Bondi Cigars - Bondi Cigars

Size: 101.7 MB
Time: 43:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1990
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Front & Back

01. Howling At The Moon (3:26)
02. Someboby Else Is Stepping In (4:28)
03. Cry To Me (3:47)
04. Snatching It Back (3:53)
05. Ghost Train (3:21)
06. Look What You Done (2:58)
07. I Just Got To Know (3:47)
08. I Can't Sleep (2:58)
09. Come To Mama (3:44)
10. Every Night About This Time (4:06)
11. Hiddens Charms (2:31)
12. Don't Bite The Hand That Feeds You (4:49)

This award-winning quartet has well and truly established themselves into Australia’s musical heart since forming in 1989.

Rarely has an Australian band received as much consistent and widespread acclaim from critics and music fans alike as the Bondi Cigars. With half a dozen albums under their belt already, and over a dozen years of constant touring, this award winning quartet have well and truly worked their way into Australia’s musical heart.

The Bondi’s have consistently delivered the goods; with Down In The Valley nominated in the 2003 ARIA awards for Best Blues & Roots Album, 1995’s After Closing Time awarded Best Blues Album at the 1996 Lithgow Blues Festival, and two of their songs, Lead Me Not Into Temptation and Intensive Care, chosen to feature on the popular ABC Seachange album.

In 2015, the band released their 10th album, “Child in the Desert” and it has been well received by fans and critics.

The band has been invited to perform at festivals such as The Melbourne International Music & Blues Festival, Great Southern Blues & Rockabilly Festival, Moomba Festival, Queenscliff Festival, The Byron Bay East Coast Festival and The Kangaroo Point Festival. The band are also regular guests at leading Australian venues such as The Governor Hindmarsh in Adelaide, The Basement in Sydney, The Healer in Brisbane, The Charles Hotel in Perth and The Corner Hotel in Melbourne.

With their fantastic mix of blues, soul, funk and R & B, they have maintained their status as one of this country’s most in-demand touring acts, with shows numbering over a hundred and fifty each year. Over a decade later, many original fans are still supporting the band.

Bondi Cigars MP3
Bondi Cigars FLAC

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Bondi Cigars - Child In The Desert

Size: 105,3 MB
Time: 45:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Modern electric blues
Art: Full

1. Disconnected Phone (3:53)
2. Lone Gone Baby (3:26)
3. Walking On A Tightrope (5:03)
4. Child In The Desert (2:54)
5. Blame It On Mother Nature (3:16)
6. My Little Friend (3:44)
7. Country Dark (3:43)
8. Walk This World (3:31)
9. Porch Light (4:58)
10. How Did This World Ever Get This Crazy (2:51)
11. Blues Is A Stranger (4:21)
12. Tail-Lights (3:36)

The seventh studio album by the Bondi Cigars is like a carefully crafted cocktail, refined through 26 years of experience and development. The recipe begins with a base of blues and roots carefully mixed together so that neither element overpowers the other. Then, as the album progresses we begin to get a little more complex and experimental with the additions of some other genres, which the band are clearly respectful of and passionate about, such as funk and R&B.

Across the 12-track offering, Child In The Desert continues to offer up new layers and complexities, which helps to avoid the album becoming entrenched in the sad blues vibe. Bondi Cigars manage to employ an upbeat vibe thanks to the dash of R&B zing. /Jamie Apps

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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Bondi Cigars - Bad Weather Blues

Size: 114.9 MB
Time: 49:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1992
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Front & Back

01. Booze Blues (3:54)
02. You're A Mystery (3:14)
03. Lies And Tenderness (3:40)
04. Path Is Clear (3:45)
05. Medley (Old Grey Mare/Killing Floor) (3:58)
06. Bad Weather Blues (6:16)
07. You Get That (4:29)
08. Calling Card (3:30)
09. Let Me Rubber Glove You (3:39)
10. The Pain (2:22)
11. Problem (3:35)
12. All I Want Is Everything (3:27)
13. Brushed (3:06)

When the Bondi Cigars were first gigging around Sydney, late 1989, they moved in a blues/R&B circuit which, while robust enough since the 60s, had then been sparked into new life by the ‘blues revival’ of the mid-80’s, spearheaded by Robert Cray, Joe Louis Walker, Stevie Ray Vaughan and similar crusaders. And while many of the Sydney bands from that era have vanished, become historical footnotes or undergone major changes, the Cigars – true survivors – have battled on, without ever compromising their distinctive no nonsense style, to become a leading force in Australian R&B.

