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It’s time for the ACCC to act on crap bands

David Penberthy

by David Penberthy

25 Nov 05:52am

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Filed under: Guns And Roses, Inxs, John Farnham, Music

240 comments

There are billboards all over Sydney right now claiming that a band by the name of Guns and Roses is playing this weekend. This is a lie. A bandy-legged, lank-haired fellow dressed in spandex dacks and a gay headband is playing. His name is Axl Rose and he has not left the house in 20 years.

There is no Slash, no Izzy Stradlin, no-one to blow the sports whistle which heralds the thumping start of Paradise City, just a few session musos and a chap who spent the past two decades penning the anti-masterwork Chinese Democracy, a concept album so crap in design and execution that it makes Roger Water’s Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking seem intelligent. It is unclear whether the relevant sections of the Trade Practices Act covering false and deceptive conduct can be applied to foreign entites - Punch columnist and competition crusader Professor Frank Zumbo would know - but whatever the case the billboard advertising the Guns and Roses concert should bear a large asterisk reading “Actual band may not match band shown.”

Which brings us to INXS.

There are many questions you can ask about the band that should no longer be known as INXS, such as what in God’s name is going on with Kirk Pengilly’s facial hair, and how does he still keep pulling such attractive chicks. The biggest question is how the surviving members of this group can claim to be the custodians of Michael Hutchence’s memory while also turning the lead singer’s spot into a take-a-number deli counter-style operation for everyone in Australia who has ever been to a karaoke bar.

The initial plan after Hutchence died was to bring in Jon Stevens of Noiseworks fame. Then there was a game show to replace him. At this year’s AFL Grand Final the band was fronted by a man who looked a bit like the jockey Darren Gauci. The boys turned up on the telly the other night with Christine Anu on lead vocals. Although this was ostensibly a collaboration rather than a formal replacement, you wouldn’t put anything past this lot. No-one should be surprised if pint-sized strumpet Nikki Webster is sworn in next year as the new Hutchence; alternately perhaps the guy from Regurgitator could have a crack at re-recording Shabooh Shabah in Mandarin, maybe the husky female jazz vocalist Renee Geyer could sing The Swing in the style of a 1950s swing band. It’s just a pity Dame Joan Sutherland is no longer with us, she would have done a great rendition of Just Keep Walking.

The possibilities are endless. While all of the above might be a form of music, INXS it ain’t, and the band would do well to retire the name out of deference to one of the greatest front men not just in Australian rock history but world rock history, rather than debasing it as stadium rock meets Red Faces.

ACCC Commissioner Graeme Samuel should also turn his attention to the greatest serial offender in the false and deceptive conduct stakes, John Farnham. One of the great ironies of modern Australia is that Farnham’s good friend Glenn Wheatley spent time in prison yet Farnsy is walking around scot-free despite fleecing thousands of pensioners by holding his absolute last-ever farewell tour never-to-be-repeated show, once every 12 months. These poor old ducks dutifully turn up and sob - for all the wrong reasons - as Farnsy screeches out his cover of Help for the last time until the next time. It beggars belief that Farnham has not yet been charged as he is to farewell tours what the late Richard Pratt was to cardboard boxes.

I know Mr Samuels is under pressure to act on bank fees and charges and interest rate gouging and electricity prices but these arguably are side issues.

While not strictly a competition issue, a parliamentary committee should be set up to tackle another great unexplored theme of Australian rock, namely how is it that Chisel were so great but Barnesy on his own is so awful. Oh and can someone please jail Glenn A Baker for wearing that hat, he makes Peter Fitzsimmons look sensible.

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240 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • S.L says:

      05:17am | 25/11/10

      Penbo I am not a fan of Aussie music today.
      The media cried over Powderfingers split but many of us cried who? Go to the street and find someone who can name more than one of their “hits”! The ARIAs today are like the Logies of the 80s, all the winners were voted for by a small target demographic and the general public had no idea who they were, which is why they now have “most popular and most outstanding” for TVs anual yawnfest.
      World wide the trend is the same. Crusty oldies making a comeback and making squilions because fans want to relive the great music of the old days as nothing recent can match it.
      Give me the 70s and 80s music anyday!

      Reply

    • Adam Diver says:

      07:15am | 25/11/10

      Who is powderfinger? Are you serious, your ignorance never makes a good argument.

      Although many of the Aria winners are no more than one hit wonders these days, silverchair won like 7 arias one year and they only had one god song that year, straight lines. But I guess the Arias can only work with what they have got.

    • Wayne Kerr says:

      07:19am | 25/11/10

      You’re kidding right?  I’m in my late 40’s and even I can name a few of Powderfinger’s hits.  They may not have been chart toppers but they were popular.

      Penbo, Cold Chisel were so good mainly because of Don Walker’s sublime song writing.  Plus I reckon in Chisel’s day, Barnsey used to perform pissed most of time.

    • PaulB says:

      08:16am | 25/11/10

      Powderfinger are the greatest example of overrating in Australian music history.  One of the most dry, characterless bands I’ve ever seen at the top.  And yes Farnham has had more comebacks than Gary Glitter (who is talking about a new album would you believe).

    • Brad says:

      08:55am | 25/11/10

      I agree. The music these days is nothing but computerised crap. Who are they asking when people say Lady Gaga is the best, The best what. Bring back the old days of good rock music.

    • kevin says:

      09:22am | 25/11/10

      I agree. I think the main thing young bands lack these days is conviction and passion. They look like a bunch of annoying metrosexual twerps who probably study to work as an investment banker on the side.

      I haven’t seen a band since Midnight Oil was still around and I don’t miss it one bit. I’d take INXS with Nikki Webster fronting it and Lionel Richie over any of today’s music.

      In my opinion if you write good enough songs, ie catchy, unique, memorable and passionate, you’ll be signed. It’s as simple as that. No point complaining because you’re only playing in crappy pubs. It’s because you suck.

    • S.L says:

      09:33am | 25/11/10

      @Adam Diver I repeat….....who is Powderfinger? and besides I can’t name one of their songs!
      What other bands from here are hitting such great heights?
      Give up?
      Me too!

    • TChong says:

      10:43am | 25/11/10

      Is there any true blue fan of OZ rock who isnt immediately transfixed / pole axed whenever they hear the opening chords of “Whats My Scene”, or “Am I ever”? - live version can be sung on almost any occasion , from political hubris, to weddings, birthdays, and funerals.
      Guaranteed to raise a smile from the conniseur.

    • Adrian says:

      10:45am | 25/11/10

      For God’s sake S.L it’s bloody Powderfinger!
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powderfinger

      I’m not their biggest fan by any means but they have some good tunes and if you don’t know who they are then your radio probably doesn’t have an FM function.
      Though I agree wih you on every other point (except for the 80s… some terrible music in there).

      And mentioning lady gaga and rock in the same sentance clearly have no idea. It’s a different genre. Lady Gaga is to rock what Culture Club is to heavy metal. There is good rock music around these days you just have to get your radio off 96fm.

    • S.L says:

      11:36am | 25/11/10

      @Adrian is it a great achievement to get on wikipedia? NOPE!
      They probably put themselves on it!
      As far as self promotion goes there was a band in the Sydney called Jump Incorporated and a mate of the Band sprayed their name in places todays graffiti artists could only dream of! One of his efforts was in the Cahil expressway cutting from the Quay to the Harbour Bridge, it was there for years. I still don’t know how he did that one!
      P.S Who is Powderfinger and what have they achieved outside the ARIAs?

    • Refugee says:

      11:41am | 25/11/10

      @ S.L,
      It’s pretty obvious that you are still stuck in the 70’s and the 80’s. Just for your info we are in 2010 now and Who the F—- is Crusty???

    • Wazza says:

      12:07pm | 25/11/10

      Powderfinger? I saw them at the Horden. It was like watching members of the Chinese Terracotta Army, but less exciting..

    • Dave says:

      01:25pm | 25/11/10

      I can name a Powdrerfinger song “These Days”

    • Rick says:

      01:31pm | 25/11/10

      You’re obviously in the WSFM demographic, S.L, in which case you shouldn’t even be worrying about who’s winning awards at the ARIA’s. 70’s and 80’s music has good nostalgia value, but there’s one glaring problem with listening to it every day, and that is it’s never NEW. There’s plenty of new Australian music that rocks, you just have to open your ears and your minds and find it. Prime example: Karnivool from Perth! But I don’t expect you WSFM old farts to appreciate them, they’re songs are more complex than 4-chord Acca Dacca music.

    • P.K. says:

      01:32pm | 25/11/10

      Powderfinger were just downright AWFUL. Middle of the road, Aussie pub rock, absolutely dull, dull, dull. If I hear “My Crappiness” one more time I’m gonna jump. And isn’t it obvious that Bernard Fanning just ditched them so he could forward his solo career? “If your famous and you know it, sack your band”! Nobody would recognise any of the other members of the band in the street. If Powderfinger is the best this country can do, then that says alot about the mediocre standards we have established for our music industry. That’s why we don’t have any good bands anymore - bands like Powderfinger, as an example to others, have set the bar so low.

    • Chris says:

      01:41pm | 25/11/10

      @ Brad. You cannot just say that music today is computerised crap and you certainly cannot use Lady gaga as an example. Lady gaga is renowned for actually singing and writing her own songs. She is an amazing performer. She is also a cultural icon in regards to fashion and also her work for Human rights. I suggest if you get the chance you go see her on her Monster Ball tour (but you’ll have to travel to the US). She is AMAZING LIVE.

      Whilst I understand the sort of artists you are referring to as “computerised crap” I suggest you actually research what you are talking about otherwise you simply look like an old fart who hasn’t got a clue.

    • Liam says:

      02:18pm | 25/11/10

      S.L, not being able to name a Powderfinger song is more a sign of your blatant ignorance rather than a statement on the band’s success.
      Their last four albums went to number one in Australia.

    • Geoff says:

      02:25pm | 25/11/10

      I agree the 80’s were better than most of todays music. However i can’t help but get the feeling that back in the 80’s there were people saying “todays music is crap it was so much better in the 60’s/50’s/40’s” and in 20 years people will have the same view except replace 80’s with 2010.

    • Jade says:

      03:55pm | 25/11/10

      baaahahahahah your comment is hilarious.  Clearly you are a man and over the age of 40.  Australian music at the moment is at its best!  Yes old rockers were fantastic at the time and still are great but don’t sit there and bag the current music we are producing because your BIAST CAUSE YOUR OLD!!!

    • Crab says:

      05:03pm | 25/11/10

      Someone tell me how big Powderfinger is internationally?

      Anyone?

      Anyone?

      Bueller?

