This Jet fails to take off

"By and large, 'Shaka Rock"'is an unmistakable and confident move toward respectability for Jet. But it does make you wonder why it's so rough for a band to be young, dumb and full of bad come-ons."

That's one review of the new Jet album. From the LA Times so they must have a good publicist on the payroll. I know nothing's new in rock and roll but perhaps the abject and too obvious lack of anything new to say in their past work has something to do with it.

Anyway, if you want a real laugh at Jet's expense, have a read of this.

Breaking On Through One More Time

I know the post-Jim Doors machine has been a runaway train business entity, seemingly aimed at squeezing every last cent out of the Lizard King's adoring fans, but maybe this premium-priced box set might be worth close to the asking price of US$90.

The last days of the Doors have a dark attraction to them - sort of like the truck-running-downhill-with-no-brakes finality. "LA Woman" had a damaged, world-weary blues feel that dwarves much of the band's mid-period output.

This one pre-dates The End, documenting NYC gigs that would appear, in part, on the sprawling/bloated "Absolutely Live" set and recorded around the time of "Morrison Hotel", but you can hear where they're heading.

Read more about the box set here.

James Williamson online

He has a website. A new I-94 Bar interview will appear in the fullness of time.

Before we were so rudely interrupted

If you've been thinking it was quiet around these parts lately, you were right. A terminal graphics card took the whole damned mother(fucker) board with it and $1100 bucks later we're b-a-a-a-a-a-c-k. Hope you missed us.

Lester Bangs speaks

Interstate action, pt. II

Geez, I'm gonna run up against a federal beef one day, with these interstate movements. Thank fuck the Mann Act doesn't apply here. And anyway, officer, her mum told me she was 19, and she looked at least 17...
So (ahem), to business. While Flip Out kicks off in Sydney this weekend, Melbourne is not dead. Oh, no. I would gladly be heading over to the Tote for Mother And Father's CD launch, if I could.

Great supports, and a great record label too. If you do go, please feel free to whack my retarded nephew, DJ Ka-Plosion, over the head with a Saints record or an empty beer jug for me.
But I will be elsewhere- a warehouse in the arse end of S-Town:

I have no idea what Dirty Shirlows is like, but this looks killer:Pink Reason, Fabulous Diamonds, ZOND, and Bedwettin' Bad Boys. Seems like a good mix to me, and an ideal appetizer for the main course of Flip Out on Saturday.
If I were to be in Melbourne on Saturday, I can think of nowhere better to be than at Yah Yah's, for the launch of James McCann's excellent new album, "Bound For The Blues"

Also featuring Crystal Thomas and the Flowers of Evil, wrapped up with a great Rick Chesshire poster, and for free, too. Get plenty of that, while you can. I would, if I could.
Wish my liver luck, people.

Album of the week- Woman: "Woman".

An odd one, this, but a good one.

WOMAN are a four piece based out of New York, who have been knocking around for a while. Somehow, they ended up on the mighty Spanish label, BANG! Records, for their debut album. And somehow, a copy ended up in Melbourne, with me.
Maybe that's not so odd really. The dirty rock riffs, huge rhythms and continent-sized slabs of guitar screech are very Melbourne, in a way. This would sound right at home on a local label like Spooky.
Fuck knows what they are on about. "When The Wheel's Red" pushes a lot of dials into the red, that's for sure. It ends with a jagged, wailing instrumental called "Icy Drone"
I'm sure I'm not the only person in town who'd pay good money to see these guys tearing up the Tote on a bill with, say, Sailors & Swine and the Stabs. Make it happen, someone.

Butthole Surfers: "Hey" (live, 1985)

I was just watching the "Blind Eye Sees All" DVD with my buddy Andrew, and figured, what the hell.

This was filmed live in Detroit in 1985, though you may notice some cuts between takes- mostly in Gibby Hayes' outfit. Andrew thinks they are just like Equal Local- I don't. But this still strikes both of us as being just as amazing today as it did back then.
"Get your hands off me!"

Flip Out returns, and expands.

It was one of the live highlights of last year. Now the Flip Out Festival returns, and is also extending slimy tentacles north to Sydney.
It's on at something called the Manning Bar on Saturday, August 29. Line up:
Eddy Current Suppression Ring
Pink Reason (USA)
Goodnight Loving (USA)
James Arthur's Manhunt (USA)
Ooga Boogas
Naked On The Vague
The UV Race
The Stabs
Super Wild Horses
Slug Guts
Deaf Wish
Royal Headache
Zond


There's a fairly hefty Melbourne contingent heading up for that, including yours truly, ahead of their hometown leg, which is staying at the Corner, and is on Saturday September 5, with the following:

Pink Reason (USA)
Goodnight Loving (USA)
James Arthur's Manhunt (USA)
Ooga Boogas
Naked On The Vague
Super Wild Horses
Slug Guts
The Disbelievers
The Native Cats
Dick Diver
The Twerps
Teen Archer
Repairs


There's the usual barbecues, records stalls, shenanigans and beer going on. Seriously, if you blow a chance to get to one of these- or both, maybe?- you are a damn fool.

Put your shorts on, we're going to Sydney!

So coming up this weekend there's going to be a massive amount of Melbourne people heading up to Sydney for Flip Out and it's going to be a riot. If you're holding your ticket right now and waiting the days as i am, you won't be let down. If you're too scared to look at your bank account, get a ticket and see some of Australia's best aswell as a few U.S offerings. I'm particularly excited about seeing The Ooga Boogas, James Arthur's Manhunt and Slug Guts. Though it's fair to say The U.V Race and The Stabs are my 2 favourite bands, period.



