THE ODOLITES

The Odolites formed in early 1985 in Burnie, Tasmania. While in the late seventies and early eighties a modest New Wave swept over the land down under, with the Go-Betweens and The Birthday Party surfing to reasonable international acclaim, the mid-eighties music scene was something of a vacuum: ‘I think we fell into a bit of gap between what happened in Australia in the early 80’s with bands like the Go-Betweens and the Triffids (who we adored) and then a much more vibrant independent sector that started in the late 80’s.’

Besides, The Odolites started out at an even further degree of removal to their compatriots, imprisoned on the ex-penal colony island of Tasmania. Living in the small north-western port city of Burnie, they recorded their first demo on a farm, somewhere called Mole Creek, and gigged around the small number of pubs – ‘most of them were just oversized barns’ – that would put them on alongside the usual dipsomaniac-pleasing cover bands. After being picked up by the mainland label Rampant Records in late 1985, The Odolites moved to the bright lights of the relatively thriving Melbourne scene, but their music would always retain the mountainous, untamed, island quality of their home, an intensification of ‘the feeling of isolation and fatalistic sense of despair of the Australian countryside’, that music historian Ian McFarlane finds in The Triffids.

Their first EP 'Persistence of Memory' was released in 1985. It had five tracks recorded at Mole Creek in Tasmania that were included in the demo they sent out. 'Chimes' was also recorded as part of that session, but a decision was made to hold it back for a single and to record it again in a better studio. Their next release, 'Chimes' came next in 1986. On the flipside was ''As Fresh As Monday'' written by bass player Aspinal.  plus another song called ''Room With No View''. There were also test pressings made in the UK for a 12” of this that was going to be released on Rampant via Rough Trade. For some reason the Rampant and Rough Trade deal didn’t happen so the single didn’t see the light of day.

Released in late 1987, their debut album 'Face Down in the Violets' plunges you headfirst into a sweet-smelling, psychedelic garden, chiming in the same key as Primal Scream’s 'Sonic Flower Groove', released the same year, and drawing on the same jangly sixties' influences. Yet this album is more than sunshine and pansies: the sinister reverb on the drums, the arresting stabs of overdriven rhythm guitar that crash searingly across the intricate lines of Lethborg’s lead, and the eerie disembodied vocals of the breathless Saward, leave you wondering whether the subject of the title, face down, is indeed taking in the sweet scent of the viola odorata, or like Rimbaud’s soldier in the valley, ‘his feet among the flowers he sleeps… at peace’, with two red holes in his side. A single ''Kathleen's Tantrum'' was lifted from the album. Unfortunately, the band decided to split before the album was released and they just did a few shows to promote it before calling it a day.

Members

Andrew Lethborg (guitar, vocals), Harvey Saward (guitar, vocals), Gary Aspinal (bass), Graham Rankin (drums)

SINGLES
''Kathleen's Tantrum / Call It What You May'' 1987 Rampant 
''Chimes / As Fresh As Monday / Room With No View'' 1986 Rampant 

EPs

'Persistence Of Memory' 1985 Rampant 

ALBUMS
'Face Down In The Violets' 1987 Rampant