ANGRY ANDERSON - BOUND FOR GLORY
NEWS
   
 
Anderson doubts 'very much' that Zaetta had sex with soldiers
22 May 2008
AAP
 

Veteran rock singer Angry Anderson says he doubts "very, very, very much" that fellow entertainer Tania Zaetta had sex with Australian soldiers during their visit to Afghanistan last month.

But Anderson has not specifically denied he was the source of an allegation that has sparked a defence investigation and opposition outcry.

I am not a moralist. I learned along time ago that it is folly to moralise, Anderson told a Sydney radio station.

I don't moralise about people's lives.

I doubt very, very, very much - I have only seen all the girls conduct themselves in a very, very professional manner and certainly Tania, because she is a very professional person.

She has been in the industry long enough to know what she can and can't do and what she can get away with.

A defence briefing reports unsubstantiated claims that Zaetta had sex with Australian special forces soldiers at the Australian base in Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, last month, News Limited newspapers reported.

The 37-year-old entertainer, radio host and TV personality strenuously denies the claim.

That is the most ridiculous story I've ever heard about my life - and I've heard plenty over the years in this industry, Zaetta said.

Zaetta and Anderson were headline acts on a 17-day tour that staged concerts for Australian soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The newspapers reported Anderson was the source of the original allegation contained in the leaked document.

He allegedly told the defence force entertainment division he had been informed by special forces soldiers that while Zaetta was at Tarin Kowt she had sex with them and they had the photos and video to prove it.

When asked today if he was the source of the allegation, Mr Anderson said he was incredulous.

That is what I am saying. I just find that whole thing just, you know, I am just incredulous, he said.
Both Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon and defence acknowledge an investigation is under way but have refused to make any other comment.

Opposition defence spokesman Nick Minchin says the leaking of the unsubstantiated claims are a gross and extraordinary invasion of Ms Zaetta's privacy for which Mr Fitzgibbon should apologise.

It is deeply concerning that these unsubstantiated allegations have been publicly aired, especially as Ms Zaetta strenuously denies the rumours, he said in a statement.

Entertainers, such as Zaetta and Anderson, should be thanked for visiting our troops in the field and not subjected to tawdry innuendo, he said.

How did these stories reach the newspapers? Mr Fitzgibbon must immediately investigate who in the Department of Defence or his office leaked this story.

And then he must explain how that person has been dealt with and what will be done to stop such slurs being leaked in the future.

A member of a band that toured Afghanistan with Zaetta dismissed the reports, saying those on tour were too busy to get up to any mischief.

I've heard of quickies mate, but you'd have to be really quick - we didn't have time to do anything, said John Clinton, from the country rock band The Wolverines.

He said the touring party had no time to fraternise with troops and were closely monitored by the defence force at all times.

I can't see where that sort of thing could have happened, he said.

Clinton also doubted Anderson had complained about Zaetta, saying he was just such a gentleman while on tour.

I can't believe that it would have come out of his mouth, and ... even if he did know something like that, I doubt very much he would have said anything.
 

 
 
Blood Brothers
29 June 2007
Patrick Donovan
 

Rose Tattoo seamlessly mixed old classics with stomping newies that proved they are still very much relevant.

Much of the recent Guns N' Roses/Rose Tattoo tour was a sense of deja vu; 14 years on, Axl still didn't seem to have any good new songs. However, Rose Tattoo seamlessly mixed old classics with stomping newies that proved they are still very much relevant.

Once in a Lifetime, a gospelly blues-rock ode to late Tatts guitarist Pete Wells, with slide played by his replacement Dai Pritchard, and 1854, a tribute to the victims of the Eureka Stockade, were both classic catchy rock anthems with killer choruses that date back to the band's legendary Scarred for Life album.

The album opens with a very true version of Stevie Wright's Black Eyed Bruiser, and on the tender City Blues the band slow down the pace and prove it's not all about the boogie. Many of these songs should be all over commercial radio, but of course they prefer to stick with the band's old classics. This was supposed to be the Tatts' swan song, but after rediscovering their chemistry they have decided that there will be at least one more after this. And that's great news for fans, because they just don't make bands like Rose Tattoo any more.

