black milk

The Beasts aren't the Beasts of Bourbon. but they both share members and a sense of fierce perversity.

So when The Beasts play their show to mark 35 years since their immediate forebears, the Beasts of Bourbon, birthed the "Black Milk" album at The Forum in Melbourne on September 12, expect it to hit emotional heights and to venture into unchartered territory.

The sun is setting over Sydney and on the line is Tex Perkins, singer for both bands and, with Kim Salmon (guitar) and Boris Sujdovic (bass), a survivor of the original line-up of the Beasts of Bourbon.

You can't keep them down: The Beasts are back for one special show in September, celebrating the memory of departed members and the 35th anniversary of celebrated Beasts of Bourbon album "Black Milk". 

It's a one-off show at The Forum in Melbourne on Friday, September 12, with support from Cash Savage, The Johnnys and Ezra Lee, and tickets are on sale here at 0900 tomorrow.

The $64,000 quesiton has been answered. The drum stool that belonged to the recently departed James Baker will be inherited by Evan "Rock" Richards, stage roaide and an adept player in his own right whoi shadowed The Late Great Man on recent tours. 

“Black Milk 35^th Anniversary”
The Beasts
with guests Rob Younger, Hellen Rose, Richie Weed & John Schofield
+ The Johnnys
+ Richie Weed and The Strays
+ Unsound
The Factory Theatre, Marrickvile, NSW
Friday, December 12, 2025

Words & Pictures: THE BARMAN

When the definitive mainstream version of the history of Australian rock and roll finally is penned, the Beasts of Bourbon are unlikely to get their dues. History is written by the victors and its telling needs to be simplistic if it’s to have the desired effect of "moving units".

I once shopped a manuscript of a Radio Birdman member (no, not Chris) to a bunch of publishers to be told by one of the biggies that they saw no market for it because the band’s fans couldn’t read.

Despite dancing with a broad audience in the early ‘90s, the Beasts of Bourbon narrative is just too convoluted, edgy and unconventional to suit straight publishers. Not that this need be a deterrent to enlightened ones.