reck'n'roll: March 2013

I tell ya what...there must be something in the friggin water up Newcastle way methinks...I've only just realised how many bands I dig have come out of the area....sorta like Scotland provided a good percentage of our rockers ...well, so has Newy...I could live without the soccer fans but thats another blog about another favourite thing...

Now, I think that a goodly percentage of orstraylians, if asked, could probably only name one or two Jets titles ...those would be BETTER and F.R.C...c'mon you know you like singing F.R.C...you cant fool moi....you could probably chuck in Blue Sashes or Shivers as well...also top tunes

Anyway....Like all good, classic rock bands, The Screaming Jets were formed in January 1989 in Newcastle by three members of a high school band, Aspect: singer Dave Gleeson, bass guitarist Paul Woseen and guitarist Grant Walmsley. Gleeson and Walmsley had met in 1981 at St Francis Xavier’s College in Hamilton, they first performed together for a school dance at the Newcastle Town Hall

They formed Sudden Impact in 1985, which later became Aspect; Woseen joined in 1988.....Other founding members of The Screaming Jets were guitarist Richard Lara and former The Radiators' drummer Brad Heaney Their first performance was as The Love Bomb at a Newcastle pub in

March.....Renamed as The Screaming Jets, they won the inaugural National Band Competition run by youth radio broadcaster Triple J in November. They relocated to Sydney by early 1990 and supported The Angels on a national tour. In May, they signed with independent label, rooArt.

Their debut extended play (EP), The Scorching Adventures of the Screaming Jets, was issued in December.

Through late 1990, The Screaming Jets became famous OR infamous, depending on which side of the parent /child paradime you were on, for a series of raucous, sometimes violent, live shows.

BETTER

During shows to launch the debut EP, fights often broke out as the band's faithful Newcastle fans mixed with the new Sydney fans (HMMM...SOUNDS LIKE THE SQUADRONS PARENTS WERE JETS FANS)

In April 1991, The Screaming Jets released their debut studio album All for One which peaked at No. 2 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Albums Chart and spawned a No. 4 hit single, "Better".The album showed influences from Van Halen, AC/DC and The Angels. It reached the Top 50 on the ARIA End of Year Albums Chart for 1991.Two top 40 singles, "Stop the World" and "Shine On", followed The controversial track "F. R. C." ("Fat Rich C**ts") was a crowd favourite – a live version was released on Stealth Live! (EP, 1991) – which Gleeson would dedicate to Michael Gudinski or Russ Hinze at concerts. At times, "F. R. C." was performed by guest vocalists from Mortal Sin, The Choirboys or The Angels.

Following the album's release, the group relocated to the United Kingdom where they based themselves for over two years. They toured there, the rest of Europe and the United States and supported varied hard rock and heavy metal bands. Their third EP, Living in England, was issued in June 1992 and included cover versions of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" and AC/DC's "Ain't No Fun (Waiting Round to Be a Millionaire)".The EP spawned the title single, "Living in England", which peaked in the top 20 in July.

The Screaming Jets' second album Tear of Thought was released in October 1992 on rooArt in Australia and Europe, and on Atlantic Records in the US. The band supported Ugly Kid Joe on a European tour in 1993, when Heaney was fired mid-tour. He was temporarily replaced by ex-Judas Priest

drummer Dave Holland. A cover single of Boys Next Door's "Shivers" peaked into the Top 20 in February 1993,

while the album eventually reached No. 3 in July 1994. Heaney was permanently replaced in the line-up by former BB Steal drummer Craig Rosevear, also from Newcastle, in July 1993. In January 1994, after a US tour backing Def Leppard, Lara was replaced by Melbourne guitarist Jimi "The Human" Hocking (ex-Spectre 7). Both "Helping Hand" (March) and "Tunnel" (August) were Top 40 singles from Tear of Thought.

While The Screaming Jets remained only moderately successful overseas, in Australia they became one of the top-drawing live bands of the 1990s, their singles often charted and they achieved the rare distinction of being embraced by both commercial and indie-music focused radio.