 
 
Blood Brothers
12 June 2007
Robert Dunstan
 

Legendary Australian band Rose Tattoo recently celebrated 30 years in the business and have just recently been touring the country with US band Guns N’ Roses as the special request of that act’s infamous singer, Axl Rose. The band, which now comprises of original singer Angry Anderson, original guitarist Mick Cocks, new guitarist Dai Pritchard, drummer Paul De Marco and bass player Stephen King (not the famous author or local DJ) have also just released a new studio album, Blood Brothers, which they had already considered recording when original guitarist Pete Wells passed away due to prostate cancer.

“Pete and I had talked about an album and thought it might actually be the last one for Rose Tattoo,” Angry said from the comfort of his hotel settee before admitting that he disliked doing interviews.

“It’s not that I’m not interested, it just that after all these years I find it surprising that anyone would want to talk to us,” he laughed.

“Anyway, after we did Pain, which was a real pain, I thought we were in our last days so I really wanted to make one last really good album,” Angry continued. “So we were going to make it with Pete but that was not to be. And who knows if it will be out last album? If Pete had been involved with it maybe it would have.”
Angry had first met Axl Rose from Guns N’ Roses when Rose Tattoo toured the US with Areosmith and met Sebastian Bach, who has toured with Gun N’ Roses on their two visits here, some years later.

“That would have been back in 1983 or maybe ’84,” he announced. “ Apparently - and I don’t actually remember it myself even though I’ve since seen the photos - we met up back stage a couple of times. And Guns N’ Roses were a bit like a glam rock band back then – lots of make-up and shit – but then they adopted a more rock’n’roll style similar to the Tatts. So it’s been said that, as a style, there hasn’t been such an influential Australian band as the Tatts. There are also a lot of AC/DC clones. Bands such as The Black Crowes, Faster Pussycat and to a certain extent The Georgia Satellites all said we were a big influence. It always gives you a nice little tickle and particularly if you like that band anyway.

“But I often think it’s more about the look and attitude more so than the music,” he then mused.

“And George Thorogood always wanted to catch up with Pete [Wells] whenever he toured Australia,” Angry continued. “But George, and no disrespect, always wanted to talk slide guitar, string and picks and shit like that and Pete just didn’t have any interest. He would have been more interested in just having a few beers and shooting a few games of pool than talking about all that shit. Although, secretly, I think the crusty old bugger felt quite honoured.

“I then I lived in LA for about eight months in 1989 – that was where I recorded my Blood From A Stone album – and Mushroom Records had flown me over there to supposedly put me in a ‘creative atmosphere’,” he explained further. “I don’t know how you do that. I don’t think any place is more creative than another because creativity is all in your head.

“Anyway, I was hanging around with Axl and Slash in those days,” Angry added, “and they said, ‘You should meet this guy called Sebastian Bach. He’s a big Tatts fan’. And I think Sebastian was still a teenager back then. He was pretty young anyway.”

Producer Mark Opitz, who has worked with most major Australian acts including The Angels, Hoodoo Gurus, The Divinyls, Noiseworks and Cold Chisel, was selected to work on Rose Tatoo’s new offering.

“And here’s a funny story,” Angry laughed. “Mark Opitz told us that his first job was working with us although we couldn’t really remember him. He told us that he was 19-years old and he came to Alberts and they said that he had to put some apprenticeship hours in. So they said, ‘We’ve got this band coming in this weekend to jam around and we want you to record everything they do’. So that was his first job at Alberts and our first session at Alberts. That would have been 1976 or something like that.

“So that was interesting because we went back and listened to some of those old tapes and resurrected a couple of songs from back then – a song called Sweet Meat and another called Creeper,” he added. “At the time they were considered too bluesy to go on our debut album. We were told if we were going to make an impact, everything had to be loud and fast. And fair enough at the time.

