A to Z: 100 Best Australian Albums so "G" is for...

Gouldian Finch, maybe I should have posted this under "F" for Finch. It's named after Elizabeth Gould which is of-course John Gould wife but it seems the Gouldian Finch was never included in the Birds Of Australia books, or if it was I can't find it. Maybe it was a tribute to her after she died, her and John were working partners as well as married but only his name was on the books, this was back in 1830-40's. She passed away before finishing the Birds of Australia. I really can't find out the full story but I'd like to know more, maybe if someone knows and wanted to tell me below in the comments feel free to do so.

I was just reading the other day how they just found a new population in Dampier Peninsula in the western Kimberley so this is great because they're endangered. The top photo is credited to AAP/Macquarie University from the above story and if you want to check it out follow the link above to read more about it.

Anyway on with the next Aussie albums under the letter "G"...

Gala Mill by The Drones
Well, surprise it's The Drones again on my blog. It's the first album with Mike Noga on the drums and recorded in Noga's home state of Tasmania. It's also the last one with Rui Pereira on guitars but Dan Luscombe plays slide guitar. Fiona Kitschin sings Work For Me. Gareth Liddiard sings everything else but songwriting is credited to the band which never happened before or after. Did you know the cover image is by Spencer P. Jones?


Girl by Magic Dirt
I really have to include the last ever Magic Dirt album. It's so sad that this is the final album for such a classic Aussie rock n' roll band but it's even more sad because of the untimely death of Dean Turner at the young age of 37 years old of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, a rare form of tissue cancer. Girl is their sixth full length album and what a way to finish. I should say the band never said they're broken-up but they said they're on hiatus with no immediate plans to tour or record. Their singer Adalita of-course now has put out a solo album and their guitarist Raul Sanchez has a new band called River of Snakes.


GOD by GOD
Who other than a few cheeky teenagers would name themselves after God. Joel Silbersher, Tim Hemensley, Sean Greenway and Matthew Whittle were all only 15 or 16 when forming the band and were together for only four years from 1986 to 1989. This reissue from a couple of years ago is essential for anyone who's into Aussie punk rock. The self-titled double reissue has got everything recorded in that short time plus the recording of the last ever gig. Greenway and Hemensley both died in the early 2000's so there's never going to be a reunion.


Greasy Lens by Joel Silbersher
Well, this is the solo album by one of the members of the above band. He's gone on to form 90's band Hoss, also formed Tendrils with Charlie Owen and now a member of Tex Perkins' Dark Horses, But his 2002 debut solo is an underrated gem and has to be included here. Playing most the instruments himself with bits and pieces played by Murrary Paterson, Barry Stockley, Dean Muller, Sarah Carroll, Jessica Billey, Mick Turner which was released on his label and of-course Charlie Owen too.


Gurrumul by Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
Right, what can I possibly write about this unbelievably epic album that has not already been say before. Well, not much really, it deserves all the praise and acclaim it's got and I don't know what else to say other than if you haven't heard it yet, what have you been doing?


Gutterville Splendour Six by Gutterville Splendour Six
This was Gareth Liddiard before The Drones but also their original guitarist Rui Pereira plays bass here plus Warren Hall earliest Drones drummer too. Also two of the early The Drones members got together and later formed The Kill Devil Hills. Brendon Humphries played guitar on three songs and Steve Joines on four different songs. Plus James McCann also played guitar on yet another five more tracks. Gaz was really the only main guitar player, I remember the kind-off Q&A thing someone asked if he would do a reunion show he said the guitar player is a drunk and wouldn't work with him again, he was talking about himself. The lead singer-songwriter was Maurice Flavel and from 1995 to 2000 they giged around Perth and this is a reissued now only on vinyl.


Stay tuned for the letter "H" soon...

A to Z: 100 Best Australian Albums so "E" is for...

The Emu which has to be one of the weirdest and oddest looking birds in the world and here's Ross Noble explaining more about it:

That was a little bit extra because I've only got two albums under the letter "E" but it's always a odd one, it's a vowel that's used so much but not at the start of words it seems. I don't know why it's taken so long to write and post it with only two albums, sorry about that. It's been busy and sometimes I really do know why I'm doing this blog anyway.

Eddy Current Suppression Ring by Eddy Current Suppression Ring
OK, If I was only picking one Eddy Current Suppression Ring album it has to be the debut self-titled album because it was all recorded in only four hours, in one session. Of course they've gone on to bigger and better things, so if you haven't checked this out you should.


