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PUNK |
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 Welcome to the rebirth of Whammo's Punk page: back by popular demand. If you have news, views, release information, opinions or if you just want to give me grief, contact me at glenn@whammo.com.au
*Check below for the latest releases...
NEWZ
Just when we needed a good dose of Aussie music controversy, Frenzal Rhomb has kick-started an enjoyable feud with Kyle & Jackie O from the Austereo Network. Let's hope it snowballs into something particularly nasty. Of course, with several hot-tempered personalities involved, it's already become an entertaining story. Let's begin at the beginning: the Bass In The Grass festival held in Darwin on July 10. The Rhomb boys were headlining but before they could get to the stage they were told their set would need to be pruned due to several other acts running over time. Knowing the Frenzal boys, they would have only been slightly miffed, but tempers were about to get frayed when the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory decided to say a few words before the set. Add to that the late (9 hours late) Jackie O arriving to say a spiel and the band were justifiably irate, realising they'd have to cut 7 songs from their set. I'm not sure whether the Minister or Jackie had bothered to become acquainted with the music and lyrics of Frenzal Rhomb because, quite frankly, they were asking for trouble. Lindsay decided to play the Thunderstruck riff over the top of Jackie's spiel, which was followed by an cutting tirade on the evils of televised pop contests like Popstars and Australian Idol. Just to set the scene, a number of established Australian acts have been dropped by major labels over the last twelve months. While no one could actually prove that this has occurred to make way for people like Guy Sebastian and Shannon Noll, it seems very obvious to anyone in the industry that this negative shedding of local talent is a consequence of labels' preference for transient short-lived pop acts. I hope companies like BMG don't lose any sleep wondering why they've become the enemy. That was the whole point of Frenzal Rhomb's outburst. Jackie O left the stage upset and the band played on, which is why they were there in the first place. Then the real fun began. On Monday July 12, Jackie's producer, Ryan, was busy on the blower, calling Epitaph (Frenzal's label) to request an apology. Those familiar with the band will now be having a little giggle. The band refused, inspiring threats from the network saying Austereo would "bury the band", meaning this totally underground punk act would suddenly be missing from radio playlists. Anyone who knows the band is now laughing. It was a dumb idea to threaten a band that has nothing to lose; Jason Whalley, articulate frontman of the act, decided to accept the invitation to join Jackie O and Kyle for an interview. I guess the dynamic radio duo was out for blood, but it's evident from the transcript of the interview that the ruse backfired. Here are some highlights of the conversation that I lifted from the Out With The Old site. To check out the whole dramatic transcript, click here. To set the scene, I can assure you that the only people yelling during this conversation were Kyle and Jackie O:
J: ...If you ring up our record company, you people ring up our record company...threatening to bury the band...saying that we're never gonna get played on Austereo again...
K: Yep.
J: ...What the hell are we supposed to think? I mean, you've never played us...
K: Triple M, Triple M have, haven't they?
J: ...You've never supported us...
K: Have Triple M?
J: ...You don't support good, original Australian Music...
O: Yeah we do, but to suit the station...
J: You're not, you're a mouthpiece for the corporate music industry, and you always have been!
K: ...you're just like a f**king idiot that sits in the background not trying to get into the scene.
J: ...You're in this position where you can promote good, new, Australian talent, and you don't.
K: You've got to get over it, because there's going to be different types of music for different sorts of people. That's why you guys have been around for ten years, because you appeal to a certain group of people. Otherwise you'd be finished long ago. And so does Shannon Noll, and so do Popstars, everyone's got different tastes.
J: I know, you know what I care about? I care about the fact that there are bands like You Am I, good Australian bands, that are being dropped from their labels right now because, to make room for not only the Australian Idol winner...we're not just talking about the Australian Idol winner, which is full fair enough, we're talking about six of the losers, that are now being signed to these major record companies for what? For these completely short term careers...
K: Yep.
J: ...So the record company can make a quick buck...these bands aren't being nurtured...and for us to get up on stage and say, "Popstars, f**k 'em, f**k the lot of 'em, fu**king get f**ked, I'll stand by that, and I don't think that that should be offensive.
K: I don't care about Australian Idol or Popstars, I only care about Jackie and the embarrassment that she had at the hands of your band.
J: Well, I'm very sorry if you felt hurt Jackie. It wasn't intended to make you personally feel in any way uncomfortable up there on stage. We were up there to do our show, this is what we do, we basically, I can't see very many people that are championing the cause of young Australian bands that are trying to get by...
