Category: Music

Toni Childs, Sunday November 23, 1996

The Regal Theatre, Subiaco

Have you ever felt that you have successfully progressed, set new standards, moved on … while everyone clings to your past glories? Such is the case with Toni Childs who, at the beginning of her latest Australian tour, is faced with having to let her latest material sit dormant while the wheels of industry cement her Best Of album at the top of the charts. This may be a nice little Xmas earner, but the strain and submission of having to resurrect old material for the sake of sales has never been more evident.

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Superchunk; Smudge, Planet, November 20, 1996

Sue, could you check Smudge’s bass player’s name? I think it’s Adam Yeo but I’m not too certain. Ta.

There exists, in your community, a widely unacknowledged subculture which is as delicate as a vegan, as opinionated as an anarchist and as stoic as a gothic purist. They are fanzine writers, and as the rustle of fake fur on notepad eminated about the relatively-full room you surely felt the religious gravity of the following situation – in indie label group hug.

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broadcast | The 3Ds’ Dave Saunders, November 18 1996

On the release of Strange News From The Angels, one of Flying Nun’s fave bands, The 3Ds, and their guitarist/vocalist Dave Saunders, speaks to Adam Connors of the label’s prowess, their ties with Chapel Hill and New Zealand’s place in the musical world (November 18 1996; 14 mins)

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Herbie Hancock, Tuesday November 12, 1996

The Regal Theatre, Subiaco

Ably assisted by the most astute Mr Rex Horan, Bmus., and Cinema Prague bassplayer virtuoso.

It has long been the tradition of jazz artists to take popular tunes and adapt them into “standards”. Herbie Hancock’s latest album, The New Standard, has the prodigious pianist/composer lending his deft hand to numbers by Don Henley, Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) and Prince, and so it came as no surprise for Peter Gabriel’s Mercy Street to be given a solidly grooving Latin treatment to open Hancock’s latest Australian tour.

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Fugazi, UWA Refectory, November 10, 1996

If ever there was a reason to scoff loudly and pee on a concert ticketeer’s window due to the extravagance of today’s entry prices, Fugazi provided the body-warm ammunition for any number of forthcoming events. Hailing from Washington DC, their instant accessability was guaranteed with a $15 fee, their firm grasp of independence and identification with the kids being graciously returned with an 800-strong all-ages audience.

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AC/DC, Saturday November 2, 1996

Burswood Dome

Was accompanied by one of those famous The Australian cartoons of a slobbering Brian Johnson and Angus Young at 2/3 of the broadsheet’s page. In color in the Eastern States.

Brian Johnson, lead vocalist of arguably the world’s greatest rock and roll band, AC/DC, knew just how to whip this parochial crowd into rousing air-punching. “Here is a song written in Perth, about Perth, by a guy born in Perth.” The song was The Jack, and for a 20,000 strong crowd fully aware that they inhabit the late Bon Scott’s birth and final resting place, who cared that the song he was refering to was a tale of venereal disease? They were proud.

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Tumbleweed; The Mark Of Cain; The Fauves, Planet, October 27, 1996

Sue/Ara, could you fill in the name of TMOC’s bass player, I can’t recall who he is! Ta.

With the stretch marks and face imprints still fresh on the walls from Saturday night’s Tumbleweed, The Mark Of Cain, The Fauves and Motorspirit doorbuster, Sunday instead saw both crowd and band members brush shoulders in a mutual appreciation of each other.

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Sting, Saturday October 19, 1996

Perth Entertainment Centre

REDRAFT. For inclusion in The Australian, Tuesday October 22

Firmly and forever entrenched on the conservative FM airwaves through his distinguished solo career and those heady days with The Police nearly twenty years ago, Sting is still musing on affairs of love and continues to send his now middle aged, middle class audience’s hearts aflutter.

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Mr Bungle, Metropolis, October 18, 1996

From the look on the majority of the pimply bogan boys’ faces at the close of Metropolis on Friday night, Mr Bungle had done their job: confusion, utter confusion! Because as the fans of Mike Patton’s other band, Faith No More, spent their cash expecting to see more of the same flaccid and accessible muzak, Patton and the scary jazz beast that is Mr Bungle just left them cussing and thinking that the onstage wiring was faulty. Ha ha ha!

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