Back to Back

ORIGINS: Sydney, NSW

GENRE: Punk/Hardcore

YEARS ACTIVE: 1988-1990

 

MEMBERS:

• Con Barcode - Vocals
• Alison Murray - Bass
• Ken 'Putter' Weigert - Drums
• Shane Young - Guitar 
  
• Ashley Chatto - Guitar (1988-1990)

SUMMARY: First punk band for long term players Con Barcode, Ken Weigert, and Massappeal guitarist Ashley Chatto. Back to Back changed their name to Lowlife after a while and played a series of shows in Sydney with other punk bands of the era such as Massappeal, Mortal Sin, and Splatterheads. The band ended when Chatto moved on to join Massappeal. 

 

SHOWS: 

ORAL HISTORY:

ALISON: Back to Back started after listening to 'Gun in Mouth Blues' (Rollins Band song). There was myself, Con the Wog, Putter, and I think our dear friend Creature filled in on guitar until Ashley volunteered. We saw bands at least five nights a week... we met religiously every Wednesday arvo at the Crystal Palace Hotel (Sydney) and every Thursday at Waterfront Records. We'd go to Waterfront and buy a record and then go to the Palace after. On The Street was usually released Thursdays as well at around 8 or 9pm, with the ink still wet, so we'd plan our weekends around shows listed in it. We were all so close and trusting of each other. Massappeal were huge then and The Hard Ons were just about to crack it.

Alison Murray (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

CON: I was 19 and it was the best fun. Sometimes up to 15 people would be watching us rehearse and those times were loose. We once went to a pool party and I got naked all night. The parents were there and I was having a joint in the driveway and through an open kitchen window the mum asks, "Who's that naked boy in the backyard". A girl answered, "Mum, that's Con, come meet him - he's so nice". Then my mate let a girl (who'd never driven before) drive his car - our guitarist Ashley and I were on the roof racks and they snapped off when she skidded. We hit the road hard and walked the rest of the way to a mate's place. I then found a lounge chair on the side of the road... people had pissed on it and I carried it on my head. It was just shit like that every weekend, plus fights, hospitals, mad gigs, etc. Can't believe any of us survived. 

Con Barcode (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

ALISON: We practised once a week at The Music Box in Petersham but unfortunately it was only a block's walk from a sharehouse I'd moved in to - so there was lots of beer. 

Alison Murray (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

CON: We played with legends like Massappeal, Mortal Sin, Splatterheads, etc. We did six Black Flag covers, and played songs from Minor Threat, Weasels, Government Issue, and Samhain.

Con Barcode (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

ALISON: We played Black Flag and Minor Threat covers. We also had a good list of original songs - all fast hardcore type with a lot of guttural sounds. Putter was also really into The Police, so that was an influence. Early 7 Seconds was also an influence. We played weekly at the Teachers Club, which was up from the Trade Union Club. Played a few parties and opened for Massappeal a few times. One show was a Year 12 farewell night in a hall somewhere way out west. We played Flag covers all night and the schoolies were pissed. I yelled out, "Who likes Rolling Stones?" and everyone replied, "Meeee!". My response: "Too bad, we don't know any of their songs". The schoolies started throwing things at us. 

Alison Murray (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

ALISON: I think we changed our name to 'Lowlife' because there was something hard about printing 'Back to Back'. I hated the name 'Back to Back' anyway... 'Lowlife' was heaps easier to screenprint, haha. We later broke up when Ashleigh left to play in Massappeal and we couldn't find a new guitarist. Lucky we didn't print the hoodies. 

Alison Murray (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

CON: We finished up when Ashley joined Massappeal. When Massappeal supported bands like Sepultura he'd always put me on the door. Rest in peace my friend.  

Con Barcode (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

ALISON: Punk/hardcore shows back then were the best days of my life. Rough but friendly - everybody knew each other. They were all tough gigs, lots of sweat and smoke and spit and beer. 

Alison Murray (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

RELATED BANDS: Barcode the World, The Blurters, The Unknown, Impact Statement, Milat, Excessive Force, Ciggie Bludging Mission, Assimilators, Ratlicker, Massappeal, The Armalites, Crawlspace

Con Barcode

BANDS:

• Lowlife / Back to Back (1988-1990) - Vocals
• Barcode the World (1997) - Vocals
• The Unknown (1997-1998) - Bass
• The Blurters (1999-2003, 2019-Current) - Bass
• Impact Statement (2018-2020) - Vocals
• Milat (2019-Current) - Noise Project
• Excessive Force (2020-2021) - Vocals
  
• Ciggie Bludging Mission (2021) - Noise Project
• Assimilators (2019-Current) - Bass
• Ratlicker (2022) - Noise Project

SUMMARY: Con Barcode is probably best known for his zine and label Barcode the World, which helped to document the more DIY aspects of hardcore, punk, and noise in the '90s. Con also played in a range of bands, as seen above, and also worked as the tour manager for Toe to Toe during one of their most popular periods.

ORAL HISTORY: Collected in conversation with Con via email, 2024.

On Being in Bands:

I started in the mid-'90s... I figured I could do way more than just being a pissed punter. Plus I've always been involved in heaps of things - in my youth I played a bit but mostly put on shows, did the fanzine, distro, released stuff, etc. I'm not into wasting time. I know people that have sat on the couch smoking bongs since their early twenties and they're still there now, years later. I know talented musicians that have never recorded a CD. I've played on tons of releases and, okay, some are crap (like the noise stuff) but that's still better than doing nothing. My old partner in crime, Jay from Inner City Uprising, is in his early 50s and releasing and playing more than ever. It's only in the last several years that I've done most of my playing and recording. I've been in six bands with him after I turned 48 - I love it. 

