Little band scene

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The little bands scene is the name given to the post punk rock scene which flourished in Melbourne in the late 1970s and 1980s. This scene was concentrated around the inner suburbs of Fitzroy and St Kilda, and was characterised by large numbers of small bands, more concerned with artistic expression than mainstream success. The bands played in small inner-city venues, often pubs, and their music was sometimes broadcast by community radio stations, such as 3RRR. In the scene, the distinctions between performers and audience were blurred; many of the people in the audiences at shows were either in bands or ended up forming such.

The little bands scene got its name from "little bands nights", gigs organised in Melbourne by members of Primitive Calculators. Originally they were bands made up of members of the Calculators, Whirlywirld and friends, and acted as support bands for the Calculators, Whirlywirld and The Boys Next Door. The Calculators and Whirlywirld lived next door to each other in a split terrace and had rehearsal spaces in each house. By using the Calculators and Whirlywirlds equipment, it made it easier to practice and set up for the night. These bands often had a charming disposable quality happy to play once or twice and then form other "little bands". This was often a result of the bands being composed of non musicians enjoying the opportunity to realise their naive musical ideas. However some little bands went on to become fully fledged gigging groups.

A local record shop owner, Max Robenstone of Climax Records paid for the recording of the Little Bands EP in 1979, featuring Too Fat To Fit Through The Door, Morpions, Ronnie and the Rhythm Boys and The Take. It grew from there and began to take on a life of its own. At later nights, up to ten hastily assembled bands would play for fifteen minutes each. The scene flourished from mid 1978 until early 1981. After the Calculators and Whirlywirld left town for the UK on New Years eve 1980 the scenes base centred on the shared spaces of The Incredibly Strange Creatures who Gave up Music and became Crazy Mixed Up Zombies and Use No Hooks.

The first phase - up to the departure of the Calculators and Whirlywirld - was documented on an unreleased double LP, No Sin Like Dancing, that is catalogued in Clint Walkers book Inner City Sound.

The Melbourne little bands scene was represented, if very inaccurately, in the 1987 film Dogs In Space.

In Sydney a similar scene revolved around the post-punk band Pel Mel and acts associated with the M Squared label.

[edit] Artists/bands associated with the Melbourne little bands scene

Essendon Airport
Morpions
Primitive Calculators
Ronnie and the Rhythm Boys
The Shower Scene from Psycho
Use No Hooks
The Swinging Hoys
The Clang
The Incredibly Strange Creatures who Gave up Music and became Crazy Mixed Up Zombies
J P Satre Band
The Klu
The Take
Thrush and the Cunts
Too Fat To Fit Through The Door
Whirlywirld
Ollie Olsen
John Murphy