those old school sounds
hmm…so ol’ skool that I even spell it correctly. Haha…anyway, the old school sounds that I’m talking about is the stuff I use to listen to in High School. Stuff like Regurgitator, Jebediah, Something For Kate, the Superjesus etc etc etc. Someone posted up an old ‘gurge video on facebook and it got me thinking and reminiscing about it all!
So, just for you cats, here’s a few youtube videos!
First off, it’s Harpoon by Jebediah. Something For Kate did a cover of this track and made it really dark! But you can get some of them later on! Harpoon came off their first album, Slightly Odway.
Next up is Something For Kate. I tried to find the track I was thinking of (I’m not good with names). So anyway, I ended up with two! The first is 3 Dimensions. Is a killer track. Great great great Australian pop music. You can check out all their stuff here.
The second is this gem, Monsters
Third band up is the always awesome Regurgitator. I remember buying their album Unit when I was probably 14. My mum had to be there when I bought it because they had an 18+ sticker on it. Felt so very cool that my mum let me buy it. Anyway, because I’m cool (or so I like to tell myself), I’ve got an old clip of their as well as an mp3 of one of my favourite tracks off Unit.
First off, their track, I Like Your Old Stuff Beter Than Your New Stuff
Second, the shortest track of their album. The song is called 1234 and it goes for a massive 52 seconds. Is crazy fast punk, the way it’s meant to be.
Regurgitator – 1234
The Superjesus were seriously cool. I got into their second album – I still have it! But to start off with, here’s one of their first singles, Down Again, off the album Sumo. This was recorded live at the 1998 ARIA awards!!
Anyway, onto their second album Jet Age. One of my faves is the single Gravity. And, you know it, it’s down below just for you.
The Superjesus – Gravity
Finally, one of my definate favourites from the late 90′s. I love Grinspoon. They were the best hard rocking, drug taking, generally messed up and constantly pissed bands of the day! First up from them is the video for their track Black Friday.
Second up is their track Just Ace off their debut album, Guide To Better Living. This was THE TRACK for me for quite some time. I thought Phil Jamieson was just simply the epitome of cool. Haha…anyway, here it is, just for you 
Grinspoon – Just Ace
So yeah, that’s about it! Long post, i know, but there was just too much great great stuff from that era. The bands i’ve mentioned are the ones that have stuck in my mind. Probably some indication that they’re good I reckon!
K. That’ll do the ramble for now.
Peter Combe and The Bellyflop in a Pizza Band. Corner Hotel, 7th May 2009
Hey, Alikitti again
It was a sea of newspaper hats as a crowded richmond bar full of twenty-somethings rocked onto songs about a disgruntled tadpole concerned about the changes happening to him “Tadpole Blues” and “Juicy Juicy Green Grass” And the classic we wore those hats for, “Newspaper Mama”.
Combe created an atmosphere of fun and general gag value hilarity. Smiles were all round, supporting their favourite childhood ‘one-man-wiggle’. Of course, I have to admit…there was something a little strange about generation Y still dancing to kids songs- but drinking beer at an city Melbourne pub! Yet the crowd were still shaking their booties like they did in 1989…
Other highlights inlcluded the madness of “Mr Clicketty Cane (Wash Your Face in Orange Juice)” and “Spaghetti Bolognaise”. I am still pissed he didn’t play “Chopsticks”. Oh well- guess we’ll have to road trip it to for his next gig- Manning Bar, Sydney!
Although it’s not from the gig we saw, here’s a bit of him live in action, taken from his DVD:
We’ve posted up an old song of his too. It’s just a rip off YouTube complete with an intro sounding a little creepy.
Peter Combe – Newspaper Mama (youtube rip)
Going Backwards.
So, I think I’m pretty smart. I’m going to end up having this uber popular music blog and it’s going to be the best thing since Slow by Kylie Minogue was released (I’m not a Kylie fan, but that song seems so out of the ordinary and musically different to any of her other stuff that it’s actually one of my favourite pop songs).
I’m not giving you any context though. So, this post is about my fascination with music, who my fave bands were, who they are now, and i’m sure a few embarrassing moments along the way. Sounds like a corny line to a movie poster eh?
Anyway, it all began at say 4 or 5 I think. My dad, being the arty farty man he is, sent me to Saturday Morning Music School at the VCA. Instead of playing sport on my weekends (I did play a bit during the week…), I went to the VCA and sang and hit instruments and immersed myself in music. I can’t remember all that much from that time apart from enjoying it and sitting in a massive room in a circle. I think I must’ve continued this until I was about 6 or 7…ok…I’m not sure when. My memory is shot. I remember having a really old dinky keyboard which I played and pretended to play (I thought hitting the Hey Jude button was the coolest thing in the world back then). I also remember having piano lessons at some guys place. But, I probably started my best memory with music when I started learning piano from a lady down the road, a lady who would play a really important role in my musical life.
