Don't stab him.

Oops, too late.

Can you read that? It's meant to be telling you that Dirt Bag, Witch Hats & Love Of Diagrams are playing at the Northcote Social Club on Friday.
More info not on the poster- it's the launch show for Love Of Diagrams' new album "Nowhere Forever", Dirt Bag are some unholy crossbreed of the Twerps, Beaches, and Spider Vomit, and it's $15.00 on the door.

On Saturday, El Trasho Loco celebrates it's first birthday at the Tote, and are spreading the joy both downstairs and upstairs. This should be a great night- the Exotics are always a class act, and it's good to see them playing this. Graveyard Train's last show here was a sellout. Special guest international DJ too, I hear. Playing times as follows:
Band Room: Exotics - 11.45 – 12.30
Graveyard Train - 10.45 – 11.15
Benny and the Fly By Niters - 9.45 – 10.15
High Fangs - 8.45 – 9.15

The Rebelles - 7.45 – 8.15

Cobra Bar: Dunhill Blues - 11.35 – 12.05
Greasy Hawaiians - 10.45 – 11.15
Toot Toot Toots - 9.55 – 10.25
Deadbeat Club - 9.05 – 9.35
The Swindlers - 8.15 – 8.45

If you are for some fresh air on Sunday, the final round of the Pub Footy is taking place at Victoria Park, in Collingwood. Yes, that Victoria Park. Kick off is at 1.00, with the Old Bar Unicorns vs. the Bar Open Bats, to be followed by the East Brunswick Club vs. the Tote "around 3.00 or so".

GO TEAM!

More words, elsewhere.

The spring issue of A Fine Line magazine is now up, and available for download here.
70+ pages, with some great pics and fine articles- no, nothing by yours truly, if that's what you are wondering. Some friends are featured, though.
Forward that link to your work email and print it out there, to read on the trip home. I did.

Album of the week- James McCann: "Bound For The Blues"

It's been a while since James McCann's last release, though he hasn't been quiet. He plays pretty regularly, and seems to have a floating band of friends and guests who swap in and out as needed. Here the musicians are credited as the Dirty Skirt Band.
This is, as you may expect from the title, a tad bluesier than his previous album, "Where Was I Then?" but is basically the same kind of solid guitar based stuff. He has a knack for a short honest lyric phrase, as well as one for thick echoing guitar work-outs. That's not to say this is unsubtle, though.
On Torn & Frayed Records, probably the only notable thing currently coming out of Nagambie.

A sly Thursday.

Well, that was fun.
I survived the inaugural Sydney Flip Out, just. Highlights are too numerous to mention, really, and basically boil down to hanging out with fine people and keeping within earshot of great music. Oh, and some beer. There are live sets from most of the bands here - thanks, Morris.
If you are in Melbourne and can't wait, this show at the Tote tomorrow may help:

James Arthur is a Texan hick who spent a lotta time as the driving force behind some of the best '90s underground garage/punk/psych bands like Fireworks, Necessary Evils, Feast of Snakes and the Golden Boys, among others, and recording for all the hippest labels of the day like Crypt, In The Red, Sympathy, even appearing on fine Aussie imprints Au-go-go and Dropkick. He's been dormant for a while, distilling a toxic brew of psychedelic noise in the basement of his ranch in the Hill Country outside of Austin.
He's just got together a new band, JAMES ARTHUR'S MANHUNT, and has recorded an LP for Australian taste-makers Aarght! Records. We are proud to bring you the first such JA foray in some time. Manhunt will be touring
Australia in August & September of this year in support of the LP, playing at both Flip Out Festivals in Melbourne and Sydney, with a handful of side shows.
We don't know what a manhunt is. James is kinda gay.
Which is cool and all, and ballsy for a Texan.

That's only$10, and kicks off around 8.30pm

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.

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.

Back to the futu...well, the past, actually.

Hmm, another retrospective weekend. I don't apologise for this- as far as I can see, it's all part of one wide spectrum, and any part of it can and should be enjoyed by anyone.
Anyway, I mentioned the Little Murders reissue earlier this week- it's getting an official launch at the Tote on Friday.

