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Interview by Kris PetersAustralian blues/rock outfit Beasts Of Bourbon have been a mainstay of the Aussie music scene for over 40 years, blending a blues-infused swagger with sleazy rock and tonnes of attitude to create a musical aura that is as much about the musicians who make up the band as it is the music itself.Originally formed with James Baker on drums (ex-Hoodoo Gurus, The Scientists), Spencer P. Jones on guitar (The Johnnys), Tex Perkins on vocals (Dum Dums), Kim Salmon on guitar and Boris Sujdovic on bass guitar (both ex-The Scientists), the Beasts Of Bourbon went through several line-up changes over the years, with Tex Perkins and Jones being the only regular contributors.After disbanding in 1985 following their debut album The Axeman's Jazz it seemed the music of Beasts Of Bourbon would be lost into the channels of Australian history but they reformed just two years later and released a second album Sour Mash the following year.Several albums followed, culminating in 2007s Little Animals before Beasts Of Bourbon disbanded once more, seemingly for good.2013 saw a couple of select 30th anniversary shows before another slide into the unknown until 2019 when the band re-emerged under the shortened name of Beasts.After a new album Still Here came out in 2019 Beasts went back into slumber, resurfacing last year for 40th anniversary celebrations, with the response being so overwhelmingly positive that the band are on the cusp of undertaking a six-date nation tour with the intention of taking their music and legacy even further than the two shows last year allowed.HEAVY caught up with guitarist Kim Salmon to find out more."It has been a while, really, since we've done any touring in earnest with this band," he nodded. "It was just before the pandemic, so probably four years. We did a couple of shows last year with our original drummer James Baker, and we recorded that and we were so excited about that recording that we thought we'd take it out on the road. We're going to actually release some of this stuff. This is a beauty."We mention that HEAVY is a big fan of live albums, to which Salmon replied, "me too. There's been some good ones over the years. There's also been some less than good ones, but this one I think is… we were gonna call it… Tex and I were talking about it (laughs) and throwing titles around, and we thought how about The Best Live Album Ever Recorded or The Best Live Album Ever, but I had this thing… like there's Slade Alive and Kiss Alive, so I thought why not Beasts Alive? So we're putting that out through a French label called Beast Records. But that won't be out until September, I think. We've got a five track 12" that will only be available at the gig and that's some tracks taken from that recording."In the full interview, Kim talks more about the tour and what to expect, if he still enjoys touring after so much time on the road, the enduring success of Beasts and why, the rocky road to success, changing the band name from Beasts Of Bourbon to Beasts and why, their debut album The Axeman's Jazz and his thought of it 40 years later, future plans and more.
Today we present a fun and rollicking chat with Gareth Liddiard, frontman of Tropical Fuck Storm and the Drones and master anecdotalist. Gareth joins me to bring some sunshine to a brilliant and under-appreciated record by Spencer P Jones, the legendary guitarist and singer/songwriter originally from NZ who made Australia his home for most of his career. The twist is that Gareth played lead guitar on this record, Spencer P Jones and the Nothing Butts and has the inside story on the album's creation, how the songs came into being and the one of a kind mind of Spencer P Jones. From standing in the crowd in Perth while his sister throws a beer bottle that narrowly misses Spencer to meeting him at an early Drones gig in Melbourne to become friends, frequent tour mates and collaborators in the studio, Gareth opens up about his relationship with Spencer and shares some hilarious stories about one rock'n'roll's true eccentrics, involving earthquakes, scorpions, blood spattered amps, Nelson Mandela and Joe Satriani.
