JANUARY #1 2014
now we know who bought the second album
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Ok so this fortnight’s issue was a real it) and we genuinely believe that he pain in the arse. does care about live music but lets Firstly we were struggling to find any face facts. records to review because a) record companies fucking hate us b) it was after Xmas and anything that was
It’s an election year. He is a politician. The Agent of Change Principal is a nice step in the right
coming out was pretty shit and c) we didn’t really look that hard!
direction but it is not enough!
But we got there in the end... I think!
All we need to do now is squeeze the balls of the other side to find out
Then if that wasn’t enough. We ended up what they will do! getting our interview with the Cosmic It’s just logical! Psychos completely fucked up due to bushfires. How fucking odd?
So, advance warning to that poor fucker who has to deal with us this fortnight!
A special thanks to Dig and Ross who made the time to organise it though. It Then just to really make it a bad was a blast and thankfully I didn’t fortnight we completely fucked up and die. destroyed the majority of our work! Although it was very fucking hot. What you hold in your hands was Ross Knight fire man... It’s fucking surreal but steeped in reality!
basically thrown together in just 48 hours!
Then we had the interview with Mr Matthew Guy! The Victorian Minister for Planning. Special thanks to Rochelle Jackson for that (champion)
You shouldn’t be able to tell because it’s usually this shit anyway!
Look he was actually a nice guy (get
Rock & Roll
Anyway, we hope you enjoy the ramblings!
EDITOR/VERY IMPORTANT PERSON
In this issue of
Rock & Roll Magazine is published by:
Pg 12
BOSMC Pg 16
KING PARROT Pg 22
Matthew Guy Pg 28
DIGGER & THE PUSSYCATS Pg 32
THE COSMIC PSYCHOS Pg 44
DIGGER SAYS Pg 48
RANT!
Rock & Roll Magazine Pty Ltd PO BOX 5034 Burnley VIC 3121 Editor: Shane Hilton Associate Editor: Leanne Farrell Office Bitch: Strawb G Hetti Contributors: Pudgey , Strawb, Lefty, Shane! “Thank You, Thank You, All Square Now?”: Minnie “the Myna” Bird (make me dinner!), Roger & Georgia Murphy (I WANT CHICKEN AND BISCUIT WITH GRAVY!), Boxer, Meeshy the Office Cat (We lost your photo), the KKKitchen Crew , Toothless Jack, Taylor & Bogan Robot Lighting, the Morrows ?), Eddie & Gav @Game Deficiency, all the bands that agreed to be interviewed, the Farrell family, all the people who make us coffee, MeetWagon (prepare to MEAT), Digger & Trish & the Boys, the smartest man in Rock & Roll (Thanks for giving us a couple of minutes and putting things in perspective for us. Picking your brain is always a delight) ,Sandra/ MadDog Extra Special Thanks
Satan & Whatever God (You really fucking did it this week) Cocksuckers Everywhere (Who would we hate?) Apple (How come our phones go to shit right after our contract’s up?) Shitty Record Companies (Not all of you are bad but most of you are grade-a deadshits...)
FRONT OF HOUSE NEWS & ABUSE
GOD HAS SEVEN INCHES In celebration of the release
Without A Jackhammer! Fuck
of the compilation Dirty
yeah!
Jeans: The Rise of Australian Alternative Rock 1988-2002 Festival Records/WMA will be reissuing My Pal as a limited edition 7” single. It’s will be limited to 600 copies and will feature the original cover art and include the b-side A Man
If you’re one of the lucky punters to get a hold of this we strongly recommend you play this little game. Drink a bottle of Jack Daniels, smoke 2 packs of cigarettes and then try to sing like Joel Sibersher!
Without A Woman Is Like A Nun It is fucking impossible!
GUMBALL TURNS INTO A TEN YEAR SUCKER There has been another announcement for the 10th anniversary of the Gumball up at ‘Dashville’ in Lower Belford NSW on the 11th & 12th of April. Joining the Hoodoo Gurus, Jinja Safari, Wolf & Cub, Ngaiire, Adrian Edmondson and The Bad Shepherds, Nicky Bomba All Stars, The Gin Club, Swamp Thing ,Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes, Lindi Ortega, Jordan Rakei and Pow Wow will be King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, Ed Kuepper, Dyson, Stringer, Cloher, Damien Dempsey, The Hello Morning, Tropical Zombie, The Dennis Boys Band, Zombonimo, The Soorleys, Dashville Progress Society! What a fucking nice line up and very pleasant news considering the announcement that the Hoodoo Gurus Dig It Up Festival is kaput this year! Tickets available from www.thegumball.com.au ENJOY THE LAST DAY OUT
FRONT OF HOUSE NEWS & ABUSE
Ok good looking people! It’s time to pull your fucking head out of your arse and start listening to your local community radio instead of complaining about Triple J! It’s time for the PBS 106.7FM DRIVE LIVE! Don’t know how it works? Well, this is what happens! For a full week a whole bunch of bands will take over a show and play some wicked tunes! These are the bands that will be controlling your radio dial!
MIXING UP THE MEDICINE Tuesday, 4th February The Stevens, Courtney Barnett, School of Radiant Living AFTERGLOW Wednesday, 5th February Hiatus Kaiyote, D.D Dumbo, The Harpoons FANG IT! Thursday, 6th February, Harry Howard and the NDE, Cherrywood,Bad Vision STONE LOVE Friday, 7th February The Murlocs, Wonderboy, Sugar Fed
ZEN ARCADE
Leopards
Monday, 3rd February
You can even go in and watch!
Forces, Miles Brown, White Hex
Fuck they will even have beer!
NEW OFF! ALBUM IN APRIL! Keith Morris, guitarist Dimitri Coats,
Remember when Keith died and then arose
bassist Steven McDonald, and drummer
3 days later?
Mario Rubalcaba better known as the band OFF! have decided that it is time for another album! We at Rock & Roll Magazine are very glad!
Yeah, we thought that was the end but they’re back in the studio and the album is due to hit the stores on April 11th. It’s called Wasted Years and has the Raymond artwork... Nice!
FRONT OF HOUSE NEWS & ABUSE
THE ONLY FESTIVAL SURVIVAL GUIDE YOU WILL EVER NEED! Since it is time to
Fuck how easy is that?
pull out easy space filler we have decided
No sunscreen!
to bring you the Only
No bullshit lines!
Festival Survival
Plus all the cock
Guide You Will Ever
smokers will be at
Need!
whatever festival
Here it is:
they’re at!
Go to the pub!
What a bonus.
Preferably one that
If there is a band you
plays good tunes and has air-conditioning...
want to see just hope they have a sideshow!
AUSTRALIA DAY WILL BE FULL OF SHIT In Melbourne Australia
while as well so it’s
Day?
probably best that you
Got nothing to do? Head on down to the Tote for ShitFest! It’s guaranteed to be SHIT!
make your way down there! The bill has been put together by BOSMC and will feature AD Skinner, Batpiss, The Gooch Palms,
There will be a free BBQ,
Hierophants, Gentlemen, Cut
bands and beer!
Sick and the Pink Tiles!
What more could you want?
Tickets might be on the
It may be the last time you see Bits Of Shit play for a
door but get in quick because it will be packed!
THE BITS OF SHIT MUSIC CLUB
Interview: Pudgey O’Keefe & Shane Hilton Article: Shane Hilton
Sometimes interviews with bands can be a real
thing... but we haven't gone as far as that I
pain in the arse.
guess”
There's always something that they don't want
“We do like to pretend that we adhere to
to talk about. A dark secret they don’t want
certain rules and all that sort of stuff.
you to know about.
Danny probably lives that a little bit more
You see it in their faces when you scrape against a nerve. Bit's of Shit are not that kind of band. "We're taking a sabbatical" Bit's of Shit bassist Eli tells us. A sabbatical? That's usually code for someone's having a kid isn't it? "That's one reason but we're getting older and it's time to do it" explains Bit's of Shit guitarist Andy. "When we started the band it was just for the fun of it. Just for the creative outlet. It was just Danny (vocals) and me. I'd just go around to his place and we just played songs in his living room for ourselves and it just grew from that. We've achieved a lot from the band than what I thought we ever would" The Bits of Shit, or the BOSMC (Bits of Shit Music Club) if you prefer, are a difficult band to grasp. From the idea of being a 'music club' with patches and charter rules to the fact that two of the Melbourne four piece are educators of small children and the one Bit who claims to be the "lucky guy who gets to sing the National Anthem before cock fights" (a job that is apparently something he "isn't allowed to talk about") the concept and reality of the Bits of Shit is something that would leave even the smartest of people wondering "What the fuck is going on?" It’s the type of thing that could lead you to thinking they're taking the piss.
than what we do. He gets very serious about certain things” Formed back in, the Bit's of Shit do is exactly what their moniker suggests. They takes bits of 80's LA hardcore, minimalist lo-fi post-punk and Australian punk-pub-rock and combine in it into something they can call their own. And what they call it is Bits of Shit. "The influences should be pretty obvious" affirms Eli "I guess the pub rock side of it is the Australian side of it. Then the punk stuff is the other stuff we listen to" "The music you write, the music you create" Andy tells us "It comes from the sounds you like. That's the way you want it to sound. If we don't want it to sound like hip hop then we're not going to be playing a hip hop beat. The sounds have just come from what we like to listen too" That sound was cleverly and severely caught by the band on their 2012 debut Cut Sleeves, released through, Melbourne institution Richie Ramones, brand new label Homeless Records. "Richie wanted to get back into the record thing and he didn't want to keep going with Full Toss so he started the new label" says Andy "I've known Richie for years and we're mates and he said he wanted to put out a Bit's of Shit record. We were the first one on the label. We got off to a pretty cracking start and it's been good since. His put out some pretty good records. It's been a good label for us"
But they're not.
Cut Sleeves has quickly became a must have,
"We're serious about what we're doing. With all
not only for the people that like the music
this MC stuff and image... that's a part of it but contained on it, but also for the type of people who like to collect the rarer, limited run it's not a comedy band" says Andy “We're trying to build something more than just playing in a band. Making it a bit more holistic. Making it a bit more of a life style
specimens of vinyl that they can then show off to god knows who. "That's the good thing about fellas who start labels that are mad keen collectors and love
music wise. His really got his ear to the ground" "So he came out and saw us in Austin, liked it, came out to Memphis for Gonerfest and I spoke to him there and he said "I've got this singles club. Do you want to do it?”" “His got a few other Aussies there. Lower Plenty were doing something and Royal Headache so I guess we're a part of the new Aussie folk tradition” the form" Andy declares "They know what's collectible. They put a lot of time and effort into making it look right” “We just picked up his super limited Stickmen record the other day. It's got the hand screened covers” “I think he started the label just to improve his own bloody record collection personally. It's ok though because it's working for us" The release of the long player also saw the band snag a spot at Memphis institution Goner Records infamous Gonerfest, a four day showcase of bands which have included
“That just happened so we recorded it and chucked it out" While fans of BOSMC might be concerned that it will be the four pieces final release, if anything, it should have them salivating. The band seem have a lot more planned than just taking a 'sabbatical'. "At the moment we'll call it a sabbatical" says Andy before hinting "There's a couple of little sneaky ones that we might sneak in through the year" "Unless, we write a bunch of shit somewhere down the line that we want to do" adds Eli
everyone from Guitar Wolf, the Black Lips, Jay
"It's kind of just let's see how we feel. That's
Reatard and Mudhoney to a slew of Australian
why we're not saying that we're going to break
bands including the Onyas, Digger and the
up. Considering all our mood swings one day we
Pussycats, Eddy Current Suppression Ring,
might all wake up and just say "Let's go! Let's
Cuntz and just about any other Australian
do it again!"
garage punk band worth their salt.
"It could be the right time for us to write
"That was real fun and we had a real prime
while we're having a break" ponders Andy "I
spot" says Eli "We were on at ten on a Friday
really like the little records. The singles.
night and it was probably the biggest crowd
They're really fun to make"
we've played too. It was really good" While playing Gonerfest the band also had the luck of engaging in a conversation with Matador Records Gerard Cosloy which led to the celebrated independent releasing a Bits of Shit seven inch earlier in 2013. Something a lot of bands in a similar position would give their eye teeth for. "Yeah, that was one out of left field" Andy remarks "When we were in the States we played a gig in Austin and Gerard came out to see us” “He'd heard of us before because for some reason he knows everything that's going on
A bit like the Meanies? "Yeah, they were the kings of the singles" he answers "They just had that spastic energy
about them. They were out to prove themselves.