That should be a fine sweaty night, and it's only $10.00
On Sunday afternoon, a bunch of folks are gathering at the Corner for a one-off (yeah I know everyone always says that, but I think this time it's actually true) reformation show by the Ears.

Hot on the heels of the recent "Dogs In Space" re-release, this promises to be pretty big. And it's being co-presented by Dolores San Miguel- if that's not a mark of quality for the era in question, I don't know what is.

Album of the week- Little Murders: "Stop! plus singles, 1978-1986"

Another album of the week- and this one goes back quite a few weeks, actually- to about 1986.

Off The Hip Records presents "Stop! plus singles, 1978 - 1986", by Little Murders. This CD collects all 27 studio recordings from this seminal Melbourne punkish powerpop outfit. Alongside contemporaries like The Riptides, The Scientists, and Young Modern, Little Murders set the blueprint for late '70s Australian powerpop. With 24 page full colour booklet. Fully remastered. The CD will be launched with a special show at the Tote on Friday 14th. August.

Little Murders were an early live fave of mine back in the day, and this CD contains the photographic evidence to prove it. I got hold of a copy of this the other day, and have been listening to it pretty much non-stop. Geddit?

Album of the week- Marf Loth, "Cigarettes In Paintbuckets"

Not sure how many of these I may end up doing- it really depends on what comes through, and what catches my ear, I guess.
Anyway, this arrived at random the other day, and is really quite strange and excellent.

Recorded in someone's house, by a band that barely exists outside the mind of main man Nathan Roche, it's a scuzzy lo-fi classic. The vocals are almost impenetrable, and half of the guitar work sounds like someone practising chords they'd learnt that afternoon. Having said that, it's full of ideas and has an energy which would put most other "real" outfits to shame. There's a reference to Alex Chilton's "Like Flies On Sherbet" in the liner notes- if you're a fan of that (still amazing) bucket of guts, you'll probably like this, too.

Caution- contains football.

A big night at the Espy on Friday, with GUT, Dollsquad, Gun Street Girls and the Meanies playing out back in the Gershwin Room, and Kids Of Zoo, the Once Overs and the New Christs in the front bar. The whole thing is free, which makes me wonder why the two rooms are being separately promoted. I also wonder why the fucking Espy now has a Flash site, which makes it impossible to snag images.
The New Christs show is by way of launching their excellent new album, "Gloria", out now on Impedance Records:

They'll also be playing at the Tote on Saturday, and are promising to return soon as part of a full tour.
Speaking of the Tote, on Sunday afternoon their footy team takes on the Old Bar Unicorns (motto:" Feel the Fantasy"). Also playing are the Bar Open Bats versus the East Brunswick Club. Kickoff is around 1.00, at Brunswick Park, Hope St. Brunswick. That's a kid, dog and booze-friendly event.

And you could follow that up with the latest in the (appalling named) Sundae Workers Series, at the Workers Club- which is just the old Rob Roy tarted up a bit.
This week's is the last one, and features the Primitive Calculators, UV Repairs (some unholy blend of UV Race and the Repairs) and Brain Children DJs, all for $10.00

UPDATE: the football referred to above has been put back until next weekend. And moved.

Double Dogs.

Well, I spoke too soon.
On Saturday afternoon I managed to pick up a ticket to "Dogs In Space", so duly headed along. It was excellent to see it on a big screen, and the restoration looks and sounds fantastic. The story is still as random as ever, and the music is still great- Marie Hoy's version of "Shivers" had me in a cold sweat.
By a stroke of luck (and kindness- thanks, Richard) I also ended up going back to see "We're Livin' On Dog Food" on Sunday as well. This is the trailer, which may give you some idea of what it's like:

It does a brilliant job of examining some of the people, places and influences of early Melbourne punk. Watching it while sitting next to Dolores San Miguel, who is one of the people featured (in both old footage and a recent interview), added a whole other layer to the experience. Yes, she gasped when she saw herself on screen.
Before and after both movies there was a bit of time to catch up with some old friends, a couple of whom I hadn't seen for decades. Literally, twenty years or more. And now I have Wirlywirld stuck in my head- but I can live with that.
You really should get onto this.

