Videos
Die! Die! Die!, DZ, The Mint Chicks, Tucker B's
Wedding Messages For Jonny
As some of you would already know, I got married about a month ago. Chief Editor and head of our Euro Department Mike Punch was the best man and, in an attempt to foil our strict 'no presents' policy, he organised a bunch of my favourite musicians to record special little wedding messages. The results are fairly spine-tinglingly lovely.
Mess + Noise have published the results of their annual readers poll. Nice to see three of our favourite local releases of the year - Talons, The Stabs and Tucker B's - get a mention.
News
2ser celebrate their 30th birthday with a month long bender
On October 1st iconic community radio station, Sydney's 2ser, turns 30 years old. To celebrate the commencement of their 'dirty thirties' the station will be going on a month of partying/binge-ing with a whole bunch of their friends (who just so happen to be in kickass local and international bands) coming along for the ride. Forget about settling down, mortgaging 'up' and watching the biological clock explode - it's time to smash up the party zone and let the inner-cougar/GILF out.
News
This weekend in Sydney: DZ, The Loft, Seekae in Siberia
Wowwweee.. the weekend is just about to drop like a rookie gang of Drop Zone re-enacting legends. Seems like only yesterday it was Monday morning and you were crawling out of a day bar/k-hole, doesn't it? Well, guess what lads, honeyz, wildcats? It's time to get 'crunky' all over again.
News
Talons and Seekae included in SOYA shortlist
Is there a lot of champagne being popped over at Rice Is Nice HQ tonight?
News
Talons and Violent Soho are going to give the East Coast a double fisting
Some hot grunge/punk action is heading your way in August and September.
News
Regular John are going to drop bombs (nationally, in the form of a tour)
Balls-out rock is coming to a town near you very soon.
News
Talons lock in album details, play two shows in Melbourne this Friday
The trio's long awaited debut album will be released on May 30 via new local label Rice Is Nice.
News
My Filthy Riot weekend bender
Two days. Annandale Hotel. Four thousand bands. Two stages. Twelve minute INTENSE sets.
Gig Reviews
Laneway Festival, Circular Quay, Sydney
08/02/2009
Gemma took photos. Jonny got drunk. They then joined forces and wrote a review of the day.
Articles
Things we are looking forward to in 2009
World peace. An end to the world financial crisis. New Tucker Bs album.
News
Talons pull out of Friday night's Oxford Art Factory show
Unfortunately Talons have been forced to pull out of the headline slot at Oxford Art Factory tomorrow night due to personal reasons. Fingers crossed that all is well in Camp Talons.
Articles
The biggest disappointments of 2008
Obama didn't pick Lil Wayne as his running mate, the total lack of new albums by Courtney Love and Ini Kamoze didn't beat down Girl Talk for not clearing his sample of Here Comes The Hotstepper.
News
More acts added to Laneway Festival
A whole truckload of local acts get added to all four stops of the festival's national tour.
Gig Reviews
The Stabs + Talons + Atrocities @ Spectrum
15/11/08
I went and saw some bands play last week. Here is a story about that.
Articles
Our favourite Australian/New Zealand artists of 2008
Artists that touched us. Artists we touched. A big list of people we think you should try and touch sometime.
Articles
Interview: Talons
We talk to Christian J Best, lead singer and guitarist of the Sydney punk trio, about their debut album, the awesomeness of Slayer, band members becoming Nazis and and the joy of stabbing Kyle Sanderlands with an ARIA award.
News
Talons need new handbags
One of Sydney's finest bands are putting on a super special fundraising show this Sunday featuring performances from Further, The Holy Soul, Dead China and many many more.
Gig Reviews
The Mess Hall + Violent Soho + Talons @ Annandale Hotel
29/08/2008
Three good bands? Worst crowd ever? Least enjoyable show of 2008? Questions?
Talons head into the studio this week to lay down tracks for their (long awaited) debut album. The record, which is still untitled at this stage, is due out in a few months time and set to be self-released by the band.
