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The Grates

Australian indie rock royalty The Grates officially reunited their original line up – singer Patience Hodgson, guitarist John Patterson, and drummer Alana Skyring – for a special run of shows in November & December 2018, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their seminal album, Teeth Lost, Hearts Won.

The tour was dubbed the ‘Reunited and Excited’ tour, with SELL OUT shows that saw them perform in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth – playing some of the biggest venues they’d toured in years, where they performed some of the most memorable moments of Teeth Lost, Hearts Won, as well as songs from their breakout, debut LP Gravity Won’t Get You High and some classics from the rest of their extensive and impressive catalogue.

There aren’t many Australian bands in history with as much effervescence and infectiousness as The Grates. Their combination of Hodgson’s extra-extravert persona and inimitable voice, Patterson’s blistering guitar lines, and Skyring’s singular drumming style, made them a stand out from the outset when they first arrived with ‘Trampoline,’ back in 2004.

Their debut album Gravity Won’t Get You High put them on the map in 2006, but it was Teeth Lost, Hearts Won’s release in 2008 that cemented the band as one of the true greats of the 2000s, thanks to stunning songs like ‘Burn Bridges,’ ‘Aw Yeah,’ and ‘Carve Your Name.’ 

The album debuted at number 6 on the ARIA charts (no mean feat for an indie rock band at a time when you still had to sell big numbers to get on the ARIA charts!), and was universally praised as the record that saw the band mature their sound, while retaining the youthful, unbridled energy that got them there in the first place.

Having captured hearts with their critically-lauded, internationally-received albums “Gravity Won’t Get You High” and “Teeth Lost, Hearts Won”, The Grates relocated to the Big Apple with a slew of accolades under their belts. Emersing themselves in New York culture for 2 years, they emerged with a fresh new sound, line up and attitude.

Secret Rituals, the bands third album was released in 2011 and spawned the Sassy, sexy and bold singles Turn Me ON and Sweet Dreams.

Coming in to the Top Ten of the ARIA charts and the Top Ten of the triple j Hottest 100, the band continued to achieve critical and commercial success. Gracing the covers of Rolling Stone, triple j magazine, Yen magazine, most of the street press in the country and featured across countless publications. Patience’s exhuberant personality made her a natural in television appearances on Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation and Rockwiz, as well as a favourite on radio stations nationwide. 

At the end of that album campaign the Grates took some time out to have a family and explore some new business ventures. But still managed to write and release their 4th album garage indie rock gem Dream Team. 

The Grates are proof in point that there’s no such thing as a typical career in the music industry. Emerging, quite literally, from a garage in Brisbane’s outer-suburbs, the band found worldwide acclaim with their jagged, energetic indie rock. Recent years have seen Patience Hodgson and John Patterson become business owners, raise two children, produce records, run craft classes, helm podcasts and contribute to the city’s independent art scene.

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Frenzal Rhomb

Back in the mire of the early nineties, from somewhere beneath a pile of wallet chains and cut-off army pants Frenzal Rhomb emerged, their white suburban fingers clutching onto goon casks and bucket bongs and other appropriate paraphernalia. Before too long those fingers wrote riffs and those riffs became songs and their voices sung rhyming swear words in perfect(ish) three-part harmony. This went on for a while.

In fact all the way to now, in 2017. After countless world tours (if you’ve counted them, please let us know for taxation purposes), sharing the stage with everyone from NoFX to Nickelback (that was actually at the same gig). Playing all around Australia, from Broome to Bunbury and Bundaberg to Brunswick, offending and entertaining people in equal measure along the way. Being welcomed into people’s lives and banned from radio stations, often for the same reasons. Nominated and losing myriad awards, the dubious (if unofficial) honour of being the most hospitalised band in the world – everything from broken drumming arms and detached guitar-playing retinas to an actual pig-borne tapeworm in the lead singer’s brain – it’s amazing that Frenzal Rhomb are here at all (it’s certainly a surprise to distant relatives at summer bathing parties), but Frenzal Rhomb ARE still here, and they’re still playing music. And that’s not all.

Frenzal Rhomb have made a new fucken album.

Their ninth album. And just like a ninth child to a religious family, they’re really getting good at it. Recorded once again by Bill Stevenson (Descendents, Black Flag) and Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado, Hi-Vis High Tea is a concept album about a whole bunch of different concepts. 20 songs clocking in at just over 30 minutes, but what they lack in length they make up for in brevity.

