Modern Australian Underground •

Radio show & Intro to the MAU

Episode Transcript

Hi, and welcome to the first episode of the Modern Australian Underground podcast. I'm your host Christina Pap, and throughout the series I'll be presenting you with a variety of profiles on a new generation of the Australian underground, with insights into punk and electronic music in Australia, doing this through short radio short episodes, as well as long form interviews that explore themes, ideas and politics behind the noise.

Before we get started on this podcast though, I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land, the wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin nation on which I'm doing this podcast today, and pay my respects to the elders past and present. I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today.

Okay, so I'll be kicking this whole podcast off with a radio show episode. Consider it a playlist full of Australian music curated for you by me. The radio show now and going forward will consist of new and upcoming Australian tunes, a bit of background on the bands and their sounds, as well as news and updates from the underground.

Some of you know that I host teenage hate which is a weekly radio programme on Melbourne’s 3RRRFM. The difference between Modern Australian Underground is that it will only focus on new Australian content and events, whereas the show on RRR covers a wide variety of old and new, national and international underground music.

I don't want to focus on myself, but I do feel like I have to sell myself a bit to you, so you can have some sort of trust in my judgement and opinion in modern underground music. I mentioned a few things in the trailer, and if you want to check it out, most specifically, there are a few links in the bio of this podcast. Otherwise, through talking on the radio show and conducting interviews in future episodes, I'm sure you'll get to know a little bit more about me and my involvement in music throughout the last decade or so.

Hey, and also, do you have a question? Or do you have something to say if you have an event, a label, new release, or an interesting topic that you want to raise in line with the modern Australian underground, you should hit me up at Litmus dot media and not just in Melbourne to keep me up to date with everything that's happening from all around Australia. I've been talking long enough so let's get into some tunes. Kicking it off today we have Melbourne band Smarts with the song “Individuality” of the new LP titled “who needs smarts, anyway?”

You're listening to the Modern Australian Underground.

MUSIC SEGMENT 1

You were just listening to Melbourne band, Civic. The title song “Radiant Eye” was out of seven inch through Flightless Records a few months ago. Is there a possibility of some bigger releases on the horizon to this band after a drop of the single? I guess we'll have to wait and find out. Before that of Chicago's Hozac Records was Melbourne young punks, disco junk with one of the longest song titles have heard. “I'm not good with numbers, but I know what tram I'm on”. Then from Perth, Paranoids, who toured the east coast of Australia last year with LA band Generation Suicida. They have a new seven inch called “Napalm Springs” that's just been released of long running Perth label Helta Skelta Records. At the top, as mentioned at the start of the set, was Smart's with a new LP “Who needs Smarts, anyway?”. This came out of ANTIFADE from Melbourne and Feel It from the US just a few months back.

So let's keep spinning some tunes. Up next, we have Stiff Richards with “Going Numb” taken off the A-side of their “State of mind” LP that came out of newish label from down on the Mornington Peninsula, Legless Records

MUSIC SEGMENT 2

All right, two Sydney bands coming at you this time ending that set Paranoid was by Histamine. They released their first and self titled seven inch through Newcastle hardcore label Last Ride Records this October passed. Before that, Research Reactor Corp with “Close The Deal”. That song came out of a split seven inch with The Freakies from LA. The release is online via Warttmann Inc Bandcamp, at the physical release actually came out through Italy's Goodbye Boozy records which have been around for about 25 or so years now. And then after Stiff Richards at the top, from Geelong was UAV with “Buried”, their cassette released earlier this year of Sydney label Sexy Romance Records.

MUSIC SEGMENT 3

I took it down a bit of a different path this segment. I kind of wanted to emphasise that just because I came from a punk background, the Modern Australian Underground podcast is not just that. It's different sorts of electronic music, as well as rap and hip hop, drill, country, indie and more. Although with a bit more of a focus on punk, because that's what I know best. But I want to keep it authentic and real, so if you have anything you want me to talk about, hit me up at Litmus.media, because I'll be keen to check it out. I'll back announce that last set right after this break.


