Not just a tribute, "Retaliate First" lays it bare

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By The Barman

The Barman

16 July 2024

Hits: 2584

Retaliate First: How one band smashed the rules of Australian rock and roll
By Murray Engleheart
(Allen and Unwin)

What becomes a legend most
When the musicians have come and then leave her
What becomes a legend most
Besides being a legendary star
What Becomes A Legend Most” - Lou Reed (1984)

It’s finally here and it’s great. For the first time, the Radio Birdman story has been thoroughly told from start to dotage (if not the end) in print, and with a sense of perspective that puts contestable versions of the story in plain view.

For the first time?  What about Vivien Johnston’s 1990 “Radio Birdman”? For many years it was the best (only) reference point. As invaluable as it was, it was ultimately a biography shoehorned into a university thesis, and the tenuous link it tried to make between the band and Australian indigenous culture was odd. 

And there's “Radio Birdman: The Illustrated History” from George Munoz,  an amazing visual record of the first life of the band but doesn’t try to be commentary. 

Murray Engleheart’s “Retaliate First” is an effort to re-tell the story as it should be told and it’s an invaluable companion to Jonathan Sequeira’s brutally honest “Descent Into The Maelstrom” documentary.

• radio birdman
• retaliate first
• murray engleheart
• allen and unwin

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The rise (and The Fall) of cover bands

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By Robert Brokenmouth

Robert Brokenmouth

16 July 2024

Hits: 1709

When is a cover band not a cover band?

“Doing The Fall songs can often feel a bit like driving a juggernaut with no brakes, or falling down some stairs, pissed...” according to Ben Toft - one of the singers in The Fall tribute band,  The Look Back Bores.

So, no. It's not as easy as you think.

The Animals(and Friends) have just finished an encore tour of Australia with 83-year-old John Steel behind the kit and a well-seasoned group of younger English musicians, all steeped in r'n'b, boogie and so on. The band provides high quality entertainment, doing justice to a time and place that the participants can only remember but hazily.

• sonics
• buzzcocks
• the fall
• robert brokenmouth
• the animals
• can
• the look back bores

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Sydney's heading to Pismo Beach on Saturday while The Fadeaways cruise to a sell-out in Melbourne

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By The Barman

The Barman

11 July 2024

Hits: 1442

• psychotic turnbuckles
• jupiter 5
• the strike-outs
• bahne super-flex

The Saints (dead and alive) keep marching in

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By The Barman

The Barman

10 July 2024

Hits: 1898

^{Latter Day Saints: Chris Bailey (right) with drummer Peter Wilkinson and bassist Caspar Wijnberg, in Amsterdam in 2006. Elisabet Corlin photo.}

Here's some more news on long-rumoured posthumous recordings from late Saints singer Chris Bailey.

In an Instagram post today, Church Street Studios engineer Sean Carey flagged that the recent digital single, “Break Away”, comes from a forthcoming album, “Long March Through the Jazz Age", It is the first release of new material since Bailey's passing in 2022.

Recorded by Sean Carey in Church Street Studios, Sydney, Bailey is on vocals, guitar and bass and is aided by long term drummer, Pete Wilkinson and guest Davey Lane (You Am I) on guitar.

• saints
• ed kuepper
• chris bailey
• davey lane
• sean carey
• the saints '73-'78
• pete wilkinson

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Charlie Owen takes to the road again

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By The Barman

The Barman

07 July 2024

Hits: 2709

Guitarist extraordinaire Charlie Owen (Beasts of Bourbon, New Christs, Tex Don & Charlie, Paul Kelly, Working Class Ringos) is taking his “Searching For Charlie Owen” stories and song show on the road again in Australia in August and September, following last year’s run of sold-out gigs.

Presented by Soundpressing Records, I-94 Bar & Rhythms, the tour takes in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.

