Tag Archives: Queens Of The Stone Age

MONDO GENERATOR ‘Shooters Bible’ LP Review.

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Words El Jefe.

Mondo Generator is the side project founded by Nick Oliveri, the notorious bassist from Kyuss, The Dwarves etc. The moniker was taken from a tune Oliveri had written during his Kyuss days, and really kinda suits the style of the music.

The band has had a sporadic existence over its’ 23 year life, with Oliveri being the only constant member, and an impressive list of former members. They play a sorta stoner-punk’n’roll kind of thing, if you hadn’t already heard. Shooters Bible doesn’t stray much from the trail blazed by earlier MG releases either.

What we have here, is an album fulla chunky riffs, rolling, liquid basslines, grittier than thou guitars and a collection of tunes, some whacked out, some just pure-bred mongrel dirty cock-rock but one and all ooze sleaze. All of this is capped off by Oliveri’s howling vocal, which is one part quasi-rockabilly yelp and one part maniacal roar. I think it’s fair to say, also, that the vox could either be a selling point or a deal breaker with MG records, and all despite Nicky’s reputed nurturing of the said vocal cords with a regimen of early nights, clean living and warm honey to preserve and prolong his unique style. Continue reading →

DESERT HIGHWAYS CONTRIBUTORS TOP 10 LIST’S (+ MORE) FOR 2018!

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Here’s a few of the Desert Highways team’s Top lists for 2018. Thank you all for your support again throughout 2018, it’s very much appreciated! Also a massive thanx to all of our contributors. Very proud to work with such an incredibly talented group of people!

Mark Ireland – Writer.

Best gigs 2018:
Power Trip – Bendigo Hotel.
Roger Waters – Rod Lavar Arena.
MAMMAL – Croxton Bandroom.
Streaker Gate Benefit Gig – Gasometer.
Meredith Music Festival: The Presets, Billy Bragg, Little Ugly Girls.
The Stems, Even – Northcote Social Club.
Boogie Festival: Cable Ties, Clowns, The Southern River Band, Birdcloud, Cash Savage.
Golden Plains Festival: Mogwai, Baker Boy, Black Angels.
Stiff Little Fingers – Croxton Bandroom.
Download Festival: NoFx, Hot Water Music, Prophets of Rage, Arch Enemy.
Beck – Margaret Court Arena.
David Byrne – Margaret Court Arena.
The Demon Parade – Psych Fest – The Tote Hotel.
Fuck The Fitzroy Doom Scene, El Colosso – Sookie Lounge.
Shame – The Tote Hotel.
Future Of The Left – The Old Bar.

Continue reading →

MINI MANSIONS ‘Midnight In Tokyo’ New Music Video.

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Following on from the release of their new EP Works Every Time, Mini Mansions have unveiled a music video for single ‘Midnight In Tokyo’.

Michael Shuman says of the video, “For a song birthed out of a life changing trip to Japan, it seemed only fitting to go back to the scene of the crime. This video was shot in one night out in Tokyo. We present to you the video for our new single “Midnight In Tokyo”.

 

The Gorillaz-inspired track is at the heart of the band’s new approach to songwriting. It captures the lifespan of a relationship, from falling in love to eventually breaking up, rooted in Michael’s own experience. Whereas his life was previously very detached in his songwriting – hence their past material’s more fantastical form – now it’s very much at the forefront.

‘Works Every Time‘ EP finds the band in their prime – open, honest, and full of real, tangible human emotion, but counterbalancing those feelings with musically fun songs. They almost didn’t make it to this point, though. After their last tour finished in 2015, each member returned to or started work on other projects. The EP follows on from Mini Mansion’s critically acclaimed 2015 debut album The Great Pretenders, tours with Tame Impala, Arctic Monkeys and Royal Blood, and slots at festivals like Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, and Bonnaroo.

Mini Mansions are singer and guitarist Michael Shuman (bassist of Queens of The Stone Age), bassist Zach Dawes (The Last Shadow Puppets), singer and keyboardist Tyler Parkford, with drummer Dash Hutton (HAIM, ex-Wires On Fire) joining the band on tour and Queens Of The Stone Age‘s Jon Theodore and Darren Weiss (ex-Papa) recording the drum tracks on the EP.

Stream / Buy / Download the EP HERE.

Mini Mansions: Site // Facebook // Instagram // Twitter // YouTube // Spotify // iTunes.


El Colosso – Not Drowning, Touring… Part 1 of 4…

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We’re lucky enough to have Koops, El Colosso vocalist, submitting a tour diary while they’re away on their European tour. We wish them all the best! Thanx Koops and El Colosso! – Ed.

In another few days the band that I sing in – El Colosso – is traveling to Europe for its first international tour. First tour of anywhere, actually. We haven’t toured Australia yet, apart from a few gigs in Ballarat, Bendigo and Frankston.

We’re heading off to play twenty-odd shows in thirty-odd days, promoting our debut album Pathways, taking in Germany, Slovakia, Belgium, France and Spain. It’s a tour that doesn’t just involve a crap-ton of money and a big flight to get there, but also a kind of leap-of-faith to remove ourselves from our families and jobs and commit to really living rock and roll every night for more than a month in a different city every day, in rooms full of perfect strangers, 14,000 kilometres away from everything we know.

Not fucking fantastic being away from our families though. In truth, that totally sucks.

Preparing for the tour has been a lot of work, but huge fun. We’ve not just stepped up rehearsals for the many weeks leading up to it, we’ve also been preparing new songs for our next record. AND we’ve also had the opportunity to play at The Forum, supporting South African band Seether. How many times have we all been at that venue and dared to dream of one day playing there? We were like kids in candy stores. Or just like the big bloody kids we really are playing at the Forum! But the new album is written, we are super-tight with our tunes, and all that remains is for us to get there and show a different part of the world what we can do. Continue reading →

RED FANG, Drunk Mums, Dirty Pagans. Fowlers Live, Adelaide. 16-05-2018.