Big Yawn were at the top of that last set with this song “Offshore Diamond”. Their cassette “South Preston Garage” came out in September of Research Records. Then Syzygy on next after that. They self-released a demo mid this year and right in the middle of COVID as well which is pretty impressive, but it then got pressed onto an extremely short run live cut done through Winter Garden records. That label only has an Instagram online presence. There's no music platform, so you've got to be on the ball and pick up a release if you want to hear it. Syzygy is a two piece with both of the members previously playing in the short lived Melbourne band, Spotting. Rumour has it Syzygy is finishing up an LP so if you dig these posts at synth pop tunes, make sure you keep an eye out for it. We made our way back to some good old guitar music after that with RMFC or Rock Music Fan Club. They released a seven inch earlier in the year and “Reader” is the A side title track of Antifade Records. TB Ridge and the Director is a solo project of Tom Ridgewell from Constant Mongrel; his debut cassette “Rock and Roll Heart” was also released on ANTIFADE this year, the song Rock 'N' Roll Heart” opening up the tape but closing out that set here on Modern Australian underground.

MUSIC SEGMENT 4


I'm not fully sure what the deal is with three piece band Eternal Dust from Sydney, but the song “Trouble We Had By'' came out earlier in the year and I'm interested to see what they do next. After that you listen to “Why Music?” by Karl Frog the album came out in cassette format of Hidiotic Records, which is run by the quiet but well known Australian legend Al Montford, who plays Total Control, UV Race and a bunch of other shared household names. After that, contemporary power pop band Romero hit the ground running with the release of a seven inch off Cool Death Records at the beginning of the year. They recently released a digital single on Bandcamp, which is what I played for you, “Troublemaker”, with all the profits of every sale being donated to “Pay The Rent”. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do next, they seem to be walking down a similar path that Royal Headache did like 10 years ago. What was at the end, I think it was Hobbies Galore Records. They recently released “Silver Shadow” which is an album in cassette format by Oscar Perry. Their song “Parade”, which you just heard, was one of their more socially palatable songs. That album really goes down some weird roads and I have to say, it takes you to some seedy places but in the best way possible. It is a great cassette.

MUSIC SEGMENT 5

“Look Alive!” is the most recent LP by The Stroppies. It came out of Upset The Rhythm based in the UK. I'm not sure if there was an Australian label that released it as well, which is a pretty common thing for bands down under, having a local label put it out as well as a European or North American label. The song that I played was called “Sad Sorry Soul”. Up next was Permits with “World In Numbers” from their most recent LP, “Time Permits”. Then The Green Child, which is a two person project from down on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula beaches. The song was “Low Desk High shelf”, and that was off the new LP “Shimmering Basset” which, as amazing as the whole album is, it's worth buying for the painting on the cover alone. The music and the art complement each other in such a way that they kind of lift each other up, like that much more being an item. It really is, like an amazing record visually and musically. And then, at the end there, Sleeper and Snake, coming in with the song "Flats" of their "Fresco Shed" album. This album is a first release for brand new label LSD Club, which stands for Lulu’s Sonic Disc. I help out at Lulu’s record store in Thornbury. It's been an exciting time to have this new collaborative label happening. Especially with Sleeper and Snake, who are amazing people. And then the shop also being able to open after nine months of doing online sales only in Melbourne due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

And with that we're at the end of the first episode of the Modern Australian Underground. Thank you so much for listening. I've had a great time playing tunes for you and I can't wait to show you what more there is to come.

Look. Do you have a question? Or do you have something to say if you have an event, a new release and interesting topic you want to raise in line with him on the show and underground or you just want to complain about all my jibber jabber or whatever, you should hit me up at Litmus dot Media.

If you subscribe to the podcast, you'll be kept up to date with all of the Modern Australian underground news and never miss an episode. And if you rate it and leave a review, it'll help others find the show too. Don't forget to stay tuned. You can listen to Modern Australian Underground at Litmus dot Media or wherever you get your podcasts.