The Celibate Rifles – Sideroxylon

By Sideroxylon, the Rifles had dropped most of early punk’s stripped-down economy for the heavy guitar sound that would follow them through the rest of their career. This Sydney lot were also inspired by Detroit/Birdman high octane rock, in fact these guys led the charge. Their first ep was a great little barnstormer full of four very fast tunes. They never hid their roots either and were always proud to show their surfer-punk-yobbo ethos, but they had a couple of big talents that made them stand out of the pack, one being a great lyricist in media academic and front man Damien Lovelock. On this debut album his talents shine through, combining songs about suburban lethargy and complacency, Australian history, prostitution, and social trends-the ecological angle is covered by the album title and the wonderful cover art. I always liked Lovelocks' dry humour and laconic delivery style which sounded deadpan but was laden with lucid insight. He sure was one great social commentator and when you combine that with the talents Kent Steedman, (exceptional lead guitarist) and the bass ability of the late James Darroch (later of The Eastern Dark) then you've got a great band in the making.

Some of the guitar playing on this record is really good with the wah wah kicking into all sorts of places and the band seems to have 'matured' in that not every song is played at break neck speed as it was in their real early days. This allows the band to experiment with slowed down tempos and additional instruments like pianos, percussion and trumpets etc. It really is a great document by a band who certainly cut the edge both in Australia and overseas for that essential eighties Australian via Detroit thrash out. Songs like 'Gonna Cry' and 'Where Do I Go' showcases their punk tendencies and this direction is highlighted in the epic guitar freak-out 'God Squad' which burns more famous Australian songs into the dirt.

The Celibate Rifles - But Jacques, The Fish 7”EP

Bank holiday Monday here in the UK and I’m just home from a weeklong trip to Northern Ireland visiting family…apologies if I haven’t responded to your comments, normal service will resume eventually…righto let’s get this Aussie week under way

The antithesis of a sex pistol is a celibate rifle, but Australia’s Celibate Rifles are anything but the opposite of loud, snotty and fast. A fusion between Detroit-style straight-ahead hard rock and Ramones pop, steeped in Stooges and Radio Birdman milk, the Rifles began as a party-time Sydney band, racing through deliberately silly and simple Ramonesque lyrics (“What about the kids? Get a baby sitter…and some kitty litter”) with three fast/loud chords. But unlike the Ramones, the Rifles insert loud, sinewy guitar solos between the slash’n’burn verses and, on tracks like “24 Hours,” warped and warbly guitar effects. After a few years learning the trade at parties and school dances around Sydney's North Shore, The Celibate Rifles (one of a bunch of one-off party names that stuck) progressed to playing pubs and getting a record out - and what a record! But Jacques, The Fish? is just about the finest record to ever emerge from up that way. Four great songs, some hilarious lyrics, and a frustrating set of sleeve colour variations. Catchy power-chord progressions, tasteful lead breaks, and extremely clever lyrics set this debut four-track apart from most. “Kent’s Theme” integrates snippets of cigarette jingles with a sharp anti-smoking attack, while “Let’s Get Married” adopts a loose, good-humoured quality.