HARD CANDY

Hard Candy was formed out of the ashes of Ape The Cry, a goth indie band in Melbourne. Erika Bach and Demetri Vlass started out as a duo, and they released their first album 'Tattoo' in 1992. They added drummer Garry Banbridge for their subsequent album releases 'Lick', and 'Speed Crash Burn'. They finished up in 2000.

Members

Erika Bach (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Demetri Vlass (guitar, bass), Garry Bainbridge (drums)

EPs
'Amplifier' 1993 Loud Records
'Junior' 1996 Loud Records

ALBUMS
'Tattoo' 1992 Loud Records 
'Lick' 1994 Loud Records

'Speed Crash Burn' 1997 ISM Records

HUGO RACE

Hugo Justin Race was born in 1963 in Melbourne and grew up in an Anglo-Irish family. His father listened to musical theatre and classical music, his mother played piano, he has brothers and a sister. In 1978 he formed Dum Dum Fit as the lead vocalist and guitarist with Robin Casinader on keyboards. Two years later Race and Casinader formed Plays with Marionettes which also included Edward Clayton-Jones on guitar, organ, and vocals (ex-The Fabulous Marquises) and future Crowded House member Nick Seymour on bass guitar.

Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, described their sound as "aggravating style of jazzy no-wave noise", although they developed a local following on the "inner-city/Crystal Ballroom circuit". In 1982 they issued a shared single with their track, "Witchen Kopf", backed by a track from the group, People with Chairs up Their Noses. Another track, "Hellbelly", appeared on a various artists album, 'This Is Hot', in 1984. It was co-written by Race and Casinader, however by February 1984 the band had separated.

Late in 1983 Race on guitar joined Nick Cave on lead vocals (ex-The Birthday Party) in his new band, Nick Cave: Man or Myth?. By mid-1984 Cave's backing band were renamed The Bad Seeds and had issued their debut album, 'From Her to Eternity'. The title track was co-written by Race and Cave with fellow band mates Barry Adamson, Blixa Bargeld, Mick Harvey, and Anita Lane. The group toured the United States, United Kingdom and the rest of Europe. During the European leg Clayton-Jones joined The Bad Seeds temporarily replacing Bargeld.

Late that year Race and Clayton-Jones returned to Melbourne to form The Wreckery, as a blues, rock band. By January 1985 the line up included Race, Casinder (also on drums), and Clayton-Jones with Tadeusz O'Biegly on bass guitar; and Charles Todd on saxophone and organ (ex-Wild Dog Rodeo, Cattletruck). McFarlane described the group as "inner-city angst kings which proffered a lurching brand of gutbucket St Kilda blues by way of the Mississippi delta. It was a fiery sound totally unique in Australia at the time". Race was described as "enigmatic, petulant whose bleak visions stabbed at the heart of the human condition".

The group recorded their debut five-track extended play, 'I Think this Town is Nervous', which was issued by Hot Records in December 1985. By that time O'Biegly had been replaced by Nick Barker on bass guitar (ex-Curse, Reptile Smile). Race wrote the majority of the group's material. They issued two studio albums, 'Here at Pains Insistence' (August 1987) and 'Laying Down Law' (October 1988), before they disbanded by mid-1989.

While a member of The Wreckery, in 1987, Race co-wrote the screen play for Ghosts of the Civil Dead (December 1988), a feature film directed by John Hillcoat, which starred Cave and Dave Mason of The Reels in their debut acting roles. Back in 1986 Race had a minor role, Pierre, in Dogs in Space, which was directed by Richard Lowenstein and starred Michael Hutchence and Saskia Post. In 1988 Race had his own starring role as the titular character of Mack the Knife who is a "sociopath"; the film was released as In Too Deep (1989). The Canberra Times reviewer described Race's character as "a drifting crim plotting the next route to easy money" but felt that the film "degenerates into a collection of characters in search of an ending".

Also, during 1987 Race, Barker and Casinader recorded as The True Spirit with guest musicians Brian Colechin on bass guitar, John Murphy on percussion, and Chris Wilson on harmonica. A track, "Certified Fool", appeared on a various artists' album, 'Melbourne Stuff'. The same recording sessions resulted in the debut album by Hugo Race and The True Spirit, 'Rue Morgue Blues', which appeared in June 1988 on the Rampant Records (for the Australian market) and Normal Records (for the German market). The album was engineered by John Phillips (of Not Drowning, Waving) and produced by Race.

Late in 1989 Race relocated to Europe, initially to London then living in Berlin, Germany. In 1990 he issued 'Earls World' under the moniker, The True Spirit. He was joined in the studio by Alex Hacke on guitar and slide guitar (of Einstürzende Neubauten); Chris Hughes on tabla (of Slub); John Molineux on harmonica; Rainer Lingk on banjo, guitar and bass guitar; and Thomas Wydler on drums (both of Die Haut). Race used a similar line up to record his next album, 'Second Revelator' (1991), with additional work by former band mate Harvey (of The Bad Seeds) on piano, organ, bass guitar, backing vocals, percussion and as producer.

To promote the album Race used The True Spirit line up of Casinader, Clayton-Jones, Colechin and Hughes (now on drums). They toured Australia in December 1991 and released the album there in January the next year on Survival Records. They toured Australia again in February 1993 and followed with another album, 'Spiritual Thirst'. With Race in the studio were Colechin, Hughes, Molineux and Ralf Droge on trombone and keyboards; Race also produced the album.

In 1995 the group released 'Valley of Light' on the German label, Glitterhouse and, in February the next year, on the Australian label, Roadshow Music. It included a cover version of Captain Beefheart's "Clear Spot". The album was co-produced by Race with Tony Cohen. The next album, 'Wet Dream', which appeared in June 1997, was described as "industrial-trance-blues", by UK magazine, Melody Maker. By 1998 Race was living in Italy, he toured Australia first as a solo artist and then at the end of the year with The True Spirit.

In 1999 Race set up his own production base, Helixed, which incorporated diverse side-projects including the Italian-based Sepiatone, an "atmospheric electronic/acoustic project" with Marta Collica (ex-Mice Vice); the Zurich-based, Transfargo (RecRec Music, Switzerland) with Dimitri de Perrot which issued an album, 'Mil Transit' (2003); and a Sicilian-based multimedia project, Merola Matrix (Desvelos Records, Sardinia). He has also produced Italian artists such as Cesare Basile and Nove Rose. In January 2000 he worked with Australian singer, Mia Stone (ex-Stone Circus, Satellite) and her group, Michaela.

In 2001 Race issued a compilation 2× CD album, 'Long Time Ago', which contained material by The True Spirit from 1988 to 1999. He had a minor role as the vampire bass player in Michael Rymer's film, Queen of the Damned (February 2002). In 2007 he joined Chris Brokaw (ex-Codeine) and Chris Eckman to issue the album, 'Dirtmusic'. In 2010 he formed Hugo Race Fatalists with Antonio Gramentieri and Diego Sapignoli from the Italian instrumental band, Sacri Cuori. They released two albums: 'Fatalists' (Interbang/Gusstaff, 2010) and 'We Never Had Control' (Interbang/Gusstaff, 2012). In 2011 he returned to live in Australia. As from October 2013 Race was simultaneously a member of Hugo Race and the True Spirit, Hugo Race Fatalists, and Dirtmusic.

