Orstralia: A Punk History

It's hard to believe that a 'definitive' history of Australian punk had simply never been attempted before now. In his two-volume magnum opus Orstralia, Tristan Clark more than attempts such a feat - he manages to successfully synthesise three decades of multiple subgenres into a comprehensive narrative. 

 

It's impressive to see such a diverse and multifaceted history hammered into a recognisable shape of sorts.  

 

Orstralia not only shines a light on bands that are often obscure and inherently resistant to documentation, it also makes sense of a cultural movement that has endured well beyond the realm of gimmickry or faddishness. A huge part of what makes this text such a cultural touchstone is Clark's ambition in telling what amounts to six separate but interrelated stories - prior to 1901, Australia was (politically speaking) not a nation but a collection of colonies. Much has been written about the 'tyranny of distance' that characterises Australia's history and social development, however, Orstralia ponders the eruption of punk in each of the six states that grew out of these colonies and (on at least a subconscious level) considers the question: how did punk manage to happen in a country so large and isolated?

Orstralia began as a single volume but, as Clark's research took him deeper and deeper he eventually found himself six years into writing and with more than enough material for probably three books. I was curious how someone could plan and pull together something so audacious. 

Here's an interview with Tristan Clark to help answer this question! 

What drew you towards attempting something as ambitious as Orstralia?

I really began from a place of naivety so I'm not sure I grasped the ambitious of such a project. Nor was I cognisant of just how much of my non-working time would be consumed in the years to follow. I'd recently reread Inner City Sound by Clinton Walker which, while a cool artefact, was limited in its scope when documenting early Australian punk. I also read David Nichol's history of Australian rock 'n' pop, which kind of dismissed the post-70s wave of punk. It became apparent that there was need for a comprehensive history like that which already existed for most of the other nations who were early adopters of punk. Given I was working a loathsome customer service job at the time it seemed like something meaningful to undertake.

What was your primary method of collecting testimony and documenting these bands? How did you figure out which bands to focus on?

I initially just messaged people through social media and thankfully nearly all of them were receptive to an interview. My planning was minimal at best, though, so I had no real formula for what those would look like. I knew, however, that I didn't want them to follow a rigid question and answer format. Most interviews were conducted by phone, the remainder split between in-person and email. My method quickly evolved into fairly loose questioning that lent itself to more conversational interviews which yielded far more engaging responses.

I tried to keep the parameters of who would qualify to be in the book quite broad. As to which bands I sought to specifically focus on, in the beginning it was just whoever was willing to speak to me. As I collected more interviews it became a bit more targeted; some was for my own curiosity or fandom, but also acknowledging there was a set of groups that people would desire attention be given to. But I was very conscious of not limiting it to the most obvious bands and locations and desiring to see what I could excavate beyond that.

I was especially impressed that the book made 'space' for a range of different people... I feel like the intersectionality of punk subculture and LGBTQ identities is rarely looked at, so it was great to see this in the '90s volume. Did you set out to shine a light on the extra-marginalised within an already marginalised community?

It's no great revelation to describe punk in Australia as having been predominantly white, straight and male. I tried to balance the desire of acknowledging people who fell outside that characterisation with the hazard of it becoming disproportionate and not reflecting the reality. To be honest, I was actually a little anxious that the books would be critiqued for a paucity of voices beyond its dominant demographic so it's nice to hear that was not your impression. It would be great for the area of more marginalised people within Australian punk to be explored with serious, but as a white, straight male it is definitely for someone else to take up such a project.

Something else I've noticed is that you've managed to capture a few voices of people who've passed away in more recent times. I'm guessing this is one of the bittersweet things about spending six years working on such a project... was there ever a point where you felt like you could spend six more years on it? How did you decide when to stop?

Just from the people I interviewed, twelve had died by the time the books were released which, without looking at mortality statistics, seems an inordinate number out of two hundred-odd people. That sense of temporality maybe propelled me to get the project concluded both as a tribute and through desire to not have it remain unfulfilled. There was no specific target I sought to reach that would indicate the end, but instead a simple realisation that there was already way too much material. Having been about five years and an incalculable number of hours by then, I just wanted to have it finished and be able to move on with my life. Little did I know it would be a further few years of editing, collecting images, waiting, more waiting, and then the responsibilities that came before and after the realise. But I don't wish to portray all that negatively or as overly burdensome. I most;y loved the experience and it's been a thrill to see it come out and the response to it.  

What's the strangest or most surprising thing you uncovered in your research?

While writing the book I began a job where I work with a sizeable number of neurodivergent young people. From my interactions with them, I began to detect similar characteristics and traits in the people I was interviewing for the book - others even divulged their diagnoses to me. I still go to shows fairly regularly and I made the further connection that so many of the people who are currently involved in punk, or who I have known when they did so previously, have some form of neurodivergence, IE. Autism and ADHD. I'm unaware if someone has ever formally studied neurodivergence in punk but my hunch would be that it has quite a disproportionate presence.

I remember reading that Orstralia was originally planned as a single volume but that the size led to it being split into two. How difficult was this to do? Is there a neat division between the two eras?

The original manuscript ran to over 250 000 words. PM Press said it was fantastic and agreed to publish it but also that it needed to be half the length. Given that '90s Australian punk doesn't possess quite the same cachet overseas as the earlier stuff it seemed an obvious decision to excise it. I was then left with this entire unused section and the decision of what to do with it. I tried recording it as an audiobook/podcast but my pronunciation of every 'p' sounded like I was violently spitting into the mic (in a book where 'punk' occurs repeatedly) and kind of ruined it. After ignoring the issue for a while, I finally settled on self-publishing that section. In terms of a division between the two eras it does feel like there was something of an interregnum moving between the decades. The late '80s was the waning of the hardcore period and the number of bands seemed fewer. Then into the '90s you had the beginnings of what would become grunge and alternative which had something of a revitalising effect on punk given the resurgent interest in heavier, guitar-driven music.

