Vegans, and the sensitive, need not apply

Prime Cu*ts – Meatbeaters (Heavy Medication)

Over 24 years and five albums Adelaide’s Meatbeaters have never minced words, so seeing how the rest of the world takes to their good, honest low brow Aussie humour on this ball-tearing compilation from Polish label Heavy Medication is going to be a hoot.

Eleven slices of Meatbeaters high-energy over two sides of vinyl and subtlety isn’t anywhere to be seen. That should be no surprise from a band that’s named past long players “Crusty Seamen” or “Carry On Tuggin’”. Yes, it's Yob Rock, but it’s not just about beer (drinkin’) and skittles – there’s also a song (“Spit Roast”) about being pilled-up.

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• the meatbeaters
• heavy medication records
• prime cu*ts
• derrick orgodny

Dogged Cheetahs get off the leash with one savage EP

Call The Dogs – The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs (Heavy Medication)

Their youthful days of diving across tables and sliding down the length of venue bars are probably behind them but they still matter: If The Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs have made a bad record, well, you know the email address. The veteran LA outfit gets off the chain again on this four-song 10-incher, their first release since the stellar “One More Drink” album of 2021, and it hits the spot as well as any dive bar cocktail.

These days sax player Geoff Yeaton is firmly integrated into the line-up and adds an extra dimension to the Cheetahs’ trademark high-energy Detroit sound. The title tune is as good an example of that, featuring some stabbing guitarwork from lead vocalist Frank Meyer and Bruce Duff.  

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• los angeles
• frank meyer
• streetwalkin' cheetahs
• heavy medication records
• one more drink
• call the dogs

Sex'n'Drugs'n'Property Developers'n'Real Estate Agents

The column's title is not a phrase that scans too easily, I admit. However, it seems obvious from where I sit that 'rock'n'roll' has well and truly been eclipsed by a similarly oikish pack of breadheads. 

Certainly, the famous phrase that Ian Dury popularised has resonated down the years. However, back when Dury wrote the song, “sex'n'drugs'n'rock'n'roll” was once a way of life for millions, whether they be journos, execs, stars, musicians, musos, and grubby proles.

What's different today? Market forces, basically. In 1977, one person could still buy a house, car and put a kid through school on one wage. Today that's a laughable concept. People have less spare time and cash, for one thing; and when they do have the cash, they have other life-distractions.

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• urban renewal
• jethro heller

Sydney's Crankees nail it on debut LP

Settle Down – Crankees (Evil Tone)

The album does not fuck around so the review shall not: Sydney’s Crankees encapsulate kicking against suburban ennui like Eddy Current Supression Ring did 20 years ago, but won’t attract the same adoration because they don’t come from Melbourne.

Where ECSR complained about boredom and negative ATM balances with what, at times, seemed like resigned ambivalence, Crankees sound, well, cranky. It’s punk rock that never tries too hard. The other truth is that “Settle Down” deserves to be heard further afield.

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• mikey young
• evil tone records
• crankees
• settle down
• rodney todd
• jimmy leek
• lex hall
• luke buckler
• massappeal
• downtime

Vale Gary Rasmussen of Sonic's Rendezvous Band

 _{Gary Rasmussen (left) with other members of Sonic's Rendezvous Band, Scott Morgan, Fred Smith and Scott Asheton. Joann Uhelszki photo.} 

Sonic’s Rendezvous Band bassist Gary Rasmussen has passed away after a short illness. He was aged 72.

A resident of Howell in Michigan, Rasmussen played bass with some of the region’s most influential bands in the late 1960s and ‘70s. He was a member of Scots Pirates, The Rendezvous Band, The Scott Morgan Group, The Up and more recently, Broken Arrow Blues Band. He also appeared on Patti Smith’s “Dream of Life” album.

After suffering a sore throat and back pain on Tuesday, Gary was admitted to hospital. He was transferred to University of Michigan Hospital where he was put into an induced coma after doctors diagnosed meningitis. He passed on Friday, surrounded by family and friends including longtime partner Marla Swartz.   

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• sonics rendezvous band
• fred smith
• john sinclair
• gary rasmussen
• scott asheton
• scott morgan
• vale
• the up
• broken arrow blues band
• pattis smith

The D4 are back for NZ and Oz shows

High-energy Kiwis The D4 are reforming for a string of dates in their home country in 2025 as well as three shows across the ditch in Australia.

Promising all the hits for their two albums “6Twenty” and “Out Of My Head” as well as a slew of unreleased material, The D4 play Brisbane (February 13), Sydney (February 15) and Melbourne (February 16) with Tape/Off, Hard-Ons and Mach Pelican respectively. 

Australian and NZ tickets are here.

• tour
• australian
• the d4
• new zealand

Sing For The Crime: The Saints '73-'78 play Sydney

The Saints ’73-‘78
Kim Salmon and The Surrealists
Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Friday 22 November, 2024

Words: THE BARMAN
Photos: MURRAY BENNETT

Polarising was the Word of the Night. You could have argued that there was no way Mark Arm would successfully replace the late Chris Bailey in a reconstituted version of the Saints and if you did, you probably didn’t go to the show anyway.

It’s a truth that Arm’s yowl is as far removed from the patented snarl of Bailey as Brisbane is from Seattle. If you didn’t take Arm at his word that he wasn’t trying to fill the original singer’s shoes, you were never going to dig this show. He clearly isn’t Bailey and didn’t try to be.

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• ed kuepper
• kim salmon
• surrealists
• mark arm
• the saints
• enmore theatre
• aints
• ivor hay
• the saints '73-'78

The Beasts are back - with new recordings -  to say goodbye

_{Martin Philby photo.}

The band that we thought couldn’t be killed, The Beasts – aka surviving members of the Beasts of Bourbon – are releasing a new studio album and it will be the last chapter.

“Ultimo” was recorded over two days at Melbourne’s Union Studios, during a break from the nationally sold-out Alive Tour earlier this year, and it will be released on December 13 via Slick Productions through MGM.

An 11-track live recording, it includes a collection of Beasts’ classics and fan favourites, none of which appeared on the limited edition “be suburban” EP that was sold on tour.

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• album
• the beasts
• ultimo

Nashville Pussy and Supersuckers on hit and run double-bill

_{Nashville Pussy.}

Trucker cap rock fans watch out:  It’s a larger-then-life double bill that the promoter promises will “tear Australia a new one” in a florid media release - and who are we to argue? The Supersuckers and Nashville Pussy are due in these parts in January.  And of course they had to call the tour "Superpussy".  

Nashville Pussy headlines Sydney (Manning Bar on January 23) and Adelaide (The Gov on January 26 ) with Supersuckers doing the honours in Melbourne (The Croxton on January 24) and Brisbane (The Zoo on January 25). Tickets go on sale on Wednesday here.

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• supersuckers
• nashville pussy
• australian tour