If you're not going to be sipping tropicali drinks in Sydney with me and Bugsy, then perhaps you could do your homework for good shows on this weekend. It'll be quiet at The Tote and The Birmy i predict. By the way, if you don't have a copy of the new Unbelievably Bad, it's $7 and you can pick it up at Missing Link or Polyester.

Put your shorts on, we're going to Sydney!

So coming up this weekend there's going to be a massive amount of Melbourne people heading up to Sydney for Flip Out and it's going to be a riot. If you're holding your ticket right now and waiting the days as i am, you won't be let down. If you're too scared to look at your bank account, get a ticket and see some of Australia's best aswell as a few U.S offerings. I'm particularly excited about seeing The Ooga Boogas, James Arthur's Manhunt and Slug Guts. Though it's fair to say The U.V Race and The Stabs are my 2 favourite bands, period.



If you're not going to be sipping tropicali drinks in Sydney with me and Bugsy, then perhaps you could do your homework for good shows on this weekend. It'll be quiet at The Tote and The Birmy i predict. By the way, if you don't have a copy of the new Unbelievably Bad, it's $7 and you can pick it up at Missing Link or Polyester.

UV RACE/THE EXOTICS/ECSR @ PRINCE BANDROOM

Went to my old work at Prince Bandroom for Eddy Current Suppression Ring, The UV Race and The Exotics.

Great show, was weird to see UV play a show and all the members be so far apart on the stage. I saw most of the Exotics, i really dug em. I dunno about you but i'd never heard of them before. I'll have to see them again some time. E.C.S.R were great. Lots of bright faced teens boppin'. They encored with Pitch A Tent, the place went nuts.

UV RACE>

MO MAN


MARCUS


DAN



ECSR>

BRENDAN SUPPRESSION


BRENDAN SUPPRESSION


MIKEY




Check out my flickr for more band photos and other tidbits, http://www.flickr.com/photos/zac_walton/

UV RACE/THE EXOTICS/ECSR @ PRINCE BANDROOM

Went to my old work at Prince Bandroom for Eddy Current Suppression Ring, The UV Race and The Exotics.

Great show, was weird to see UV play a show and all the members be so far apart on the stage. I saw most of the Exotics, i really dug em. I dunno about you but i'd never heard of them before. I'll have to see them again some time. E.C.S.R were great. Lots of bright faced teens boppin'. They encored with Pitch A Tent, the place went nuts.

UV RACE>

MO MAN


MARCUS


DAN



ECSR>

BRENDAN SUPPRESSION


BRENDAN SUPPRESSION


MIKEY




Check out my flickr for more band photos and other tidbits, http://www.flickr.com/photos/zac_walton/

Stop, Look & Listen

I just can't stop listening to this.

Stop, Look & Listen

I just can't stop listening to this.

Stooges 1971 is in sight

The long-awaited Easy Action box set featuring the killer Asheton-Williamson guitar line-up ships next week. Here's the announcement from da man Carlton:

We are relieved and happy to eventually give you the information that the Stooges *You Want My Action * deluxe set will start to ship end of next week (week starting 24th August 2009). Its taken bloody ages to complete but here we have it .

We also want to thank all of you for your incredible patience and understanding and support as we went through hell trying to put this together with Companies going bust on us, proofs being rejected not once but twice as they simply werent good enough. Each time knowing that us rejecting it would cost us another week . what were we going to do ? say yeah that'll do, we're under lots of pressure to deliver, just shlock it out ...like fuck !!

I am happy to say that we have infuriated you beyond reasonability because we wanted to get it right , we could have shipped something five weeks ago but it wouldnt have been as good as what you will get next week.

Again your support through all of this has been fuckin impressive , in the past we have dealt with other fan bases that would have been moaning and griping and taking our name through the mud by now . so a huge thank you to the Stooges fans for being real !! And we want to hear from you all when you get this ok?

We are already plotting the next one :)

Go grab it here.

Album of the week- Witch Hats: "Solarium Down The Causeway".

Yes, yes, I know it's an EP, not an album. Get fucked.

Witch Hats have been a bit of a favorite of mine for some time now. Live or on record, they let loose with joyful raucous blasts of noise while still having a keen ear for hooks and melody. They never take themselves too seriously, and frankly I'm not the only person in town who is surprised they've kept it together for so long.
This was written and (mostly) recorded during their long, long tour of the US, and is a pretty awesome psychic snapshot of...something.
Out now on new Melbourne label Z-Man Records, it comes as a CD or on 10" vinyl.

Sydney Flip Out

Pink Reason Sydney show



Sydney Flip Out!



After partee, keep Flippin' Out!

Sydney Flip Out

Pink Reason Sydney show



Sydney Flip Out!



After partee, keep Flippin' Out!

Thurs 20/8 - The U.V Race + The Exotics + Eddy Current Suppression Ring. Prince Bandroom. $20+bf

Fri 21/8 - Violent Soho + Talons + Chinese Burns @ The Tote.

Sat 22/8 - U.V Race + Super Wild Horses + Lost Animal @ The Great Britain. Free!



Or if you're scared you might accidentally go over the river, Fangs Of A T.V Evangelist + Athol are playing at The Old Bar. I imagine it'll be about 10 shiny golden coins.

Sun 23/8 - Bowels + Teen Archer + Holy Samolly + Cult Minds @ Cat Food Press. 6pm. $5