penny ikinger

It’s renowned as one of Melbourne’s most spectacular rock and roll shows and it hits Sydney’s Factory Theatre at Marrickville on Saturday. Epic Brass is the brainchild of Hunters and Collectors horns man Jack Howard and employs a stellar cast of underground stars to showcase the songs of the Saints, X, Laughing Clowns, Painters and Dockers, the Hunnas and Midnight Oil.

Former Sydneysiders Ron Peno (Died Pretty), Steve Lucas (X), Penny Ikinger (Wet Taxis) will join Jack Howard and Fiona Lee Maynard, with John Archer (Hunters and Collectors) on bass and Ash Davies on drums. Tickets here.

If you’re of a resident of Sydney’s Inner-Western Delta, you won’t have far to catch two sideshows before and after Saturday. Steve Lucas plays a free solo show at the Golden Barley at Enmore from 8pm on Thursday night with Penny Ikinger backing up at the same venue at 7pm on Sunday, also gratis.

Feedback songstress Penny Ikinger is pulling together an all-star band for a special one-off show in Sydney on October 17 with special guest Masami Kawaguchi from Japan.

Billed as a “psychedelic machine gun guitarist” by Wire magazine, Tokyo-based Kawaguchi will open the show at Marrickville’s The Factory Floor with a solo spot before joining Penny’s headlining line-up comprising Deniz Tek and Jim Dickson (Radio Birdman) and drummer John Fenton (Crow.)

Kawaguchi has played with Japanese bands Miminokoto, LSD March and Broomdusters and is said to be a master of Blue Cheer-meets-Nuggets fuzz zone. He played guitar on Penny’s new album, recorded in Tokyo. He is touring Australia to promote the release of his own solo album: “The Mad Guitar Sings” on Black Petal Records.

Main support will be The Maladies whose notoriously wild live shows swing erratically from tender croon to demented howl. Expect to see something intense and abrasive!

This is a one-off, never-to-be-repeated event and tickets are on here.

The winners of our Fantastic Mess Records/Baby 8/Penny Ikinger single giveaway are:

David Lowrie of Inverclyde in Scotland
John Arvantis of Highbury, South Australia
Georgia Kenndy of Bayswater, Western Australia
Fred Therag of Haan in Germany
Mark Littler of Warriewood in New Soth Wales and;  
Bob Blunt of Erskineville, Nw South Wales.

Congratulations all, keep an eye on your letterboxes.

Leader of the Mesmerisers and ex-Screaming Tribesmen and Rumours guitar icon, Mick Medew, is undertaking a short run of solo electric shows in Melbourne in November. Three gigs will be with Penny Ikinger and Claire Birchall is on the bill for the other.

Mick Medew
Solo & Electric Melbourne Tour
NOV
1 – The Espy, St Kilda w/ Penny Ikinger
3 – The Welcome Swallow, Brunswick w/ Claire Birchall
8 – Acland Street Folk Club, St Kilda w/ Penny Ikinger
10 - The Welcome Swallow, Brunswick w/ Penny Ikinger

 _{Emmy Etie photo.}

The New Christs are playing their last gigs for some time, with Rob Younger going back on active duty with Radio Birdman, and they’re going out with a flurry that includes two interstate gigs.

Friday, July 6 finds them fronting up for two sets at Beaches Hotel at Thirroul in New South Wales for free. On Saturday, July 7 they’ll return to the scene of their Marrickville Bowling Club triumph with James McCann and the New Vindictives almost a year ago with precisely the same bill.

On Saturday, July 14 they’ll play a rare Melbourne show at the Cherry Bar, again with James McCann and the New Vindictives plus Penny Ikinger. And Saturday, July 21 finds them headlining the Fly By Night Musos Club in Fremantle, Western Australia, with The Volcanics and The Shakeys supporting. This will be the New Christs' first-ever WA show.