ALBUMS
'Fatalists' 2010 Helixed
'No But It's True' 2012 Rough Velvet Records

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Race

PURGED

Known originally simply as Purge, Purged was a Melbourne thrash metal band with a contemporary sound like early Machine Head. The band won support slots to White Zombie and Deicide on their Australian tours and impressed with their strong modern thrash style. Their first album 'Form of Release' won them major interest from offshore, with US label Metal Blade picking Purged up for overseas distribution. A second album, 'Balance Of Power' was released in 1999 to little fanfare and Purged disappeared without trace shortly afterward. Warren Hammond became a producer and established the Penny Drop Audio recording studio producing bands like Eaten By Dogs, Be'lakor and Mortification

Members

Darren Ross (vocals, guitar), Andrew Durling (guitar), Warren Hammond (bass),
Des Anthonisz (drums)

DON HARPER

Don Harper was an Australian composer born in Melbourne in 1921, Don Harper showed an interest in music from an early age, learning to play the violin as a child. His formal study began at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music. In later years he would become the successful conductor of one of Australia's most popular big bands as well as being a prolific film and television composer. In the mid 1950s he was persuaded by comedian Tommy Trinder to try his luck in the UK when he was touring Australia. Harper took the chance and left for Britain even though he had secure work in Australia.

During his seven-year stay in the country he provided music for World of Sport and Sexton Blake amongst other popular series. The Don Harper Sextet also broadcast regularly on the BBC's Music While You Work. Over his career he released a few singles on the Pye and Columbia labels and many albums on a variety of labels. None of those recordings were released in Australia.

Returning to Australia in 1962, Don Harper would regularly be seen performing on Australian television and on radio as well as in many jazz clubs across the country. He also toured with the Dave Brubeck Quartet. In the late 70s, Harper formed the Harper-Wright quartet with British jazz guitarist Denny Wright; the quartet was completed by Len Skeat on bass and Martin Drew on drums. In 1983 Harper took up the position of Head of Jazz Studies at Wollongong University's School of Creative Arts, a position he held until 1990. 

His most popular recording was "The Hot Canary". He provided incidental music for the 1968 Doctor Who serial The Invasion; one of the cues from this score was later reused, in reorchestrated form, as part of the De Wolfe stock score of Mary Millington's True Blue Confessions (1980). In 2005, MF Doom and Danger Mouse, in their collaborative project Danger Doom, sampled Don Harper's "Chamber Pop" and "Thoughtful Popper". Elements of "Dank Earth" from the Dawn of the Dead soundtrack were sampled on "Intro" by Gorillaz from 'Demon Days', which was also produced by Danger Mouse. Don Harper died on 30 May 1999 aged 78.

ALBUMS 
'On The Fiddle' 1975 Bunyip

'Songs From Alice' [with Joanne Brown, Leslie Fyson] 1985 Avan-Guard
'Combo: Duo, Trio, Quartet, Sextet' [with Denny Wright] 1978 EMI

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Harper

TLOT TLOT

Tlot Tlot formed in Melbourne in 1986 as alternative rockers, Man in the Wood, with Owen Bolwell on bass guitar and lead vocals, Andrew Briant on lead guitar, and Stanley Paulzen on drums and lead vocals. Their debut release was an 7-inch single, "Rain" in 1989, followed by an eight-track EP, 'Thumper', released in 1990, which included "Rain". The single and 12" EP were produced by Aka Setkya and Malcolm Dennis for the Manhole Productions label. All the tracks were co-written by Bolwell and Paulzen. The songs on 'Thumper' were much darker than other Tlot Tlot songs.

 
In 1991, Briant left Man in the Wood and was replaced by Rob Clarkson and the group were renamed as Tlot Tlot. This band name was taken from the Alfred Noyes poem, The Highwayman (1906). As well as the name change, the music style changed from Man in the Wood's dark and depressing post punk to a more poppy style of music with light-hearted and humorous lyrics. Tlot Tlot's first release was a five-track mini-album, 'A Day At The Bay', in 1991. After its appearance Clarkson left the band. Tlot Tlot continued as a duo of Bolwell and Paulzen and in 1992 they issued a studio album, 'Pistolbuttsa'twinkle'. The title is also from The Highwayman. Most of the songs date back to the 1980s and were performed at Man in the Wood gigs, but a few were written specially for the album. It was closely followed by a single, "Old Mac", which peaked at #5 on the 2XX Independent chart in April 1993. Their track "Birthday" appeared on the various artists compilation, 'Live at the Empress'.

In 1993 Tlot Tlot issued a compilation album, 'Pistolbuttsatwinklea'twinkle', which combined material from the studio album and 'A Day At The Bay'. Later that year they followed with another album, 'The Live Set - Volume 1', which contained previously unreleased tracks and new recordings of older ones. The following year, Paulzen formed a side project called Fred Astereo with Briant.

In 1995 they signed to EMI and issued a single, "The Girlfriend Song" in April, which reached the ARIA Singles Chart Top 100. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1995 it was nominated for 'Best Pop Release'. In May of that year, they supported Things of Stone and Wood at the ANU Bar. They released their next studio album, a covers album entitled 'Fashion Takes a Holiday', in July that year. The album contained covers of Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough" and the Romantics' "What I Like About You". The band also produced and co-wrote Merril Bainbridge's debut album 'The Garden' that year, which received worldwide success.

The band did not release any further new material and disbanded in 1996. "The Girlfriend Song" appeared on the 'Collision 4' various artists compilation later that year. "When We Were Young Stars", an unreleased track from the 'Fashion Takes a Holiday' sessions, appeared in 1997 on another compilation, 'A Minute Or Less', on Candle Records. Bolwell became a recording engineer and wrote Merril Bainbridge's second album 'Between The Days', while Paulzen and Clarkson formed Ruck Rover with former Things of Stone and Wood member Michael Allen.

Members

Stanley Paulzen (vocals, drums, guitar), Owen Bolwell (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, CD player) Andrew Briant (lead guitar), Rob Clarkson (guitar)

SINGLES
"Rain" (as Man in the Wood) 1989
"Old Mac" 1992 Anubis
"The Girlfriend Song" (#73) 1995 EMI

EPs
'Thumper' (as Man in the Wood) 1990 Manhole Productions

ALBUMS
'A Day at the Bay' 1991 Manhole Productions
'The Live Set - Volume 1' 1993 Manhole Productions 
'Fashion Takes a Holiday' 1995 Manhole Productions

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tlot_Tlot

THE EARS

In 1979 popular Melbourne art-punk outfit, The Ears were formed with Mick Lewis on guitar, Cathy McQuade on bass and Charles Meo on drums along with Sam Sejavka who became their enigmatic and theatrical front man. Alongside bands like The Boys Next Door, Models, Whirlywirld and The Fabulous Marquises, The Ears became one of the most popular bands on the Melbourne inner-city Crystal Ballroom scene. The Ears issued the independent single ''Leap for Lunch / The Crater'' in early 1980. Soon after Carl Manuel replaced Chuck Meo (who joined Dorian Gray) and they added Gus Till on keyboards. Missing Link issued the second single ''Scarecrow / The Lollyhater'' in early 1981. The band also had the tracks ''Perennial Boogie'' and ''One Light'' included on the Various Artists album 'From Belgrave with Love' (Cleopatra Records 1981).

The Ears broke up at the end of 1981 with Sejavka, Lewis, Till and Manuel forming Beargarden who were signed to Virgin Records Australia and had a minor hit with their single ''The Finer Things'' and the album 'All That Fall'. The Ears were prominent on the Australian underground music scene.