It’s not just the split single the band are
That's what you want"
planning before taking their break for an
One of the sneaky ones that they're happy to
“indeterminate amount of time”
talk about is the release of the long awaited
The band will also be having one final
split single with fellow Melbournites and
blowout at the Tote in Melbourne.
sometimes tour mates Batpiss.
“We're putting that gig together it's called
The spilt will see both Batpiss and the Bit’s
Shitfest” says Andy “Not all the bands are
of Shit record a song written specifically by
confirmed but most of them are”
each band for the other.
“There's Bit's Shit obviously, the Gooch Palms,
"It's conceptual ” Andy explains.
Cut Sick, A.D Skinner, Gentlemen and Pink Tiles”
“We got contacted by this label called Batshit
“We've put the bands on we want to put on. We
and they wanted to put out a record and I
could of put on bands that we play with all
thought 'Christ with a name like that we've got the time but it seemed ridiculous” to have Batpiss on it!'" he elaborates "So we wrote song for each other” “They'll be playing a song we wrote and we'll be playing a song they wrote” “Well, they wrote the bare bones. We've
“We like playing with Batpiss, Cuntz and all them but it would of just been another gig with Batpiss, Cuntz and Bit's of Shit” “It should be good. Free barbie and all that kind of jazz. Richie Ramone will be DJ'ing that
completely stripped it back and turned it into night so he'll probably bring along a few something else. I think they've done the same thing” “I'm guessing we'll be doing each other's artwork. Paul (guitarist for Batpiss) is an awesome artist so we will get him to do some stuff and I'll do some stuff for them"
crates” But will the Bits of Shit be back? “Bands” laughs Andy “They always let you down don't they” Not always, Andy! Not always.
Interview: Pudgey O’Keefe & Shane Hilton Article: Shane Hilton
There's a lot of days and nights at the Tote
equipment King Parrot singer Youngy is still
that will be a shared collective memory for
running around filming. He changes from
anyone that was fortunate enough to be there
jeans/no shirt to tuxedo and dashes with a
and even a fair few that weren't.
film crew between toilet and bar as the crowd
It's just one of those places. It's got an aura of whatever the fuck is going to happen is going to happen and it's going to be rock & roll in the most fucked up and beautiful way. And you're never going to forget it. It won't let you. One of those days will be the day King Parrot put an axe through the famed front door of the mecca of Melbourne music. As I walk up to the front door wondering just what the fuck is going on an avalanche of sound is bursting out the busted door. I stick my head into the packed out front bar and there's Matt Young. His mid air and horizontal above a sea of crazed punters lost in an orgy of pure fucking mayhem. It almost seems as though his suspended from the roof because he just seems to hang there for minutes. It's as if the heat of the crowd
disperses to the beer garden for a break. Fuck, they've just seen King Parrot play a gig in the front bar of the Tote to thank them for coming and helping the Melbourne 5 piece make a video clip... they're rooted. The band on the other hand have been at it for almost 12 hours. They should be fucked but they're still there doing what needs to be done. King Parrot is a machine that needs a lot of sweat and hard work into it put into it. After another hour and a half of filming Matt Young bounds up in a blur of activity. Are we ready to do the interview? "Are you sure?" we ask him "You've been working all day. It can wait" "Nah, it's alright" he says "Let's do it" The energy of Matt Young and the rest of King Parrot is unbelievable. "I remember when we first started playing I
and the brutal assault of the music has given
was still drinking and smoking and carrying
crowd surrounding him.
almost have to lie down because I was almost
him some sort of magical power to levitate face on back then" Youngy tells us "I'd come on stage and try and do what I do now and I would down just out of the reach of the packed out It's one of the moments you live for. The reason you listen to music. All of a sudden it's finished. I've walked in for the last song. For me it only lasted a minute or two but it's something I will be remembering for the rest of my life. It's a rock & roll moment. The reason for all the mayhem? King Parrot are making another film clip and
passing out" If you haven't seen King Parrot live you just won't get it. They're a band that needs to be seen. They bring an intensity to their music that's seen them turn from one of the dark horses of the Australian underground into a band that's able to appeal to not just those in the Australian metal community but everybody else that catches a glimpse of the Melbourne band. At the core of that appeal is their live show.
judging by the empty beer fridges in the front
"A lot of people think when I'm performing that
bar everyone had a good time making it.
I'm drunk or I'm on drugs" Youngy laughs "But
There's just one Melbourne stubby and not much else. As the band start pulling down their
if I was drunk or on drugs I'd be in the fucking dunny you know... taking drugs!" "We just have fun with the crowd. We have a
good time" It's a live show that doesn't stop either. Since the release of their 2012 debut Bite Your Head Off the King Parrot boys have been
doing a tour with Gay Paris" Youngy tells us "It's just left of centre and I'm sure a lot of people are thinking "Fuck! What the fuck do they think they're doing?" Well, we're just doing
our own thing. We just want to mix it up a bit destroying any stage they come across as often because we all love rock music as well. We're as they can. Everything from the initial not these strict metal heads" BastardFest tour in support of the tour to
regional dates and even 2014's Summernats has seen the King Parrot road train constantly crisscross the country. Hard work is something the whole band don't shy away from. If any young band wanted to see what being in a successful working band is like King Parrot are the perfect example. They're a work horse band that hasn't just become successful instead they've put the hard yards in and created it for themselves. "It is something that we've spoken about" he explains "It was 'This is the band that were doing and if you are going to be in this band we want you to be committed to doing it'" "I think everyone's on board. It's people that have been doing music their whole life and people who want to succeed with it I suppose. We just want to have a crack at it" "Obviously we're not shying away from the fact that we want to try and get overseas and tour as much as we can and really make a go of it" "At the end of the day none of us are really good at anything else so we might as well do what we love doing and play music that we like playing. Hopefully people enjoy it. You know so far so good" "Doing our own tour and then at the start of the year we did Devils Kitchen and then we went overseas. That sort of makes an impression on people I think. Following that
"It was a good experience for us just to get out in front of people who we probably haven't played in front of before" he explains "There was a lot of younger dudes there who were more into Thy Art Is Murder and the Virgins Crown" "I was really surprised really at how well those gigs went as well. A lot of them sold out and it was awesome" "Then we followed that up with the Psycroptic tour and then another of our own tours" "It might of looked like we were doing different tours but we basically just didn't stop. We had a few weeks off here and there but no we didn't stop" It was that attitude, work ethic, ability to push boundaries and relentless energy that they put into everything that have also seen them garner an invite to Austin Texas's South By Southwest alongside other Australian luminaries High Tension, DZ Deathrays, Money for Rope and Mia Dyson (plus about a bazillion others). They will also be kicking off around the USA and Canada for a string of dates before and after the famed musical showcase. "Our first show is in LA on the 18th of March with Cattle Decapitation at the Whiskey Au Go Go" "It was just 'Cool! That sounds like a good first show in America!'"
up with the Thy Art Is Murder and Cattle
"But we're going to South By South West" he
Decapitation tour that was really cool"
continues "We weren't just going there to hang
King Parrot don't mind taking themselves and their audience out of the comfort zone with who they play alongside either. It's something that's given them access to an audience that otherwise may never have seen them. "Playing with Thy Art Is Murder and Cattle Decapitation and then Psycroptic and then
on we actually got invited to officially showcase and I think we will be probably be one of the most extreme bands on there so that's fucking great" "We're going to go on tour with a band called Vattnet Viskar which do black metal sort of stuff and are a really cool band. It's looking
like it's going to be 30 or 40 shows and we're
interview us because we were from Australia.
just going to do the whole thing right round
Things are just so different over there. We
from LA, and down south and the east coast and
tried to get her to play a track but she just
a couple of shows in Canada and then back to
wouldn't play it"
do the west coast. Basically the whole thing"
And while Indonesian radio not go for thrashy,
"With the South By South West it's kind of hard
full on, aural assault grind blasting its way
to do everything last minute as well. You can't
across their airwaves the kids coming to the
make too many plans but it's going well. We'll
King Parrot shows is another thing.
be there in March for a month and half-ish and we plan on going to Asia as well and doing a few things there as well" It won't be the first time that the King Parrot boys have been taken their music to our northern neighbours either.
"It's super underground but there's so many kids that are into it. There's just so many people everywhere so if you're going to play a show there's going to be people there" "We played in a chicken shop" he laughs "That was hilarious. It's called Rocket Chicken and
"We did the Obscene Extreme in Jakarta. That
we played in the children's birthday party
was insane."
upstairs and there was just blood all over the
"It was a really wet day. Real full on monsoonal rain" "We did about five other shows in Indonesia which was like nothing you've ever seen. We played in a high school car park with this sort of tin roof which was really low because a lot of the Indonesian people are kind of short so everything's just that little bit smaller. We were crowd surfing and stuff like that and we were squashed up against this little tin roof"
floor at the end of it" "There was this drunk kid drinking his homemade alcohol and he was passed out in the stairwell. Everyone was smoking clove cigarettes" "It was just nuts" "The kids there they do this funny thing when there's 3 of them in a row and the guy in the middle puts his arms around his 2 mates and they start running through the mosh pit and the guy in the middle just starts kicking his
"The reception we got playing in those sorts of legs. Just kicking the shit our of people. I was areas where you don't see many tourists was
like "What the fuck is going on here?" It was
amazing. You walk in and looking the way we
just insane and a really good experience. We're
look they were just "Whoaaaa!" I think at the
just looking forward to going back over there
first gig we sat around getting photos for the
and maybe doing a few more countries as well"
first 3 hours with kids and stuff like that. They probably didn't know who we were"
One of the things that have enabled King Parrot to make such an impact not only
It was also in Indonesia that King Parrot got
overseas but also back home in Australia is
a bit of a taste of something no Australian
the amount of effort they put into their film
band would ever dream of getting in their home clips. country. "We did the TV thing over there as well" he tells us "We got into the TV studio and they did this interview that went on the television. We didn't know what they were saying and they made us wear these traditional Indonesian hats and stuff. It was just "Sure! Why not?" "We did a radio interview there as well. It was a top 40 type of thing and she just wanted to
There's one in particular that everyone likes to talk about. It seems almost inevitable we ask him about the film clip for Shit On The Liver. "I think you can never really anticipate when that shit happens" he ponders "Especially with the Shit On The Liver clip. You could never anticipate that was going to happen" That film clip if you've never seen it, which is
idea and go "Ok, that was a cool video. What can we do for the next one?" It just keeps building. Hopefully, the one that we did today will work out as well. I've got a good feeling about it" "It's totally different. It's a one minute twenty second song and we just didn't want to go "Ok, we're doing a video for the new single" we wanted to go "Fuck you, we'll do whatever the fuck we want!" If you like it you like it and if you don't... well we're not going to try and do another Shit On The Liver or anything like that. We do what we want to do and if get's the recognition it gets. Good. And if it doesn't stiff shit. We just want to make sure that it's quality and it's good. We just want to make the effort" They're the same principals King Parrot are applying to the question that everyone wants answered. When will there be a new King Parrot album? pretty unlikely, was without a doubt one of the best video clips released in Australia in many a year. It was something that opened the band up to a new audience, through it's constant presence on social media, that might not always be exposed
"The album (Bite Your Head Off) has only been out for a year or so. It's just came out in America a month ago" "We're writing new stuff when we get a chance but because we're touring so much it's been hard"
to the heavier things that happen in
"There's a few new songs and we've been playing
Australian music.
one live recently. It's just coming along"
"Slatts and I were at a gig and Dan our video
"Ari's like a riff machine so he's got a lot of
producer sent us the first version of Shit On
the stuff just sitting there. A lot of bands
The Liver and I watched it"
with their writing process... I don't know they
"I quickly grabbed Slatts and said 'You've got to see this'" "We watched and we were just pissing ourselves laughing. It was just holy shit! That's awesome!" The question on our lips is if he think that the film clip they shot today at the Tote will have the same kind of impact as what everything else they've done?
might use computers and stuff like that but we like to do it organically in a jam room. Do it all together and mould the song the way that we do. It probably takes a little longer but we're just working through it" "We just want to do something that's different, a bit original and a bit unique. I guess the whole thing with King Parrot from the start is we just wanted to step away from being what you would expect from a metal band or a
"It went really well. Look you can't anticipate
thrash band or a punk band or whatever"
what's going to happen on the day. You just
And that’s the thing about King Parrot.
don't know. I think we just enjoy the whole thing. Even back to the Epileptic Butcher video, the first one, that was cool in itself. It was just good to get a start in it and have an
Always expect the unexpected. Just ask the front door of the Tote.
