Beast with Two Backs or Three Heads? Tim Hemensley of the Powder Monkeys/Bored!
OZ ROCK FEST 2
BORED!/POWDER MONKEYS/THE THERMALS/THE MYSTAKEN
plus a stack of others I missed
Green Square Hotel
Saturday, May 19 2001
It’s fashionable to be late (McPharlin told me) and I always like to do as I’m told, so I lobbed midway through Ashley Thomson’s daylong garage-punk-snot extravaganza, right at the start of The Mystaken’s spirited set.
The Melbourne three-piece, fronted by ex-Sydneysider Sally Bailey from Single Hand Gun, is kicking ‘em out in ragged style, and strike me as a sort of Nitocris without the kiddie-punk pretensions. It’s buzzsaw girl-rock without a hint of self-consciousness or fashion-slavism. The surprise was how Sally took exception to the "show us yer tits" heckler (a breed best ignored). Track down a copy of their demos if they happen to be flogging them at a future gig. It’s all good fun.
Notoriously combustible Brisbane act Strutter are a no-show, due to them having broken up (again) midweek. The Amperellas are a late substitute that I miss due to the running order being re-worked to fit them in. That regret aside, there’s plenty to look forward to when the three-piece Thermals set up on centre stage.
If you haven’t heard, The Thermals are a drums-and-twin-guitar line-up featuring the Celibate Rifles’ recently-departed sticksman Nik Rieth. He shares vocals with guitarist Leigh Irvin (who takes on-stage consumption to refined levels with glasses of red wine sitting atop his Marshall stack). The Thermals look like an ad for Fender Strats (being the choice of weapon for both of the frontline for much of the set) and have a sound that’s big and fat.
It’s quirky, riff-laden stuff – almost all original – and nailed down firmly by Nik’s big backbeat. It’s also wonderful stuff and they could headline this bill in their own right and pull it off.
After about two years on the Sydney scene, there’s an album in the can ready to be unleashed on Crankinhaus. Let's hope we here it sooner rather than later.
The Powder Monkeys are up from Melbourne on just their second Sydney visit in five years. I've missed them often enough to be looking forward to tonight. Tim Hemmesley is bouncing around the crowd, beer in hand and soaking up the supports. There's not much of him in his boots and leather pants, overshirt part-obscuring an MC5 "Back in the USA" T-shirt. Within a matter of minutes he makes the leap from audience to stage and is telling the punters they don’t deserve what they're about to cop. Then it's on.
I'm not familiar with their early stuff and "Time Wounds All Heels" left me a little cold for all the hyped reviews thataccompanied its release, but " Lost City Blues" (the newie on White Jazz) more than lives up to expectations. There's a generous serving of songs from that eminent platter, with "Get the Girl Straight" and "Beast With Two Backs" blowing the back wall off the Green Square.
Hemensley is a manic little ball of energy, laying down a thundering bed of bass and I'm fucked if I know where he gets that big voice from, emanating as it seems from somewhere in the soles of his leather boots. (What is it about diminutive bass players? Ian Rilen of X and this guy surely share Rock God billing). Guitarist John Nolan shreds notes all over the place with undeniable power. The Powder Monkeys are all they're cranked up to be and more.
Promoter Ashley Thomson had earlier confided that the previous night's show at the Headlands Hotel at Austinmeer had seen the Powder Monkeys banned for life. I can understand why. As one happy punter confides: "That was so real it was scary".
But it's not over when the band announce they're taking a quick break to return with some friends who are in the audience. Return Nolan and Hemmesley do, with guitarist-singer Dave Thomas and drummer Buzz Munday - the classic Bored! Line-up circa 1990.
"Conquest" heads the abbreviated set list and is all Nolan bluster and Thomas wah-wah squal, dirty-as-fuck and bigger than the room. "Mr 10 Percent" falters temporarily as Tim forgets the bassline, but there's no trouble with the cover of Rose Tattoo's "Remedy" or the classic big guitar mutation of Pere Ubu's "Final Solution". I've heard some remarkable versions of this tune over the years but this one takes the cake.
All through it, Dave Thomas looks like he's having a great time, his combination with John Nolan a sight to see, and Buzz all but beats the shit out of his kit. It might be a bit ragged for the band's liking at times but there's no denying the strength and edgy sound kicking and screaming its way off the stage.
The crowd is now baying for more but it's closing hour and there's no way the band can be lured back. Will we see Bored! again? Dave's now living in Sydney with the others Melbourne-based, so who knows? We all straggle out into the brisk Sydney night, lucky to have seen something special.
- The Barman
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