Features

Features

Introducing The Band — Deaf Club

Posted on by Craig

Heavy on atmosphere with a melodic depth that harnesses Banshees-like percussion against rippling guitar-work and bears more than a passing resemblance to the rhythmic whirl of Warpaint and the siren song of Esben and the Witch, the band known as Deaf Club (relax: it’s just a name) have become an intriguing proposition in the space of a handful of releases.

On first listen you almost expect them to be card-carrying goths, but as revealed in our q+a (heck, just look at them, a cardigan short of a Sarah Records tea party) this is far from the case. It was their recent appearance on the Too Pure singles club with “Moving Still”/“Lights” that brought the band to our attention and is still a record that we’ve found hard to let go of.… Read the rest

The Fauves – Everybody’s Getting A 3 Piece Together

Posted on by Craig

The Fauves are the only band I’ve ever written fan-mail to. When you consider just how marginally relevant at the time this band was (not to me, oh no), it seems it was less mail-from-a-fan and more a letter of encouragement. The Fauves were an “arty band” (the band name something of a clue) made up of school friends from Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula that rode into town on the back of a couple of promising EPs. As artists they were obtuse and uncompromising, a mixture of skewed riffs and bizarre time signatures, musically channelling the spirit of the once powerful Hunters and Collectors before quickly devolving into their own tempered styling. … Read the rest

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Glide – Thin Faced Man

Posted on by Craig

It’s a testament to the influence of bands like Ride, My Bloody Valentine and The House of Love, and import record stores like Phantom, Red Eye and Waterfront, that there ever existed a Shoegaze scene in Sydney. Of the few local bands that heeded an obvious influence (forgotten luminaries as Jupiter, Drop City and Swirl), Glide appeared as the most promising, combining the influences mentioned above, but also strong guitar-led bands like The Church and R.E.M.

I first caught Glide live at the Annandale Hotel in Sydney in mid 1991, shortly after they formed and began playing around town. In the following months it appeared they had a sympathetic pull with the bookers of the Annandale as they played with increasing regularity there and around town, securing support slots with like-minded UK bands here to capitalize on the moment (Ride, Lush, Adorable).… Read the rest

The Scare – Chivalry On Show In London

Posted on by Craig

A Punk rock Legend once sang “London is drowning, and I live by the river”, and it’s a line on rare occasion that does come to mind, as for the time being, it is and I do. The Thames, snaking its way through London like a dirty drain, is enjoying a brief moment of fulfilment as the banks rise in celebration of one of the wettest summers in memory (my memory, that is). Umbrellas arc the air as the rains fall, washing down the filthy streets, framing the mood and forcing you indoors. It’s drinking weather, but in England this phrase has no meaning.… Read the rest

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Beargarden – I Write The News

Posted on by Craig

In the annals of Australian music, Melbourne’s Beargarden would probably rate a passing mention at best, mostly due to singer Sam Sejavka’s notoriety as the inspiration for the character of Sam (as played by INXS’ Michael Hutchence) in the cult film Dogs In Space. Their back catalogue is long out of print and a web search gives you next to nothing. In their short-lived career Beargarden released four singles and one album on Virgin Records between 1984 and 1986. That’s it. There’s bound to be a story here but it’s nowhere to be found. Does anybody hold a torch for this band?… Read the rest

Crow – Railhead

Posted on by Craig

Crow were one of the less conventional breed of guitar bands that existed in Sydney during the final days of the 1980s. They were arty and atonal, angular and angry, ditching melody and other safe musical harbours in search of artistic adventure.

Formed by brothers Peter and John Fenton in their hometown of Canberra, they moved to Sydney, eventually acquiring guitarist/lyricist Peter Archer and bassist Jim Wolff. An EP (Sunburnt Throats and Happy Thunderclouds) and a single (“Confection/Ravine”) were put out on the Phantom Records label in 1990 and 1991. Neither release seemed to capture the chaotic spirit of the band and after being a regular sight on the Darlinghurst/Surry Hills/Newtown circuits, they played what would turn out to be premature farewell show at the Annandale Hotel.… Read the rest