Members

Sam Sejavka (vocals), Mick Lewis (guitar), Tim McLaughlan (keyboards), Charles Meo (drums), Cathy McQuade (bass), Carl Manuel (drums), Gus Till (keyboards)

SINGLES 
''Leap For Lunch / The Crater'' 1980
''Scarecrow / The Lollyhater'' 1981 Missing Link

References

http://www.punkjourney.com/ears.php

LACHLAN McLEOD

Lachlan McLeod, who grew up in rural communities in South Australia and Victoria, began studying viola at age eight. He practised under trees outside his families isolated caravan in the bush where, he says, he learned to tune into the wide-open spaces and to music at the same time. He says now that this extraordinarily beautiful home environment had a marked impact on his open and expressive style of writing and performance. “For me, the spaces in a composition are as significant as the sound. It's important to allow time for the spirit and the beauty of music to filter through. It's not always necessary to fill a pause with noise for a piece of music to work its magic.”

Lachlan was not only influenced by his environment. His grandfather, Bill McLeod, was also a violinist and singer. ( He carried his violin in a sugar-bag on his back and rode a horse to gigs!) As a teenager, McLeod picked up the guitar, bass and piano whilst continuing his viola studies, earning himself the top prize in Australia for 5 th grade viola exams at age 14. Soon after this he joined his first band and played his first professional gig on bass and viola, after talking the lead singer into letting him join – an unusual step for the band! His mother drove him to regular gigs for two years until he was old enough to get his driver's licence.

Over the years Lachlan played regularly with a number of bands and orchestras and found frequent work as a solo musician, touring the Eastern seaboard in 1979. In 1980 he found time for further development, studying 20 th Century Music at Adelaide 's Sturt College of Advanced Education, majoring in viola. 1984 saw the release of Lachlan 's first single, ''Very Much Like Springtime'', a major breakthrough in his already credible musical career. This was followed by a successful tour which culminated in a finale performance at Adelaide 's prestigious Festival Theatre with the renowned Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. ''Very Much Like Springtime'' is still given airplay today.

In 1985 McLeod branched out as a session musician, writer and producer of many memorable advertising jingles, including a major promotional campaign for the national broadcaster, ABC Radio. He was also bass guitarist and vocalist with a number of popular Adelaide bands including, These Hands and Gav Stab and The Runaway Penguins. In 1994 Lachlan's impressive self titled debut album release succeeded in what many consider to be the most difficult niche market of all, adult contemporary, with extensive airplay enjoyed in both metropolitan and regional radio Australia wide and subsequently internationally.

Also in 1994, McLeod formed the acclaimed trio Thinking Aloud, featuring himself on vocals, acoustic guitar and electric violin; Stephan Richter on fretless bass and cello; Craig Lauritsen on drums and percussion. The group performed McLeod's compositions, marrying classical instrumentation to contemporary acoustic folk and then toured India where they collaborated with Tabla master Pandit Debashish Chakraborty, who had himself performed with El Shankar and Peter Gabriel. The result of this Indian collaboration was the 1995 release of  'Shanti' where McLeod's compositions were flavoured by ethnic Indian influences to create a landmark World Music album. 1998 saw the release of McLeod's definitive electric violin and band album, 'Wind of Change', an album of exceptional songs and stunning electric violin work. Instantly accessible, yet still credible, three singles were played on high rotation by Japanese radio to coincide with McLeod's first tour of Japan in1998.

In 1999 Lachlan played a season at Melbourne 's prestigious Crown Casino and then set off for another three-month tour of Japan. Commissioned by the South Australian Government in January 2000 to compose a song for the people of South Australia to use as a colloquial anthem, McLeod wrote the music for the beautiful ''South Australia It's My Home'', a love song for a state. After arranging the song for band and strings, Lachlan sang and played electric violin on the recording. Following this, an arrangement was written for the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra to use on state occasions. McLeod gave the first public performance of the piece at the Premiers dinner for the S.A 500 race. Joined by Lisa Edwards from the John Farnham band, McLeod then opened the Davis Cup Tennis at Memorial Drive accompanied by a 300-piece children's choir. This performance was received with such acclaim that McLeod and the children's choir were invited to open the AFL Port Adelaide / Crows football match at Football Park to 40,000 fans.

In July 2000 Lachlan was invited to London to perform ''South Australia It's My Home'' in conjunction with the English celebrations of Australia 's Centenary of Federation of States. The 2000 Olympic soccer games at Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, were preceded by a TV broadcast of the song to millions of people worldwide. Three tours to Japan in 2000 allowed McLeod to strengthen his reputation with the Japanese audiences. His performances in Tokyo and Osaka were received with especially high acclaim.

In January 2001 the honour of representing 100 years of South Australian music was awarded to Lachlan McLeod when the Centenary of Federation committee chose his electric violin piece “The Twelfth House Door” to be used for the Centenary of Federation celebrations in Sydney, including a nationwide television broadcast. Melbourne became McLeod's chosen home in 2002 where he entered the music scene as violinist in the Rick Sayer Band. He also worked with Alaine Stokka in Lighthouse helping to establish the music in the innovative Essence Food Studio.

Sessions and special performances with Robert John Sedky and Fred Le Duc, of Deluc and Manigra, on violin helped establish Lachlan's Melbourne reputation. In 2003 Lachlan played violin at the Port Fairy Folk Festival to accompany Julie Levy who won the song-writing contest. In the same year his instrumental composition for electric violin, “Goodbye” was used in the evocative film Shifting Ground, produced and directed by Des Connellan and screened Worldwide. An acoustic tour of North Queensland Wilderness Resorts in 2004 gave McLeod the opportunity to give audiences a truly intimate insight into his unique melodic songs.

Through 2005, Lachlan's love of acoustic instruments stimulated him to develop high quality pick ups and preamps in conjunction with Ian Du Rieu from the Leon Audio Company, Adelaide, to accurately represent his sound. This collaboration saw the production of miniature phantom powered, printed circuit preamps for onboard instrument installation. Using this class A, super low noise technology, 2006 saw the release of McLeod's brilliant acoustic album 'The Heart of the Moon'. This is the quintessential solo McLeod. Recorded as one-take live studio performances, Lachlan captured the emotional intensity of these intimate and honest songs with his clean acoustic guitar finger picking and warm voice. Playing his late grandfather's old acoustic violin, McLeod added haunting flavours to complete this stunning organic recording.

Based in Melbourne, Lachlan today performs solo in Australia and internationally at festivals and special events, incorporating his unique kick board to under-pin his acoustic guitar and violin playing. He continues to compose and write songs, using the sanctuary of his country cottage as an artistic retreat. He is well spoken and articulate in broadcast interviews and is in demand for live performances and recording sessions. Lachlan's work challenges and caresses the listener with warm melodies, fine musicianship, clever instrumentation and powerful lyrics.

SINGLES
''Very Much Like Spring Time / Sons'' 1983 Bee Pee 

ALBUMS
'Lachlan McLeod' 1994 Origin Music.
'Shanti' 1995 Thinking Aloud

'Wind Of Change' 1998 Hear and Now Records

The Heart Of The Moon' 2006 Hear and Now Records

References

http://www.lachlanmcleod.com/

MOOSE MALONE

Led by veteran guitarist/pedal steel player Jimmy Brelsford, who had been active in bands since 1964 including a period with Bay City Union with Matt Taylor and Glenn Wheatley. The band began life as Moose Malone and The Country Casanovas in 1975. They soon shortened their name and added players to become a bigger band, which became very popular in the north. They also toured as far as Western Australia. Heavily influenced by the US West Coast scene, most notably Commander Cody, Moose Malone scored a deal with RCA records and their album 'House Of Blue Lights', and single of the same name were issued in October 1977.