“But it’s been interesting that those couple of songs from 30 years ago that Mark originally produced for us, have ended up on our new album,” Angry laughed. “So it’s synchronicity because, it this is to be our last album, then we wanted it to come full cycle.

“People have said, ‘The Tatts will never survive without Pete Wells’,” Angry continued, “but I remember him saying to me once, ‘It’d be really hard to continue Rose Tattoo without you, but I’d probably give it a go’. That was, I think, a way of Pete saying to me, ‘So if I go first then you’d better continue on’.”

The band will soon head to Europe for the summer festival season.

“We’ve been doing that for the last 10 years now,” Angry concluded. “It works for us – we even did a live album over there to celebrate our 25th anniversary – because we can go over there [Europe- and play lots of gigs and then come home and forget about it all for a while and just do our other stuff.”
Rose Tattoo’s Blood Brothers is out now on the band’s own label with distribution via MGM.

 
ROSE TATTOO Special Edition Of 'Blood Brothers' To Include Bonus DVD

8 May 2008

Blabbermouth

Wacken Records/SPV will release a "special edition" of "Blood Brothers" (cover artwork), the latest album from the Australian rock legends ROSE TATTOO, on June 13. Besides the regular album, the "special edition" will feature a DVD containing the Wacken Open Air show from 2006 plus the Tatts TV interviews.

The track listing is as follows:

CD:

01. Black Eyed Bruiser
02. Slipping Away
03. Once In A Lifetime
04. 1854
05. City Blues
06. Sweet Meat
07. Man About Town
08. Creeper
09. Stand Over Man
10. Nothing To Lose
11. Lubricated

DVD - Live At Wacken Open Air 2006:

01. Rock N´Roll Outlaw
02. Man About Town
03. Remedy
04. Black Eyed Bruiser
05. Assault & Battery
06. Tramp
07. Sweet Meat
08. Rock N´Roll Is King
09. Manzil Madness
10. Once In A Lifetime
11. Nice Boys
12. Bad Boys For Love
13. Astra Wally

ROSE TATTOO's video for the track "Black Eyed Bruiser" can be viewed below. The song was the first single from "Blood Brothers", which was produced by veteran Australian producer Mark Opitz (INXS, COLD CHISEL, KISS). "Black Eyed Bruiser" was written by the band's original production team, Harry Vanda and George Young, who also were AC/DC's producers.

 
Angry Anderson challenge
4 May 2007
 

The idea of Angry Anderson's challenge is to pull together the money and materials for a regional youth centre by October.

With a target of $2.5 million, Angry has so far raised more than $1 million.

Gayle Dunn, mother of Craig Dunn, started up the program to give youths of Australia the future her son never got to see.

Local Ulladulla surfers Craig Dunn and Danny Lewis were killed in the Bali Bombings.

This project will be a permanent memorial for those who lost their lives in the Bali attack by providing young people with a positive and practical vision for the future.

It aims to enhance their skills, create employment and teach leadership skills to the youths.

Support the centre and get more information about Angry Anderson's challenge at www.dunnlewisfoundation.org.au

 
 
Lobby Loyde dead at 65
22 April 2007
 

Veteran rock guitarist Lobby Loyde has died from cancer at 65.

Loyde, whose loud, plectrum-bending guitar style blasted from rock pubs and concert venues throughout the 60s and 70s, was acknowledged as a father figure of Australian rock music.

He died in Box Hill Hospital last night after a long battle with lung cancer that eventually spread throughout his body.

He was a driving force behind the Aztecs, whose founder and singer, Billy Thorpe, died of a heart attack in February.

Loyde was born John Baslington Lyde in Longreach, Queensland, in 1941. His mother was a classically trained pianist and his father a jazz trumpeter and as a teenager he joined them in country town performances in outback Queensland.

Rock documentary producer Paul Murphy said Loyde inspired countless musicians including Thorpe whom he encouraged to adopt a similar loud, rocking guitar sound.

