Psychotic Turnbuckles

There you go. Psychotic Turnbuckles. Part of the psychodelic revival scene of the mid 80's, along with Le Hoodoo Gurus, Lime Spiders, North to Alaskans, The Stems etc.

I think Max's is still there, but a shadow of it's former self. Pokies and doof music I suspect.

Boom Crash Opera

Boom Crash Opera.

These guys were good. A few big singles, then they disappeared. Richard Pleasance released a brilliant solo album that I have somewhere. Dale Ryder had a great voice - don't know what happened to him. The band I played in at the time shared management with BCO. No one remembers us though...

The Venue, Dee Why

A few classic names here.

Big Pig! Remember them? I've still got their cassette somewhere. "Bump"? The Radiators were a regular gig for us. So were Spy vs Spy. Not exactly sure when Ed Kuepper started doing solo gigs...this may be from a bit later, maybe early '90's. But Big Pig...

Oh, yeah. They've recently pulled the Dee Why Hotel down. It's a hole in the ground as we speak.

Rollins Band

Heavy Duty. I loved Rollins. Loved his spoken word tours as well. He's still at it.

If I was at this gig, it must have been big night.

MX Warheads

Sounds violent. I bet it was. The Mosman Hotel had lots of punk bands for a while. I saw a lot of fights at that place. Such a nice neighbourhood, too.

Trade Union Club again

I remember Pel Mel. "No Word From China." I was at a gig of their's (might have even been the Governors Pleasure), when the singer girl whose name I will not remember asked the audience for requests. No idea why. My mate Doug, who had had a few, was standing right in front of her and yelled out "Slow Boat to China!" She asked him to repeat. He yelled it again. She did make a point of humiliating the poor guy in front of the whole crowd, I guess he deserved it.

Good on them for headlining over Hoodoo Gurus.

Bondi Tram

Bondi Tram at the Bondi Hotel. Some interesting names here. Rowan Cannon I knew later playing at the Longueville Hotel with an old mate of mine called Bob Emsley. You out there, Bob?

I wrote on this one "The Undecided". This was a band I played in way back then... hmmm, they must have left us off the bill. I do remember that night though. I was playing keys, and I had a Peavey KB1000 keyboard amp propped up on a table next to me, turned up pretty much full bore. I remember at the time thinking that I was blowing my ears out, well my left one anyway. Just one more occasion which contributed to my current state of tinutis tinitis whatever, ringing in the ears. So stupid. Kiddies: look after your ears!

New Order at the Capitol

Nice line-up.

Do Re Mi

Saw these guys many a time. Deborah Conway was the lead singer. I remember "Man Overboard" sounding as good live as it did on record.

The Southern Cross Hotel later became the Stawberry Hill Hotel. I think.

Dance Craze

Ah, The Governors Pleasure. Many a fun night was had here. I'm sure this was one of them. Naughty Rhythms were another good fun ska band of the era.

Strange Tenants

Strange Tenants were like the Melbourne version of our Allniters. They'd come up every now and then and put on a bunch of really good high energy shows. My girlfriend at the time used to kind of hang round with them. A bit too much. I thought. Ah well, long time ago.

maybe I should iron these things before I post them....

Ratbags of Rhythm

Here's an oldie. Ratbags of Rhythm were a swing, big band sound type outfit. They did a song called "I'll be a Baby for the Dingo". Hence "aquit the dingo" on this poster. I guess. Cool poster, too.

Fifty Million Beers

These guys are still around. I don't know too much about them. I must have seen them a couple of times...

Find out more here:


http://www.50millionbeers.com.au/


I remember the Forest Lodge Hotel. Very cool little pub. Haven't been there for zillions of years, so it may have changed a bit.

North To Alaskans

North To Alaskans weren't around for long. They seemed to be trying to revive a 60's psychedelia in the 80's. Don't think it was going too well for them. They did a pretty cool version of "Crimson and Clover". I think I've even got the single of it somewhere...

The Birthday Party

No, I never actually saw the Birthday Party. Would have been a pretty bizarre show. Don't know why I have this flyer, or what year this would have been.

The Johnnys

Australian Heritage Hotel

A cool collection of underground and alternative acts here. My link to this one is that my brother played guitar for "Rejex". They thought they were pretty hard core, and had their song "Who Wants to March" on the jukebox at the Civic Hotel, the home of punk in Sydney at the time. He had bright pink hair and a bad, bad attitude.

Richard is now an old hippie living in country Victoria...

Manly Vale Hotel

OK. this one's a bit beaten up. It would have come home in my sweaty back pocket from one of these gigs. I know I saw UB40 there, so it could have been that one.

It just shows how many great bands played at that venue, and what a shame it was to lose it, leaving nowhere on the north shore for larger acts to play.

I guess we didn't leave the venue quietly enough...

Paddo Town Hall

Cool gig. Interesting mix of bands. Spy v Spy headlining. What did happen to those guys? Paddo Town Hall was a really good venue. Probably still is.

Angels & Rose Tattoo

I know I was there. It would have been very loud and testosteroney. I would have been way too close to the huge W bins. My ears hurt just thinking about it. I'm glad I can't remember. Stop it. Turn it down.