K: Just let me say, if it was me up there, it would have been on for young and old from the start.
J: Okay, now for a start, I'd just like to say, Jackie...were you aware that one of your security guards threatened our guitar tech with the threat of violence - as you're doing now Kyle, "it would have been on for young and old" as you say.
O: Yeah.
J: That security guard came up and threatened us with actual violence? Do you endorse that?
K: Yes, well I do.
J: You do? You endorse that? You would have come and punched on because we said something about Popstars and Australian Idol?
O: It wasn't about Popstars and Australian Idol.
J: Because you felt that somehow we'd offended you, or not given you enough time to speak up. You were nine hours late for your show...
O: Well f**k mate, at least give me a chance to say something. Like, it's so rude to just come in and say f**k you, f**k Jackie O and play the guitar over me. I was only going to talk for like, ten seconds, seriously.
J: If we're going to talk about rudeness, can you please just explain why your people are ringing up our record company telling us you're going to bury our band...
O: We're not going to bury your band...
J: And never getting played on Austereo again?
O: But yeah, probably won't get played.
J: (laughing in exasperaton) It never did get played!
O: It got played on Triple M.
K: That's because it was pretty much shit.
J: It got played at bloody midnight so they could fulfil their Australian content, it's bullshit.
K: Mate you are just so bitter, you may as well just take a new career path.
J: I'm not...(laughing). Okay...
K: You're sad, see you later, goodbye. (hangs up) Man, what a cock. Sorry everyone, we've got to go to the hot thirty countdown now.
O: We've run out of time.
K: I apologise to all the people that would have liked to have ring up and complain about the traffic today, and I don't like kids wearing seatbelts, but we had to sort that out because I loathe that situation.
O: Oh you, you do, god.
K: And the old, what are they called? Friends Of Romb? (snickering from both) They're dead to us. They're dead to us.
Just in case you're not familiar with seedy undertones, the Austereo network audience are Jackie O and Kyle fans, not Frenzal fans. It was a pretty gutless and potentially dangerous forum for their disdain of this seminal punk group. It will be interesting to hear the roles reverse when Jason and Lindsay from Frenzal Rhomb take over Triple J's Today Today program. I have a feeling that interview will rear its ugly head again; this time for an audience who are more sympathetic to the band. Here at Whammo, we're praying for a continuance of this tasty feud. So far the score is Frenzal Rhomb: 2; Kyle and Jackie O: Nil.
(posted: July 14, 2004)
Australia's ska legends, Area 7 release their new single Big Issue this week. The boys may have been missing from our radars in recent times but that certainly doesn't mean that they haven't been busy. Before self-exiling themselves in the studio to lay down fresh tracks, the former Aria nominees travelled to East Timor to entertain Australian troops stationed there. In truth, there aren't many achievements left on Area 7's 'things to do' list, considering the band has continually invaded the Australian charts with catchy singles and their Top 10 album, Bitter And Twisted, which sold in excess of 50,000 copies. It's no wonder Area 7 are widely recognised as the pioneers of Australia's ska scene. Get ready for more Area 7 chart action as the Big Issue single finds its way onto national radio playlists and the socially conscious video appears on Aussie televisions. The film clip features Big Issue magazine's famous street vendors as talent. The lads have always tried to deliver special treats to their fans and Big Issue is no exception, featuring the fresh B-side Don't Talk To Me and multi-media component.
(posted: May 11, 2004) |
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RECEIVING TRANSMISSION (BONUS DISC)
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 ONE DOLLAR SHORT
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2 cd pack
Although I'd seen these guys countless times over the years, it was at the Warped tour a couple of years ago that I really stood back and realised just what they were capable of. It was towards the end of the day, and despite being stuck on the small local stage, up against someone of the likes of Pennywise, they pulled a fair majority of the crowd and put on an amazingly intimate and brilliant show. It's hard to believe it's been two years since their debut full length Eight Days Away was released, the first single from that album Is this the part? is still getting hefty commercial radio play. The new single Some Assembly Required should go some way towards getting radio to move on, but its the rest of the cd that really protrudes out, asserting the talent within. They don't reinvent the wheel, but what they do do is exert rock and metal influences into a driving, melodic punk base. You could argue they haven't moved on too much from the last one, but to counter that, who'd want them too? It's probably the tightest they've ever been, and the experience of producer Phil McKellar (Silverchair, Grinspoon) has a big impact. Favourite would be the hardcore tangled track Engines Failed, filled with Irrelevant style goodness; read powerful screaming, and driving, heavy melodies. If you get in fast, there's also a bonus b-sides disc, with some now very hard to get old favourites, including an endearing cover of Kasey Chambers Not Pretty Enough. There's nothing more touching than four large burly tough rockers wailing about crying too much. It's almost emo. It's also got last years single Keepsake, and one of my all-time faves, Robot.