"And ACDC were influenced by his wild guitar playing,'' Murphy said.

Loyde first came to rock prominence in the 60s under the name Barry Lyde with Brisbane rhythm and blues band the Purple Hearts

In 1967 he moved to Melbourne to join another rhythm and blues outfit, the Wild Cherries, writing most of that band's hits.

In the 70s Loyde joined Thorpe and the Aztecs who were the big local sensations at the legendary Sunbury rock festivals.

He then formed the Coloured Balls, who became the rock and roll heroes of Melbourne skinhead gangs.

Loyde issued his second solo album, Obsecration, in 1976, a showcase collection of heavy rock guitar work.

He moved to the UK.where there was some interest in releasing the album, but with England in the throes of punk music, a deal was never sealed.

He returned to Australia in 1979 and formed a new lineup with Gil Matthews (drums), Gavin Carroll (bass), and Mándu, known as Southern Electric. They recorded the album Live with Dubs which was  released in October 1980.

Loyde then turned his attention to producing other bands including the Sunnyboys, and Painters and Dockers
.

In 2005 he was diagnosed with cancer and in 2006 he was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

Murphy said Loyd's represented the end of an era.

"It's sad day for Oz roc. But Lobby woudn't anyone crying. He'd want us to go out and party."

 
 
Mums the Word for Rose Tattoo
17 August 2006
Paul Cashmere
 

Angry Anderson brought a special lady along for the Rose Tattoo induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame his mother.

Rose Tattoo were honoured by the Australian Music Industry for a career dating back to the mid 70s.

The band was inducted by former Superjesus singer Sarah McLeod who said she got into Rose Tattoo after finding out that the song 'Nice Boys' on the Guns 'n' Roses record 'G'n'R Lies' was actually theirs.

Jet performed their classic hit 'We Can't Be Beaten'.

Angry vowed that Rose Tattoo will continue as a live act. Shortly before the death of Pete Wells this year, he said he visited Wells and Wells gave the okay for the Tatts to play on. "It is what he wanted" Angry said.

 
 
Jet To Perform Rose Tattoo
4 August 2006
Paul Cashmere
 

Melbourne's Jet will cover Rose Tattoo's classic 'We Can't Be Beaten' at the 2006 ARIA Hall of Fame dinner.

The Jet performance is a special tribute to the Tatts who will be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame that evening.

"We're going to do 'We Can't Be Beaten' - I think it fits us more than their other sons. And it captures an attitude which is ingrained in every Australian”, said Jet's Nic Cester.

Other inductees on the night include Helen Reddy, Divinyls, Daddy Cool, Icehouse and Lobby Lloyd. Brooke Fraser will perform Reddy's 1973 hit 'Delta Dawn' and Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs will perform a musical tribute to Lloyd.

Icehouse will reform for the evening and do 'We Can Get Together' and 'Great Southern Land'. Daddy Cool will also reform for the night singing 'Eagle Rock' and 'Come Back Again'.

Divinyls will play for the first time in 12 years. They have selected 'I Touch Myself' and 'Boys In Town'.

The 2006 ARIA Hall of Fame will take place on August 16 at the Plaza Ballroom at Melbourne's Regent Theatre.

 
 
Jet honor Rose Tattoo
3 August 2006
 

The 2006 Aria Hall Of Fame event on Wednesday August 16th at the Plaza Ballroom at Melbourne's Regent Theatre will see Jet pay tribute to Rose Tattoo, and a band that remains a strong influence on them. Back home to play two warm up shows in preparation for the release of their much anticipated new album 'Shine On', will perform the Tatts' 'We Can't Be Beaten'. Australian based New Zealand star Brooke Fraser will perform Helen Reddy's 'Delta Dawn'. Divinyls founding members Chrissy Amphlett and Mark McEntee, will take to the stage for the first time in almost 12 years to perform two of their biggest hits, 'I Touch Myself' and 'Boys in Town' while Daddy Cool will regroup to perform their iconic hits, 'Eagle Rock' and 'Come Back Again'. Iva Davies and Icehouse will perform 'We Can Get Together' and a special rendition of their classic song Great Southern Land and finally, Billy Thorpe And The Sunbury Aztecs will perform a very special musical tribute to Lobby Loyde.