    • S.L says:

      05:28pm | 25/11/10

      My comments about Powderfinger sure got fingers typeing! Now if you read my comments closely I haven’t knocked the band but what I have said is absolute fact. Who knows any song they play? Someone has mentioned Bernard Fanning, I’ve heard of him but I didn’t know he was their singer!
      Yes everyone I am a crusty oldie and remember the days I saw the Angels, Chisels, Radiators, INXS etc in pubs around Sydney in the 80s and their songs are still played on radio today. There is a debate here about Parkway Drive. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHO OR WHAT THEY ARE! But some of you think they are the best thing since sliced bread. Good for you but if they are that good why don’t the mainstream (me) know of them? I’m a fan of Deep Purple, Led Zeplin AC/DC etc and they are supposed to be heavy metal too?
      Aussie music is in a huge slump and the light at the end of the tunnel is still the headlamp of an oncoming train!

    • Youngin says:

      07:11pm | 25/11/10

      So a bands success is based solely on how they sell overseas then S.L? In that case the Aussie band Tame Impala look set to take off and be just as good as any other export! Maybe if you got past living in the 70’s and changed over to an FM radio station, like JJJ for example, you might hear some fresh new music and be more informed in your decisions, instead of being blatantly ignorant and writing off one of this generations great Australian bands.

      I do believe the 70’s and 80’s played host to some of the worst music of the last century like Air Supply, Asia, Starship, Electric Light Orchestra…. (I could keep going!) so I guess compared to them pub rock like Midnight Oil or Cold Chisel and almost-crooning Farnham would be classed as ‘great’ or ‘epic’!

      Just try and love all music and dont get caught up in the generational difference as each has its own sound to offer, I’m only 23 but am sitting here loving the BB King playing in the headphones, and before that was The Living End - music isnt about which era, band or genre is best, it’s about loving what all music has to offer.

    • Steve Putnam says:

      08:00pm | 25/11/10

      Go and see Tin Pan Orange from Melbourne if you get the opportunity. I saw them at a Jewish music festival in August at Bondi Pavillion. They only had about 25 minutes of stage time, but among many quirky interesting acts they shone!

    • S.L says:

      06:13am | 26/11/10

      @Youngin. You like the others who are taking me to task have missed the point entirely. I’m not knocking one era and praising another and I can name more examples of crap bands from the 70s and 80s than you, but the ones you name are indeed truely awfull! WSFM and other classis rock stations play pure mainstream top 40 from the 80s up but not much heavy stuff. How long since a Zep song besides Stairway to Heaven was played on your radio station? Purple?
      My parents were my age now when Chisels, Oils, INXS etc were around and they know who they are.
      But now at my age I watched the ARIAS and they have been dubbed the JJJ awards for good reason. I haven’t heard of any the local musos that won awards. Top male performer? Dan something I think. I asked around the next day and even younger people had no idea!
      Put it this way if a band was any good, no matter what they style play, the general public would have heard of them.

    • MudCrab says:

      12:03pm | 26/11/10

      Powderfinger?

      90s band who got big off The Internationalist (which I confess to owning).

      Well loved by commerical radio and those TV media types who want to seem hip with the cool kids. If you are into that sort of thing then good on you and have fun but my music tastes disappeared back underground into the local live scene and got over ‘The Finger’ 10 years ago.

    • Forde Montgomery says:

      10:07am | 28/11/10

      Aussie music today = You Am I.  No question of their talent.

    • Rob r Charteris says:

      05:32am | 25/11/10

      Penbo “last-ever farewell tour never-to-be-repeated show” really means the ATO is looking for money. That is the only reason they come out of retirement.

      Reply

    • Sarah says:

      10:58am | 25/11/10

      He never retired - how many times does he have to explain himself?  It was a song that said “This may be the last time… maybe I don’t know” - it was a play on words.  He said he wouldn’t do the large sell out tours that go on for weeks any more, not that he wouldn’t stop performing.

    • ChrisW says:

      09:00am | 01/12/10

      Sarah - just FYI ... The Last Time ... cover of a Rolling Stones track ca. late ‘60s

    • iansand says:

      07:05am | 25/11/10

      Has Shannon Noll fronted INXS yet?

      Reply

    • Jeremy says:

      07:19am | 25/11/10

      Two words, PARKWAY DRIVE, Australia biggest export band in Australia today. The Australian music industry is so typical, they push through Australian Idol after X Factor contestant and then an old has been mixed with the odd “indie” dressed up clown getting recognition.

      Parkway Drive just won the Aria for best hard rock/ metal act in Australia and it was about time. I hope this will open the eyes for the Australian music industry especially Sony bmg and make them see bands are the future NOT r&b or other black music.

      Reply

    • Ben says:

      08:27am | 25/11/10

      well parkway drive winge about how much they hate life and rappers promote consumerism so who do you think the music industry is more likely to support? they dont care about the “future,” they only care about the money

    • Jason Stackhouse says:

      08:29am | 25/11/10

      And it’s about time…  There are so many categories for ‘best female R7B crossover country dub artist’ and only now they have decided to squash all the alt/hard rock/hardcore/metal/etc into one ‘hard rock/metal’ award..

      Go to the city on a Saturday night and you’ll find a plethora of very talented local bands that will most likely go their entire careers without being recognised or even heard of by record companies - let alone anyone in this country actually getting signed.  Bands that play to 20 punters in Melbourne go overseas and play to thousands.

      Fact is you will find performers just as talented as anyone on Australian Idol/X-Factor/ARIA night lip-syncer’s on a Thurs/Fri/Sat night in Melb performing their own music.

    • bella starkey says:

      09:12am | 25/11/10

      Yeah, Parkway are shite and anyone who isn’t from the northern rivers or castle hill are well aware of this fact.

      I can’t believe they even still exist. Had your moment 5 years ago boys, nothing happened, move on!

    • S.L says:

      09:36am | 25/11/10

      Who is Parkway Drive?

    • Dean says:

      10:51am | 25/11/10

      @ Bella Starkey

      You’re kidding right?!

      Parkway Drive are bigger and better than ever. They play shows all over the world, Europe, America, you name it. But you’re probably an ignorant mainstream douche anyway so im not surprised that you dont know that. They are

    • bella starkey says:

      11:15am | 25/11/10

      Mate Circle Pit are currently on tour overseas. Doesn’t mean they are not shit.

      Parkway Drive are probably the most mainstreme of craptacular metalcore trand of a few years ago but are on par with their lamness with the dead walk and the rest of the repressed bands

    • Jeeves says:

      11:34am | 25/11/10

      Parkway Drive are rubbish.
      Enough said

    • Ryan says:

      12:01pm | 25/11/10

      Wow Bella you certainly are a bitter one. Parkway Drive are a great band and demonstrate a lot of respect to their many fans. They still play country towns when they clearly don’t need to. Hopefully they do get a bit more recognition than the hollow tools that win X Factor and the like.

    • LOL says:

      12:48pm | 25/11/10

      @S.L Parkway Drive is a small quiet street in Mooloolaba Qld

    • S.L says:

      05:34pm | 25/11/10

      @LOL you da man!!!!!!!!!! (or woman?)

    • fatalberton says:

      07:22am | 25/11/10

      If you are going to change your band’s line-up and use the same name you should take the lead of The Ramones and have everyone adopt the band name as their surname.

      Oh, and you could have done your research on “the guy from Regurgitator”. he name is Quan Yeomans. Google costs nothing.

      Reply

    • KH says:

      07:51am | 25/11/10

      Oh sure, because ‘Quan Yeomans’ is instantly recognisable to most people…............. !!!

    • Gyro says:

      06:51pm | 25/11/10

      @KH…. how about saying ‘Regurgitator frontman Quan Yeoman’s’?? Simply some respect for a dude who’s band was ahead of their time at their peak would have been nice.

    • Les says:

      08:16am | 26/11/10

      @fatalberton, I agree that the disrespect shown to Quan Yeomans by David Penberthy is inapproriate. He assumes that everyone knows who Kirk Pengilly is, but no one would know who Quan is. Who is Kirk Pengilly by the way? Wasn’t he some contestant on Masterchef?

      I really don’t see what the is beef regarding non-original lineups though. Lets hope David never learns about the other Beatles, Stu Sutcliffe, and Pete Best, because that would invalidate the sucess that the Beatles had. Maybe the ACCC should force stores to stop selling Beatles albums.

    • Seano says:

      07:33am | 25/11/10

      Bring back Izzy and Slash!

      Reply

    • notsurprised says:

      07:42am | 25/11/10

      ...and Duff

    • Crab says:

      05:04pm | 25/11/10

      Duff Beer?

    • Harry says:

      06:49pm | 25/11/10

      Please don’t!

    • julie says:

      07:54am | 25/11/10

      Peter Garrett might need an INXS gig one day soon.

      Reply

    • OzSpinCycle says:

      01:23pm | 25/11/10

      At least then he might become politically active again smile

    • Jane says:

      07:55am | 25/11/10

      Australia actually has a thriving music scene - you just need to go some of Brisbane’s venues like The Troubadour (RIP) or Rics Cafe to find out. Brisbane especially has a great indie music scene - all it takes is a little effort and creativity, reading about bands and their influences, side projects and friends, and you stumble upon a whole world of music. If you only listen to commercial radio or Music Max, you will constantly be disappointed with Australian Music because they’re completely unrepresentative of whats actually out there.

      Reply

    • Theo Door says:

      08:40am | 25/11/10

      Thiriving music scene yet the venue is “RIP”. Ha….!

    • Jane says:

      08:59am | 25/11/10

      A thriving music scene with packed out venue every night is still not enough to make rent in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley.

    • G Dog says:

      05:06pm | 25/11/10

      There’s always been this wedge between bands that places like the Troubadour (that I affectionately call “the troob”;  but I digress) and types of bands Powderfinger, Regurgitator etc. started like in Briz.  Sure, individual bands may put on a good show regardless of following, but good bands aren’t made in live gigs around town any more, in fact, they’re signed so young and quickly now (Operator Please, Short Stack) that their music is hung out to dry, and they fade away.  No new Oz band in, say, 2002 is still here now.  Gerling, Betchadupa, Shutterspeed and Superheist appeared that year at BDO with mainstays Silverchair and Powderfinger.

      Australian arts nowadays, while commendable at roots level, is thoroughly disappointing unless you dig around to find it.  No exposure.  It sucks…

    • Liam says:

      08:01am | 25/11/10

      The AFL spend all year using the tracks of fantastic live bands like Gyroscope, Hilltop Hoods, The Living End, Temper Trap & Dropkick Murphy’s on their promo’s for their game and then bring in Lionel Ritchie and INXS to “entertain” the country on its biggest sporting event??? Forget the fact I can’t stand INXS and cannot fathom how people can listen to their tired & outdated music, it just didn’t make sense to me.

