Top 10 not in any order:

1)  White Stripes –Vault #33 Icky Thump X
Third Man Records Vault only release, 10 year anniversary edition. Includes a wacko coloured vinyl re-press of the double album plus two bonus albums containing all the non-album b-sides and the full demos housed in a way out box. The demos are furious ! Only released for a few months via Third Man Records.

2) Shy Impostors CD (maxi EP/mini album CD)
Unleashed by those God-loving folks at Citadel Records. Seven demos recorded 1980 and now finally after a loving re-mix by Jason Blackwell sound truly fab. The songs, vocals and rough as guts musicianship by these proto legends are gold. Melodic and dirty.

3)  Buffalo Revisited gig at Brewtality Festival in Melbourne
Is it truly an honour for me after being a Buffalo fan since 1974 to be playing with their mighty vocalist Dave Tice with some fellow Buffalo maniacs (Troy and Marcus). And to be playing those great songs (a mind melt to learn btw). We hit our cosmic groove at the Brewtality Festival in Melbourne; more to come for sure.

1. Definitely at the top of the heap that was 2017, Jonathan Sequeira risked life, limb, and genuine sanity to bring us “Descent Into The Maelstrom”, a fiercely objective, no holds barred documentary about the shit storm that was Radio Birdman.

How he managed to convince that particular sack of snakes to agree to anything in the first place is a testimony to his considerable appreciation of the band’s legend, his heroic patience, and his nutsack-clenching resolve. A minor miracle, more so because it certainly wasn’t the puff piece that some characters clearly expected in their “imagining” of the bands tumultuous and antagonistic history!

Vindication for some, the trashing of decades of carefully cultivated bullshit for others, replete with many a “Holy crap!” moment.

A rollicking good story about a special band, time, and place in history!

I liked it!

Go Go Sapien - "Love In Other Dimensions"
These guys are freaks who have gone beyond themselves on their latest epic. And they always put out a dynamite live show.
Clip for "THE IMAGINARY MAN" here.

Custard - The Common Touch
Second great album since reformation shows started.
Clip for "2000 Woman" here. 

Machine Translations - "Oh"
I always like Greg Walker's albums. He writes such great lyrics, too.
Clip for "Doom Boogie" here. 

Grey Lotus - "Acacia"
Great band from Haarlem in the Netherlands. They are tough. To play this well and so slow and tuneful.
Clip for "Song For Syd Barrett" here. 

The Stress of Leisure - "Eruption Bounce"
Favourite band from Brisbane. Great sounds and grooves.
Clip for "I Wanna Be Adult" here.

King Gizzard And the Lizard Wizzard
Well, they’ve released four albums so far this year and two singles this week……Great guys, phenomenal live show. Murders of the Universe!
Clip for "Countdown" here

The Sand Pebbles - "Desire Lines"
Must be their sixth or seventh. Lost some great members but rose out of the wreckage for this. 
Clip for "Desire Lines" here. 

Dave Graney and Clare Moore - "Let's Get Tight"
Well, we won't be in any other lists, so….
Clip for "I Need To Be Hot" here.

Challenged myself to do a Radio Birdman top ten of 2018. Wasn't too difficult.

Pretty cool to see that so much good stuff is still happening from people who started more than 40 years ago - half of these would make the grade on anybody's list.

Jim Dickson - Coelum Versus
I think this might have come out last year, but I only listened to it this year so it's on the list. Great eclectic album from New Christs and Radio Birdman bassplayer! Music video for one of the tracks coming next year, well overdue (sorry Jim!)

Meanwhile, buy a copy here.

2017 was a great year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Velvet Underground & Nico and "Forever Changes", the 40th of "(I’m) Stranded" and the 25th of something great (and local) which came out in 1992 that was more than likely one of Ed Kuepper’s. And speaking of Mr Kuepper, let’s launch into this Top Ten the Barman asked me to do.

I’ll just prattle on about live shows I’ve seen as they’re probably more entertaining than my thoughts on Cosey Fanni Tutti’s autobiography "Art Sex Music"  which isn’t  rock & roll enough or director Kriv Stenders’s recent feature documentary on the Go-Betweens which is probably too wimpy for readers in I-94 Land.

Fair enough - they’re not everyone’s cup of tea – especially if you prefer coffee.

1.-7. THE AINTS 2017 AUSTRALIAN TOUR OF THE EAST COAST
Apparently the best way to describe someone who follows Ed Kuepper’s shows from town to town is to call them an Edhead. In 1976, Saints fans were known as Kuepper Troopers as it was understood that even in those early days it was Ed’s band - up until 1978, at least.

So fast-forward to 2017, The Aints awake after a 25-year hiatus and decide to tour through the most of the country’s capital cities doing Saints material from ’73-’78.

The Stress of Leisure…Eruption Bounce

Go Go Sapien …. Love in Other Dimensions

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard …Sketches of East Brunswick

Rebecca Barnard… Music for Relaxation

Grey Lotus …   Acacia

Georgio “The Dove” Valentino…. The Future Lasts a Long Time

Charlie Marshall and The Curious Minds… Sublime

Julitha Ryan…The Winter Journey

Ross McLennan…. All the colours print can manage

Cam Butler…..  Find your Love

Jim James … Eternally Even