocals and guitar.

• melbourne
• grindhouse
• sex punk power
• mick simpson

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Rage, eccentricity and passion in three varied packages

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

23 August 2021

Hits: 3369

Live at the Forest- The Rip Offs (Ladymann)
Elektrosphincter - Geezergosis (self-released)
Red Desert Rain  - The Systemaddicts (self-released)

The Rip Offs are made of: Sarah, guitar & vocals; Hermann, bass and standing stillish; and Michael, drums and expressions.

(The Barman wishes me to tell you that I know them all and love them dearly. Needless to say this CD wouldn't appear on here if I thought it were not up to snuff. Oh, and, erm. Probably adults only, OK?)

I saw them at a recent gig at the Grace in Adelaide, supporting Fear and Loathing (1980- present); they're damned forceful and completely intoxicating. And - their two covers are bloody good.  

• systemaddicts
• geezergosis
• the rip offs
• live at the forest
• Elektrosphincter
• red desert rain

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A big streak of passion runs through Nevermore

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By Ron Brown

Ron Brown

21 August 2021

Hits: 3453

“Nevermore” - Dalicados (self released)

Hello Barflies! Dalicados are from Melbourne and have released “Nevermore”, a collection of well-crafted tunes from some of Australia’s most respected bands including The Chosen Few, I Spit On Your Gravy, Hunters and Collectors and Epic Brass.

“Nevermore” kicks off with a groovy track: “Make Hay While The Sun Shines” features great bass-lines, fabulous guitar-work and is a wonderful song to start off. “Simple As It May Sound” takes it down a notch. It’s very soulful and a touch sad.

• fiona lee maynard
• jack howard
• hunters and collectors

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Moonlight 5 rises again

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

16 August 2021

Hits: 4171

Lockdown Blues - Moonlight 5 (Aldora Britain Records)

Guitarist Ed Garland has one of those gut-bucket voices which command your attention. I can't tell you if Moonlight 5 will be significant or not; but they're certainly getting attention around the world at the moment. Their knowingly lopsided-shrug blues slubs along the railroad, fed up and helpless, waiting for the crows to poke at their carcass. Fabulous use of horns, too; comparisons to Tom Waits are inevitable but mistaken.

The clip for “Lockdown Blues” shows US chain-gang convicts through a sepia filter, with the additional topicality of the stupidvirus - which we're slaves to; both clips use a familiar US slavery/ convicts as an allegory for an Australian context - this doesn't usually work, but does here (you'll have to watch the clips now) because they hint at wider concerns. Either way, both are the kind of thing you want to show your friends.

• edwin garland
• lockdown blues
• moonlight 5
• john cobbin
• Listening to Gospel Music
• Aldora Britain Records

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Tree-changers strike a blow against RSL disc jockeys

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By The Barman

The Barman

15 August 2021

Hits: 2671

Gone Wrong - Son of Jaguar (Jagit Records)

This is a spirited collection of songs from a band of tree/sea changers living on the New South Wales North Coast. Assembled through a mutual desire to play music and drink beer in that nice part of the world, they’ve notched Album Number Two with “Gone Wrong”.

(Their first albuim is reviewed here.)

There are a myriad of influences at play – as you might guess from a band whose members’ experience includes playing in Headlifter, Grinspoon, King Pest and Mortal Sin – but Son of Jaguar sound like none of the above. “Gone Wrong” has melody and that distinctive Oz Rock rough-edged snarl, without the chugga-chugga rhythmic trappings.  

• bandcamp
• grinspoon
• son of jaguar
• gone wrong
• mortal sin

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Dapto Dogs deliver a magnificent debut

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

14 August 2021

Hits: 3313

Dapto Dogs – Dapto Dogs (Self-released)

Saw this outfit's first gig a few weeks back and they flipped everyone out. Their blend of early-mid-'70s re-discovering rock and glorious sonic romance has to be encountered to be believed. This is Tom Redwood's band when he's not being Troubadour Tom Redwood (and he's on guitar and vocals) and it's a four-track EP.

“Epic Fantastiche” was the gig opener (did I tell you I cannot wait to see this lot again?) and had everyone grooving from the get-go. On first listen, I thought: heavy fuckin' Can, krautrock, the motorik and the road goes on from here. The motorik you can, I think, mostly ascribe to Mike Wilczek, who has a style similar to the mighty Jaki Liebezeit. Anna Mobley's bass (she's well-known here fin Adelaide for her stalwart playing in Toxic Shock) is getting on for a stoner groove too (she did the artwork too).

• adelaide
• tom redwood
• dapto dogs
• toxic shock

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Ben Gel's new take on punk's old traditions

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

14 August 2021

Hits: 3146

Is That Sarcasm You Taste On My Breath? - Ben Gel (Self-released)

Ben Gel's bands have a habit of punching the listener in the face numerous times before taking a shit on your dick. There's bags of intensity here, layered within this huge, battering rock'n'roll assault.

My last two reviews of Ben Gel for this site have been enthusiastic to say the least, and I'm afraid this review is no different. You need Ben Gel in your collection.

The last time I told you about Ben Gel, I commented that “there are a lot of notable underground rockers here in Adelaide who really should be household names - and Ben Gel is one ... Truth is this is another raucous, hammering EP which launches itself at your facemask and stuffs its virus down your gullet and drags you off to the racetrack.”

• ben gel and the boneyard saints
• ben gel
• Is That Sarcasm You Taste On My Breath?

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