And it sounds fucken rad!

From the high-octane punk-rock blast of opener “Classic Pervert”, to the high-octane punk-rock blast of the ode to Hard-Ons bassplayer “Ray Ahn Is My Spirit Animal”, and not forgetting the high-octane punk-rock blast of retail recreational rectal drug use anthem “I’m Shelving Stacks (While I’m Stacking Shelves)”, Hi-Vis High Tea is an album as diverse as it is varied. Gordy, Tom, Jay and Lindsay are like a well-oiled machine, but one that makes songs, and is not so much a machine but four different people, who aren’t oiled all that regularly. But don’t take my word for it, I’m just a computer-generated bio-writing algorithm Frenzal Rhomb downloaded from the darknet: you should listen to the album. You probably already have. It takes less time than it takes to read this nonsense. Off you go then.

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AREA-7

It’s hard to believe it’s been more than 20 years… 

Cast your mind back to the days when music festivals ruled. They were big, they were live , they were awesome and the competition to get on them was at an all-time high…Some bands became regulars on that magical treadmill touring the width and breadth of the country playing their hearts out to dedicated and ever appreciating sweaty bods across the nation….

One such band was AREA-7, by far Australia’s most successful Punk / Ska band. Their career over the last two decades has seen some amazing highlights – they’ve hit the main stage of all the major festivals of their time, being a major player for festivals like Van’s Warped Tour, Pushover, Big Day Out, Offshore, Falls Festival, Homebake, Soundwave and many more. 

AREA-7 earned a reputation for being one of Australia’s hardest working bands, touring the length and breadth of the county dozens of times, including tours with their peers and major overseas acts. Highlights include their national tours with No Doubt, Reel Big Fish, The Get Up Kids, The Living End, Jebediah and Eskimo Joe and even entertained Australian Defence Forces and United Nations staff in a month long tour of Timor Leste.

The Australian music industry was forever changed with the release of their debut album ‘Bitter and Twisted’. Never before had an Aussie Punk / Ska band reached such heights. With strong support from Triple J and performances on Rove Live, Hey Hey it’s Saturday and regular spots on ABC’s Recovery, their album debuted at #6 in the ARIA charts, produced 4 singles and went Gold (selling over 80,000 copies) and was a final nominee for “Best Rock Album” in the 2001 ARIA awards. 

Their second album, ‘Say It To My Face’ saw the band break into the mainstream receiving high rotation support from TripleM and the Austereo Network.  The album debuted at #38 and produced their most successful single to date, the tongue in cheek “Nobody Likes a Bogan” which remained in the ARIA Top 40 for more than 8 weeks!

Whilst AREA-7 has never “officially” split, the last few years has seen them taking a far more relaxed approach to shows, with the band playing “when they feel like it” or as they put it, “for special occasions”.  

Well it doesn’t get much more special than this, so in their 25th year the AREA-7 boys are back with vengeance and will no doubt deliver their “Hotter than Hell” brand of punk infused ska that will melt your Mohawk. 

So get ready to “get in the pit or get the fuck outta the way” – because the 7s are back!

 

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Everclear

For over two decades, Everclear’s sound has reflected the rock, post-punk, and singer/songwriter influences of Art Alexakis, including acts like X, the Replacements, the Pixies, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Elvis Costello. The band found success with their first three albums on Capitol Records, Sparkle and Fade, So Much for the Afterglow, and Songs from an American Movie Vol. One: Learning How to Smile, which were all certified platinum.

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Unwritten Law

Multi Platinum recording artist Unwritten Law formed in the early 1990s in Poway, California under the direction of drummer Wade Youman, vocalist Scott Russo, guitarists Rob Brewer and Steve Morris, and bassist John Bell. The band quickly garnered the attention of Southern California locals with their uncanny ability to combine punk sensibilities with a power pop, rock and alternative flare. This unique twist to an already buzzing punk scene

enabled Unwritten Law to stand out amongst their peers.

The band released their first cassette demo in 1992, followed by 7” vinyl single B lurr in 1993 and their debut album, Blue Room, in 1994. Released on a local Southern California label, Red Eye Records, Blue Room established the band’s early sound and appreciation for fast paced punk rock with songs like “CPK,” “Shallow,” and “Suzanne.”