That original Cigars line-up brought together four like-minded experienced players, all veterans of Sydney inner-west blues venues, and from the word go, as the 1990 tracks demonstrate, the Cigars have been the very model of the ‘no passengers’ band, a well-oiled machine plus soul: no room for slackers here. Always one of the country’s hardest working outfits (on the road more than off), the Cigars have kept their music tight, hard-driving and down – to – earth: the Australian bar band par excellence.

Apart from the timeless, unpretentious nature of the music, an obvious reason for the longevity of the Cigars must be the ongoing musical team work of 2 foundation members, Shane Pacey and Al Britton, who continue to co-lead the band. This also explains the consistency of the band’s sound, instantly recognisable for 17 years now, despite personnel changes and occasional stylistic variations. Front man Shane Pacey has long been a forceful, convincing singer, and a hard-attacking, razor sharp guitarist in the modern blowtorch style of Albert Collins, Joe Louis Walker, Larry McCray and other crazy stringbenders; he’s also an outstanding prolific songwriter, and there’s ample evidence in these tracks of his sardonic, savvy and slightly warped way with lyrics.

Bass player Al Hollywood Britton is another blues trooper, having survived the Dynamic Hepnotics and the Foreday Riders, and puts real backbone into the rhythm section – rock solid, responsive and funky; what’s more, he’s a dab hand in the organisational department, playing great lead telephone, according to the credits of Mercy (1998).These dual father – figures have kept the music tough and vigorous by usually recruiting new members from Sydney’s inner-west breeding grounds of exciting young R&B/roots bands.

The first 2 Cigars albums had featured the original line-up, but after the departure interstate of Les Karski and Ace Follington, the next CD ‘Got The News’ (appearing under the name Shane Pacey and the Cigars) included hot young Adelaideians Clayton Doley on keyboards and Matt Morrison on drums, both also associated with Robert Suez of Mighty Reapers fame. ‘Got The News’, expertly produced by Sydney funky/soul boss Jackie Orszaczky, and the Cigars sound was further spiced up by the precision horns of Paul Panicci and Andrew Robson.

By 1995, with the release of ‘After Closing Time’, 2 fine new Cigars had been press-ganged from the youthful but punchy Balmain R&B band The Beefs: Mitch Grainger (guitar/harmonica) and Declan Kelly (drums), who have both since moved on, but remain active in Sydney’s roots/funk scene.
The following album ‘Mercy’ saw the introduction of drummer Andrew Vainouskas, plus on guitar and vocals Eben Hale, ‘the second-best left handed guitarist in the band’ according to Shane; Eben has remained a paid – up member to this day. Since then, the only changes have been on the drum stool: Frank Corby and Joel Sutton.

2004 saw the band release their eagerly anticipated 7th album, 12 Lies, an album hailed as their best yet. Along with the mix of rhythmic, rootsy grooves and flavours of blues, soul, funk and R&B that fans have come to expect, this album saw the band branch out even more, with some tracks having an “alt country” feel, and others more pop rock than blues and roots based. The response from fans and critics alike was fantastic, with the band winning Best Group, Best Album and Best Producer at the 2004 Australian Blues Awards.

The Cigars have consistently delivered the goods; with Down In The Valley nominated in the 2003 ARIA awards for Best Blues & Roots Album, 1995’s After Closing Time awarded Best Blues Album at the 1996 Lithgow Blues Festival, and two of their songs, Lead Me Not Into Temptation and Intensive Care, chosen to feature on the popular ABC Seachange album.

Bad Weather Blues MP3
Bad Weather Blues FLAC

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Shane Pacey & The Cigars - Got The News

Size: 106,7 MB
Time: 46:11
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1993
Styles: Electric blues
Art: Front, back

1. Let Me Get My Foot In The Door (4:18)
2. Sentimental On Me (3:20)
3. Nobody Sees Me (3:44)
4. Always A First Time (4:10)
5. Got The News (4:29)
6. Gravy Train (4:48)
7. Long Line Of Fools (3:17)
8. Key To Your Heart (4:26)
9. Cut Me Some Slack (3:44)
10. Albert's Alley (4:15)
11. The Last Man In Town (5:37)

When the Bondi Cigars were first gigging around Sydney, late 1989, they moved in a blues/R&B circuit which, while robust enough since the 60s, had then been sparked into new life by the ‘blues revival’ of the mid-80’s, spearheaded by Robert Cray, Joe Louis Walker, Stevie Ray Vaughan and similar crusaders. And while many of the Sydney bands from that era have vanished, become historical footnotes or undergone major changes, the Cigars – true survivors – have battled on, without ever compromising their distinctive no nonsense style, to become a leading force in Australian R&B.

