Rock dogs nations wide get ready to party because one of Melbourne’s best celebrations of rock n roll, Rock N Load is back on Saturday, 23rd January at Corner Hotel, Melbourne.
Complete with a seriously heavy lineup and a new venue, after three very successful years at St Kilda’s iconic Esplanade Hotel, a.k.a. The Espy, Rock ‘N’ Load 2016 will see the event moving over to the much-loved Corner Hotel in Richmond.
With a lineup featuring the likes of Gay Paris, My Echo, Jackson Firebird, Massive, Brittle Bones, Ten Thousand, Greenthief, and more (all for only $15) be prepared ’cause it’s a pretty safe bet that the Corner may just have its roof blown off.
To celebrate the upcoming mini-festival and to get in the mood for some seriously heavy rocking Gay Paris, My Echo, Jackson Firebird and Ten Thousand have curated a list of the ultimate rock albums everyone should hear. Check them out below and pop by the Rock ‘N’ Load website for details on the gig.
GAY PARIS: Queens of the Stone Age – Songs for the Deaf
2002, Interscope Records
Dean chose this one, and I’m guessing it is because he thinks you kids don’t remember a little album called Far Beyond Driven by a little band called Pantera.
We have been driving around the country for about six or seven years now and this record has been a constant conversation killer. Hell, I hated Queens for years, but the other dudes won me over. They were persistent. In the spirit of full disclosure, I was just so intimidated by how sexy as fuck this band is, Homme’s voice in particular.
If you’ve ever spent any time with me, you know that I find arousal to be deeply disturbing and possibly damaging to the flourishing of the soul/psyche. This album then, in this sense, is a soul crusher. Josh, if you’re reading this, please, hit me up on Facebook, we should talk (mostly about Trent Reznor, I’ll unpack it for you later).
GAY PARIS: Fugazi – The Argument
2001, Dischord Records
When I first met Lachlan at some shitty party back in the (late 90s/2000?), I was pretty much only interested in hip-hop music and having dreadlocks (thanks, all powerful and wise genetics for removing all hair related decisions from my realm of responsibility).
My most handsome of friends turned me on to Fugazi with this record when we first began living together. I remember hearing ‘everybody wants somewhere’ blasting down the hall and it just pulled at me.
Between Lachlan and Fugazi, my rap career was dead before the ship even sank. I fucking love them (Lachlan and Fugazi) for that. That said, have you heard that Fugazi/Wu-Tang mash-up?
GAY PARIS: At The Drive-In – Relationship of Command
2000, Fearless Records
The go to joke here is that Simmo our drummer picked this and, as we all know, he likes to drive (a LOT). He rests at the drive-in. Axiomatic.
This record was probably formative for us on a variety of discrete levels. Beyond the music, the abstract lyrics, the sweet dance moves, this is the album that made me want to get really thin. I tried, man, I tried.
For the other dudes, I think this was a time that they were all breaking out of being in straight laced ‘punk’ and ‘metal’ bands. We were slow learners, but this is a good representation of protest without obnoxious, rebellion and rhetoric with both pose and substance.
GAY PARIS: Nick Cave – Murder Ballads
1996, Mute Records
When I was in early high school, ‘Red Right Hand’ scared the heck out of me. I was on the bus, heading to another terrible day at my terrible school and it just felt like a threat. I hated Mr. Cave and his terrible Seeds for that.
Gloom and doom and bloody noses and tears on the basketball court. It wasn’t until I got to grips with Murder Ballads (oh, about a decade later) that I came to appreciate what was going on in all of this Antipodes/Brighton Gothic.
This is the record that taught me about lyrical narrative, about elegant and eloquent language (not that I have ever said anything in less than ten more syllables than necessary). The duets, particularly, are haunting. Minogue and Harvey and Cave? Okay, grab a shovel, bash my skull and roll me off a headland, I’m ready.
GAY PARIS: The Rocky Horror Picture Show – OST
1972, UK Records
“Give yourself over to absolute pleasure. Swim the warm waters of sins of the flesh – erotic nightmares beyond any measure, and sensual daydreams to treasure forever. Can’t you just see it? Don’t dream it, be it.”
MY ECHO: Acceptance – Phantoms
2005, Sony BMG
When I first met Brenton we already felt that this was one of the best records we’d ever heard and bonded over that.
Compared to some of the shit that’s coming out today this record STILL stands up and definitely features in our van regularly.
MY ECHO: Jimmy Eat World – Futures
2004, Interscope Records
As soon as I heard the intro to Futures I was in awe.
So many rad riffs and the vocal production is insane. This was pretty much the soundtrack to my teens.
MY ECHO: The Clash – London Calling
1979, CBS Records
This band paved the way for most of the 90’s punk rock we grew up listening to.
Back when I first started looking into 77′ punk I instantly fell in love with The Clash and especially ‘London Calling’ it’s everything I love about music.
MY ECHO: Against Me! – New Wave
2007, Sire Records
When we first started our band this record was on repeat and played a big part in shaping the way we wanted to sound.
Ten Thousand: The Black Angels – Directions To See A Ghost
2008, Light in the Attic Records
A mesmerizing and maniacal rain dance to the spirits; hypnotic, trance-inducing rhythms flicker and swirl like prayer smoke over ominous Eastern drones, the cataclysmic deluge looming heavy on the horizon, threatening to drown us all. – Luke (Bass)
TEN THOUSAND: Shihad – The General Electric
1999, Wea Records
An album that changed the direction of New Zealand music.
