PORCELAIN BUS

Porcelain Bus actually began in 1980 when Rob McKiernan (guitar), Ian James (vocals) and Paul Patrick (bass) got together while still in school. They began stumbling about trying to play, influenced both by their local favourites and also by overseas groups ranging from straight rock bands like the Who and the Flaming Groovies, to more off centre groups like Pere Ubu, Wire, the Soft Boys, Velvet Underground and the Feelies, to country-edged pop/rock like the Long Ryders and early REM. An eclectic mix, and one that contributed heavily to the unique sound that Porcelain Bus came to have. John Nolan would join soon after on drums.

The debut single ''Indignation / My Family (And Other Stories)'' produced by Radio Birdman's Rob Younger in 1986 launched Porcelain Bus into the midst of a heady time in Australian rock. Overseas recognition of the Australian underground (especially in Europe) was beginning to happen in a significant way, and having a single in the first 25 ever released by the prestigious Sydney label Citadel put Porcelain Bus in the company of labelmates like the New Christs, the Stems, Died Pretty, New Race, the Lime Spiders, the Screaming Tribesmen, the Lipstick Killers, the Bamboos, and the Moffs, assuring that many fans would buy their record just because of the company it kept. When they got it home, they’d invariably find that their trust had been well placed. The single was quickly licensed for release in France by Teenage Records, a spinoff of the excellent French indie label Closer. In those days releasing a single was a big deal, and many indie bands came along slowly where recording was concerned.

So, for Porcelain Bus, their next recording wasn’t for another year when they released the 1987 single pairing ''The Well Is Dry'' with ''The Hands Have Control''. Recorded in February, the A side of this single is a subdued ballad that could almost be called a folk record if it wasn’t for a strong electric middle eight. Ian’s deep baritone vocal dominates the track. The flip is another story altogether. Beginning with a roar of feedback from Rob and a barbaric scream from Ian, the song is one of the killer Porcelain Bus rockers. The verse by itself powers, but there’s a guitar bit that leads into the chorus that makes the entire song soar into another dimension. All in all, a wonderful single with two very different tracks that each work magnificently. Porcelain Bus were back in the studio in July of 1987 to record the six songs that would become the 'Steel Bros'. mini-LP.

A strong record at this point probably would have locked Porcelain Bus into the same level of critical and commercial regard as bands like Died Pretty, but although it’s a pleasant enough record, 'Steel Bros'. just isn’t the best that Porcelain Bus had in them. A couple years later a German Citadel release handled by the Normal label would combine the six tracks from 'Steel Bros'. with both sides of the first two singles to make a very solid full-length CD called 'Sacred Relics'. This CD is well worth having since it also includes a lyric sheet… indispensable for decrypting those early tracks. Overall, 'Steel Bros'. is a record that would satisfy those who were already fans but be less convincing to the uninitiated. To those hoping for another Australian masterwork, it came as a bit of a disappointment. But those who kept their allegiance to the band were rewarded, because it turned out that Porcelain Bus did indeed have a classic record in them, and that record was the brilliant 1988 album 'Talking To God'. The ten songs on this LP fit together perfectly, with a great mix of strong rockers and softer tracks.

It was their fourth time in the studio and third working with Died Pretty guitarist Brett Myers as producer (Rob Younger had done the first single), and it seemed that everyone had learned their role well by this point. The songs have a great sense of dynamics, something that hadn’t always been there before. After 'Talking To God' Porcelain Bus made a heavy commitment to making things happen, touring heavily in Australia. But as often happens, the big push to break things open created fissures in the band, and out of one crack popped John Nolan, who quit as drummer. Adam Toole was recruited to replace him, and the band went to record their second album in February 1990. The resulting eight song collection, prophetically entitled 'Fragile', sounded like another strong record to these ears but apparently not to the band. Shortly after releasing 'Fragile', Porcelain Bus toured Europe to enthusiastic crowds. Their records were released in Germany, and superficially things were looking good. But on returning to Australia, the band folded. Ten years is far more than the lifetime of most bands, and all eventually come unglued. But the legacy that Porcelain Bus left is too good to be forgotten as easily as it seems to have been.

Members

Rob McKiernan (guitar), Ian James (vocals), Paul Patrick (bass), John Nolan (drums), Adam Toole (drums)

SINGLES
''Indignation / My Family (And Other Stories)'' 1986 Citadel 
''The Well Is Dry / The Hands Have Control'' 1987 Citadel 
''Own Little World / Clockwork'' 1988 Citadel 
''Rats / Old Soldiers / Hanging's Back'' 1989 Citadel 
''Blue On Blue / Vertigo Man'' 1990 Blue Mosque 

ALBUMS
'Steel Bros.' 1987 Citadel 
'Talking To God' 1988 Citadel
'Fragile' 1990 Blue Mosque 

References

http://www.last.fm/music/Porcelain+Bus/+wiki