Apart from the timeless, unpretentious nature of the music, an obvious reason for the longevity of the Cigars must be the ongoing musical team work of two foundation members, Shane Pacey and Al Britton, who continue to co-lead the band. The original Cigars line-up brought together four like-minded experienced players, all veterans of Sydney inner-west blues venues, and from the word go, as the 1990 tracks demonstrate, the Cigars have been the very model of the ‘no passengers’ band, a well-oiled machine plus soul: no room for slackers here. Always one of the country’s hardest working outfits (on the road more than off), the Cigars have kept their music tight, hard-driving and down–to–earth: the Australian bar band par excellence.

The first two Cigars albums had featured the original line-up, but after the departure interstate of Les Karski and Ace Follington, the next CD ‘Got The News’ (appearing under the name Shane Pacey and the Cigars) included hot young Adelaideians Clayton Doley on keyboards and Matt Morrison on drums, both also associated with Robert Suez of Mighty Reapers fame. ‘Got The News’, expertly produced by Sydney funky/soul boss Jackie Orszaczky, and the Cigars sound was further spiced up by the precision horns of Paul Panicci and Andrew Robson.

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Got The News zippy

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Bondi Cigars - Down In The Valley (2 CD)

Album: Down In The Valley
Size: 134,3+129,5 MB
Time: 58:18+56:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2001
Styles: Electric blues
Art: Front, sleeve, tray

CD 1:
1. Someone Else Is Stepping In (6:18)
2. I Can't Sleep (3:59)
3. Bad Weather Blues (9:40)
4. Don't Think Twice, It's Alright (5:25)
5. Calling Card (5:53)
6. Ain't No Big Deal On You (4:35)
7. Got The News (5:35)
8. Albert's Alley (6:18)
9. Driving Blindly Through The Night (6:55)
10. You're A Mystery (3:37)

CD 2:
1. Path Is Clear (7:49)
2. Leaving Thing (5:49)
3. Life After You (6:13)
4. Intensive Care (5:42)
5. All I Want Is Everything (3:59)
6. Don't Bite The Hand That Feeds You (7:15)
7. Cry To Me (4:26)
8. Howling At The Moon (10:26)
9. Key To Your Heart (4:30)

Bondi Cigars is an Australian blues and roots band. Their album "Down in the Valley" was nominated for a 2002 ARIA Award for Best Blues & Roots Album. Bondi Cigars were formed in Sydney in 1989 by Shane Pacey, Alan Britton, Les Karski and Ace Follington. Over time only Pacey and Britton remain from the original lineup. Many members have come and gone before settling on the current lineup. /Wikipedia

Personnel: Shane Pacey (guitar, vocals); Eben Hale (guitar, vocals); Alan Britton (bass, vocals); Andrew Vainauskas (drums, mystery sound).

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Down In The Valley (2 CD) zippy

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Bondi Cigars - Bad Weather Blues

Year: 1992
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:00
Size: 113,5 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Scans: Front

1. Booze Blues (3:54)
2. You're A Mystery (3:14)
3. Lies And Tenderness (3:40)
4. Path Is Clear (3:45)
5. Medley: Old Grey Mare/Killing Floor (3:58)
6. Bad Weather Blues (6:16)
7. You Get That (4:29)
8. Calling Card (3:30)
9. Let Me Rubber Glove You (3:39)
10. The Pain (2:22)
11. Problem (3:35)
12. All I Want Is Everything (3:27)
13. Brushed (3:06)

When the Bondi Cigars were first gigging around Sydney, late 1989, they moved in a blues/R&B circuit which, while robust enough since the 60s, had then been sparked into new life by the 'blues revival' of the mid-80's, spearheaded by Robert Cray, Joe Louis Walker, Stevie Ray Vaughan and similar crusaders.

And while many of the Sydney bands from that era have vanished, become historical footnotes or undergone major changes, the Cigars are true survivors and have battled on, without ever compromising their distinctive no nonsense style, to become a leading force in Australian R&B.

Personnel: Shane Pacey (guitar, vocals); Alan Britton (bass, vocals); Eben Hale (guitar, vocals); Frank Corby (drums, vocals).

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Bad Weather Blues zippy

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Bondi Cigars - 32 Premium Quality Cuts (1990-2006)

When the Bondi Cigars were first gigging around Sydney, late 1989, they moved in a blues/R&B circuit which, while robust enough since the 60s, had then been sparked into new life by the 'blues revival' of the mid-80's, spearheaded by Robert Cray, Joe Louis Walker, Stevie Ray Vaughan and similar crusaders.