The 2006 Aria Hall Of Fame event will be broadcast exclusively on Foxtel and AusStar Digital subscribers will be able to see this special telecast on VH1 on Sunday, August 20th at 8.30pm. On August 31 Jack White's The Raconteurs will be a part of this year's MTV 'Video Music Awards', but not as mere performers on the annual show. The band has been appointed to provide the soundtrack for the VMAs live throughout the show.

The Pussycat Dolls will search for a seventh member via (yes) a reality TV show …. John Lennon and Yoko Ono's famous Vietnam War era "War Is Over! If You Want It." poster has gone up again in New York, and is scheduled to appear above Los Angeles streets next week, but this time it's no utopian dream, but an advertising campaign to promote a documentary which is a chronicle of Lennon's transformation from musician to anti-war activist and how the U.S. government sought to silence him, in the view of the filmmakers …. Meanwhile, back in the real world on Radiohead's official web site Thom Yorke has demanded Tony Blair resign immediately over the British government's stance on the conflict raging in Israel …… thanks to their crafty Dutch accountants The Rolling Stones pay 1.6 percent tax instead of Britain's usual 40 percent. The rockers have earned $454 million in royalties throughout the past 20 years, but they paid just $7 million to the taxman. Keef can afford to fall out of trees … Pop queen Lindsay Lohan has reportedly been fired by her U.K. record label Island Records after she failed to travel to London for a planned promotional campaign.

 
 
Final Inductee Announced for ARIA Hall of Fame
3 August 2006
ARIA
 

ARIA is delighted to announce one final music artist who will be honoured at the ARIA Hall of Fame event on Wednesday August 16 at the Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne.

Arguably one of Australia's legendary guitar heroes, LOBBY LOYDE, will join DIVINYLS, ICEHOUSE, DADDY COOL, HELEN REDDY and ROSE TATTOO into the hallowed ARIA Hall of Fame.

Acknowledged as the godfather of heavy rock in Australia, LOBBY LOYDE has influenced countless performers both here and overseas through his playing and songwriting as well as his production work.

Barry Lyde - or Lobby Loyde, as he has been known since the late 60's - started out like so many guitar heroes, under the all-pervasive influence of The Shadows' Hank Marvin. His incendiary guitar work has been a focal point of every band he's played with.

Among those who have cited Loyde as an influence are Billy Thorpe, Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, Pavement's Stephen Malkmus (who covered The Coloured Balls That's What Mama Said), Henry Rollings (who owns all Lobby's recordings), Bored! and Cosmic Psychos.

"When kids pick up guitars in this country, they don't say: 'I want to sound like Lobby Loyde', " said Rose Tattoo frontman Angry Anderson. "They say: 'I want to sound like that' - without knowing it's Lobby. More than anyone else, Lobby helped create the Australian guitar sound. Long before Angus (Young) or Billy Thorpe or the Angels or Rose Tattoo. Lobby inspired Australian bands to step forward and play as loud and aggressively as they could. People are still trying to copy it today." Angry Anderson (The Age, Sat June 10th, 2006)

The 2006 ARIA Hall of Fame event will be broadcast exclusively on subscription television. Foxtel and Austar Digital subscribers will be able to see this special telecast on VH1 on Sunday, August 20th at 8.30pm

 
 
ARIA Hall of Fame - Rose Tattoo
12 July 2006
 

Plaza Ballroom - Melbourne - AUGUST 16TH 2006

ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) is proud to announce that Rose Tattoo will be inducted into the HALL OF FAME.

Forming in Sydney 30 years ago, ROSE TATTOO first came to prominence playing a similar style of blues-rock made popular by AC/DC and fast became an institution of Australian rock. With their raw, heavy, hard street rock sound and a trademark bluesy slide guitar of Pete Wells, ROSE TATTOO won loyal fans not only internationally but especially struck a chord on local shores where they were anointed one of Australia's premier rock bands.

