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In those punk
band days, some hardcore thinkers had
a secret agenda. Wanting to kill Molly Meldrum, bomb Premier Harbour/
Mushroom Records and, of course, Telecom. Some were trying to get laid,
drinking warm beer, being fashionably paranoid. It’s hilarious and
shameful to think 20 years later all we really wanted to do was write
jingles or even outrageously worse, a rugby league anthem just to meet the
meat heads of Australian television, alas for some of us that must have been
true.
The Perth live
music scene was a great way to get over the week that was. To attempt to be
cool…to care about ourselves a bit…even though we were naïve, sad
suburban babies, a bit like vampires, who in the light of day, just shrivel
up or go to sleep in an empty casket. Not me, I was surfing…
At the time
there were a desperate few people in the scene who wanted to be recognised
as the style authorities. I for one, as an artist, had no shame. I chose to
be a representative of the new style - my band The Cheap Nasties, then The
Manikins, were a bit like that. We were the freshest band in town. Sorry we
weren’t spitters, angry enough, drunk or junky enough, rhythm and bluesy
enough…sorry I didn’t have a pull before going on stage, sorry to be an
original.
Apologies for
being the 1st recognised punk band in Perth, wow what a coveted
title, sorry we were completely original and - finally - sorry we were
completely out of context.
Nothing like
being in the wrong place at the wrong time in the wrong continent with the
wrong monopolies in front of us.
As a devout
hedonist I only live to express myself…like my other loves, surfing and
oil painting, Rock n Roll is one of the most dangerous and immediate forms
of expression available to the young and so I jumped on it without
hesitation and I loved it till I got too old to go on stage…that point
seems to be lost on all the has-beens of Australian rock…
It is amazing
how much of our spirit and energy went into pushing our shit up a giant
unappreciative Australian hill. Oh for the want of the digital age - how
different things would have been…
Looking at it
now… where was the ABC ? I thought its agenda was to nurture Australian
youth’s cultural identity… where was it in the 70’s and 80’s? All
those conservative vested interested culture funding bodies are such a wank
and waste of tax money…STILL!
It is
hilarious to think how seriously to the core we all were.
Well done to everyone who jumped on board the Punk train, we made a
big difference to that dull little town and so I want to thank
Kim for giving me the opportunity, to Neil for being an absolute
gentleman and intellect (there is nothing wrong with existentialism as long
as it’s French), thanks to Mark and Ken who were brilliant and exactly
what you wanted every rhythm section to be…straight! Always on time and
dependable. To Faulkner and Bradley, you are the same, I hope you finally
unravel your collective insanities and find peace…cheese anyone?
Note: Pics to
come - stay tuned!
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