John Kennedy and the New Originals

Last drinks beckon for the many devoted followers of inner-western Sydney institution John Kennedy and his band The New Originals. Kennedy is poised to say adios to Australia this month and relocate to Spain. 

Coming off the back of an incredible run of six albums in as many years, he'll play his final Australian show for the forseeable future at Marrickville Bowling Club in Sydney on Saturday, May 13.

Along for the final ride are New Originals bandmates Peter Timmerman on drums, bassist Phil Hall and Murray Cook and Matt Galvin on guitars, Kennedy will be performing a career-spanning set with songs from his bands JFK and the Cuban Crisis, John Kennedy's Love Gone Wrong and John Kennedy's 68 Comeback Special.
 
The Urban and Western music hits will be featured along with song from the new John Kennedy And The New Originals album.

Joining Kennedy will be special guests Joeys Coop (featuring Brett Myers of Died Pretty and Mark Roxburgh of Decline Of The Reptiles), and mostly girl garage-pop sensations The Jane Does. Tickets are moving fast here.

John Kennedy and the New Originals - John Kennedy and the New Originals (Foghorn/MGM)

Brisbane-raised English expatriate John Kennedy patented the Urban and Western genre after he transplanted himself to Sydney 40-something years ago and found underground success. It’s been a long (and winding) road since.

There’s been a decade living overseas in Los Angeles, Berlin, London, Holland and Hong Kong. Kennedy on paper’s had what appears to be a revolving cast of backing bands - J.F.K. And The Cuban Crisis, John Kennedy And The Honeymooners, John Kennedy's '68 Comeback Specialand John Kennedy's Love Gone Wrong.

Reality is that there’s been an intermingling of players in those bands and the line-up’s been stable in recent years, but perseverance has been a by-word.

The next release on I-94 Bar Records will be “Live at The Marrickville Bowl” by John Kennedy and The New Originals on November 15.

The album captures the farewell gig by urban and western troubadour Kennedy and his all-star band, performed under the Copperart ceiling of the beloved Marrickville Bowling Club in Sydney’s inner-west in May 2022.

Kennedy upped stakes and relocated to Spain shortly after the sold-out show, unaware that in-house soundman Richard Ball had captured the gig on hard drive. A post-show listen by bassist Phil Hall (ex-Dropbears, Sardine v and Lime Spiders) confirmed that something special had been recorded. He and Kennedy oversaw some minor polishing before Melbourne’s Ernie O sprinkled his mastering magic dust.

Kennedy’s band, The New Originals was Hall, Murray Cook (Wiggles, Soul Movers) and Matt Galvin (Barbarellas, Scruffs, Happy Hate Me Nots) on guitars and longtime drummer Pete Timmerman.   

Kennedy will support CD’s release with a string of homecoming gigs with The New Originals and also in solo mode in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in December and January.

Hola! Join us to watch the premiere of the video for the song “King Street” from the 2024 album "Live At The Marrickville Bowl" by John Kennedy And The New Originals, coming soon on I-94 Bar Records. The performance is from John Kennedy's farewell show at the Marrickville Bowling Club in Sydney in May 2023 and the video was produced by BetterBreeders.

Join the Facebook event for a reminder to watch at 8pm AEDST on Friday, November 11 and chat with John, online from Spain, four days from album release day. Pre-order now at I-94 Bar Records or from your favourite bricks and mortar shop and set yourself for live shows in Australia in December and January.