Do you have plans to look at the '00s era at all?

I feel that maybe not enough time has elapsed - or at least since the 2010s - to justify writing that history just yet. Punk also became so big and diffuse post-2000 that it would be quite an arduous task to gather it all together. Given these two books consumed near eight years of my life I don't desire to continue. But I'd certainly love to see someone else take on that project one day. 

So what's next for you? Any other creative pursuits in mind?

I'm actually attempting to write a novel. Which if you informed my high school English teachers would likely humour them given my disinterest at the time. It's historical fiction based on the New Guard who were a right-wing paramilitary group in NSW in the '30s. Is possibly a terrible idea but is enjoyable at the least.

Thanks Tristan, I've enjoyed hearing about your process!

Thanks heaps for the interview.

The Bedlam Beggars

ORIGINS: Sydney, NSW

GENRE: Punk, Oi!, Ska

YEARS ACTIVE: 1994-2003

 

MEMBERS:

• Garry - Vocals
  
• Tony Avery - Guitar 
• Dave Ostler - Bass (1994-1996)
  
• Mark 'Milli' Avery - Guitar (1994-1996), Bass (1996-1998)
  
• Mark 'Carlos' Black - Bass (1999-2001)
• Matt - Drums (1994-1995)
  
• Simon - Drums (1996-2003)
• Jimmy Jazz - Trumpet (1997)
  
• Chris Brasche - Trumpet (1997-2003)
  
• Serg - Saxophone (1998-1999)
  
• Arwen - Saxophone (1997)
  
• Simon Weekes - Saxophone (2000-2003)
  
• Ruffy - Trombone (1997-2003)
  
• Merrick Moule - Keyboard (1997-2003)
• Benny Stephens - Bass (2002-2003)
• Erin - Bass (1998)
• Mark A - Bass (1998, 2000)
• Doug - Bass (1998)
• Lightning Jack - Bass (1999)
  
• Alistair Ferguson - Bass (1999)
• Will - Bass (1999)
• David Taylor - Bass (1999)
  

RELEASES: 

 

• Wake Up Dad (1997) - Download Here.
  
• 1. T.R.G.
• 2. Aint Nowhere to Go
• 3. Rudeboy
• 4. I Seen It
• 5. Sweet Talkin' Girl
• 6. Lock Me Up
• 7. Oi, Wake Up Dad

•  Rudeboy (1999) - Download Here.
  
• 1. Rudeboy
• 2. Who Shot Cyrus?
• 3. Aint Nowhere to Go

• Smokerings for Haloes (2000) - Download Here.
• 1. Livin' It Up
• 2. Young Love
• 3. Just Can't Get It
• 4. Sweet Talkin' Girl
• 5. Walkin' the Streets
• 6. Bootgirl
• 7. In Denial
• 8. Under Pressure (You're No Good)

• Compilation-only Tracks
• 'Rudeboy' [1998, live version] - on Pulling on the Boots compilation.
• 'TRG'[1997, unreleased studio recording] on Rare Cuts, the Noise Levels compilation.
• 'Plastic Gangsters' [1999, live cover] on Rare Cuts, the Noise Levels compilation.

SUMMARY: Formed as a four piece punk band by Port Macquarie brothers Tony and Mark Avery and their friend Garry in the north coast town of Wauchope, the band was initially known as the Ides of March. The band moved to Sydney, changing their name to Murphy's Lawyers and then the Bedlam Beggars, quickly developing into one of the most popular Sydney ska-punk bands in the mid to late '90s. Garry booked the shows while Tony organised the band, and the Bedlam Beggars became a renowned local headlining act with high energy, and a dependable support for international bands (Citizen Fish, Bouncing Souls, Guttermouth, No Fun at All, Buck-O-Nine, The Offbeats). The band moved through a rotating roster of players until Tony moved to Melbourne in 2000. Upon Tony's return, the band re-formed for a couple of years before finishing for good when Garry moved back to the country.

SHOWS: 

• House Party, Wauchope - unknown date, 1995 (as The Ides of March)
  
• The Journalist's Club, Sydney - unknown date, 1996 (as The Ides of March)
• House Party, Sydney - unknown date, 1996 (as The Ides of March)
  
• House Party, Erskineville- 1st March, 1997 
• House Party, Erskineville - 8th June, 1997
  
• Iron Duke, Alexandria - 7th August, 1997 
• House Party, Erskineville - 20th September, 1997
  
• Manning Bar, University of Sydney - 22nd November, 1997 
• Iron Duke, Alexandria - 29th November, 1997
  
• Pulling on the Boots, Iron Duke, Alexandria - 6th and 7th December, 1997
• The Globe, Newtown - 21st March, 1998
  
• The Globe, Newtown - 13th May, 1998
• The Globe, Newtown - 9th July, 1998
• Pulling on the Boots CD Launch, Iron Duke, Alexandria - 1st August, 1998
• The Globe, Newtown - 13th September, 1998
• Bondi Diggers, Bondi - 26th September, 1998
• Newtown Festival, Newtown - unknown date, November, 1998
  
