Rocknerd

Records: Throat (2018, 2020); Microlaxx (2021).

13 February, 202113 February, 2021 Punk, Record, Rock 0

Less Nirvana and more Fugazi, and no fashionability whatsoever. “The kind of rock that was 20 years past its expiration date.”

Records: Statiqbloom, AC/DC (2020).

5 December, 202012 July, 2021 Industrial, Metal, Record, Rock 0

A good new thing and an old new thing.

Links: Spreading the take at the top, custom ringtones, the Human League.

19 September, 202025 September, 2020 Industry, Pop 0

The black hit of space.

The War of the Worlds: The Book, The Drama, The Musical, the Film

14 August, 202014 August, 2020 Film, Record, Writing 1

Is it not the most appropriate time to consider the great disaster story The War of the Worlds, as a pandemic continues to sweep the globe, with no end in sight?

Art Damage through Self-Referentialty

30 July, 202030 July, 2020 Opinion, Rocknerd 0

In the early 90s I was introduced to the notion of “art damage”, appearing as an editorial rant in the glorious glossy cyberpunk magazine, Mondo 2000, now sadly forgotten by most.

Links: Virtual Reality still useless, why vinyl was bad, the Problem with Music gets tha roni, Nile Rodgers.

15 May, 202015 May, 2020 Audio, Industrial, Industry, Links, R'n'B 0

Here in the plague, I’m bored enough to write about music again, for my beloved audience of about a hundred. How are you all?

And One totally aren’t into QAnon and Trump, you guys. A hacker done it and run away.

12 May, 202013 May, 2020 Drugs, Industrial 1

Because in this cancelled year of our Lord twenty-twenty, you just can’t outdo real life.

Mark Burgess: View From A Hill (2007).

23 April, 20202 May, 2020 Writing 0

Sitting on my “to do” list since 2011, and already at that stage four years old, View from a Hill provides the autobiography of Mark Burgess, frontman of The Chameleons and associated acts.

Protodome: 4000AD (2020). A chiptune jazz-funk EP played entirely on a 1-bit square wave.

13 April, 202013 April, 2020 Jazz, Musician, Record 0

Art as a response to limitations.

65daysofstatic: replicr (2019).

13 April, 202013 April, 2020 Prog, Record 1

Dark and morose, ambient and industrial, with occasional contrasts, replicr is an album for particular moods.

Records: This Frilly Ape (2019), Amelia Arsenic (2020).

19 February, 2020 Industrial, Prog, Record 0

Yeah, need more abrasive bleepy shit.

Maximum Joy: Spotify, new album “Peace” out shortly.

15 February, 202018 February, 2020 Post-Punk 0

Nice to just have a band occur to you and discover they’re alive and well and doing things.

Grum: Deep State (2019).

5 February, 20209 April, 2020 Dance, Record 0

Experientially and holistically, this is a thoroughly enjoyable piece of work of which Grum can be pretty proud of.

Valedictions, Andy Gill

2 February, 20202 February, 2020 Post-Punk 1

Elder statesman, co-founder, and guitarist and vocalist of post-punk legends Gang of Four, Andy Gill, died on 1 February, aged 64.

2019 in music: your comprehensive and reliable global guide.

13 January, 202014 January, 2020 Industry, Live, Opinion, Record, Theatre 2

The punishment of luxury is in the air for all to see. And it’s ugly now, and it’s getting worse every day. Hey! Hey! Hey!

We Lost The Sea, Howler Bar, Melbourne, 30 November 2019.

2 December, 20192 December, 2019 Live, Metal, Prog 0

The Howler Bar in Brunswick initially looks like a large open-plan bar but has an enclosed back-room which is just the right size for bands with a moderate following, and a brilliant second bar which provides a windowed view to the stage.

We Lost The Sea: Triumph & Disaster (2019).

2 December, 20192 December, 2019 Metal, Prog, Record 0

The band started off pretty firmly in the metal genre, but transmogrified into something that is a cross between math rock and metal, like a love-child of 65daysofstatic and Dream Theater.

Gang of Four, Croxton Bandroom, November 2019

10 November, 20198 December, 2020 Live, Post-Punk 0

After being a music reviewer for over 30 years, and being a Gang of Four fan for a similar period, it is about time I owned an electric guitar.

So I picked up Andy Gill’s from the Gang of Four concert last night.

Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage: “LPs.” I feel seen.

21 September, 20192 December, 2019 Indie, Record, Rock 0

If the year was from the ’80s it was guaranteed to totally suck.

Tears for Fears, Rule The World: Greatest Hits (2017)

9 September, 20199 September, 2019 Pop, Record 0

This eighteen-month late review of Tears for Fears latest compilation, released in November 2017, absolutely has to be done, for reasons of aesthetic duty if nothing else.

The Cure, Disintegration 30 Years Anniversary, Sydney Opera House, May 2019

9 September, 20199 September, 2019 Live, Pop, Post-Punk 0

Disintegration’s popularity is absolutely deserving of a 30th anniversary and real credit is given to the band for having the courage and principle to have the entire show live-streamed and added to YouTube.

Underworld, June 1st, 2019 Sydney Opera House

9 September, 20199 September, 2019 Dance, Live 0

Possibly one of the most iconic progressive house bands of the 1990s, Underworld’s appearance at Sydney’s Vivid light and sound festival was exceptionally appropriate.

Vale Damien Lovelock, 1954-2019 — the last Celibate Rifles show, 19 May 2018.

4 August, 20194 August, 2019 Indie, Punk, Rock 0

The Celibate Rifles’ official Facebook posted a link to what turned out to be their last gig — Corner Hotel, Melbourne, 19 May 2018. Here’s the complete video.

Martin Rev on “Suicide” by Suicide.

22 July, 201922 July, 2019 Punk, Record 0

Dangerous Minds interviews Martin Rev, going through the recording process for the first Suicide album.

Record non-reviews: Cloud, Even As We Speak, Frog (2017, 2019).

19 July, 2019 Indie, Record 0

Trying to write sensible things to describe music is way too much like work. Here are things from the pile that I’ve been enjoying. Press the play buttons and make up some adjectives yourself.