And while many of the Sydney bands from that era have vanished, become historical footnotes or undergone major changes, the Cigars are true survivors and have battled on, without ever compromising their distinctive no nonsense style, to become a leading force in Australian R&B.

Album: 32 Premium Quality Cuts (1990-2006)
Year: 2007
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:47 + 72:51
Size: 166,0 + 168,2 MB
Styles: Modern electric blues
Scans: Full

CD 1:
1. Right Or Wrong (4:20)
2. Ghost Train (3:28)
3. Howling At The Moon (3:33)
4. Cry To Me (3:50)
5. Don't Bite The Hand That Feeds You (4:52)
6. Steppin' In (4:36)
7. You're A Mystery (3:18)
8. The Path Is Clear (3:50)
9. Bad Weather Blues (6:20)
10. The Pain (2:28)
11. You Get That (4:33)
12. Calling Card (3:39)
13. Key To Your Heart (4:30)
14. Albert's Alley (4:20)
15. Got The News (4:37)
16. Last Man In Town (5:44)
17. Nobody Sees Me (3:41)

CD 2:
1. Paris On $10 A Day (3:06)
2. Intensive Care (4:59)
3. Life After You (4:05)
4. Separation Blues (4:00)
5. Leaving Thing (4:01)
6. Second Skin (6:32)
7. Mercy (6:30)
8. Betcha Don't Know (4:10)
9. You Can Never Go Back (7:22)
10. All I Want Is Everything (4:02)
11. I Can't Sleep (4:06)
12. Some Other Man (4:55)
13. Talking Toombstone (6:23)
14. Tell Me What I Need To Know (4:23)
15. Twilight Walking (4:11)

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32 Premium Quality Cuts (1990-2006) (2 CD) gofile

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Bondi Cigars - 2 albums: 12 Lies / After Closing Time

One of Australia's most admired blues-aligned bands, the Bondi's have pretty well been doing it for themselves since they commenced operations in 1989, establishing a formidable reputation as a live band par excellence as Johno's regulars would be aware. If 2001's Down in the Valley captured the essence & spirit of their gigs over the years, 12 Lies is a barometer of where they are at the present time. The new album sees the band edge a little further away from their original sound, adding alt.country & pop/rock feels to the rhythm & blues/soul/funk amalgam base. The result is a contemporary & accessible sound.

Shane Pacey, the band's powerhouse vocalist, guitar player and songwriter, is still the dominant force, in tandem with co-founder/bassman Al Britton, whose instinctive feel for groove and rhythm remains a salient element. But 12 Lies reveals a more prominent role for co-lead guitarist Eben Hale, while expat American drummer Frank Corby certainly puts his stamp on this, his first recorded outing with the Sydney band. The Cigars trademark twin lead guitar concept works brilliantly, as always, with Pacey and Hale working in tandem, overlapping and alternating in well formulated arrangements, each solo carefully constructed and comparatively free of cliché. Pacey's incisive and inventive guitar playing is always a pleasure to hear.

A few blasts of harp or sax or some Hammond organ would have been icing on the cake, but you have to admire the band's commitment to its on-stage sound, and a style that hangs on meaty electric guitar hooks. Shane Pacey's originals are as punchy as ever, nitty gritty, down to earth, plainly worded songs relating to everyday life recurring patterns.

Album: 12 Lies
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:57
Size: 118.9 MB
Styles: Electric blues, Funky blues
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:16] 1. Tell Me What I Need To Know
[4:48] 2. Some Other Man
[3:58] 3. Raging Thirst
[4:16] 4. Everybody Do The Second Line
[3:28] 5. I've Been Trying
[4:53] 6. I Won't Lay Down With The Devil
[3:23] 7. The Edge Of The Dirty River
[6:15] 8. Talking Tombstone
[3:17] 9. You Soon Will Be
[4:34] 10. She Shakes Me To The Bone
[3:39] 11. More Light Than I Can Stand
[5:04] 12. Junkie For The Past

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Album: After Closing Time
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:31
Size: 117.9 MB
Styles: Electric blues, Funky blues
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:53] 1. Separation Blues
[3:51] 2. Leaving Thing
[3:54] 3. Life After You
[4:52] 4. Intensive Care
[4:40] 5. Imitation Of Love
[4:28] 6. Cold Cold World
[3:37] 7. After Closing Time
[4:10] 8. Too Bad
[3:54] 9. Lead Me Not Into Temptation
[3:38] 10. They Only Come Out At Night
[3:50] 11. If Walls Could Talk
[2:55] 12. Paris On $10 Dollars A Day
[3:43] 13. Speakeasy

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After Closing Time zippy

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