In September 1995, The Screaming Jets released their third album, The Screaming Jets, which peaked at No. 5. It was co-produced by the band with Robbie Adams (U2).It was the first CD launched via live Webcast. The double-A sided single, "Friend of Mine" / "Sad Song", was issued in October and reached the top 50. The group continued to tour and started recording their fourth album, World Gone Crazy late in 1996, it was released in August 1997 and peaked into the top 20

The album was produced by Steve James and rooArt had passed their contract to BMG.

Hocking had left by June and was replaced on guitar by Ismet "Izzy" Osmanovic (ex-Judge Mercy).BMG released a compilation album, Hits and Pieces in November 1999. One new track, "I Need Your Love" was issued as a single and the limited edition included an eight-track bonus disc.

By the late 1990s the band were touring less and had not released an album of new material since 1996. As well as undertaking the extensive Last Great Rock’n’Roll Show of the Century Australian tour which was launched in November 1999, the group had started recording their next studio album, Scam, with former Skyhooks producer Ross Wilson.By early 2000 Rosevear left to be replaced by on drums by Col Hatchman.
The Screaming Jets released their fifth studio album, Scam, in October 2000 on Grudge Records through Universal Music.

They were selected to tour with Kiss and Alice Cooper in 2001. In June the band performed their last concert in Newcastle before an extended break from touring and recording. The live album, Live Forever, of the show was released in December 2002. They did not play live again until mid-2004.

Since 2004 they continued to record and tour, though not as much as the the early 1990s and signed with Universal Records. They recorded another EP, Heart of the Matter, which was released in August 2004.

AINT NO FUN

In November, Hatchman left the group, his last performance was recorded for a live CD (Rock On), and associated DVD (Rock On), both were released in 2005, on Liberation Records. Hatchman was replaced by current drummer Mickl "The Slayer" Sayers formerly of Sydney band Tripguage.

In October 2006, four Screaming Jets songs were listed in the Triple M Essential 2006 Countdown: "Helping Hand" (voted 447 out of 2006), "Eve of Destruction" (voted 683 out of 2006), "Shivers" (voted 1588 out of 2006) and "My Badger Drinks" (voted 1596 out of 2006)...and I'm proud to say that I voted ...thankyou, thankyou very much

Early in 2007, founding member and guitarist Walmsley left the band and was replaced by Scotty Kingman, who engineered the band's next album, Do Ya. According to Dave, Walmsley left because his external commitments interfered with the band's schedules. Walmsley formed indie roots band, Agents of Peace, in Newcastle with Rod Ansell on harmonica, saxophone, guitar and vocals; Travis May on piano and organ; and Allon Silove on double bass and vocals.

SHIVERS

In October 2008, The Screaming Jets released Do Ya through StockXchange Music, which is distributed by Sony Music. New songs "141" and "Do Ya" became regular live additions to their set lists. In October 2009, Osmanovich left and Hocking returned to the line-up.

Live shows from The Screaming Jets were infrequent through 2010 and 2011. In September, 2011, The Screaming Jets joined Rose Tattoo, The Baby Animals and The Poor for A Concert For Clarkie - a sold-out show at Sydney's Enmore Theatre in tribute to Greg Clarke.

On 7 January 2012, the Screaming Jets played the Summernats festival in Canberra, to more than 9000 people.

During the show, lead singer Dave Gleeson announced the band would be "taking a break." An emotional farewell took place onstage between band members during the last song.

In May, 2012, lead singer Dave Gleeson announced on his MMMFM radio show The Screaming Jets would reunite "sometime in 2013" to record a new album.....Gleeson also recorded with The Angels doing their new album "Take it to the Streets" and a rocking album it is.....A documentary charting the history of The Screaming Jets is now in production.

In mid-April, 2013, The Screaming Jets will play one live show in Sydney. It will be their first live performance in 15 months.

