GRONG GRONG. The CD/DVD 'To Hell 'n' Back' will be released
OCT 17th on MEMORANDUM RECORDINGS
Unsung pioneers litter the Australian musical landscape like rotting roadkill on the side of the Highway. Some, like Adelaide's Grong Grong, should not be wasting away there. Not only were this trashy four-piece innovators in a form of chaotic, primordial proto-grunge - they’re also one of the saddest examples of wasted potential in the chronicles of Oz punk.
Grong Grong bludgeoned audiences throughout 1983-84, with their dark and aggressive take on punk rock. The band filtered its influences of Birthday Party, Cramps, Flipper and Pere Ubu through a suburban Australian mindset... sounding like no-one before or since. In 1983 they supported the Dead Kennedys and impressed frontman Jello Biafra so much they became the first and only Australian band to release an album on Biafra's label Alternative Tentacles.
Tragedy struck however on Christmas Eve 1984 when singer Michael Farkas overdosed and spent 9 months in a coma virtually brain dead, and although he in time, made a remarkable recovery and continued to perform in other bands - Grong Grong never played again.... until now.
You can’t just sweep roadkill under the rug and hope that someday it isn’t going to stench you the hell out.... and 25 years later, the band have reformed for a series of special shows.
Featuring all but one of their original members, (including guitarist Charlie Tolnay who after Grong Grong had a stellar international 'grunge' career with noise-mongers, King Snake Roost, Lubricated Goat and Tumour Circus - a collaboration with Jello Biafra), Grong Grong will be performing at the following venues.
3 Oct - SQUATTERS ARMS, ADELAIDE
7 Oct - THE LOFT, WARRNAMBOOL
10 Oct - EAST BRUNSWICK CLUB, MELBOURNE
11 Oct - MISSING LINK INSTORE, MELBOURNE
11 Oct - NATIONAL HOTEL, GEELONG
16 Oct - ANNANDALE HOTEL, SYDNEY
17 Oct - HAMILTON STATION HOTEL, NEWCASTLE
To coincide with the tour, archival record label Memorandum Recordings will be releasing a CD/DVD anthology of the band entitled, To Hell 'n' Back. The release will be available at shows and in stores from the 17th October through Fuse Music.
"I lay awake for about two nights after seeing GRONG GRONG, still wondering if I actually saw what I really saw" - Jello Biafra, Maximum Rocknroll, 1983.
For more information visit:
GRONG GRONG MySpace | MEMORANDUM Myspace
For the BEST description of Grong Grong ever...
visit the Attacking the Beat blog.
For interview opportunities and all press enquiries please contact Fuse Music:
katie@fusemusic.com.au - 02 9699 7555 [ext 2]
