Around the World - Nobunny

'Nobunny loves you... if you are five years old and a boy'

That's just one quote from a review of the 2008 Love Visions LP from Nobunny, a front man/rabbit created by US garage/punk musician Justin Champlin. Together with an array of backing artists Nobunny blends together the sounds of the Ramones, the Cramps and childlike power-pop, creating some seriously infectious bubblegum-punk.

Starting out in 2001 Nobunny has been performing across the US, slowly gaining a cult following thanks to their raucous live shows punctuated by bunny masks, kneepads, spastic dance moves, pink underwear and coats made of trash. Since then Nobunny has released a vinyl single "Give it to Me" on Hozac Records and a full-length LP called Love Visions on Bubbledumb Records in 2008. However it wasn't until Love Visions was re-released in 2009 that Nobunny began to receive significant attention. The album garnered wide spread praise from the music reviewers that bothered to get their hands on it,

"How does this 25-minutes of sick trash even exist?" - Buddyhead
"It was disgusting, totally disgusting, and more than a little creepy" - Paste Magazine
"If you like sweaty basements with your friends while drinking beer from the cheap 30 packs you all threw in on, then this could be your favourite album for the rest of the summer" - Racket Magazine
"Like a high school version of Rock & Roll High School" - Rolling Stone

From there Nobunny has gotten involved with Jack White's Third Man Records, playing an acoustic show that's to be released by the label, so hopefully new material will be on the way soon. Sadly though there's no immediate plans for any Australian shows.

13 Questions with Blame Ringo!

Blame Ringo are Jessiah, Ross and Pete, they go about playing music around Brisbane and other places. Some more exciting, some less. They took some time out from blaming Ringo for their miserable, miserable lives to answer the 13 enquiries below.

1. Who are your heroes?
Dan Kelly and whoever invented Red Bull
2. The first band you saw live?
Frenzal Rhomb (Ross), Green Day (Pete), John Williamson (Jessiah)
3. What's your favourite Brisbane music venue?
The Troubadour
4. What's the best (or dumbest) things that's been said to you at/after a show?
Brendan Fevola told us he enjoyed our show. That was kind of weird
5. Why Blame Ringo! as your band name?
Long story...
[MMB Note - after careful, painstaking research it became clear that Blame Ringo decided upon their name as a constant reminder and motivation to fulfill a blood debt after their parents were mercilessly killed in a one off wrestling death match by Ringo Starr. Ever since they have been playing music and improving their wrestling skills in hopes of avenging their fallen loved ones. Visit their site (www.blameringo.com) for the cover up story and other revelations about Ringo's malevolent influence.]
6. What makes you cringe?
The Valley at 2am on a Sunday morning
7. Describe the raddest heist you've ever pulled off. What'd you steal?
Jessiah woke up one morning with a dozen letterboxes in his room. He has no idea how they got there.
8. What bands should people reading this be listening to?
Ball Park Music, Hungry Kids of Hungary, Richard In Your Mind
9. If the members of Blame Ringo were to adopt stage names what would they be?
Jizz Mopper (Jessiah), Pete Schnapps (Pete) and Ross (Ross)
10. You are guilty of shameful things. What are these BAAAD things?
Pete used to be in a punk band called 'F***ing C***s'
11. You can choose one musician, alive or dead, to perform with Blame Ringo for one night only. Who do you choose?
Billy Preston
12. If someone wrote a biography for Blame Ringo what would the title be?
Blame Ringo: Eat a Bag of It
13. What can we expect from Blame Ringo in the near future?
We have a new album out in September and we're off to the US in the new year

The Gin Club Release Video for 'Pennies'

Brisbane favourites, The Gin Club have released a video for the song 'Pennies' of their new album Deathwish. They shot it in only 3 hours. I'm guessing shoot time was cut short because Antiques Roadshow was about to start because who wants to miss that?

Gig of the Week - DZ / Chicks Who Love Guns / Glass Towers @ Alhambra Lounge, Friday June 4

It's Peny Lane's third birthday and there's a celebration of sorts being put on by FANS at Alhambra this Friday. The lineup is DZ headlining, with Chicks Who Love Guns and Glass Towers for support. Then there's some people who probably take DJ'ing too seriously on afterward. Oh and it's also the official Children Collide after party as well.

(www.penylane.com - some girls who go places and take photos of stuff whilst they're there. I'm not really sure. It could be about fashion)

DZ - The Mess Up - Website

Chicks Who Love Guns - Vomit on the Dancefloor - Website

Glass Towers - Castles - Website

The Spires to Release 'Curved Space' EP

Funnily enough MMB got sent an album from a New York record label for a Californian band, neither being all that close to Brisbane, let alone Australia, but hey it's nice to feel noticed even if it does just involve being added to a mailing list.

The Spires are a three-piece dream pop band from Ventura, California and consist of Jason Bays (vocals/ guitar), Colleen Coffey (drums) and Catelyn Kindred (bass). Having formed in 2004 they have since gone on to release three LP's and half a dozen EP's up until their latest scheduled release of 'Curved Space' on July 13. Their previous work has earned them comparisons with the likes of The Velvet Underground, Belle & Sebastien, Robyn Hitchcock and even Brisbane's own, The Go-Betweens.

'Curved Space' appears to be a continuation from their previous work, a sound full of reverb, dreamy pop and melancholic lyrics.  A video for the first single from the EP, 'Orange Yellow' is below and if you like what you hear that much the EP is reportedly due for release on July 13.