Current line-up

Dave Gleeson – vocals (1989–present)

Paul Woseen – bass guitar, backing vocals (1989–present)

Jimi "The Human" Hocking – guitar (1993–1997, 2009–present)

Mickl "The Slayer" Sayers – drums (2005–present)

Scott Kingman – guitar (2007–present)

Previous members

Grant Walmsley – guitar, backing vocals (1989–2007)

Brad Heaney – drums (1989–1993)

Richard Lara – guitar (1989–1993)

Craig Rosevear – drums (1993–1999)

Ismet "Izzy" Osmanovic – guitar, backing vocals (1998–2009)

Col Hatchman – drums (2001–2004)

All for One (1991)

Tear of Thought (1992)

The Screaming Jets (1995)

World Gone Crazy (1997)

Scam (2000)

Heart Of The Matter EP (2004)

Do Ya (2008)

and a quick plug for a interesting enterprise

G'day...

NOW to say that I keep my music and politics as far apart as humanly possible is a given, I'm a firm believer in entertaining, not preaching when it comes to muso's, whether this makes me weird or not..well...I dont give a......

So now, your probably wondering were the hell, I have time for a band like the Oils, and your right, Peter Garretts politicking onstage, whether it comes from a good place or not, I found it all a bit unnecessary...BUT F**k me if they aint a rockin band..

It would be fair to say, that I have a few of their tunes on my mp3 gizmo...these tunes may or may not include classics along the lines of ....Blue Sky Mine, Bus to Bondi, King of the Mountain, U.S Forces and Power and the Passion...BUT...my all time fave Oily tune is "Hercules"..get into it , a true Aussie classic

The band members are pretty shit hot muso's, I must admit, Rob Hirst is an absolute thunderous drummer, Bones I'm sure has killed a bass amp or 3 in his day, Rotsey is a highly underated axe man and Garrett cant dance, but that never stopped him

Midnight Oil, also known as "The Oils" to fans, started in '72, originally performing as Farm with drummer Rob Hirst, and bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie.

Vocalist Peter Garrett was studying at Australian National University in Canberra and he answered an advertisement for a singer/synth player spot in Farm and by 1975 the band was touring the east coast.

By late 1976, Garrett moved to Sydney to complete his law degree,and Farm changed its name to Midnight Oil by drawing the name out of a hat....also in the hat were the names Televison and Southern Cross, but Midnight Oil was the winner.

One major player of importantance to their development was manager Gary Morris who was able to negotiate favourable contracts with tour promoters and record companies and frustrate rock journalists..like Bruce Elder, who Morris BANNED due to his lopsided reviews, I remember Elders stuff, I dont like the bloke either..so, cudo's to Gary then

Guitarist Martin Rotsey joined in 1977 and Midnight Oil and with Morris, established their own record label Powderworks, which released their debut album in November 1978, and their first single "Run by Night" followed in December.

Founding bass guitarist James, forced to leave due to illness in 1980, was replaced by Peter Gifford. Gifford was himself replaced by Bones Hillman in 1987.

The Oil’s albums which roared to the top in the Australian charts were 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Red Sails in the Sunset, Species Deceases, Diesel and Dust, Blue Sky Mining, Scream in Blue (Live), Earth and Sun and Moon, Breathe, 20,000 Watt R.S.L., Redneck Wonderland, The Real Thing, Capricornia and Flat Chat....a pretty impressive run by anyone's standards

With Australian Top Ten singles "Power and the Passion", "The Dead Heart", "Beds Are Burning" and "Blue Sky Mine". Aside from chart success, both "Power and the Passion" and "Beds Are Burning" were listed by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) in the Top 30 best Australian songs of all time in 2001

HERCULES

Sometime late in 2002, Garrett's urge to shake up Canberra took full control and he announced that he was going full time into federal politics and Midnight Oil disbanded.

But the boys would reform for two warm-up shows in Canberra leading up to their performance at one of the "Sound Relief" charity concerts, in honour of the victims of the "Black Saturday" fires and the "Queensland floods..I got the dvds of the Sound Wave shows and Garrett was on fire , Hirst was denting his drum rims and the band in general were rocking

Midnight Oil won eleven Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Awards during its career, including induction into the Hall of Fame in 2006. At the induction, ARIA chairman Denis Handlin described Midnight Oil as true legends that always led by example in a uniquely Australian way with music that is powerful, uncompromising, inspiring, entertaining and enduring.