• Surf Skate Slam Tour, Maroubra Beach, Sydney - 21st November, 1998
  
• The Globe, Newtown - 27th November, 1998
• The Goodbar, Paddington - 24th March, 1999
• Newtown RSL, Newtown - 9th April, 1999
• Sandringham Hotel, Newtown - 25th June, 1999
• Moonstomp '99, Green Square, Zetland - 14th August, 1999
• House Party (The Wastelands), St Peters - August/October, 1999
• Iron Duke, Alexandria - 15th October, 1999
• The Globe, Newtown - 16th October, 1999
• Punx Picnic, Sydney Park, St Peters - 20th November, 1999 [DAY SHOW]
• Iron Duke, Alexandria - 20th November, 1999 [NIGHT SHOW]
• Green Square, Zetland - 7th April, 2000 
• Iron Duke, Alexandria - 7th April, 2000
• Newtown RSL, Newtown - 8th April, 2000
• Iron Duke, Alexandria - 28th April, 2000
• Iron Duke, Alexandria - 20th May, 2000
• Iron Duke, Alexandria - 21st May, 2000
  
• Vic on the Park, Marrickville - 20th December, 2002
• Empire Hotel, Annandale - 22nd February, 2003
• Bat and Ball, Surry Hills - 19th July, 2003
• Empire Hotel, Annandale - 2nd August, 2003
• Iron Duke, Alexandria - 4th September, 2003
  
• Newtown Festival, Newtown - unknown date, November, 2003
  

ORAL HISTORY:

GARRY: Tony and I went to school together in Wauchope, and the first incarnation of the band was formed in '94 with us two, his brother Milli, and a drummer and a bass player who were also from Wauchope. I was originally a drummer but we had two of those and no singer - I think I drew the short straw. The first time I sung live was at a party with the original bassplayer Dave, original drummer Matt, Milli, and Phil Jameson (Grinspoon) on guitar. We did a rousing rendition of 'TNT' (AC/DC). Jameson wasn't in the band, he just happened to be at the same party - there weren't that many musos in school - every year kinda had a band; he was a couple of years below us. Above us was Brett and Glen, who became Public Hanging. Anyway, me, Milli, Tony, and Dave all moved to Sydney together around '95. A lot of the songs were written before we left Wauchope. We'd all lived together in a shack in the bush and just played music, drank homebrew, and swam in the river which flowed past the house. The first few months in Sydney, Tony and I slept in a van. Then Dave got a job on fishing trawler and we lived on that for months.

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

TONY: I moved to Sydney from Port Macquarie in January '96. My brother and I were living in the bush and I was going mental so I said to our mate Gary, let's got to Sydney. I tried to get some shit together when we got there - we moved to Chippendale and set up a big bedroom as our practice room. The Sando was going off in those days and we met a lot of punks. We found this drummer, Simon, went and knocked on his door and he was this metal guy with long hair, he was like "what the fuck do you want?" So we got him pissed and he joined the band. He was jazz-trained so it gave us that edge, that bigger drum sound. We were a four piece at the start - I was on guitar, my brother was on bass, Gary sang, and Simon was on drums. Half our set in the early days was three back-to-back Ramones covers. It was fucking hilarious. We were just deadshits from the country who wanted to start a punk rock band in Sydney. Within three months we were headlining gigs. 

Tony Avery (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

GARRY: Our first drummer Matt was an awesome guy, probably actually an even better guitarist than Tony or Milli but we had too many guitarists... I don't know how or why he was replaced by Simon before the first gig, he just kinda disappeared.

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

MILLI: It was four school friends from Wauchope on the Mid North Coast of NSW and we moved into a house in Chippendale, met a drummer from Sydney, and started writing punk songs. The ska element of the band developed later. Dave Ostler was on bass, which was short-lived, and Tony and I were both on guitar. When Dave left, I started playing bass.

Mark 'Milli' Avery (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

GARRY: Dave and I had been in this band together from about 16 years old at school. Me and him shared the love of Oi! and British punk. Tony had just come from living in Newcastle for two years with Pucko (the guy who started The Pork Hunts, AKA The Porkers), so Tony really brought the ska influence to the band. Dave wrote 'Sweet Talking Girl', which endured, and I think the song 'Rude Boy' happened pretty early on, but originally the early stuff was hard and heavy - this is the stuff on our early tape, Wake Up Dad. 

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

Milli

TONY: We played our first gig at the Journalists Club with Compound Fracture. Later, we got offstage after an early gig at the Iron Duke and this guy, Chumley, came up to me and said we'll be headlining in no time. We got labelled cowpunk at first but we ended becoming quite poppy with that hard edge. I wouldn't have called us pop back then, but in retrospect that's what we were. 

 Tony Avery (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

GARRY: The first Sydney show was with Compound Fracture, then we did a house party with Red Stain and Unclean. Our first proper pub gig was a Wednesday night at the Iron Duke with a band called Crooked Cop. Our name was misspelled in the Drum Media on the Iron Duke flyer as 'The Ids of March', which is fine looking back if you are into psychology. The Id is the part of the unconscious brain which is in charge of impulses and libido, which ultimately was the undoing of the band, so yeah, quite fitting really. Sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll.

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

GARRY: Dave left after a couple of shows and Milli moved to bass. Once Dave left, Tony pretty much wrote all the music.

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

GARRY: For some reason we had a bit of a Shakespeare theme with our naming. Our first couple of shows we were 'The Ides of March', but that had been taken by another band. Pre-internet, you couldn't just Google this shit. I think we got a letter from the other band's lawyers informing us. We tried 'Murphy's Lawyers', which later popped into the lyrics of 'Just Can't Get It'. The name 'Bedlam Beggars' came from King Lear I believe. The inmates at the mental asylum at Bethlam or Bedlam were let out through the day to beg for their supper so they were known as the Bedlam Beggars. Each Beggar was known as 'Tom' or 'Tom of Bedlam'. It kind of went with the Madness theme and also sounded punk-rock so it stuck. 

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

MILLI: Early on, Tony had a guitar part for 'Sweet Talkin' Girl', which was offbeat, but it was about a year into our early lineup that we met trumpet player Chris Brasche and keyboard player Merrick Moule. That's when the ska sound really locked in.