Reacharounds
Vital Organs
Talons frontman, powered by gin and second hand organs, unleashes his own solo project.
Reacharounds
Damnbuilders
The hot new Sydney duo are currently exploding on the 'scene' like a ultra-hot vindaloo. In your pants.
Brisbane hates Talons. And we hate Brisbane. See how that works?
Gig Reviews
Die! Die! Die! + Talons + The Ripping Dylans @ Oxford Art Factory
19/04/2008
Drunk, sweaty, punk rock fun.
Gig Reviews
Witch Hats + Talons + Circle Pit @ Spectrum
12/04/2008
Melbourne's Witch Hats officially launch their new album, Cellulite Soul, with a blistering performance.
News
Final line-up for Essential Festival unveiled
A fantastic selection of local bands have been added to the bill, shifting the quality of the festival from 'meh' to 'meh, ok then'.
Gig Reviews
Goodbye Sunshine Festival @ some warehouse in Marrickville
15/03/2008
A handful issues stopped this from being as enjoyable as I hoped.
News
Goodbye Sunshine Festival
Taking place this Saturday and featuring a whole bunch of awesome Sydney bands including Talons, Dead Farmers, Straight Arrows, Ghosts Of Television, Dead China Doll, Atrocities and many more.
Gig Reviews
Batrider + Yes Nukes! + Talons @ Spectrum
29/02/2008
Our lurve and/or lust for Batrider is nothing that we have ever hidden in the confines of this web alleyway. We thought their debut album was a brilliant mix of every element that made them exciting the first time we saw them and from a live performance perspective they have rarely ever put a foot wrong. In recent times it is obvious, although their sound has stayed as relentless as ever, their method of attack has somewhat shifted. Their relocation to Europia is the kind of career move that makes or breaks bands but the foursome seem have taken the plunge into the wider, deeper and more dangerous waters with a great sense of determination and with the clear intention of carving out a career doing what we think they are soooo damn good at.
Gig Reviews
Further + Sounds Like Sunset + Talons @ Hopetoun Hotel
01/03/2008
Further launch their new album, Tactics, with a show worthy of our gushing fanboy praise.
News
This weekend is the greatest weekend of music the world and/or Sydney will ever experience
Batrider, Talons, Further, more Talons, Dan Deacon extra Sydney show, Devastations, Okkervil River, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Gotye, Broken Social Scene and Siamese Ginzz make their debut performance!
News
Tonight in Melbourne
We don't normally cover the goings on of Melbourne (cuz we don't live there) but there are a couple of awesome Sydney bands heading down this weekend which if you live in the Southern city we think you should check out.
Gig Reviews
Talons + Regular John + Sacred Stereos @ Annandale Hotel
03/02/2008
Firstly, it should be noted that those guys that have that song about 'amphibians' - Children Collide - actually headlined this show. We didn't stick around for them. We heard the opening couple of lines and decided that they still haven't learnt to create songs with decent lyrics and headed for the exit. This review won't mention them in the same way it won't make any mention of Hasselhoff's part in the falling of the Berlin Wall and the role that the political party in charge of the country plays in determining the cost of groceries, petrol and sexual 'devices'.
News
Australia Day 2008
There is a whole platter of things on offer around the place this Australia Day.
News
Our Favourite Albums of 2007
Just minutes before the year clocks out, gets embarrassingly drunk and makes out with their cousin we have a little list of the music we have enjoyed the most from 2007.
News
2007 - A Mixtape
We have packaged together our favourite songs from the past twelve months as our gift to you for visiting our site this year. Enjoy!
Gig Reviews
Talons + Laura Imbruglia + Atrocities @ Hopetoun Hotel
30/11/2007
Hey, reckon we should just bite the bullet and change the name of this website to talons.com?
News
Talons EP launch TONIGHT!
Our favourite Sydney band celebrates the release of their debut EP Ducats tonight at the Hopetoun Hotel.
