Punk, Punk Rock, Hardcore, Thrash, Aussie, Australia, Old School, Alternative, Independent, Regression, Regression Fanzine, Fanzine, Emo, Bastard Squad, Bloody Sods, Bombscare, Charter 77, Legless, The Worst, Distorted Truth, Dayglo Abortions, Rule 303, Slick 46, Glen and the peanut Buttermen, A-Krop, Ardent, If Need Be, Kamikaze, Macauly, Nahende Vernichtung (Belgium), Off By Heart, Seconds From finishing, Sixty Miles an Hour, Arm The Insane, Bodies, Box of Fish, Charred Remains, Civil Dissident, Condemned, Cosmic Psychos, Depression, Dick Nasty, End Result, Exploding White Mice, Extremes, Fear and Loathing, Fifth Column, GASH, Godnose, Hard Corpuscles, Hard Ons, H-Block 101, Hi-End Audio, I Spit On Your Gravy, Justified Hatred, Macauly, Mad Flowers, Meanies, Mob Vengence, Mouthguard, Murder Murder Suicide,  NFL, No Escape, Perdition, Permanent Damage, Plonker, Polit Buro, Progression Cult, Psychotic Maniacs, Psychotic Turnbuckles, Quick and the Dead, Royal Flush, Scum, Slakjaw, Society's Victim, Skunks, Standard Union,  Start, Threshold Of Pain, Toe To Toe, Vicious, Vicious Circle Where’s The Pope, World War XXIV, Corporate Body, Manslaughter, Public Nuisance, Sick Things, Spew Forth, The Virgins, White Elephants, Z Cars, Zorros, Boys Next Door, Chosen Few, JAB, La Femme, Lethal Weapons, Negatives, Noisy Boys, Proles, Squadron Leader, Teenage Radio Stars, The Babeez, The News, The Reals, Tch Tch Tch, True Wheels, TV Kids, Wattage, XRayZ, Young Charlatans, The Melbourne Punk Directory, Reactor Records, Apito, DNA, Anti Climax, Bodies, Bootboys, Brady Bunch, Charred Remains, Civil Dissident, Corpse Grinders, Criminal Youth, Death Sentence, Depression, Dogs Of War, End Result, F.B.I., Fifth Column, Genocide, I Spit On Your Gravy, Jazz Sluts, Jehovah Pogo, Justified Hatred, M16, Mad Flowers, Murder Murder Suicide, No Escape, Non-Conformists, Out Of Order, Permanent Damage, Polit Buro, Psychotic Maniacs, Royal Flush, Society's Victim, Scum, The Mess, The Start, The Tribe, Vicious Circle, Young Offender, South Australia, Western Australia, Sydney, Queensland, Victoria, Melbourne, Decline, Street Punk, Gutter punk, Melbourne, Geelong, Victoria, New South Wales, Sydney, Queensland, Brisbane, South Australia, Adelaide, Western Australia, Perth, Aqua Nuggets, Beanfeast, Bone Crusher, The Affected, Butt Ugly, Damnation, Dweebs , Forcefed, Forgotten Generation, Fridge, Growing Concern, Labotomy Scars, Mouth, Nation of Hate, No Comply, Poppin Mammas, Providence, Seaweed Gorillas, Snark, Steadfast, Subzero, Tucknot, Two Years Old, Unclean Spirits, Walsh Street Cop Killers, Zambian Goatherders, A.S.V.V., Beanflipper, Bodyjar, Buzzbomb, Caustic Soda, Cretins Puddle, Devotchka, Fallout, Farenheit 451, 4Qm, Gameover, H-Block, Headcase, Kill, Kurgan, Magnacite, Mindsnare, Mid Youth Crisis, Mutiny, Myside, Next Step, No Grace, No Idea, Nihilistic View, Oddball, One Inch Punch, Scroungers, Self Reliance, Silpheed, Smut, Sphyzein, Stand Against, Trigger, Vicious Circle, Warsore, Without A Reason, Wrongbody.

