Do The Pop!
May 1, 2011 10:20 PM   Subscribe

Wallaby Beat is a blog dedicated to punk, DIY, powerpop, grillfat (pre-punk Australian hard rock) and NWOAHM from Australia 1975-1984. It follows projects like Do The Pop, Lethal Weapons, and Inner City Sound in documenting Australia's fertile underground rock and roll scene. While those blogs and books are focused on the past, I-94 Bar is documenting the scene as it stands today and interviewing the various survivors.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn (17 comments total) 15 users marked this as a favorite
 
Good post LiB

Inner City Sound was a great book.

I remember (I'm old) the pre punk scene in Brisbane. One night, in flares and flowers we went to a party at uni. Everything was as it should be.

The next night I was invited to a party in Petrie Terrace, Saints were playing, and from then on everything was different in the world.
posted by the noob at 10:32 PM on May 1, 2011 [4 favorites]


The next night I was invited to a party in Petrie Terrace, Saints were playing, and from then on everything was different in the world.

Tell me more tell me more!

Lethal Weapons is one of my favorite CDs. I'm too young to have heard most of the good stuff when it was around, but I do what I can. Mostly see shows at the Sando in Newtown. X were amazing, Hard-Ons were always good value, Rowland S Howard (RIP) was stunning, Beasts of Bourbon and Radio Birdman are still fun, Meanies blew my mind, always love Kim Salmon, etc. When I saw Kim open for Jim Jones Revue he played 'Frantic Romantic'. So good.

Maybe in 20 years I'll be telling my kids how I saw Kiosk and Naked on the Vague and Garbage & The Flowers and Le Paper Dolls in tiny venues, but I doubt it.

Need to see Kuepper and Bailey in some configuration, but I haven't yet. I sing ' (I'm) Stranded' so badly that I've been twice kicked off stage at Punk Rock Karaoke.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 10:42 PM on May 1, 2011 [1 favorite]


Anyone in this thread who doesn't have this needs to get it.
posted by Jimbob at 11:22 PM on May 1, 2011 [3 favorites]


I did a site specific Google search for midnight oil and was surprised to come up empty handed.

I'm terrible at classifying modern music [mainly coz I don't even try any more, coz it often ends up being a confusing argument about semantics dictated by someone who knows a lot more than me] but late 1970s early 1980s Midnight Oil [and there is a lot of it] strikes me as extremely punkish. Anything pre 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Certainly different to the radio friendly Beds are Burning stuff that Americans might be more familiar with. Their early stuff was some of their best work in my opinion.

They even had a punky love song in there. The thought of their tall bald lanky uncanny valley lead singer holding back the chills of love scares me, quite frankly.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 12:54 AM on May 2, 2011


I think you're right, uncanny. It somehow feels wrong to class Midnight Oil as punk or post-punk, since everyone knows they're just AUSSIE ROCK...but I've heard them do a live cover of The Saint's "Know Your Product", and it kicked 17 kinds of arse.
posted by Jimbob at 1:14 AM on May 2, 2011


I think you're right, uncanny.

Good gravy. I'm gonna have that framed, Jimbob!
posted by uncanny hengeman at 1:24 AM on May 2, 2011 [2 favorites]


Well, you know. Stopped clock and all that.
posted by Jimbob at 2:18 AM on May 2, 2011 [1 favorite]


Touché. Top saying, that.

The Radiators don't appear on a search, either. I remember one summer a guy playing a punk sounding 4 track EP to me over and over again [I've hardly heard from them since]. Can't remember the album name, but it contained the song Gimme Head, an eminently hummable tune despite its in-your-face lyrics. The old boys have still got it, by the looks. Check the first 0:59 of this clip. Great stuff.

The Radiators - Gimme Head - live 2009[?] [very slurred NSFW lyrics]

/Can't cover every band in 5 months. I'm not complaining.
//Maybe they will never be featured on this blog. A Google search just then has them variously described as punk, post punk, and rock. Their Wiki page has them pegged as rock.

posted by uncanny hengeman at 5:02 AM on May 2, 2011 [1 favorite]


Wonderful, thanks. One of my favorite tracks on jimbob's compilation is this.
posted by rodii at 5:05 AM on May 2, 2011 [3 favorites]


heh

Lyrics were not the radiator's strong suite

"don't worry, it's ok, I'll be coming home to see you today"
posted by the noob at 6:04 AM on May 2, 2011


One of my favorite tracks on jimbob's compilation is this.

A-fucking-men. The first time I heard that song, it was like I was hearing Rock'n'Roll for the first time.

posted by Jimbob at 6:19 AM on May 2, 2011


One of my favorite tracks on jimbob's compilation is this.

The first time I learned you could get that without having got the vinyl at the time was via a mefite... so thanks again Goshling!
posted by pompomtom at 6:27 AM on May 2, 2011 [1 favorite]


Jimbob- as someone (I'm ashamed to admit) who only discovered The Saints last week, I am going to have to buy that compilation. Thanks!
posted by Hoopo at 9:09 AM on May 2, 2011


Jimbob, that compilation is pretty much the perfect picture of how I want to remember the Sydney music scene of a certain age. Wet Taxis! Good times.

And I'm defending The Radiators, those lyrics were spot on for the crowds at Selinas or the Rooty Hill RSL back in the day. They would have the whole crowd drunkenly screaming those lines, they nailed the simple/catchy combo.
posted by N-stoff at 9:20 AM on May 2, 2011


I thought I'd be finding X in there because I saw them many times at these venues (in particular the Unicorn on Wednesdays).
posted by unliteral at 5:59 PM on May 2, 2011


Forgot one link: 1980s Sydney Gig Posters
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 6:19 PM on May 2, 2011


Not punk-era Midnight Oil... but this thread is as good a place as any to share this...

From the Midnight Oil/Warumpi Band Blackfella/Whitefella Tour in 1986. Film clip features random snippets from their concert[s] in desert Aboriginal communities.

It starts out with Warumpi's hit Blackfella/Whitefella and morphs into The Oil's Dead Heart as the band member exchange instruments and playing duties on stage. 2:24 - 2:33 when the drummers swap seats is one of my Top Ten fave music video moments. Rob Hirst is a beast!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N5ZsCGjUz0
posted by uncanny hengeman at 10:25 PM on May 2, 2011 [2 favorites]


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