Mark 'Milli' Avery (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

GARRY: Our first recording was pretty early on. Time went slower back then, it would have been in the first six months of moving to Sydney. It was recorded at Troy Horse studio in Annadale over a couple of days. It was a good time, you know, we were young and excited by it all - just a bunch of bumkins in the big smoke, no idea what we were doing. I remember Tony being nervous and fucking up all over then the engineer said, "Do you usually have a beer when you go rehearse?" and Tony says, "Of course". So he goes to grab a beer and then it all just flowed, the beer and the music. We had written 'Rude Boy' by then, which became an early crowd favourite and probably the catalyst for moving into a predominantly ska set. And once Merrick arrived on the scene the ska sound was pretty much how it went. 

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

Merrick

MERRICK: When I was about mid-teens there was a friend who played guitar and another friend who played bass and we went to the Darling Harbour music show that used to happen once a year and they had all the instrument-makers there. It was worked out that we were missing and police were contacted and my friend got deported about a month later. That was my first band, Satanic Bullfrogs. We'd practice at the drummer's place after school. I was into ska and punk music and went to many gigs and I'd see Bedlam beggars performing around quite a bit and I enjoyed their music. After a while they recognised my face and Garry came up to me after a gig and said they wanted to add brass and asked if I played brass and I said no, I can play keyboards, and he said that's another idea and we had some practices and that was the start of it. And Simon Smith from the Rude Boys (later Backy Skank) helped us assemble some brass players (Chris Brasche). I'd been doing my zine, Bourgeoizine, for about 4 or 5 issues so I knew people through that too. 

Merrick Moule (Keyboards), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

TONY: Merrick was our keyboardist and he was a very energetic guy, he got Ruffy into the band - they were both Shire boys. Merrick loved the band and he loved ska music. Chris Brasche came in through Garry - Chris could sight-read music and he'd write sheet music for the other brass players, so we were later able to get in all kinds of session players because of that. Garry was the spirit of the band - very intelligent; he organised all the gigs. I was the one who organised the actual band. I used to go to a public phone with a bag full of 20 cent coins and I'd call the band members one by one to organise practice. Eight people. Every time we had a rehearsal or a gig or whatever, I'd be calling them all one by one. 

 Tony Avery (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

GARRY: I just approached Chris Brasche at the pub, as he had a trumpet case sitting on the table. And I think Jimmy Jazz (also trumpet) was a student at the school where the singer of Backy Skank worked. Ruffy the trombone player was another kid that was frequenting gigs and the subject just came up, next thing he was with us. He was a bit too loose for the professional Chris though. I loved Ruffy - great energy, loose character. Chris organised the other horn players that came and went - Chris, Jimmy, and Ruffy were the three mainstays. I think one of them may have been an undercover cop though. It's a long story, which sounds batshit crazy but the more I think about it the more it makes sense. But I'll leave it at that as to not incriminate anyone, nor to sound too batshit crazy.   

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

 

GARRY: I did most of the booking - pre-internet and mobiles. I was young and enthusiastic about it all then. I enjoyed the process and used to be able to put a good show together. Venues used to call me if they wanted a night filled and you only had to get Stanley Knife or Unclean and everyone would turn up. I brought Blowhard down from Brisbane, Loin Groin and H-Block 101 from Melbourne. The Hangovers was always a big night. The Allniters, Skazoo. My favourite show I pulled off was Cosmic Psychos - first pub show, first Sydney show in 6 or 7 years. That was fun. Then I'd get called for overseas bands - Buck O Nine, Guttermouth... I can't even remember most of them. The strangest one was Placebo on their first tour before they got big. They got us to support because it was a Wednesday night and they thought we might get some punters in. It was just weird, I remember thinking: why the fuck did they get us for this show? But obviously Placebo was on another level and the singer was cute but they kept to themselves. They were probably thinking the same thing I was.

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

MILLI: My favourite show was at the Green Square Hotel in '97 or '98. We played with Stanley Knife and Drop Zone. I remember Tony and Neil (from Stanley Knife) were both wearing Hawaiian shirts. There must have been a theme happening. 

Mark 'Milli' Avery (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

Rare poster included with the Pulling on the Boots CD

GARRY: I was just listening to Pullin' on the Boots yesterday actually; how I pulled that off I'm not sure. It was about 20 bands over two days, all recorded live for a CD. Mark Erber, who owned the Iron Duke, always maintained that it was the biggest weekend's beer takings he had eve done. About 500 punters each night. Day 1 had all punk bands - Noisam, H-Block 101, and Unclean. Day 2 was oi and ska - Dr. Raju, Stanley Knife, The Hangovers and Area 7 (their first show in Sydney). It was kind of meant to be the street punk and ska answer to the Hardcore Superbowl. It was a good snapshot of the scene at the time - the bestbands from Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Newcastle, and Wollongong. Then there was a CD launch when the recording was released with five or six of the bands from the original shows - except Area 7, who were meant to play again, got signed and played on the radio in the meantime. They made too many demands and I had to cut them loose the day before, which was bad because they were advertised to play.  

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

 

TONY: In those days you could pull 300-500 people. We didn't need the internet, c_nts would just show up to gigs. We'd just have a pole person and handbills, and we'd go around Newtown and hand 'em out to everyone in the pub. The pubs would love us because people would show up to the shows. We played a show at the Iron Duke and they took, like, 41 grand on the bar. We'd only get paid a couple hundred bucks, but they'd give us all the beer we wanted and we'd be allowed into any show there for free. It wasn't about the money to us, it was a lifestyle.

