Test Your Australian Music Here

BaZmO*

Don1 wrote:

The Living End also worth a listen in my humble opinion. That's only a myspace site. Official site not working at the moment.

They're actually a great band, although some would say that they're a poor man's Greenday. Their new album is brilliant.

They're great live too, went to see them in the Ambassador when they played support with the Dropkicks last month.

Don1

Was there also. That's the first I'd heard of them. Got the album there and then. His voice does sound a bit like Billy Joe's now and then, but I think they are a little bit more creative/polished than Green Day.

John

My top ten Aussie artists:
1. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
2. Dirty Three
3. The Birthday Party
4. Oren Ambarchi
5. SPK
6. Crime and the City Solution
7. The Saints
8. The Drones
9. Rolf Harris
10. Dead Can Dance

blastman

peter1892 wrote:

Cold Chisel! A thread about Australian music & no one mentions Cold Chisel, or Jimmy Barnes? Or Slim Dusty

Seriously though, Chisel were great, and Barnesy played here in Dublin a few months ago, it was a great gig...

Great gig all right, and Chisel were a great bar band. As are Powderfinger now (despite the negative comments from some, I think they're a good rock band).

Anyone mention the Angels? Or the Saints? Didn't think so. Jack Johnson and Ben Harper Australian? I suppose you think Matchbox 20 are Australian too...

EDIT: Ooops, John mentioned the Saints, my apologies.

icon

ferdi wrote:

Oz has got AC/DC, Nick Cave and maybe Crowded House - all the rest of those bands can suck my thumb.

You don't mean Rolf Harris too do you?

Maccattack

It is a sad truth that Australian music isn’t widely recognised throughout the rest of the world, bar a small number of territories. In some cases, perhaps many, that is a blessing but Australia has a thriving music scene that puts Ireland to shame. Im not trying to be insulting by saying this so don’t take offence but it is true.

The reasons behind Australian bands failing to make an international impact are numerous. Sometimes its because they just aren’t good enough – this can be said about any number of acts from any number of countries, including Ireland – but one of the overriding factors that go against Aussie bands is the tyranny of distance.

There are few acts if any that can survive without touring and for Aussie acts this is the thing that can kill them internationally. Unless a band essentially relocates to Europe or the US they are behind the 8 ball. An Australian band can have a massive home following. This can prick up the ears of overseas record companies and touring agents. But the big thing the local audience can deliver to the band is much needed revenue to pay for a tour of the USA or Europe. A tour that may or may not produce record sales and pave the way for another tour. The band then has to spend long periods away from home playing gruelling, expensive tours paid for with a relatively weak Australian dollar. At the same time they are neglecting their local fan base which could diminish if its not nurtured.

Bands based in Europe are far more fortunate. They can fly to London in a morning or to New York for a week of shows. Aussie bands cant do that. Its just not viable. Any shows or promotional work has to be done as part of an elongated tour. So they often miss the boat.

A one off tour would rarely cut it for anyone so this has to be an ongoing battle plan. Tour Oz to make some cash, tour Europe/US to build a following. It all takes up masses of time and money. Maybe that time and money could be better spent at home making records or playing territories closer to home.

Major record companies don’t want to push acts like this. They want the money spinners that can pump cash out of the major territories. That’s partly why we have to endure U2’s world domination.

As a result grass roots Australian music has become somewhat insular. You can usually tell a band is Australian by their sound. I don’t mean they use indigenous instruments, most try very hard to sound like their American and European counterparts and avoid sounding what can be perceived as amateur. Although it has to be said Midnight Oil proudly incorporated a lot of Australiana into their music to phenomenal artistic effect. The Oils among others were never afraid of displaying their origins, rather they hoisted them proudly for the world to see and hear. This positive affirmation of who they were and where they were from didn’t hinder their rise to the world stage. They got there. But they couldn’t sustain it despite having more credibility in one guitar string than any other band before or since. Unfortunately its largely about economics. Toward the end of their career they made the decision to concentrate on their home market, despite there being a strong following in America who to this day would die to see them play again.

There are a lot of other factors that go against Aussie bands. Bands that would otherwise ‘make it’ over here. Its not that Ireland produces more bands. Its just that you know about more.

Some of the best Aussie bands I ever saw never got past first base: Sea Stories, Not Drowning Waving, Pollyanna, Front End Loader, The Verys, The Welcome Mat.


For a current act that could easily make it here and the US try – Something For Kate

Timans

Jack Johnson is from Hawai, no?

BaZmO*

Timans wrote:

Jack Johnson is from Hawai, no?

He certainly is, however, that and other inaccuracies in the OP post have been already been pointed out.

Kevster

ferdi wrote:

Oz has got AC/DC, Nick Cave and maybe Crowded House - all the rest of those bands can suck my thumb.

Crowded House were New Zealanders I'm sure.

Maccattack

Crowded House were 1 part Kiwi, 2 parts Australian.