Michael Bowser

The Gig: Sex On Toast and Mamushka Where: The Empress Hotel, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia When: 25 August 2010 In One Word: Sensational First question:  How many fucking bands is Melbourne’s Angus Leslie in?  Second question:  How the fuck does he always manage to get so many bloody people out to said bands’ shows on...
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Pinky Beecroft used to be a member of the infamous Australian band/cabaret act that was Machine Gun Fellatio, but these days his pet project is called The White Russians.  Michael Bowser gets the low-down on milk-based drinks, the brilliance of Ween and the merits of writing for TV shows like Farscape (as one’s day...
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Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, The Bedroom Philosopher is the musical persona of one Justin Heazlewood, a multi-talented comedian/writer/whatever-the-hell-else-he-feels-like-doing who clearly has spent far too much of his time travelling on trams.  Michael Bowser drills him about his heady new concept album, Songs From The 86 Tram, among other hot topics such as the “nu-Australian”...
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Title: O. Children Artist: O. Children Label:  Deadly People Recordings Released: 12 July 2010 In one word: Gloomtastic A short while back I reviewed the recent William Control album, and concluded that while it showed some definite promise, it ultimately failed to live up to the sheer loftiness of many of its influences:  Namely...
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Deadly Are The Naked are a Melbournian band who know how to Party – that’s with a capital fuckin’ “P”, folks! – both live and on record, as well as mellow out with the occasional silky-smooth, chilled ballad.  Michael Bowser moves up close enough to the flying sweat and the high-energy forces of nature...
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The Gig: Artery Where: The Lexington, London, England When: 7 August 2010 In One Word: Intense Having been a long-time fan of the British post-punk movement, I bought a DVD documentary some years back entitled “Made in Sheffield”…and while my main interest lay in bands I have known and loved for eons such as...
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Title: Instinct Over Influence Artist: Samsara Label: Trial & Error Records / Stomp Released: 9 July 2010 In one word: Pissed! One sincerely hopes that the title of this album wasn’t meant to be some statement of the band’s musical philosophy, ’cause while I kinda enjoyed the CD for what it’s worth – good,...
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Melbourne’s Sex On Toast are arguably a lot of things:  Wilfully weird, musically convoluted, unashamedly smug and, most of all, stupidly talented.  Taking their main cues from the likes of Frank Zappa and Mr Bungle, any further attempt to describe their (otherwise indescribable) music is mostly in vain.  Michael Bowser speaks to frontman/guitarist Angus...
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Title: Chemistry Artist: The Sun Harmonic Label: Truth In Records Released: 11 May 2010 In one word: Chilled I’ll come straight out and say this isn’t necessarily my kind of “thing”, but if you like your music super-chilled, emotional without being too overwrought, easy-listening without plumbing the depths of the dreaded “muzak” (aka “elevator...
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Title: God Said It’s Legal EP Artist: The Demon Parade Label: Jaya Jaya Records Released: 17 July 2010 In one word: Groovy Okay, this review’s gonna be short but sweet.  My hard-workin’ editor’s gonna love me for it. Do you remember the late 80s/early 90s?  Melbourne, Victoria’s The Demon Parade certainly appear to.  Think...
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