Penny Ikinger’s third solo album, “Tokyo”, is on the way in Australia with launch shows in Melbourne and Sydney.

“Tokyo” is an international collaboration with guitarist Deniz Tek from Radio Birdman and musicians from the Japanese psychedelic rock underground.

“Tokyo” was released on Kerosene Records in Japan when Penny Ikinger performed in the Japanese capital with local band The Silver Bells last month. The Silver Bells will also back her at the Australian Tokyo album launch at Melbourne Museum’s Nocturnal on Friday, September 7.

The Japanese version includes a bonus track - a cover of “Boys in Town” by Divinyls. “Tokyo” will also be released by Melbourne label Off The Hip Records worldwide in August. Pre-orders (A$20 within Australia or A$25 overseas, postage included) can be made by Paypal at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Penny Ikinger “Tokyo”  album launch dates
Friday 7 September - Nocturnal at Melbourne Museum with The Silver Bells, Taipan Tiger Girls, The Pink Tiles & Adalita (DJ set)
Friday 22 September - The Union Hotel, Newtown, solo with The Maladies
Sunday, 23 September – The Golden Barley Hotel, Enmore (solo)

Australian sonic chanteuse Penny Ikinger is taking her unique sound to Japan again - this time to record as well as play live.

Penny has teamed up with Radio Birdman’s Deniz Tek to write new material on the first stage of her next musical offering. Stage two then takes Penny back to Japan to team up with her Japanese musical crew to record the songs. 

“I’ve collaborated before but this time I’ve taken it to another level to really challenge my approach to writing and to bring a fresh new sound to the music being created,” Penny said.

“Deniz is a fabulously talented musician and opening up the music for a true collaboration was an experience that brought new energy and ideas to the whole process.”

But that’s not the end of the story. Penny will now take these songs to Japan where she will further collaborate with her Japanese musical partners from recent tours.

“Last time I went to Japan in 2012 I performed with some amazing psychedelic rock musicians – Masami Kawaguchi (guitar), Louis Inage (bass) and Keiichi Sakai (drums),” Penny said.

“This time around we’ll play a few gigs, but the main focus will be recording this new material and having the guys bring their unique flavour to the songs.

“I’m really excited about the possibilities of where we might go with this – the crew in Japan are extremely talented musicians and although their sound aligns with my style, they are quite different in their approach.”

One of Australian underground music’s most special, enduring and well-travelled talents Penny Ikinger will play shows in Perth and Fremantle for the first time in May, en route to Japan to record with Deniz Tek.

Penny Ikinger is heading to Europe for some exclusive shows in France and Spain to promote her latest album "Tokyo"in March 2019. Penny will perform in France with musicians Dimi Dero (drums) and Vinz Guilluy (bass). They will also hit the studio with Jim Diamond (The Dirtbombs) as producer to record a new brand new track. She will perform solo in Basque Country (Spain).

Recorded in Japan, "Tokyo" is Ikinger’s third solo album and is an international collaboration with legendary guitarist and songwriter Deniz Tek (Radio Birdman) and musicians from the Tokyo psychedelic rock underground. "Tokyo" was released on Kerosene Records (Japan) and Off The Hip Records (Australia) and launched in Tokyo and in Melbourne (at Melbourne Museum’s Nocturnal) by Penny Ikinger with her Japanese band The Silver Bells featuring, Masami Kawaguchi on guitar.

Pioneering female guitarist Penny Ikinger began her musical journey in Sydney’s Wet Taxisin the 1980s, alongside the late Louis Tillett.

Since then, she’s collaborated with an eclectic range of musicians in Australia including Deniz Tek (Radio Birdman), Kim Salmon, Sacred Cowboys, Charlie Owen, Dave Graney, Clare Moore, and overseas with Dimi Dero (France), Vinz Guilluy (France), Masami Kawaguchi(Japan) and Donovan’s Brain(USA).