hour one: "big paul" john coltrane w/kenny burrell "the hero" unknown instructors "out my kitchen window" dan mcguire "I-75" dan mcguire "initiation" unknown instructors "dream"" aunt sally "oscillations" silver apples "why why" bogdan raczynski "racist ice cream truck" a moment's thought "pray" suuns "the patriot" unknown instructors "deer in indiana" dan mcguire hour two" "to be as beautiful as proust" dan mcguire "hand in hand" unknown instructors "old joe brown" samm bennett "lay forever" samuel locke ward "we negotiate shadows much deeper than winter" drekka "out in the cold" unknown instructors "invisible" dan mcguire "with furrowed brow" dan mcguire "acquainted with the night" unknown instructors "whereabouts of the light" the chef cooks me "runaway" kim salmon & spencer p. jones "sunset" chrome "downer" guided by voices "you already know" unknown instructors "my great uncle" dan mcguire hour three: "the call" dan mcguire "ballad of the unknown instructors" unknown instructors "the precipice of ascension" crane "lasagna druid" ganjisland "boys will be voids c" bronze age ufo "election day in satchidananda" unknown instructors "chanced upon the rocks" dan mcguire "an hour too late" dan mcguire "twing twang" unknown instructors "take 5, gerb " the hawk "heaven channel s02 lp1 part 2" galecstasy "last waltz" unkown instructors "job revisited" dan mcguire
hour one: "why was I born?" john coltrane w/kenny burrell "boy at a bus stop" the bicycle thief "hurt" the bicycle thief "sense of senses" drekka "długa podroz w chmurach" bogdan raczynski "late night dub" model home x his name is alive "signal" phew "goodbye, absecon" will johnson "off her meds" thor & friends "it's alright" the bicycle thief hour two: "off street parking" the bicycle thief "please sing my song when I'm gone" samm bennett "who had the time?" samuel locke ward "sub machine" chrome "crack & the 1 armed baby" punk as a doornail "impro3" vermes do limbo "aspirations" the bicycle thief "cereal song" the bicycle thief "politically uncorrectable" born shit stirrers "integers" bomis prendin "underclass" kim salmon & spencer p. jones "death rattle - track 2" abramson/cain "devil's harvest" flying vipers "l.a. country hometown blues" the bicycle thief hour three: "boy at a bus stop" (rough vs-880 mix) the bicycle thief "golden age" crane "boys will be voids b" bronze age ufo "jibsans" the hawk "oh lonesome me" the bicycle thief "you won't be missed" the bicycle thief "heaven channel s02 lp1 part 1" galecstasy "cereal song" (live) the bicycle thief
hour one: "lyresto" john coltrane w/kenny burrell "not that kind of rodeo" aloha screwdriver "ramp park" aloha screwdriver "heart felt apology" thor harris & rob halverson "avuls I" only now & orogen "skull arrow" guided by voices "chords version" his name is alive "doze" phew "sayonara tsutara" bogdan raczynski "pong" the hawk "free breakfast programme" the go! team "in heaven" salvation "redacted" aloha screwdriver hour two: "it fell from earth" aloha screwdriver "all I want is your love" samm bennett "I was the mean bitch" samuel locke ward "suitable darkness" the chef cooks me "distant city" mystical weapons "song for the gone" jim mchugh "I need somebody" kim salmon & spencer p. jones "in hell there are no donuts" aloha screwdriver "the calamari kid" aloha screwdriver "I hold no grudge" bettye lavette "gone" steve abercrombie "just don't" jeffertitti "su gorroppu" tubax "maybe canada" aloha screwdriver hour three: "le temps de l'amour" aloha screwdriver "the river of life" crane "boys will be voids a" bronze age ufo "slave II" aloha screwdriver "malaguena" aloha screwdriver "heal ourselves" thollem "touch of mad" pndc & housework "one hearse town" aloha screwdriver
