The Volcanics (Bands from Perth, Australia)

I have already made a blog entry on the The Volcanics, it was one of my earlier entries, but while I am discussing Perth bands that I like I just had to mention them again. The Volcanics are one of my favourite contemporary Perth bands and I see them every opportunity I have when visiting Perth. Such as this time with The M-16’s (see the post below).

With influences including MC5, The Stooges, Rolling Stones, Radio Birdman, the Saints, the Ramones and the New York Dolls, the Volcanics play rock ‘n’ roll with (slightly) less guitar histrionics than The M-16’s, but equally as rocking.

Vocalist John Phatouros and drummer John Tombides had previously played together in Josephine Killen (their bass player was Dan Tarrant, aka Wally Walton from The Waltons) and they had been jamming for about a year in a band called Helena, with Mick Whitby on guitar. Helena were a no fuss, no frills, loud garage band, and only around for 18 months, who recorded 5 songs that were never released.

The Volcanics came together shortly after Helena ended, around November 2002, with the 3 guys deciding to continue playing together. The current lineup of the band includes Jason Cleary on bass and about a year ago Warren Hall replaced John Tombides on drums.

The band have released a 5 track E.P. “Nothin For You” and they also contributed four tracks to "Light The Fuse", with another four tracks from both The M-16’s and Fourstroke. A nice treat in this release is that each of the bands play a cover version of a track by a favourite Perth band (the Volcanics cover “Snuff” by another great Perth band, The Bamboos).

As I said in my previous post, with their classic line up of guitar, drums, bass and vocals, The Volcanics will get your head banging and your feet moving.

If you’re in Perth for the Australia Day Eve, get your ass down to the Amplifier Bar and shake it around.