Interview & Article: Shane Hilton
Fucking music fans. It may come as a surprise to you but I fucking hate people who love music. I know it's a bit odd isn't it?
So when I thought it would be a good idea to give Matthew Guy, Victoria's Minister for Planning, a call to find out just what the fuck he was doing to protect live music in Melbourne I was confused beyond
But have a think about it.
comprehension.
They're judgemental, cliquey, know it all
To me politics and politicians are just the
assholes who walk around with an air of
same bits of shit stuck on different feet.
superiority gained because in their head
No matter what side of the foot it's stuck on
they're telling themselves "Well, I was there first... I did this first... I'm better than you... Me, me, me, fucking me!" In other words they're complete toss pots. What the fuck do the vast majority of them do for anyone but themselves? I'll tell you... fuck all. Everything is about being cooler than the next fuckwit. And do you know what? You're probably one of
it's still the same bit of shit being walked through the house. But this is something I feel pretty passionate about. I love live music. I have worked in these places, watched a lifetimes of awesome bands in them and met a lot of people who will be friends of mine until they box me up and stick me in the ground.
those people. Look deep inside yourself...
It's where I became the person I am today.
I know that I'm one of those pricks. I'm a self
So the fact that these places are being
loathing music fan. Can you see it in yourself?
threatened by people who are moving into areas around live music venues for the culture and lifestyle that these venues
Have you never seen someone and called them a directly create and then complaining about hipster fuckwit? Nah, you'll deny it and that's why you're one of those people I hate so much. So, if I feel that way about people who share a love of music the same as myself... imagine what I must think of politicians! It couldn't be good could it? Well, it isn't.
them... well, that drives me up the fucking wall! In other words it makes me a pretty fucking dangerous person to be around when this subject comes up. It just so happened that the person I was going to be speaking about this situation was with the politician with the power to maybe do some very good things for live music or with
When I really hate someone or something I just the stroke of a pen completely fuck it up in my home state of Victoria. show it complete indifference. I simply don't care. And that people! Is the worst kind of loathing you can get. It may not sound like much but, believe me, complete lack of attention in today's world is like a stake to the heart. Everyone wants to be the centre of attention even if it's some asshole screaming "I fucking hate you CUNT!" They want it. They crave it.
It was a Molotov cocktail just waiting for a spark. "It's like moving near the airport and then complaining about airport noise" says the chipper voice on the other end of the phone. What the fuck? Have I called the wrong number? This can't be a politician! Is this James Young from Cherry Bar?
Some cunt must be having me on... surely this
City, there's been a pretty concerted effort by
can't be a politician! That's a point I've heard developers, blow-ins and assholes to made in every single sticky carpeted venue in completely fuck up live music in the town town. This persons speaking too much common sense! It just can't be the Minister for fucking Planning! "People need to understand that if they are moving to the inner city area it's going to be noisier than if they moved to Cranbourne or
that brings the world so many fucking amazing bands and artists. Music lovers in the city got all up in arms when the Tote was closed... not threatened with closure but actually closed! They closed down that hot bed of musical activity because they thought it was a high risk venue for alcohol
fuelled violence. a cul-de-sac in Montrose or to a country area like Sale" the voice continues "There is going Why did they think that? Well, because of the to be noise from live music venues and people need to understand that if they're moving to the inner city. It's one of the points they need to acknowledge" "If they're moving downtown or they're moving close to the city then yes it is going to be easier to get to work because the travel time will be reduced but at night there will be noise from some of these venues and that is
performance of amplified live music... Yeah, we won't even get into how fucking stupid that whole situation was but suffice to say we marched, we petitioned and we got the liquor licensing conditions changed. The Tote re-opened and we all went the fuck home satisfied that we had done a good job!
Except we hadn't! We'd just solved one of many just what the inner city is about. People need problems. to acknowledge that if they are moving nearer to town"
Of course there were the self important dicks
"I think we all know that Melbourne is the
Do you see why I hate music fans now?
who managed to get themselves on a couple of Now, I know this is a politician... and how do I committees to continue the good fight but most of us just went back to bed and waited until know that? it was too late again so we could get up and Well, his pissing in my pocket isn't he. complain loudly because the government He thinks I'm a fucking mushroom... wasn't doing enough! home of live music in Australia" it drones on "So we want to do what we can to protect live music in the city" Ah... hold on... what the fuck was that? Did he just say he wants to protect live music?
The thing that we really needed was the Agent of Change principal introduced. The Agent of Change Principal in its purest form simply means that if you choose to move or develop near an existing live music venue
"We don't want to hasten its demise we want to help it. We want to help it thrive. It's a great
and that venue is following all the laws and shit like that than you can't fucking
scene. It's one of the key things about Melbourne inner city areas in particular
complain!
that make it such an exciting and interesting place to come and visit not just in the day but also after hours" Well, fuck me drunk! Unless you've been living under a rock you would know that in Melbourne, the city that likes to refer to itself as the Rock & Roll
It also means that you're responsible for soundproofing your dwelling... not the venue (provided of course their within their prescribed limits)! But of course the question is will they actually do this? Will the Agent of Change Principal be introduced?
"Look it's only regulation" the Minister for
Better yet do some research and understand
Planning tells us "It's not legislation so it what inner city ling is all about! can come in pretty straight forward from just Want a kid or feel like retiring in the inner a regulatory change and we're getting some city? Well, this is what it is! advice on that now" If you don't like it? Maybe a quieter bit of "We don't want to rush it. We want to make sure suburbia not near a live music venue is more it's right but it is pretty straight forward. to your liking? I'm meeting with Ed O'Donahue who is one of At least there you can teach your kid to ride the Ministers involved in this area and he and I will go over some ideas the next week
a bike...
or two and it will probably come to a conclusion after that"
Does that mean that we, as lovers of live
So what does that mean?
Far from it...
Well, we will leave that one to the fellow on
Ever tried to get home after a gig?
music, have won though?
the phone!
It sucks doesn't it. "We see this whole industry as one being The taxis are a joke. There is no public central to a really vibrant and successful 24 transport. It's almost as if they want you to hour Melbourne in the future" he says drink and drive but do you know who drinks "Melbourne won't be a successful 24 hour city and drives? as my planning vision for Melbourne No, not bloody idiots! Stupid cunts drink and describes unless we've got a successful live music industry. That's what keeps people
drive!
interested in coming back to the pubs whether What all of Melbourne, not just the people it's in North Melbourne, South Melbourne, going out to watch a band, need is a 24 hour Fitzroy or Collingwood" public transport system. Especially at peak times such as Thursday, Friday and Saturday "People who are moving into the inner areas of Melbourne need to have in their mindset you are not going to hear the birds chirping on a Friday morning at 6am"
nights. Not only would this be a safer, cheaper and
more effective way to get people home but it "You're probably going to hear a delivery van, will also help move Melbourne into the century that we're currently in. you're going to hear traffic starting up, you're going to hear trams ding" " This is just what the inner city is about and live music is a part of the inner city of Melbourne and it's going to stay that way" "So people need to understand that if they
"There's no doubt that there's certainly some merits to that" Mr Guy muses "Obviously the operator and the cost and a lot of other factors come into it. They obviously have to be considered but I think in a perfect world...
sure a 24 hour public transport system would are moving to the inner parts of Melbourne be wonderful" expect that live music venues are going to be a part of it. You're not going to get the peace "We have to get to that stage in order to be that you would get if you lived 50 kms out of able to do it first but it might be certainly town would afford if you're living 2 or 3 kms out of town" I think that's pretty clear. Don't like it? Shut up or ship out!
something in the inner city areas that could be considered. But as I said the cost and patronage levels need to be considered as part of that. It's something government would probably talk about with Metro who is the operator"
And what about Rock & Roll Magazine's
changing 24 hour into the future. Now that
favourite pet hate... "illegal" poster billing?
doesn't please everyone I'm sure. But that is
What does the Minister think about using a pole ,usually a street light who's primary function is pretty obvious and limited, to post gig posters on? "I must say that it's not something that I've had put to me before" he says "I guess at the
what's going to happen when our city grows into the future as a 24 hour city. That's something we will just all have to accept" That ladies and gentlemen is the Minister for Planning Mr Matthew Guy. He is being touted as a future leader of the
end of the day it probably comes down to local Liberal Party, has 3 kids and lives near a live government and local bylaws about posting
music venue in Preston. He doesn't complain
bills"
about it because he moved there after the
"It would be certainly helpful if there were
venue was already established.
more areas available"
We asked him for money and he laughed.
"You're quite right there's no doubt that
He was a nice enough guy who sounds like he
through posters that's how a number of venues
generally is trying to do something to protect
get people along. So they can be very, very
live music in the live music capital of
helpful. No doubt about it"
Australia.
"It's outside of my area and I'm happy to have a We counted our fingers after we spoke to him conversations with municipal associations
(even though it was just on the phone) and all
about whether or not there were some more
of them were still there? (You know the old
sensible ways about allowing people to post
joke about shaking hands with a politician
bills and put up posters that are going to
and having to count your fingers afterwards?)
help the live music industry" So does the government acknowledge just what an important and vital cog Melbourne's live
Should you vote for him? We honestly don't care.
music scene is not just economically but
This is Rock & Roll Magazine.
culturally is?
The last time we thought about politics was
'To be honest I think that the live music scene
when we passed a rather unpleasant turd
is going to be one of the most important
which brings us back to fans of music.
aspects of making Melbourne a serious 24 hour
Now is the time to get what we want.
city in the future" "I am very strong on attracting overseas migrants and students. I think it would be great if we could be a student hub of the future and some of the things that they want to experience in the city are things such as
Is the Agent of Change enough? No it’s not. There is no such thing as satisfaction. That’s why we fuck more than once.
live music. So if we can actually increase the
But now we have that leverage.
demand for it then our city will only benefit"
Do you know how the AFL got over $1.5 billion
"That means of course that our central city
in funding for their grounds from state and
we need to start to contemporise our planning
and say “Hey, buster! This is what they’re going
area is going to be a 24 hours activities area" federal governments? They turned the screw on both sides of the shitty political foot! "A 24 hour centre of activity and people have to accept that and acknowledge and that's why This is when we turn around to the other side system to be ready for that so that
to do! Now, what have you got for us?”
particularly the inner city areas of
See how that works?
Melbourne will be ready for what will be a
DIGGER & THE PUSSYCATS
Interview & Article: Strawb G Hetti
Fans of the Digger & the Pussycats should
trying for more of a slicker more polished
probably prepare themselves for a big year
sound"
from the duo.
