James Baker was, as the title of his last solo release declared, Born To Rock. The musician, who died on Monday night aged 71, was the big beat behind the drums for a long list of influential Australian garage-rock bands including Hoodoo Gurus, Beasts of Bourbon, the Scientists, the Dubrovniks and the Victims. But his […]
The Ballad of James Baker, 1954-2025 Read More »
It is a truism of popular music’s album-oriented era that great double albums are rare. In Australian indie rock – at least since the waning of the compact disc’s market dominance and vinyl’s revival among collectors – they have become close to non-existent. So Ashley Naylor, leader of Melbourne stalwarts Even and a rock &
Even: Reverse Light Years Read More »
Count-dow-wn! It’s time for the top 10! 10. PAUL KELLY/KEV CARMODY – From Little Things Big Things Grow (1991, 1993) The ultimate compromise choice on this list. Both Kelly and Carmody should feature individually in any compilation of great Australian songs, but which ones? In the end, I’ve gone for this co-write, initially recorded by
Final: The Great Australian Songbook V (10-1) Read More »