 Tony Avery (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

GARRY: The horn section added some depth but for a while it was hard when certain members wanted to include the punk songs in the set. I had to draw a line. We started doing shows all ska or all punk, depending on who we were playing with. Definitely at the time there was more interest in the ska stuff - there weren't many bands with the whole horn section at that time who weren't a traditional ska band like Backy Skank or Dr Raju, etc., which is probably why we got to support certain touring bands. Not sure if that was a good thing or not, just what it was. 

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

MILLI: There are two other proper recordings of all the ska stuff, with Carlos on both. I'd played on the earlier recording, Wake Up Dad. He was a much better bassplayer than me. I left in 1998 when I received an offer to join Insurge. My last gig was Newtown Festival, so I'm guessing it was November when I was replaced by Carlos. He was on stage doing backing vocals for that gig.

Mark 'Milli' Avery (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

GARRY: The brothers (Milli and Tony) argued so much that Milli eventually left to bigger things. Over the course of five or so years we literally went through 15 bassplayers - we were cursed, we would just seem to be getting somewhere and we would lose one and have to start again. We had the original Rukus bassplayer Erin, we had Doug from Unclean, we had Lightning Jack from The Buttery, The Roundhouse, and other known institutions. Our most consistent and best was Carlos, who appeared on both our other recording sessions, but he came and went and came and went again.

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

TONY: My brother Mark left when he got recruited by Insurge as their bassplayer. Over the years we had at least 15 bassplayers. I think I might have been a bit hard to deal with, haha. We got Mark Black, and he was a guitarist trained at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Trained on guitar at the Conservatorium... and I got him to play bass!

 Tony Avery (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024 

MERRICK: There were a few bassplayers. There was one bloke in particular I can't remember his name and every gig we played he seemed to pick up another chick. 

Merrick Moule (Keyboards), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

CARLOS: I was in a relationship with a girl from Port Macquarie. She introduced me to the guys. They were looking for another guitarist, I believe. I played some bass, and they thought it was groovy. That's when Tony showed me his frilly knickers. I ended up playing on a recording at Troy Horse Studios. 

Mark 'Carlos' Black (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

MERRICK: We recorded at Troy Horse and Gareth was the engineer. He played in a band called Nine Volt and they had Lesley speakers and they had a lot of gear there. That was the first recording, it seemed to be many weekends we were in there. We all sort of went in there and did our bits at different times.

Merrick Moule (Keyboards), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

TONY: The mid-'90s was right towards the tail end of the massive Sydney scene which had had Tex Perkins, Chisel, INXS, etc. Early on we got this gig at the Sando, they had a door charge that was fuckall, and 'cause the pub was right on King Street, everyone would rock on in. Back then our beer rider was 17 schooners... 300 people showed up and the band got that pissed that no one could even play any more, but it was going off. There was just this energy in the city around that scene. That was all over by '99; all the pubs changed as they got ready for the Olympics. The Olympics killed the music scene for about five years.

  Tony Avery (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

CARLOS: Stand out shows were at the Iron Duke and the old brick works (Punx Picnic) and the Newtown Festival. We played the Duke with a South African band called Boo. It was a pretty weird combination - they were fucked up! Mad pop shit. There was a gig on a boat with some crazy Americans that was cool too. 

Mark 'Carlos' Black (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

ALASTAIR: I used to live at an open house in St Peters where the punks used to frequent. Leon from Compound Fracture lived with us and through him all the bicycle courier punks used to fix their bikes in our lounge room. Various members from different hardcore bands lived in the area, we knew a lot of the Newtown hardcore punks and went to their gigs regularly... we had a motley crew coming through our house at all times. People knew there was always a feed and a bit of a floor/lounge to crash on. We had one house next to a vacant block and my flatmate's brother had the shop diagonally next door so once we fenced the vacant block we had a whole complex, which was christened 'The Wastelands'. We used to have great parties with kegs, spit roasts, and bands. These parties would have all the local St Peters misfits and punks at them. I had been going to Bedlam Beggars gigs pretty regularly and knew Tony and Garry pretty well. We had Bedlam Beggars play a party at The Wastelands - full band including brass, they played for nearly two hours until the cops came and told us to stop the music at one or two in the morning. After the party had moved inside and we were sitting around chilling, we got to talking and Tony was saying their bassplayer Carlos had left (Tony's brother had jumped in to play the party). I told them I played bass and within the next few days I got in touch, confirmed, and went for an audition. So, I replaced Carlos for a few months.

Alistair Ferguson (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2026

GARRY: I spent a lot of time hand-drawing posters. This was pre-doing-everything-online days. All very grass roots, bill posters, word-of-mouth, analogue, coins-in-a-phone-booth kinda shit; those were the days... And I used to pride myself on the fact that I never booked a show that pulled less than 150 punters, and that;'s not bad for an underground punk-ska scene. But tickets were cheap, beer was cheaper, and there was fuck-all else to do.

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

BIO: Their debut release Rudeboy, featuring the single of the same name and two other crowd favourites, will give people a taste of what has made the Beggars so popular among the Sydney ska and punk fans, a mix of 1980s ska, street punk, and 1990s ideals. 

Band Bio, 1999

REVIEW: There was no begging going on for getting punters up to skank around, everyone did on their own accord. For guys who used to play Oi! these guys can crank out some awesome ska numbers. Tunes included: 'Friday Night Knickers', 'Rude Boy', 'Under Pressure', 'Who Shot Cyrus?'... These guys have a CD out soon, be sure to look out for it. It will be worth the buy!