hour one: "walkin'" (west german tv 1960) john coltrane w/wynton kell, paul chambers and jimmy cobb "feather chaser" grex "blood" grex "the day decay" aunt sally "perfect shadow" tobacco "gaijin sabetsu, gaikoku hakuchuumu" bogdan raczynski "to remember dub" model home x his name is alive "soph says" black lodge "stiff" wylde ratttz "saint belfi" thor & friends "blank generation" (live 1975-03-23 cbgb's) television w/richard hell "beepocalypse" grex hour two: "walking ayler in tarzana" grex "I'm worried about you" samm bennett "bank account" louis cole "thought log #5" maw shein win "kivi" cao portoroz "tidal wave" sproton layer "what do they know?" soldier dolls "husk" grex "dave darinko" grex "fast and steady run" bushoong "save your love for me" bettye lavette "dan and tim, reunited by fate" have a nice life "truth about me" steve abercrombie "margot tenenbaum" grex hour three: "the other mouses" grex "shifting paradigms" crane "no speech" samuel locke ward "moc" mold omen "fresh state of mind" steve abercrombie "jack on fire" kim salmon & spencer p. jones "jin's run" grex "ikki" grex "pete's theme" the hawk "knee jerk" pussycat and the dirty johnsons "gentleman -one equals-" pndc & housework "goodnight" grex
hour one: "hackensack" (west german tv 1960) john coltrane w/stan getz, oscar peterson, paul chambers and jimmy cobb "santa grows three arms, giving him an odd number of arms" kouns and weaver "the acronym egg" rick weaver "the very ears of dusk" phew "fire sale dub" model home x his name is alive "collection agency" bogdan raczynski "fluff" black lodge "poisonous horses" tobacco "hospital" maw shein win "us in their land" il sogno del marinaio "slasher" rick weaver hour two: "chantoosie" rick weaver "baby bug" samm bennett "whatever happened to the flaming lips?" samuel locke ward "I walk the lawn" bomis prendin "mister clint" cao portoroz "the neverending torso" form a log "saphead" rick weaver "theme from saw III" the hawk "liked" tatsuhisa yamamoto "loose ends" kim salmon & spencer p. jones "individual like you" thollem "willy's wonder" flying vipers "ruderal spine" rick weaver hour two: "lover's cove" (excerpt) global distance "baby, that's right" crane "ain't got no dream" jasper grooves collective "moa" mold omen "blue sky suite" (excerpt) rick weaver "honeycomb" rick weaver "I love you" (live) pikacyu-makoto "shell and milk suite" (excerpt) rick weaver
hour one: "cherryco" john coltrane "fire & lichen" damon smith "the embers of the year" damon smith "konban wa" (real version) r-04 w/mike watt "patience soup" (sample) oren ambarchi / jim o’rourke / phew "body double" tobacco "in your eyes" minutemen (live in indianapolis 1985) "believe e.s.p." (live) deerhoof & wadada leo smith "ufo" (live 1975-01-17 cbgb's) television w/richard hell "ever alone with thee" pat smear "factory reset" chris chappell's distortion pedal "broken mirrors where the world sees itself shattered" damon smith hour two: "erasing landscape" damon smith "bless your pretty bones" samm bennett "storage unit 202" maw shein win "water & birds" his name is alive "end it with light" guided by voices "scorched earth pearl" kim salmon & spencer p. jones "book of lies" bettye lavette "from green to yellow" damon smith "ben patterson's variations for double bass 1961" damon smith "pablo picasso" (live) peter laughner "cloudkill" flying vipers "ghost" chrome "rubber up" the redneck manifesto "the simple truth" benjamin boone + philip levine "heat rested" damon smith hour three: "thirst wakes & builds" damon smith "second thoughts" crane "at the piano" ned collette & wirewalker "imperial chemicals" mold omen "nacho burger" punk as a doornail "two hands" (live) damon smith "from yellow to red" damon smith "piece 4" (live oct 2, 2008) honda+berardi+hay "slickensides" bertram turetzky + damon smith
Seja talks to her guest Tex Perkins (Beasts of Bourbon, The Cruel Sea) about the juxtaposition of being a consumer of music and a music maker. They chat about Tex’s new online show called ‘The Show’ and how it has created a vehicle to build and support his musical community. Tex tells Seja about missing live performance, making music at home, homeschooling and past and present collaborations. They chat about the legacy of band mates Brian Hooper and Spencer P. Jones while reflecting on the band’s heavy lifestyle and the subsequent consequences. Tex’s strange show story was illustrated by Tony Giacca (@tonyguitarnerd). All illustrations can be seen on the HearSej Facebook page and on instagram @hearsejpodcast
Spencer P. Jones was the unsung hero of Australian rock'n'roll.
