Puff'n'Stuff

Well, hello there, dear reader!...Hmmm...Yes, yes...you've certainly put on some weight and look a little on the off-side thanks to the recent festivities over Christmas and New Year's, but that's ok, Puff still loves ya, no matter how much you've let yourself go over the holidays...So it's 2007 and from the looks of it it's already shaping up to be one helluva year with some massive tours kicking off from February onwards.

But first thing's first - on the local side of things Munchkin will be celebrating the upcoming release of their first single Sometime After Midnight from their brand new album 'Deny You're Here' with a special show that will see them at the Jade Monkey on Fri 12 January with electro-ambient gurus Sojourn. The doors open at 9 pm with $8 entry fee.

Taught By Animals will be launching their debut EP at the Grace Emily Hotel on Sat 20 January with good mates Meanwell College, but if your beating heart just can't bear to wait that long, feel warmed with fresh pumping blood at the fact that Meanwell College will also be playing a show at the Crown And Anchor Hotel on Fri 12 January, with first band on the night being Lady Strangelove, followed by Poly And The Statics - who you can also catch at this year's Big Day Out.

Toxic Shock will be playing with Leather Messiah and The Billion Dollar Bums at the Exeter Hotel (Rundle St) on Fri 19 January for what will be the former's fifth gig since their official reformation. The band have recently been welcomed back into the local rock scene with anticipation and open arms by both old and new fans, Puff is told, so get down to the 'Ex and check them out for yourself.

Loemax, Before The Aftermath and Running With Horses are banding together to bring in the new year on Fri 19 January at the Jade Monkey, with Loemax having just finished their new EP, Running With Horses nearing completion of their forthcoming, self-recorded release and Before The Aftermath receiving record label interests and ending up a finalist in the national MusicOz song competition. 2007 is certainly looking like it's going to be an exciting year for the trio, so come and check them out on the night, with doors opening after 9 pm.

Carclew's Off The Couch has announced its next gig in the hardcore genre, which is happening on Fri 19 January at Jive and which will feature Reckless Haze, Death Still Lies, Star Ten Hash and Liability Of My Own. In the meantime, Off The Couch will also be gathering up a compilation CD made up of 20 local artists in support of raising awareness about global warming - if you are interested in making a contribution contact Alice on 8388 5996 or Jackson on 8178 1118 from Aware. Puff wants to give you another quick heads-up for a comp that should keep you busy over the next few weeks - dB Mag have joined forces with Carclew Youth Arts and the Big Day Out and if you think you have what it takes to have a go at writing for the wonderful publication that is dB Magazine then here's your chance to become a live music reviewer thanks to Carclew Youth Arts and dB Mag who are offering you this rare opportunity. For your chance to get your live reviews published in dB Magazine all you have to do is be at one or more of the free Off The Couch gigs and check out the talent, then write up your 400-word review to be submitted to dB's Music Editor. There will also be a free workshop at Carclew to pass on tips of the trade for wanna-be music writers so to register your interest in taking part, contact Georgina James at Carclew Youth Arts at gjames@carclew.org.au or on 8267 5111 for more info.

Are you under 18 year of age and looking to start gigging all-ages shows on Friday nights in a drug and alcohol-free environment within an inner-city locale? Well, Fork In The Road Promotions are giving you a chance to do just that - all you have to do is phone a gentleman who goes by the name of Dave on 0400 367 157 or text your band name and contact number to the said number, so whatcha waiting for kiddies?

Rumour has it that professional wrestling is the new 'black' these days in Adelaide and in 2007 Riot City Wrestling will kick the year off at a very special location - the Adelaide Gaol. This is the first time the gaol has opened its cell doors to professional wrestling and RCW are offering an action-packed adventure with local talent, interstate and international wrestlers, featuring also resident DJ Dick Doodle. So bring ma, pa and the kids on Sat 20 January to the Old Adelaide Gaol for a 7 pm start with $10 adult and $7 under-15s tickets. Don't forget to also bring them back home afterwards...