      Reply

    • Ned says:

      08:42am | 25/11/10

      Good point Liam, many people like alternative and dance music until they are told what it is. Otherwise they prefer to pin their badge to music they can lip sync the words to. As a result some songs and bands will never die.

    • Noel says:

      08:49am | 25/11/10

      At least people know who INXS and Lionel Ritchie are. Gyroscope, Hilltop Hoods, The Living End, Temper Trap & Dropkick Murphy’s? Really ? The AFL were trying to entertain the masses not baffle them with a calvalcade of no-names

    • Liam says:

      09:13am | 25/11/10

      @Noel - A bit narrow minded of you to say these bands are “no names” broaden your mind a bit. Not all of us like soaking in a bubble bath with a glass of pinot rocking out to “endless love” mate. Man up Noel!

    • Realist says:

      10:44am | 25/11/10

      Noel:
      Gyroscope, Hilltop Hoods, The Living End, Temper Trap & Dropkick Murphy’s have all done the promo music for the AFL and the finals for the last two years, you would have heard there songs 100’s of times!! 

      DIE INXS DIE!!

    • Roger Explosion says:

      11:52am | 25/11/10

      The AFL doesn’t use those bands for anything. A TV channel puts together an ad for their AFL coverage using those bands material. INXS are legends, the Living End are legendary for being awful.

    • Lauren says:

      12:38pm | 25/11/10

      @Noel
      Turn on the radio just for one day. Any FM station will do, and you will hear those well-known bands.

      Or alternatively, turn the TV on. Any sports coverage, any Australian drama or Australian reality show will play those bands. They are virtually unavoidable!

    • Chinaski says:

      12:43pm | 25/11/10

      “Tired & outdated music” sums it up perfectly. I’m sick of everyone hailing “classic Oz” rock when the vast majority of songs are identical to what was popular worldwide in the 80’s. The general consensus seems to be that the best Australian music ever made was created between 1979 and 1989.

      There is plenty of good Australian music out at the moment, people just need to move past the stonewash jeans, mullets and Hey Hey repeats and realise we’re near the end of 2010. Of course, once people like Noel do realise this they will realisse that The Living End and Hilltop Hoods are virtually household names now.

    • Heather says:

      01:45pm | 25/11/10

      Noel, what planet have you been living on the last decade or so? Those are awesome bands; especially Hilltop Hoods…and by the way, I am not that young, I am in my 50s. And INXS, John Farnam, and 99.99999% of old bands who should have retired to go and play golf or bingo 20 years ago, suck, big time. Just because they were popular in the 70s and 80s means sweet FA. I looked pretty hot in a bikini in 1980, but that doesn’t mean I want to subject the poor unfortunate beachgoers to my sagging old tits 30 years later.

    • Spanish Girl says:

      10:17pm | 25/11/10

      I never heard of any of those bands and I’m not sad about it because most Aussie music is crap these days.  Anyone remember the Trilobytes?  Now THEY were a good live band.

    • Mark S says:

      08:12am | 25/11/10

      And Duff! Woo Duff!

      Reply

    • Sludger says:

      10:29am | 25/11/10

      Oh yeah, Jeff Duff, still going, yeah yeah yeah!!!!

    • rufus says:

      11:38am | 25/11/10

      Hillary Duff, too

    • KH says:

      08:15am | 25/11/10

      Maybe INXS should create a holographic Hutchence, just like holographic Elvis…........

      Reply

    • Anne71 says:

      12:31pm | 25/11/10

      With a big “H” on his forehead like Rimmer in Red Dwarf! That would be pretty cool.

    • Pavlo S says:

      08:19am | 25/11/10

      What was the black object that the Hutchence pretender was holding in his hand at the start of the song? Surely that was not a mobile he was using to video his ‘big moment’ as-the-next-ring-in-singer for the so-called INXS? If so, that was pretty lame. And why is everyone in the band wearing sunglasses on an overcast day? Questions. Questions.

      Reply

    • mick says:

      08:19am | 25/11/10

      “namely how is it that Chisel were so great but Barnesy on his own is so awful”

      Thats crap, how can you say Barnsey is crap on his own!

      Moron

      Reply

    • Chips Ahoy says:

      08:42am | 25/11/10

      Barnsey is crap on his own.

    • AK says:

      10:26am | 25/11/10

      Barnesy is UTTER crap on his own.

    • Pedro says:

      11:10am | 25/11/10

      Barnsey is crap on his own….

    • Sludger says:

      11:27am | 25/11/10

      Barnsey is absolute crap on his own

    • rufus says:

      11:40am | 25/11/10

      Barnsey is even more crap when teamed with Farnsy or any of his brood of kids who perform.

    • Dogbolter says:

      12:36pm | 25/11/10

      Barnsey on his own USED to be great, until he started doing the crap soul singing and mellowing out…

    • Ross says:

      08:21am | 25/11/10

      David - while I wholeheartedly agree with your comments about GnR, they are a bunch of imposters, you can’t put INXS in the same category, while JD Fortune isn’t Michael Hutchence I don’t see any reason why they can’t play on sans MH. ACDC are still Australia’s most successful band without Bon Scott at the helm, Brian Johnson is a great singer in his own style and gave the band a different direction although I still think that Bons writing and singing suited the time better.

      Reply

    • Dazza says:

      08:51am | 25/11/10

      Ross I’m not a massive AC/DC fan but the biggest difference between them & INXS is that they went on to record new material and use that in it’s own right.  If you hear AC/DC play on a TV show or other such event they can at least pull out a full tunes that post date Bon Scott, even if those tunes are 30 years old now.

    • Clem says:

      09:41am | 25/11/10

      Good point about Brian Johnson, you’d be hard pressed to say it wasn’t AC/DC without their original frontman, but Bon Scott not only suited the time better, he was a better singer and song-writer. AC/DC did better albums with him up front. IMHO, of course.

    • Sooz says:

      05:30pm | 25/11/10

      I agree Ross. And whilst I thought the concept of the “game show” was appalling, I was channel-surfing one night and heard JD Fortune’s rendition of “California Dreaming” and got hooked on him - not the show. So much so that I bought the album when it was released and went to the show when it toured. The album was great and the concert was awesome.

      I agree with Penbo’s comments re changing lead singers like a pair of undies but have to say that whilst JD Fortune is not Michael Hutchence, in my opinion he’s as good as INXS could be without him. And if they have material and a passion to perform, why not continue like ACDC with Brian Johnson? Apparently they didn’t stick with him because he’s a dickhead to work with but I was stoked to see him back at the Grand Final. [Note to Penbo: that was JD Fortune, the one who co-wrote “Switch”, their first album AM (after Michael)]

      Many of the bloggers at The Punch may disagree with me but I urge them to listen to “Switch” before they pass judgment.

      NB: It is widely acknowledged (not by ACDC though) that “Back in Black” was largely written by Bon Scott before he died.

    • Sally says:

      08:24am | 25/11/10

      Gay headband? Really?

      Reply

    • matt says:

      08:57am | 25/11/10

      Yeah pretty much. Lemme guess - you object to the use of the word gay?  #PCgonemad

    • zilch says:

      10:07am | 25/11/10

      Yes, it is “gay”, which is an entirely appropriate and hilarious comment from Penbo.  The humour in it comes from the fact that Axl Rose tries so hard to be a sex symbol for the ladies, when in fact he is really a cross-dresser.  So it’s very funny that all these fat-bottomed girls think he’s so manly when in fact he’s very girlie.  I don’t think many gay people would find the comment offensive but would nod their heads and laugh at the truth of it.

    • Ryan says:

      12:09pm | 25/11/10

      Here comes the PC brigade.

    • Grr says:

      12:51pm | 25/11/10

      Yes gay gay gay gay!
      That word isnt illegal - it actually means “happy”
      so get off your PC high horse!

    • drew says:

      01:10pm | 25/11/10

      The PC Brigade needs to stop being so “black” about it and just “jew” off.

    • Gwen says:

      08:24am | 25/11/10

      Quan Yeomans from Regurgitator is Korean not Chinese.
      Try and have less racism and more fact checking.

      Reply

    • matt says:

      08:59am | 25/11/10

      Its not Racism - Chinese and Korean are all Asian - basically come from a similar region. Just becuase there is a line drawn on a map doesn’t mean they are not similar looking. #whocares

    • Rock says:

      09:47am | 25/11/10

      Guess Matt wouldn’t care if foreigners called him a kiwi then.
      - basically come from a similar region. Just because there is a “sea” drawn on a map doesn’t mean they don’t speak the same language. #whocares

    • matt says:

      10:26am | 25/11/10

      Rock - very clever mate….. Choice Bro #whocares

    • Jay says:

      11:41am | 25/11/10

      *LOL* try this, Gwen - “Yeomans was born in Sydney, Australia to a fifth Generation Australian father and his mother Lien Yeomans, a well-known Vietnamese chef and author”. - So much for YOUR fact checking.

      And matt - you are a moron.

    • David_M says:

      08:24am | 25/11/10

      Oh dear! @Adam, Wayne, and Fat…..do get with it.

      Reply

    • Michael Hunt says:

      08:26am | 25/11/10

      Father Bob from JJJ could always sing “Original Sin”. Works for me. And as for Powderfinger - has there ever been a more boring band?

      Reply

    • Duff says:

      08:26am | 25/11/10

      INXS are one of the most over-rated bands in history.  Their songs, stage performance and overall image is pure commercialised rock.  Hutchence was really just a caricature of a “rock star” and everyone ate it up as we were desperate to have someone from Australia fill that space.  Their behaviour after losing Hutchence is not really that surprising to me as they are really just a business venture and they will continue to flog it so long as we continue to buy it.  Their songs are really quite average and certainly not something to pine about.  Would happily not hear “New Sensation” or “Never Tear Us Apart” ever, ever again.  Crap band that continue to feed off of misplaced loyalty.

      Reply

    • notSue says:

      10:03am | 25/11/10

      So freakin what if it was ‘commercialised rock”? Geez, some of you armchair critics really get up my nose with your musical snobbery! They were a brilliant live act,  Michael was a sex-god and millions loved them! Get over yourself.

    • Dianne says:

      10:54am | 25/11/10

      Hutchence was a caricature of a rock star? What IS a REAL rock star then Duff? Lets see…Hutchence could sing, he was sexy and good looking, women found him irresistable, he wrote many excellent hit songs that (no matter what you think) were LOVED by Aussies and, in fact, the whole world. And to top it all off, he was a friendly, warm, giving and humble man. I know because I knew him for a time. Sorry Duff, I think Hutch well fits the criteria of a rock star. Everyone INXS has had SINCE Hutch is a caricature of HIM!