The album was not a huge seller, but it led to them being named Queensland's Best Country Band of the Year as well as winning the Tamworth Cup. They then moved to Melbourne in 1978, issuing two further non-album singles "Two For The Show / I Don't Mind" in October of that year and a final one "What Were You Doing At The Same Party / Rock 'N' Roll Lady" in 1979. However, they kissed their record deal goodbye after they turned a record company reception for visiting fellow RCA recording artist, John Denver into a riot. Tony McKennariey died in 1990. Jim Brelsford died in 2002. AP Johnson has since died.

Members

Jimmy Brelsford (guitar/pedal steel), Sam Murray (guitar), Gerry Allen (vocals/drums), Tony McKennariey [Henry McHenry] (guitar), Ewan MacKenzie (guitar), AP Johnson (vocals)

SINGLES 
''House Of Blue Lights / Kansas City Southern'' 1977 RCA
''What Were You Doing At The Same Party / Rock 'N' Roll Lady'' 1979 RCA
''Two For The Show / I Don't Mind'' 1979 RCA

ALBUMS 

'House Of Blue Lights' 1977 RCA

STREICHER

Streicher is an important name in the pantheon of 90s cassette noise. Known for his idiosyncratic noise style, as well as the output of his Zero Cabal cassette label, Streicher’s sole member Ulex Xane is certainly a self-motivated individual. During the 1990s, Streicher released many cassettes under the Zero Cabal banner, and lately Mikko Aspa’s Industrial Recollections imprint has seen fit to reissue the material on the digital audio disc format. According to the sleeve, there is no mastering or any other sort of manipulation, but I suppose the volume of the dubbing to digital sound has somewhat of a factor in the final sound. The idea seems to be to try and stay as pure to the original cassette sound of the releases as possible.

 Along with containing two separate full cassette releases, this disc also seeks to compile the various compilation tracks that Xane recorded during the mid-to-late 1990s, spanning labels including Zero Cabal, Ant-Zen, and Warcom Media. The majority of the tracks use imagery and themes associated with Neo-Nazism, with Streicher also the first artist in the Power Electronics genre to directly associate himself with Nazi Skinhead culture. Far from espousing a political revolution however, the ideology of Streicher is based more around complete nihilism, with the Nazi political element and fascism coming to represent a cleansing force of nature. Although brutal and animalistic, the work of Streicher is strongly intellectual and shows the intentions of a sensitive artist with a very specific vision. Ulex Xane is the voice of a dissident culture that finds no meaning in the ways of the current era and seeks to find meaning in the strict nature of antiquity.

SINGLES
''Global Gas Chamber / Bellum Internecinum'' 2016 Fall Of Nature Records

ALBUMS
'Legion St. George' 1994 Zero Cabal 
'Chemisorb' 1994 Zero Cabal
'Annihilism' 1995 Zero Cabal 
'Hammerskins' 1995 Zero Cabal 
'Blood & Honour' Zero Cabal
'Ironclad' 1999 Zero Cabal
'Thrust Vector' Zero Cabal 

CONWAY SAVAGE

Conway Victor Savage, was born on 27 July 1960 and grew up in country Victoria, his parents were publicans. His brother, Frank Savage, is a part-time rock music cabaret singer and builder. Savage began playing piano in his early teens in the dining room of one of the pubs his parents owned. He later recalled "I just really enjoyed it ... I could just sit down and play it and play it – it's a beautiful relaxation, until this day. But it wasn't like I was playing in the pub for nickels and dimes or anything. I was really embarrassed about it and I kept it pretty quiet".

From 1980 to 1981 he was in Happy Orphans with Jim White on drums playing piano. He was also in Scrap Museum over a similar time period. From 1982 to 1986 he was in a country music band, The Feral Dinosaurs, again with White. Other members of that group were Nick Danyi on saxophone and vocals; Dave Last on double bass and vocals; and Jim Shugg on guitar (ex-People with Chairs up Their Noses). The group issued a track, "Blue Day", on a various artists' compilation album, 'Asleep at the Wheel' (1984). A single, "Ramblin' Man", followed before they released an EP, 'You've all Got a Home to Go To', in December 1985. Also, in the 1980s he played in the Melbourne-based country-rock band, Dust On The Bible, with his sister-in-law Jane (Frank's wife) as lead vocalist. In 1988, with Last, he formed Dave Last and The Legendary Boy Kings, which included Bruce Kane on bass guitar; Manny Markogiannakos on guitar; and Shane Walsh on drums.

Savage joined Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds in 1990 on piano, organ and backing vocals to promote their sixth album, 'The Good Son' (April 1990). He has since appeared on their studio albums including 'Henry's Dream' (April 1992), 'Let Love' In (April 1994), 'Murder Ballads' (February 1996), 'The Boatman's Call (March 1997), 'No More Shall We Part' (April 2001) and 'Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus' (September 2004). In October 1995 Conway contributed lead vocals for "The Willow Garden", a B-side of the single, "Where the Wild Roses Grow". Due to the overall minimal piano parts on the band's fourteenth release, 'Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!' (March 2008), Conway was used on backing vocals and hand claps.

Through the late 1980s and into the 1990s, he also guested on albums and singles for various fellow Australian musicians, including Kim Salmon, Dave Graney ('My Life on the Plain', 1989), David McComb ('The Message' EP, 1991), Spencer P. Jones ('Rumour of Death', 1994), and Robert Forster ('I Had a New York Girlfriend', 1995). Savage started to record his own solo material from late 1992, when he released a self-titled four-track EP. He provided lead vocals, piano and organ; and was assisted by fellow Bad Seeds members: Martyn P. Casey on bass guitar; and Mick Harvey on drums, guitar and backing vocals.

In late 1995 he linked up with singer-songwriter-guitarist, Suzie Higgie (of Falling Joys), for the collaborative album, 'Soon Will Be Tomorrow'. It was produced by Higgie's husband, Matt Crosbie. Its release was delayed until after Falling Joys disbanded and appeared in June 1998 on Anchor & Hope, distributed by Shock Records. Liz Armitage of The Canberra Times described the album as an "almost country-medieval record". Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, felt it was "a low-key and low-fi album of soft-hued country 'n' blues tunes" containing "sparse folk/pop tunes and quiet love songs". The duo toured to promote the album.

In 2000 Savage released his debut full-length album, 'Nothing Broken', on his own label, Beheaded Communications. He used Casey and Harvey; together with Charlie Owen on banjo and guitars (acoustic and electric); and Tony Wyzenbeek on harmonica. It was co-produced by Savage and his engineer, Dave McCluney. The musicians were recorded without Savage's vocals, which were added later, but just a piano guide track. A reviewer at 16horsepower.com felt "This somewhat blindfolded approach to the songs, results in a fresh, impromptu feel to this stately, contemplative album. Spontaneity has always been an essential element in the recording process for Savage, and this daring approach is vindicated once more". In August 2002 it was re-released in Europe by Cargo Records.

