The Next Big Thing

DO THE POP! FOR XMAS!

First of THREE new volumes of the acclaimed collection of ‘70s/80s Australian punk & garage rock to be released December 8.

Includes rare live Radio Birdman track from ’77, a 1974 demo of ‘(I’m) Stranded’ by the Saints, a track from Deniz Tek’s pre-Birdman outfit TV Jones, and unreleased tracks by the Lipstick Killers, Hitmen and much more.

2002's acclaimed collection 'Do The Pop! The Australian Garage Rock Sound 1976-67' returns just in time for Xmas on Savage Beat! Records though Shock under the name 'DO THE POP! REDUX'. Like the original collection - which received substantial acclaim internationally, including a full page feature review in 'Mojo' and a rave review from David Fricke in American Rolling Stone - the new set differentiates itself from other Australian punk and post-punk collections by following the unique high energy rock'n'roll sound that spewed forth here in the late '70s and '80s, following the lead of Radio Birdman and The Saints. The new project will be spread over THREE new double discs, and is set to feature over 150 tracks, none of which appeared on the original set in 2002 .

'DO THE POP! REDUX Part One' will kicks off BIRDMAN and THE SAINTS themselves (Birdman are profiled with the album's title track as well as a rare live track from one of their legendary Paddington Town Hall shows). Punk era acolytes including THE PSYCHO SURGEONS, THE SURVIVORS, THE VICTIMS, JOHNNY DOLE & THE SCABS, THE LEFTOVERS, THE NUMBERS (aka THE RIPTIDES), ROCKS and RAZAR follow, as do X, perhaps the only Australian band of the original punk era whose reputation rivals that of Birdman and the Saints in some quarters. PartOne then proceeds to revel in the rock'n'roll spirit that took hold in Australia at the turn of the decade, at the very time the rest of post-punk world was proclaiming rock dead. THE SCIENTISTS, THE FUN THINGS, THE SUNNYBOYS, THE FLAMING HANDS, THE LIPSTICK KILLERS, SHY IMPOSTERS, THE MANIKINS are amongst the bands of this period, as are Birdman offshoots including THE HITMEN, THE VISITORS and NEW RACE.. Rare and unreleased tracks from Brisbane's THE 31st (fronted by Ron Peno) and THE END (led by Brett Myers) and obscure Sydney combos ME262 and SLAUGHTERHOUSE 5 (featuring James Darroch, pre-Celibate Rifles & Eastern Dark) and Perth's ROCKETS will also be featured. Melbourne fans will be happy to note that their hometown, which wasn't represented on the original set because of its narrower focus, is represented by a number of punk era bands, including BABEEZ, THE CHOSEN FEW and even the legendary REALS, featuring Garry Gray, Chris Walsh and Ollie Olsen, recordings of whom have never previously seen the light of day.

Volumes 2 & 3 will follow in March/April, covering the multi-faceted garage rock scene of the ‘80s as it explodes out of Sydney and takes hold around the country, and ultimately around the world. Expect killer tracks from a range of bands big and small - from THE HOODOO GURUS, LIME SPIDERS, GAS BABIES and WET TAXIS to THE JOHNNYS, CELIBATE RIFLES, STEMS and EXPLODING WHITE MICE.

The release of 'DO THE POP! REDUX Part One' follows by a few weeks the release of deluxe double-disc reissues of the legendary first two albums by THE HITMEN, comprising members of TWO recent ARIA Hall of Fame inductees and soon to be touring partners, RADIO BIRDMAN and THE HOODOO GURUS. Formed by Birdmen CHRIS MASUAK and WARWICK GILBERT and Birdman MC JOHNNY KANNIS soon after Birdman's initial demise in '78, the band featured future Gurus mainstays BRAD SHEPHERD and MARK KINGSMILL by the time they came to record their two albums in '81 and '82. Overshadowed for far too long, The Hitmen's music is ripe for re-evaluation, and Savage Beat!/Shock's deluxe reissues will provide just cause. Each album will come with a massive booklet with lengthy notes and numerous images. More importantly, each will be expanded to include about 45 tracks, with a bounty of previously unheard demo and live material added to each set. Hitmen classics like 'Didn't Tell The Man', 'Corridors Of Power', 'Rocket On The Elevator Up' and '15 Hours' will be featured alongside long lost fan favourites like 'Cold December' and 'Wings of Steel', as well as incredible covers of the Sonics, MC5, Thirteenth Floor Elevators, Blue Oyster Cult, Dictators and the Flamin' Groovies' great 'Shake Some Action'. Fans of Birdman, the Gurus and high energy rock'n'roll in general will find the wit and the power of The Hitmen an absolute revelation, and Johnny Kannis and Chris Masuak are set to reconvene the band towards the year's end in celebration.

Future releases on Savage Beat!, alongside ‘Do The Pop! Redux’ Parts Two & Three will include comprehensive sets from Sydney‘s Lipstick Killers and Melbourne’s Sacred Cowboys.

Check out - www.myspace.com/dothepopsavagebeatrecords

‘DO THE POP! REDUX PART ONE’ IS OUT NOW ON SAVAGE BEAT!/SHOCK