Part spoken word, part songs, "Searching for Charlie Owen" is an engorssing, emotional and illuminating journey through the ace guiatrist's back pages. Full dates and ticket link: 

Soundpressing, I-94 Bar & Rhythms present
Searching for Charlie Owen
Australian Tour
AUG
8 – Vinnies Dive, Gold Coast QLD
+ Dana Gehrman Duo
9 - Doo-bop Jazz Bar, Brisbane
+ Dana Gehrman Duo
10- The Citadel, Murwillumbah, NSW
+ Andrew Kidman
11 - Banshees Bar & Art Space, Ipswich, QLD (2pm)
+ Dana Gehrman Duo
16- Django Bar, Marrickville, NSW
+ Cam Butler + Peter Ross & The Sapphire
17 - Smiths Alternative, Canberra, ACT (8pm)
+ Cam Butler
30 - Wesley Anne, Northcote, VIC
+ Martin Frawley
31 - Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, VIC
+ Martin Frawley
SEP
1 - George Lane, St Kilda, VIC (2:30pm)
+ Martin Frawley
Tickets
https://www.charlieowen.au/tour

• beasts of bourbon
• new christs
• paul kelly
• charlie owen
• tex don and charlie
• searching for Charlie owen

Your flight boards now if you don't want to miss happy hour

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By The Barman

The Barman

06 July 2024

Hits: 3635

Happy Hours Air Travel Club – O.C. Rippers (Ruined Records)

From what can be worked out their online footprint, OC Rippers are your typical punk rock band circa the 2020s: Feet firmly planted in their home turf (New Jersey), they’re not out to win friends or influence people and aren’t embarking on any world tours any day soon.

They’re not fussed being pigeon-holed because their influences are as varied as the quality of cocktails in a beer barn. They’re also realistic about their chances of hitting the heights because they’re aged (at a guess) in their 40s and not named Taylor.

• punk rock
• o.c. rippers
• ruined records
• oc rippers
• happy hours air travel club

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Turnbuckles tackle The Tote this weekend and are full of Tonic

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By The Barman

The Barman

26 June 2024

Hits: 1389

Pismo Beach's Kings of the Ring, the Psychotic Turnbuckles, kick off their anniversary "40 Years Undefeated" tour of  Australia's East Coast at The Tote Hotel in Melobourne this Saturday. Supports are crazy great Sydney glam rockers Starcrazy and hometown retro champions The Vibratones.  

Asked how the Turnbuckles would fare with no competitive matches under their collective belts since last October's triumphant Japan tour, frontman Jesse The Intruder told us: "Champions never fold. We've been training hard in the Pismo Clam Club gym and amping up on Turnbuckle Tonic. We will wipe the floor with those pathetic support bands". 

Man of few words and drummer Buddy "Bam Bam" Balam The Brooklyn Bruiser added: "They are bums. So are you. Get out of my way."

Tickets for The Tote, Sydney (July 13) and Brisbane (September 7) shows are here, and are presneted by The I-94 Bar (Melbourne and Sydney) and Punkfest (Brisbane).

• melbourne
• brisbane
• sydney
• psychotic turnbuckles
• australian tour

It's almost Aloha to those final Radio Birdman tickets

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By The Barman

The Barman

20 June 2024

Hits: 1919

Five of the eight Radio Birdman ”Birdman  5-0” Australian tour dates have sold-out and the remaining three are poised to go the same way.

The run kicks off at The Croxton Bandroom in Melbourne this Friday. That show and Saturday at the same venue are down to their final ticket allocations. 

All three Sydney gigs and two Brisbane dates have had the House Full signs put up and Adelaide on June 23 is showing signs of going the same way. Extra shows are not being added so go here to buy.

• radio birdman
• australian tour
• birdman 5-O

Saints Be Praised! Will you be Stranded?

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By The Barman

The Barman

20 June 2024

Hits: 2132

Controversy? Hallowed be thy name in show business. The Saints ’73-‘78 tickets are moving faster than Ed Kuepper’s downstroke with shows in Brisbane, Melbourne and Castlemaine selling out and two extra gigs added.

Brisbane sold out in one day which prompted the addition of another show. Melbourne has an extra date and capacity at Castlemaine was increased to meet demand before the House Full sign went up. 

Supports have been confirmed and include relative new kids on the block Chimers, Parsnip and Alien Nosejob alongside veterans Kim Salmon & The Surrealists.

Meantime pre-orders for the deluxe 4-LP box set version of (I’m) Stranded (due this November) can be made here. 

• saints
• ed kuepper
• australian tour
• saints '74-'78
• (I'm) stranded

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