Record Reviews
Talons
Ducats
You only have to spend a few minutes on this site to realise that we think pretty highly of Sydney's Talons. We lovingly look at them as the wild bastard sons we never had and ever since our ears were fortunate enough to hear them we have lusted for a physical release. Ducats, mostly recorded live, bottles Talons' fantastic stage sound into six tracks of raw energy, delivered through gritted teeth and constrained angst. It's unmistakably local in it's approach, yet steps above the normal shortcomings of an unfunded Sydney DIY release with it's layered textures and endless stream of shifting moods. This is twenty one minutes of music that doesn't sit still and challenges the listener to not feel the fist of emotion that is pounding against their face.
News
Bridge Mary Kiss take out Hopetoun Incentive 07
Defeating some of our favourite bands as they book themselves a spot at this year's Homebake Festival.
News
Hopetoun Incentive Grand Final Tonight
Four local bands battle it out tonight for a spot at this year's Homebake Festival.
Gig Reviews
Spider Vomit + Straight Arrows + Talons @ Spectrum
09/11/2007
It was one of those dream line-ups on Friday evening as the fantastic Melbournitez Spider Vomit dropped into town and were lovingly supported by two of Sydney's finest.
News
Polaroids Of Androids Party
We had a party last Saturday night. The two best bands in Sydney played. We got pretty drunk. It was fun.
Gig Reviews
Walrus + Talons + The Ripping Dylans @ Annandale Hotel
12/10/07
Three of our favourite Sydney bands combined forces on Friday evening to form something that resembled a rock version of Voltron. They then proceeded to impress people.
News
Gigs this weekend...
AKA a thinly veiled plug for our own very special, very DIY and very awesome party.
Gig Reviews
Talons + Laura Imbruglia + Emergency Emergency @ Hopetoun Hotel
09/09/07
Talons kicked off their Hopetoun Hotel residency on Sunday with a blistering performed.
News
Your FREE Sunday
Are you broke from a busy Saturday night? Did you get robbed at 3am coming home from the pub? Well, not all hope is lost. There are three different things going on tomorrow around town that are FREE to get into.
News
We are spoilt
Tonight there are more 'better than decent' shows going on in Sydney than ever before in the history of time. Shows featuring the likes of Batrider, Dead Farmers, The Stabs, Straight Arrows, Talons, Hand Me My Jetpack, Actor/Model and Tucker B's are all happening. Oh my.
News
Talons land Hopetoun Hotel residency for September
Every Sunday in the month of September you will be able to catch the awesomeness of Talons at the Hopetoun.
News
Long weekend activities
There is so much going on this weekend - the South By Inner West Festival at the Annandale Hotel, Kes and Sly Hats joint album launch, a FREE Peabody, Soft Tigers and Talons show and a whole lot more.
News
Goodbye Sunshine Festival at The Aviary this weekend has been canceled
Update from yesterday - this has apparently been CANCELED due to 'council restrictions'. There is some more info in this thread on the Mess and Noise forum.
News
My Sydney Riot is on tomorrow
An awesome line-up, combined with the fact the My Sydney Riot folks have put on some good events in the past makes this a very tempting way to spend a Sunday.
News
Shows etc
Oh, how it all gets soooo very crazy busy. Tonight (Wednesday) wild-pop-darling Har Mar Superstar is playing a dj set at 34B (next to Spectrum on Oxford St) and is rumored to be supported by dj sets from Fabrizio Moretti (of The Strokes) and Tony Bevilacqua (The Distillers). Hear what the cooler kids are listening to. It will cost you $15 to get in and the doors open at 9pm.
Gig Reviews
Die! Die! Die! + Fait Accompli + Talons @ Spectrum
02/02/2007
I am not 18 anymore and super late nights when I get home as dawn is cracking is well and truly behind me. This said, as I have confessed countless numbers of times in the walls of this literary playground, if Die! Die! Die! are playing within a 50km radius of my home then I am liable to do things that I would normally pass over as stupid and/or file under "not a great idea".