The Celibate Rifles: 3 Albums

 

The Celibate Rifles were formed in 1979 in Sydney as a punk rock group with a line-up of Michael

Couvret on bass guitar, Phillip Jacquet on drums, Dave Morris on guitar and Kent Steedman on guitar. The four band members were still at high school when the group started performing. Their original vocalist, Ian Martin, soon joined.
                                                                            

Playing stripped-down, loud, and fast Ramones-inspired guitar rock, the Celibate Rifles were one of the earliest Australian punk bands to emerge during the post-Radio Birdman/Saints era. Taking their cues

from these Aussie bands, along with the American hard rock of the Stooges, MC5, and Blue Oyster Cult, the Rifles were led by the twin-guitar attack of Kent Steedman and Dave Morris and the deadpan baritone of vocalist Damien Lovelock. They exploded out of the gates in 1982 with a series of records (released in Australia only) fueled by high-speed guitars, wah-wah-strangulated solos, and cartoonish, tongue-in-cheek lyrics.
                                                                                 

Their name is a response to the Sex Pistols – as an antonym or inspiration. In 1980 Damien Lovelock

(ex-Street Noise) replaced Martin on lead vocals – he was ten years older than the others and provided a "lyrical focus for the band's unremitting energy". In 1985 the group's style was described as post-Radio Birdman sound which is "a combination of fast, guitar-driven, hard rock and power pop".
                                                                    

            
In March 1982 the group independently recorded a four-track extended play, But Jacques, the Fish?, at Honey Farms Studio, Duffys Forest. It was produced by Colin J Ford and engineered by Dave Connor

with additional backing vocals by Martin, James Darroch, Tom Couvret and Steve Vineburg. The band was signed by Hot Records, which reissued their EP in March 1983. Darroch (ex-Trans Love Energy, Fifth Estate, Slaughterhouse 5) replaced Michael Couvret on bass guitar, who went on to join the Mushroom Planet.
                                                                              

In April the same year, the group released their debut album, Sideroxylon. Eucalyptus sideroxylon is

the scientific name of the red or mugga ironbark. The album was produced by Connor and Ford with additional musicians including Simon Knuckey (Wet Taxis) on guitar, Tracey Pearson on saxophone, Sandie Rose on trumpet, Scott Spillane on backing vocals, Duncan Sproul on trombone, and Bruce Tatham on piano and organ.
                                                                     

RAM's Frank Brunetti found the band's "white trash thrash is one of the best manifestations of their style of music by the judicious use of other instruments – sax, trombone, trumpet, keyboards, extra guitars and vocals – the strength, humour, style and intelligence of their sonic attack comes through with undiminished force".  
                                                              

The band has toured both America and Europe extensively, and released their ninth studio album,

Beyond Respect on 19 July 2004. In 1985 the group's style was described as post-Radio Birdman sound which is "a combination of fast, guitar-driven, hard rock and power pop". In November 1987 Sounds magazine's Roger Holland described their album, Roman Beach Party as showing the group's "sawn off rock potential all the way down to the bleached white of the bone, the lyrics reveal all the anger, insight and humour that makes [them] one of the most powerful rock bands in the world today".
                                                                    

In April 1994 The Celibate Rifles issued Spaceman in a Satin Suit which according to Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane "was [their] best studio album since Blind Ear". Lovelock undertook a solo career and issued two albums as well as becoming a TV sports presenter prior to his death in 2019.

BAND MEMBERS

Damien Lovelock – lead vocals (1980–2019)
Kent Steedman – lead guitar, backing vocals (1979–2019)
Dave Morris – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1979–2019)
Paul Larsen (aka Paul Loughhead) – drums (1986–1991, 2001–2019)
Jim Leone – bass guitar, backing vocals (1988–2001, 2011–2019)
Michael Couvret – bass guitar, backing vocals (1979–1982, 1984–1986, 2001–2011)
Phil Jacquet – drums (1979–1986)
Ian Martin – vocals (1979–1980)
James Darroch – bass guitar, backing vocals (1982–1984) (d. March 1986)
Rudy Morabito – bass guitar, backing vocals (1986–1988)
Nik Rieth – drums (1991–2001)

SIDEROXYLON  1983

                                                                                        

Label: Hot Records ‎– HOTCD 1001
Format: CD, Album, Remastered 1992
Country: Australia
Released: 01 Apr 1983
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, Punk

TRAXS

 

01. Killing Time  2:28    
02. Society   1:39    
03. Tick Tock  2:30    
04. This Week  5:42    
05. Anthem      1:52
06. Back On The Corner  4:52    
07. Gonna Cry   2:35    
08. Where Do I Go   2:55    
09. Ice Blue   3:47    
10. Gimme Gimme Gimme  2:00    
11.God Squad   6:10

MP3 @ 320 Size: 89 MB
Flac  Size: 269 MB

 

THE TURGID MIASMA OF EXISTENCE 1986

                                                                                     

Label: Hot Records ‎– HOT 1024
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered 1989
Country: Australia
Released: 1986
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, Punk

TRAXS

                                                                                    

01. Bill Bonney Regrets  4:00
02. Conflict Of Instinct  2:58
03. Temper Temper Mr. Kemper  2:24
04. Sentinel     5:36
05. Some Kind Of Feeling  2:55
06. Glasshouse      2:53
07. Sometimes     2:43
08. No Sign     4:23
09. Eddie     3:10
10. JNS     2:31
11. New Mistakes   4:02

ROMAN BEACH PARTY 1987

 

Label: HOT Records ‎– HOTCD 1030
Format: CD, Album, Remastered  1989
Country: Australia
Released: 1987
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, Punk

                                                                                                   

TRAXS

 

01. Jesus On TV  02:13    
02. The More Things Change     03:08
03. Downtown   03:07    
04. Oceanshore  07:02    
05. Circle Sun   02:10    
06. A Word About Jones  02:27    
07. Strange Day, Stranger Nights  03:09    
08. (It's Such A) Wonderful Life     03:34
09. I Still See You  02:11     
10. Invisible Man     02:45
11. Frank Hyde (Slight Return)  03:23

The Turgid Miasma Of Existence + Roman Beach party:
MP3 @ 320 Size: 172 MB
Flac  Size: 519 MB

JESUS ON TV LYRICS

I'm waiting for
Justice for all
People to rise
Empires to fall

The way we're going on our last days we'll see
Live via satellite
Jesus on TV

A time of change
We understand
An age of peace
That we began

The way we're going on our last days we'll see
Live via satellite
Jesus on TV

And when we look
But we don't see
In terms of race
Sex or belief

The way we're going on our last days we'll see
Live via satellite
Jesus on TV

I'm waiting for a better day
I'm waiting for a job that pays
I'm waiting for some cleaner air
I'm waiting for someone to care
One thing I don't want to see
Is a network Jesus on TV

    

The Celibate Rifles: Heaven On A Stick 1992 HERE