Melbourne-based, she's taking her full band, Penny Ikinger's Marbles,north for select dates at in Sydney and Canberra.

Singer-songwriter Louis Tillett has died in a Sydney hospital after lengthy health struggles, aged 63. The announcement was made online today, a week after his passing, by partner Rachael Slattery:

I am very sorry to have to pass on the news. One week ago Louis Tillett passed away. Jack and I were with him to the end. We thank Royal Prince Alfred and Concord Hospitals for allowing Jack and I to stay for days and weeks at a time leading up to his passing. 

Please remember him as he was, in the words of Hellen Rose, a Cheeky Druid. He brought joy to our pain, light to our darkness, and a good dose of mischief. I have gone to great lengths to make his Music available everywhere possible. I will leave links in the comments for you to find them. Louis has donated his body to Science. There will be no funeral as such. But please stay tuned for news about his Memorial.

Louis Tillett will be remembered as one of the most talented songwriters of the Australian underground scene of the 1980s and ‘90s. 

Tillett released nine studio albums and a live recording in a career that started in Sydney in 1977 with an experimental version of the Wet Taxis. That band finally coalesced as a more conventional ‘60s punk-influenced outfit in the mid-1980s and supported an Australian tour by Nico. 

Jack Howard’s Epic Brass has already blitzed hometown Melbourne and he's taking it north to Sydney's Factory Theatre on June 2 with an all-star cast.

Jack Howard’s Epic Brass is a celebration and an exploration of the great horn hits and hidden gems of Australian rock – from Hunters and Collectors and the Oils to The Saints, The Laughing Clowns and Wet Taxis, the show features an incredible set list of killer brass tunes.

The Epic Brass band features a mighty four-piece horn section. Jack is joined by a terrific cast of guest singers and players – Ron Peno (Died Pretty), Paulie Stewart (Painters And Dockers), Steve Lucas from X, Penny Ikinger (Wet Taxis) and Melbourne sensation, Fiona Lee Maynard, who bring their style and energy to this uniquely powerful show.

"Execution Days, A Celebration of the Life and Music of Spencer P. Jones"
The Escape Committee 
+ Adalita, Penny Ikinger, Sly Faulkner, Phil Gionfrido, Digger & The Pussycats,
The Pink Tiles, Claire Birchall, James McCann, Jules Sheldon, Foggy Notion,
Henry Hugo, The Last Gasp Horns
The Tote, Collingwood, Melbourne
Saturday 9 April, 2022
Photos by Michael Barry

Before we start, a disclaimer: I am a close personal friend of Patrick Emery, the author of "Execution Days: The Life and Times of Spencer P. Jones”and organiser of this gig. So therefore all objectivity is likely to be thrown out the window.

Patrick and I first saw the Beasts of Bourbon in a relatively small venue, Le Rox, in the city of Adelaide in early 1992. After the first few bars of the opening song, "Chase the Dragon", singer Tex Perkins kicked over the mic stand, the band abruptly stopped playing and Tex stormed off the stage headed towards the mixing desk. We were standing roughly in that area as he came charging in our direction and I was genuinely in fear that he was about to wreak some savagery upon us as part of the collateral damage of castigating the sound guy.

Catipalism: Where cats become dissatisfied with its lot they are unable to rise up in revolt clutching scythes, axes and burning brands (for all sorts of reasons) and decapitate their 'owner', so whenever able, they head to nearby houses in search of better pats, better food and some peace and quiet.

This happened with my first cat Doody who, after shimmying through the side door, zipped off and simply never came back. A street crowded with houses with small yards, and a main road nearby... I was desolate, until a few weeks later I spotted the little bugger on a wall nearby. He knew me, sniffed my hand, turned his bumhole on me and sodded off.

I'd fed the little bugger for 18 months and helped him whereever I could. Of course, I'd also had him desexed, for which he might not have forgiven me. And he managed to burn his whiskers once, before I could get to him. So, gratitude might not have been high on his list of priorities.

