Painters and Dockers

Press, 21 October 1987, Page 8

Painters and Dockers

Painters and Dockers at the Gladstone Tavern, Tuesday, October 2*. Reviewed by Glen Perkinson.

There’s life in Australian music yet, Jim — but not as we know it Painters and Dockers — after the militant Melbourne union of the same name — are a strange breed of Australian musicians. At the Gladstone last evening they astounded a crowded bar with their distinctive brand of Ocker rock. Many would not know a painter from a dockef but for the sole video clip screened several weeks ago on "Radio With Pictures." Called “Nude School” the tune calls up the wildest of Images. Indeed, the clip used them to the extreme with lots of Painters and Dockers swimming naked in farmyard muck.

Within the live framework the ditty loses none of its impact It conveys the band’s raunchy, rough, and completely An-

tipodean origins. Right from th? kick-off with little known offerings through to the finale of “pop” items Painters and Dockers were unforglvingly loud.

Without a doubt this Victorian band is bizarre in the extreme. Opening number “Kill, Kill, Kill” broke the ice and left the 200-odd crowd with all the confirmation they needed that they were going to get what they came for — rock and roll.

Following was “Bad” — according to the head Painter and Docker, a scathing, sarcastic, tribute to the teen idol, Michael Jackson. Then came other no quarter given, guitar led, items like “Revolution Rock,” “Out of my Mind” and Graham Parker cover “Pull Me Off (My Silly Pedestal).”

These convinced me these guys learned everything they know from United States punk-surfies The Ramones. My fears were founded several minutes later when they

rejoiced in performing “Rock and Roll Radio” — a,Ramones’ standard. Then — and I had only just thought the crowd would be spared it — a silly but topical number about A.I.D.S. Well, it had to happen and what better outfit to award modem Pacific art with lyrics about condoms. Nevertheless, it was a hit with the Gladstone crowd. And why not with words advocating “Safe Sex.”

From this point on the heaving mass of post-punk followers gladdened to the nihilistic twangs of Painters and Dockers.

The stage performance is, however, well worth casting a jaundiced eye over if you’ve a spare hour and a half tonight. The group sure knows how to knock themselves around for the sake of a laugh here and there.

I think I liked them — if you’re a little bent when it comes to taste then give them some time — “They’re Suss.”