Evil Dick Enterprises is the latest incarnation for Evil Dick, formerly of Strutter, the Aampirellas and currently the frontman for one of Australia’s best-loved bands, HITS. While HITS remain a sporadic going concern (you couldn’t kill that band with an axe), Evil Dick Enterprises launched as Richard’s official side project on New Year's Day 2020.

Evil Dick’s “plan” is to make music outside the framework of HITS and the first project is a digital single, half the proceeds of which are being donated to Rural Fire Services in the wake of Australia’s devastating summer bushfires.

“I Hope That No-One Knows” is a haunting, ethereal debut that you can hear and grab with its B side, “Lovecats”, at Evil Dick Industries’ Bandcamp site. Here’s what various people are saying about it:

The prizes have been drawn in the Purple Urchin-Black Buzzard giveaway. The winners of a double pack of CDs fron the two bands - courtesy of Spiff Hopkins who leads both Black Buzzards (pictured) and Purple Urchin and has played in Hellmen, the SC5 and The M16s among many others - are:

Jamie Don of Wollstonecraft, NSW
Andy Wallace of Ettalong, NSW
Steve Finch from Lake Cathie NSW
Roy Mutton of Helensburgh, NSW
Graham Stapleton from Mermaid Beach, Queensland

The winners of our Fantastic Mess Records/Baby 8/Penny Ikinger single giveaway are:

David Lowrie of Inverclyde in Scotland
John Arvantis of Highbury, South Australia
Georgia Kenndy of Bayswater, Western Australia
Fred Therag of Haan in Germany
Mark Littler of Warriewood in New Soth Wales and;  
Bob Blunt of Erskineville, Nw South Wales.

Congratulations all, keep an eye on your letterboxes.

Chris Masuak is back on the road with his Anglo-French-Spanish band The Outside in France in February.

The Outside features Gregory J Bowen, expat Australian, on guitar, Juan Martinez El Kara on drums and French bassist Bruno Mondo. As the tour billing says, this will be the last time. Watch chrismasuak.net for updates. 

FEB
13 - L'Armony, Montreuil
14 - Piano Bleu Saint Brieuc
15 - Le Galion, Lorient
17 - Mondo Bizarro, Rennes (with Supersuckers)
18 - - Nantes, La Cour

 

You might have read our recent rave about the latest “Shake Yer Popboomerang” compilation. It was recently launched in Melbourne and Brisbane. Now it’s Sydney’s turn. 

Ups and Downs (pictured above), Halfway and The Arial Maps will do the honours at Marrickville Bowling Club on February 29. Tickets are on sale here.

"Shake Yer Popboomerang 3" is the latest in a series of compilation albums released on the Popboomerang Records label to document and celebrate the finest melodic pop, jangle, folk and rock music in the Australian scene. The label was founded by Scott Thurling in 2002 and has released more than 80 recordings.

Explosive trio The Schizophonics are inflicting their unique rock and roll show on audiences in Australia and New Zeraland for a second time in 2020 as well as Japan.

The San Diego band - essentailly singer-guitarist Pat Beers and drummer wife Lety - have both a new album, "People in The Sky",and a new bass player, Kiwi Takumi McIntyre (formerly of the Cavemen), in tow and made a huge impression on their 2019 tour of Australia and New Zealand. .

Antipodean audiences had seldom (if at all) witnessed the likes of levitational front man Pat  , whose sweaty splits , 720 degree spins (all before completion of the first song!) had local audiences gagging!!  The Schizophonics combine the swagger of James Brown breakdancing to the Stooges, with the sonic attack of  Hendrix and the MC5 in their hooky garage pop. 

I-94 Bar will co-present the Sydney gig at Marrickville Bowling Club (shifted from the Hideaway Bar) on March 12. The Facebook event is here and tickets for that show are on sale here.

The Schizophonics
NZ-Australia-Japan Tour
FEB
NZ
21 - Leigh at Leigh Saw Mill
22 - Tauranga at Woodcock (Not) - ask Austin
24 - Wellington at Valhalla
25 - Takaka at Mussell Inn
26 - Blenheim at The Plant
27 - Christchurch at Space Academy
28 - Dunedin at The Cook
29 - Raglan at The Yot Club
MAR
1 - Whangarei at The Whangarei Club
4-- Auckland at Neck Of The Woods
6 - Napier at Paisley Stage
7 - Upper Hutt at Obey The Spliff
AUS
8 - Hobart @ The Brisbane
10 - Brisbane @ Netherworld Arcade - FREE SHOW
11 - Newcastle @ The Badger's Lair
12 - Sydney @ Hideaway Bar
13- Wolllongong @ La La La's
14 -Melbourne @ The Tote
15th - Melbourne @ TBA
JPN
19 -Shimokitazawa Three, Tokyo
20 - Namba Mele, Osaka
21 - Higashikoenji UFOclub, Tokyo
22 - Club Heavysick, Tokyo