On the local front, Puff is sad to announce a couple of splits that will not particularly make your day...Unspoken Things will be parting ways following Jamie's decision to move onto other things, people and sounds - namely pursuing a group with Lewis from El Tornado Blanco. Meanwhile, the rest of the band have informed Puff that despite the unfortunate news, they are all able to view this change in a positive light, remain buddies and possible future collaborators and are generally grateful to all the fans for their support. While Travis, Nick and Mick have announced they will be continuing to make music together along with Lachy from Love Stereo among others, when the time is right the group will be launched with a new name, MySpace and a set of songs. However, as a full band Unspoken Things have yet to sing their swan song - catch their farewell gig on Sat 20 January with The Trafalgars at Jive where the band will be selling their old 'Bourbon Eyes' EP as well as new, self-titled album.

The second piece of bad news is that The Dukes Of Haphazard have likewise announced their final ever show which will be taking place at the Underground on Sat 13 January at 1 pm, also featuring Hoodoo Voodoo Dolls, Uncle Chester's Triumphant Return, Funkadelic Fret Fathers, Jeremy Wright and Fist Fight (for whom this will also be a last ever show).

It's certainly been a roller-coaster of a year for local artists, so it seems, with the departure of yet another muso - this time there's trouble in paradise for Miracle Hat who have recently split with their drummer Matt Beshara after a shaky few months due to creative differences and commitment issues, according to the band. While Miracle Hat claim that they've seen it coming for a while, they are greatly disappointed by Beshara's departure. However, Puff is also told that there has been no falling out between the band members and that Miracle Hat is still kicking and currently on the lookout for a new drummer. The band launched their debut EP last year, charting up to no. 7 on the AWESAM Charts and played several memorable shows with interstate and international acts - so if you think you're good enough a stickman to give it a shot, get in touch with Miracle Hat at band@miraclehat.net or call Peter on 0410 576 618.

Strange, beautiful, jagged, swampy, hypnotic, abstract, punk-rock, ambient, loud and quiet...That's how Perth's Snowman describe their own sound. Sure, you can wait another month to catch them when they play a set at this year's Big Day Out...But who'd wanna do that? Joining forces with Melbourne's Temper Trap - think Radiohead, Sonic Youth and The Mars Volta - Snowman are getting ready to head over to Adelaide on Thurs 11 January at Jive, so head on down and get ready for a musical challenge.

On Fri 9 and Sat 10 February the Electric Light Hotel and the Enigma Bar, respectively, will be playing host to glam-o-delic rockers The Inches as they return to Adelaide as part of their SOS Beach Tour. The band have recently posted their brand new video Dress Like Gods on their MySpace site www.myspace.com.theinchesand are currently getting ready to release their first single in February as well as a whole new album later in May.

With clearly a case of ants-in-their-pants, those Carpathian boys just can't seem to stay away from the road! Since their formation in 2003 the Melbourne lads, featuring Adelaide's own Michael Crafter on vocals, have managed to leave no corner of this great brown land unturned through constant touring with names like Atreyu, Bleeding Through, As I Lay Dying, Evergreen Terrace, On Broken Wings, Comeback Kid, Parkway Drive and I Killed The Prom Queen. Before they head off to tour Europe and the UK in March of this year with fellow Aussies Parkway Drive, to coincide the release of their debut album 'Nothing To Lose' on UK's Golf Records, catch Carpathian on their upcoming summer tour that will see them at the Enigma Bar on Fri 16 February with Abandon All Hope and Bloodsport.

So how did Blowfly get his name? Well, rumor has it that the 61-year-old, known for his X-rated songs and funky grooves, got his nickname as a child when his grandmother heard him singing dirty versions of the then popular songs - like "Suck My Dick" for Do The Twist - and proclaimed, "You is nastier than a blowfly." Now Blowfly is bringing his amazing stage show to us in support of his brand new album 'Punk Rock Party' which covers classics tunes by Black Flag, The Clash and The Ramones, with Blowfly twisting the lyrics in his own unique way. Catch Blowfly on Thurs 22 February at Jive with special guests Dr El Suavo and The Backseat Romeos for an R-rated show that is not for the faint-hearted.

