If one was to listen to the mystics and statistics, rock, particularly in Australia, is in a mouldering state. Every day, pundits and critics are penning endless jeremiads in an attempt to convince everyone that the sky is falling.
But is the state of Aussie rock and roll so desperate? Why then are we constantly hearing about great new bands and great new festivals? Case in point, Melbourne’s Rock The Bay is set to make its triumphant return this year.
To get the facts on the health of Australian rock music (and the industry around it), we caught up with Hinge, Rook, and Palace of the King, three Aussie rock outfits who’ll be playing Rock The Bay this Saturday, 21st March, tickets at http://theespy.oztix.com.au.
Is The Aussie Rock Scene Strong?
ROOK: “Fuck yeah it is. I’m uncertain why there is any doubt. When was the last time you wanted to go and see a gig and found nothing? The industry has certainly gone through some drastic changes over the last decade but this mostly revolves around income from sales and the impact on labels. Music is free now, whether it should be or not is another conversation altogether. ‘Free’ music has pushed bands to tour more to generate cash flow and this couldn’t strengthen the scene more. Artist aren’t generally motivated to create music due to the possibility of making some cash. If they are i’d go on a limb and say their music probably sucks arse.”
HINGE: “It is, indeed. Industry-wise, however, we’re still far too conservative and even ‘close-minded’ rather than nurturing the incredibly talented musos we have here, we’re chasing the same tired, old sounds that made big bucks overseas. And made them YEARS ago! A sad indictment… my only hope is that this will lead to a dramatic change of perspective for those that ‘run the scene’ (as it were).”
PALACE OF THE KING: “The Aussie rock scene is undoubtedly strong. Every week that Palace of the King is out there gigging we are meeting with loads of great rock bands giving it a crack just like us. The vast majority of us aren’t making a cent out of music but that doesn’t seem to bother anyone – its all motivated by true passion and a belief in what we are doing. That alone is what wins a crowd over at the end of the day and keeps the scene strong.
The strength of the scene should never be measured in album sales, number one singles or the gross profits of tours. To paraphrase the late Leonard Nimoy we all need to “realize the difference between popularity and true greatness”. I feel as though many Australian rock musicians have grasped this concept. With little external support they keep slogging it out for the sheer love of what they are doing.
The odds of making a living out of it one day are not skewed in their favour at all and yet they keep coming back week in, week out delivering killer shows and awesome songs. Therein lies the strength. I guarantee that on any night of the week in Melbourne you can go out, grab a pint and see a fantastic rock band. Should that basic premise no longer be the case I’ll be most disappointed. Until such a time I’d strongly urge anyone with an interest in the genre to get in amongst it and Rock The Bay is a great opportunity to do just that!”
Australia’s Best Rock Venues
ROOK: “The Corner and the HiFi bar Melbourne are excellent venues to play. Great stage sound, front of house and excellent stages. The stairs at HiFi are a bitch but there’s no complaining when you get on that stage. The Annandale in Sydney was excellent as well but last I heard they were creating a more family friendly environment with nice food and acoustic acts because be fucked if you can find any of those in Sydney. The Zoo in Brisbane and Amplifier in Perth are also favorites. The Prince of Wales in Bunbury WA houses the most insane motherfuckers we’ve ever played to. The dancing doesn’t stop even when the music does.”
HINGE: “By far, the best venues are in Melbourne! And we played ‘em! Hahaha!
Again, though, we’ve got to protect our once-thriving music scene from those that would bulldoze-and-high-rise-them (I turned that into a verb!) in an instant. ‘Development’ will be the perennial enemy of the arts – and often, money talks louder than a singer can sing.
PALACE OF THE KING: “Here are some great places to play live all over Australia! Some of our favourites are:
– Melbourne: Cherry Bar, The Espy, Ding Dong Lounge and Northcote Social Club.
– Sydney: Frankie’s Pizza by the Slice, Tattersall’s Hotel, Penrith and The Hi Fi Bar.
– Adelaide: Crown & Anchor Hotel and The Governor, Hindmarsh.
Everyone in Palace of the King would love to play at The Forum Theatre as well. We’ve never had the privilege of gracing that stage but every time we’ve seen a band play there its a great gig. Its such an atmospheric and rather intimate room when you think about it, hopefully its not too long before we get an opportunity to make some sounds in there!”
The Most Important Aussie Rock Albums In History
PALACE OF THE KING: This is a tough one but here goes:
Cold Chisel – East (1980)
Could Cold Chisel be the most Australian band ever? With members hailing from Alice Springs, Far North Queensland and Adelaide these guys created such a very Australian sound that reached its zenith in my opinion on East. The band only really found true success on the Australian mainland and managed to merge working class themes with some of the most accomplished song writing ever heard. East rocks and rolls without being heavy (see Standing on the Outside), shares more tender moments with tracks such as Choir Girl and also shows what an amazing singer Jimmy Barnes really is. His trademark wail didn’t really get a look in until his post Chisel solo career, on East his voice is so silky and on point you feel as though he could do anything. He makes it all sound so effortless. This is a great album in the car or at home and is important because of that Australian sound it captures. A lot of bands did a lot more overseas with a lot less than Cold Chisel so it will remain it seems, a well kept secret from the US and Europe.
