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mark spinks

  •  gravel samwidge Calan StanleySamwidge is served: Declan Bradbury Mark Spinks and Alex "Sleepy" Morrison.  Photo by Calan Stanley

    Rejoice, Sydneyites, because Gravel Samwidge are extracting themselves from their Brisbane base and heading down your way for some sonic shenanigans.

    For those unfamiliar with Gravel Samwidge, here's the basics: They are Declan Bradbury on bass, James Cassidy on guitar, Alex “Sleepy” Morrison on drums; and band leader Mark Spinks on guitar and vocals.

    But before any more, a little heresy. When I was a young lad I absolutely loved The Scientists (first and second versions). It's forgotten now, but the second mark were often scorned and verbally abused outright. They simply didn't fit: noisy, fuzzy, feedback-y. And, especially, all that horrible long hair which, for rock 'n' rollers, had gone the way of the dodo during the late 1970s. 

  • complaintsComplaints – Gravel Samwidge (Swashbuckling Hobo)

     It's quite unpleasant, and I may never listen to it again.

     But if I do, it will be very loud, and I will end up in jail.

    I like Gravel Samwidge. They're out of kilter with everything else around right now. The songs put the listener right in the singer's place, their intense, irritated narrative. The Gravels write songs as natural to Australia as the King Brown Snake, and just about as cuddly. 

    The Barman's right when he makes the comparison to Kim Salmon and the Surrealists (see "Don't You Know", with the silly/ griping sax, or "Briz 31", with the topply structure), but The Gravels have their own - possibly stranger - take on the universe and our misplacement in it. 'Long Distance Drive' captures that horrible last part of a long drive, when you're almost home, spaced out from too much driving and methadone, frantic to get there (Spinks' manic guitar sounds like a whizz-head on violin) yet forcing yourself to stay calm. 

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The Living Eye


Right eye
Indie Sounds of the Harbour City Vol 2
Launch Tour
AUG
7 - Diamond Dogs, Dapto, NSW
8 - Wings & Tins, Dee Why, NSW

Heavy Medication Records, Savage Magic Records
& I-94 Bar Records present
"Two Headed Dog Euro Tour"
Chris Masuak's Dog Soldier
+ The Crisps
AUGUST
6 – Toulouse - L'autan Bar (FR)
(with Big T & The Nuts)
7 – Montpellier - Secret Place (FR)
(with Big T & The Nuts)
8 - Marseille - L'Intermediare Live
9 – Sete - Guinguette Thau'thèmes (FR)

Smoked Salmon
Totally Sick!! Tour
AUG
6 - La La La's, Wollongong, NSW 
7 - Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham , NSW 
8 - Link & Pin, Woy Woy, NSW 
9 - The Oak Tighes Hill, Newcastle, NSW
(free)
14 - Tanswells, Beechworth, VIC
(free)
15 - Smiths Alternative, Canberra, ACT    
21 - Republic Bar, Hobart, TAS 
22 - Royal Oak, Launceston, TAS 
28 - Junk Bar, Brisbane, QLD 
29 - Blah Bar, Lismore, NSW 
30 - Cabarita Beach Club, Cabarita, NSW (free)    
SEP
4 - Young St Tavern, Frankston, VIC 

Joeys Coop
AUG
22 - Union Hotel, Newtown, NSW
+ The On and Ons
28 - Smiths Alternative, Canberra
+ Sanctimonious Fux
30 - Link & Pin, Woy Woy, NSW
SEP
13 - Marrickville Bowlo, NSW
+ Swaggerland
18 - Tap Room, Castlemaine, VIC
19 - Painted Lady, Ballarat, VIC
+ Cold Irons Bound + Neutron Flow
20 - Union Hotel, Brunswick, VIC
NOV 
28 - Blah Bar, Lismore, NSW
29 - Junk Bar, Brisbane, QLD (arvo)

I-94 Bar Records presents
Psychotic Turnbuckles 
Vinyl Single Launch
+ Spittin' Chips
+ The No Such Things
Marrickville Bowlo, NSW
- Sept 5
Tickets

New Christs
SEP
11 - Last Chance. North Melbourne, VIC
+ Penny Ikinger’s Marbles
12 -Last Chance, North Melbourne, VIC
+ Moler
19 - Heritage Hotel, Bulli, NSW
NOV
21 - The Brightside, Brisbane, QLD
+ Suicide Country Hour
+ The Mick Medew & Ursula 4

Huxton Creepers
12 Days To Paris Tour
AUG
7 - Sooki Lounge, Belgrave, VIC
+ Icecream Hands 
8 - Croxton Bandroom, Thornbury, VIC 
+ Icecream Hands  
14 - Marrickville Bowling Club, NSW
+ The Johnnys  
15 - Marrickville Bowling Club, NSW
+ The Johnnys
16 - Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle, NSW
(afternoon show)
+ The Johnnys 
21 - Norton Music Factory,
Caloundra, QLD
+ The Johnnys  
22 -  Crowbar Brisbane, QLD
+ The Johnnys
+ Mick Medew and Ursula 
23 - Wallaby Hotel, Mudgeeraba, QLD
(afternoon show)
+ The Johnnys 

The Damned
Final Damnation 50
SEP
8 - AUCKLAND, Powerstation
10 - SYDNEY, The Opera House
11 - BRISBANE, The Tivoli
13 - MELBOURNE, The Forum
Tickets

The Exploding Universe of Ed Kuepper
Ed Kuepper 50 Years Retrospective
RESCHEDULED
OCT
29 - Avoca Theatre, NSW 
30 - Canberra, The Street Theatre, ACT
31 - Wombarra Bowlo, NSW
NOV
4 - Adelaide, The Gov, SA
5 - Melbourne, National Theatre, VIC 
6 – Geelong, Barwon Heads Hotel, VIC
7 - Sydney, Factory Theatre, NSW
(matinee & evening shows)
13 - Fremantle, Freo Social, WA
15 - Brisbane, Princess Theatre, QLD
Tickets

Public Image Ltd
Australia and NZ
JAN
20 - Auckland, Powerstation
22 - Brisbane, The Tivoli
23 - Sydney, Enmore Theatre
24 - Melbourne, The Forum
26 – Adelaide, The Gov
28 - Perth, The Astor


Respect The Rock Australian Tour
The Hellacopters + Gluecifier
MARCH
17 – Brisbane, The Triffid
18 – Sydney, Manning Bar
19 – Melbourne, The Croxton
20 – Adelaide, Ed Castle
Tickets

 

 

 

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