Along the way, my bro and I were (cliched embarrassed moment coming up here…) infatuated with Boyz II Men. And I still know how they spelt their name. Kinda cool! Yeah! But really…umm…kinda sad. oh crap. We also use to do the coolest little duets when we were in the car. I’d do the bass line and he’d do the melody. We were well cool…back in the day…not so much now.
So yeah, anyway, my piano teacher down the road was a really motivating force behind me loving music. She encouraged everything which was ace. I never practised mind you. So yeah, there was only so far I could go. I did get to Grade 5 AMEB mind you, so there must’ve been some natural talent in there somewhere 
During the later years of primary school I loved boy bands. Yeah, I’m not afraid to admit that. I was young, naive, etc. I loved It’s Alright by East17. They were mega cool. Also loved Take That. I think I was more into loving a band than the music itself though.
Things all changed in High School. After a mistake (MASSIVE EMBARRASSING MISTAKE…it was rather big) of asking a friend for the Mama single by Spice Girls for my birthday *oh man…can’t believe i just wrote that*, I got into Green Day (I thought Nimrod was, like, cool and that Time of Your Life was really sad, but manly because it was sung by a punk rock band) and bought my first Triple J Hottest 100 CD. I also started to listen to Triple J and loved listening to the Sandman in the mornings.
I remember being in a school bus sometime in maybe year 9 saying how I hated electronic music and how it’s not music and requires no talent whatsoever. I only use to like alternative bands (Green Day were still a fave as well as some other bands I, for the life of me, can’t remember)…no, actually, I can remember starting to love a good guitar pop song back then too. Bands like Even and Icecream Hands produced great guitar pop.
Anything mainstream or dancy was simply crap. That was until I heard a band called Gerling. Enter Space Capsule was just cool. It was pretty electronic…but I din’t seem to care. I think it might’ve been some of their other stuff that got me convinced though. Here was a band that could not only produce a great dance track, but could also rock out in a DIY kinda way with tracks like Death To The Apple Girls and a track that I think kinda merged dance and indie rock, Ghost Patrol.
So I guess if I had to make a list of bands that have ‘shaped’ me, Gerling would definately be in there.
Other bands I use to love in high school were Motorace (I loved Secret Life, so I use to hear these guys every week!), The Living End (any kid my age who didn’t love Prisoner of Society was an idiot), The Avalanches (like Gerling, these guys really made me appreciate good dance/electronic music. They’re album is simply awesome. One of my definite faves).
Year 11 was when Nova started broadcasting in Melbourne, and I was interested in what they had to say for themselves. And also, I think whoever was on JJJ breakfast was giving me the shits. I remember the first track they ever played was Frontier Psychiatrist by The Avalanches. I thought this was amazing. Finally, a station that wasn’t afraid to play good alternative stuff, or songs that had that JJJappeal (told you that word would take off.)
But yeah, I still listen to Nova but am starting to include a fair bit of JJJ back into my audio diet. Need the balance.
I suppose when music hit big for me was when I decided that I would study it. Full time. Out at Bockers I was introduced to so much new stuff, most of which I hadn’t even heard before. But it was all great, amazing, and I wouldn’t be into the music I am now had it not been for my time there. I played in two bands there. Played in an electro/lounge cover band (which I later got kicked out of – I wasn’t very good mind you.), and an original band called The Chochies. We even recorded a demo with a friend of a friend. Was pretty good. We lost our bass player and finally found a new one but yeah…it all kinda fizzled out from there. We tried to play really good pop rock stuff…and I still think the songs were pretty good. Our playing could’ve been tighter mind you. Anyway, I digress…yet again.
After I graduated from my music course, I played a little bit. That was over three years ago now though. I probably haven’t sat beind the skins (ooh yeah, still up with the terms) for at least 2 of those 3 years. It’s not that I’m not into music anymore, I think it’s more that my interests took me elsewhere (I’m doing psychology and Sociology now). My interest in good music never left though.
Now, I love bands like Cut Copy and Van She. Don’t mind The Presets also. I’m getting into my aussie dance music massively. As long as it’s good stuff though. None of this Potbelleez stuff. Only good electro. I love good rock/pop and everything else though. Just check out my New Music First post. Oh gee…hyperlink overload anyone?
That’s about it for this one. Sorry about the mini thesis guys. Just thought I should give you guys an idea as to what the hell I’m on about.
Also, might have some exciting news soon as to what’s happening with this blog. And no, I’m not marrying it or anything. I mean gee…hmm…ooh…that’s it…you’re a naughty blog aren’t you…you like that?…oh god….this feels so good…oh crap…i’m writing this aren’t i?
AND I’M DELIROUSLY TIRED. TIRED ENOUGH TO NOT BE ABLE TO SPELL DELIRIOUSLY. But not tired enough to turn caps lock off. That was an accident I promise you. I didn’t mean to yell.
K. That’ll do the ramble for now.
