Aspirin

Propelled by the Triple J rotation of their debut single 'Special', ASPIRIN had soon supported various international acts and played countless shows of their own across Australia. The band moved to London at the end of 90's where they performed solidly, matured as a group, opened many doors and, on the brink of even greater success, suddenly imploded. Now, that's the essence of rock and roll!

Releases: Special (1996 single), Shakes (1996 single), Denkzeit [Star] (1997 EP)   ASK ABOUT...

Every now and then a band comes along with something special - fantastic songs, great vocals, superb musicianship and a real love of the music they play. Featuring Ian Ferguson, Kevin Buckingham and Winston Galea, each with over 35 years experience in the AusMusic scene, the BLUE DUKES were named 'Best New Blues Talent' for 2006 at the MBAS Victorian/Tasmanian Blues Song Awards, but called it quits in 2010 - at least they left us with a memorable album!

Releases: Wanted (2006 album)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

MAL CLARKE's career has been a guitarist's dream. He survived the 60s with the Fabulous Blue Jays and performed his first solo single on TV when it was still B&W. He spent 15 years with Tamworth gold-guitar legends Bullamakanka and in recent times has worked with Tommy Emmanuel and Slava Gregorian. Having performed his solo show for years in the shadow of "Uluru", Mal's music is a result of the inspiration that setting provides. From his excellent fingerstyle guitar pieces (check out his book of tab, Fingerpicker's Feast) through to his re-workings of classic Australian folk and bush tunes, Mal's albums are pure outback.

Releases: Footprints (2001 album), The Aussie Bush Music Show (2001 album), Fingerpicker's Feast [Vol. 1] (2007 album/book)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

Cleanslate

CLEANSLATE cartwheel through genres like a circus freak on steroids, combining reggae, blues, roots, metal, folk, funk and jazz into a fusion they call Rebluromefofuzz, and to cap it off, the album closer 'For M.' is an absolutely sensational instrumental piano piece. Led by multi-instrumentalist Smokey, their touring style is as unique as their music, with Smokey undertaking a two month walking tour from the Gold Coast to Sydney when The Dark Carnival was released. You read right, walking - in music as in life, it's the journey not the destination that counts!

Releases: The Dark Carnival (2006 album)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

Count the Weirdos

In a career that spanned over five years, the COUNT THE WEIRDOS became cult figures in their home state, and rightly so. The first Gippsland band to do something really different, they pushed the bounds of (as one critic worded it) "quirky oddballness" while still creating catchy tunes - what lover of the truly alternative could ask for more? Along with SNORKEL and DR HERBERT, the WEIRDOS were part of the original trio of Somersault Music bands.

Releases: A Selected Group Of Standard Songs (1998 EP)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

A hint of surf, a dash of angst and a big handful of bass-heavy rock - that was the DR HERBERT sound that haunted the underground scene in Melbourne, Geelong and Gippsland for a couple of years. The band had a fantastic live energy, as is evident on their highly acclaimed EP, but sadly they imploded only a year after the EP's release. At least we still have the tunes. Another of the SM originals.

Releases: Something To Outrun The Fuzz By (1998 EP)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

GLISTER were based in the Blue Mountains, near Sydney, and played a range of guitar-based music, from gently layered, intricate songs through to catchy, up-beat, melodic rock - all immersed in Samantha’s sparkling vocals. They started out together in high-school, and it shows, with the band's tight, punchy tunes featuring on major compilation CDs in Australia and the USA, and on their own excellent CDs. Great artwork too!

Releases: Be There Soon (2005 album), Queensland/Waking Up (2005 single)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

Let's put it simply, shall we? HOTEL DIABLO kick some serious tailbone! If you've a taste for indie rock that ain't afraid to mix it up with dashes of funk, punk, reggae and soul, then the Diablo boys are gonna satisfy your taste buds. There 2006 album "On' is a stonker (that's a good thing) and the ironically titled 2007 EP is raw and rockin'. Just great stuff!

Releases: On (2006 album), 4 Singles (2007 EP)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

Margaret River local JUERLAINE is an acoustic performer with a rich style of her own. With her original and diverse Australian style of voice, powerful lyrics, foot tapping beats, and tunes that stay in your head for days. Her debut EP Little Things was just the beginning of the journey for the young singer/songwriter - it's a long way from WA to the East Coast, but one step at a time is what a journey's all about ...