Everyday Lies by Hoss
Well, this has to be one of the greatest bands from the 1990's, plus one of the most underrated and this albums was I think their mid decade perk. This is what Joel Silbersher did after his teenage band GOD broke-up in 1989. Joel Silbersher is another Aussie singer-songwriter who should get more praise, credit and kudos.

Stay tuned for the letter "F" soon...

Photos: Dimitron Benefit with The Drones @ The Corner Hotel

Hello and welcome to another post one and it's more about The Drones again. I just found some great photos of the last gig The Drones are and will play this year. I did NOT take these photographs these were taken by Matthew Harding and can be found on the Mess + Noise website. I just really love them, brilliant photos. Also if you didn't already know, I totally adore The Drones and will go as far as calling them the greatest band going currently and maybe of all-time too.

Gareth Liddiard releasing his debut solo album would have to be the highlight of the year, for me. The album of the year no doubt at all, it's still mind blowing even after a couple of months listening. I've also heard the news that Mike Noga, The Drones drummer but singer-songwriter in his own right has done his follow-up to his 2006’s Folk Songs album, March next year he will released his new solo album. The "new" Drones DVD will be releasing some time over this summer (no date as yet). I have also read Gaz is helping Ben Salter from The Gin Club doing his solo album which will be another thing to look forward to next year. I'm hoping for a "new" The Drones album maybe late next year or is that pushing it a bit but I have to guess it's got to come sooner or later at some stage, doesn't it?

It's been a quiet year really for them as a band with only nine gigs this year in total. So just to go over it here from the start of the year was Last drinks at the Tote finishing with Joel Silbersher doing the the last song of his old band's GOD classic track My Pal on 18th January. Then a run of three shows at East Brunswick Club Hotel with Gaz blowing up his amp in the very first song. All of these shows were filmed and recorded for the "new" DVD too. The gigs were on the 20th, 21st and 22nd of February then it was up to Sydney at The Annandale Hotel on 4th and 5th March. Off to England for ATP festival curated by Pavement on 14th to 16th of May. Then back to Melbourne at Forum Theatre on the 22nd October. Then to finish of with this show (that the photos are from) at The Corner Hotel on the 1st of December 2010. I wish I lived in Melbourne and could have seen these concerts but if you went could you tell me about them? I have no idea if this little run through of their gigs is interesting to anyone but me but I do like to keep track of these things and it's my blog plus if you enjoy all this too well that is bonus.

As for any new recordings from The Drones the closest we got this year is on the Maurice Frawley tribute album. I've bought the whole three CD's album but you can listen to the song they did which was the title track Long Gone Whistle; linked here). In the liner notes it only credits Gareth Liddiard and Dan Luscombe as The Drones members but has Augie March's Adam Donovan on Pedel Steel Guitar plus backing vocals and noises. Before that the one I'm missing from last year is the FBI radio's The Live Feed compilation album which I think I'll have to get now, a bit late but it's the only thing I'm missing (I think) so writing it down here reminds me to get it. There are some more great Aussie bands and artists on it too plus a few others from overseas. They're a few other discs from last year which Gaz and The Drones are on, my recommendation would be triple J’s Like A Version Vol. 5 with The Drones' cover of the TV show M*A*S*H theme song Suicide Is Painless. Also Gaz was on Magic Dirt's White Boy EP singing and playing guitar on Love Is The Armour. Plus Adalita and Liddiard did a cover and duet of early The Saints' classic song Messin’ With The Kid on Rockwiz TV show as well. Maybe I should put together a complete discography some time because I like doing stupid shit like that.

Anyway here are the photos below. Did I not tell you they're awesome photographs?















This was a benefit gig for local artist Dimitra Bucolo who suffers from lupus and has been hospitalised due to serious complications. Hopefully this gig will help and hope they get well soon.

All sixty photos for the night can be found here: Photos: Dimitron Benefit Feat. The Drones, Love Of Diagrams, ZOND : Mess+Noise but I've puttogether my favorites in this post because it's well, my blog and as someone said in the comment on their page "the M&N photo gallery format needs a total overhaul. it's completley un-viewer-friendly" which I totally agree with. There are some beautiful and wonderful photos but, you know what he said pretty much says it all.

All photos by Matthew Harding. Unfortunately I can not find his website to link back to other that the Mess + Noise site because I do like to show other peoples work here so if it is problematic for some reason please let me know. Did I already say how much I love these photos. I totally adore them and I would like to thank you personally for such great photos but the internet is at times unlike that. I hope it's all fine reposting the photos here on my blog.

On a final note: I deleted my last post because was unhappy with it, sorry if you liked it I'm going to re-do it sometime soon. Thank you for looking and even reading. I think I'll go back to the 50 Nick Cave songs next and just finish it and be done with it.