(review by Rod)
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 AFTER THE FALL
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cd
With so many young acts opting for crisp distortion, punk attitude and pop sensibilities, you'd be excused for believing they all sound the same; but when strong scenes dictate sounds, writing strong tracks becomes the crucial element. I was feeling a little ho-hum as I heard the opening track from After The Fall's self-titled debut - here we go, more of the same - but that changed when I heard the lads chanting Mirror Mirror as the track of the same name began to turn my apathy to true enthusiasm. Me+You=Breakdown continued the trend, reaffirming the band's commitment to hooks; an element of the act's sound that benefits from committed, aggressive backing vocals that sound best during the building crescendo at the end of No Remorse. Angel Light, a softer moment, suggests that After The Fall are capable of writing commercial tunes; the obligatory ballad that may represent the band's best shot at chart success. But Vacant Black Stare epitomises the group's sound: angst-laced vocals led by melodic distortion and a tight rhythm section, garnished with a union of confident voices on the chorus. After The Fall is an intelligent take on the ambiguous punk/pop scene that has been dominating the teen market over the last decade, but expect this act to rise above the dross with a few stand-out tracks from this self-titled debut.
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 AREA 7
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cd single
Australia has strange love affair with ska, occasionally chosing one act for consistent mainstream media and chart success. Area 7 are the current favourites and after selling over 100,000 records in this country, the lads are gearing up for another campaign. Here's the first taste: the new single, Big Issue; a clever slice of ska-pop that focuses a strong social conscience on one of the most pertinent dilemmas facing any major city: the homeless. As per usual, the band meters out a slick dose of horn-driven up-beat fun, but below the surface, the message filters through without dominating the track. The b-side, Don't Talk To Me, is a much better track, communicating the energy of the band in a more fluid manner and dishing out a radio-friendly chorus. The near future is looking bright for this well-established combo and considering the unexpected success of early releases, the matured and media-savvy Area 7 is bound to make a return to the charts.
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 28 DAYS
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cd single
The distinctive 28 Days sound produced such top 20 hits as Sucker and Rip It Up, powered by tireless festival performances and rise of the turnatable as a legitimate instrument in the world of rock. This time, they bring us Like I Do, a fresh pop track with hip-hop tendencies. One could say it sounds a little like something American band Sugar Ray would produce, but the strong Aussie vocals contribute to a homegrown sound. With turntables, distorted guitars and chunky bass, this track will seem irresistible live and a sure thing for radio air-play - a top 50 spot for sure!. 28 Days fans will love this track - it's got the Australian 'hip-pop' scene wrapped around it's finger - but for the rest of us, it bares an uncanny resemblance to the long list of previous 28 Days singles released into the mainstream. While striving for a new and unique edge, 28 Days fail to surpass their Rip It Up or Sucker spots in chart history. Having mastered the charts and the art of b-boy/punk fusion, it may be time for a change in direction for these familiar Melbournites.
(review by Laura)
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B.W.T.T EP (9-TRX ENHANCED)
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 H-BLOCK 101
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cd extended player
H-Block 101 are back and goddammit, I missed them. I didn't miss some of those unnerving moments of bent vocal harmony, but I guess the punk mentality allows for a few well-placed blemishes. Musically, they're ridiculously tight and their shuffling rhythms can often sound like the bastard son of The Clash and All; an even mix of intense attack and rambling soul, calling on influences that range from hardcore to funk to ska to...(can I say it?) calypso. What initially looks like 7 different mixes of the same song, turns out to be a study of the same chorus, but filtered through a range of styles. Monet kept painting the same bloody waterlilies, but I haven't heard of a band writing 7 different songs with the same title. I'd strongly suggest that the H-Block lads go through a production middle-man because the Couchman Remix of Burning With The Times is awesome; it's worth buying the disc for that version alone. The socio/political imagery included in the package really shows us what we lost when the happy/shiny Cali kids decided to reinvent punk and slot it under the rating of 'G'. Wasn't it originally about 'kicking against the pricks'? It seems H-Block 101 are keeping the flame alive. Also check the 5 fresh videos on this disc. 8 tracks and 5 videos? That's what I call value for your bottom dollar.