"I think it was the influence of Jet and those
"Our plan at the moment is to put out a heap of types of guys who had started kind of playing singles" the guitar half Sam Agostino tell us
in our scene and then gone off and were
"Basically, we just kind of feel like we want to playing internationally. There was stuff like do a heap of singles every couple of months
the Drones . We really liked them but they were
this year"
doing something different all together but now
"Just have something new out on a whole heap of different labels and not just do one big record" Those same fans should probably be preparing themselves for a bit of a letdown as well. "The rest of the plan for this year is we're going to play until June and then we're going
garage music, for me, there's more garage bands playing than not garage bands" "Every rock band you see now has this trashy low-fi aesthetic. The idea ten years ago of a band starting a song and not getting to the end of it was just unheard of and a lot of people in Melbourne thought we were shit and
didn't want to play with us when we started. to take another year off because Andy is going But now if you look at bands like Mesa Cosa or to live in Spain" the Drunk Mums that's kind of there stock "I don't know if we will tour in that year. It
trade now. They basically have that loose
just sort of depends if there's shows to be had.
party style"
Maybe there's a good chance we will be able to
That loose party style that is now so common
play the one off festivals and that sort of thing with Andy having a base there"
has a lot to do with the prodigious if sometimes infrequent output of Digger and the
"I think we've been playing for about 12 years
Pussycats.
but we've had about six years off in that 12
Over the last dozen years they've released 4
years. Last year I went overseas for a year and Andy's lived over there on a few occasions. We've had a lot of time off between doing stuff" And while the duo have been kicking around the scene for well over a decade they hardly consider themselves veterans despite their long shelf life and the world wide resurrection of the garage rock scene. "A veteran kind of implies that you know what's going on" Sam laughs "But I kind of feel like I know less of what's going on now than I did ten years ago" "When we first started with Digger and we were playing really trashy, lo-fi kind of music we were pretty much the only band in Melbourne doing it. The Sailors were still kind of playing a little bit. It was kind of just us and them" "For me they're one of the all time great Australian bands but things like Goner records or Supercharged and those sorts of things that we liked. Nobody knew what that was and at the time a lot of the bands were
studio albums, a live album and a crate full of singles. It's something that the Diggers have managed to achieve by taking advantage of technology as it's progressed through the years. "It's really interesting" "When we first started going out and playing a lot of the bands we were playing with, like the Black Lips and Jay Reatard, but especially the Black Lips" "They just had their four track with them on tour and four microphones and they were making records and singles at sound check and stuff like that. It wasn't like they were waiting until they could find a studio all the time. They were able to just pump stuff out and that was a real eye opener for us being able to see that" "You don't have to wait until you've got these ten or twelve songs. What I've always found playing with bands is that you wait until you've got enough money to go into a studio it
could be twelve months since you've written the It was also the Powder Monkeys that saw Digger song and you're pretty over it" "If you've got your own stuff you can record it while it's fresh and that's a really, really good feeling" "You can stew on it and you can take your time. You just do it when it's convenient for you"
& the Pussycats return to play one of their infamous gigs on top of the pool table at the Tote for the I Thank You gig held to honour the memory and the music of Tim Hemensley and the Powder Monkeys. "The pool table thing started on New Year's Eve 2007 and what happened was, well from memory
"The other thing for me was just waiting
anyway, was we had a gig at the Espy early and around in the studio. Because if you're in a big a late gig at Pony" studio you need a technician and you've got to "So between the two gigs we went to the Tote wait around for everything to be right. You and we eventually ended up just playing on might book the studio at 9am but you might not the pool table. That's kind of how I remember it. do any recording until 3 o'clock. You're just The next year it was organised. We were kind of bored and sitting around for most of officially going to play on the pool table. It the day. That's not heaps of fun either" got pretty loose" It's something that has also seen bands like "The second time we played on it we did this Digger and the Pussycats be able to control thing called 'One Song, One Shot, One Kiss!' We'd more of their output and not be reliant on play a song and Reggie, who was the bar record labels. manager, would bring us both a shot and then "Nobody really needs finance for a record so I someone would have to get on the pool table can't see why a lot of people would want to be and kiss us. After that happened we'd play on a label. Most bands, whether they know it or
another song and it would all start again. It
not, probably want a publisher. They want
started out with one really shy girl coming up
someone that can get there songs onto video games and ads"
and that was the first song. The second was a friend of a friend type of thing getting up
"With that sort of thing it's good because you
and by then by song four it would be our mates.
can make money but you don't have that thing
So it was just blokes kissing blokes on the
of selling out because you're making your own
pool table and all sorts of crazy shenanigans"
records, you're making all your own art
Those crazy shenanigans are something of a
yourself and all you have is someone else
common thread in the history of Digger and the
placing it somewhere to help you make money
Pussycats.
from it. I think we're getting a lot of better quality music as well"
From playing a 2000 seat auditorium in Milan to a crowd of 5 people to hotels burning down,
"I think back to a lot of bands that were
Digger & the Pussycats, although sometimes in
playing before I started. They were bands that
avertedly, manage to get themselves in the
I love like the Powder Monkeys"
kind of crazy rock & roll stories that sum up what it's like to be in a band.
"I was probably a bit too young to see them but I get their records and the records are ok but
"I think over the years we've kind of attracted
they're not awesome and I reckon if they had
a lot people who think it's pretty crazy and
their own studio gear it would've been a
we're crazy and chaotic but we're kind of
different story. They would have had time to
boring and really normal. Often people think make something even more amazing in their own that it's all parties and crazy stories but space and just doing their own thing. A lot of most of the time it's just totally ridiculous those independent Aussie bands from the 80's things" and 90's their records sound rushed or they just don't sound right. They just don't quite capture that thing that you hear was so amazing about them"
"It seems like weird things happen to Digger and the Pussycats all the time" One of those 'weird things' could possibly be
the greatest honour that any band could have
for me, the real cornerstone of it, is Peter from
bestowed upon them.
P-Trash Records is basically just whenever I
"There's this guy that's a big fan of the band and do you know slot car racing? The little
want to put something out he will do it. No matter what it is he will do it"
cars on the track? In Germany it's huge and
"His put out all the Digger stuff, Brat Farrar,
people have teams and they race for prize
Russian Roulette, Kamikaze Trio. His done it
money. They have clubs and everything. It's a
all. If you've got someone like that behind you
pretty big deal and this guy bought a team
there it makes it a lot easier to get on
which was the Digger and the Pussycats Team
festivals and get gigs to build a bit of a fan
and they had figurines of Andy and I in the
base"
car. The team had a driver, they had a coach and this whole team of people around this little slot car. It was pretty weird. We went for the grand opening of the team and had our photos taken with them. It was ridiculous" But it isn't just the European slot car community that have embraced the band. "I've been going over there with one band or
It is with that kind of support and the bands own hard work that has enabled the band to achieve a lot for a band that has never had the mainstream success similar to a lot of their contemporaries. "I think we sort of done a lot of the things that we want to do. Which were pretty fortunate to have done. We've toured China, we've toured in
another every year since 2004. It's great. It was America, we've toured in Europe a lot" a lot different then. Because when we first started it there was the internet but it was a lot more word of mouth and meeting people and doing stuff like that. it was good. We went in 2004 and did 60 shows and in 2005 we did
"We'd love to tour in Japan. We've never done that. It one of those golden things that we haven't done" "We've been wanting to do a split single comp
something ridiculous like 100 shows. Ever since for years and years and years we're we do a heap of split singles with us on one side and then we've had a fan base there" another band on the other side. Just to "We were really influenced by the Cosmic introduce a lot of cool Melbourne bands to Psychos and the Onyas to tour in Europe" people in Europe. We've always wanted to do "Especially the Psychos. They were the really big influence on us"
that" There's also one other thing one Digger would
"We'd hang out at Cherry bar and talk to Bill a like to achieve. lot. We wanted to go to Europe and that was one of our goals. We were one of the first bands to
A Richmond Tigers premiership.
go to Europe for years. No Australian band had
"Andy's already made plans to come back if they
toured in Europe since the Psychos and they
make the finals. He's just obsessed. If they make
had been five or six years before us but now it the Grand Final he will be back. He's very seems like for a lot of bands Europe is a must dedicated" do. I think a lot of people have kind of picked up on the trail that we started which is really cool"
"It's kind of funny because sometimes when we've been on tour he gets Cam from Legends of Motorsport to send him updates. So we'd be in
"Melbourne's a really good place for us to play. the middle of Germany and Andy's getting live We've always had fun but going interstate we've score updates for the footy. It makes it tough kind of stopped doing that because it's a lot of when you follow a team like that" effort and we've never had great crowds in
And while it's tough being a Tigers supported Sydney. Brisbane's been cool but the rest of the it's even harder being harder being a Digger country for bands like us it's just wastelands. and the Pussycats fan... No-one really comes to see those garage bands
unless you've got Triple J play. I guess Europe
Here’s to the Tigers making the grand final.
COSMIC PSYCHOS DUSTY, DIRTY & MEAN
Interview & Article: Shane Hilton
Ross Knight is sitting in a shed behind the
You won't find a band or artist that is more
local mechanics in the rural Victorian town of intrinsically linked into the Australian Heathcote.
psyche more than the Cosmic Psychos.
It's well over 40 degrees and the possibility of They’re more relevant than Banjo Patterson, AC/ a bushfire ripping through the surrounding
DC, Rose Tattoo, Frank Ifield and anyone else
bushland is a very real threat considering
you want to throw onto that list.
just how the dry everything has become over the last few months.
There's no jingoism or over the top artistic sensibilities. They sing about what it's like to
The last few nights have seen lightning spark be ordinary. 100's of fires throughout the surrounding regions and the rest of the state. It's something Ross and myself are very aware of as we sweat away in the little workshop.
But Ross Knight and the Cosmic Psychos are anything but ordinary. Cited as one of the driving forces behind the explosion of alternative music in the early
He's been sitting in the little shed for days
90's. The Cosmic Psychos are a band whose
while on call for the CFA and DES.
relentless, droning, fuzzed out brand of punk
Ross and his bulldozer, already loaded onto the truck behind the shed, might be needed to leave at a moments notice. Until then there’s very little to do. Ross isn't a man just to sit around though. He's got his "old clanker" chocked up and has ripped off the transmission because it was "about fucked!" He's a man that likes to keep busy. Hard work isn't something you just do once in a while because you have too. It's what you do every day. Ross Knight is the type of person I know too
rock was a direct influence on bands that went onto achieve the kind of success that get's you on the cover of Rolling Stone every couple of months. In the past 12 months they’ve toured the world, had the Matt Weston doco Bloke You Can Trust released, had their back catalogue reissued and managed to even get on the cover of Rock & Roll Magazine (ok not much of an achievement but he is much better looking than fucking Miley Cyrus). So has Hollywood called yet? You could get a start in the next Expendables opposite Rambo himself... Oh fuck! Wouldn't' t that be fun?
well.
It would be fucking awesome.
I grew up around men like him.
Put it this way the phone hasn't been ringing
They taught me how to work, how to shoot, how to fish and how to drink. Not to mention swear, fight, fuck around, get into trouble and drink a little bit more. The only big difference between Ross Knight and those blokes is that Ross is a bona fide
off the hook. I was hoping I might be able to be Brad Pitt stunt double in something. But I don't think so. You look pretty similar Oh yeah. Fuck yeah. The long locks and those dreamy eyes...
In a couple of days he will be trading
World champion weightlifter, rock star, farmer, bulldozer driver, volunteer fire fighter, all round nice guy who can throw one or two back and now film star. It's not a bad resume is it?
fighting fires and fencing on his Redesdale
There's always something happening isn't there.
farm for the stage at the Big Day Out.
You know the funny thing is that I don't
The Cosmic Psychos are one of the true iconic
really think too much of it.
Australian bands.
I still just bumble around getting bored.
rock & roll legend. He's a fucking Cosmic Psycho!
The funny thing is that it sounds like you do
involvement in it wasn't a lot. It seems like
a lot but when I think about it I don't feel
there was but I actually sat down in front of
like I do much at all. It sounds weird but... I
a camera and talked to Matt for only a couple
don't know. I'm always looking for something to
of hours all up.
do. Put it that way. I'm lucky enough that everything I do is pretty good fun I suppose. I make sure of that.
That was over 3 sittings probably. He'd just say 'Oh, are you doing anything Thursday night?' or whatever and I'd go 'Nah!'
I can't play footy anymore so I've got to do
and he'd say 'I'll come up after you finish work
something.
and we will sit down and have a chat'
Why can't you play footy?
He'd just sit there and he'd ask me questions. I
Because I'm fucking useless at it and now I'm
didn't think much of it. It wasn't as though he
too old.
was talking to me for a year and a half. It
But I loved footy. I fucking loved it.
twelve month period and then he just comes
was more like an hour and a half over a
The Kyneton Tigers was the last team I ended
back with that.
up playing for and I played for Tooborac for
Look, I just had boxes of shit. Old film clips
years. I played down in Melbourne for little bit in the amateurs. It was about Z grade in
and footage, backstage stuff and just crap.
the amateurs but I fucking loved it.
Boxes and boxes of it and he just took it all
I fucking love the culture of footy clubs. It's
fair bit of stuff too. Bits of movie stuff and
fantastic. But you stop, and they're all your mates, but you don't play anymore. So you go over the next
and went right through it. I think Bill had a bits and pieces from everywhere. So Matt just shuffled right through that stuff.
year to watch but you don't feel a part of it.
