- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 208
Louie and Charlie Marshall. Supplied.
The name Charlie Marshall should be familiar. He was the singer and guitarist in one of Melbourne's legendary outfits, Harem Scarem, beloved in the 1980s for their swamp blues
Charlie's a sensible chap - knowing that rock'n'roll does't always pay the bills (never mind buy you a house), he has a job, just like most of us. He is a science teacher.
Unlike most of us, he established The Body Electric, which ran (or, perhaps, may still run) from the early 1990s to about ten years ago, with a variety of fine Melbourne talent, which has released at least five albums. Along the way he's also released another six records with different line-ups. Seems his job doesn't keep him out of mischief.
The calibre of musicians that Charlie has arrayed around him is high: they include Jim White (Dirty Three), Warren Ellis (Fungus Brains, Dirty Three, Nick Cave), Brian Henry Hooper (Kim Salmon and the Surrealists, Beasts of Bourbon), Bryan Colechin (The Marching Girls, Hugo Race), Cam Butler, Matt Heydon (Cow Penalty, The Voyeurs), Clare Moore (The Moodists, Dave Graney) and Darren Richard Seltmann (The Avalanches).
And then I listened to, and was mightily impressed by, Charlie's latest album "Gaian Soul" by Family Affair, a duo with his son And I thought a few questions were in order.
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 296
Ed Kuepper (left) and Asteroid Ekosystem with Alister Spence (second from the rigtht). Photo supplied.
Back in the day, I never saw The Saints with Ed Kuepper. Partly, because they just never got down to Adelaide, and partly because I was in my early teens when they were burning up the world.
I didn't even see the first Laughing Clowns tour of Adelaide but did catch the second tour. Completely hooked, after that I saw every Clowns show in Adelaide.
Traditional bollocks says the Clowns were kinda a jazz outfit. I suppose there were obvious building blocks. But they weren't jazz – and nor were they rock'n'roll. Didn't matter to me, I just danced at every gig, all the way through.
Forty-some years on, I'm a fat wheezy old fart who couldn't dance for half a song without getting puffed and reaching for the Zimmer frame.
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 360
Aaron Rubin photo
The first time I saw Guitar Wolf, the band arrived at a beloved Adelaide venue on Hindley Street on a stinking hot day, straight from the airport, heavily clad in black leather, black T-shirts and dark glasses.
The audience they drew pretty much all knew each other - Guitar Wolf is a delightful gift from Japan shared by word-of-mouth. They gave us all the finger while arriving and immediately went to the stage ... and rocked like you always wanted to when you were an impressionable little kid.
There were only two pauses during the two-and-a-half hour set: one, when main man Seiji pulled up members of the audience and made them form a human pyramid (it collapsed, frequently), and the second when Seiji took his guitar off and demanded a guitar player from the audience. Numerous local musicians scrambled frantically toward the stage, only to be told, “No. That guy!”
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 537
John Greenwood photo.
The Damned, The Adverts and Generation X. What do they have in common? The UK music media savaged their second albums.
The Damned broke up, then got back together and they're the Johnny Walkers (or the Undead) of the punk movement. Generation X broke up while their lead singer took their last single and turned it into a huge hit. Billy Idol is the blonde undead of the punk movement.
The Adverts ... well, they broke up. The singer, TV Smith, was prevented from continuing using the name (even though it was his name and the band was essentially him and the bass player, FFS) ... and cue an incredible self-determinism.
On later listens, the second LPs by all of the above deserve far better than the “it's different” kicking they received. And to this day, TV Smith still can't let go of his creative imperative.
- Details
- By Edwin Garland
- Hits: 663
Mark Fraser (in cap) and soe of the Vi-Nil Records stable christening another INDIE SOUNDS compilation last year.
If you’ve seen gigs by the cooler bands from Wollongong, Newcastle or the Central Coast over the last few years, you would have seen Mark Fraser at the merchandise stand.
His record label Vi-Nil Records has been responsible for releasing some killer records, some of them in a compilation series called “Indie Sounds” showcasing various scenes from Sydney’s environs. Mark has been part of the street level scene now for almost 45 years, as a writer, venue owner, muso and head of his own label.
The first Vi-Nil record I bought was the “Surfing On My Face” single by the Hard-Ons. It dates from 1985, a time when there were 50-plus music venues across Sydney. Then-local radio station Triple-Jay played cool shit and thousands of like minded kids were packing rooms seeing original bands.
After a long break, Mark revived the Vi-Nil imprint in 2022. I was curious what drew back him back and what changes he’d observed. So we sat down and had a yarn.
- Details
- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 797
Mick Harvey. Andrew Trute photo @andrew_trute_aus
Recently the call went out that Bleak Squad - that startling, noir-esque band comprising Marty Brown (Art of Fighting), Mick Harvey, Adalita Srsen (Magic Dirt) and Mick Turner (Dirty Three) - are touring Australia for the firsdt time after playing a handful of gigs in October last year.
Having recently relistened to Bleak Squad and finding that I enjoyed them - a process I commend to you - I decided it might be a good idea to ask Mick Harvey a few questions.