Punk, Punk Rock, Hardcore, Thrash, Aussie, Australia, Old School, Alternative, Independent, Regression, Regression Fanzine, Fanzine, Emo, Bastard Squad, Bloody Sods, Bombscare, Charter 77, Legless, The Worst, Distorted Truth, Dayglo Abortions, Rule 303, Slick 46, Glen and the peanut Buttermen, A-Krop, Ardent, If Need Be, Kamikaze, Macauly, Nahende Vernichtung (Belgium), Off By Heart, Seconds From finishing, Sixty Miles an Hour, Arm The Insane, Bodies, Box of Fish, Charred Remains, Civil Dissident, Condemned, Cosmic Psychos, Depression, Dick Nasty, End Result, Exploding White Mice, Extremes, Fear and Loathing, Fifth Column, GASH, Godnose, Hard Corpuscles, Hard Ons, H-Block 101, Hi-End Audio, I Spit On Your Gravy, Justified Hatred, Macauly, Mad Flowers, Meanies, Mob Vengence, Mouthguard, Murder Murder Suicide,  NFL, No Escape, Perdition, Permanent DamaGeoff Sick, Sick Things, Legend Killers, terrorize, ge, Plonker, Polit Buro, Progression Cult, Psychotic Maniacs, Psychotic Turnbuckles, Quick and the Dead, Royal Flush, Scum, Slakjaw, Society's Victim, Skunks, Standard Union,  Start, Threshold Of Pain, Toe To Toe, Vicious, Vicious Circle Where’s The Pope, World War XXIV, Corporate Body, Manslaughter, Public Nuisance, Sick Things, Spew Forth, The Virgins, White Elephants, Z Cars, Zorros, Boys Next Door, Chosen Few, JAB, La Femme, Lethal Weapons, Negatives, Noisy Boys, Proles, Squadron Leader, Teenage Radio Stars, The Babeez, The News, The Reals, Tch Tch Tch, True Wheels, TV Kids, Wattage, XRayZ, Young Charlatans, The Melbourne Punk Directory, Reactor Records, Apito, DNA, Anti Climax, Bodies, Bootboys, Brady Bunch, Charred Remains, Civil Dissident, Corpse Grinders, Criminal Youth, Death Sentence, Depression, Dogs Of War, End Result, F.B.I., Fifth Column, Genocide, I Spit On Your Gravy, Jazz Sluts, Jehovah Pogo, Justified Hatred, M16, Mad Flowers, Murder Murder Suicide, No Escape, Non-Conformists, Out Of Order, Permanent Damage, Polit Buro, Psychotic Maniacs, Royal Flush, Society's Victim, Scum, The Mess, The Start, The Tribe, Vicious Circle, Young Offender, South Australia, Western Australia, Sydney, Queensland, Victoria, Melbourne, Decline, Street Punk, Gutter punk, Melbourne, Geelong, Victoria, New South Wales, Sydney, Queensland, Brisbane, South Australia, Adelaide, Western Australia, Perth, Aqua Nuggets, Beanfeast, Bone Crusher, The Affected, Butt Ugly, Damnation, Dweebs , Forcefed, Forgotten Generation, Fridge, Growing Concern, Labotomy Scars, Mouth, Nation of Hate, No Comply, Poppin Mammas, Providence, Seaweed Gorillas, Snark, Steadfast, Subzero, Tucknot, Two Years Old, Unclean Spirits, Walsh Street Cop Killers, Zambian Goatherders, A.S.V.V., Beanflipper, Bodyjar, Buzzbomb, Caustic Soda, Cretins Puddle, Devotchka, Fallout, Farenheit 451, 4Qm, Gameover, H-Block, Headcase, Kill, Kurgan, Magnacite, Mindsnare, Mid Youth Crisis, Mutiny, Myside, Next Step, No Grace, No Idea, Nihilistic View, Oddball, One Inch Punch, Scroungers, Self Reliance, Silpheed, Smut, Sphyzein, Stand Against, Trigger, Vicious Circle, Warsore, Without A Reason, Wrongbody.

Home Up

 

 

"Sydney Punk Directory"

Concept and original words by Hungry Dave (May 2006/7)

Part 1:  1976 to 1979

Yeah Hup Era

This Chapter deals with the first wave of Sydney punk bands. It’s been said that most of the Sydney bands around this era were heavily influenced by American punk like The Stooges & Ramones, more so that the U.K. punk of the day.

 __________________________________________________________________________________

Featured Bands...so far...

Click on the band name or scroll down for the full history.