As I said my involvement was just nothing and
I don't know how I had the time to do it but it
Have you watched it back yet?
he made it look like I was there talking to If you're not playing you just don't feel a part him for years but it was about an hour and a of it. It's strange. half or two hours in total. was fun. Were you surprised at how well the documentary was received? It was surprising. The company that put it out did a fantastic job in the publicity. The publicist they used was fantastic. She was great. But generally, doing an interview on Radio National and stuff like that... the people there
Yeah I watched it once in full. I don't think I need to watch it again. There's some funny bits in there but I still can't watch the stuff about Robbie. Talking about that was hard. I still can't look at that. It's still too much. I had to leave the room the first time I saw a rough cut of it. It was just fucked.
they watched it and liked it! Which was a bit
But no, I've seen it and it did make me laugh.
of a surprise.
There's some little grabs there just with me
I just didn't think that it was going to be so
and a few mates. It might only be a split
Knight film. It's about the band" but the way
year. It gave me a real good laugh. It brought
much about my personal life in there. I said to second grab and through that I can remember what happened that day or what happened that Matt when he made it "This is not a Ross it's been done there's a bit more about me then
back some good memories and some bad ones I
what I would of probably preferred.
suppose.
Was that a bit hard knowing that it was being filmed?
Look I don't need to see it again now.
Just the way Matt went around it... my
Were you surprised that the old "I'm a fucking farmer"
thing took off like it did?
then he ended up getting 40 or whatever he got.
Yeah... I don't know how well it took off. I don't
That part was incredible.
have a computer or anything like that. I
Right up to the deadline he was ringing me up
really don't know how well it went.
and he'd go "Someone from Holland just gave us
I think everyone was saying it. You can get it as a ring tone.
2 grand" That's just incredible.
Yeah... I'm a fucking farmer...
it. We haven't got any money but we did a
I know Stew Farrell from Triple R got sick of it because that was the promo on his show and
I know Matt put a lot of time and money into couple of gigs and donated that money to help Matt out that way but it was just incredible.
he said "If I hear that one more time..." So
I sort of get it now because it makes people
that's great because every time I talk to him I
feel like they're a part of it and they can
say "Oh, I'm just a fucking farmer!"
watch that and say I helped do that! Which is
really good. Did you realise how many people cared about you and how many people cared about the Cosmic Psychos? And that gig we did up at the farm was a That was the most amazing thing.
fucking pearler.
When Matt explained about this crowd funding
It was so much fun up there. That was gig of
or whatever he was doing I had no idea. He
the year for me. It was fucking hilarious.
sort of explained it to me.
It was just up in the gravel pit. The thing is
He said "People donate money"
it was 11 o'clock in the morning and I was
So I went "You're asking them for money?" and
and there's 2 port-a-loos up there and nothing
he goes "Yeah" and I go "No-one's gonna give you any money" and that's what I thought about
down in the house looking up at the gravel pit else!
that.
And I'm looking at the fucking thing going
But it was amazing to want 15 or 20 grand and
couple of hours and we're supposed to play a
"There's supposed to be 200 people here in a
gig" and I was talking to my seven year old, who was six at the time, and I said to him
It was just pissing down and I thought "Fuck, how lucky is that?"
"We're supposed to be playing today mate! But It was just incredible. there's nothing here!" A pretty good thank you to everyone? But then the PA turned up and then the bus It was a pearler. Everyone had a ball. turned up and then the bar got built and then the mobile BBQ truck from the local You know what the old Lions Club hamburgers Lions Club turned up and away she went. taste like. You just don't get them in The next day I went up there and I shuffled through a couple of old freezers up there that was full of ice for the bar. I shuffled around there and I found a beer and I sat down and I thought "What the fuck happened yesterday" Everything was gone. It was just the little tent where there was a bar and a chair and that was it. That's all that was there.
Melbourne. A bit of white bread and a bit of coleslaw. People were raving about it. They were going "You just don't get food like this in town" and I was "I know you don't!" It's not some fancy French design or whatever. What were you thinking when Matt first approached you about it all? I think the words were "Don't waste your time and money"
Then I sought of thought "Oh, if you want to! That's fine" and he said "Well, you can fuck?" and then it just poured rain at exactly the same time as when we were meant either be a part of it or you don't have to be but I'm going to do it anyway" to be playing the day before. I was sitting on the chair going "What the
I thought "I suppose there's a bit of shit there to work out"
going to the pub.
You know the band hasn't really achieved anything but we've done a lot.
Yeah, probably. Which is all in the machines.
It's a good learning tool for anyone who
and back?
Is that because of where you write it?
You come up with shit sitting on the machines. I reckon it's the constant beat. I like the fact that it was something they documented about how a fucking useless band Just the constant beat. can just shuffle along. Is that like the lyrics. Just going up and back, up wants to be in band because anyone can do I had an old D7 dozer which had a great big it. You don't have to be fucking special to be thumping 4 cylinder motor in it. It was a in a band. It sort of proves it. real fucking clanger. It had a real slow, I mean, fuck! We're been playing the same set for almost 30 years. There's nothing new there. The way you come across in the documentary is pretty much the person you are is that just the way you were raised and where you were raised?
heavy beat to it and that was a ripper for writing songs but with these things they rev a bit hard and rev a bit faster. So it's a bit different. I probably get more songs out of the old clacker then I do the new ones.
Yeah, it's just who you are and what you are. It's not rocket science really. The bands only a hobby anyway. I don't class myself as a muso, I'm a pretty bad farmer and a pretty bad bass player. I don't class myself as a muso. It's not something where I run around
Plus I got a radio in the new ones so I just zone out. I put a CD on or something while in the old one I got nothing.
wearing a badge saying "Hello, I play guitar!"
Yeah, song wise. We're going to something this year and I'm on the verge because on the dozer I've come up with 3 really good songs and then I forget them
Maybe you should get one? You might need one when you head up to QLD? They might not let you in.
You're mind just wanders and away you go. Do you still write a bit?
But they keep coming back so I started writing them down just in my work diary. I Yeah. It might be a good idea. just write down a few things that I've We're getting some Cosmic Psychos MC t-shirts thought of and then I'll pick the guitar up made. We're going to wear up on stage and see one night when I've got a bit of time and I'll what happens. It'll be good fun. Dean's done put them all together. up in the generic bikie coat of arms thing. It happens quick. It only takes a few hours You should sell them. to do enough songs for an album. It just Yeah that's if we're not in gaol for five comes very quick. weeks... well not five weeks maybe five Well, you can tell too. The songs aren't any months. different. It's the same fucking riff played Being where your based and your life the Cosmic backwards. Psychos have that real country lifestyle through it... Is Nice Day To Go To The Pub the greatest song ever Look, it doesn't matter what style of music it written? was. It could be country and western music I reckon it has to be. I wish I hadn't of and it would work because it's just story written it because if I hadn't of written it I telling really. And nothing too fucking technical about it. It's telling stories about would of definitely said it was the greatest song ever written. It's a fucking ripper.
And that came in a flash.
You have to give it a go.
It was a Sunday, a beautiful bloody day, and
So apart from schnitzels what keeps the Psychos going?
someone goes "Aw, I'm gunna go down to the pub" and I said to him "What a nice day to I don't know. It's just the fun because we go to the pub" and it was just fucking there. have such a good time. We don't see one It was there. another otherwise. I only see Digger then. I And I was thinking at the same time "People very rarely see him outside of the band unless we're going to go out together and do don't eat beetroot" and people don't eat something but that's pretty rare. beetroot at home but when you go to a pub there's always beetroot on the smorgasbord. I Look if the bands doing absolutely nothing just made a mental note of only seeing we'll call each other up and just say "Let's people eating beetroot in pubs when they go do something" I think it's just a good break up to the salad bar. for everyone. It's not hard work so it's just purely the fun. And I love beetroot so it all just went together. Schnitzels, beetroot and pubs. It's a We're going to go back to Europe again this fucking perfect day. year. It's good to get an overseas trip once a If the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and year, go interstate once a year and use it as a vehicle to catch up with other mates. U2 and Bon Jovi covered it. And pep... no... oh Pink! Get her to cover it as well! I'd get some That's all it is really. royalties then. They’d just roll in. You don't really put tomato sauce on your schnitzels though?
It's just like a weekend away. Even when we were going away every weekend. We did the run of gigs with the doco it was just fun.
Yeah! Tomato sauce, chips, schnitzels! Fucking Look the US trip was the greatest trip ever. oath! It's tomato sauce! We all just stuck together on the bus. It was just fucking unreal. Digger and I had the That's not right best time we've ever had. It was just Oh mate it's fucking tomato sauce! fantastic. But tomato sauce on a schnitzel isn't right Tomato sauce on 2 minute noodles. Strasburg and tomato sauce sandwiches. Sauce and schnitzels! It's very tasty. It's fantastic.
It seems like you guys always have a good time though Oh mate! It was good! Did you get into much trouble?
You're crazy it's schnitzel's and gravy
Nah, not really. We don't get into trouble See.. I'm not a gravy man. A lot of people have anymore. In fact we never did. We used to get chips and gravy and that sort of stuff and ourselves into a few pickles but never any I'm just not a gravy man. Even on me roasts. real trouble. You know I do me self a roast every now and We used to get lost a lot. I remember that bit. then and I always put tomato sauce on How we're not still roaming around the back instead of mixing up some gravy. I just can't streets of some German city I'll never know. be fucked. Fuck, we'd play a gig and we'd be as pissed as Not on lamb? farts and some bloke would take us to some Oh yeah! White Crow tomato sauce! That's what bar that was about a hundred kilometres my grandfather used to eat. away and we would always find out way back to the hotel. Nah.. not on schnitzels.
I don't know how we'd fucking do it. But we'd always manage it. We'd just drop our bags and we'd get back
Did you catch up with many over there last time? Yeah, we caught up with a whole heap of people we haven't seen in ages.
with just enough time to pick our bags up and keep going. It was unreal.
The L7 gang came along to the LA gig and they hadn't been in the same room with You guys went through Europe a fair bit didn't you? Jennifer for 17 years. I didn't realise she'd left that long ago. So it was great seeing Yeah, we probably done it 20 times. More than them. 20 times I reckon. The New Bomb Turks were playing again so we Best place to tour? caught up with them. Ummm... I like the States but just because it's pretty cheesy and I like the... I just like the Then we ran into a whole heap of people in States because there's stuff there where you New York. Caught up with my old girlfriend and heap of old friends. Catching up with just shake your head. people was a big thing. I love the place and I love it because each Again the bands the vehicle for catching up towns different, each states different and with mates really. It's sort of "Ah, fuck it it's just like a 24 hour reality show. now I've got to go and play. Don't move I'll be I just sorta like cruising through the truck back in a tick" and then you just carry on shops, cruising through the Wal-Mart. It's with the circus so it's good. America. There seems to be a lot of love in the band I wouldn't want to live there but fuck it's Yeah... Look Bill and I had our problems but fun. we've always sorta looked after each other. They look after you in Europe and it's The line up we've got now I think everyone beautiful over there. And old and all that is pretty respectful of each other. kinda stuff. Hopefully we can stay together for another But I prefer playing in the States. It's less 20 years at least. people and you don't get paid much but we've had more fun there in some ways.
You'll be kicking on then! It can't get any more ridiculous then what it
is so we might as well keep going.