    • Duff says:

      11:17am | 25/11/10

      notSue, INXS are sentimental favourites to a lot of people, i agree, but I say they are overrated.  I base this on the simple fact that I cannot think of one song they have written which I would knowingly listen to you with gleeful anticipation.  In fact, many of them make me cringe and they become more cringe-worthy as they continue to flog their brand with nothing new to offer.  But, hey, that’s just my opinion.  I know a lot of people think they are rock legends.

    • notSue says:

      11:39am | 25/11/10

      Glad you said in *your* opinion..which is still coming across as major upyourselfery. But, hey, each to their own. wink

    • Wizard says:

      05:43pm | 25/11/10

      sob… I actually really like the old INXS but am sick of New Sensation et al.
      funnily, one of my most listened to albums for the last month or so is “Switch” with JD Fortune… go figure.
      Actually, I think MH was a fascinating bloke and every bit as Rock Star as say Mick Jagger.

    • Mel says:

      08:33am | 25/11/10

      ACCC should look at the Journalism (Blogging) industry.

      What a joke

      Reply

    • Chocolate Jesus Rocker says:

      08:44am | 25/11/10

      In my mid 40’s, in a original hard rock band who write good, grooving rock music / songs. Getting gigs as an original act as tough as it was in the 80’s.
      Am I too old for this? I don’t think so.
      Am I in denial?
      How about the ACCC act on good Aussie bands.
      Anything is possible.

      Reply

    • confused says:

      08:46am | 25/11/10

      was that Christine Anu or Suzie Demarchi ( pardon spellink ...) ?

      Reply

    • OziOz says:

      10:50am | 25/11/10

      It was most definitely Suzi DeMarchi - brilliant rock chick from Baby Animals

    • David says:

      08:50am | 25/11/10

      In my opinion Australian music is up there with the best in the world.
      Some amazing bands off the top of my head:
      Cut Copy
      Tame Impala
      Parades
      Midnight Juggernauts
      Phildelphia Grand Jury

      Start embracing new/exciting music and quit living in the (often extremely dated) past

      Reply

    • KH says:

      09:26am | 25/11/10

      Be careful David - it might happen to you one day!!!  People find a style they like, and as if by magic, they become stuck there - time moves forward, but they don’t.  You can keep on pretending you are 25 if it is always [insert year you were 25] in your head….... You won’t even realise its happening…... the new will just remind you of how old you are getting, and you won’t like it…............hehehe

    • Heather says:

      02:28pm | 25/11/10

      Nah, disagree KH, I loathe old music ESPECIALLY the music of my youth, aka the 70s and 80s - thanks to my children, I’m constantly discovering new bands; recent discoveries Rise Against, Children Collide, K’Naan, Kid Cudi, MIA, Chemical Bros, Placebo, Beth Orton…the list is endless. But I love most music from death metal to classical to country to folk to jazz…I just loathe pop music, Whitney Houston type screeching, and Aussie Rock, haha

    • Helen says:

      08:55am | 25/11/10

      Using the word “gay” to denote bad / tasteless? How old are you, twelve? But besides the juvenile nature of that slur, I would have thought a supposedly senior member of the journalist profession would have some awareness of how fashions like that perpetuate discrimination and homophobia. I explained to my thirteen year old son and his friends why using “gay” to mean “stupid/tasteless/bac” is not acceptable. They were old enough to get it.

      Reply

    • Nicky says:

      09:19am | 25/11/10

      And I’m sure they are not just calling you gay (and worse) behind your back now to make fun of you. Come on! Have a laugh, not everything has to be ultimate hard-hitting journalism lady. It is okay to just make fun of things for the fun of it!

      Also, the kid with the annoying mother who thinks she’s “hip” never does well.

    • Helen says:

      09:38am | 25/11/10

      I think “Nicky” has to be a caricature.
      “Nicky”, If people regularly used “nicky” to denote bad/wrong/fail, how would you feel about this? If people called “Nicky” were widely discrimated against and were in danger of being bashed by people not called Nicky when out at night, simply because of being called “Nicky”, wouldn’t you think that using “Nicky” as a substitute for “bad” would feed into that?

      Do you think that “It is okay to just make fun of things for the fun of it!” might be the opinion of someone who has the privilege of being heterosexual in our community and hasn’t stopped to think that the person next to them might not find it funny at all?
      nd if trying to instil some actual ethics in ones’ children instead of letting them take what they hear in the schoolyard as their yardstick is “trying to be hip”, well, we’ve hit a new low. People on these tabloid threads are always moaning about the lack of discipline in children, yet when I give an example I’m supposed to be a tragic wouldbe hipster. Please.

    • AdamC says:

      10:29am | 25/11/10

      Actually Helen, as a gay man, one of the most awkward things that can happen is when someone assumes I will be offended by them using the word ‘gay’ to mean ‘lame’.

      Picture it:

      “Yeah - that’s so gay. Oh ... wait. Um, sorry, Adam, I didn’t mean ...”

      Excruciating.

      I think the sole reason they are wrorried I will be offended (I’m not) are the activities of over-zealous members of the thought police such as yourself who wave around PC infringement notices like confetti.

      As it happens, I am one of those people who think that to achieve real equality, we have to jettison the ‘minority mentality’ that blows trivial perceived slights of proportion and alienates us from the mainstream.

    • Ben C says:

      11:19am | 25/11/10

      Helen, I think Penbo actually used the word “gay” to say that Axl Rose looks homosexual in that headband. Because to be honest, he does look gay with the headband on.

    • rufus says:

      11:43am | 25/11/10

      Adam C, well said. I’d like to hear that sort of viewpoint expressed more often.

    • Magoo says:

      07:56am | 26/11/10

      What about “dong-flop”? I personally think that this would make a wonderful substitution for the casual use of “gay”.
      Eg. “INXS are a pack of dong-flops”. “That song gives me a dong-flop”.
      Of course, now the dongly-challenged might complain that I’m being dongist.

    • Meri says:

      10:18am | 26/11/10

      Helen, while you are raising these bastions of the PC world could you ensure that you teach not to use the word ‘lame’ as I sometimes have a sore knee and I would be mortally offended if I heard teenagers bandying around such insulting terms. Thank you for your earnest endeavors Helen. Shame on you Mr Penberthy, you need to go and live with Helen for a few weeks!!

    • Peter says:

      09:06am | 25/11/10

      Great stuff Penbo. Up until the very early 90’s Australian music was King. I was a massive fan of INXS and have all their albums. Obviously INXS hit their peak with Kick overseas and their following album X was ok. INXS had many great albums up until X, however when Michael died, the rest of the band should have given it away.

      Any INXS fan would tell you that Michael Hutchison was INXS and it should have ended there.

      The ACCC should have intervened when the surviving members did a reality TV show to find their next front man. If it were up to me, i would locked up the surving members for a few days just to teach them a lesson..

      Long live INXS and all their great albums up to X. Long live Michael. He is still missed..

      Reply

    • rufus says:

      11:45am | 25/11/10

      No-one called Michael Hutchison was ever in INXS - any INXS fan could tell you that. So who is it that you miss so much, again, Paul?

    • Peter says:

      04:42pm | 27/11/10

      No rufus. I was just a true fan. Their time was up even before Michael died. To many ekies got to him, like others perhaps. They should have ended it their..

      Appearances aren’t as obvious as they seem sometimes. Some people go through it in the 20’s, others like Paul have a tougher time of it later in life. I’m sure Paul is not alone…

    • Peter says:

      05:13pm | 27/11/10

      Forgot the put in the ha ha, yes good pick up my friend…

    • notSue says:

      09:09am | 25/11/10

      I tend to agree that the band that was INXS is not INXS without Michael Hutchence, the same as Queen ain’t Queen without Freddy Mercury. These singers were so integral to the bands identity and persona that their loss means they are truly irreplaceable. Perhaps that’s INXS’ problem and that’s why they’re playing revolving leads. They can still kill it though, I heard them at Festival Hall recently.However, perhaps forming another band, finding a few new members and moving on would honour the memory of what was better then the current situation.

      Replacing the lead singer worked for ACDC though,  as has been said., as well as Bon’s memorybeing cherished. I guess the music (and the money) is more important than the frontman or the band itself and that’s what INXS and Guns and Roses are saying. Somehow, I agree with you, Penbo. it *ain’t* the same, time and fate have moved on. so should they.

      Reply

    • KH says:

      10:26am | 25/11/10

      Agree with this - sometimes the charisma of that one band member is what makes them that band - imagine the Stones without Mick Jagger?  Or Radiohead without Thom Yorke?  U2 without Bono?  It just doesn’t work…....  I can understand why they do it though - live performance is where all the money is (not record sales - they get very little of that unless they are credited with writing the songs - if the dead guy did that, then most of the money would go to their beneficiaries) - I guess the rest of the band still needs to earn $$$, and making it big in a second band rarely happens…......but it isn’t the same really - more like a cover band….......

    • Pedro says:

      11:17am | 25/11/10

      U2 without Bono - now there is a good idea - another highly overrated band (IMHO)

    • notSue says:

      11:18am | 25/11/10

      Absolutely, KH.

      “Like a cover band” - good way to put it.

    • ILR says:

      11:31am | 25/11/10

      KH, the one you REALLY forgot to mention was Jim Morrison and the Doors - no coincidence really, considering Hutchence’s stage manner was strongly based on Jim’s - well, in his more lucid moments.  The Doors really crumbled as an act once Jim croaked it (some say even before) and disbanded soon after (regretfully not before releasing An American Prayer).

    • Dazza says:

      11:51am | 25/11/10

      If I admire one thing in Red Symons (sp) and the rest of Skyhooks, it’s the fact that they refused to fumble their way through their old hits with a new lead singer for some TV event.  Red actually said that Skyhooks had only one lead singer and now that he’s gone, their days as a band are over.

    • salo says:

      02:39pm | 25/11/10

      LedZep even called it quits because their drummer John Bonham carked it. True he was a real thumper, but just a drummer after all.

    • jarred says:

      09:17am | 25/11/10

      Michael Hutchence “the greatest front men not just in Australian rock history but world rock history”  ?

      I think Freddy Mercury would fave something to say about that .

      Reply

    • rufus says:

      12:26pm | 25/11/10

      If Mercury had anything to say it should be ‘God, I have to admit Queen were overrated. How did so many suckers think awful songs like We Will Rock You and We Are the Champions are any good/”

    • KH says:

      01:02pm | 25/11/10

      rufus - regardless of whether you like the music or not (I don’t - neither INXS or Queen do it for me!) I would agree that Freddy Mercury was far more entertaining than Hutchence.  Come to think of it, there are quite a few ‘front people’ (I don’t like Pink either, but she sure knows how to put on a show) who could be deemed better than Hutchence.

    • Graeme says:

      01:30pm | 25/11/10

      Yes, I wonder what guys like Robert Plant would think about this comment.