Review of Moonstomp '99 (14th Aug, 1999), These Boots, October 1999

ALASTAIR: I played three of our gigs, including the Rude Boy CD release gigs at the Iron Duke and The Globe. We also played at some primary school in Erskineville as part of some festival and then a party after that. I might have played Moonstomp '99 - I certainly went to it. I also played a few songs with them at the Punx Picnic. The Globe gig stands out in my memory as Unclean's bass player was playing with his arm in plaster and had to have his bass strapped on for him - very punk! The place was packed and the crowd was very rowdy. We were doing the punk set with no brass (although we still claimed their rider). The crowd were pressing up against the stage, which wasn't very high. This one bloke was right up close and was grabbing at me and wherever I moved he kept at me - so I swung my bass around and clocked him in the side of the head with all four tuning pegs. He didn't bother me again for the rest of the set. Then after the show he came up to me with blood caked to the side of his head and told me what a great show it had been!

Alistair Ferguson (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2026

GARRY: One night we went for the world record for how many punks could fit in an ambulance with a ten-piece drum kit, a Roland jazz chorus, three guitars, two trumpets, a trombone, and a Marshall bass rig. We were singing "We're going home in the back of an ambulance" all the way from Alexandria to Newtown.

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

MERRICK: There was the Newtown Festival we played, and Newtown RSL, and the Buck-O-Nine show at the Globe in Newtown. We also played a show at the Lansdowne and also the Punx Picnic at Sydney Park. Shows were unpredictable. We were playing at the Iron Duke Hotel and the keyboard I had ran out of batteries and in the middle of the set while the rest of them were playing I walked off the stage to the petrol station and bought another three-pack of batteries and then walked back to the Duke and onto stage to continue playing as if nothing had happened. We went to Newcastle one night too and afterwards the band went to Melbourne but I wasn't personally involved in that. We did one gig where Garry played drums. It was a friend's wedding and they had an open bar - we weren't likely to turn that one down. 

Merrick Moule (Keyboards), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

GARRY: I got sick of dealing with people after a while. Area 7 had shafted me on a deal we had for the album launch of Pullin' on the Boots. The Allniters got upset that not enough people turned up to their big comeback - and ran off with all the door takings then started badmouthing me around the scene. I just had enough and handed it over to Tony. Must have forgotten to give him my little black book. It also didn't help that the poker machines came along and killed a few venues. There was a messy period where we also got banned from The Iron Duke, The Globe, and the Newtown RSL all within a few weeks and that was bad for booking. Mark Erber had sold the Iron Duke and the new owner took offence to a few things getting broken one night. There was a rumour going around that the owner was going to get us beaten up. We rocked up one night after our usual pre-gig party - we were headlining a local show with the Last Hemeroids. Our band van was an ex-ambulance F100. We once fit all our gear plus 17 people in that thing driving back to Newtown. Anyway, we pulled up at the Iron Duke and about 12 punks and skins piled out of the back and the Duke had five or six bouncers waiting instead of their usual one. They sized us up and took a huge step backwards. The big guy at the front of them says, "You're not playing, you're b-b-b-b-banned". And that was that. A fight would have been more fun. The Globe was booked by the same guy as the RSL - I did a massive show at the RSL with Bedlam Beggars, Louisville Sluggers, and Spurs for Jesus. It was a full house so the agent wanted another the same a month later. Spurs pulled out three days prior, and the Sluggers had just gotten a new manager and a live spot on The Footy Show so they thought they were the shit. They refused to play unless they played list. We butted heads but I had to let it happen or the show would just be us. The Sluggers then used up all the soundcheck time so we got up to play with no soundcheck and that doesn't work when you have as many instruments as the Beggars. It was awful. I was in a mod and sculled a 750ml bottle of Jameson on stage and they dragged me out but not before we made it through a set of quality punk tunes. Someone told me years later that it was the best thing he ever saw. Afterwards, Chris, who was in the Sluggers and knew all the industry guys, says to me, "Do you realise so-and-so the A-and-R bloke from one of the labels was there to watch us tonight?" To which I replied, "Well, did he fucking like it or what?" Chris then said, "You are a fucking idiot, man". Funny stuff. Good times.

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

Original lyrics for the song 'Young Love'.

GARRY: 'Walking the Streets', which I believed captured the feeling of being a young skin on the dole and on the streets of Sydney in the '90s, was left off the official recording of Smokerings for Haloes because it mentioned the Kaiser and Serge. Our sax player took offence and, in fact, I believe that's why he left the band after hearing the recording. The song was a character study, with parts about several of the skins I lived amongst. The part, "That's when I first set eyes on you", was not about a girl but rather a homeboy drug dealer who was telling everyone that I was a dead-man-walking because of a brawl I started with a couple of his boys. Anyway, he found out I was drinking at the Prince of Wales and came in with a crew only to find me sitting with the House of Pain crew, to which he basically apologised and backed out, never to bother me again. Anyway, 'Walking the Streets' was an overlooked gem of a song. Somehow Tony's guitar just set the mood on it. 'Living It Up' was probably my favourite to play - just high energy and it said what I was feeling. 'Living in Denial' was written during full-on speed psychosis mixed with bottles of Jameson and just too many voices and not enough choices.

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

MERRICK: There was a break for a while and then we came back again. We did a gig on December 31st, 1999, and maybe that was the last one for a bit.

Merrick Moule (Keyboards), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

GARRY: We broke up for six months and then our first show back got closed down by the police before we went on because someone booked two streetpunk bands and two hardcore bands and those crowds didn't mix well at the time. In my case, things got out of hand - I was drinking a bottle a day, there were loads of amphetamines, and Carlos left after the RSL gig with the Louisville Sluggers. There was a drama show on the ABC, Love is a Four Letter Word. I got approached about the band being on that at the time and had to knock it back. I put it in the pile with the contract we got sent from a label. Tony likes to remind me that it was my decision not to sign. The label was Rapido, who had Area 7. They were an offshoot of Mushroom Records. Hey, I was waiting for a better deal. I guess we probably needed a rest.