So he goes running off to get a lift home from his Mum with "I fuck preggos" written
You played with some pretty amazing musicians but on the back of his shirt. Dean would have to be at the top wouldn't he? Fuck! He's unreal. He's unreal. He is awesome. What can you say? He's just a performer. But what a fucking top notch bloke to go with it. He's right up there too! I reckon Dale from the Melvins is one of the best drummers I ever seen in my life. Dave Grohl he hits the
Yeah, I've known him for a long time now. He's a fucking corker. He's a fucking ripper. Geez, he's a smart bloke too. It must be pretty odd that you could be considered the most normal bloke in the band? Yeah I suppose but Dean's a muso, Macka's a muso and I'm not.
drums as hard as anyone. And Dan Peters he's It's good for me because they can cover my just fucking awesome but Deans right up short comings. I think that's the secret. there with all those guys. Right up there. You surround yourself with people who know He's good. what they're doing and you get away with Did you notice that since Deans trimmed up and got blue murder at the end of the day. himself a haircut he looks like a Wiggle? You don't mind putting yourselves down do you? He does doesn't he! I suppose he had to lose a If we were pumping our own tyres up it bit of weight because after his heart attack. wouldn't be the Psychos would it? We'd have He certainly is a slick mover now. A pretty to be a different band. pretty boy! Will it be nice to catch up with everyone at the Big Every time I saw him when we were watching the Day Out with some of your co-stars and maybe play documentary I had to turn away because I thought the game with them? he was a fucking deranged Wiggle. I caught up with them at the Rod Laver Actually you've given me an idea for another Centre and he did it there. The tennis round of Psychos shirts. We can do the centre. He did it there years and years ago. Psycho skivvies. That's a fucking ripper. I'll Not on stage? start using that on him though. What about Macka? He'd be an adventure everyday! He's a ripper isn't he! He is a ripper. And you know I've seen him grow up. I've known him since he was a kid. I first bumped into him when he was a teenager. He hadn't even finished school.
Yeah, on stage. He's a good bloke. We caught up with Mudhoney in Memphis as well not long back. They were playing on a Friday and we were playing on the Saturday so I went and caught them on the Friday and there playing as good as ever. It was awesome.
Was that at Gonerfest? I remember it was either Macka or one of his Yeah, it was good fun. I didn't know what to mates... Macka knows this story. expect. It's unreal. I didn't know what to He said "Can you sign my t-shirt but don't expect. Just a few venues and a few bars... write any swearing on it because me Mum's And a lot of Australians picking me up" and I think... I can't remember We get there and the bus pulls up and it's who wrote on it but someone wrote "I fuck "G'Day Digger, G'Day Knighty" and we're "What preggos" on the back of the shirt. the fuck?" He goes "What did you write on it?" and we go There were more Aussies there than Yanks. "Aw nothing!'
It was a ripper and the people that run it went on so one way or another it's always were absolutely top notch. It's still got that really good fun. small feel to it. It's just a record shop and a few venues. It's just a ripper.
Do you ever look at the crowd and wonder how you get so many different people in the same room?
Are you still getting the same kick from playing live?
Yeah, there's olds and youngs. There's everyone in there isn't there!
Yeah absolutely. In fact doing the States was really good playing every night. Having a night off was actually a pain in the ass. I prefer when you're playing to play every night. Some of the European things we used to do we'd play for 2 weeks straight and then have a night off and it was that night off when you'd feel a bit lost.
It's always been a mixture. We used to get everyone from the old hardcore Oi boys to fucking everyone else! It's always been a mixture. So just to what you were talking about before... a new album is going to happen? Yeah. I think probably after the Big Day Outs or get Macka down here for Golden Plains. He only has to be down here for a couple of days.
I still have fun playing.
Is most of it written?
It will be strange to get back up on the Big Day Out stage again because that's always a little bit weird to get up on a big stage and not run into each other.
It's all floating around the head. It's all
We're so used to bumping into each other and smelling Mackas' farts and then all of a sudden you're about half an acre away from each other.
What we did last time was Dean and I recorded just some rough drums and riffs and sent them up to Macka so he could actually hear it.
We're not on the big, big stage so I suppose it doesn't matter.
So when he hit the studio he actually knew what was going on rather than just surprising him with a heap of songs.
What stage are you on?
there. Well, most of it's there. Deans got a little studio over at his place which is good.
Oh, I don't know. The old farts stage probably.
You guys work a lot of stuff out like that don't you?
I think Mudhoney's on straight after us so it will be good. That'll make it even better.
You just crack a beer on the last day and write down the lyrics for all the songs.
But playing wise it's still fun. You get in your little bubble up there.
You just get in there and record 'em one after the other. Just try and get 'em in one or two takes and that's it.
Look people enjoy it and we had some good gigs last year. Really enjoyable gigs. We'd come off and just go "Fuck that was really good fun". Really, really good fun. But other times we'd be up there playing and we would just want to get it over and done with so we could keep on with the shenanigans we were getting up to before we
Yeah it's all hit and miss. Just on the cusp.
It's good doing it that way and then you listen back to them and go "What a stupid idea that was" But it's too late then so you don't procrastinate over it too much. Any other plans for this year? Probably record, tour... we wouldn't mind
trying to get to New Zealand.
play every week.
Wouldn't mind to get to a few places we didn't
After everything's done I think it might just
get to last year plus a few rural shows.
be time to back off for a bit I think.
Go to Europe at some time. I think there's something happening in Spain.
I got to work, Deans got to work, Mackas got to works. Geez, Mackas got little twins and
Some big festival which we'll try and
they're 3 or 4. It's hard work with the kids.
organise a few gigs around.
You don't want to cook the goose.
Then it just might be time to go and hide for
Keep it fun and I realise that we're more of a
a while. I think we've had enough exposure in novelty act than a serious musician type of the last 12 months. band. Looking back on the last 12 months. Has it been the craziest time for the band?
I don't know... I think you're three pretty serious musicians who...
It was a bit much... a bit too much.
Don't take themselves very seriously.
I got sick of turning the tele or picking up the paper and seeing stuff about the doco.
If we can just pace it so it doesn't stop. If you wake up one day and say "Fuck, I don't want to do this anymore" then you don't do it but I can't see why?
Well, not sick of it. I'm pretty insulated from it up here anyway. There was a bit to do but the whole thing was fun so it doesn't matter. We got a good bit of fun out of it. We even got a trip to Sydney without any instruments and that was fucking great fun being able to jump on a plane and not have to worry about taking your guitars or anything. All those screenings and Q&A's we'd just go to the bar and they would come and give us a yell about ten minutes before the film finished and we would go in and answer some questions. That was it. You've probably had more media attention in the last few months than ever before? Yeah, probably. A lot of beers as well? Yeah, a lot of big drinkers follow the band... I can't figure out why! What will the next best of be? 40 Years 4 Million Beers? Oh fuck! Yeah a best of... another one! Fuck! Yeah, that's only 20 years away. I think it's a lot less now... I suppose... Look if we put a recording every three years that's enough. You don't want to
As I said it's your ticket to catch up with mates all over the world. I mean really, you can't complain about that. And it's not hard work. That's why if Big Knob Records came up and said "Here's ten million dollars so you can be a full time muso and pay all your debts off" I'd probably tell 'em to go and get fucked. I've seen too many bands go down the fucking gurgler. They just get fucking worked. It's no good. But you're not going to stop? Nah, unless we get sick of it or something happens to one of us. Who knows? If one of us fall off the perch. If Macka hadn't have been around we probably would have called it a day already. If Dean or Macka didn't want to keep going we'd have to reassess. I don't think any of us want to give it away because we're all having just as much fun as anyone. You all still love it? Yeah. Who wouldn't? It’s a chance to not act your age.
Blokes You Can Trust The Cosmic Psychos Review: Shane Hilton
Matt Weston is a pretty talented bloke. He was in the Nation Blue, he’s just about to head off to SXSW with his new band High Tension and then there’s this documentary on one of Australia’s most loved bands that he went and made. Of course Blind Freddy could have made a documentary of this quality with the material available. It’s the Cosmic Psychos!
the real man that Ross Knight is then what most people would be used to seeing. From Ross’s troubled relationship with former drummer Bill Walsh (getting those two to talk about certain subjects would be like getting blood from a stone) to the death of guitarist Robbie ‘Rocket’ Watts, Matt Weston manages to delve into the world of the Cosmic Psychos with humour, honesty and at times a certain sadness.
We’re not going to give any of it away Still, Matt Weston’s insight into the hard because in all honesty, even if you’re not a drinking, hard working, hard playing band is Cosmic Psychos fan, it’s a documentary you a cut above any other music based should go out and buy. documentary you’re likely to come across. It’s something you will watch over and over A lot of that quality has to do with the again. characters contained within it. If only to hear Ross Knight talk. From the band themselves through to all star And watch Eddie Vedder and Matt Lukin make cast of Butch Vig, Eddie Vedder, Matt Lukin, you think twice before you ever put a pint Donita Sparks, Mark Arm, Dan Peters, Wally glass to your lips again. Kempton, Steve Turner, Ray Ahn and the mighty Buzz Osborne Blokes You Can Trust is And then there’s Digger (turn the page over... much like the band themselves.
We have plenty of that legend in here)
It’s got a depth to it that isn’t quite obvious Oh, there’s Buzz Osborne as well. until you scratch the surface a little bit. That man could describe what a piece of Matt Weston doesn’t just take on the Cosmic toast is and it would be funny. Psychos but he also takes on the enigmatic We can’t recommend it enough. figure of front man Ross Knight. And the soundtrack is all Cosmic Psychos. It’s a battle he was probably always destined What else could you want? to lose but he still manages to show more of
DIGGER SAYS
Interview: Pudgey O’Keefe & Shane Hilton Article: Shane Hilton
The Matt Weston documentary Blokes You Can Trust might be about the Cosmic Psychos but the real star of it is their infamous and much lauded and loved roadie Digger. It was inevitable that when Rock & Roll
bar at the Espy and the Venue was still going. I was into metal and one night I went to see a band this bloke that I used to work in the tax office who had said "Come around and
Magazine met Digger we would hit it off like see this band" and it was the Gravies and a couple of mates drinking in a pub and the Psychos. I thought 'That's unreal'. talking about rock & roll I didn't like the Psychos. They were noisy "What's the gist of it?" Digger asks and I thought 'What are these blokes? What are they doing?' "We just want to know about the life of a roadie" we tell him Anyway me and Knighty hooked up drinking beers I suppose and then I started carting "Well, you're asking the wrong person but their shit off stage just giving them an anyway!" he says hand. It wasn't anything it was just to get See? How could you not like the guy? the stuff off stage so we could go drinking The story of the Cosmic Psychos can't be told quicker. without telling the story of the guy beside them. The problem is when we sit down to talk to him we manage to talk about everything but his time as a roadie. He's just one of those guys. He has the kind of musical knowledge and experience, that, when spoken through the mouth of the guy that's relied upon, not to
Then me and Knighty would go out on the piss and we might stay up all night and stuff like that. Fred Negro was working at the Espy back then and we'd be knocking on the door at 7 or 8 in the morning. He'd let us and we'd have a few sneakies in there while he was cleaning. Then the pub would open and we'd just be sitting in there all day. I guess that's how it started. Just mucking around.
tune guitars and pull down the stage, but to On just how different music was get a bunch of blokes through one of the most gruelling tasks a band faces: touring, It was funny. It was before there was noise it is as unique as it is insightful, original in music and people couldn't get through the and honest. noise to hear it. You listen back to Husker Du now and it sounds alright but in those So instead of just writing an article we thought we'd just give you some snapshots of days there wasn't that sound around. It was noisy music and there was no filter. It just what this guy says about music, life, wasn't all over the world like it is now. It the history of Melbourne music and was a very small scene and a lot of people occasionally his work as a roadie. didn't get it. You'd get stopped by the cops Ladies and Gentlemen this is what Digger because of your haircut and get harassed in says! the street. Cunts would throw shit at you. It On meeting the Cosmic Psychos was a different time. I was playing in a band many years ago. It On that first trip with Psychos to Europe was in the 80's. It would have been 86 or 87. It In 89 we did a show at the Punters Club wasn't a very big punk scene back them. It because they used to only play Tuesday was pretty small. nights there because if they didn't play on You'd go to the Ballroom and the Prince on a a Friday or Saturday it would be full Thursday. We used to all drink in the bottom anyway.
So they would have them on a Tuesday and it from the Screaming Jets and he was saying would be full then. Melbourne was a pretty that he thought that people should have to smart happening place and all that sort of stuff. It was great. It was a Tuesday night and I was still in the tax office and Knighty said "I'm going over to Europe in a couple of weeks. Why don't you come?" and I thought "Nah, I'm not going"
go back and do that because they payed their dues that way. That's fucking bullshit because most people in bands never got through to any sort of any headline status. It was just slave labour to get a job done that the cunts had enough money to get done.
I went home that night and I was lying there thinking "Fuck it. Why don't I go?" So I rang him and said "Are you fair dinkum?"
On before the music could make money
and he said "Yeah!" So I went to the bank manager and organised a loan.
