The band started in a terrace house in a block known as the Baker's Dozen [the row of former Tilly Devine brothels down near William Street] in Palmer Street, Darlinghurst, in the first half of 1979. Practice was in the upstairs front bedroom facing Palmer Street, across the road from a squat that was the living space and practice rooms for a band known as Tactics.
They started by playing supports at a pub known as the Royal Oak in the Sydney suburb of Chippendale, then played regular gigs on their own at the New Zealand Hotel in William Street, almost opposite the Sydney Museum.
The single (the only recording by the band) was recorded at Now Studios in the Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst in August 1979. 500 were pressed.
After making the record, The Tenants played gigs at venues such as Rags (at the site of the old Chequers night club) and the Stagedoor Tavern, playing with acts like Tactics and The Thought Criminals.
Don’t Blame Me [Download]
$porting Life [Download]
5 comments:
There's nothing wrong with this. A great double-header. Thanks!
Steve
Tim Flemming and I still facebook chat from time to time, he's still in Sydney. I'm in England. A happy time in my life and fond memories of all the gigs the played. Steve Ralphs guitar the Tenants 78-79
Steve Ralphs just sent me the link to this blog...I believe I may have written that 'biography' (with exception of he Tilly's reference). I concur with Steve that it was the best of times and I'm a little surprised to have come out the other end intact. We disbanded after Steve returned to the UKand I went on to form a band called Pet Rocks with Mark and Dave (on guitar and bass respectively) as well as drummer Joe Breen and guitar/keyboardist Andy Niven. After that we all worked together in various bands such as Neo Casuals and Rusty Romeos...Steve can fill you in on his UK escapades.
Tim Fleming (one 'm' Steve), vocals, the Tenants
Thirteen and a half years have passed since my last post here, so I figured it might be time for an update:
Guitarist Steve Ralphs is still in the UK, making long bows, training movie actors in there use (Braveheart, Robin Hood, Game of Thrones etc) and playing in a band called Shaven Horse. Sadly, a few years ago, he lost his first cousin Mick Ralphs of Mott the Hoople and Bad Company fame,
While having briefly connected with drummer John Voulgarakis on Facebook, he still remains something of a mystery.
We lost bassist Dave Castellari who passed away on December the 13th 2023. He and I had been friends and bandmates since 1971, so that was very hard to take.
Mark Everingham (guitarist) is now based on the Central Coast, and we catch up every now and then for lunch and a coffee, or at my band’s gigs. He hasn’t changed much at all, and if we were to reform the band, he’d still be the best looking by a country mile!
Lastly, myself, Tim Fleming (vocals)… I still live in Sydney’s Inner West and am still singing in the band Los Romeos Oxidados (see below for all of the info on that particular journey). The only real change in my life is that a little over three years ago, I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer that had unfortunately metasticised,
Most recently, Dave and I, along with Bruce Tindale (guitar) and Joe Breen (drums), both from the 1970’s Sydney garage rock band The Professors, Ian Little (guitar) formerly of Sydney bands The Bambalams and Grooveyard, Dominic O’Donnell (guitar) formerly of 50 Million Beers and Out Of Nowhere, and finally, Micky Maloney, formerly of Hoopsnake, The Treble Clefs, and The Allniters, had all decided to get off our collective arses and do something, so we started my current band, Los Romeos Oxidados, in 2016. We still play, but with a somewhat different lineup after a few coming and goings, now comprising Joe, Ian, Dominic and myself, we added Frank Grubisa (bass), formerly with The White Pointers and Chain, and Ged Corben (guitar and pedal steel), formerly it The Most, The Lime Spiders, and The Cruel Sea.
We play mostly around the Inner West.
One last interesting snippet…Steve Ralph’s, Steve’s son, and I, through the wonders of the interwebs, did manage to reprise and record a new version of Don’t Blame Me, with slightly altered lyrics and guitar work. We even managed to make a film clip to go with it, and it can be found on YouTube at the following address:
https://youtu.be/ytMmxB1duFY?si=4C_Qsuq7Ta7wKU65
Enjoy, and thanks (in the vain hope that you may have) for reading.
Tim Fleming (vocalist The Tenants).
For some reason, I lost half of what I’d typed with regards to the update on myself, so I’ll finish it here:
Lastly, myself, Tim Fleming (vocals)… I still live in Sydney’s Inner West and am still singing in the band Los Romeos Oxidados (see below for all of the info on that particular journey). The only real change in my life is that a little over three years ago, I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer that had unfortunately metasticised, with traces in both my lungs and my liver, making it the dreaded stage four variety which is pretty much incurable, but is manageable; it has not stopped me from singing, nor has it stopped me from partaking in my other artistic pursuit of photography, and perhaps most importantly, it has not stopped me from breathing! As they say…Fuck Cancer!
Tim…
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