The band was the vision of slide guitarist Peter Wells, and their initial goal was to create the "meanest loudest, most in your face rock band around" and true to their intentions, ROSE TATTOO became notorious as a self-styled gang of rock'n'roll outlaws, bent on mayhem and destruction, and they quickly developed a reputation around Sydney clubs and pubs for their in-your-face, brutal, no-nonsense hard rock.

"We feel that as Rose Tattoo we have represented Australian pub rock well overseas. The band has influenced other internationally famous bands but our fame has never been about 10 million sales or mega popularity. It has always been about the music and I am glad that we are being recognised for that.......and Pete would be too." ANGRY ANDERSON

The band's initial line-up (which would change many times over during the lifespan of the band) featured the passionate, fierce, throaty vocal performances and dramatic stage antics of Gary "Angry" Anderson, Ian Rilen on bass, Peter Wells on slide guitar, Mick Cocks on rhythm guitar and Dallas "Digger" Royall on drums. Future line-up switches would introduce the likes of Rob Riley (rhythm guitar), Geordie Leach and Steve King (bass guitar) as well as Paul DeMarco (drums) amongst others.

ROSE TATTOO first signed to Albert Productions upon recommendation from AC/DC's Bon Scott and worked on their first four albums with the help of ex- Easybeats' Harry Vanda and George Young. Their 1978 debut album Rose Tattoo featured the single Bad Boy for Love, which climbed into the Australian Top 20. In the three years that followed, the band toured relentlessly, maintaining their outlaw image performing at several penal institutions, including Parramatta Jail. In the early eighties the band toured the UK and Europe, including a legendary, frenzied performance at the Reading Festival where Angry head-butted the amp stacks until his forehead was bleeding. In 1981 they released their second album Assault & Battery. The album reached Number 1 on the UK Heavy Metal Charts and the Top 30 in Australia and produced two big singles Out of This Place and Manzil Madness.

Their classic 1982 album Scarred for Life followed and produced three singles including We Can't be Beaten, which reached Number 14 on the Australian charts. Their fourth studio LP and the final recording produced by Vanda and Young, Southern Stars, was released in 1984 and included the hit single I Wish and saw the band once again, true to form, serve up their unique brand of rootsy, hard-rock and metal. After the release of Southern Stars, ROSE TATTOO ground to a halt and did not reform until 1993, when none other than Guns & Roses put in a special request for them to get back together to support the Gunners on their Australian Tour.

Sadly earlier this year, founding band member Peter Wells lost his four-year battle with prostate cancer and passed away in March at the age of 59. Sorely missed by his family, friends, band members and fans alike, Wells will be remembered as a legendary rock'n'roll soul who inspired many and whose music will live on for generations to come.

ROSE TATTOO's musical grit, guts, guile and sheer rock'n'roll heart has written them into the annals of music history as making a hefty contribution, both in the studio and on stage, to the definition of Australian heavy rock.

 
 
ARIA Announces More Hall of Fame
12 July 2006
Andrew Tijs
 

Before their 2006 event, ARIA announces another two Hall Of Fame inductees.

The 2006 ARIA Hall Of Fame ceremony will take place on August 16 and in the lead up to the big night, the association has announced that this year’s inductees will include such legendary Australian acts as Icehouse, Divinyls and Daddy Cool.

Now two more acts have been announced as inductees: feminist folk icon Helen Reddy and pub rock stalwarts Rose Tattoo.

Reddy is probably best known for recording what became the unofficial anthem of the feminist movement in the ‘70s, ‘I Am Woman’. In 1965 she won Channel Nine’s Bandstand “Starlight” competition and scored a trip to the US. By the end of her career she’d scored four US number ones, sold 15 million albums and was the first Australian singer to win a Grammy.

