reck'n'roll: ROSE TATTOO - BAD BOYS (and nice guys) OF AUSSIE ROCK

Rose Tattoo , it can be argued is at the very top of my list of fave bands, seen them a couple of dozen times probably, at most of the classic "pub rock" venues around town, like the Sefton Pub, Punchbowls Sundowner Hotel, Bondi Lifesaver, Revesby Roundhouse, Bexley North Hotel, Maroubra Seals, Forest Inn, remember pub rock, all really good music , hardly any fkn dickheads?..well in my experience anyway...and also saw them at big gigs like Narara and How to shut a jail properly

Angry Anderson, formerly of Buster Brown and slide guitarist Peter Wells, bass player in Buffalo got together in late 75 in Sydney they were soon joined by another guitarist, guitarist Mick Cocks, bassist Ian Rilen and drummer Dallas “Digger” Royal, the group made their public debut on New Year’s Eve at the local club Chequers, although to be honest I didnt see them till i saw the clip for bad boy for love and rock'n'roll outlaw....i dont know who talked Pete into wearing a vest and tie for the outlaw clip, as a matter of fact they were all fairly niftily attired for that clip.....and then of course was the famous moment on Countdown when Angry decided to french kiss Mick Cocks, it got them banned by the ABC, which probably shifted sales through the roof.

Like I said, I saw them quite a few times, and I must say that Angry is quite the philosopher on stage, he gave a few "hmmm, thats an interesting thing to say" moments...anyway to the music, the band’s debut single “Bad Boy for Love” was written by Ian Rilen, who left the lineup prior to the record’s release, among their best known songs are “We Can’t Be Beaten”, “Scarred for Life” and “Bad Boy for Love” also co-written by Ian Rilen...my favorite songs were and still are Manzil madness, magnum maid and One of the boys.

Their first four albums were produced by Harry Vanda and George Young ....Along with AC/DC and The Angels, Rose Tattoo helped establish an Australian rock sound in the 1970s that was copied around the world for example Guns 'n 'Roses are famous for covering Nice Boys (don't play rock'n'roll) and some could argue that the Gunners first ep sounds very Tatt like

The Tatt's hard-rocking sound quickly earned a devoted following in the Sydney area and then world wide cult status......

however the band broke up in 1987, and Angry released a solo album " Beat from a Single drum" that in actual fact wasn't doing much good until Neighbour's used the song "Suddenly" during Kylie Minogue's characters wedding, the single went through the roof, but got pipped for the top spot by Kylie's version of Grand Funks classic Locomotion

... then in 1989 while Angry was writing and recording in LA, came another hit single in the shape of "Bound for Glory" he rang the boys and got the band back together but since you cant keep a good thing down,they reformed to support Guns'n'Roses in 1993, went their seperate ways again after the tour but got back together in 1998.....the last time i saw the Tatts on Aussie soil was the Boggo Road jail "JAILHOUSE ROCK" closing concert along with Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs, saw them a few years later at Wacken in Germany and recently got a copy of the Boggo road gig on DVD, so i can relive my
youth almost
daily ....hahahaha

NOW..fave Tatt tracks...well, there is quite a few BUT, I'll trim it down for ya...here go's

SCARRED FOR LIFE

BAD BOY FOR LOVE

BUTCHER & FAST EDDIE

ROCK'N'ROLL OUTLAW

BRANDED

ONE OF THE BOYS

MANZIL MADNESS

MAGNUM MAID

UNION MAN

ONE MORE DRINK WITH THE BOYS

THE RADIO SAID ROCK'n'ROLL WAS DEAD.

..and the single greatest lyric in aussie rock history was penned by the tatts in the song STUCK ON YOU and I quote " I had a fish named Sam, he lived in a bowl..I heated up the water so he wouldn't get cold"...Sheer Brilliance

In August 2006, they were inducted into the (ARIA) Hall of Fame.

Sadly five former members have died in recent years including four of the original recording line-up, Dallas Royall (1991), Peter Wells (2006), Ian Rilen (2006) and Mick Cocks (2009), and Lobby Loyde (2007), who was a member between October 1979 and September 1980.