It's 1980 so now powerpop is allowed to have dismissive attitudes and metallic guitar tones, and why not, when the result is as super as this? A couple of things stand out - the infectious enthusiasm and the great, fluid guitar lines. The guy could play.
A stellar track delivered in a snappy red-on-white design by a short lived Melbourne group. Have a listen to Amateur Hour:
OK - how was that? Pretty good? You might wanna stop reading here because now reality bites.
There's a small but definable genre populated by new wave/oz rock bands that got lucky with one song - Personnel, Moral Support, DV8 and others. We didn't want it to be the case, because Amateur Hour is so great, but it would seem The Inserts also fit into this classification. The flipsides of this record (White Reggae [just imagine] and Bad For Me), and the video linked to below, project a band enamoured of crud like The Police and The Cars (if that smells like inner city snobbery so be it, we prefer it to the whiff of vin ordinaire). And with that perspective, Amateur Hour's ska-like middle eight, complete with mildly poxy octave bassline, seems like the band reverting to type rather than a momentary lapse in taste. To quote the notable scholar David St Hubbins, "too much fucking perspective".
Showing admirable adaptability our lead man went from: oz rock/new wave/pop (Inserts live in 1981); to the odious synthpop of Tin Drum (actually two of the Inserts; Amateur Hour is prophetic for this clip), oh dear; to the non-hair farmer in a latter lineup of heavy metal stars Bengal Tigers (who were pretty good in their day - another missing link between grillfat and LA glam metal?). But hey, the guy could play.
7 comments:
I used to go and see them at the Exford Hotel, in ChinaTown, Russell Street
I talked to the bass player one time, and he told me he was really really into Judas Priest, so that might explain the direction they headed
The A side is a cracking little tune, but i do think you are being a bit harsh on the b sides...i always liked the fact the song White Reggae was NOT, in any way shape or form, a reggae song...let alone the kind of song the Police or,,,say..UB 40 would do...and Bad To Me is not a bad little song
The record is great also because recorded all three songs really loud....
when this record came out I bought copies for lots of peoplee..it was like having the Exford, which was and still is a great venue, in my house...
I rate it one of the all time great records of my life! and i was thrilled to see it on your most excellent blog...
Big Ern xxxx
Hey I'm "The Guy" who can play!! Interesting to see an opinion on something you were involved in 30 years ago ! I guess it was obvious even then that my first love was and always will be Metal. But having said that we were young and determined to have go at any type of music we liked...Probably because we could. Strictly Hard Rock/Metal these days and can best be heard at http://www.myspace.com/stonecutters-kpb(Web page link there as well)...As for "Big Ern" what can I say Ern but thanks for kind words and support!! Ahhh The Exford... The memories (Lug in Lug out!!!!!)
Hi
I am the bass player and it's true we were influenced by a lot of "new wave" bands which included Magazine, XTC, The Skids etc. But we also had a liking for metal at the same time.
This was the last thing I did with the band and they moved on to bigger and better things with a more accomplished bass player.
The crappy octave bass thing in the middle was probably influenced by Blondie more than anything.
I think the enthusiasm of the band shines through with this track.
The singer/guitarist has gone on to a most interesting career spanning multiple genres of music. He still has the ability to come up with great songs no matter what the genre.
Ern..thanks for the kind words; and the Exford is a fond memory for me as it was the first place we played at professionally. That particular time in music was an exciting time as I feel it was a crucial kick off to the burgeoning Melbourne Indie scene.
I somehow stumbled across this on youtube. I remember this band from the "Chevron" days and many other pub venues across Melbourne. if you liked the genre of music they were playing at the time, and I did! they were a tight three piece band not playing the ususal 'aussie sounding dross'. What I really want to know however is what possesses someone to critique something someone did 30 years ago and dis their musical choices thereafter? Maybe it is just as "The Guy who can play" said 'we were young and determined to have go at any type of music we liked...Probably because we could.'
so pleased there is a reaction to this only 30 years later, that's the internet for ya!
At the time we could get no traction with this at all, despite all the talent!
I was the guy who recorded this, as part of a 19 song session (!) I was so impressed I offered to manage the band, I remember stamping all those 45 sleeves with a big rubber stamp, cheaper than printing, and more "handmade"....
I did sound for those gigs too, well, sort of, at the Exford the vocals came out of spare Marshall stacks.....
Ah well, it was all good fun, but I remember after 3 months I was broke, AND I turned down doing Front of House for INXS, 'cause I was devoted to the Inserts...
hey thanks for reading, Rik van der Velde in Perth, WA.
great single! i still have mine! I saw the inserts probably twice.. Loved them..
Its now 44 years...:)
Post a Comment