The Beasts still breathe fire on their studio swansong

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

13 December 2024

Hits: 2020

Ultimo - The Beasts (Slick Productions)

"Ultimo" by The Beasts is the final nail in the Beasts of Bourbon's recording coffin.  As Tex Perkins told bandmates in an email proposing its release, the title's definitions include -Finale, Conclusivo, Defenitivo, The Last.

As if you didn't know, The Beasts comprise former members of the Beasts of Bourbon and were conceived to record one more time with an ailing Spencer P Jones while honouring fallen bass player Brian Hooper. The "Still Here" album was spawned and toured before The Beasts lost drummer Tony Pola, also to cancer.

Re-convening with founding Beasts of Bourbon drummer James Baker, now also terminally ill, doing more shows was a way of connecting the historical dots and keeping him on the planet. Call it musical therapy. A couple of gigs led to an extensive national tour earlier this year.

• beasts of bourbon
• the beasts
• still here
• ultimo

Read more …

John Kennedy announces Aussie dates to support his live album

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

11 December 2024

Hits: 1607

Urban and western troubadour John Kennedy kicks off his Australian run to promote “Live At The Marrickville Bowl” (I-94 Bar Records) this weekend.

Now living in Spain, Kennedy will play band gigs with his all-star The New Originals and solo/duo shows, hitting New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

First cab off the rank is an in-store thjis Saturday afternoon at Egg Records in Newtown - fittingly, just off King Street, which is a location Kennedy has immortalised in "The King of King Street". Most of The New Originals will join him. Full dates and ticket links after the fold. 

• australian tour
• John Kennedy and the New Originals
• live at the marrickville bowl
• 2024-25
• egg records

Read more …

There's starpower to burn on Starcrazy's debut album

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

11 December 2024

Hits: 1463

Starcrazy – Starcrazy (self released)

As the lights fade on 2024, it would have been a travesty not to review “Starcrazy” in full instead of just including the album in a Top Ten list. Glam rock with a touch of Van Halen isn’t the usual fare around these parts but stay with us because the debut LP for this Sydney band is one sweet ride.

My first glimpse of Starcrazy in the wild was during capacity-constrained COVID, in the confines of The MoshPit, the cosiest drive bar in Sydney. The band were then aged in their early to mid-20s. I remember being in awe at their skill levels but being confused by the range of their set and thinking how great they would be if they worked out their band identity.

• album
• starcrazy
• self titled
• debut

Read more …

Stems announce short run of shows in 2025

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

11 December 2024

Hits: 748

They could have called it the Back By Popular Demand Tour: The Stems made a triumphant return to the live stage in August and September 2024, celebrating their 40th Anniversary with a series of sold-out shows across Australia and Europe and they're back home to do it again in 2025.

The band - featuring original members Dom Mariani, Julian Matthews, and Dave Shaw, along with acclaimed guitarist Ashley Naylor (Even/Paul Kelly/The Church) - are set to hit the road once more with a limited series of shows along the east coast of Australia in April. .

Following the release of their Top 20 single "Falling From The Sky" and live album "The Stems - Official Live Recording" (Cheersquad Records & Tapes), fans can expect to hear some new music from the band in the lead up to their 2025 tour. In the meantime, don't miss out on snapping up tickets for the upcoming shows.

THE STEMS - EAST COAST AUSTRALIAN TOUR APRIL 2025
WEDNESDAY APRIL 23
NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, Melbourne VIC

THURSDAY APRIL 24
CROWBAR, Sydney NSW

FRIDAY APRIL 25
GUM BALL FESTIVAL, Hunter Valley NSW

SATURDAY APRIL 26
OLD MUSEUM, Brisbane QLD

*Tickets available from the venues or via www.lunalivepresents.com

• dom mariani
• the stems
• australian tour
• 2025

Top Tens for 2024: Ursula Collie Medew of Mick Medew and Ursula

Details

By Ursula Collie MedewC

Ursula Collie MedewC

09 December 2024

Hits: 1318

“I FEEL YOUNG, I HAVE FUN, I'M NOT DONE!"

1. This year I've been back writing songs. To have Mick Medew as a collaborator is fantastic. Hope you've enjoyed them on our second album, “In The Zone”.

2. I've seen some amazing gigs this year. Here’s the highlights. Human League!!Halfway's 20th anniversary of “Any Old Love”. (I was asked up on stage to play harmonica on one song, but I danced instead). Dave Graney and Clare Moore and Adele Pickvance at The Bearded Lady.  Glycereens at our single launch. Radio Birdman, Sabrina Lawrie, Salt & Steel and Sarah Stockholm at Stranded, Loves a Blur as part of the Going Nowhere Fast exhibition and book launch. The Worm Turns at PFR Lounge (plus I got to meet Ildi Babu). The Melancholics single launch. The Saints ‘73-‘78 at The Princess Theatre. The Donnybrooks at Lismore.

3. The 23rd March is a special day for Mick Medew and me, because that's when we saw Stuart McLaughlin drumming in Sarah Stockholm's band. We both looked at each other and said. “I like his style; he could suit us”. I approached Sarah and she said, “Go for it! He’s got his own studio too!” Turns out said studio is five minutes from us. Stuart was keen. We asked Mick's former bass player, Lois Andrews to join, and she said Yes too!! The Mick Medew and Ursula 4 was born and April 1 was our first rehearsal. We’ve since played four gigs and we are looking forward to next year's shows in Newcastle, Sydney, Ipswich and good old Brisbane.