Radio Birdman,   Blackrunner,  Broken Toys,  Dipsticks,

 Filth,   Frenzy,  Hitmen,  Hellcats,  Johnny Dole & the Scabs,

Kamakazi Kids,   The Last Words,   The Press,  Psycho Surgeons,   Lipstick Killers, 

Rejex,   Rocks,  Shock Treatment,  Subversion,  Thought Criminals,  X

__________________________________________________________________________________

Radio Birdman

  

Formed in 1974 out of the remnants of two ‘punk’ bands T.V. JONES & THE RATS.  Radio Birdman never considered themselves punks as they were around a good 2 years or so before punk started (as were The Saints & the Boys Next door). But at the same time are considered To be the first wave pioneers of an Aussie type of punk (along with The Saints). Radio Birdman had their own Venue (the Oxford Funhouse) and they let other punk type bands play their and its said that a scene of sorts developed from there. It’s well known that Birdman were heavily influenced by the Detroit Hard rock / punk of The Stooges & the MC5 and it would seem that most of the bands around then were in Awe of Birdman and the bands that they were influenced by.   Their first e.p. came out in 1976 called burn my eye containing four tracks (Smith & Wesson blues, Snake, 1-94, Burn my eye). Their first Lp released in 1977 (radios appear) was dedicated to the Stooges.

The band split up in 1978 during (or after) a U.K. tour.  Upon return To Australia they formed many other killer bands such as The Visitors, The Other Side, New Race, New Christ's etc

Blackrunner

A Stooges influenced band that was around 1977 / 78. No other info known.

Broken Toys

A short lived 1979 era band. No other info known.

Dipsticks

No info known.

Filth

These guys were considered one of the most full on  & legendary Aussie  punk bands of the late 70’s i.e.:  They weren’t around to play nice music, Most of their shows were said to be chaotic and confronting often  ending  in Brawls, Had a reputation for the most despised band in Sydney and in general had a don’t give a rats ass attitude. The band was formed by two teenage degenerates Peter Tillman & Bob Short.

Quote from DNA Fanzine:

‘Filth set an outside limit for extreme behavior and music that hasn’t even been approached let alone exceeded by other Australian bands…. One of the most Un-contrived bands of all time the fact that they could barely play was utterly un-important as their songs managed to convey a million times more feeling and attitude than the more conventional punk bands could ever hope to manage’ (Harry Butler)

Frenzy

No Info known.  Can some one inform Regression ?

Hitmen

       

A full on Radio Birdman style  rock band that appeared in 1977 and had a reputation as a good live band. Other  Influences by  the Dictators, Ramones & U.S. surf music. A fair bit of vinyl output.

Hellcats

This band used to play at the Oxford Funhouse circa 1976 –77. No other info known.

Johnny Dole & the Scabs

Terry Walsh aka "Johnny Dole" (Vocals), Peter Mullaney (Guitar),  Dave Berry (Bass) and Greg Morris (Drums)

These guys contributed three tracks "Stuff Your Rules", "Living Like an Animal" & "Psycho Analyst" to the third Aberrant Sydney compilation called "Why March When You Can Riot?" 

The band was active around 1977 –78 and related more to the British punk scene such as The Pistols, Clash etc than most of the other Sydney bands of the day. Their why march when you can riot tracks are excellent hard sounding street punk with gruff vocals.

The band also had a post humus CD come out in 1996 called ‘scab animal 1977’

Greg Morris has put an excellent site together for the band so click below

http://www.johnnydoleandthescabs.cjb.net/

Kamakazi Kids

This was a  punk / rock and roll band with chic on vocals called Julie Mostyn. They were said to be a good live act and played at places like the Civic hotel.

Last Words

Malcolm (voc)  Andy (gtr)  Mick (bass)  Jeff (drums)

This band was a solid ’77 punk band in the tradition of the Saints, Ramones & the Sex Pistols. Fast, Simple, Riffy with aggressive vocals shouting simple words. The guitarist was apparently influenced by Ed Keupper (Saints ) and the drummer by Keith Moon. Last Words did a single in 1978  Animal world / Wondering why.   By 1979 the band had relocated to London where they released another two singles (today’s kidz & Top secret )and  an album (1980) on the Chiswick label.  More info wanted…

The Last Words have released a 30 year anniversary CD. It is available through the following site 

http://www.rhapsody.com/thelastwords/19771980

An MP3 Album should be available through "Itunes" soon as well.

Here is some info on the band given to us by Rip Vanwinkle. Thanks

 The Last Words, Malcolm Baxter (vocals), Andy Groome (guitar), Leigh Kendall (bass), John Gunn (drums), played and recorded in both Australia (Sydney) and the United Kingdom (London) from 1977 to 1980.

The band’s most successful song, “Animal World”, considered by many pundits to be a punk classic, was released by the band three times on three different labels and in two different countries. In Australia it was one of the first DIY punk releases; and the first punk single to be released locally on a major label by an unknown band that had never played live. In the UK it was the first Australian punk single to appear on a major punk label (Rough Trade), and reached number 8 on the Alternative UK Charts.