Releases: Little Things (2008 EP)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

Vivid soundscapes infused with texture and meaning, MUSHROOM GIANT is an Australian band specialising in dramatic soundscape music. In for the long haul, the Giant boys have been treading the boards for over a decade now, and their live performances offer an aural and visual experience that transcends the conventional rock band, exploring a musical realm full of colour and imagery and have taken the show to audiences across Australia with rave reviews.

Releases: Switch (2002 EP), Rails (2003 album), Kuru (2008 album), Antarctic Angel (2010 EP)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

In 1998, three high school buddies forged their up-and-go attitude and their passion for music into the band NURNBERGER. Kicking off in Gippsland, Victoria, (Somersault Music's spiritual home) the band won a strong local following and honed their craft with a swag of live shows and independently produced recordings. Their final offering 'Here We Go Again' showcased the intensity of a 3-piece punk-ska-reggae outfit in full flight - raw guitars, strong melodies, just rockin'!

Releases: Greenhouse Ghost (2003 single), Here We Go Again (2007 EP)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

Describing their sound as Rockadelica, four lifelong friends formed the core of ODESSA and fused retro rock sounds with thumpin' beats and tasty grooves. They also wrote and performed some damn good songs, thankfully captured on their two tasty CD releases.

Releases: Odessa (2004 EP), Call Me (2006 album)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

PRESIDENT ROOTS haven't looked back since making the finals of PBS's Festival of Song in 2005. Winners of Tamworth's Battle Of The Bands and an ABC Songwriting competition, guests at Queenscliff and Apollo Bay music festivals, tours of Australia and the UK, plus albums full of killer songs and cool grooves - do yourself a favour and get rooted!

Releases: Migration (2009 album), Shark Den Blues (2010 EP), Feelin' Fooled (2012 album), Late Night Radio (2014 album)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

THE REVEREND B. STONE was a Sydney-based four piece who worked mostly with acoustic instruments and percussion to create perfectly woven pop soundscapes. Their debut EP is the perfect way while away a lazy afternoon, entirely chilled out and well worth the visit. In late 2004 the Rev won a TripleJ competition to appear Layne Beachley's surf DVD 'Life in the Fast Layne', adding the song 'Through Mornings Eyes' to the soundtrack. Most of the band moved on to form Odessa soon after this EP was recorded.

Releases: The Reverend B. Stone (2001 EP)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

If you're thinking that a roots, blues and groove-based trio consisting of drums, bass, amplified acoustic guitar, harmonica and voice is just what you're after, start thinking SÃN. Their debut album 'Limboland' is eleven songs, including three instrumentals, dynamic roots tunes such as 'Think Twice' and 'Two Rights', soulful ballads like 'Stay' and 'Lie' and the musical journey such of 'Old Man Time'.

Releases: Limboland (2003 album)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

Shiney

The acoustic-based folky-pop music of SHINEY runs the currents of emotion, but is always infectious and, put simply, fun. Strong songwriting and powerful performances made an instant impact on the Melbourne scene, with the girls playing live often and attracting major interest back in the early '00s.

Releases: 7 Songs About Boys (2004 album)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

Snorkel

SNORKEL called it quits in Feb 2001, after 10 years and hundreds of TV, radio and live shows across Australia. The lineup varied, the style shifted, but the sense of fun remained the same, as demonstrated on each of their official releases. One of the SM originals, they were underground but popular for their frantic live shows - over the years most of their CDs have sold out, but we have a few singles left and even find the occasional Maisy CD in a box in the office.

Releases: Mother Figger (1992 EP), RIP FIG (1994 album), Maisy 'N' Me (1995 album), My Girlfriend Used To Be A Guy (1998 single), Hey You Blokes, Play Some Motorhead (1999 live EP), So Long And Thanx 4 All The Weirdfish (2001 album)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

Great-Ocean funk flavoured TANK DILEMMA are getting big buzz for their new album Having Said That, Let Me Say This. Large on fat riffs, honking horns and keys at the core, the act is punctuated by the guest guitar of Shannon Bourne. In fact, Tank D deliver a big soul sound, rollicking swing, chunky piano pop and doses of blues on all their albums.

Releases: Inner Soul, (2004 album), Alright Already (2007 album), Having Said That, Let Me Say This (2013 album available in latest releases)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...

When we asked ZWISH if they had a bio, they replied "Yeah, but only one that our Mum’s would find interesting. If you need to put something in the band bio space please go with: Take away Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil from modern manufactured music and you get ZWISH. Nobody knows, nobody cares and it doesn't matter." Now that's a band with some refreshing honesty. And their music's the same, honest, intense and not for the faint-hearted.

Releases: Sleepwalker (2006 album)   TOP   ASK ABOUT...