With the rapidly growing fan base, Unwritten Law caught the attention of Epic Records, who later signed the band

in 1996 and released the band’s sophomore album, O z Factor bringing classic hits like “Denied” and “Superman.” It was during this time that the band would tour the US with California natives Blink182

and Pennywise. Just a year later the band signed to Interscope Records, original bassist John Bell left the band, and Pivit bassist Micah Albao joined them in the recording of their self titled album, Unwritten Law. In 1998, the band released their third studio record featuring classics like “Lonesome,” “Cailin,” and “Teenage Suicide” which later became hits on multiple rock radio stations. It was during this time that Pat “PK” Kim, formerly of Sprung Monkey, would join the band as their new permanent bassist and embark on their first Vans Warped Tour.

At the top of the millennium Unwritten Law made considerable movement in their career with their follow up

album, E lva. The multi platinum record showed Unwritten Law’s notable stylistic change of pace where the band moved away from their established punk rock formula towards a more accessible hard rock sound. This is evident in the band’s widely recognizable hit “Seein’ Red” which climbed to No. 1 on the US Modern Rock charts and it was at this time that they band would tour with heavy hitters, Sum 41 and The Used. Following their successful release the band was invited by VH1 to film an episode of the live acoustic series Music In High Places. Set in the magnificent fields of Yellowstone National Park, the band recorded what is to be known as some of the most significant tracks of their time. Signed to Interscope Records at the time, the label declined the album and it forced the band to sign with Lava Records who released the series as an album and later a DVD entitled, Live in Yellowstone. From the album, “Rest of My Life” received significant acclaim and would rise to the top of the Modern Rock Stations nationwide and “Celebration Song” would be featured in soundtracks Need For Speed:Underground 2 and MX vs. ATV unleashed. Immediately following, Wade Youman was ejected from the band due to personal and professional issues which would allow No Doubt’s drummer Adrian Young and Pulley’s drummer Tony Palermo to accompany the band on their forthcoming project, Here’s To the Mourning. Scott Russo and girlfriend Aimee Allen co wrote the majority of the lyrics on this album including the lead single “Save Me (Wake Up Call)” which reached No. 5 on the US Modern Rock charts and “She Says.” It was also at this time that the band permanently welcomed Tony Palermo, removed Rob Brewer from the band, and chose to continue on as a 4 piece.

Immediately following the band released The Hit List, a “best of” album which included 17 of the band’s most prominent songs including a classic hit “Shoulda Known Better” which was rerecorded to reflect the new lineup. It was the following year that the band filmed a DVD entitled, Live and Lawless featuring newly promoted drummer, Dylan Howard through Suburban Noize Records and is said to capture the pure essence of the band’s live stage energy.

Taking some time to reenter the studio the band was marred by drugs, alcohol, and personal struggles that made

their 2011 Swan a very heartfelt album. The album welcomed singles “Starships and Apocalypse” and “Dark Dayz” and it was at this time that the band would return to the Vans Warped Tour where they got their start. With Kim and Morris leaving the band it left room for Youman to return to Unwritten Law and reform with Russo. Following Youman’s return, Derik Envy and Kevin Besignano both left the band, being replaced with Johnny Grill (Russo’s younger brother) and Chris Lewis (Fenix TX), to complete the current lineup. Unwritten Law is gearing up for the new release of Acoustic, their highly anticipated eighth studio album due out April 1, 2016 via Cyber Tracks, owned by El Hefe (guitarist of NOFX) and wife Jen Abeyta. Acoustic is a masterful 13 track record filled with newly rerecordedUnwritten Law hits from Unwritten Law, Elva, Here’s To The Mourning, Swan, and The Hit List into flawless acoustic renditions. The emotionally rich album will also feature two brand new tracks including “Huartbreaker” a cover originally performed by John Legend and MSTRKRFT and “Belongs To You,” written by

Scott Russo. The album features Scott Russo (Vocals/Guitar), Chris Lewis (Guitar, currently in Fenix TX), Johnny

Grill (Bass), and original drummer Wade Youman; produced by Jim Perkins and Scott Russo, Additional production by Chris Lewis and Joe Marlett, Mixed by Joe Marlett, and Mastered by Tom Baker of Baker Mastering.  

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