    • Naughty Nez says:

      09:21am | 25/11/10

      Just for the record Powderfinger are a credit to the Aussie music industry and if you cant name a song they sing you must have been living under a rock.
      Why is everyone slagging off all the Aussie artists ?. Who cares how they have started there careers , whether it be though Idol or X Factor or a pub back in 1980 we should support all of them. Talk about the tall poppy syndrome - we are so good at jumping on the band wagon when they are at their best and then writing them off as new acts come in.  Be grateful there are people out there dedicating their lives to entertaining us. Life would be pretty miserable without music that is for sure. Lighten up people !

      Reply

    • boodee says:

      06:41pm | 25/11/10

      Hell Yeah!
      Rock On Naughty \m/ \m/

    • Davo says:

      09:28am | 25/11/10

      the music industry is horrible. Whenever i turn on to commercial radio (rarely these days) I step into a world where the worst possible music is the most popular.

      Reply

    • Shifter says:

      10:28am | 25/11/10

      Agreed Davo, nothing worse than the cheap and tacky pop music that fills up the top 40. But as they say, sex sells.

      In the meantime I’m quite happy to have my clock radio stuck on some foreign language station, which was nicely hidden on the dial between two bastions of commercialism.

    • Sylvia Else says:

      09:38am | 25/11/10

      Well, send in your complaint about it to the ACCC. They will send you their standard reply, which is pretty much to tell you what the ACCC does (as if you didn’t know given that you’d made a complaint to them), and that your complaint has been filed in their database. It appears that no action will be taken unless they get lots of complaints, so any small operator is pretty much free to break the law as they see fit. Somehow, I don’t think crap bands needs worry.

      Reply

    • Joe says:

      09:42am | 25/11/10

      I into the old stuff, the stuff from my youth/teens - 80s, but not the hairstyles smile It does keep me sane and young on the inside. And all the ‘good’ stuff around today will be old and dated in 20 years too, so what. I listen to music because I enjoy it not because it’s ‘in’ or is what everyone else is listening to. Who cares when a song was written. Follow your heart.

      Reply

    • Mr Pod says:

      09:46am | 25/11/10

      ACCC haven’t got enough resources to deal with Australia’s crap bands.  It would be better to get the Health Service to research and cure “Parochial Ear Syndrome” which occurs in a very large portion of the population.

      Reply

    • OG says:

      09:49am | 25/11/10

      Barnesy has always been crap with his screeming and screeching.

      Reply

    • Jeeves says:

      11:40am | 25/11/10

      How many albums have you sold OG?
      Yeah
      Thought so

    • MudCrab says:

      12:22pm | 26/11/10

      Albums? Don’t know about OG but I am credited on two thanks Jeeves.

      Myself I think it is not so much the quality (or not) of CC/JB, but more the way they are constantly pushed as the only true Australian music.

      Go to a pub with a front bar cover band and the average wait before some drunken yob starts screaming out requests to ‘PLAY SOME CHISEL’ is 3.27 songs and always in complete disregard to what style the band wants to play, the other punters want to hear or the fact that said request will be outside having a smoke and arguing with the bouncer by the time the band plays the song anyway.

      Just remember ‘popular’ does not equal ‘great’.

      Big Brother is popular after all.

    • james says:

      09:58am | 25/11/10

      who thought up the name “indie” i always thought it was “alternative”, until “alternative” became cool, then everyone wanted to be known as “alternative”, but it sounded too weird so they changed the name ? WTF ?

      Reply

    • Ben says:

      01:12pm | 25/11/10

      It’s indie as in independent. As in indie bands are those represented by smaller record labels that are independent of the bigger main stream record labels. Of course like “alternative” the word is overused and often in the wrong context.

    • KH says:

      01:25pm | 25/11/10

      I think ‘indie’ was ‘independant’ as in record labels, or self - published….this usually also meant ‘alternative’ - which meant ‘not popular’!!!  I remember when alternative really was alternative - half the stuff you couldn’t even get in regular ‘record shops’ (anyone remember those?!)....these days most of that kind of stuff is mainstream - it was the 90s - I place it roughly around the time of Nirvana and grunge when this changed into just being another form of ‘popular’ .

      Nirvana - another band that couldn’t go on without its singer, by the way!  In fact, Dave Groll is one of those rarities that has been struck by lightning twice - FF has been pretty successful not trading on Nirvana songs….......oh oh and Joy Division/New Order - completely different styles of music from one to the other - JD simply couldn’t go on without Ian Curtis….......

    • chris says:

      04:59pm | 25/11/10

      Dave Grohl was the Garfunkle of the outfit. The only thing of any value that came out of his mouth was when he correctly identified “Smells Like Teen Spirit” as an unashamed Pixies rip-off.

    • Spanish Girl says:

      10:34pm | 25/11/10

      I thought (c)rap “music” would be a fad like disco and I waited patiently for it to end.  But it didn’t…...*sob*.......how could I be so wrong?

      But then RnB came along and made things worse.  Now I live huddled in a quiet corner rocking back and forth hoping for some decent indie/alternative music to appear out of the ether.

      Alas, to no avail.  It’s all computer generated noise or idiots dressed in “bling” yacking about how great it is to have money and lots of useless stuff that you can rub others’ noses in.

      I weep for the future.

    • Marc says:

      10:01am | 25/11/10

      What gives you the right to bag INXS?? these guys have worked hard for more that 20 years under the name ‘INXS’. These guys have earned the right to still carry this name. Just remember that this band has never been called ‘The Michael Hutchence Band’. Just because one man decides to end his life does not mean that rest of the band members have to end theirs as well. Keep it going INXS you guys rock!!!!

      Reply

    • Rose says:

      11:49pm | 25/11/10

      Yeah but they haven’t moved on. AC/DC still honour Bonn Scott but they have continued to produce new music and be a complete band, something no-one could say INXS are. INXS have become more like a lame tribute band with a revolving door of singers stepping into the Hutchence spot. A message for the remaining INXS members, Hutchence ain’t coming back, so having temporary fill-ins is pointless. Split up or start actually doing something, this permanent half-arsed stuff got old years ago.
      AS for Barnesy, if anything he is performing better than ever, and I have just seen him at the Day on The Green where he was brilliant, although I can’t wait until next year’s Chisel tour as well.
      The Australian music scene is not better or worse than it’s ever been. It has always been fantastic and there are some real gems in the current crop, but the old guys are just as great. Don’t limit yourself to one generation, get to know the new and the old regardless of your age, Australian music is and always has been as good as you’ll find anywhere.

    • DH says:

      10:12am | 25/11/10

      Ah, Stadium Rock meets Red Faces, the perfect match. Plus love the bit about Axl Rose not leaving the house in 20 years…

      Reply

    • AdamM says:

      10:17am | 25/11/10

      I think this opinion that a music act should remain exactly the same for ever is naive. Isn’t the mastery of self reinvention the key to success? Are you implying that Madonna should not be allowed to call herself Madonna anymore because she no longer wears the 80’s spandex and terrible hair styles from the period when she came to fame? Or perhaps Kylie Minogue should still be in overalls and playing Charlene on neighbours. If you look at those which have remained the same, e.g. The Rolling Stones, you inevitably end up with a saggy tired old group of gerrys who now only appeal to an ageing demographic who don’t know how to use an iPod.

      Reply

    • KH says:

      01:44pm | 25/11/10

      Good examples - of solo performers who clearly can’t be replaced…......We are all talking about bands - and in most cases, we are talking about replacing the front people - who usually are the one that defines the band, and are often the source of its popularity - especially where they had distince voices or personalities.  The question is can you replace such an integral part of the band and still claim to be the same band?  Most seem to be arguing that its almost impossible to replace them without becoming something NQR…........do we need government intervention? Probably not!!!  You know what you are getting if you go to shows where you know the best part of the band is dead…......

    • Graeme says:

      01:53pm | 25/11/10

      AdamM…I might be a “saggy tired old group of gerrys” supporter in an ageing demographic, but please don’t infer that at my age I don’t know how to use an ipod. My 80gb classic currently contains over 8000 songs and 20000 photos, and yes I do know how to both upload them and look at them, or listen in the case of my music. Some of us older generation do actually understand technology, rather then shy away from it. And I’m mid-fifties. And you know what? My dad is still alive, and even at his age he’s not too bad at setting up the shuffle function on his i-pod, and he goes way back past the Rolling Stones!

    • Ray says:

      10:19am | 25/11/10

      STINXS.

      Reply

    • Haz says:

      10:19am | 25/11/10

      “Bandy-legged? Lank-haired? Spandex? Gay Headband…?”
      You sure have a chip on your shoulder David.
      Axl hasn’t left the house in 20 years?
      You mean to tell me that you missed the show on New Year’s Eve 2000 in Las Vegas?
      You missed them playing at the mammoth Rock in Rio festival the following month?
      You missed their 2001 New Year’s Eve concert?
      You missed their appearance at MTV’s 2002 Video Music Awards?
      You missed them on the road for their 2006 shows?
      You missed their worldwide tour in 2008/9?
      David, where have you been? Seriously, I think it’s you that hasn’t left the house in 20 years.
      Two decades penning Chinese Democracy!? 14 years to be exact. Great journalism. Great research. And it’s not a concept album. It’s certainly not crap in design and execution. While the album did underperform, it received many rave reviews and the critical response was positive overall. It also debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 on its release.
      Would love to see you front a band or make a better album. Maybe even be a better journo…

      Reply

    • Bruiser Brody says:

      11:19am | 25/11/10

      Hear, fn, Hear!!
      On what grounds would a “real fan” have a complaint about being duped by the GnR show, when anyone without a chronic mental retardation can spend 2 seconds finding out its not the original line-up. And having attended, reality was, they didn’t need Slash, Izzy, Duff, Steve, etc - you just need The Wailing Frontman who can still belt it out!
      The irony here is that Axl would, and probably will, sue you for defamation and bias - delicious ironing!
      Howsabout some even easier targets, which i’m sure are in your musical wheelhouse - Doobie Bros, Chicago, Journey - all touring without their original recognised frontmen…
      Guess what, still selling tickets, while “purists” like yourself can listen to the CD at home and reminisce about seeing the Real Pink Floyd back when “music meant something”
      Your loss, everyone elses gain - stay at home with all ya “mates” and cry about it a!

    • Matt says:

      10:27am | 25/11/10

      Boo hoo times have changed and Penbo can’t move on….  Actually I stopped reading after you referred to a ‘gay’ headband… How does a headband be gay?  Would that be like if the headband was male and your tie was male (‘cause that’s pretty ‘gay’) and they got it on?  Or is his headband just happy? 

      Axl has achieved more in his life than you ever will ‘Penbo’ with or without the rest of the band.  Jealousy and bitchiness is even more unattractive on you than your normal face…

      Reply

    • matt says:

      11:46am | 25/11/10

      Jesus Matt why don’t you grow a set. I thought it was a pretty funny article and the point that it aint the Gunners playing is a fair call.