It was a different thing back in those days. It was before the whole grunge thing happened. It was when people were playing
music for fucking fun. They weren't wanting Paid me own way. Paid everything. I just went money out of it. They didn't want anything over there with them for 6 weeks or whatever out of it at all. They just wanted to get pissed and some blokes wanted to get a root and drank. and it was just about hanging around people I didn't tell him that's what I was doing but you wanted to hang around, listening to he fucking gave it to me. The thing is if you music that you liked listening to... and there get killed over there you're better off weren't many people listening to it! It was having a loan out where you don't have to purely about having fucking fun. pay it back instead of spending your own On the history of hipsters money that you worked hard for aren't ya? On working in the tax office and what he did there Not much. I think I worked there for nine years and never got a promotion. Which must be some sort of public service record. I was involved in the union a bit so they didn't like me. I was mixing with the upper echelons and management of the tax office but we weren't planning strategic events. We were just trying to stop the place from shutting down. On not naming names If you were the headliner band then the bands that supported you had to supply 2 people from each band to load the PA in and load the PA out. It was fucked. It was a really shit thing to do because why not just get the PA people to do it all? Instead of getting people who you're already not giving enough money? You're already making them jump through hoops and they were probably already paying you just to get the gig and then they have to load everything in? Now I heard a bloke say once, and I'm not going to name any names but he was the lead singer
It was a bit scene-y. Cliques and stuff like that. I'm assuming it's still like that today but it wasn't big money things. People did it because they liked it. You get these people who are in bands and as soon as something kicks off they stop and start playing that. I remember when Ministry kicked off those types of people go "I'm going to play industrial now" and those same people started playing funk when the Chilli Peppers took off. They'd just move around. They wanted to be famous. On what it was like standing on the side of stage as history was taking the place When you're on the side of stage all you're thinking is that you're closer to the rider. You don't think about shit like that. Seriously it was such a small scene. On the Psychos They have always made me feel like part of the band because that's the type of blokes that they are. On changing liquor licensing
Everything is a bit fuzzy but there were days back then at the Old Greek when it had
pissed to do it but most of the time I can tune a guitar. I'd say if we went on a 30 date
a license and there were others when it didn't and you could take your own piss. You could take your esky and drink your own
tour there would be one night that I wouldn't be able to do anything. Maybe 2. I just set it up and pull it all down. But
piss. At the end of the night everything would have rolled to the front because had that sloping floor. It was great.
there's no seven guitars or fancy tuning or anything like that. If a string breaks on stage there's only one guitar out there and give it to them and they can change it themselves. Put the shit in and put the shit out. If they want anything fancy done they
On when rock stars weren't rock stars
You'd be walking down the street and if you saw someone you would say "Hey aren't you in can do it themselves. whatever band". They'd go "Yeah, I am" and you'd just say "Hey, wanna come have a beer?" On his greatest moment as a roadie and they'd say "Sure. Why not?" And that would be it.
I remember one night at the Espy Rocket broke a string and I changed it while he
On beating the corporations in the 80’s & 90’s
was still playing. That was probably my greatest feat ever.
Looking back it was a very refreshing period of music. The music trend was run by the people and not by the corporations. The only ever time when that ever happened in my lifetime was when punk happened and even that was a bit manufactured in its own way. It was the only other time the people got ahead of the industry before they took it back in with the Stone Temple Pilots and shit like that. On music today You look at music now, and you might think I'm an old cunt or whatever, but the music is very bland and safe. There's no danger anymore. Something will happen though because it's so fucking boring!
On musicians Some people get a bit ahead of their station and think that they're unreal. They're playing fucking music. They're not rocket scientists or curing cancer. Even those cunts get above themselves because more people die on their watch then they save. Look in this world I think some people take themselves too seriously in everything they do. On the documentary
I'll tell you one thing it did. It got the brain going again. It reminds you of all this shit you've done. And you go "Of fuck that's right we did this or we did that" and that's one thing it did. It got you thinking On today's live gig about all the things you'd forgot. Someone You can't see because some fucking cunts got would say something in it and it would their iPad up in front of you. What happened trigger off all these other things that had to just enjoying the experience? Sure you happened. might forget it but shouldn't you just live it? Even if that memory ends up a bit wrong That ladies and Gentlemen is Digger. in 30 years or whatever. Just be a part of it. The best guy we've ever met in rock & roll. Don't put that distance between yourself and We love him. what you're looking at so you can look at it And that is only part one of our little chat again later. with him. On what he does as a roadie We've got another instalment ready to go. Look you just do what you do. I don't know. You just get them out there. Sometimes I'm too
FUCKING WANNABES AND THE GREEDY BASTARDS
Let me give you a little snapshot on the
But we feel like it's high time something was
realities of the music industry.
said.
The only people who make any money in it are
Why do we feel like something should be said?
those behind the scenes. Sure, there's the lightning strike/one in a billion band that will go out once in a while and make a shitload of money but 99 percent of the time they make sweet fuck all. Most of the time they're lucky if they even break even.
Let's explain it like this. Most people in bands learn pretty quickly that you have to pay to play. For every dollar you have coming in there's usually another (or even sometimes a couple more) going out. It's a fucking dripping tap that can't be stopped no matter how hard you
They don't even make beer money.
try.
It's just the way it is.
Everything from the advertising to the
Even the big name band at the Big Day Out that we all think are living the life... living the dream... most of the time they're just happy if they live to fight another day. There's no money in it. It's the managers, the promoters, the record
rehearsal studio to your fucking rider (sad but true) comes out of the money you make. Every fucker takes their cut. It's a bit like gambling. You're the fucking mug that lays down your hard earned money for a chance of hitting the
label, the radio stations, the venue owners and big one. the various assorted media that make all the money (except for us... count the advertisements
Everyone else is the casino.
in this and then do some basic maths... it
And we all know who wins there don't we?
equals a big fat debit)
In the past it was ok because people in bands
And believe us they make a shit load of it.
got the pay off for their ego no matter what.
They're holidaying in Disneyland with Mickey-
They were the centre of attention. They were
fucking-Mouse while you're lucky to scrounge
the fucking rock stars man!
enough cash to get public transport to stand
The people in the background, who make all the
outside of Luna Park wondering if there's a tap you can get a drink of water from! They're probably going to be pissed off at us for telling you this because it's something they've tried to not shine much of a light on out of fear of insurrection.
real money and had the real power, were smart. They said fuck all. Who the fuck wants to be a poverty stricken "rock star" when you can just be rich and live like a real rock star?
Yeah... you know what you would do! Fuck, we know what we'd do. Hell, we're having a red hot go at it right now!
basis and it's all in some vain attempt at self promotion so they can be the fucking star! We're not kidding you when we say that we've
even seen them appear on gig posters All this used to be ok because the guys making advertising their presence. the cash were happy to sit on the sidelines They're turning rock & roll into some sort of and let the people making them all that sweet, strange informal cross between bad reality sweet money be the rock stars! television and internet fame! And you thought the people who claim that the What the fuck? introduction of digitally based instruments and recording has allowed people with "true talent" to enter the music industry because they no longer have to do that pesky learning of an instrument thing were a pain in the balls? Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome the peripheral rock star!
We call bullshit. We want to see the rock stars! Not some talentless chump who just wants to be something they're not. We don't want to see your starfucking face instagrammed next to whichever real rock star you're trying to leech a little bit of light
The peripheral rock star is a strange
off. We don't want to hear about your
creature.
conversation with fucking so & so and how you
It's like a peacock but with less redeeming features. Most of the time they're people who want to be so badly involved in music that they get
had a beer together and you're going to be fucking best buds for life! Get back in your fucking hole with your accountant and count your money!
involved in it in any way they can. They'll
If you want to be Kim Kardashian... fine! Go
work in a venue, promote bands, work in the
ahead! Just don't do it off the back of some
media!
poor fucking cunt that's just out there trying
The will do whatever it is they can to be
to play some rock & roll!
around music.
It's beyond ridiculous.
We're not hanging shit on them!
When did hangers on suddenly start to believe
Fuck, if there were more people like that who got actively involved the music community would be a lot better off. But just like every other social structure or hierarchy there are rules and boundaries that need to be maintained. A lot of these fuckers have simply started
that they should be more famous then the guys with the actual talent? If you were in a decent band sure you could probably have a little bit of attention paid to yourself but most of the time you're just some working stiff that can afford a pool. There has to be a clear delineation.
ignoring this.
It's only fair.
They want the lot.
You keep the money and let the musicians keep
The money, the adulation and the awe inspiring presence. And they will keep the fucking money thank you very much! They've got the twitter account, the Facebook page, their infighting and politics being reported by the mainstream media on a daily
the fame.... This was written by Strawb. He is to Rock & Roll as Vegemite and Margarine are to Jatz biscuits. He is a true rock star. He plays below average guitar and has never been in a band but he is on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and a whole heap of other made up words. You should all worship at his altar because he uses other peoples originality and claims it as his own!
Pretty City Rev (2013) Review: Bruce “Lefty” Knox
For some reason our review of this album got make. lost in the last issue and didn’t appear. The standout is Everyone’s Favourite Song. Probably a lucky thing. Our intial thoughts on this debut EP have probably changed a fair bit from the first time we gave it a spin. This is the type of music that has a huge market right now. These guys could get a record deal.
It’s an instantly likeable track. We don’t know why? We heard just about every single influence in there Spiderbait, the Cars, Oasis, Regurgitator, Smashing Pumpkins... Somehow it all works.
That people is saying something.
Look you might not like this but it’s worth giving a go.
This EP has a lot of space and that’s not
Sure they could get a run on Triple J but we
necessarily a bad thing when you consider just what a big noise Pretty City manage to
shouldn’t hold that against them.
The Gaslight Anthem The B-Sides (2014)
Review: Shane Hilton
I love finding out what kind of music people was “Ok, so the Gaslight Anthem have want to have played at their funeral. released a record of their songs for It may sound a little morbid but I get a real kick out of it. It’s about the only thing I do that isn’t completely self involved (that’s why I’m a bad lay). Why do I do it? One reason may be, that the majority of the time, if there is a song that people want played at their funeral, the odds are that it isn’t going to get played! “Fuck you and whatever you want at your funeral! I’m the cunt with the ability to think so I’m going to send you off to whatever the fuck I want to listen too!” Talk about DJ Harsh! You end up with the typical shit. Whether it be a little bit of Frank Sinatra doing it “My Way” (Yeah, we get the irony of everyone having this song played at their funeral) or REM belting out Everybody Hurts (except for you because you’re fucking dead and not feeling a fucking thing). We all know the songs dead people seem to like. Which is why when I put this album on the first thought that went through my head
funerals!” Essentially, this is an acoustic release of songs that have previously been given the rock and roll treatment by the Jersey band. There’s a couple of confusing moments on it including what seems to be an accidental inclusion of Pearl Jam playing a State of Love & Trust... Don’t worry folks it’s actually Brian Fallon doing the fucking best Eddie Vedder impression ever. It is fucking eerie. Of course there’s the acoustic versions of the 59’Sound and Queen of Lower Chelsea and yeah they're ok. The best cut on the whole thing is the reimagining of Boxer. It is fucking beautiful and stands in stark contrast to the original. This is how this song was meant to be recorded and it is worth purchasing this album just for the one track. All in all this is probably not going to make you fall in love with the Gaslight Anthem. But if you already are and plan on dying soon...
The Pixies
Mutton
EP2
EP
(2014)
Review: Bruce “Lefty” Knox
(2013)
Review: Strawb G Hetti
Lets be honest.
I have no idea how Mutton got their name but in my younger days I worked in the Most of the time the Pixies could make a cup local butchers shop making sausages to of coffee out of nothing but a pile of shit earn some cash for a new guitar. and a bit of sugar. They’re freaks of nature that should not be allowed to perform music without proper supervision. That supervision should preferably be given by one Kim Deal and this EP proves it. This is 4 songs. Hardly an EP but hey who are we to judge? That’s right this is a review... We’re meant to judge! Fuck, silly us! Opener Blue Eyed Hexe is about all you need to listen too.
At the back of the butchers shop there was this ancient bandsaw that looked like something out of a horror movie. Hearing that bandsaw cut through the bones of some dead animal was one of the most chilling things I’ve ever heard in my life. Mutton are that bandsaw put to music. The Melbourne noise-rock/noise-punk/ whatever-the-fuck-you-want-to-call-it scene is going from strength to strength and Mutton are right at the front of it. This band is just oozing potential.
