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JJ McCann Transmission

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  James McCann is back with a new LP, as well as new band name, and even different first name. JJ’s latest recording, Hit with Love, is 12 cracking original tracks that combine elements of 80s post punk, and plenty of tracks that is almost impossible to compare to any other band or recording. Produced by Rob Younger, Hit with Love is another solid entry onto McCann’s already exceptional back catalogue. For me he’s one of the country’s great singer/songwriters of the last twenty years. We spoke with JJ via telephone on the release date of his new LP. Munster: On this new record your billed as JJ McCann as opposed to James. Why? JJ: I just got sick of hearing my own name you know (laughs). JJ’s been my nickname since I was born. Friends and extended family call me JJ, its funny sometimes out the blue someone will shout “Hey JJ”, and I act immediately. So, I thought I’ll use JJ McCann, try and shorten it. I should have used it years ago. Don’t know why I didn’t, its catcher. Munst
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Rinehearts

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  Perth Power poppers Rinehearts are back with their latest release, the excellent LP Full Bloom. Full of amazing pop songs, it is a great mixed bag of lollies, with a assortment of some loud stuff and some softer more caring tunes. Produced by Dom Mariani, the recording is top notch, with some of the most beautiful backing vocals put to tape. Instruments such as keyboard come and go, and it really is a master collaboration between a great producer and a band in full flight. We spoke with Singer songwriter Benny J Ward about the new record, as well as his solo recording and working with Dom. Benny: the band I spent most of my 20s in was more power pop/rock n roll, with a pinch of punk. When they finished up, I wanted to do some faster stuff. But its also got to do with other people’s tastes as well. If I’m prudently starting the ideas, maybe they generate from a certain field, but it all comes together from other people as well. The Rinehearts thing, Mitch who plays bass, and Russ
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Jenny Don’t and the Spurs

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  Portland outfit Jenny Don’t and the Spurs have been recording and playing for the last ten years and show no signs of slowing down. A supergroup combining members of Don’t, Wipers and Pierced Arrows, the Spurs combines the fast energy of garage and punk, with the attitude of outlaw country. If Patsy Cline started a band with some ratbags hanging around CBGBs it would sound like this. We spoke with singer/guitarist Jenny Connors and her husband, and also Spurs bass player Kelly Halliburton from their Portland home a week before they land in Australia for their second Spurs tour. Munster: I saw on the anti-social media outlets the band was in Revolver Studio the other day. A new release in the works? Jenny: we were there everyday last week and then yesterday was our last day. We did 12-hour days every day. It’s been fun recording with Collin Hegna (Brian Jonestown Massacre), and everything is tracked and ready, tried to have it done before we hit the road. Munster: any release
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Gemma White

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  Melbourne based poet Gemma White late last year dropped her second book, Oh My Rapture. The initial theme of the book is poems that where responses to Nick Caves Red Hand Files, but the core of the topics are the mundane little things that make life fascinating. Oh My Rapture comes off the back of Gemma’s first book, Furniture is Disappearing, another set of autobiographical poems that shows everyday story’s that we can all relate to, that are more fascinating that anything you see on telly these days. Short story’s with minimum word use that grab the reader that will make you laugh, cry, or draw any kind of emotion. That’s the showing of a true wordsmith, that can get a response from there reader under a 100 words. Munster: what was it about poetry that appealed to you? Gemma:  why poetry? It’s kind of the laziest form of writing I can do. If I was to write a novel, I’m like oh my god how I would even do that. With poetry its little fragments of life, little fragments of time, and w
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Simon Juliff

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After a long break from making music, Simon Juliff (The Roys) returns with a new LP, his first  solo LP titled Stars. And while he may not have been in the studio or on stage for a long while, Simon has spent the last few years dabbling away at writing tunes at his own leisure. Stars is a ripper LP and the first released on the revamped legendary Melbourne label Dog Meat Records. Produced by Joel Sibersher, Stars features some great powerpop and ballads, it so good it makes me hope it doesn’t take Simon another 16 years to put out another record. Munster: Is Stars your first release since the Roys, in 2007? Simon: it is. I was dormant for that time, I was just writing songs and occasionally thinking about doing something else, forming a new band or getting the old band back together. And not getting around to it, having kids and all that. Munster: so for all that time you were writing for your own enjoyment? Simon: yeah and I played songs my brother, and my friends, sometimes wit
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The Schizophonics

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Combining elements of 60s garage, funk, soul and old time rock n roll showmanship, the Schizophonics are one of the hardest working bands you’ll see. And I mean that on stage. Singer/guitarist Pat Beers comes across like a mix between Jerry Lew Lewis and an eight year old kid on too much red cordial, the man never stops, while some singers take 5 to get a breath Pat keeps the party going with some amazing onstage moves that would score high in any Olympic gymnastics competition. While the bass often switches, Pat and Lety Beers are the core and soul of the group. The two of them, along with their beautiful dog Beanie, spoke to me via the zoom machine on the eve of their return to Oz Munster:   you guys are about to come down for your third Down Under tour, the first tour I saw you guys in a packed out room at the Tote, but the second tour was for many people there last gig before the pandemic. Lety: that was crazy. We started in New Zealand, then we went to Australia. Then we were
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