Australian Band Recommendations

[Ms Springolator]

I recently sent this list of band recommendations to a friend in the States so I thought I'd share it here just in case any one is interested. They're all bands who are currently playing at the moment and are all from Melbourne unless otherwise mentioned. It's by no means a complete list, so please feel free to add to it. Apologies if my descriptions don't do the bands justice.

The Ooga Boogas: Garage/surf band who recently played at Goner and who feature Mikey from Eddy Current, Richard from the Onyas, Leon from the Sailors, and Per from (ahem) Cloudberry Jam.
The Ooga Boogas

Deaf Wish: Complete and utter garage mayhem
Deaf Wish

The Pink Fits: fast paced bluesy garage from Wollongong.
The Pink Fits

Beaches: 5 piece all-girl band who play noodly guitar music that reminds me of a cross between Television and a shoe-gaze band.
Beaches

Shutdown 66: Killer song and killer band.
Shutdown 66

The Frowning Clouds: a bunch of 16-18 year olds who love the Pretty Things and the Back from the Grave comps.
The Frowning Clouds

The Breadmakers: Bluesy garage featuring members of Shutdown 66.
The Breadmakers

The Stabs: Ben Blackwell said “They sound like Thurston Moore reviewing The Birthday Party”. I agree.
The Stabs

Chinese Burns: Umm...dunno how to describe them but they're good. And the drummer is awesome in every band that he's in. He hits hard, fast and precisely. Their songs are also very catchy.
Chinese Burns

UV Race: Again I don't have a clue how to describe them. They're on Aarght, which is a label run by 3 of the Ooga Boogas.
UV Race

Superwild Horses: Someone I know thinks they're a little bit "cheer-leader-y". I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing.
Superwild Horses

The following are two bands who wear their Jesus Lizard influence in different ways. Of the two I love True Rad more.

My Disco:
My Disco

True Radical Miracle
True Radical Miracle

Zond: are good. If I remember correctly, they're at the more experimental end of garage.
Zond

[AndyBurnout]

High Fangs
We play sort of garagey type stuff.

Ms Springolator's list is very decent, there is nothing there I wouldn't recommend.

I also say check out Bowerbirds, they play some sort of garagey loud pop and feature members of Rocket Science and Dynamo.
NEON also put on a great show and have some great pop laden tunes, they've have a bad run over the last few years from having their album shelved, then dropped from their local label and management company.
The Swindlers are a fun young band. Though I've only seen them a couple of times they put on a decent show, with a few psychedelic moments but mainly just well played garage rock.
Wrong Turn, a Melbourne duo playing fast rock'n'roll.

[Richard Holland]

I wouldn't do my friends justice without mentioning the Snoozefests and the Mess Makers.
They arn't really unknown anymore and have moved a hell of a lot on from their early stuff but the Drones.

The High Fangs and the Frowning Clouds put on a great show. Still is a damn lack of garage bands in greater Australia though.

[Richard Holland]

AND! if u ever get to Tasmania!
Check out Moe Grizzly, the Bad Luck Charms, Viva Computer and the Q.U.E. (even if its shoegazer. I know, easier to stomach on a few pints honest).

[Mardy Pune]

Ha ha, good to see The Stabs mentioned, they stay at my place when they come to town, great guys to get hammered with!

[kopper]

Eddy Current Suppression Ring!

[Gonzo]

Favourites atm are Frowning Clouds, Fearless Vampire Killers, Eddy Current, UV Race ( Awesome ) and a newish band called Johnnie & The Johnnie Johnnies which are a nice little surfy garage type trio going on. Check em all out.

[Gonzo]

Also gotta give a shout out to these guys. Geelong seems like the place to be for 60's revival.

http://www.myspace.com/thelivineyes

[Spooky Records]

Stabs, Graveyard Train. I'm biased. They're both on www.Spookyrecords.com

[tom mcneill]

yeah what about the vignettes there a awsome band a kinda mix of iggy pop and the stooges and black sabbath

[kopper]

I really dig the Frowning Clouds LP (Listen Closelier) on Off The Hip. Great, authentic '60s-sounding garage. Get it!

[Gonzo]

UV RACE + Super Horses have been added to the Big Day Out line up, the world of GaragePunk is spreading.

Straight Arrows + Chinese Burns , two of my favourite local Melbourne bands are playing at tote for straight arrows album launch.

http://www.myspace.com/thestraightarrows

[leeroy]

I just won a copy of the straight arrows album off our local radio, And its really good, Super nice and catchy ,Can't wait to see then live.

Gonzo said:

UV RACE + Super Horses have been added to the Big Day Out line up, the world of GaragePunk is spreading.

Straight Arrows + Chinese Burns , two of my favourite local Melbourne bands are playing at tote for straight arrows album launch.

http://www.myspace.com/thestraightarrows