Original video locatedhere. Accessed 14th March 2025
Song title: All I Am
Artist: Dada
Year: 1994
Why I like this song:
Sometimes a song sticks with you and you never find out who did it. Well I heard this years ago, I heard the title and I had a (vague) idea of who did it and it is only now that I find it on YouTube. Pretty much a forgotten song of the nineties - one could easily mistake this for R.E.M. - but that doesn't make it forgettable. After all, it wouldn't have otherwise stuck with me...
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 1st December 2024
Song title: Under the Milky Way Tonight
Artist: The Church
Year: 1988
Why I like this song:
Last night I went and saw the Church live. I have some things to say about this gig so allow me to resort to dot points:
I saw some goths in the line to go in. I never regarded The Church as a goth band but they seem to be well regarded among the goths. Can someone confirm this?
Fitting I see the Saints and the Church in the same week
Speaking of the Saints, if one could make the argument that the Saints are currently their own tribute act, it does raise the question if the same could be said about the Church: Mainstays Peter Koppes and Marty Wilson-Piper are both gone and in their place is one third of Even and one fifth of Powderfinger.
The final song was Under the Milky Way Tonight although it is doubtful the audience would've let them leave without playing it. What is surprising is that it was the only song off the Starfish album
Conversely there were seven songs from the Blurred Crusade album. Does Steve Kilbey think more highly of that one?
Still it was a great show and one that I am glad to have seen. Even if this was a different band than it does in the eighties, all on stage delivered. Also I have never so much elation for The Unguarded Moment.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 28th November 2024
Song title: Erotic Neurotic
Artist: The Saints
Year: 1977
Why I like this song:
Last night I went and saw the Saints live.
Seeing this band live is such an odd experience: Firstly, it's founding members Ed Kuepper and Ivor Hay along with Mick Harvey (of the Bad Seeds fame), Peter Oxley (of the Sunnyboys fame) and Mark Arm (of Mudhoney fame). Secondly, this band is a product of the first wave of punk - hardly a movement that had any longevity let alone being the type being played by guys in various points of their sixties.
And yet, they still delivered live: This was a lot of fun to watch and there was a real sense of energy coming off of them - which is what punk is supposed to do. The audience were indeed welcoming to this songs being played and the use of horns worked well. Of course, when they played the best known Saints songs, I'm Stranded and Know You Product, the audience when completely nuts. All in all, this was another indication that veteran acts have years of experience to rely upon and their can deliver with enough flair to put younger acts to shame. Top stuff.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 16th November 2024
Song title: Alone
Artist: Custard
Year: 1994
Why I like this song:
Last night I went and saw Custard. These guys were something of a legendary act during my teen years so naturally I went to see them, playing at the Republic Bar in North Hobart.
First up though were a pair of support acts. The first of which was a Queensland band named Stress of Leisure. Not bad but certainly of an esoteric nature.
The second support act was the Fauves. Now these guys I was very much familiar with having them seeing live twice before. They were delightfully raucous, delivering a loud show. Their onstage banter was hilarious - with remarks how the Wrest Point casino revolving restaurant was stuck in the seventies - and they rocked hard even when contending with guitar problems onstage. Of particular note was when they played Dogs Are the Best People and the audience went nuts.
And then there was Custard. Now that I think about it, when Custard were popular in the mid-to-late nineties, they seemed to be the Australian answer to the so-called 'geek rock'. Yes, the same genre that gave us Weezer, They Might Be Giants and the Presidents of the USA (both the latter and Custard were even touring mates at one stage). It's an unlikely call but not impossible. But I digress: Custard were brilliant. They rocked hard and played all their best known songs. Pack Yr Suitcases and Alone went over well. Lucky Star went hard on stage and Apartment made the audience go ballistic. In fact there. was no weak song in amongst the setlist and the audience hung onto ever moment. In addition, Dave McCormack was a charismatic presence, cracking jokes and his audience interaction. At one point I did shout out 'Bandit!' but I don't think he noticed - either that or he has been growing accustomed to Bluey gags.
All in all, a great night out and proof that some veteran acts can still cut it.
Original video locatedhere. Accessed 13th November 2024
Song title: Home Again
Artist: Shihad
Year: 1997
Why I like this song:
So New Zealand rock heroes Shihad are calling it a day.
I got into Shihad through their landmark album The General Electric. It rocked hard, showing some muscle that could challenge the major heavy acts from overseas. I also had the pleasure of seeing them twice: First at a 2000 day event in Hobart called RAW and second at the 2002 Big Day Out. Both occasions they delivered a fiery show that showed up a lot of the other acts on the day.