hour one: "blue monk" (live) john coltrane w/thelonius monk "pora sotunda" the mystery of the bulgarian voices "mome malenko" the mystery of the bulgarian voices "I asked for water" kim salmon & spencer p. jones "sunburst future dark and bright" many birthdays "let 'em in" petra haden "nad avganistan" 21 vek "the good liver (pt. 1)" the doers "igapo lambari" vermes do limbo "sigh" name the band hour two: "ganka" the mystery of the bulgarian voices "gonna stop killing" carla bozulich "bending the past" istituto no "cha-cha" lucy leave "I'd drive" joe brewer "auf der flucth er schossen" ish kabbible "drunks" bird perverts "shrink's theme" sean lennon "stanka" the mystery of the bulgarian voices "evolution circus" guided by voices "I did, I did" chris butler "dancing on a video game" mb jones "you're alive, you're dead" the heelerz "moxitca 2" mold omen hour three: "mani yanni" the mystery of the bulgarian voices "a lesson learned" (creating transformation, part I) farthest south "explode" andrea rottin "I'd drive" joe brewer "alamo tilt" patrick grant "sluntse" the mystery of the bulgarian voices "winking badge" (live) midwestern medicine "que bonitas son las flores" pyramid blue "my blue plane" (soto version) soto "zableyalo agne" the mystery of the bulgarian voices
hour one: "say it (over and over again)" john coltrane "your escape" barb wire dolls "revolution" barb wire dolls "auibidala" (live) miladojka youneed "siromasni i bogati" xaxaxa "hackfleisch" umpio "I can smell tadpoles tumbling" chris scroger "I'll find you" the spacepony "let's face the music and dance" paul motian "sibafunikabuleta" kyoka "the monkey" kim salmon & spencer p. jones "ishi yaki imo" alexandre nakamura hour two: "devil's full moon" barb wire dolls "I never glid before" (live on french tv 1973) gong "better without" family room "I like the lights off" todd congelliere "user of the wheel" minibeast "on the way to another nothing master 1" tsigoti "darby crash" barb wire dolls "derby crush" gay sportscasters "the breeze" banditos "nothing by goodbye" miss melvis "new wave retailing" siobhan "heavy & row" deeper dees "kick da twang" the rubiks hour three: "heart attack" barb wire dolls "washed" nudity "waddlin'" the peasants "jangling cowboy" round eye "in the middle of inheriting" can can heads "wheels" (live) husker du "who'd a think" (rough mix) porkchops and applesauce "surreal" barb wire dolls "light from outside pt 3" glimpse trio "president" panorama city "other desert cities" surfer blood "keyhole" no volcano "existence" brett netson "the eyes of my eyes" (excerpt) the extract
hour one: "off minor (take 4) john coltrane w/thelonius monk "locus of everyday life" sawako "colour blind" the pop group "sunburned face" allegheny white fish (tobacco) "humble drop" chris scroger "cave metaphor" the god in hackney "rollin' & tumblin'" kyoka "call and respond" seadog "she says I’m a clown" clowns "girls" zombie crash "taiyo no baka" boris "sxtc" pfrogdog "go quiet" pndc & housework "manifest blasphemy" split red "I don't care" (1974 live in prac pad) television w/richard hell hour two: "calonge terrassa, kalon-jah! tewra-ssah!" za! "lo unico que tengo" victor jara "falcone" familea miranda "imagina que matas a jota" betunizer "the 23rd addenda" samuel beckett "zeleni val" fish in oil "the missing" deerhunter "flower" deerhoof "del ray 97" siobhan "mars" in zaire "desert boogaloo" hobocombo "loin green" devin gary & ross hour three: "criminal inside" rewild "the mourning stool" sterile jets "I love my phone" (live) bob schriner "all that's left (is this image of you)" james preston allen "sluts of the usa" (duet) dwarves "1980's (this ain't)" (2014 version) super fast girlie show "amor verde" chicano batman "it's all the same" kim salmon & spencer p. jones "incorrect" elmo and the styx "high and tight" the lemon-limes "turquoise hand" death of samantha "don't be a fool" clarence reid "synaptic ripples reverberating of" thollem electric's keyngdrum overdrive w/sara lund "come clean" social skills "meltemi" ned collette & wirewalker