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

TONY: I left for Melbourne and when I came back we gave it another crack. I don't think it was as good then but we still had that energy. We later broke up properly when Gary and his Mrs moved back to Wauchope. 

 Tony Avery (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

 

DISPATCH: Thanks to everyone who came the other night. Sorry it ended so dismally. Thanks for coming anyway, if it weren't for a few individuals and a few thousand cops it was shaping up to be a very good night. Sorry also to the Lyrical Madmen who set up all their gear and didn't get to play, sorry to the Bedlam Beggars who had a pretty shocking first gig back, and also sorry to Little Dave who never got to play even 1 CD. Hopefully next time people can settle their differences without violence and police intervention. Sorry if you've been seeing this message a lot recently as well.  

Online announcement from organisers of Green Square show, c. 2001?

 

GARRY: We came back with a better attitude. We had written heaps of new material, gave up the booze, and that's when we recorded the last batch of tunes at Zen Studios - mostly all our old stuff. There was a heap of new recordings which were sadly lost. The songs Merrick and I wrote - I thought these were the best. They were real ska tunes, Merrick was a good composer. We did a few good shows, including the Oz Ska Festival in Melbourne, but that was the beginning of the end - me and Chris were butting heads. I started to feel like I'd lose a bit of control and that everyone was ganging up on me. Speed psychosis is a hell of a thing.

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

 

MERRICK: About 2001, 2002 we did a few shows. I was living near Campbelltown and it got too difficult to get to practice. I'm not sure we ever really stopped, we just didn't do much for a bit - everybody seemed to move houses and it got a bit difficult. Garry was living with his now-wife in Potts Point and I was working just near there and we caught up a few times and eventually he moved back to country. I think Tony did too. 

Merrick Moule (Keyboards), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

BENNY: I joined in 2002 when the band reformed after it had imploded in the late '90s. I was in 'till the final gig at the Newtown festival, which I think was November 2003.It was a bit of a rotating roster of horn players in this time. We had a bunch of Casino Rumblers guys playing in the band for a while as well. 

Benny Stephens (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

GARRY: Anyway, we gave it a shot... The scene was changing anyway, nobody was interested in ska much anymore. It was all Jet and Wolfmother and new rock 'n' roll.

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

MERRICK: Ruffy taught me how to play trumpet and we were gonna do another band after Bedlam Beggars with Torrin (Riot City), but it didn't get to the stage of having a name. 

Merrick Moule (Keyboards), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

GARRY: This wasn't a pantomime or an act, we weren't just kids playing dress ups - we were punks and skins. It was real life, a way of life, and we lived it every day. We lived in warehouses, share houses, squat houses, and not houses. It was a community of anarchists and artists and musicians and we all knew each other and supported each other. Bands looked after bands, booked each other for shows, helped each other out. I was a ska skin and lived in a house full of skinheads, Tony too, the rehearsal room was our loungeroom and the pub was our kitchen. We lived and breathed for the music. We respected our elders, the older crew, and we gathered the young punks around us and looked after them and passed on the knowledge that had been passed on to us. It was a time that may never come again, and a great time was had by all.

Garry (Vocals), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

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RELATED BANDS: Schmutt, 995 Drive, Riot City, Casino Rumblers, Dr Raju, Insurge, Blackbreaks, Unclean, Rukus The OzSkas

 

Dropzone

ORIGINS: Northern Sydney, NSW

GENRE: Oi, Punk

YEARS ACTIVE: 1996-2001

 

MEMBERS:

• Adrian 'The General' McCabe - Vocals
• Luke Turner - Guitar (1996-1997, 2001), Bass (1997-2000)
  
• Adam 'Scallop' O'Sullivan - Guitar (1997-1998)
• Matt 'Stretch' - Drums (1997-1999)
  
• David 'Daffodil' - Drums (1996)
  
• Mitch 'Red' - Bass (1996)
• Little Ryan - Guitar (1998)
• Jam - Guitar (1998)
  
• Aaron 'Az' Cortilla - Drums (1999-2001)
  
• Lesleigh Kehlet - Bass (2001)
• Fran Toller - Guitar (2000-2001)
  

RELEASES: 

• Stand Your Ground (1997) - Download Here.
  
• 1. Speaking Minds
• 2. Tax is Theft
• 3. Aint It Fun
• 4. Fight Back
• 5. Youth and Punishment
• 6. Act Yourself
   

• Unite (1998)
• 1. Exploit
• 2. In God We Trust
• 3. Rip It Off
• 4. Balmain Folk Dance
• 5. Way to Go
• 6. Annoyance
• 7. Australia
• 8. Last Night
• 9. Mother Ireland
• 10. Aint It Fun
• 11. Natural Liquor
• 12. Unite
  

SUMMARY: Started by Adrian 'The General' McCabe after he parted ways with his previous project, The Last Hemeroids, the band Dropzone started to get some traction after the main lineup of Adrian, Adam, Luke, and Stretch came together in 1997. Recording two EPs and playing a bunch of shows through Sydney, Dropzone began to undergo some radical lineup changes starting with the departure of Adam O'Sullivan as he returned to his previous band, The Hassle Brigade. After these lineup shuffles, the band parted ways with vocalist Adrian, and remaining members Luke, Lesleigh, Aaron, and Fran then became The Hippycrits. 