    • rufus says:

      11:47am | 25/11/10

      Apparently you labour under the mistaken belief that the word ‘gay’ can only be used to describe homosexuality. You’ll have to try harder than that to disparage Penbo.

    • Dazza says:

      12:38pm | 25/11/10

      Matt I know this has been done to death now but acording to a quick web definition search:
      “The word ‘gay’, in addition to being used to mean ‘homosexual’ or ‘carefree’, isoften now used to mean ‘lame’ or ‘rubbish’. This is a widespread current usage of the word amongst young people”.

    • Jon G says:

      10:30am | 25/11/10

      I have to side with fatalberton and Gwen in highlighting your douchebaggery - Quan Yeomans is ‘that guy from Regurgitator’, a talented musician, singer and lyricist. However I am fairly certainly his ancestry is Vietnamese - his mother ran (still runs?) a well-known Vietnamese restaurant in the Milton/Toowong area of Brisbane. Either way, probably not a fluent Mandarin speaker.
      Otherwise, valid points to be made, especially on the formerly beloved Guns’n'Roses of my early teen years. Apparently AC/DC really is the only band that can change a popular singer.

      Reply

    • Mark says:

      10:49am | 25/11/10

      A lot of you guys do not realise is that Bon Scott was there second singer…Dave Evans was there first…he is touring around the world promoting Aussie Rock.

      Reply

    • Ross says:

      12:46pm | 25/11/10

      I diont think people are arguing Dave Evans was/wasn’t the original singer but just because a lot of fans out there don’t know that, it doesn’t mean that they can’t be fans of the music a band makes. Bon Scott is just more widely recognised than Dave Evans as the ACDC frontman before Brian Johnson. All are great singers in my opinion.

    • Jorge says:

      10:55am | 25/11/10

      Throw in Powderfinger and Silverchair.

      Saw them on their joint tour….  the former are just mind-numbingly lame, and the latter are tossers who cant play.

      Reply

    • Steve Smith says:

      11:32am | 25/11/10

      So you went to a concert for bands you didn’t like and you’re mad at the world.

      You need a hobby… take up music, it’s easy. That’s why everyone who ever tries it, is successful.

    • Jorge says:

      12:23pm | 25/11/10

      GF and I had free tickets.  Didn’t know what to expect - went along and left 2 songs into PF (after seeing SC and hoping for better).

      I do play a few instruments and I love music of all kinds from classical to jazz and heavy rock.  Been to many concerts and loved most of them!

      Not mad at the world - just giving an opinion on a couple of (IMHO) very average and hugely over rated bands.

      In street lingo - in comparison to artists I have seen - they ‘suck’.

    • Anna says:

      11:03am | 25/11/10

      Successful Australian musicians…? It’s really all about the Wiggles.

      Reply

    • St. Michael says:

      01:06pm | 25/11/10

      +1.  They come up again and again as Australia’s highest-paid entertainers, although a lot of that comes from merchandising than from music and concerts as such.

      Although given that most Australian rock at the moment has all the depth and importance of ‘Big Red Car’, it’s still a valid comparison.

    • DLB says:

      11:15am | 25/11/10

      Perhaps they could take a lead from Prince and become “The Band formerly known as…”

      Reply

    • Nikki M says:

      11:27am | 25/11/10

      I think you’ll find that the guy that played with INXS at the AFL Grand final was in fact JD Fortune….the one from the “game show” to replace Jon Stevens.

      Reply

    • rufus says:

      11:33am | 25/11/10

      ’ and how does (Kirk Pengilly) still keep pulling such attractive chicks.’

      Kirk is not the only person I wonder that about, DAVID.

      Any plans soon to write a piece about the Federal Government’s performance in the areas of employment participation and childcare and the status of women, David?

      Reply

    • mark says:

      11:34am | 25/11/10

      Why is it, that if people do not like something, it must be crap? can we not just state our taste for the art, and move on, rather than slag off the artist?

      I am not a fan of Powderfinger’s music, but I acknowledge the effort.
      INXS continued substitution of lead singer is the ultimate accolade for their fallen leader - no one can match his impact - but i wont buy there album.

      can we all agree that we should be less negative to the efforts of our kids and their music, and encourage them to take their art to the world. sure is better than letting Lady GaGa et al influence the future generations.

      and as for all of you not knowing young australian artists, blame it on commercial radio, and/or your own ingnorance.

      Reply

    • Chuck says:

      11:34am | 25/11/10

      Should have had Henry Wagons and his band play at the AFL Grand Final at least it would have been entertaining!

      Reply

    • Neil says:

      11:40am | 25/11/10

      Great article David, anyone buying a Farnham ticket deserves to be ripped off as he’s a serial offender of the worst kind.

      Can’t agree with your comment on Roger Water’s though, he’s arguably amongst the best lyricists of all times, and whilst Pro’s and Con’s is complex, it certainly isn’t unintelligent and is full of fantastic music (e.g. Clapton on lead guitar).  If you really want to hear intelligent and thought provoking lyrics listen to Amused To Death, says it all about the state of the world and written almost 20 years ago.

      Reply

    • grumpy old man says:

      11:56am | 25/11/10

      A long, long time ago… I can still remember how
      That music used to make me smile.
      And I knew if I had my chance,
      That I could make those people dance,
      And maybe they’d be happy for a while.

      the music died in ‘71,

      Reply

    • stephen says:

      07:07pm | 25/11/10

      Hmm…maybe ‘78, but Lady GaGa on me ipod’s real spunky,
      so put on yer orange platforms and groove, Grumpy.

    • Paul says:

      11:59am | 25/11/10

      So it’s settled then. Let’s summarise….. The headband is happy gay. ” While the album did underperform, it received many rave reviews and the critical response was positive overall” ...which realy means it’s garbage…... Inxs became STIinx when Hutchence died..But he is better than Freddy cause he is an Aussie…... If you make any comment about homosexual people (except one) then you are offending them. Barnsy has some support but Farnsy has none..

      Reply

    • Justin de Facts says:

      12:04pm | 25/11/10

      Sloppy journalism at best, Penbo.

      Firstly, it’s Guns ‘n’ Roses…not Guns AND Roses.

      Secondly, (Section 52 of) The Tade Practices Act (to which you refer) applies to ‘misleading and deceptive conduct’, not ‘false and deceptive conduct’, having said that only corporations fall under the Trade Practices Act, so the band would have to be an Australian incorporated company for the Act to apply. Individuals and businesses are covered by the State legislation (Fair Trading Acts) which vary from state to state but basically mirror the Trade Practices Act and the Section of the Fair Trading Act in NSW, for example, is Section 42. Everyone knows that. So the legal basis on which you hook your column falls apart.

      But, yeah, I get what you’re saying. You ain’t getting Guns ‘n’ Roses,which is being advertised, you’re getting Axl Rose and a few unknown hanger-on musos. I saw this line-up of the band in Brisbane three years ago and it was a major disappointment. Axl, at 47, was still acting like a 17 year old school kid, petulant, disrespectful to his audience and threatening if we didn’t behave ourselves he would take his bat and ball and go home. This was after he left us all waiting for 2 hours before he was mentally ready to come out at 1:00 am, on a Tuesday night when many of us older fans now have kids and babysitters to get home to, which turned out, in our case, to be 3:30 am on a Wednesday (work day) morning. Many people stormed out in disgust before the show ended.

      By the way, it was Suze DeMarchi (of Baby Animals) who fronted with INXS on telly the other night, not Christine Anu.

      Yep, sloppy journalism at best, Penbo. Might refer this column to the ACCC….or in this case the NSW Dept of Fair Trading. grin

      Reply

    • and the cradle will rock says:

      12:10pm | 25/11/10

      my top 20 favourite bands/artists are all from overseas, and has been case the case for the last 20 years.  Most of which no longer are together (members passed away, retirement, etc).  says a lot about the music industry.

      Reply

    • darien says:

      01:00pm | 25/11/10

      no, it says a lot about your willingness to explore

    • Blake says:

      12:24pm | 25/11/10

      This also occurs with The Beach Boys. Mike Love comes out here almost annually to play the hits for the oldies, despite being the only real member in the group.

      Brian Wilson does the same, but at least he goes under his own name… and is actually worth seeing.

      Reply

    • Ben says:

      12:36pm | 25/11/10

      David, your suggesting that the music industry should be legally regulated and subject to public enquiry. No doubt you would like to see musicians fined for not meeting your expectations, as advertised.

      Dont forget that music is an art form (therefore subjective) before it is a saleable product and you have the audacity to suggest that this particular art form is worth measuring for customer satisfaction. You’re an idiot and what you are promoting is the further demise of the Australian Music industry.

      Reply

    • Alex says:

      12:43pm | 25/11/10

      Anyone in The Punch office brave enough to tell the boss when he’s written something lame?

      Reply

    • Duncan says:

      12:46pm | 25/11/10

      ...like shooting fish in a barrel.

      Reply

    • Grr says:

      12:50pm | 25/11/10

      We aussie’s had such a good run - ACDC, oils, chisel, the angels, daddy cool, sherbet, rose tattoo, men at work, H&C, icehouse, paul kelly, choirboys, noiseworks, hoodoo gurus, screaming jets! What happened??!!!

      This current generation of aussie musso’s are crap - release 1 pop-rock song and off to US to make more crappy songs, only to burn out and drag themselves back to AUS and play pub gigs and sit on the X Factor / Idol judging bench!

      Reply

    • Rick says:

      02:03pm | 25/11/10

      You’re talking about one genre of music here, mate. That is true for the X-Factor/Idol crowd, but what self-respecting person would listen to that?

      The real Aussie rock scene is fantastic. Get yourself out to see The Butterfly Effect, Cog, Karnivool, Birds of Tokyo, Dead Letter Circus, just to name a few. All of these bands carve it up as well, if not better, than the 80’s bands you listed above. And all are true blue.

    • Brian says:

      11:00am | 26/11/10

      You’ve just listed a number of bands that all fall under one genre… hardly a solid argument. There are plenty of great Australian bands out there - seek and you shall find!

    • GeekGal says:

      11:58am | 26/11/10

      @Grrr “This current generation of aussie musso’s are crap - release 1 pop-rock song and off to US to make more crappy songs, only to burn out and drag themselves back to AUS and play pub gigs and sit on the X Factor / Idol judging bench! “

      Yep Icehouse are my all time fave but from someone who tried very hard in the industry, the reason why those who make some headway here nick off overseas is that back in the 80’s you may have been signed to a three record deal, that way you could build up your following and pay back any debts you accrued making videos etc. Then you may actually MAKE some money back. These days you get a one record deal and if you don’t have an instant appeal and sales through the roof, you get dropped. Why the hell would you stay for that kind of treatment fi you can get better elsewhere? Sadly, it’s logic at work cause the industry don’t care enough about local artists like they used to.

