beasts of bourbon

Australian musical legend Spencer P Jones has passed away in Melbourne following a long fight against cancer.

The news broke tonight with outpourinfs of grief breaking out all over social media. Spencer is survived by his wife, Angie. 

A member of Beasts of Bourbon, The Johnnys, Paul Kelly and The Coloured Girls, Hell To Pay, Chris Bailey and The General Dog, Maurice Frawley and The Working Class Ringos, and Sacred Cowboys and a solo artist with 10 albums to his own name. Spencer was one of the Australian underground music scenes's leading lights.

Born in Te Awamutu, New Zealand, in 1956, Spencer moved to Melbourne in the mid-'70s and played with Cuban Heels among others before a shift to Sydney where he joined cow punks The Johnnys.

Carbie Warbie Photo

What Would I Know? - Brian Henry Hooper (Bang! Records)

Brian Henry Hooper was a remarkable man. I first encountered him when he was part of Kim Salmon's band, The Surrealists. I had no idea what to expect, and the huge shattering sound, the big horror-show songs, and Kim's howls backed by two droogies from an abbattoir... my mouth was flat on the floor. Magnificent.

It was many years later that I met Brian for the first time, more or less by accident at a different gig, when I used a rather unpleasant local term which Brian immediately picked up on - "That's a real Adelaide term, isn't it?" Brian was always interested in the world around him - I recall him also relating how beautiful Adelaide was as the aircraft came in to land... come in the right way to land, I suppose, and even...no, that's not right. I knew what he meant, the place can be damned pretty.

No, really. Brian liked Adelaide.

Oh my God. It happened. I can't believe it really happened.

During a speech in Dallas at Southern Methodist University’s George W Bush Presidential Center this month, the man himself, George W Bush, did the best thing ever. I am pretty sure it is the single best thing that has ever happened. I do not believe I am exaggerating when I say that.

While criticizing Russia for having rigged elections and shutting out political opposition (which would already be hilarious coming from any American in general and Bush in particular), the 43rd President made the following comment:

“The result is an absence of checks and balances in Russia, and the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq. I mean, of Ukraine."

And then it got even better. After correcting himself with a nervous chuckle, Bush broke the tension in the empire-loyal crowd with the words, "Iraq too. Anyway." He then quipped that he is 75-years-old, leaning harder on his "Aw shucks gee willikers I'm such a goofball" persona than he ever has in his entire life.