 

SHOWS: 

• Pulling on the Boots, Iron Duke, Alexandria - 6th and 7th November, 1997
  
• Pulling on the Boots, Iron Duke, Alexandria - 31st July, 1998
• Punx Picnic, Sydney Park, St Peters - 1st July, 2000
• Iron Duke, Alexandria - 1st September, 2000
• Punx Against Globalisation, Pink Palace, Melbourne - 10th September, 2000 [VIC]
• Punx Picnic, Sydney Park, St Peters - 7th October, 2000
• St Peters Studios, St Peters - 17th November, 2000
  

ORAL HISTORY:

LUKE: Adrian and me became friends back in the Hornsby days in '95. He was singer for The Last Hemeroids and was booted so wanted to start a new oi, punk band. Adrian had a thing for nicknames - he would give everyone another name. Mitch was 'Red', David was 'Daffodil'. Anyway, the initial lineup last didn't last more than several jams at Adrian's place in Asquith. Daffodil pulled out after not long and we tried to keep going with Mitch for a while but then he joined another band. 

Luke Turner (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

LUKE: Adrian pulled together the real Dropzone in 1997 after we'd had a few fill-ins and inbetweeners. The first 'gig' we ever played was a house party in Wahroonga at the house of Ben from the yet-to-be-formed Give Christ Back to the Martians. It was heaps fun - we only had about 5 songs but it went down well at the time. The first proper gig was at the Iron Duke for the big 'Pullin' on the Boots' show and I think we had recorded a demo by then. The 'live' recording of Pullin' on the Boots had to be replaced with this demo due to technical difficulties (IE. Adrian kept stepping on and pulling out the mic lead, resulting in fuck-all vocals).

Luke Turner (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

ADAM: This girl who lived across the road from me was friends with Adrian. She got Adrian to call me and it turned out he needed a guitarist for his band Dropzone, so I joined. Adrian when I first met him had a mohawk, and all his friends were punk as fuck. At the time I had this shitty little mohawk which I shaved myself. I wore army trousers cut into shorts and Converse All Stars and I honestly thought I was the punkest bastard on Earth. I was indeed mistake - Adrian introduced me to all his mates; they all sported Doc boots, pants covered in patches that had political slogans written on them and the names of underground punk bands, and leather jackets covered in massive studs. It wasn't too long before I was running around in my own Doc boots. I bought a mate's old leather jacket and studded it up myself. It took me two days to hammer dozens upon dozens of studs into this leather jacket.

Adam O'Sullivan (Guitar), Unpublished interview, 2010

LUKE: Dropzone shows were mostly good times with some of the nicest and most genuine people but sometimes these shows could be a little terrifying. Like one time out at St Marys; Adrian stirred up some of the locals like he was prone to do! Next thing we have a bunch of redneck dicks wanting to punch on with us and even the bouncers weren't willing to help us out so we had to cut and run the fuck outta there. A bit scary when you're trying to haul all the gear out to a station wagon with a pub full of people wanting to kick your arses, including the people that are paid to 'protect' you.

Luke Turner (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

ADAM: Dropzone did some mad shows. We did the Punx Picnic, and used to play at the Green Square and Iron Duke quite a lot. We always had big crowds filled with punks and mad skinheads. 

Adam O'Sullivan (Guitar), Unpublished interview, 2010

 

 

LUKE: The General was a polarising character. He was one of the most generous, loving people who would help a mate out in a heart beat but he was always causing some kind of conflict with a lot of people who misunderstood his overly forward way of thinking and speaking.  

Luke Turner (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

ADAM: By 1998 I was still in Dropzone but I simply wasn't enjoying myself. I wanted to sing lead vocals rather than just play my guitar. I bumped into Aaron Baker and we got talking about how good it would be to have the Hassle Brigade back again, so I left Dropzone to reform The Hassle Brigade.

Adam O'Sullivan (Guitar), Unpublished interview, 2010

 

Mandi Keating, Skunk Column, Sydney Music Press, 20th October, 1998

 

LUKE: Adam was the first to leave from the main lineup. He was really struggling with drugs and alcohol and decided to leave the band so we took a break after playing one last show at the Green Square. I also think Adam knew we were never going to get to a place where he wanted as Adrian struggled to keep time, plus he had an unintentional habit of getting us in shit. We got banned from playing the Iron Duke because he would openly give the owner, Mark Urber, shit onstage while we played. I think Mark might have even pulled the power on us. We were also getting a lot of negative shit, getting labelled as racist 'cause Adrian was a staunch nationalist. I think Adam just wanted to get away from all that bullshit and we certainly weren't helping with his drinking. Honestly, I think it's hard keeping any band together, haha, but Adam was a great song writer... he wrote some awesome pop punk hooks in The Hassle Brigade.

Luke Turner (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

LESLEIGH: I ended up joining Dropzone after Turtle Slime finished. We did a Melbourne tour with Spilt Milk and it was awesome. So much alcohol, great gigs, and amazing people. Dropzone became Hippycrits after not long. We parted ways with Adrian due to musical differences... Hippycrits had a few songs that were originally Dropzone ones but we changed the lyrics. 

Lesleigh Kehlet (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

LUKE: Adrian brought in Lesleigh from Turtle Slime to play bass and I moved back to guitar. Matt (Stretch) was replaced by Aaron Cortilla on drums and Fran came in on guitar as well. I can't remember if we actually played any gigs with this lineup. Eventually the decision was made to kick Adrian out of the band he had formed, which must have been a proper kick in the nuts. At that point, Dropzone was dead 'cause, musically, the songs were written by Adrian and Adam. So we became the Hippycrits and that was it for Dropzone.

Luke Turner (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

RELATED BANDS: The Last Hemeroids, Concrete Diver, Animosity, The Hassle Brigade, Hippycrits, The Picaros, Turtle Slime, Kevin, HYMG, Headbutt, Unstable, Sydney Guns, Manic Party, Stalin's Organ, Groin, The Dynamic Lifters