      It doesn’t make it right, but artists have to look out for themselves cause their agents and record companies won’t anymore :(

    • Jililan Hodges says:

      01:09pm | 25/11/10

      Well INXS could also have that guy that won some tv singing show this week.  I think it has something to do with them thinking they are “Rock Stars” not musicians.

      Reply

    • Manny says:

      01:17pm | 25/11/10

      Guns and Roses stopped being Guns and Roses the day Tracy Gun left the Band! Since then it has only been “Roses” with Axle as lead singer!!!

      Reply

    • Sneal says:

      01:22pm | 25/11/10

      I agree - David Penberthy is at the top of the list.  There is a lot of CRAP in every form of entertainment - fortunately this is determined by individuals personal taste and not journalists or critics otherwise we would all be subjected to the same listless crap that is determined to be cool by JJJ at the time.

      INXS is a classic Australian band who deserve their place in Oz music history.  Some of the other bands mentioned here won’t be remembered in two years let alone 20.

      Reply

    • funnelwebkitten says:

      01:34pm | 25/11/10

      And I am absolutely sure that Suzi DeMarchi would be thrilled at being mistaken for Christine Anu.

      Reply

    • Paul says:

      01:35pm | 25/11/10

      Looks like you got the response your own self promotion wanted from this article. May I point out that it wasn’t Michael Hutchence & INXS - INXS was was made of many members, all of who still have the right to play the music they wrote and performed after the death of a band member! Thanks for homophobic remarks on Axels headband too - maybe we should bash him!

      Reply

    • Matthew says:

      01:40pm | 25/11/10

      A “gay” headband?

      WTF? Get a vocabulary, would you, and say what you mean - “stupid”, “unfashionable”, “tragic”, “festive”, or whatever.

      Otherwise, if you use the word “gay”, I’ll assume that you mean the headband is “awesome”, “fantastic”, and “hot”.

      Reply

    • mancans says:

      03:28pm | 25/11/10

      Nah just a bit pathetic, like a limp handshake.

    • Bex says:

      01:50pm | 25/11/10

      I for one am shocked - SHOCKED - that we don’t all like the same music/bands! ...SHOCKED!!!

      Reply

    • Poida says:

      02:11pm | 25/11/10

      There’s so much awesome music coming out of this country all the time, so I don’t know why people have to stick with Classic Rock all the time. Obviously new stuff confuses them. Hey I’m no fan of Aussie hip hop, but at least I can appreciate the way they sing about going to a bbq, or falling out of their thongs at the beach.
      Parkway Drive don’t do anything for me, but a band I can’t stop listening to right now is Amity Affliction… good heavy fun.

      Reply

    • Laura says:

      02:45pm | 25/11/10

      I enjoyed this article, however reading the comments was a real let down. 90% of you are all whining about “music these days” being heartless and over-produced crap, have you even tried to find new music, Australian or International? Locally we have bands like The Cat Empire, Missy Higgins, The Temper Trap, Angus & Julia Stone who are definitely not one hit wonders, and internationally there are bands like Muse, Bon Iver & Jose Gonzalez.. stop being so close minded and open your eyes & ears - you might actually find something you enjoy god forbid something you can relate too.

      Reply

    • Markus says:

      03:34pm | 25/11/10

      Laura don’t even bother trying, people will remember what they want to remember.
      The people lauding their fantastic 80s Aussie rock and rubbishing all music today as overproduced pop crap conveniently forget that they grew up in the era that gave us Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Mark Holden, not to mention the endless conveyor belt of spandex wearing Hair Metal clones - Poison, WASP, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, Ratt, the list goes on…

    • Jodie says:

      04:30pm | 25/11/10

      Thank you Laura, well said! Those of you who have lost track of changing music trends have yourselves to blame. I am a fan of both the old stuff and the new stuff. “Who’s Powderfinger, Who’s Hilltop Hoods, etc etc” these comments are crazy because even if you are blaming the ARIA voting systems these bands are not fly-by-nighters and they have consistently released albums and singles that have topped sales charts within their genres and across the market as a whole as well as sell out national tours. Closedmindedness and resistence to change and experimentation is why so many of our local venues are closing.

    • I love Daniel Johns says:

      03:08pm | 25/11/10

      Look people….it’s like this…..Michael Hutchence is INXS….Daniel Johns is Silverchair…..Peter Garrett is Midnight Oil….you get the drift…...what annoys me is the numpties who continue to brand themselves as a band even though the lead singer is dead, buried, missing in action or otherwise!

      Reply

    • Steengo says:

      03:42pm | 25/11/10

      If you really feel bad about music today, tune the radio to 106.7 PBSFM tonight after 5. Fang It never disappoints. Last week they had a live session with the Toot Toot Toots, a fantastic mariachi-tinged local garage/swamp band.

      Reply

    • sean says:

      04:04pm | 25/11/10

      Heres to u Dave….about time somebody spoke up about these rorts taking place.
      John Farnham should be charged for continually wearing slacks,a jacket and a white shirt…for gods sake hes been fooling the gullible,lazy Australian public for ova 40yrs….hasnt he been doing renditions of other ppls songs for the last decade….just like that otha tit Rod Stewart…who im sure has been doing it even longer…they’re shameless…and as for his fashion sense,how much imigination has gone into pulling on slacks and a sports jacket….hold on…im just gonna finish puking….there thats better….and the less said about the embarising inxs and axl rose the better.
      If theres anybody less wordly and in touch with todays psyche and what we are all going thru its this bag of peanuts mentioned here….talk about shameless…..do the righteous thing would yas and give the poor public a break…..theyve had more than whats acceptable.

      Reply

    • Secondmouse says:

      04:20pm | 25/11/10

      Instead of picking on old-school artists who may (or may not) be past their use-by-date,  I think they should do something about all the sad ‘wannabes’ from Australian Idol and X-Factor. Now there is the real crime!

      There’s nothing wrong with your Grandma liking Farnsey. He’s fairly harmless and it’s not like she’s going to be queuing up for Lady Gaga instead. The only problem is when she keeps giving you John Farnham’s Greatest Hits for Christmas, just because you liked him when you were ten!  *AAHHH!*

      Reply

    • Fez says:

      04:21pm | 25/11/10

      I love that we have the POWER OF THE INTERNET to discover as much awesome local music as exists… and people are bitching about what’s on the *radio*.

      Jesus, if the radio (or the ARIAs) are the only sources for your music, I feel sorry for you. No wonder you’re waiting for the second coming of Hush.

      Reply

    • chris says:

      04:50pm | 25/11/10

      Pembo if you think the ACCC should act on crap bands then by rights there should be a combined investigation conducted by Interpol, the FBI, what’s left of the KGB and Mossad into how these no-talent gangsta try-hards are allowed to peddle their piles of steaming crud as “R&B”.

      Reply

    • PaulieM3 says:

      04:58pm | 25/11/10

      back in my day when i was young, everything was much better than what it is now. thats what you all sound like and its boring nonsense. its the same rubbish your parents told you when you were young. and their grandparents before them…  seeing rubbish comments like “music these days its all computerised rubbish not like good old rock ‘n roll etc etc” - its really not a good look

      Reply

    • Davie says:

      05:23pm | 25/11/10

      I like all music , the Arias are rubbish and make the old Count Down Awards look highbrow and real.Winning Days by the Vines and Summer by 78 Saab are probably the best two Australian songs of the last decade, iam sure there could be more, but the music “industry” prevents them. Also Howard Jones was here recentty and appeared at Canterbury Hurlstone RSL and no one really knew he was touring.

      Reply

    • Do Yourself a Favour says:

      06:07pm | 25/11/10

      Michael Hutchence is dead?  When did this happen?  My radiogram is still at the repairers.

      Reply

    • Gyro says:

      06:44pm | 25/11/10

      I’m guessing that the majority of you whingers on here listen to the same old crappy commercial stations dedicated to ‘classic’ rock that play the same old crap day in day out without even considering opening your minds to anything remotely new. It disgusts me that people can dismiss modern music when there are literally millions of bands out there making music every day. All you hear is the commercial crap that the big corporate labels are paying the corporate commercial stations to play. They couldnt care less simply because by playing the sh*t they’re fed, they’re getting paid good money whereas if they were to back something that wasn’t in the ‘mainstream’ media they wouldn’t be making a cent - so when YOU hear it, YOU automatically label it as modern music and then shut your minds off to the possibility of there being anything new and decent out there.

      I’d much rather listen to bands i’ve never heard of before than have to put up with smoke on the water, thunderstuck and paradise city being pumped through my stereo day in day out and constantly being reminded by the mindless radio presenter that what i’m hearing is ‘classic’ rock when really, it’s old, dated, and dismissing the modern day musician.

      Reply

    • Harry says:

      10:35am | 26/11/10

      Right on! The media controls what we listen to and it’s a joke. When i see people out there talking about how good Ke$ha is or how they love the new Good Charlotte song it shits me off to no end!

    • Andrew says:

      06:47pm | 25/11/10

      Before you insult farnham 1) not all of his recent tours have been farewell tours, so lets just get that bit right. and 2) serious speculation has been that he has had an illness that has come and gone, thus his erratic touring and album plans and finally 3) have you been to any of his shows? I went to his most recent tour in sydney last year, it wasnt full of pensioners, in fact, 20% at least were under the age of 30. but couldn’t agree more about G n R. INXS would be more tolerable if not for the game show/ditching Jon Stevens bit, because JD does actually sound similiar to hutchence.

      Reply

    • Wrando says:

      06:50pm | 25/11/10

      Does anyone have Hanson’s “MMM Bop” LP, i need to burn it to my fav mixed cd..

      Reply

    • Harry says:

      06:59pm | 25/11/10

      Western Australia’s most listened to radio station had a competition for local bands kick off last week. Over 150 bands entered and the presenters were baffled. They said they only expected about 12 bands to enter and didn’t realise that there were that many bands in Perth (there are many many more actually)... on another day one of these presenters came out with the comment ‘i was just thinking, these bands could put their own shows on on the weekends and play at venues around town’....now come on! Are they really that friggin naive? The answer would have to be yes. What the hell do they think these bands do with their time?

      Basically, half of Perths radio listeners listen to this station, which makes me think, a lot of them (not necessarily by choice) might be just as ignorant.

      Go out one night, pick a venue, walk in and listen to the bands playing…go on… i dare you! You might actually find something you like.