4. On the 24th of January we got a new fridge! The door actually closes and seals the cold air in!! How about that??!!!!

• clare moore
• sabrina lawrie
• brian mann
• mick medew and ursula
• 4zzz
• dave gray
• tracey walker
• the saints '73-'78
• in the zone
• mick medew and ursula 4
• adele pickvance

Read more …

Top Tens for 2024: Mark Fraser of Vi-Nil Records, Redback Rock zine and Coastal Screenprinting

Details

By Mark Fraser

Mark Fraser

07 December 2024

Hits: 1055

 Ten musical things I dug in 2024.

• The Hard-Ons got to celebrate 40 years of ravaging the stage. Still as high-energy and still as true-to-form, brutally honest as ever. And a brand new doco to boot. Go see it. It’s great. Oh, and next year marks 40 years since the release of their debut EP, “Surfin’ On My Face” (ED: On Mark’s label Vi-Nil Records). Just sayin’!

• Middle Kids released an album that was completely hitsville from go to woah. Their previous releases all had a couple of great standout tracks, but “Faith Crisis Part 1” is their ultimate opus. Infectious indie pop that sits on the edge of mainstream and subsequently shits all over half of the commercial shit that has been released this year. 

• Elestial are a band that hails from Newcastle in Australia, and their nicely structured dream-pop is a beautiful shot of razored honey.  I was lucky enough to have them do a chunk of the INDIE SOUNDS launch tour throughout July, and they nailed every show. A nicer bunch you couldn’t meet. 

• Chamberlane are an indie pop punk band out of the Sunshine Coast. They jumped onto a last minute slot on the INDIE SOUNDS tour to help us out, and despite being hungover to the max from a festival the day before, they kicked the shit out of it. They’ve just finished a bit of an east coast tour and I was lucky to have them on board as part of the recent Vi-Nil Records showcase at The Recky Pacific Palms. Fun at a furious rate! 

• hard-ons
• top ten
• mark fraser
• redback rock
• vi-nil records
• tism
• mucho sonar
• the strike-outs
• 2024
• lion island

Read more …

Top Tens for 2024: Col Gray of Vicious Kitten Records

Details

By Col Gray

Col Gray

04 December 2024

Hits: 1142

The Golden Rat with Joe Rizzo – “Can Any Of You Muthas Dance?”
This live recording from July 2024 went straight to digital and we're thankful someone had the nouse to preserve it. The Golden Rat headlined a tribute show in Tokyo to honour the late Walter Lure (Heartbreakers/Waldos), who passed away in 2020. Joining The Golden Rat (Hiroshi The Golden Arm and Mr Ratboy) for this special evening was drummer Joe Rizzo - who'd done time with Walter for years (and was also a member of The Waldos, Pillbox and D Generation). Killer set of Heartbreakers/Thunders tunes done right! 

Marc Valentine – "Basement Sparks" CD
My brother and I saw Marc Valentine in ‘93 in London when he was fronting power-pop outfit the Last Great Dreamers. He released a killer album a couple of years back that included Wreckless Eric and Matt Dangerfield from The Boys, but this new album, “Basement Sparks” goes one better. Great songwriter who understands the pop/hook combo very well.

• brando rising
• vicious kitten
• new toys
• jupiter 5
• the golden rat
• mick medew and ursula
• the dictators
• col gray
• marc valentine

Read more …

Superchunk say you'd be Foolish to miss this tour

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

03 December 2024

Hits: 842

It’s been 30 years since North Carolina indie-rockers Superchunk released their classic fourth album, "Foolish", and they're bringing it and the rest of their bulging back catalogue Down Under.

Produced by Brian Paulson (Slint, Beck, Wilco, Dinosaur Jr) and mixed by the legendary Steve Albini, it was just one of the band’s many releases that resonated with musicians, critics and music lovers alike, and became one of Merge Records’ biggest releases.

Written following the break-up of Mac McCaughan (guitar and vocals) and Laura Ballance (bass and vocals) who both remained in the band and co-founded Merge, its powerful and catchy melodies and raw emotion still make "Foolish" stand out as one of the band’s best albums.

• australian tour
• 2024
• superchunk
• foolish

Read more …

The existential return of John Dowler's Vanity Project

Details

By The Barman

The Barman

02 December 2024

Hits: 1008

_{John Dowler's Vanity Project live.}

Iconic Sydney label Half A Cow is releasing the new album by equally iconic Melbourne-via-Adelaide power pop exponent John Dowler and his band John Dowler’s Vanity Project. "Existential Friend" is the third long-player by the Melbourne-based vehicle for singer and songwriter, a key figure in Australia’s alternative rock’n’roll scene of the ‘70s and ‘80s.



He and the band will launch Existential Friend at The Catfish in Fitzroy in Melbourne with guests Mark Stinson and the Simon Juliff Band, on Saturday January 25.


John Dowler's Vanity Project is a culmination of Dowler's previous work that touches on the art-pop rock of the first band Spare Change and the pub folk-rock of his ‘80s band The Zimmermen. At its heart, however, is the melodic pop rock of his late ‘70s band-most-likely, Young Modern.

Read more …