It is with that unmistakeable, gut wrenching scream of Rob Younger and its clarion call exhorting us all to play some Stooges that Radio Birdman signals the start of another Wide Open Road, playing the things that connect and link the vast catalogue of Australian independent and alternative rock and pop.

Wide Open Road is the vinyl beat in the heart of the digital jungle and It is with the twang of guitars, the smash crash of dusty grooves and the slow flashback of memory that we celebrate another collection of deep cuts, rare grooves and some sounds of summer from long ago.

This is Real – Sunnyboys
Individuals – Sunnyboys
Too Young to Despair – Sunnyboys

We kick the jams off with the Sunnyboys. Rightly celebrated as one of the best Australian bands of all time, and arguably one of the greatest power pop bands ever, the Sunnyboys have enjoyed a recent renaissance bringing their genius to newer generations. We start with ‘This is Real’, the second single from the second LP Individuals, released on Mushroom in 1982 and produced by the legendary  Lobby Loyde. Next up, the title track from the very same LP, I love this song, brilliant power pop stylings in guitar, an amazing Jeremy Oxley lyric (introspective and questioning) and kicking beat. We end up with a single off their final LP Wildcat released in 1989, produced by Garth Porter from Sherbet.

 

Subterfuge – Radio Birdman
You’re Gonna Miss me – Deniz Tek
Alone in the Endzone – Deniz Tek and the Godoys

Off to Birdman country now as we kick out the lead single from their underrated Zeno Beach LP recorded in 2006, several decades after the Living Eyes record, which could have been the final will and testament of Birdman. A Tek/Younger co-write it has all the Birdman hallmarks, a great Pip Hoyle organ sound, the dual attack of Tek and Masuak and a rollicking Younger vocal. We follow this with two tracks Deniz Tek. The first comes from 2017 and a cover of the 13th Floor Elevators song ‘You’re Gonna Miss Me’, which was a regular Birdman cover, featuring on the overseas versions of their debut LP, Radios Appear. And finally we have Tek covering his own Birdman song ‘Alone in the Endzone’ from the Sound of Sydney 3.0 compile on Method Records from 2020. Rocking.

Hindu Gods of Love – Lipstick Killers
Go-Go – Super K

From the completely unexpected but simply stunning compile of everything you can find from the seminal indie band Lipstick Killers we have the absolute stone cold classic that is Hindu Gods of Love, from 1978. The double LP compile Strange Flash – Studio & Live ’78-81 + Psycho Surgeons ’76-78 is a stunning chronicle of this incredibly important punk band (and their predecessors the Psycho Surgeons). Get it whilst you can. Next up is Super K, a bit of a supergroup who laid down just this one single, featuring members of the Hoodoo Gurus, Died Pretty, New Christs et al. Originally released on Green Records in 1982, this is from the 1986 Citadel re-release (and yes, we played the B-Side).

A Word about Jones – The Celibate Rifles
Jesus on TV – The Celibate Rifles
Six Days on the Road – The Celibate Rifles

Onto the Celibate Rifles now and three tracks that span the decades of their amazing career. Firstly a track from their 5th LP, Roman Beach Party released in 1987 on Hot Records, a Detroit belter from the depths of the soul of MC5 and Alice Cooper. Next up, a live version of the single from that LP Jesus on TV, which was released on the Dancing Barefoot 12” single (also on Hot) in 1988. And finally from their 2021 posthumous LP Extract from the Fungus (released on Spain’s premier label, Bang!) we have the classic Six Days on the Road, which I first heard on the Sweet and Sour soundtrack LP in 1983 and was recorded in 1963 by trucking legend Dave Dudley.

If A Vow – Hummingbirds
Hieronymous – Clouds
Black Bandages – Falling Joys

Because its summer I like to turn to my classics, the albums that I never tire of. For fans of this podcast, these three bands are not strangers. We start with the lead single from the second and final Hummingbirds LP Va Va Voom, produced by Mitch Easter and released on RooART in 1991. I love this record, its incredibly diverse with sounds from dance through to glorious sixties pop through to indie belters, and the heartbreaking last track Madison. It really doesn’t get much better than that. Next up is Penny Century from the Clouds, another fine collection of pop that stands the best of time, and here we have the lead single released in 1991 which shows the deeply complex and beautiful harmonies of Jodi Phillis and Trish Young. And then we have the Falling Joys and the lead single from the second LP Psychohum. This was a departure from the jangly pop of the debut LP and came with almost industrial guitars, news samples and tinges of NIN.

Forget About You- The Barbarellas
Bells of Spring – The Honeys
Watching the World Go By – Fear of Falling

Lets round the show out with three amazing pop bands. Sydney’s Barbarellas are one of the most brilliant pop bands of their time, two EPs and a single, and that’s it, but with great players like Jon Roberts and Matt Galvin and THAT voice out front (the talented Eleanor Rodgers) they should have dominated the world. This is the double A-side of their debut single on Citadel produced by Rob Younger. Next up, we have The Honeys, led by the delightful Andrea Croft (who put an EP out with Suzie Higgie from the Falling Joys) and with the songwriting talents of Bruce Begley and Grant Shanahan this track from the only LP called Goddess released on Waterfront in 1988 is superlative. Finally we have a track from Phantom Records dream popsters Fear of Falling and a track from the only LP released in 1991 called Welcome to Wonderland, dreamy, shoegazy and still beautiful to this day.

And with that, that is a wrap. Until next time.