In 2004, Savage's next solo album, 'Wrong Man's Hands', was recorded from late 2003 to early the next year, on an 8-track in a room above the Union Club Hotel, Fitzroy, with members of Melbourne band The Stream, Amanda Fox and Robert Tickner. He admitted that he used a little James Joyce in one of his lyrics "but please don’t sue me… I probably owe you the price of a cup of coffee ... some of his words drifted into my imagination with the songs and next thing they – they just fitted like a glove, and I just went with it". Savage's 2005 compilation album, 'Rare Songs & Performances 1989-2004', traced his various studio and live material recorded in Australia and Europe. Guest musicians include Casey, Fox, Harvey, Jones, Tickner, and White.

In 2007 Savage, Fox and Tickner issued a collaborative album, 'Quickie for Duckie', which was followed by Savage's solo effort, 'Live in Ireland', in the next year. It had been recorded live at the Glens Centre Manorhamilton, Leitrim on 18 October 2008. NME‍ '​s Edwin McFee noted that Savage's vocals are "a bit like sand and glue. He may not be blessed with the purest set of pipes, but his quivering, piano-led renditions of songs from his last four albums frame his ragged, whiskey-soaked vocals perfectly".

In 2010 Savage, Fox and Tickner issued a six-track EP, 'Pussy's Bow', which had been recorded in Ireland's Tumbleweed Studios in Dundalk in the previous August. Recording engineers were Derek Turner and Jason Varley; while Savage supplied lead vocals, piano and keyboards; Fox was on organ, accordion, percussion and backing vocals; and Tickner delivered guitars and backing vocals. I-94 Bar's Barman reviewed the EP "If, like me, you think of him principally as Nick Cave's piano player, then you need to take a deeper dive it blows away some of the preconceptions of him as solely a country artist or (gasp) a Goth it is nothing but a record of contrasting moods. And a very good one". Savage underwent medical treatment for a brain tumor in 2017. He died, aged 58, on 2 September 2018. 'Ghosteen' (2019), the Bad Seeds' seventeenth album, was dedicated to Savage.

EPs
'Conway Savage' 1993 Torn and Frayed
Pussy's Bow' [with Amanda Fox and Robert Tickner] 2010 Beheaded Communications

ALBUMS
'Soon Will Be Tomorrow' [with Suzie Higgie] 1998 Anchor & Hope Records
'Nothing Broken' 2000 Beheaded Communications
'Wrong Man's Hands' 2004 Beheaded Communications
'Quickie for Ducky' [with Amanda Fox and Robert Tickner] 2007 Beheaded Communications

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway_Savage

DAVID CHESWORTH

David Chesworth (born 1958, Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom) is an Australian-based artist and composer. Known for his experimental, and at times minimalist music, he has worked in rock groups, contemporary ensembles, theatre, experimental opera. Together with Sonia Leber, Chesworth has created a series of large-scale installation artworks using sound, video, architecture and public participation. David Chesworth's creative output involves music, sound art, video, installation and Performance. He also collaborates with other artists. His compositions and installations have been featured in major festivals including Ars Electronica, Festival D'Automne de Paris, Edinburgh Festival, BAM's Next Wave Festival in New York, Bang on a Can Marathon, Sydney Biennale and the Venice Biennale.

In 2012 he was artist in residence at the MONA Festival of Art and Music in Hobart which featured performances by the David Chesworth Ensemble and the showing of several of installation artworks made with collaborator Sonia Leber. Chesworth's work explores ideas about language and representation within broader cultural contexts. His musical surfaces often camouflage deeper explorations of relationships between performers, audiences and the artwork itself. His works often re-visit or re-imagine established cultural texts, both historical and within popular culture. His interest is in generating new meanings and fresh relevance from this source material. Early in his career Chesworth coordinated the Clifton Hill Community Music Centre in Melbourne, a centre for experimental music, performance, film and video.

He performed extensively during this time as a solo performer and with post-punk group Essendon Airport. He released several solo records including '50 Synthesizer Greats' and 'Layer On Layer', and with the group Essendon Airport - 'Sonic Investigations of the Trivial' and 'Palimpsest'. All are now reissued on CD. Installations: Together with collaborator Sonia Leber, David Chesworth has created a series of public art and gallery installations including 5000 Calls, a permanent 'sonic environment' for the surrounds of the Sydney Olympic Stadium for the 2000 Olympics. Other Leber and Chesworth projects include The Master's Voice a permanent sound installation for Canberra's Civic Walk and Rewards of Silence, a commission for the chapel of the Separate Prison at Port Arthur in Tasmania.

They have presented installations in Ljubljana, Cardiff and New Zealand. Leber and Chesworth were the 2007 recipients of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art's Helen Macpherson Smith Commission for which they created the major installation work Almost Always Everywhere Apparent. Their solo exhibition, Space-Shifter has toured to several states and was recently featured at MONA FOMA in Tasmania. Chesworth and Leber collaborated with Simeon Nelson on Proximities, a 2006 Commonwealth Games public art commission for William Barak Bridge in Melbourne and Oceanic Endless for Melbourne's Cardinia Council in 2007. Dyad, a Leber/Chesworth/Nelson proposal was shortlisted for the 2012 London Olympic Park bridges commission.

Experimental Opera and Performance: Chesworth's interest in exploring wider extra-musical contexts has led to his involvement with performance artworks and experimental opera. His first experimental opera, Insatiable, was completed in 1986. Since then he has worked with Melbourne's Chamber Made Opera (Recital, The Two Executioners andLacuna), and with the Melbourne International Arts Festival (Cosmonaut, commissioned by Opera Australia and Sabat Jesus). In 2010 Chesworth created the performance artwork Richter/Meinhof-Opera which was presented at Australian Centre for Contemporary Art for the 2010 Melbourne International Arts Festival and at the Art Gallery of NSW. The CD Wicked Voice containing material from various productions has been released on ABC Classics.

Chesworth is the artistic director of, and synthesizer player in, the David Chesworth Ensemble. The ensemble has released four acclaimed CDs, 'Exotica Suite' (ARIA nominated for 'Classical Release of the Year') 'Badlands' (also released in the US), 'Music To See Through', and recently 'Vanishing Tekopia. Panopticon' from Music To See Through was awarded Instrumental Work of the Year at the APRA Classical Music Awards. Three works from the CD were nominated. The ensemble has given numerous performances including the Melbourne Festival and the Sydney Spring Festival of New Music. The ensemble has made many international appearances including performances at BAM's Next Wave Festival, the Bang on a Can Marathon in New York, and the Kennedy Centre in Washington. The ensemble has also given performances in Slovenia, France and in the UK where they appeared at the Big Chill Festival. 

EPs
'Industry & Leisure' 1983 Innocent 

ALBUMS

'50 Synthisizer Greats' 1979 Innocent
'Layer On Layer' 1981Innocent
'Skippy Knows' [with Whadya Want?] 1985 Correct
'No Particular Place' 1986 Rampant
'Tantrum' 1988 Rampant
'Risky Business' 1991 Natural Symphonies
'Exotica Suite' [with The David Chesworth Ensemble] 1992 Warner
'Badlands' [with The David Chesworth Ensemble] 1998 W.Minc
'Environment Videowall Soundscape' 1998
'Wicked Voice' 2001 ABC
'Music To See Through' [with The David Chesworth Ensemble] 2005 W.Minc
'Vanishing Tekopia' [with The David Chesworth Ensemble] 2011
'The Unattended Serge 1978 / Five Evolutionary Things 1979' 2014 Planam

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Chesworth

HOBBS ANGEL OF DEATH

Hobbs' Angel of Death was formed in January 1987 in Melbourne, initially as a solo project for ex-Tyrus guitarist Peter Hobbs. With the help of ex-Nothing Sacred members, Karl Lean (bass guitar), Sham Littleman (drums) and Mark Woolley (guitar), the band recorded two demos, ''Angel of Death'' and ''Virgin Metal Invasion from Down Under'', that attracted interest from overseas labels.