hour one: "say it over and over again" john coltrane criminal records instore appearance (live 2013) wata "the singer" dirty beaches "la manzanita" chicano batman "ingrowing nail" shame on town "lullaby" ajinai "cross the line" noh mercy "todos menos el dolor" kimono kult "liquid diamonds drive errant robot minds" chris scroger "too weird to be a tree" allegheny white fish (tobacco) "banana bike" dot wiggin band "autumn leaves" (live) tripod jimmie with hermie eugenio hour two: "last will and test" spielgusher "a fuck up" gg allin & the jabbers "sneakers" the teen idles "public defender" state of alert "fetch the water" minuteflag "uphill" can "a bitter projection" kim salmon & spencer p. jones "keter ittenu" barbez "jackeee" pinata protest "suicidal friends" snowbyrd "candyman blues" the copper gamins "cleo's gone" gay sportscasters - brother matt's spin cycle - hour three: "see through windows" devin gary & ross "some days are grey" the manic low "awareness for backwards generations" kevin siegel "painter man" the creation "chupa cabra rock n roll" the blood drained cows "calf biter" howie reeve "drunk under war planes spitting bitter pills" tsigoti "I can't control myself" (live) pascal comelade "cara maria" hifiklub "to fly or not to fly" deerhoof "travel in the opposite car" (live) husker du "loner with a boner" black randy and the metrosquad "do you want to live in switzerland?" seb & the rhaa dicks "believe me" glimmermen "annihilate the meth" (live) sliten6ix "oki doki - the water is radioactive" jee jee band "nosy" dmf "the day" eola
hour one: "evidence" (live) john coltrane with thelonious monk "iki" sawako "life is nothing (without you)" the exxtras "the whole of the law" kim salmon & spencer p. jones "whiskey chaser" voodoocain "maybe it's because you're an asshole" alix lambert + travis dickerson "emperor's new break" the eternals "milo" hirotaka "shimmy" shimizu "carlotta's gallop" petra haden "the meek shall inherit the mess" noh mercy "dream captain" deerhunter "transparent god" gfr "she poisoned those boys" simon bird hour two: "serpent bites the young lion" predrag delibasich "personal belongings" papier tigre "laughing like hyenas" undercover slut "I lost my baby to the guy at the bobcat bite" gregg turner "when waiting calls" the exxtras "my house" black bananas "whiskey skeleton wash" (inspired by dorosoto's "emerald building") tobacco "cherry blue boo" freescha "landscapes in the mist" dirty beaches "psycho" beasts of bourbon "begat spankus" the extract "xeno pariah" guided by voices "conjure man" kid congo powers + the pink monkey birds "alleycat" benny the jet rodriguez hour three: "jesus stop shaking the stars" the exxtras "concrete mathematics" an emergency "look, the sun is rising" flaming lips "the sun is my god" (live) queens of the stone age "silent divinity" valis "life eternal" (demo) torture town "machoires" massicot "goddess curlers" mystical weapons "deep inside" miss melvis "if you don't" spielgusher "lonely chair" now "eastasi" frute
hour one "tunji" john coltrane "the gold in the mountains of our madness" flaming lips "the power is on" the go! team "dinosaur hall" (live) nels cline "tell the children" p.k. 14 "the girl before" the chairs of perception "resentment" peter distefano "promise the boys" hell crab city "don't drink the water" tzar "battle babies" ball hog "let us be naked" eef barzelay hour two "I loves you, porgy" (live) nina simone "all the times we spent (in bed together)" brian henry hooper "I wanna hand to hold when I go to hell" spencer p. jones - brother matt's spin cycle - "fake" (live) beast of bourbon "the actor" further hour three part k of "moon over morocco" "if I am a time bomb" enemies of the secret hideout "ouch, my throat" aunt's analog "speak now" low ways quintet "nuisance midget" estel "hands on the wheel" caral bozulich + willie nelson track two from the cd "schizophrenology" the majestic twelve