 

The Blurters

 

Back in the '80s when I was 19 I was in Lowlife (which became Back to Back). Was pretty bad but we did play with legends like Massappeal, Mortal Sin, Splatterheads... we did six Black Flag covers, Minor Threat, Weasals, Gov. Issue, Samhain covers, as well as some crap originals. It was the best fun. Sometimes we'd have up to 15 people watching us rehearse and they'd be taking drugs and then we'd go out. The times were loose. We once went to a pool party and I got naked and stayed that way all night. The girl's parents were. I was having a joint in the driveway and through the open kitchen window the girl's mum asked, "Who's the naked boy in the backyard?" The girl answered, "Mum, that's Con. Come meet him, he's nice". Then my mate let a girl drive his car - she'd never driven before. The guitarist from Lowlife and I were on the roof racks and they snapped off when she skidded. We hit the road hard and walked the rest of the way to my mates' place. On my head I carried a lounge chair that I'd found on the side of the road. People had pissed on it and we didn't notice 'til the next day. It was just shit like that every weekend plus fights, hospitals, mad gigs, etc. 

 

My poor Greek parents were putting up with me coming home obliterated. I can't believe any of us survived. I don't even know why I did half the shit I did. Peer pressure and personal demons came into play - you gotta walk that line between partying, brain damage, and death. How much is too much? When do you slow down or stop? Life's changed now - I try to do anything healthy to reverse damage done but a lot of could be in vain. Doing more with musical projects helps a lot. 

 

The Lowlife guitarist Ashley later joined Massappeal and when they supported bands like Sepultura he always put me on the door. Rest in peace my friend.  

 

Zines

Looking back at my zine Barcode the World... I'm open-minded and positive but sometimes too open-minded crosses into offensive territory. You gotta understand there was a chasm of difference from the '80s and '90s to today's climate. Overall there was a lot of positivity as the zine also became a mail order / distro and everything else. 

I got the name from an old Christian poster depicting the end of the world with barcodes on everything. I've had it since the age of 12. I was influenced by zines such as Shitfest, which was a funny one. Psychosis and Betty Paginated were great too. There tons of zines back then. The zine Sick Puppy was insane.

 

The poster mentioned by Con

Making Barcode the World involved a lot of running around to friends' workplaces on weekends when their boss was out so I could print hundreds of issues - this meant that the first few issues were free. Same as stickers. I gave mates' designs and they used to deliver a shoebox of vinyl stickers and charge me only ten bucks. I flooded Australia with Barcode the World stickers. And having a van I returned favours by helping out anyone that needed anything moved. Great era!

I took a break from the zine after 2003 because of the time factor. I started playing more plus I was touring with Toe to Toe as their tour manager, doing art, was in a demanding relationship, etc. Plus those 23 issues took a lot to put together.

Con (on the right, on bass) in The Blurters

Shows

All Ages shows weren't that big back in the '80s. You just went to gigs. From 15 onward, no bottleshop, venue, or bar hassled us. Different times. No rules really, which was good in one way but totally irresponsible in other ways. Back then St James Tavern was the best Thursday night venue. Every night you could see everything from The Hard-Ons to Mortal Sin. The St James Tavern was also the first place the Rollins Band played in Australia. Tons of overseas bands payed there, plus there was a good mixed variety of different shit like Southern Fried Kidneys, Psychotic Turnbuckles, etc. I saw hundreds of bands there. Other great venues back then were the Lansdowne, the Sando, the Trade Union Club (with its two levels of bands), the Journos Club, the Teachers Club. The Hills Inn catered for metal stuff. Every venue was good back then.

 

One show that stands out... this overseas grind band had issues with venues fucking up their bookings and I pulled a few strings and got 'em a Friday and Saturday night at the Iron Duke with solid supports. The drummer met me and was being rude when someone informed him that I was responsible for saving their asses. Poor guy felt so bad but they went on and killed it - some world class thrash/grind. 

 

I met Scott (Toe to Toe) before he played in bands. We were 15 and met at a gig. He was then in the bands Death Mission and Under the Influence, both top bands, and I followed them religiously. He formed Toeys after that. I also knew Nick the Wog, their manager and the maddest ethnic ever, and that's how I became the Tour Manager for Toe to Toe. Nick played in a straight edge band before anyone knew what that was. He later became as straight edge as Iggy Pop. He was by '80s and '90s standards. Love the guy. I used to drive, lug gear, sell merchandise, and - most importantly - take care of all the cash because before me they'd spend their money on Bolivian export and would party like mad. I got 'em back on a diet of just whiskey, beer and cigarettes because I cared about 'em. It was a very busy period in my life. I got to see Public Enemy, Hellacopters, and others, as well as Toeys all the time. It was the best period for me doing Barcode the World, Toe to Toe, playing in The Blurters, and going out with a goddess. It was non-stop everything.

 

Con in Milat

Record Label

I put out compilations and as far as bands were concerned, it was first-in, best-dressed. Anything DIY, I have 'em a go - so some hip-hop, electronica, and all kinds of genres made it onto those comps. It's great that decades later I meet people that appreciate how I helped their band and so on, it was such a great era and the last one before social media came along and turned people into sickeningly vain idiots. 

I released 7 videos, 3 of which were later released on a DVD. I still have hundreds of hours of unreleased stuff. 

 

ZINES: Read more about Bar Code the World here.

The Blurters

Impact Statement

Impact Statement