Politically and emotionally charged anthems that became permanently part of my collection and set the tone for the way I approach song writing. – Jason (Drums)
TEN THOUSAND: The Rolling Stones – Exile On Main Street
1972, Rolling Stones Records
Recorded in a chateau in the south of France at the height of the stones excess and debauchery.
The album has a life and intensity of emotion that’s unrivalled; a mishmash of blues, country, soul and raw as fuck rock n roll.
Masterful songwriting, sleazy licks and always an inspiration to listen to…it’s the very definition of pure rock n roll capturing on tape all the glory and trappings that come with it! – Marty K (guitar)
TEN THOUSAND: Between The Buried And Me – Colours
2007, Victory Records
The range of things that happen in that album is insane. From the hauntingly solemn to the obscenely heavy!
10 minute songs that start off with riffs that you adore and then go off on a rediculous journey and then rips you back into a familiar part that makes it feel like home.
With epic middle eastern tones and crazy jazz phrasing played heavy and hard. I’m a sucker for that kind of sank. – Brandon (Guitar)
TEN THOUSAND: The Mars Volta – Deloused in the Comatorium
2003, Universal
Like a mainline cocktail of rat-poison and morphine straight to the vein, this coma-exploring concept album dives into the hypnotic week-long death-sleep of self-injecting, fictional artist, Cerpin Taxt.
Truly pushing the boundaries of ‘progressive’ out’ve the stratosphere, key writer and guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez truly weaves magic into sound and vice versa with his experimentation with melody, tone, tempo and rhythm; infusing a basis of rock, Latin and jazz with the incredibly haunting vocals of fellow conceptualist and master-lyricist Cedric Bixlar-Zevala, the danger, integrity and sheer confidence of this album runs rings around the attempts of most bands since. – Jay (Vocals)
Jackson Firebird: The Allman Brothers – The Allman Brothers Band at Fillmore East
1971, Capricorn Records
I believe I was very very high when first hearing this album and it forever changed me and the way I thought about rock n roll.
I have some Allman Brothers studio albums but it’s these live recordings in 1971 that get the most love in the old tape player.
The guys are pure American jam rock n roll led by the slide guru Duane Allman at his peek only months before he died. Its the way the instruments gel, the groove and it’s imperfect perfection that made this album a game changer for me. – Hudak
Jackson Firebird: Pantera – Vulgar Display of Power
1992, Atlantic Records
My old mate Scotty used to own a Commodore with a killer stereo. I was introduced to this album fully cranked on the road between Bendigo to Melbourne and have been a huge fan ever since.
Vulgar Display feels like riding the Green Lantern at Movie World. It kicks you in the gootch right from the get go and repeatedly throws you into an adrenaline pumping frenzy. Every song makes you want to jump off shit and break stuff. A perfectly titled album!
Jackson Firebird: STEVE EARL – COPPERHEAD ROAD
1988, Uni Records
Now this is an album that just came into my life at the right time, I was around 10 years of old living in Mildura and I wasn’t exposed to a lot of music besides what you heard on the air waves. I remember hearing Johnny Diesel and the Injectors on the radio or being pushed on TV l think, but it gave me a good vibe and I was sold.
So I think it was my tenth Birthday all I asked for was the Injectors album but when the day came I was given a cassette and BOOM! It was Steve Earl Copper Head Road. For a minute I was like ‘what the fuck?’, but with such a bad ass cover I was intrigued.
As soon as that tape hit the deck it was hooked, The dirty ruff bad ass sound of that tape at the age of ten was so good to my ears with tracks like ‘Snake Oil’ and ‘Copper Head Road’ I think it’s where my love of a good old rock’n roll riff comes from. So I have to thank whatever took place in that little music store in Mildura that made my parents come home with that tape.
Jackson Firebird: GUNS N ROSES – APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION
1987, Geffen Records
I got a hold of this bad boy whilst skating at a mates house and his older brother was pumping this out of the shed whilst we road there halfpipe.
With the riffs and language that I was hearing I had to get a hold of it. I had already started to try and play guitar and this was the fuel I needed to feed my craving.
Appetite has it all mad riffs, mean solos and Axles vocals were out of this world (such a bummer he went the way he did haha). I still give this album a good pump regularly and it’s one that will never fade!”
Jackson Firebird: THE EASYBEATS – THE BEST OF THE EASYBEATS
1967, Parlophone
The coolest Australian rock n roll band has got be The Easybeats (The god fathers of Aussie Rock).
With such good vibes in all the tracks on this album and rad guitar solos this album rules. I got right into these guys and a lot of other older Aussie rock when I was at the end of my high school days.
It’s far from Pantera but these guys really got me into good vibes and groovy guitar leads. The harmonies in this album are awesome when I listen to this album these days I just sing the backup vocals! I dare you to give it a go.
ROCK ‘N’ LOAD 2016
GAY PARIS
JACKSON FIREBIRD
MY ECHO
MASSIVE
TEN THOUSAND
ANNA SALEN
GREENTHIEF
BRITTLE BONES
THE CONTROLLERS
ANIMAL HANDS
Saturday, 23rd January 2016
Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Tickets: Rock ‘N’ Load
Tickets only $15