Already featuring Helmet (US), The Butterfly Effect (pictured), God Forbid (US), 8 Ft Sativa (NZ), Sunk Loto, Horsell Common, Repeat Offender, Psychoptic, Against, Mourningtide, The Rivarly, Terrorust, Minus Life, Pathogen, City In Panic, Art Vandelay, Western Decay, Dyscord and Dead Letter Circus, Australia's original festival of hard-rock, Overcranked '07, is set to become even bigger with the recent addition of Oz-punk icons Frenzal Rhomb, Sydney pop-thrashers The Hard-Ons, as well as Dreamkillers, The Amity Affliction, 50 Lions, Rollerball, Beijing Tank and Ruins! It's all happening at the RNA Showgrounds, Brisbane, on Sat 24 March from 11 am to 10 pm featuring market stalls, art displays, street performers, air-guitar comps and rock karaoke. For more info www.overcranked.com or Oztix on 1300 762 545.

Frill-free bursts of good-time keg-party punk is the order of the day with The Bronx making their way over to Australia along with The Mint Chicks and Regular John on Thurs 1 March at Fowler's Live. Puff has just discovered that singer Matt Caughtran usually ends the night rolling around the stage half-naked in front of the entire crowd, so this show should be well worth your money for the visuals alone...

Puff has also just received a newsflash that An Evening With Burt Bacharach Tour will not be happening in April - the Australian and New Zealand tour have recently both been post-poned due to Mr Bacharach sustaining an arm injury in New York. Likewise, unavoidable changes have been made to the Tim Finn tour due to promotional obligations which have arisen for Finn outside of Australia, leading to Adelaide, Canberra and Newcastle shows being cancelled - but fear not as punters can secure a refund from their original point of purchase. Meanwhile, Finn's appearance at A Day On The Green on Sat 3 February in Rutherglen and on Sun 4 February at Kings Park (WA) remain unchanged.

On the international front, some celebrity splits you might be interested to know about have included Marilyn Manson's divorce from wife Dita Von Teese (a.k.a. Heather Sweet) who have cited "irreconcilable differences," according to NME. Like we never saw that one coming...

Likewise, Eminem has also (sigh) decided to once again divorce his wife Kim Mathers. The couple told judge Antonio P Viviano that this divorce was their final one ever, promise.

Speaking of rappers, 50 Cent has just announced the launch of his G-Unit Books imprint. Yes, you hear it right - 50 Cent has now entered the literary world, bless him. Fiddy (a.k.a Curtis James Jackson III), along with co-authors Nikki Turner and K. Elliott, has taken to publishing stories about life in the 'hood - "Which no-one knows better than us," he told NME - and which will deliver some of the most authentic, gritty urban tales of the highs and lows of life apparently. Watch your back, J.K. Rowling...

And if you think that's bizarre, get this - rock veterans, Kiss, have recently made an announcement that they are teaming up with Chase Bank to release a Kiss Visa card. Yup, following in the footsteps of Mickey Mouse and Hulk Hogan, the band will now be immortalised on plastic for the rest of time...sporting black and white make-up and surrounded in orange flames, of course.

Want more? How does 'Sir Bono' sound? Stupid? That's right, it certainly does, but that's not the only reason why U2's frontman will not be carrying the 'Sir' title following his knighting by the Queen which is to take place sometime later this year. Despite his humanitarian work and services to the music industry, which have included organising Live 8 with Bob Geldof, Bono will receive the honour at a ceremony but will not be awarded the title of 'Sir' because he is not a British national. Seems that while the English have invaded and occupy Ireland, the Irish are not recognised as having the rights and privileges of their conquerors. The singer has so far been presented with the Legion D'Honneur by President Jacques Chirac for his contribution to music and campaign work, while he also received a Time Person Of The Year award in 2005. Not bad for a platform-wearing Irish guy who looks like a giant fly.

And unfortunately that's about all that Puff has time for in this edition of dB Mag, dear reader, but stay tuned for more celebrity tomfoolery and gig updates as the next coupla weeks progress. In the meantime, you have some serious gigs to attend, so...

Get Out Of The House!