 
In 1982 it was covered by the French punk band KIDNAP as “Another World”, and in 2006 Brazilian punks SCHK recorded it live for their television appearance which is available online (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCOU7GhIt20&mode=related&search=).
 

A television clip made in 1978 of the Last Words performing this song also exists. “Animal World” has also appeared on numerous compilations including “Killed by Death” but most notably on the “Inner City Sounds” CD released in 2005. “Wondering Why” was covered in 1980 as “Frag Mich Varoom” by German punk band Eric Hysteric and the Esoterics. The Last Words also appear in numerous books on punk rock including George Gimarc’s “Punk Diary – The Ultimate Trainspotter’s Guide to Underground Rock, 1970 - 1982” and “Inner City Sounds” published with the above CD of the same name. The first three tracks, “Animal World”, “No Music”, and “Every Schoolboy’s Dream” were recorded with producer Les Karski (of Supercharge fame) in 1978 when the band was signed to Wizard Records. Tracks four and five, “Today’s Kids” and “Something’s Wrong”, were recorded in London in 1979 on the band’s own Remand label and distributed that same year as a single, “Todays Kidz/Theres Something Wrong”, by Rough Trade, who had earlier released “Animal World” under license to Wizard. “Games”, “It’s Alright”, “Top Secret”, and “The Stranger” were all taken from the band’s self titled LP which was produced in London by dub maestro Adrian Sherwood and released in 1980. The last two tracks, the original version of “Animal World” and “Wondering Why”, were written, recorded and released in Australia in 1977 on the band’s own Remand label, hence “original”. Located on the outskirts of western Sydney, the band comprised at that time only its founders, UK migrants Baxter and Groome, who played all instruments on this first, self-funded release.


Only five hundred copies of the Remand version of “Animal World” were pressed and these are still greatly sought after by collectors worldwide. The 1000 blue vinyl pressings of “Animal World” with “Every Schoolboy’s Dream” as the b-side, released by Wizard in 1978, is also a collector’s item. The Rough Trade release of “Animal World” with “No Music” on the flip side (1979) is valued by collectors for its picture sleeve and the “& Wizard” credit on the initial pressings.
 

J. Wise, March 2007


Cover photo by Darian Turner shows The Last Words at the Grand Hotel, Sydney circa 1978.
 
btw. Andy's guitar influences were Lou Reed, Pete Townshend and Woody Guthrie. Never Ed Kuepper!

The Press

This band did an album in 1979 called fodder for the critics and a single Alcoholic / Rock Capitol.   No other info known.

Psycho Surgeons / Lipstick Killers

Paul Gearside (voc)  Mark Taylor (gtr) Carig Amite (bass)  David Taylor (drums)

One of the wildest Aussie punk bands ever! Formed in 1976 influenced by the Stooges & the Ramones this band got on the bill with Radio Birdman, Hellcats at the Oxford Funhouse shows in 1976 –77.  Apparently they were the ‘most despised band in Sydney’ (until FILTH came along).  The Psycho Surgeons were also the last band to play at Birdman’s oxford Funhouse on August 13th 1977 where  the singer was badly bashed by hell’s angels bikies. As a result of the aggro the venue  closed it’s doors.   The band managed to put out a single in Sept 1978 on their own Wallaby beat label ( Wild weekend / Horizontal action).  500 Copies were released with an infamous blood splattered sleeve (cow’s blood).  Somewhere along the line the Psycho Surgeons split but developed into another band with ex Filth Singer Peter Tillman. This lot calling themselves Lipstick killers.

Lipstick Killers

 

Peter Tillman (voc)  Mark Taylor (gtr)   Kim Giddy (bass)  David Taylor (drums)  (later replaced by David Charles in late 1980)

This band took off where the Psycho Surgeons left off being heavily influenced by the Raw power era Stooges, 60’s acid punk such as the Seeds, 13th floor elevators, Chocolate Watch band etc. The name Lipstick killers was said to be a New York Dolls  Reference. They had a fierce live following and played shit loads of gigs for 2 years on the Sydney scene along side bands like The Passengers, The Visitors, Flaming hands, Hitmen, Shy Imposters, sunnyboys etc    A single was released 1n 1979  Hindu gods of love / Shake down U.S.A. on their own Lost in Space label.  The Single got released in 1980 on the U.S. label  BOMP! The single sold reasonably well and the band relocated to Los Angeles in 1981 where they played shows along side Hardcore bands such as Black Flag,   Circle Jerks, Flesh eaters etc  One of the bands shows in l.a. was recorded and released as a live album in 1984 called  mesmerizer

The band was defunct by Christmas 1981.