AC/DC – Powerage (1978)
You couldn’t put a list like this together without including an AC/DC album! AC/DC are an incredibly influential and important band not just for Aussie Rock but for rock in general all over the world. They found a new sound and you can hear their influence on loads of new releases to this very day. Powerage in my opinion is their best album but it is so criminally underrated its not even funny! They were still a boogie band at this point in their career with Bon Scott up front. It is such a consistent record I reckon its the only AC/DC album I listen to without skipping a track even once. Tracks like Riff Raff and Down Payment Blues just rock so hard and there’s even some funk in there on Gone Shootin’. Its AC/DC’s last release with Vanda & Young but their first with Cliff Williams on Bass – basically a perfect storm of factors that created this Blues Rock masterpiece. Some people will know already what I’m getting at while raving about this album, for anyone that doesn’t I recommend you give it another spin, it is spot on and an bona fide Aussie Rock classic!
You Am I – Hi Fi Way (1995)
It took me a while to appreciate You Am I. I now realise that they embody many of the traits that Aussie Rock is famous for and despite everything that has been thrown their way,Tim Rodgers and Co. just keep on playing. Getting dropped from record labels, major meltdowns at festivals, substance abuse – many of these things would have stopped a lesser band in its tracks but not You Am I! Its an album that came along at an interesting time for music in Australia. Triple J was completing its nationwide regional expansion project and a lot of alternative sounds were making their way into people’s living rooms. Upon reflection Hi Fi Way is very Australian and pushes a lot of 60s and 70s ideas through an alternative 90s filter. It still holds up today!”
The Importance Of Rock The Bay
ROOK: “Any event that brings attention and notoriety to the scene is important. We inhabit a vast country where the major cities are few and far between with a population far less in comparison to say Europe or the United States. Any event that brings a bunch of bands together to network with one another and crowd share is an excellent thing.”
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PALACE OF THE KING: “Events like Rock The Bay are vital to the Aussie rock scene. “Rock” is such a wonderfully broad term these days and what the festival provides is a large number of great bands playing a wide variety of rock styles for a bargain ticket price. This allows punters to get through the door and see a whole host of bands they might not yet know about. There is nothing better than turning up at a venue to see a particular band, then witnessing a band you have never heard of live for the first time and being pleasantly surprised. I say this from a punters perspective and have discovered lots of incredible music this way myself.
From a band perspective, there is honestly no better way to win a fan, get them to tell their friends and hopefully see that support continue at future gigs. Events like Rock The Bay have a ripple effect and their impact can be felt long into the future for the acts that are fortunate enough to be a part of it all!”
The Future Of Aussie Rock
HINGE: “I can only hope that there’s a continued investment in new sounds, new bands and the dismantling of an archaic system… purge the scene of the dreaded “business model” of old & inject fresh, new ideas into what could be a truly thriving, AUSTRALIAN rock music scene. We’ve no need to follow – we could truly LEAD!”
PALACE OF THE KING: “The future of Aussie Rock looks bright. With so many passionate individuals contributing to the genre I can see nothing but good things on the horizon. All of us in Palace of the King have been around long enough now to see the next crop of younger guys and girls coming through the ranks as well. Its a wonderful thing to observe and each band, no matter how big or small they become adds a few threads to the tapestry of rock and helps pass the torch along to the next generation. This should be the core mission of every band. Anything that may come after that is just a bonus.”
Tickets are on sale Friday 16th January and are a mere $24.80 (+bf) and can be found at http://theespy.oztix.com.au. Keep your eyes on www.facebook.com/rockthebay for all event updates.
Rock The Bay 2015 Lineup
BASEMENT:
Transience
The Firing Line
Tell Amarosa
Silt
Rumour Control
The Mean Times
Schikain
Samuel Dales Band
MEZZANINE:
Tequila Mockingbird
Shortfall
Aerials
Marlow
Pretty City
The Divine Fluxus
Fierce Mild
Jaya
Tang
The Underhanded
GERSHWIN:
Palace Of The King
Don Fernando
Fuck The Fitzroy Doom Scene
Mushroom Giant
Arakeye
Lung
Hide Side Driver
Fear Is A Liar
Red Light Riot
Moments Apart
FRONT BAR:
Rook
Hinge
Bushido
Chaos Divine
Hailmary
Arcane Saints
Greenthief
Acolyte
Cicadastone