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17 YEARS / ANOTHER MINUTE
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 BODYJAR
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7 inch vinal record
Melbourne based quartet Bodyjar emerged from the post-Grunge era some ten years ago brandishing new tools of trade sourced from the likes of The Descendants, Dag Nasty and All. Speed and intensity were meshed with melody and sincerity and the new breed was born. Countless tours ensued- both national and international and the path from suburban obscurity to punk rock notoriety was forged! And like Darwin's theory suggests all things are related and more complex creatures will evolve from their primal ancestors. So Bodyjar say goodbye to the drone of the past decade and deliver 17 Years an edgy and emotive number that is both urgent and melodic proving Bodyjar's uncanny ability to evolve. This is quite possibly the bands finest moment to date!
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JARCHIVES - 10 YEARS OF BODYJAR - DVD BONUS EDITION (CD PACKAGING)
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 BODYJAR
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CD AND DVD Region:ALL Format:PAL
Some bands sneak up on you. Bodyjar were there to enjoy the rebirth of clean, melodic punk and here they are, still singing at the top of their lungs and producing tight riffs and driving beats. Initially I didn't rate them; I was obsessed with American hard-core and the melodic stuff was lost on me. Now I'm playing catch-up and rewinding time while listening to the impressive track listing; highlights of a ten year career. These guys write great pop songs and capture the essence of bands like All and the over-hyped Blink 182. In my opinion these guys can write better tunes than both those acts and as far as longevity is concerned, don't hang by your neck waiting for the act to dissolve. I reckon the next 10 years are looking good for Bodyjar, especially when they can produce songs like 17 Years, One In A Million, Not The Same and their awesomely massive version of Hazy Shade Of Winter. The DVD component is hilarious, especially the footage from their unexpected festival appearance in Korea, complete with pyrotechnics and a 40,000-strong crowd. The testimonials from acts like The Living End, One Dollar Short and Jebediah reminded me of the importance of this act and the fact that they were making music like this before it was ever considered cool. If you've considered getting into Bodyjar but balked at the last minute, this is the perfect way catch up. You get 14 tracks (including two new tunes) plus a DVD with everything you could possibly need. Go The Jar!
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 THE LIVING END
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cd
A car accident, the resulting lay-off period, a change of drummer: none of these things could possibly stop the momentum of The Living End and with the release of Modern Artillery, all bets are well and truly back on, including the trio's determined campaign to capture the imagination of the globe. Chris Cheney's songwriting talents continue to develop and every time I expect the quality to wane, a new level is reached. The popularity of What Would You Do?/One Said To The Other and Who's Gonna Save Us? merely provided a pre-cursor to an album that deserves a spot on every country's top 10 chart. Every track could be a single: TLE have mastered the 3 minute pop song while driving their instruments into submission and arranging dynamics that constantly surprise the keep the listener's attention. There may be a couple of low-key moments like Puting You Down's light ska rhythm and So What's country twang but they're such outstanding tunes that they perfectly balance the tracklisting, offering some relief from the locomotive energy of songs like End Of The World. The Living End have a talent for transmitting energy - the type of energy that inspires crowds to pogo in unison - and songs like Hold Up and Short Notice are potential riot material. If this album isn't a worldwide smash hit, I give up. Nobody plays nitro-powered punkabilly faster or tighter than this combo and Modern Artillery represents the band's finest hour.
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 THE TENANTS
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cd single
It's been a while since my ears wrapped themselves around a tune belted out by The Tenants and they've sure packed a punch with their new single, Ready 2 Rumble. After the departure of Deanie B, the band have recomposed themselves to prove to the world they still have what it takes to take on a world dominated by pop songs. This single shows the distance the band has come since being 'Unearthed' with a little number called You Shit Me To Tears. Ready 2 Rumbleexplores a new territory surrounded by jukeboxes, corvettes painted in flames, furry dice and leather jackets. The single transports you back to the era of milkshakes and
drive-ins, setting you in the mood for a good time in the midst of raw and empowering riffs.
(review by Tania)
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 FRENZAL RHOMB
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cd
After a whirlwind tour of Japan, Israel and South Africa the boys have returned to embark on their most comprehensive tour of Australia. Sans Souci is their most irreverent, disgusting and utterly enjoyable album yet and clearly proves why Frenzal wear the punk crown in Australia. You won’t find a faster, tighter sound on the punk circuit and at the 2003 Big Day Out they proved their power once again, fuelling a mosh pit that took on the appearance of a massive washing machine. If you have a strong stomach and pure love for punk, this is the best release of the month and a non-stop distorted journey through the twisted but highly entertaining minds of Australia’s premier punk combo. Check out the limited edition Sans Souci DVD, also available on Whammo, which includes the unreleased video for Ballchef and an hour of fun from back and front of the Big Day Out stage this year.