Quiet time.

Hmmm, not sure if there is a whole lot going on- apart from that Russian Roulettes/Fancy Boys show mentioned below. But that's OK. I'm not feeling 100% right now anyway.
There's every chance that free pizza and an extended happy hour at the Tote, with Myles Gallagher djing, will get me out of the house for a while tonight:

Or there's always a movie. A restored version of "Dogs In Space" is screening at ACMI on Saturday, as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival, and director Richard Lowenstein is hosting the debut of his new documentary, "We're Livin' On Dog Food", on Sunday.

I have seen "Dog Food" already and it is excellent. Sadly, I think both of those sessions have sold out, though.

Poster of the year.

Look, I don't really care whether you go along this show on Friday night or not:

I just wanted to get that poster up here is all.

A good night, a good cause.

Hmm, there's a bit of a tussle for show of the week this weekend.
On Saturday, Sin City, Sixfthick and X are at the Corner. The combined power of these three will probably demolish the place, and at only $17.00, it's a bargain.

HOWEVER, that may leave you too hungover to do the right thing on Sunday, and head along to the Tote for the "Hold Hands!" public radio benefit.

A bunch of local labels- Mistletone, Unstable Ape , Chapter Music, Sensory Projects and others have combined to put together a massive bill of acts, with all proceeds going to support public radio stations in both Melbourne and Sydney- sorry, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth & Canberra. Merch and CDs from all the labels will be available. There is also soup involved. It all kicks off around 3.00pm.

A handy guide.

There seem to be a few bands around town at the moment with vaguely similar names. It's not as bad as the great wave of Wolf/Hand/Bird acts of a while back, but regardless, here's a handy guide, to make sure you don't end up at Pony when you should be at the Birmy.

Wasted Truth are an awesome noisy two piece.
Truth From Facts are an awesome noisy trio, with an album due soon.

Mother and Father are the first act signed to new Melbourne label Z-Man Records.
Mother and Child do not have a record deal. Nor, it seems, a MySpace page.

Useless Children are a fine noisy bunch of youngsters, with a six-track EP out.

Brain Children are Mikey Young and Max Kohane, and they have an EP out too, on Aarght! Records. It looks like this:

Not to be confused with Baby Brain , by the way.

I can't find much info on Racing Daphne or Scott and Charlene's Wedding, but here are some pics that turned up in image search:

Make of that what you will.

Sunday soup.

Well, the Oakleigh Bowling Club is chugging along nicely. The place was packed, the Wagons show was great, and I ran into the author of this article there, too. I don't know who was more surprised.
Anyway, they are running a series of Sunday shows over the next few weeks:

I have been to gigs where a CD, 7" or (many years ago) a flexidisc has been included in the entry price- but never before have I seen a bowl of soup offered as part of the deal. Considering that Charles Jenkins sold out the Corner last week, it may be a good idea to get a ticket for his 26th. July show early.

Slow coach.

Well, it's been a while- their launch tour for "The Rise And Fall Of Goodtown" started back on 8th May- but I am finally catching the excellent Wagons for the first time since summer on Friday night.

The Oakleigh Bowls Club may not be the hippest place in town, but it's friendly, cosy (only 240 capacity, all sold out) and cheap. "Goodtown" is a great record, too, by the way- but don't just take my word for it.

And then on Saturday, there's this, at the Corner Hotel:

Please join Charles Jenkins and The Zhivagos for the
Blue Atlas Winter Ball, an epic night of entertainment as we welcome our special guests Clare Bowditch, Rebecca Barnard, Anna Burley, Abby Dobson, Spencer P Jones, Davey Lane,Tim Rogers, Ron Peno, Kerri Simpson, Cal and Van Walker along with the Blue Atlas Strings performing songs from the Charles Jenkins and the Zhivagos magnum opus "Blue Atlas".

Although I have an awful feeling that at a mere $20, that's sold out too.

If you have nothing to do on Sunday, why not head over to the Old Bar for their monthly garage sale? Admission is free, you can drink a couple of $10 jugs, and buy some crap that someone else is trying to get rid of.

God knows I still haven't listened to the four $1.00 CDs I got there last month.