They are one of the first Australian groups to perform European style thrash metal. Although playing traditional style thrash metal, Hobbs described his band's sound as "virgin metal – a pure form of music''. In February and March 1988, they were at Musiclab studios in Berlin to record their debut self-titled album, 'Hobbs' Angel of Death'. Produced by Harris Johns, it was released in July on German label Steamhammer Records, and "became a best-seller in Europe". The album was released in Australia by Modern Invasion Music. The line-up for the album was Hobbs and Woolley with Philip Gresik on bass guitar and Darren McMaster-Smith on drums. In 1989, Hobbs and Woolley with Bruno Canziani (drums) and Dave Frew (bass guitar) began touring.

A second album, 'Inheritance' was released in 1995, but failed to repeat the success of its predecessor and was an Australia-only release. The album was difficult to obtain outside Australia and the band had "emerged from the darkness with a poorly produced second album''. The lineup was Hobbs, Nick Maltezos (lead guitar), Bruno Canziani (drums) and Dave Frew (bass guitar). Hobbs' Angel of Death broke up soon after its release. In 2002, Hobbs reformed the band and released a compilation album of two early demos. The band played a European tour including an appearance at Wacken Festival and shows with German thrash group Destruction and black metallers Mayhem.

In July 2003, keyboardist Talie Helene, despite never having recorded nor played live with Hobbs' Angel of Death, left to form her own band, Stone Maiden. Remaining members were Hobbs, Canziani and Frew. In 2011, Hobbs' Angel of Death returned to the live scene supporting Forbidden in Sydney on their Australian tour and playing a small number of live shows before embarking on several European tours throughout 2012 and 2013. In August 2014, Peter Hobbs made an appearance in the Australian metal documentary Metal Down Under. Hobbs Angel of Death toured the US later in the year.

Hobbs' Angel of Death released their third album 'Heaven Bled' in 2016 (which wasn't released in Australia) and continued to tour Europe. However, in 2018 further touring was cancelled due to Peter Hobbs' health issues. The band did not play again until 2019, performing at Heathen Fest in Southern New South Wales. This show would be Peter Hobbs' final live appearance. On 21 October 2019, Peter Hobbs died at the age of 58. A tribute concert in Hobbs' memory was organised in Melbourne on 29 November. The concert consisted of a live performance of Hobbs' material from both Tyrus and Angel of Death by former bandmates and friends.

Members

Peter Hobbs (vocals, guitar), Darren McMaster-Smith (drums), Steve Scott (bass), Mark Wooley (guitar), Karl Monara (bass), Sham Littleman (drums), Philip Gresik (bass), Nick Maltezos (guitar), Dave Frew (bass), Bruno Canziani (drums), Talie Hélène (keyboards), Darth [Jay Sanders] (bass), Darth Saundies [Jason Saunders] (guitar), Nuclear Exterminator [Jarro Raphael] (drums), Rob Molica (drums), Brian Sinclair (guitar), James Sinclair (drums), Bo Remy (bass), Simon Wizén (guitar), Alessio "Cane" Medici (bass), Brandon Gawith (drums)

EPs
'Depopulation' 2016 HR Records

ALBUMS
'Hobbs' Angel Of Death' 1988 Modern Invasion Music
'Inheritance' 1995 Def Records

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobbs%27_Angel_of_Death

THE DUMB EARTH

In 1995 The Lizard Train's David Creese and Chris Willard relocated to Melbourne from Adelaide and formed The Dumb Earth with Mark Ford on saxophone and Adam Kyle Spellicy on guitar and vocals. According to music journalist, Andy Turner, ''their sound was brain-melting amalgamation of avant-garde jazz and slide guitar". In December 1994 they had recorded their debut single, "Taxi Me Through" while still in Adelaide, at The Basement with Grant Sullivan producing – it was released the following year on Pop Gun Records. By June 1997 they had signed with Rubber Records and issued their debut album, 'Walk the Earth', which was produced by Martyn Robinson at Domestic Bliss Studios. The majority of tracks were written by Creese alone with three co-written by Creese and Willard. Willard described their "playing sort of dark jazz /blues filmic music".

By 2001 Ford had been replaced on saxophone by Simon Whithear who also provided clarinet and backing vocals; the line-up was expanded by the addition of Glendon Blazely on trombone, trumpet, tuba and backing vocals; Kiernan Box on piano and piano accordion; and Phil Kakulas on double bass. The Dumb Earth's second album, 'Blessings in Disguise', was released in September that year with David Nelson producing at the Yarn Factory for the Hour of Need label and was distributed by Sony Music. By November 2002 had Willard left the group and was replaced by Justin Avery on bass guitar. By mid-2005 The Dumb Earth had disbanded and Creese pursued a solo career, however a fifth album 'Dry Land' was released in 2006.

Members

David Creese (vocals, drums, percussion, guitar, vibraphone), Chris Willard (bass), Martin Aujard (sax), Tristan Andrews (piano), Adam Spellicy (guitar), Matt MacDonald (sax), Mark Ford (sax), Glendon Blazely (trumpet, trombone, tuba), Kiernan Box (keyboards, accordion), Stephen Richards (sax), Simon Whithear (sax, clarinet), Timothy Deane (keyboards), Justin Avery (bass), Phil McLeod (cello), Jenny Dixon (viola), Jen Anderson (violin), Steph O'Hara (violin)

SINGLES
''Taxi Me Through'' 1995 Pop Gun Records
''Tailem Bend'' 1997 Rubber Records

EPs  
''Auld Lanxiety Attack'' 1998 Rubber Records

ALBUMS
'Walk The Earth' 1997 Rubber Records 
'Blessings In Disguise' 2001 Hour Of Need
'Dry Land' 2006 UXB Recordings

THE MABELS

Starting as a folky trio with original members Kim Parker (bass), Warwick Lobb (guitar) and Anthony Atkinson (vocals/ guitar), The Mabels would soon take shape upon the recruitment of drummer David Kneale in 1996. With their roots set in acoustic pop influences, The Mabels immediately released their first EP 'Caravan Park Girlfriend'. After a split 7" with the Lucksmiths and an Australian tour with The Simpletons, Ryan James was recruited to fill in on drums before their first full-length 'Scenes From a Midday Movie' came out in 1998. Their second album 'The Closest People' was released in 2000.

Members

Anthony Atkinson (vocals, guitar), Warwick Lobb (guitar, trumpet, mandolin, harmonica), Kim Parker (vocals, bass, piano accordion, organ), David Kneale (drums), Ryan James (drums)

                                       

SINGLES
''Caravan Park Girlfriend (Band Arrangement)'' 1997 Candle 

EPs
'Caravan Park Girlfriend' 1997 Candle
'Shifting Sands' 2001 Candle

ALBUMS
'Scenes From A Midday Movie' 1998 Candle 
'The Closest People' 2000 Candle 

References

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-mabels-mn0002158871/biography

NIC DALTON

Nic Dalton (born 14 November 1964) is an Australian musician, best known as the bass guitarist for American band The Lemonheads at the height of their popularity. Born in the Australian capital of Canberra, Dalton showed an interest in music in his pre-teens and formed an informal early band with Charlie Owen. His early bands in Canberra were Girls With Money, Get Set Go and The Plunderers with Stevie Plunder. The Plunderers relocated to Melbourne in 1985 and then to Sydney in 1986, where they also played gigs and released records as Hippy Dribble and Captain Denim.