There’s a healthy rock and roll exchange program between St Kilda and Paris that’s being maintained by underground musicians from both sides of the globe. On the Franco side, it’s through semi-regular visits to Australia by players from bands like Dimi Dero Inc, Tex Napalm and Dimi Dero and Holy Curse (R.I.P.). 3 Headed Dog is the latest addition to the list and their musical trail leads to the seamy side of town.

Japanese guitarist Kawaguchi Masami has a reputation for heavy riffage and dreamy soundscapes in his long string of bands, but in solo mode he leans heavily towards the latter. “The Mad Guitar Sings” bears more than a reference in name only to Syd Barrett’s post-Floyd stuff but is perhaps even darker in its tone.

Masami has been in bands like Miminokoto, New Rock Syndicate, Los Doroncos (with Doronco of Les Rallizes Denudes), Aihiyo (with Keiji Haino), LSD March and Broomdusters, all of which are just names to me but well regarded by those grounded in Japanese heavy rock and psych.

In early May thieves broke into Dan Sullivan's Johnston Street recording studio in Melbourne and stole guitars, effects pedals and recording gear worth thousands of dollars.

Despite the best efforts of friends and fellow musicians, the equipment and gear has yet to be recovered, leaving Sullivan and James McCann personally and financially devastated.

The studio has recenty been used (for free) to record tracks for an upcoming Spencer P Jones tribute album.

On Sunday, 22 May members of the Melbourne music community will come together at The Tote in Melbourne to raise money to replace the missing gear. The event will feature performances from Kim Salmon, Garry Gray & the Sixth Circle, James McCann & the New Vindictives, Penny Ikinger, Midnight Scavengers, Fraudband, Los Dominados, Claire Birchall & the Phantom Hitchhikers, Jules Sheldon, Helen Ryder and Tex Napalm.

Come along and see some great music, while helping out some hard working members of the Melbourne music community in a time of need. Keep an eye on the Facebook event for playing times and to spread the word. 

It's a long time between Penny Ikinger records but the results are usually worth the wait. "Tokyo" follows "Penelope" (2010) and "Electra" (2003) and is as evocative as ever but with a slightly rockier disposition.

"Tokyo" was recorded with a batch of top-notch Japanese psychedelic musicians, with heavy input from Radio Birdman's Deniz Tek. The latter's influence is evident - not just in some flammable splashes of lead guitar but also in the odd lyric. That Four Winds Bar sure has done some mileage since being name-dropped by Blue Oyster Cult all those years ago...

Even so, "Tokyo" is very much a Penny Ikinger record. Gone are the days where she needed to be referenced as "a past member of Wet Taxis" or as "Nico defrosted". As clever as that last marketing line was, Nico ultimately shut out the world. Penny embraces its musical possibilities and has her own distinctive voice.

1. In February, we played a gig at the now closed Platform 5 in Clayfield, Brisbane. This venue was always good to us and we were very sorry to see it go.

2. In March, we used our frequent flyer points to head to Melbourne to launch our 2022 album, “Love Is Calling”. (ED: WHAT NO RECORD COMPANY TAB?)Dave Graney and Clare Moore invited us to open for them at The Night Cat in Fitzroy. What an honour! And what a great turn-out. We then played on the southside at The Lyrebird Lounge with special guest Penny Ikinger. Thanks to Suzi and all our Melbourne (and even Tasmanian) friends and fans who made this trip so special for us. We'll be back!

This year I honour my dear friend and musical collaborator the late Louis Rohan Tillett (13 March 1959 – 6 August 2023), whose music most readers of this webzine will be familiar with. Louis was a singer, song writer and multi-instrumentalist, who was based in Sydney. Sadly, he passed away in August 2023.

If it wasn’t for Louis’ encouragement and support of my music, I most probably wouldn’t have embarked on the musical path that has consumed my life over the last four decades.