Frenzal Rhomb will perform shows in swooping bird hotspots over the coming weeks to warn people of the danger of bird attack, and to sell their range of hand-made neopolitan ice cream container helmets to concerned and/or injured fans.
Well, not really (we think) but that’s what they’re telling us ahead of their gig at the Coolangatta Hotel tomorrow night.
Frenzal Rhomb is an Australian punk band that formed in 1991, based in the city of Sydney. The band’s current lineup is Jason Whalley (vocals), Lindsay McDougall (guitar), Tom Crease (bass) and Gordy Foreman (drums). McDougall is also responsible for Rock Against Howard, a compilation by Australian musicians against John Howard’s government.
After touring as the support act while American punk bands The Offspring, Bad Religion and Blink-182 were in Australia, the group released their first album, 1995’s Coughing Up a Storm (although, in fairness, their first release had been 1994’s Dick Sandwich EP). Retitled Once a Jolly Swagman Always a Jolly Swagman, the album was issued on America’s Liberation Records label two years later.
Fat Mike, owner of Fat Wreck Chords and member of NOFX, got his hands on a copy of this album when NOFX toured with Frenzal in 1996.
Impressed with what he heard, he asked the band if they wanted to release something on his label. Frenzal accepted this invitation, releasing the 4 Litres EP, and soon became one of the biggest independent Australian bands with the release of their second album Not So Tough Now.
In September 1997, the band released the album Meet The Family, their first with new guitarist Lindsay McDougall after original guitarist Ben Costello left to become a full time animal rights activist. The album was the first Frenzal LP to be certified gold in Australia.
The LP A Man’s Not A Camel was released in Australia in March 1999 and was supported by a nationwide tour. It remains Frenzal Rhomb’s highest placing album to date, reaching 11 on the ARIA charts.
Overseas gigs in the USA were dropped after singer Jason Whalley suffered a heart attack in late 1999 and Frenzal Rhomb spent the first few months of 2000 laying low. They returned with the album Shut Your Mouth in November 2000.
In April 2003, the band released the long-awaited follow up, Sans Souci. The album was Frenzal’s most critically successful to date and was hailed as a return to form.
So now you know who they are (okay, we reckon you probably did already – but it was fun going back over things!).