The interview ranges a bit wider than just Bleak Squad. As you will see, Mick was very patient with my questions and irreverence, and I must thank him for finding time to complete these questions when I know he was extremely busy.
- Details
- By Matt Ryan
- Hits: 754
After a 20- year wait, Melbourne’s Japanese-Australian band Mach Pelican are finally releasing new music. The first is a seven-inch, “A Secret Session “, that features two songs, “Remember It“ and “Summer Sun”. They’re both fun, Ramones-y punk rock. They’re also very Mach Pelican and the kind of music that I find hard to believe anyone could dislike.
Mach Pelican have an amazing backstory: Three kids from Japan meet in Perth, start a band based on their shared love of the Ramones, go on to become one of the most beloved band bands of the 1990s and early 2000s in their adopted country and tour overseas, leaving three albums and a stack of singles in their wake before a logn lay-off.
Singer-guitarist Keisuke Nakamura spoke with me from his Melbourne home via the Zoom machine.
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- By Robert Brokenmouth
- Hits: 1685
Spain-based, Canadian-born, Australian-raised guitar legend Chris Masuak (Radio Birdman, The Hitmen, Screaming Tribesmen, New Christs) was going to be promoting his new album “Chris Masuak’s Dog Soldier” with a tour Down Under in November, but a recurring illness required an emergency operation.
What illness? It's referred to in Chris' book, “Faith and Practice in Bedlam” (High Voltage Publishing – edited by this writer). I'm not going to explain it: find the reference and read up. Fucking horrible, is all I'm gonna say. Makes me squirm to even think of having an operation there.
Anyway. I listened to the album, thought it was damn good, and fired off some questions to Chris.
- Details
- By The Barman
- Hits: 1900
Sam Geldart photo
What do you get when you mix middle-aged Adelaide writer, I-94 Bar scribe and self-described vocalist with Smallpox Confidential, Robert Brokenmouth, with veteran City of Churches synth exponent Shaun C Duncan? They call it Ambient Horror Goth Industrial Punk Drone Synth Machinery Slagheap, and it goes under the name Molly Fet Circuit.
Molly Fet Circuit has never been sighted outside of Adelaide but has been well exposed on the city’s leading community radio station, 5AA. We’ve been treated to a taste of the Molly Fet Circuit oeuvre and songs like “Mustid”, “Liquid” and “Could Not” are starkly industrial, antagonistic and intriguing (in a Suicide sort of way.)
Molly Fet Circuit is coming to Sydney this month, for shows at Lazy Thinking in Dulwich Hill (Novermber 28) and MoshPit (November 29). Ticket links at the end.
Now this Brokenmouth bloke is a Bar regular, often being swept out long after post-closing staff drinks, We’ve seen lots of him so we chased down his partner in decibels, Shaun C Duncan, for an interview - and he graciously accepted.
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The Living Eye
I-94 Bar presents
"Searching for Charlie Owen"
Charlie Owen (music & spoken word)
MAR
7 - Brass Monkey, Cronulla
+ Looch Lewis + Mark Horne
7 - Brass Monkey, Cronulla
Tickets
8- 185 Bar, Marrickville (5pm)
+ Paul Berwick (EP launch)
+ Looch Lewis
Tickets
I-94 Bar presents
"Lost In Marrickvile"
The On & Ons + Jupiter 5
+ The Frequent Flyers
185 Bar, Marrickville
- Mar 20
Bleak Squad
MAR
5 - The Factory Theatre, Sydney, NSW
8 - Golden Plains Festival, Meredith, VIC
Tickets
On The Loose Presents
Guitar Wolf Australian Tour
MAR
14 - Perth, Seasonal Brewing Co.
15 - Fremantle, The Buffalo Club
all WA shows with Aborted Tortoise
18 - Gold Coast, Vinnie's Dive Bar
w/ supports TBC
19 - Nambour, The Ramp
w/ supports TBC
20 - Brisbane, Season Three
w/ Future Shocks & Evil Dick Industries
21 - Sydney, Factory Fusebox
w/ supports TBC
22 - Wollongong, La La La's
w/ Itchy & the Nits
25 - Bendigo, Trash Cult
w/ supports TBC
26 - Castlemaine, Bridge Hotel
w/ The Freedom Wave
27 - Melbourne, The Tote
w/ Alien Nosejob & Cujo
28 - Frankston, Singing Bird
w/ Split System & DJ Centipede & The Worms
29 - Balnarring, Social Club
w/ Cry Cyclops
Tickets
“Surreal Science”
Music of the Scientists
&
Kim Salmon
and The Surrealists
APR
10 – The Corner, Melbourne
Tickets
11 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
Tickets
18 – Rosemount Hotel, Perth, WA
Tickets
Fresh Reviews
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Young Charlatans' legacy laid bare in a stunning time capsule
03 March 2026
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Harem Scarem founder Charlie Marshall (and Louie's) Family Affair
01 March 2026
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They're still Not Like Everybody Else
28 February 2026
-
It's Alive! Canadian rocker Rich Hope and his red hot band hit the mark
25 February 2026
-
Punk pioneer Brian James bids us ciao
25 February 2026