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Words Will Oakeshott.
Photos Alex Kwong Photography.

If this event could be surmised in one phrase, the legend of Black Flag, part-time actor, writer, spoken word genius and prodigy of anything else which interests him, Henry Rollins captured this show’s essence with his quote: “Life is weird, great and dangerous”.

Adelaide quartet Dirty Pagans had the honour of opening the event and were hellbent on crafting a weird and wonderful statement about their art. In terms of the historical undulated road modern rock’n’roll has undergone for decades since its inception, this four-piece are on a mission to explore the majority of this genre’s pathway. Elements of southern rock, classical rock, thrash metal, hair metal, stoner rock and sludge rock were all combined to create a rather original sound. Featuring songs from their Dirty Pagans EP and recently released full-length VOLUME 1, Dirty Pagans left an imposing impression on the modest but very intrigued audience. It was slightly abnormal but on that same note, awe-inspiring also.

Continue reading →

BRYAN GILES (RED FANG) Interview.

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Interview Will Oakeshott.

Musicians expanding their horizons outside of their accomplished art-form has been a rather prevalent occurrence for quite some time. Whether film, television, fashion, business or any other avenue, it has been a movement that countless musicians have ventured toward with varying levels of success. For Oregon’s Stoner Metal band Red Fang, the quartet has somewhat followed suit by joining forces with Teutonic Wine Company, also from Portland, to create a European style red wine blend entitled “Red Fang Red”. As guitarist and vocalist Bryan Giles explains, the scenario came together rather organically:

“The winery is called ‘Teutonic’ and they are a local Portland small winery and they are just really into heavy metal and making wine.” He describes relatively straightforward – “They contacted us to see if we wanted to make a wine with them which we were understandably interested in doing, even though I don’t really know much about wine, but it sounded like a fun experience. We did actually go pick grapes, bottled the wine, corked the wine and sorted the vines around the vineyard. Sadly though, we had to kill all the ladybugs.” Continue reading →

NICK OLIVERI, My Left Boot. The Cherry Bar, Melbourne. 29-03-2017.

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Words Anthony Moore.
Photos Sally Townsend Photography.

For Australia it’s certainly turned into the year for the Kyuss / QOTSA member tour! Rex Everything with the Dwarves in April / May, Brant Bjork also May, QOTSA just announced they’re playing Splendour at the end of July and of course Mojo Burning bringing out Nick Oliveri!

As well as playing the Mojo Burning Fest in Brisbane, Oliveri has been touring and playing two sets a night. Firstly, his Death Acoustic set, a mix of covers and originals played on his acoustic yet sung like he’s on stage with a fully amplified band; and then a second electric set with a local backing band. For Melbourne it was the always impressive My Left Boot. Continue reading →

BRANT BJORK And The Low Desert Punk Band ‘Tao Of The Devil’ Album Review.

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Words El Jefe.

So it’s no secret that Kyuss have had a massive influence over the heavy / stoner / desert rock (whatever you want to call it; stoner works for me) scene since their inception in the late ‘80s. Tuning down to C, (although Homme claims he wasn’t familiar with Sabbath. Yeah, I’m skeptical too), and playing laidback heavy grooves. Garcia’s vocals were a huge part of the sound and influence, but it was Brant Bjork’s influence on Garcia that led to this vocal style; during Garcia’s audition suggested he try to sing slower and sang him an example. Bjork also hand a large hand in the songwriting. The rest is (musical) history.

‘The Gree Heen’ opens the ledger on Tao Of The Devil, and kicks off with a slick melodic droney run. Some jazzy drums are a cool touch too. Continue reading →

JOEL PARNELL (THE PARNELLS) Interview, launch gig details & more!

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Words Anthony Moore.
Photos Paul Dunham.

There are a few reasons why I wanted to do a Q&A with Joel Parnell, firstly, he writes exceptional pieces for Desert Highways, but that’s not the only reason, he’s also an awesome musician and songwriter. His newest creation, The Parnells (with younger brother Michael) are about to release their debut and do a double EP launch with Rathead at The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar.

I started with what I thought to be a ridiculous first question and Joel (who later admitted he was going to tell me to fuck off but wasn’t sure if I was being serious or not), went along and answered it beautifully.

Anthony Moore: Where does your band name come from?

Joel Parnell: Obviously the band name comes from our last name, which is Parnell. I guess we thought that it would be cool to use it because it has the feel of something like ‘The Ramones’ or ‘The Smiths’, only it actually is our real name. We also hope to bring in other Parnells on future records as most of the people in our family play music. If we have any success with the band, it would be nice to have made our name something to be proud of. Continue reading →

DESERT HIGHWAYS TOP 10 Releases for 2013 & more…

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First of all, a massive thanx to all who have supported Desert Highways and to all the bands I have worked with especially The Hidden Venture, Drifter, Don Fernando, Seedy Jeezus and TTTDC. 2013 has been a massive year including the release of the debut Desert Highways 7″ with friends all being a part of its release, Chainsaw Hookers, Electric Frankenstein, Ben Brown and Mr Frumpy.

The below 10 –> 1 list is from my HEAVY Magazine Staff Top 10 Albums for 2013 List, under that I had to add some more as it’s just so hard to narrow things down! Check out the HEAVY link for some more kick arse lists. Some amazing releases amongst them!

Top 10 Releases for 2013. Continue reading →