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NOTHING TO SAY (3 TRACKS)
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 ANTISKEPTIC
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cd single
It's all about riffs. If you don't have the ability to do something a little different with timing and style you may as well join the list of sugar-sweet so-cal wannabees. Antiskeptic are a cut above the rest and one of the few local acts successfully combining a harder rock sound with modern punk's pop sensibilities. Nothing To Say is their grittiest track to date and definitely finds the lads stepping over the thin line between punk and hard rock; it's crisp and dynamic with a tonne of attitude. Thoughts Preceeding is a strong b-side for this release and you'll also find an acoustic version of Called, the song I regard as the best pop/punk track released over the last 12 months. Once again, Andrew Kitchen's vocals are a stand-out feature of the trio and could be difference when it comes to stepping up to the next level: mainstream success. The Nothing To Say single is the perfect sampler for curious rock fans, containing a slab of crunchy riffs, a slice of up-tempo punk and a rare acoustic treat. In Whammo's humble opinion Antiskeptic are well-placed on the short-list of local rising stars.
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 PEABODY
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cd single
If I ask my friends if they’ve heard of Peabody once more I’ll be lynched. It’s not like I’m at the stage where I want to start collating press-clippings for a scrapbook but I definitely feel like spreading the news. Stupid Boy is the second top-notch single released from the Professional Againster album after Rockwell already gained a high-rotation spot on Triple J radio. Peabody take the pace of punk, add a slight grit courtesy of rock and splash in a good sense of humour; all bound together with spare production, exposing their tight precision and well-worked arrangements. The new single tells a tale; one worth keeping a secret so you can enjoy the story. 4 quality b-sides, not available on the album, are included on Stupid Boy including a touch of acoustic irony on I Could Sell To You and the God classic My Pal. Peabody is Whammo’s super-large hit prediction for 2003. Of course, I expect my 10% finders fee.
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TOO DRUNK TO DRIVE (4-TRX)
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 BODYJAR
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cd single
Bodyjar’s 3rd single from the acclaimed Plastic Skies album has the same winning features of their previous cuts; hard, driving punk distortion at it’s fastest and tightest; ear-splitting vocals and a sense of humour that has made their videos a highlight of music-television. What the earlier tracks were lacking was a guest vocalsist that could match the all-out microphone attacks of the regular members. They’ve found that element in Australia’s finest rock godess; Adalita from magic Dirt. To hear the combination of Bodyjar’s punk-fuzz and Magic Dirt’s gravel-edged vocals makes To Drunk to Drive a must for any rocker.
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 PEABODY
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cd
Professional Againster is that girl in the corner you hardly notice. She’s not glamorous or fashionably dressed, yet there’s an essence that joins one glance to the next and eventually demands your complete attention. I’d heard a couple of tunes from the album before catching Stupid Boy on Triple J’s Oz Music Show (thanks Richard!). I listened to the lyrics – a tale of a young inebriated bloke ‘grass-cutting’ the wrong fella’s girlfriend – and laughed for the length of the track. From that point on I had to have the album. I was excited and it’s good to be excited after working in the music industry for 20 years- and bloody rare I should add. The remaining tracks on the album showed a diverse range of musicality and a truck-load of influences, ranging from reflective acoustics to seething build-ups and outright ball-busting ferocity; more in line with punk, which is what the boys will probably wear as a description. This is more than punk though; it’s a well-devised, dynamic and intelligent album with awesome lyrics that carry emotions perfectly. Professional Againster has turned me into an instant Peabody fan and now I feel compelled to take you all down with me!
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 VARIOUS ARTISTS
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cd
Australia’s thriving punk scene is on show here, courtesy of Care Factor Zero records. Punk O'Clock 3 is jam-packed with nasty little numbers from high profile acts like Area 7, Fez Perez, Commissioner Gordon, Second Best and No Grace but you’ll find the youngsters putting their hand up for some over-due exposure and the new blood is well represented by No Idea, Addiction 64, Half Dave,/b> and The Critics. If you have a hunger for Australian hard-core, ska and furious punk you’ll get an over-dose in the form of this 50-track compilation.
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