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HAIL MARY
Some records are aptly titled. Electric Mary's Facebook
tells the tale of their new EP, Long Time Coming: "We recorded,
we scrapped … we started again, we stopped … we lost a friend
… we recorded again … again we stopped … we found an old
believer, we worked and worked … we moved bases … we got
sick, we stopped … we started again … we lost a love … we
got angry … we lost the plot … we were in with a chance
but they said no … we had no cash … we did some shows …
we kept believing ..."
Fortunately, the result is a ripper. Rock 'n' roll will
never die while bands such as Electric Mary are flying the
flag. As the name suggests, there is genuine electricity
in these songs, with thundering riffs (courtesy of Pete
Robinson and Glenn Proudfoot), mighty grooves and an explosive
rhythm section (Venom and Alex Raunjak). As Electric Mary
say, this is "rock 'n' roll, the way it used to taste".
The band recently tweeted: "Rock 'n' roll brings many strange
and wonderful moments to the table." In the past couple
of years, Electric Mary have played with Deep Purple, Whitesnake,
Glenn Hughes, Alice Cooper and Judas Priest, done World
Cup shows with Powderfinger in South Africa, and returned
home for Cherry Rock in AC/DC Lane. After the EP launch
at the Gershwin Room on Saturday (with Twenty Two Hundred
and China Vagina), they're heading back to Europe, for shows
in France, Spain and Belgium. The approach is simple: Six
boys in a van, drive, play, drive, play … "That's all we
want to do," says singer Rusty Brown.
Electric Mary also played at Hellfest in France last year,
alongside Motorhead, Alice Cooper and Airbourne ("They love
Airbourne in Europe, I've never heard a bad word about 'em").
The experience inspired All Eyes On Me, a track on the new
EP. "Rode into town with not much sleep and I was feeling
like a king," Rusty sings. "Hellfest was amazing," he adds.
"There's nothing quite like a European rock/metal festival
- those guys are serious. We couldn't wipe the smiles off
our faces."
The EP comes with a bonus DVD, capturing the band in blistering
form at Sydney's Gaelic Theatre. "That was done in the middle
of the Deep Purple tour. We had a Saturday night off, so
we decided to do our own show." A few weeks before the gig,
a guy named Adam Logan asked Rusty if he could film the
show. Rusty didn't know what to expect. "But I couldn't
believe the result. I contacted Adam and said, 'We've gotta
use this.' He really captured us."
"Hey, do you love me as I am?" Rusty asks on the new record.
Indeed, we do. Electric Mary's EP is a Long Time Coming,
but worth the wait. Rock 'n' roll still tastes good.
MIX MASTERS
Everyone loves a mixtape. The climax of The Push's FReeZA
Central mentoring program is the release of a compilation
called Mixtape. With wonderful '80s artwork by Skipping
Girl Vinegar's Mark Lang, the double disc features contributions
from mentors - including Ash Naylor, Shihad, Lloyd Spiegel
and The Bedroom Philosopher - as well as the "mentees" (Howzat!
particularly likes Brighter At Night's Behind Painted Walls).
Mixtape is being launched at the East Brunswick Club on
Thursday, with Jen Cloher, Angie Hart and Davey Lane, plus
a selection of the new acts. Tickets are $12 at the door,
which includes a copy of the album.
ONLY OTHER VETS COULD UNDERSTAND
It might be the ultimate Aussie anthem - and 33 years after
it was first released, it's finally cracked the Top 40.
But is Cold Chisel's Khe Sanh historically accurate? Sydney
group The Aerial Maps have questioned the song's authenticity.
"Well, it's a bloody long time since bloody Long Tan," Adam
Gibson states in The Things That Make You Happy, a track
on the new Aerial Maps album, The Sunset Park (on Popboomerang
Records), "and our sappers were never at Khe Sanh, that
was a Yanks-only affair. We were mostly down south, bugger
all up there." Of course, the subject of Chisel's song "left
my heart to the sappers 'round Khe Sanh", but the 1968 battle
was fought between US marines and the North Vietnamese.
Aussie sappers were not officially involved (though the
RAAF provided air support). Adam does add, "But I'll give
Don Walker his due, his song meant a lot and he was right
to say there were no V-Day heroes in 1973."
CHART WATCH
Gotye scores his first Top 10 hit.
Somebody That I Used To Know GOTYE (number five)
Inescapable JESSICA MAUBOY (20, debut)
We Run The Night HAVANA BROWN (25)
Loud STAN WALKER (36)
Khe Sanh COLD CHISEL (40)
The Living End land at three, while East is the most successful
of the Chisel re-releases.
The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating THE LIVING END
(number three, debut)
Soft Universe PNAU (13, debut)
Seeker Lover Keeper SEEKER LOVER KEEPER (14)
Roy DAMIEN LEITH (16)
East COLD CHISEL (19)
Live At Red Rocks JOHN BUTLER TRIO (22, debut)
Double Platinum THE TEN TENORS (24, debut)
Like Drawing Blood GOTYE (32)
God Is Able HILLSONG LIVE (35)
The Last Stand COLD CHISEL (39)
Down The Way ANGUS & JULIA STONE (40)
HOWZAT! PLAYLIST
O.I.C ELECTRIC MARY
Behind Painted Walls BRIGHTER AT NIGHT
Livewired RON S. PENO
Dark Magic SAND PEBBLES
The Sunset Park THE AERIAL MAPS
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