The summer of 2011, like most Canberra summers was mostly uneventful. But in an effort to fight the mundanity of the nation’s capital, a group of guys got together and started belting out a loose but urgent suburban punk. They called themselves Bad Lifers and their approach was very much a middle-fingered salute to, well, everythingAfter a dozen or so shows and house parties they called it quits before moving onto other projects that include Ausmuteants, Danger Beach, and Mind Blanks.Still a Bad Lifers album, thought to be lost, was rediscovered this year and is now getting a release through Dream Damage Records. Listen to the track "Dick Radio", that we are premiering below and read a quick chat with Shaun and PeterNoisey: What do you remember about the summer of 2011 in Canberra?
Shaun: The video of 'Fred Durst Drunk Alone on Ustream’ came out. I was pretty unemployed at the time and I'm pretty sure I hung out with Peter at least three times a week getting veggie burgers at the Hawker shops. Pretty sure I was still only listening to 2009 Gucci Mane mixtapes in the car. My hardcore band Loveshy was pretty active. I think I made out with a girl after puking up red cordial at a Partybus show. No idea how she did it. We're cool though, nothing but love.
Peter: Every day probably involved either jamming or going to a local takeaway to get minimum chips. Sometimes both.The Raiders finished second last that year.
Peter: Personally that wouldn’t have registered because I was raised on stuff like the UEFA Champions League and never really followed rugby. The one time I did go to a Raiders game as a small child, we mistakenly sat amongst the opposing supporters. My dad spent what seemed like hours waiting in line for hot chips and us kids were left alone, surrounded by drunk, belligerent Manly supporters.
Shaun: I pick AFL teams I like based on their victory song and using this same logic the mighty Canberra Raiders are the greatest sports team of all time. Or as Sharkey from Clockcleaner and a one time Canberra skinhead said, "It sounds like Murphy's Law".Does it seem weird or odd listening back to the songs now?
Shaun: I have no idea why I wrote so many songs about waking up. It's a powerful part of the day I guess, you usually know how things are going to go in that first few foggy minutes hitting the snooze button. “Rocky's a Cokehead” is vaguely based on a true story: my boss's brother coked up my girlfriend at the time and we broke up like a week after. Nothing but love though.Your last gig was at the Fighting League's album launch. What do you remember of that show? Did Dominic get wild?
Peter: It was a pretty crazy night. In some ways it sort of felt a bit like the end of an era. There’s a vague recollection of someone threatening to stab Dom after a brawl broke out. Shows around that time usually involved going to the karaoke place above The Phoenix afterwards, hiring a booth and belting it out until we ran out of money or the staff asked us to leave.Shaun: Dom had some of the best mic moves I have ever seen. My favourite was the one where he held the mic to his dick, like you were just listening to his raw but totally silent sexual energy. The Fighting League are definitely one of those Canberra bands that were loved in Canberra but unappreciated elsewhere. This happens all the time.
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Shaun: The video of 'Fred Durst Drunk Alone on Ustream’ came out. I was pretty unemployed at the time and I'm pretty sure I hung out with Peter at least three times a week getting veggie burgers at the Hawker shops. Pretty sure I was still only listening to 2009 Gucci Mane mixtapes in the car. My hardcore band Loveshy was pretty active. I think I made out with a girl after puking up red cordial at a Partybus show. No idea how she did it. We're cool though, nothing but love.
Peter: Every day probably involved either jamming or going to a local takeaway to get minimum chips. Sometimes both.The Raiders finished second last that year.
Peter: Personally that wouldn’t have registered because I was raised on stuff like the UEFA Champions League and never really followed rugby. The one time I did go to a Raiders game as a small child, we mistakenly sat amongst the opposing supporters. My dad spent what seemed like hours waiting in line for hot chips and us kids were left alone, surrounded by drunk, belligerent Manly supporters.
Shaun: I pick AFL teams I like based on their victory song and using this same logic the mighty Canberra Raiders are the greatest sports team of all time. Or as Sharkey from Clockcleaner and a one time Canberra skinhead said, "It sounds like Murphy's Law".
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Shaun: I have no idea why I wrote so many songs about waking up. It's a powerful part of the day I guess, you usually know how things are going to go in that first few foggy minutes hitting the snooze button. “Rocky's a Cokehead” is vaguely based on a true story: my boss's brother coked up my girlfriend at the time and we broke up like a week after. Nothing but love though.Your last gig was at the Fighting League's album launch. What do you remember of that show? Did Dominic get wild?
Peter: It was a pretty crazy night. In some ways it sort of felt a bit like the end of an era. There’s a vague recollection of someone threatening to stab Dom after a brawl broke out. Shows around that time usually involved going to the karaoke place above The Phoenix afterwards, hiring a booth and belting it out until we ran out of money or the staff asked us to leave.Shaun: Dom had some of the best mic moves I have ever seen. My favourite was the one where he held the mic to his dick, like you were just listening to his raw but totally silent sexual energy. The Fighting League are definitely one of those Canberra bands that were loved in Canberra but unappreciated elsewhere. This happens all the time.
'Shelf Life' is available now from Dream Damage.