In 1989, Dalton and Miles Ferguson founded the record label Half A Cow and opened an associated bookshop in Sydney. In 1990, Robyn St Clare, bass guitarist for The Hummingbirds took leave from that band during her pregnancy, and Dalton filled in during a tour of Australia supporting visiting American band The Lemonheads. Lemonheads' lead singer Evan Dando formed a friendship and musical collaboration with Dalton and his Sneeze bandmate Tom Morgan, and the results of Dando and Morgan's songwriting collaboration formed much of the Lemonheads' 1992 album 'It's A Shame About Ray'.

'It's A Shame About Ray' featured Juliana Hatfield on bass and backing vocals, as Dalton was unable to get to the US in time for the album's recording schedule. When Hatfield continued with her solo career, Dando asked Dalton to join the band as its bass player. Dalton agreed, despite having formed the bands Sneeze and Godstar around the same time. Dalton played with the Lemonheads for two-and-a-half years and played on the band's 1993 album 'Come On Feel The Lemonheads'. He co-wrote the song "Dawn Can't Decide" with Dando. The remaining songs on the album were written by Dando and Tom Morgan, except for the album's hit single "Into Your Arms", which was written by Robyn St Clare and originally appeared on the Love Positions' 'Billiepeebup' album (a collaboration between Dalton and St Clare released in 1990).

After touring with the Lemonheads for the 'Come-on Feel' album, Dalton left the band and returned to Australia. Dalton insisted there was no falling out between himself and Dando; rather, he felt he had to get back to his family, friends and label in Sydney. He rehearsed with Dando and Dinosaur Jr. drummer Murph for the recording of the 'Car Button Cloth' album in 1996 but ultimately decided to decline Dando's offer to remain in the band. Dalton played bass for Dando during his 2003 solo tour of Australia but fell seriously ill after one show in Melbourne. Reviews of the show noted Dalton's demeanour, and reported that Dalton had been sacked and not replaced in the subsequent shows, but according to Dalton, he had suffered an undiagnosed brain hemorrhage the day before.

In 1998, Dalton left Sydney and moved to a farm on the outskirts of the village of Morongla (near Cowra in central west New South Wales) with his girlfriend, writer Lucy Lehmann. He closed the Half A Cow bookshop but continued to run the record label from the farm, while working on a second solo album. Dalton and Lehmann ended their relationship in April 2003, and Dalton continued to work on the album, setting himself a deadline of his 40th birthday for its recording. The album, titled 'Home of The Big Regret', was recorded between July and November 2004 with a bluegrass band Dalton called the Gloomchasers. Despite their break-up, Lehmann remained involved with the album, having co-written several of the songs and writing the liner notes for the CD.

A second album 'Play All Night' was released in December 2010 and the band continued to play - with a revolving line-up - until November 2019. Dalton joined Ratcat on bass guitar in 1998. After a year in Melbourne, Dalton moved back to Sydney in 2006 and formed a new line-up of the Gloomchasers, as well as joining lounge act the Handlebars. In 2011 he formed a "bubblegum band for kids" called The Sticker Club with Alison Galloway, Ben Whitten, Nellie Afford, Damien 'Dizzi' Cassidy and Ruby Firmstone. Their album 'Scratch 'n Sniff' was a joint release by ABC Kids and Half A Cow Records. Dalton also released two albums, in 2015 and 2017, under the name Chewee.

SINGLES
''Bonafied Lovin'2 [with His Gloomchasers] 2008 Half A Cow 
''The Scary Lane / I'm Like A Bird'' 2018 Half A Cow 
''Scout On A Bike / When I Write The Book'' 2018 Half A Cow 
''The Teapot Refuses / With Tomorrow'' 2018 Half A Cow 
''Alone'' [with His Gloomchasers] 2018 Via Satellite Downloads
''Feels So Fine / Under The Ground'' 2018 Half A Cow 
''Looking For Lawrence / Better 'n You'' 2018 Half A Cow 
''Scary Cassettes'' [with His Gloomchasers] 2018 Via Satellite Downloads

ALBUMS
'Romolo 86-88' 1998 Half A Cow
'Home Of The Big Regret' [with The Gloomchasers Orchestra] 2005 Half A Cow 

'Play All Night' [with His Gloomchasers] 2010 Half A Cow 

 'Blast Cools 90-92' 2018 Half A Cow 
'The Last Fan' [with  His Gloomchasers] 2020 Half A Cow 

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nic_Dalton

CHRIS WILSON

Christopher John Wilson was born in 1956. He grew up in Alphington, an inner-Melbourne suburb. He completed his tertiary studies and worked as an English teacher at various Melbourne secondary schools for some 20 years. He joined Sole Twisters in 1984; the R&B band included Brian Horne, Barry Palmer, his brother Craig Palmer, Jeff Pickard, and Nigel Sweeney. His early influences were Australian blues groups, Chain and Carson.

In September the following year Wilson, on harmonica and saxophone, and Barry Palmer, on lead guitar, joined a neo-Blues group, Harem Scarem, alongside Peter Jones on drums, Charles Marshall on guitar, Christopher Marshall on lead vocals and Glen Sheldon on bass guitar. This line-up recorded their debut studio album, 'Pilgrim's Progress' for Au Go Go Records, which was released in December 1986.

While a member of Harem Scarem, Wilson provided harmonica on Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls' debut album, 'Gossip' (September 1986). By May 1987 Wilson had left Harem Scarem, he joined Kelly's 45-date tour of North America promoting 'Gossip'. Wilson acknowledges Kelly for extending his repertoire beyond harmonica, "I was asked on as a sax player too and I didn't play all that much sax when Kelly asked. But he had that faith in me that I'd get my act together". During that year Wilson also guested on Hunters & Collectors album, 'What's a Few Men?' (November 1987), on Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls' next album, 'Under the Sun' (December), and he played with hard rockers, X.

Wilson formed his own band, Crown of Thorns, with Barry Palmer, and Chris Rodgers on double bass, bass guitar and fiddle, in 1987. Stuart Coupe of The Canberra Times described the group's sound as "a diverse amalgam, recalling everything from Tim Buckley to Captain Beefheart and American blues". While Wilson felt his group was not only a blues band as "there's elements of country and straight rock 'n' roll". Their debut release was a six-track EP, 'Gnawing On The Bones Of Elvis', which was produced by the band and appeared in April 1988. Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, noted it was "sparsely recorded … which mixed one side of electric blues including Willie Dixon's ''Bring It on Home'', and one side of acoustic folk tunes".

Crown of Thorns issued a studio album, 'Carnival' (February 1989), using a lineup of Wilson, Palmer, Rodgers, joined by Justin Brady on violin, Barbara Waters on guitar, vocals and mandolin (ex-Hollowmen), and former band mate, Jones on drums. The album was produced by Wilson and Waters with Chris Thompson. McFarlane described it as a "more fully realised work than the debut. It mixed blues, country and folk with a great deal of verve and authority". It contained Wilson's composition "The Ballad of Slim Boy Fat", which was a highlight of the album with its spectacular blues/gospel style. In 1990 the group released another studio album, 'Babylon', with Wilson, Rodgers, and Waters joined by Ashley Davies on drums (ex-White Cross).