The last 30 seconds of Millers Saw is some serious music that will leave you hoping Everything else is a little bit strained and that these guys get a bit more time in the boring. studio.. It’s not shit but it’s not exciting. In Between The Dirt is pure fucking evil. When we put on a Pixie’s record we expect to Apparently this is being relaunched as a CD feel some excitement and we felt that with and cassette... the first track but then it just got really, Fucking hipsters and their fucking really, really predictable and whiny. cassettes... Yeah, we just loved those fucking Not whiny in a good way either. things didn’t we? Oh well! Are they to young to know why we started Maybe they should just stick to touring for buying CDs? a little bit of cash or get Kim Deal back to Still awesome little EP right here! write something a bit decent for them? That’s our judgement. We’re right too.
Supersuckers Get The Hell (2014)
Review: Shane Hilton
Thank fuck for the Supersuckers. Just try and imagine a world without this band... it would be fucking boring! Get The Hell sees Eddie Spaghetti and company return with their first studio
Proper album opener (what’s with every prick and their intro) and title track Get The Hell sets the tone for the album. It just pushes. That’s What You Get For Thinkin’ (there’s no
album in six years and it, dear readers, is a words in the Supersuckers vocabulary that fucking corker. end with a G) is a bunny boiler that peps up the hard rock genre with a little bit of Honestly this band has no business being as punk that just cuts through the record. good as this after so many years. Of course our favourite is Fuck Up! Just reading through the track titles gives you a fair idea of just what this record is It’s an instant classic. all about. The harmonica on it confirms it. Fuck Up, Pushin’ Thru, Disaster Bastard, Bein’ It sounds like it was written by a trucker Bad, Shut Your Face and High Tonight. after a non stop 3 day ‘caffeine’ fuelled It’s all laid out for you from the start. trip down the highway. They even throw in a cover of Gary Glitter’s Rock On and Depeche Modes Never Let Me Down just to prove that they can turn even the most bland of music into something worth listening to.
And it’s called Fuck Up! Did we mention that?
If you’re expecting the country fried incarnation of the Supersuckers then it’s probably best that you prepare yourself for a bit of a reality check.
But they’re back making noise that is
It’s classic Supersuckers. 100% rock and roll..
All in all this is a return for the Supersuckers. Not that they really went anywhere. significantly louder which is a win for us all. If you were never a Supersuckers fan or are to young to know just how good this band is this is the perfect introduction to them.
Not their best album but it’s not the worst They haven’t released anything this loud in either. a very long time.
Suicidal Angels Divide and Conquer (2014)
Review: Shane Hilton
My in-laws are apparently Greek. I think they’re full of shit. I have the strange feeling that they're really Korean or something... Maybe Inuit?
At least with this album I can work out what it is that’s missing. And what is it? Riffs, people! Riffs are missing.
I don’t know what their cultural background How you can claim to be a thrash band with is but I’m almost certain that they’re not Greek... It just doesn’t seem possible for me.
this piss weak guitar is beyond me!
Sure at Easter (Greek Easter of course) they have the lamb on the spit and the red eggs that they smash together to win luck or whatever the hell it is.
Suicidal Angels have managed to release 5 albums in just 7 seven years and this is not exactly earth shattering which is a shame considering to the production on this record.
They do all those things but there’s also a considerable lack of other stereotypical Greek behaviour in the family.
It isn’t really a departure in sound but it is a much more solid effort and that makes it all the more pleasing.
There’s no ouzo.
No gold chains.
Some of the solos are worth a listen but the rest is just kind of a bit on the bland side mostly because of the weakness of the rest of the guitar .
Fuck, I’ve got more body hair than all of them combined.
Still that doesn't mean that Divide and Conquer isn’t worth a listen.
And, I haven’t even seen any of them watch Acropolis Now once!
It’s still better than most of the metal-core shit that get’s shoved down your throat.
What kind of “Greeks” are these people?
Still, with any luck I’ll be able to chuck this sucker on at Greek Easter this year and check just how Greek these in-laws are!
No smashing of plates.
There is also no Greek thrash metal band Suicidal Angels being blasted through the speakers. Suicidal Angels are a lot like my in-laws. They sound like thrash but there just seems to be something missing.
I have a strange feeling that they’re going to disappoint me and put on some Australian Crawl or some shit. Oh well! At least I’ll have the lamb!
Perfect Pussy
The Reverend Horton Heat
I Have Lost All Desire For Feeling
Rev
(2014)
Review: Strawb G Hetti
There is this really fucked up thing called vaginoplasty.
(2014)
Review: Shane Hilton
The Revs have been at this forever.
Basically it’s a face lift for your pussy.
And like a fine wine they’re just getting better with age.
Apparently, this is a real problem for some women out there.
The Texan punkabilly outfit aren’t too fucking hard to work out.
Of course the pundits have came out and blamed pornography because it’s everywhere instead of just blaming people and their
It would be a fucking shame if they ever tried to push artistic boundaries.
lack of intelligent thought. What has that got to do with this EP? Absolutely fucking nothing. This is an odd little band out of somewhere in New York State.
This album is exactly what it should be. It’s raucous pretty guitar with a backbeat and it oozes the kind of cool that makes you want to slick your hair back and turn the cuffs up on your jeans. The Rev himself is in fine form.
They give their songs names in Roman Schizoid see’s the Rev take that dirty numerals (the first song on this is called I, Cramps'-like guitar and give one of the best the second is II and so on) and they play guitar solos we’ve heard in a long time. some very enthusiastic punk rock. It is fucking horribly beautiful. It’s like a cross between Husker Du and a Rev also see’s the return of former long time train crash. bassist Scott Churrilo to the fold. This isn't music for everyone. This is a tops record but we will leave the In fact odds are that it will drive you up last word to the Rev himself. the fucking wall but we like it. Looking out the window there’s a world going by The name could probably do with some work. We googled ‘Perfect Pussy’ and it took us a lot of hours and a shit load of blushing to find the fucking band! If you want a listen try “Perfect Pussy Band” it will save on the bodily fluids.
Out here on this highway is probably how I’ll die I’ve been everywhere and I haven’t seen a thing But that’s the way it is when you play guitar and sing
As long as it happens the way Rev we’re happy.... Really, really happy!
Various Artists Dirty Jeans– The Rise of Australia Alternative Rock (2014) Review: Shane Hilton
Any album that kicks off with GOD’s My Pal is an alright album in my book.
always win out.
Late 80’s and early 90’s Australian music is currently suffering from a resurgence.
ignored that will stand the test of time.
In 20 years time we won’t be talking about The fact that it’s immediately followed up how good whatever the fuck synth-punk-folk with the Hard Ons Where Did She Come From is band that they flogged to death was. just the icing on the cake. It will be those bands that were completely
We can all work out why?
It might be a while to wait for validation but still it’s always nice to know that you
were right all along. All those fellas and gals that were young and dumb back then are currently just about So apart from that little aside this is a to suffer from their mid-life crisis and pretty ace put together. record companies aren’t dumb. It’s got everyone you would expect and even They know there’s money in this shit. a few you wouldn’t (Powderfinger? They were pebble instead of rock and a bad The nice thing is that there are some alternative to Pearl Jam weren’t they?) inclusions on this little compilation that record companies would never have touched There’s Magic Dirt (der), the Meanies, the Mark back in the day. of Cain, Even, Regurgitator, Front End Loader, Ammonia, You Am I, Screamfeeder, the Beasts of Including one of our favourite bands: the Bourbon and a host of others. Powder Monkeys. It’s quite a nice little listen. It’s just a pleasure to see get some comeuppance! Of course to try and sum up over a decades of sounds in just 25 tracks is almost Persecution Blues has become a bit of a impossible but they do give it a good go. favourite for everyone ever since the Tote had their troubles and the surprising thing There’s always going to be someone to is just what a stand out it is amongst the complain about it but we wont. rest of the songs on this compilation. It’s got GOD playing My Pal! Considering the recent debate concerning What more could you want? Triple J and their very boring music tastes it’s worth noting that good music will
Iron Mind
The Reverend Horton Heat
Iron Mind
Rev
(2014)
Review: Shane Hilton
(2014)
Review: Bruce “Lefty” Knox
I don’t know much about Iron Mind.
The Revs have been at this forever.
I know they’re from Melbourne.
And like a fine wine they’re just getting
Their debut Head Split Wide Open is something I enjoyed but this is something else. It’s just leaps and bounds ahead.
better with age. The Texan punkabilly outfit aren’t too fucking hard to work out. It would be a fucking shame if they ever tried to push artistic boundaries.
If this record was released ten years ago before all the hard-core kids became hipster This album is exactly what it should be. douche bag adults then Iron Mind would have It’s raucous pretty guitar with a backbeat been fucking huge. and it oozes the kind of cool that makes you want to slick your hair back and turn the They’ve got the chops. And they’re are some very angry dudes. Luckily it’s the kind of anger that gets turned into big riffs and a lot of spitting bile from the gut aka singing. This is hard-core in the NYHC sense. It’s sheer menace wrapped up in rage and delivered like a punch to the throat. You turn this fucker up. We haven’t seen Iron Mind live but this record has us convinced that they’d be worth the admission fee. If you don’t mind your music loud and aggressive than you’re going to enjoy this.
cuffs up on your jeans. The Rev himself is in fine form. Schizoid see’s the Rev take that dirty Cramps'-like guitar and give one of the best guitar solos we’ve heard in a long time. It is fucking horribly beautiful. Rev also see’s the return of former long time bassist Scott Churrilo to the fold. This is a tops record but we will leave the last word to the Rev himself. Looking out the window there’s a world going by Out here on this highway is probably how I’ll die I’ve been everywhere and I haven’t seen a thing But that’s the way it is when you play guitar and sing
Hell, even if you don’t odds are you’ll be too As long as it happens the way Rev we’re scared no to like it. happy.... Really, really happy!
660mls Later
by Strawb G Hetti
There has been a lot of debate lately about the ineptness of Triple J. It’s been a real pain in my balls.
And then you have the other dipshits who come out and say “Why don’t you listen to community radio?”
Listen here bud! So, I’m just going to shoot off a few points that have already been lifted from one of I do my previously written pieces and claimed as But the fact that Triple J has a national someone else's... audience means it should be giving ALL the Triple J is meant to be the National Youth great young bands we have an equal billing! Broadcaster! Ok cool! That’s fine I’m down Not flogging whatever band some old cunts with that. friend is hoping to make a bit of cash out The fact that the guy who decides what will of! be played on it is 50 this week is just one Fuck, this pricks brother was just a good of those things that must make sense to drummer. He, on the other hand, has the someone! talent of a squashed penis. Now there is a certain sound that Triple J likes to play. If they deny that (which they have) it only confirms the fact that there is. The thing is young people listen to all types of different sorts of music! They get off on so many different genres that I have trouble even keeping up!
Triple J has a responsibility as a national broadcaster to play all types of music and not act as an advertisement for a select few bands. They receive government funding! Why are they acting like a private company? I call bullshit!
Is that reflected on the Triple J playlist?
Fuck you Triple J!
Of course it fucking isn’t!
Fuck you Richard Kingsmill!
Then you have these little twerps piping up “Well, maybe you’re just too old! You just don’t get it! Digital instruments and knowing 2 chords has allowed people with true talent to enter the music industry! You don’t need major label connections anymore”
You’ve done more harm to Australian music than any fucking TV show, collapsed festival or shitty government legislation! You have the musical taste of every other fuckwit that lives off the glory of what someone else did 20 years ago!
Well, listen here dipshit!
You and your glory days can go and suck a hole because all you’re giving the kids I know more about music then you’re spoilt, packed lunched, middle class ordinary little these days is big, fat, corporate load of filthy cum straight up their arse! mind will ever comprehend. You would love to be me!
Silly old prick!
And do you know why I know so much more?
People complain about the Rolling Stones being over the hill!
It’s because I listen to a whole heap of different music (except for dance music which you’re ’rock music’ is) so go back to your already paid for university education and shut the fuck up!
Well, at least they have talent! So that’s all I have to say about that! Thanks for the compliment of re writing my article too cunt!