The band reformed in 2002 for some gigs and recordings.

Rejex

This band did a single in 1979 Niagara Baby / Who wants to March ?  The band was into English ’77 punk such as The Pistols,  X-ray-spex  and Sham 69. 

Rocks

 

Thanks to Greg Morris for letting us reproduce the following history and reflections of the band.

ROCKS (Never put a "THE" in front) started out as a three piece in late 1976 with Bill Webb (a.k.a. Bill Posters) on Drums/Lead Vocals, Peter Davies on Guitar/Vocals & Steve Vanderschoot on Bass/Lead Vocals. Doing what came naturally, it was a combination of original songs and covers (Ramones, Sex Pistols, Dead Boys Etc.) that made Rocks what they were to become, one of Australia's best Punk bands. Their first gig was at the legendary Grand Hotel on Broadway in Sydney... the bands at The Grand Hotel were booked by Johnny Dole And The Scabs, this was in November of 1977. How Rocks got this first gig would be the catalyst for them becoming a four piece, I was to join soon after.

We were always looking for new bands to play at The Grand Hotel, so I started to look for bands around the area where I lived, this was in the southern suburbs of Sydney. I decided to give Bill a call to see if he was still playing, we had started playing together while still at school, playing in my mum and dad's garage (how unique). I figured if anyone was going to be into punk it would be Bill. Of course, I wasn't wrong. When I went down to see them rehearse who would be there with him but Peter & Steve, also from the early days of jamming in my mum and dad's garage. So it was inevitable that I would not only give them gigs at The Grand Hotel but also if the opportunity arose I would join the band. This was to happen sooner than I thought as I was to get kicked out of Johnny Dole And The Scabs not long after Rocks' first gig at The Grand Hotel, so I got straight on the phone and within two weeks of rehearsal I made my debut with Rocks supporting of all bands Johnny Dole And The Scabs.

The lineup now was Bill Webb on Lead Vocals, Peter Davies on Guitar/Vocals, Steve Vanderschoot on Bass/Lead Vocals and Greg Morris on Drums/Vocals.

We had employed the services of a manager by the name of Lorry Brown, he was a nice guy and to my recollection the best thing he managed to do was misspell the title of our EP we had just recorded. This EP should have been called "YOU'RE SO BORING" not "YOU'R SO BORING". We recorded at Axcent Recording Studios at Kogarah NSW and was engineered by Ross Mcgregor. Ross was blind, and he made his way around a desk better than most. It took about eight hours to record and we came back the following week to mix it down; that took about four hours. Our manager financed the pressing. The EP was received OK, though we weren't around much longer after it was released so that didn't help. Most bands didn't last very long in those days, there weren't many places to play and not many people coming along to see the bands. So bands tended to play, record, split up. If you were lucky enough to release a record then it seems to go on and become a collectible no matter how good or bad it was.

Rocks played all the popular venues of the time and some not so popular, some of these were "Blondies" in Bondi Junction "The Last Resort" in Taylor Square and the biggest one was "The Paris Theatre" in Sydney supporting JAB and The Boys Next Door, both from Melbourne.

Everything was going along nicely until one particularly unsavory bust-up between some band members. We decided not to continue. Some time later, Bill called me and we got together and formed another band called The Prisoners, however this later folded and since then we have gone our separate ways musically.

Over the years Bill has kept Rocks going with Peter with different drummers but that's his story.

— Greg Morris (July 2000)

 

Shock Treatment

This band was said to be into American 60’s stuff like the Beach Boys and the Monkees which they mixed with Ramones style  Power / Guitar / Energy.

Subversion

According to Pulp fanzine this band was into stuff like the Velvet Underground & Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers.

Thought Criminals

This band put out a number of e.p.’s between 1978 and 1980 and a full length LP in 1981. They sounded more English Influenced (Wire, Magazine) than other Sydney bands of the era.

They had their own label Doublethink.

X

     

Formed By Steve Lucas (gtr) & Ian Rilen (bass, voc)  X was one of those bands that never said they were punk but at the same time had a following of punks. The album x-aspirations from 1980 in considered a punk album as it’s raw & uncompromising as anything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sydney Punk Directory" Main Index Page

Part 1:  1976 to 1979

Part 2:  1979 to 1981

Part 3:  1982 to 1984

Part 4:  1985 to 1987

Part 5:  1988 to 1990

Part 6: 1991 to 1993

Part 7: 1993 to 1996

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Last modified: 19 April 2009