Late in 1990 he formed a briefly existing group, The Pub Dogs, with Wilson on harmonica and lead vocals, Barry Palmer on electric and acoustic guitars, Graham Lee on pedal steel guitar and backing vocals (ex-The Triffids); and Marko Halstead on acoustic guitar, mandolin and backing vocals (of The Blackeyed Susans). They issued a live EP, 'Scatter's Liver: Pub Dogs Live on the Wireless' in the next year on Shock Records, which had been recorded at radio station Triple J's studios in Melbourne on 22 October 1990. In August 1991 Wilson provided lead vocals for Robin Casinader's debut solo album, 'All This Will Be Yours'.

During 1992 Wilson formed the Chris Wilson Band which released an EP, 'The Big One' in May and a studio album, 'Landlocked' in June. The line-up were Wilson and Rodgers with Jen Anderson on violin (The Black Sorrows), Rebecca Barnard on backing vocals (ex-Stephen Cummings Band), Peter Luscombe on drums (The Black Sorrows), and Shane O'Mara on guitars (Stephen Cummings Band). Los Angeles Times‍ '​ reviewer, Mike Boehm, felt that on the album "he sometimes becomes bogged down with self-conscious attempts at poetic imagery, and that high-voltage vocal style can seem strident".

During June Wilson and Crown of Thorns performed a combined tour promoting recent material. Laurie White caught their gig at Tilley's which "a privileged few will remember for an age (if only I'd taken a Walkman like one lucky bootlegger)" with Wilson described as "a huge writhing gospel cyber punk, who sings and plays harp with such venom and power it's impossible to ignore him against melancholy songs (reminiscent of Archie Roach at his most tearful). The change in gear is exhilarating if not frightening". Wilson followed with another EP, 'Alimony Blues', in October; it had a cover version of Booker T. Jones' "Born Under a Bad Sign", which McFarlane declared had Wilson's vocals "backed by O'Mara's blistering guitar work and was one of the finest renditions ever committed to record".

In March 1993 Wilson and fellow Australian singer-songwriters Barnard, Kelly, Archie Roach, Deborah Conway and David Bridie each performed a set at a Hollywood concert, The Melbourne Shuffle. Boehm described Wilson as "a big, denim-clad slab of a man with a shaven head and the look of a street tough or a stevedore. In contrast to such reserved performers as Kelly ... he had a taste for the monumental. His big, rangy, high-impact voice supported his flair for the dramatic flourish and the grand gesture". As a performer Wilson showed "a dry, laconic wit between songs, he was a fervent, let-it-all-out wailer when he began to sing".

At the ARIA Music Awards of 1993, held in April, Wilson was nominated for Best Male Artist and Breakthrough Artist - Album for 'Landlocked'. In June that year Wilson, Charlie Owen, and three former members of The Triffids: David McComb, Robert McComb and Graham Lee guested on Acuff's Rose's debut studio album, 'Never Comin' Down'. On 20 May 1994 Wilson's performance at the Continental Hotel in Prahran was recorded for 'Live at the Continental', which was released in October. The album provided Wilson with another nomination for Best Male Artist in October 1995. Wilson toured extensively and played at many festivals, both in Australia and overseas, and has shared stages with Bob Dylan, and with Johnny Diesel. He provided backing vocals on the Merril Bainbridge song "Under the Water" for her album 'The Garden' (1995).

In March 1996 Wilson Diesel issued a collaborative album, 'Short Cool Ones' on Mushroom Records, with Wilson on lead vocals and harmonica, and Diesel on lead vocals and lead guitar. 'Short Cool Ones' peaked at #18 on the ARIA Albums Chart. McFarlane described it as including "15 soul and R&B standards ... and a sole original, ''Other Man'". "Other Man" was written by Diesel (aka Mark Lizotte). Other performers were Dean Addison on bass guitar, Angus Diggs on drums, and Rob Woolf on keyboards and backing vocals. Paul Petran of Radio National's Live on Stage felt 'Short Cool Ones' was "one of the most successful blues albums in Australian history".

Wilson's next solo album, 'The Long Weekend', appeared in March 1998 as a 2× CD. McFarlane noted the album had "22 excellent tracks, it drew on blues, gospel and country elements". In May Wilson supported Kelly at the Metro in Melbourne where Wilson was crashing through a slightly hollow mix with a bunch of the good stuff, picking the eyes out of his recent Long Weekend thing, and throwing in some older selections – the 'best done by Elvis' Mystery Train being a big blow, as is the pump action 'Shoot Out at Seven Eleven', while the big ballady 'Too Many Hearts' again is a glory and must be a single, surely. At the ARIA Awards that year he received another nomination as Best Male Artist, for 'The Long Weekend'. In November he appeared at the Mushroom 25 Concert both as a solo artist and in Wilson Diesel.

In January 1999 Wilson was a support act for Elvis Costello on an Australian tour. By 2000 he had formed Chris Wilson and the Spidermen with Rodgers, Shannon Bourne on guitar, and Dave Folley on drums. Wilson issued a solo album, 'Spiderman', which was recorded at Studio 335, Southbank with Wilson, O'Mara and Thompson co-producing; O'Mara also guested on two tracks. Rhythms Magazine‍ '​s readers' poll rated 'Spiderman' as the Best Australian Blues Album of 2000. Melbourne Blues Rock website's Tom Slingsby reviewed the album in September 2011 and noted it was "a mix of covers and originals. … The covers are given a real personal touch one could easily think Wilson and gang had crafted the songs themselves". Slingsby felt the "production allows both the guitar and harmonica to stand out on tracks, trade off licks, and then fall back to accompany the other instruments. Overall the album has a strong dynamic range with slower, sultry songs inserted amongst the more lively tracks without dropping off in feel".

During May 2002 Wilson recorded his next album, 'King for a Day' (July 2002), at two studios in Melbourne with Kerryn Tolhurst producing. Along with Bourne, Folley and Rodgers, the album featured Tollhurst (guest guitars, piano, mandolin and tipple), Cindy Boste (guest lead vocals), Sarah Carroll (guest lead vocals) and Skip Sail (guest banjo). In March 2003 Richard Sharman of I-94 Bar website reviewed Chris Wilson and The Spidermen's gig at the Bridge Hotel in Sydney and found that Wilson's "voice was magnificent ranging from soft tenderness to a bellowing roar that raised shivers at the back of my neck. His voice sounded better than ever and his harp playing was superb – this boy can play!" On 26 October 2013 Wilson Diesel reunited to perform the entire 'Short Cool Ones' album at the Sydney Blues & Roots Festival. On 30 October 2019, Chris Wilson was inducted into the Blues Music Victoria Inc Hall of Fame as the 2019 People's Choice, Victorian Blues Legend. In 2020, Wilson was inducted into the Music Victoria Awards' Hall of Fame. He died 16 January 2019, having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2018.

.

SINGLES
"The Big One" 1992 Aurora
"Alimony Blues" 1992 Aurora
"I Can't Stand the Rain" (as Wilson Diesel) (#66) 1996 
"Strange Love"(as Wilson Diesel) 1998 

''Shoot Out'' 1998 Aurora

ALBUMS
'Landlocked' 1992 Aurora 
'Short Cool Ones' (#18) (as Wilson Diesel) 1996 Aurora
'The Long Weekend' (#75) 1998 Aurora
'Spiderman' 2000 Chris Wilson 
'King for a Day' 2002 Chris Wilson 
'Flying Fish' 2012 Chris Wilson
'Chris Wilson' 2018 Chris Wilson

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Wilson_%28blues_musician%29