      Reply

    • Sam Chowder says:

      07:29pm | 25/11/10

      I’m glad my pop group “The Gay Headbands” is getting so much interest.  Watch out for the next single “Sweat Trailed off Mind”

      Reply

    • Radar says:

      07:37pm | 25/11/10

      Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue. A very simple explanation of the entire music industry. And yep, I am over 50, seen the 70’s band, the 80’s band, the 90’s band, the 00’s band and some of todays bands. Some are good, some are crap, but basically I just want to be entertained, no matter if they are todays youngsters or yesterdays heros. If it has substance.. I’m in…

      Reply

    • des hoad says:

      08:53pm | 25/11/10

      I really love journalists who are not afraid to criticize “entertainers”. When Glenn Wheatley was jailed for deceiving the tax-man I laughed. Australia is peopled by immigrants and their families who come from countries where paying tax was only ever an option. So poor old Glenn was only doing what the vast majority of Australian businessmen do - cheat the government.

      The real crime was committed by John Farnham; a pom who has spent his life masquerading as an Aussie. The funniest thing of all was when he was given the Aussie of the year award and was found to still officially be a pom.

      I have just read that Kasey Chambers is in line for a new set of country music awards. Kasey has some sort of nasal problem and when she sings she sounds very similar to a dying cat after its been run over. If she is a professional country music singer the entire genre should be banned.

      Reply

    • Gyro says:

      10:39am | 26/11/10

      bahahahaha!

    • Wally says:

      09:04pm | 25/11/10

      I came across this great new singer…john lee Hooker. He kicks it…old school

      Reply

    • Radar says:

      09:43pm | 25/11/10

      hahahaha, been listening to John Lee Hooker for 40 years LOL

    • Shaun says:

      09:36pm | 25/11/10

      Music. It’s a form of art, not a maths competition. It’s not “right” or “wrong” just because you happen to like it or hate it. Personally, I’m well and truly over Axl and band but apparently not every one agrees and there’s nothing wrong with that. As for Powderfinger, I do consider them hugely overrated but again, not everyone agrees. Listen to what you like, not what someone tells you to.

      Reply

    • Jim says:

      09:48pm | 25/11/10

      All the Powderfinger comments are interesting. I personally find them very exceedingly pedestrian and boring. If they were around during the days o Hunters and Collectors, INXS, The Angels, Rose Tattoo, AC/DC etc then I doubt even Molly would have given them a gig on Countdown.

      But rather than people saying ‘name one song’ by them, perhaps a better question would be ‘listen to this riff and tell me which Powderfinger song it’s from’ - most of their songs sound the same.

      As for Axl - I think he lived for so long in fear of creating a less-than-perfect album in Chinese Democracy that he really screwed it up…much like the Spaghetti Incident. But the original GnR songs from the late 80’s/early 90’s will live forever.

      Reply

    • Bazza says:

      12:13am | 26/11/10

      Australia has without doubt the most corrupt music business in the world. With the ARIA being muppets to the corporates its no surprise some of these older acts eg Farnham (ask hes manager about corruption haha) are shoved down our throats.
      Then you have the likes of JJJ pushing sugar coated crap onto us. Eg Kanye.  JJJ are into payola ...without a doubt, its ajoke.
      Go listen to FBI

      Reply

    • NotDeadFlower says:

      12:32am | 26/11/10

      Bing Back Slash!
      That dude was the heart and soul of GnR!

      Reply

    • Glen says:

      01:17am | 26/11/10

      David, David, David. There’s no need to involve the ACCC. Sure INXS are hopeless without Michael Hutchence. But the only person that was stupid enough to buy a ticket to their gig this year was Eddie McGuire (although why he had to subject the rest of us watching the AFL grandfinal to the gig…)

      Now that we’ve freed up the ACCC’s time, let’s have them look into more pressing matters.

      Starting with dating. Never have the laws about trade descriptions been so bent as when a man and a woman exchange information at their first formal encounter.  Let’s apply the Trade Practices Act 1974 to a typical first date.

      Cartel behaviour. She dropped a hint to her mates, they talked with your sister, and she strongarmed you into this date.

      Secondary boycotts. So the date didn’t go well. But you’ve always fancied her best friend. But because you dated her you’re now unable to date her friend.

      Misuse of market power. Your sister won’t give you the phone number of that best friend of the woman you dated.

      Third-line forcing. Your date omits to mention that she has children, which she then brings unannounced to your second date.

      Resale price maintenance. She’s a nice girl, you both had a nice night, but the two of you just don’t click. Time to heap on the compliments before you say “let’s be friends”.

      Misleading and deceptive conduct. Makeup, heels, support garments, does any women just trust us to like them just as they are? But really, this is the category that men occupy. Set up school PA system, why you’re a rock and roll roadie. Bushwalked in New Zealand, that’s not too different to mountaineering is it? Even paying for dinner is a hint at wealth.

      And sadly, a number of men I know should be done for Unconscionable Conduct, especially those dealing with other firms whilst encouraging the first firm to believe that negotiations towards a merger are exclusive.

      Reply

    • MediaWatch Fan says:

      04:59am | 26/11/10

      The last great album INXS has was Listen Like Thieves. As for PowderFinger and other mediocrity, the suggestion that the ACCC should be involved is spurious rubbish from a journo who is the laughing stock of Australian media.

      Reply

    • Fabio says:

      06:33am | 26/11/10

      Wazza says:

        12:07pm | 25/11/10

        Powderfinger? I saw them at the Horden. It was like watching members of the Chinese Terracotta Army, but less exciting..


      excellent reply hhaaaaaa it cracked me up and its soooo right

      Reply

    • JRM says:

      07:10am | 26/11/10

      INXS these days may make you crimge, and Hutchence is legendary - but at least they don’t sing Karoke which is all Idol and X factor etc is.

      Hutchence probably saw all these boy band idiots lining up, who didn’t know what to do with a drum kit and bass guitar - and and hoisted himself on that door.  May he rest in peace.  Can you blame him.

      Live music lost its soul that day - U2 and ACDC perhaps the only ones capable of flying the flag in the modern era.

      Reply

    • Retro-Man says:

      08:16am | 26/11/10

      Havin a good laugh at all of the comments, very entertaining reading, But I prefer to be stuck in the 70’s & 80’s, give me Chisel, The Oils, Nosieworks, Hunters & Collectors and the great Spy v Spy for good ole Aussie Pub Rock. And if I wanna relaxing evening Pink Floyd and a glass of Red…Don’t care too much about todays music, what I call CRAP, my daughter calls Classical RAP..But hey Good luck and enjoy music..Merry Xmas

      Reply

    • fred says:

      08:35am | 26/11/10

      powderfinger and silverchair are a joke.. my gran mum can play hotter riffs… one things for sure, ac/dc will never have to worry about being dethroned of their GLOBAL success while these two bands are held up as “great edge aus rock”.. the aus rock era of chisel, ac/dc, rose tattoo, angels, etc will never be matched while powderfinger is considered great rock… theirs a good reason why powderfinger and silverchair never achieved the level of global success ac/dc did…

      Reply

    • gyro says:

      10:55am | 26/11/10

      Great songs don’t need to have a ‘riff’ in them in be great!

    • ess says:

      09:06am | 26/11/10

      The ONLY decent Australian band wer The Saints and now the only Australian music worth listening to is Nick Cave!  I’ve always loathed Australian music, it’s boring, inane and typical!

      Reply

    • Brian says:

      10:54am | 26/11/10

      You must be one very close minded person. I personally find Nick Cave ridiculously boring (lyrics aside)...but that’s hear nor there as it’s simply a matter of opinion. There is plenty of amazing Australian music out there, you just have to make an effort to go listen to it before you dismiss it.

    • Muso says:

      09:12am | 26/11/10

      How many of you actually go to see live Aussie bands? Do you listen to the radio thinking that’s how you get to know what music we’re making? Come off it. If more people SUPPORTED australian music we wouldn’t be arguing here. Get off your arses and go see a band in your local area, it’s the only way you can genuinely help australian music thrive. There’s more bands out there that deserve success, like MM9, The Snowdroppers, Chaingang, Mz Ann Thropik and Faker to name a few. Stop relying on being force fed through the media and thinking that bands like Powderfinger and Silverchair are all we have to offer. It’s pathetic.

      Reply

    • Brian says:

      10:46am | 26/11/10

      Has anybody here EVER bought a Vanessa Amarosi record or single?? How the hell does she keep releasing albums and getting airplay? her ‘music’ is HAZARDOUS!

      Reply

    • dianael says:

      12:29pm | 26/11/10

      On the way to the airport in New York I struck up a conversation with a woman who is now a good friend of mine. I later discovered that she was a legendary DJ in Philadelphia through the 80’s and is now a DJ in LA. All the way to the airport we talked nothing but music and she said something I loved - even the best bands/artists only have one or two good albums in them and after they’ve done those they should go and get real jobs. Spot on!!! I’m really not interested in seeing many bands - except perhaps the Stones - twenty or thirty years on. I love all types of music from classical right up to now - including rap, metal etc - and I’m always on the lookout for new stuff but it seems too many keep on truckin long after their use by date.

      Reply

    • MudCrab says:

      12:32pm | 26/11/10

      Just been skimming through some of these comments and the claim that Triple J is a cutting edge radio station that more of these boring old people should be tuning too.

      HAHAHHAHAHAHA!!!

      Triple J has turned into your parent’s radio station filled with a bunch of 40 somethings trying to stay young by convincing us all that Grinspoon’s new album is the best thing you have ever heard.

      Sorry kids, Grinspoon dates back to when I was in High School. You want to be a 90s radio station then good on you, but stop trying to kid yourself that you are cutting edge.

      Can’t speak for other states but if you want to stay on top of ‘current’ Oz music then 3D Radio is place to listern in Adelaide at least. Local radio - hear the song on Thursday and go see the band play Friday night smile

      Reply

    • Kika says:

      02:35pm | 26/11/10

      I’m a 90s kid too and I’ve just rediscovered Triple J. I’m pleasantly surprised. They are spinning way more new stuff just as they play the oldies. In fact, I rarely hear the oldies these days.  Triple J is awesome. They reignited my love for music again!

    • Robin says:

      04:50pm | 26/11/10

      I think all you need to expand your musical horizons; barnsey, farnsy, powderfinger, inxs - they should all be towed out to sea and sunk. Give me Fat Freddy’s Drop - definitely the best band in OZ at present. Also The Drones - Shark Fin Blues - a brilliant song from another great OZ band

      Reply

    • Danny says:

      01:43am | 29/11/10

      Guns N Roses didn’t make a concept album. I think it has some great songs on there, but some of it’s overloaded with overproduction and over the top ballads.

      Need to mention Beasts of Bourbon as one of the great live bands when they were in their prime.

      Reply

    • quitsmoke says:

      04:53pm | 17/03/11

      Yeah, i like reading your blog Keep updating!
      <a >electronic cigarette</a>

      Reply
 
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