Sydney’s Rose Tattoo have always been in the shadow of big brothers AC/DC but their barroom rock was no less gutsy and authentic. These rock n’ roll outlaws won fans across Australia and are still recognised internationally for the raw bluesy guitar of the recently departed Pete Wells and the underdog spirit of vocalist Angry Anderson.

The ARIA Hall Of Fame event will be broadcast on pay channel VH1 on August 20.

 
 
ARIA Announces Hall of Fame 2006
24 June 2006
ARIA
 

ARIA is pleased to announce the return of the ARIA HALL OF FAME; an annual stand alone event which will see the Australian music community pay tribute to artists who have made significant contributions to this country's musical landscape. The ARIA Hall of Fame 2006 event will take place on Wednesday, August 16 at the Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne's Regent Theatre.

The Hall of Fame has been an important part of the ARIAs since 1988. Traditionally taking place during the music awards ceremony, ARIA has inducted a diversity of artists into the Hall of Fame, including AC/DC, Dame Joan Sutherland, Olivia Newton John, Johnny O'Keefe, Paul Kelly, John Farnham, INXS, Slim Dusty, Jimmy Little and more.

At this inaugural event, Divinyls, Icehouse, Daddy Cool, Helen Reddy and Rose Tattoo will be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame 2006. ARIA is pleased to announce that the evening will include performances by Divinyls, Icehouse, Daddy Cool as well as two very special guest performers who will be announced in the coming weeks.

The entire event will be broadcast exclusively on VH1 on Sunday August 20 at 8.30pm.

Plaza Ballroom - Melbourne - AUGUST 16TH 2006

 
 
Rose Tattoo's Pete Wells Dies
28 March 2006
Christie Eliezer
 

Pete Wells, slide guitarist and one of the founders of Australian power blues band Rose Tattoo, died in a Sydney hospital early yesterday morning (March 27). He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2002 and had spent the last five weeks in the hospital. According to friends, he was due to turn 60 this year.

Wells emerged in 1966 playing bass in the Brisbane blues band Head. He moved to Sydney and joined heavy metal band Buffalo. The band's "Volcanic Rock" was the first
Australian metal album to go gold; the act also scored an overseas deal with Vertigo.

In 1976 he switched to slide guitar, formed the seminal Rose Tattoo and went on to hire lead singer Angry Anderson. They became one of Australian's main street outlaw
bands and found a loyal following in the United Kingdom, Germany and France. Wells' original concept for the band was for all the members to sport bright orange hair,

tattoos, shaved eyebrows and black T-shirts and jeans.

Rose Tattoo's influence later became apparent on U.S. rock combos like Guns N' Roses, who covered its track "Nice Boys (Don't Play Rock'n'Roll)," Motley Crue and L.A.

Guns.

Rose Tattoo's self-titled debut album was released in November 1978 on Albert Records. It became an instant classic, thanks to tracks like "Rock'n'Roll Outlaw" and "Bad Boy for Love." Wells left Rose Tattoo in 1983. But he rejoined in 2000 for tours in Europe and for a 2002 album, "Pain."

In between running a tattoo parlor, House of Pain, Wells later played in a series of bands such as Illustrated Men, Scattered Aces and Romeo's Dog. He also made music with his partner, Lucy De Soto. His five solo albums, including 1991's "Everything You Like Tries To Kill You," showed his love for country blues and his whisky-soaked drawl.

Australian acts such as the Beasts of Bourbon, Paul Kelly and Tim Rogers staged benefit concerts for Wells in Sydney and Melbourne last September. A memorial service will be held Friday (March 31) in Sydney.

 
 
Pete Wells Dies Age 58
8 March 2006
Eve Jenkin
 

Rose Tattoo guitarist and Australian music icon Peter Wells lost his ongoing battle with prostate cancer last night, age 58.

The rock legend had been in hospital for the past 5 weeks and was apparently in pain before his peaceful passing at 10pm on the 27th of March.In a 2005 interview with “60 Minutes,” Wells spoke about his fight against cancer. “…The trick is to get it early,” he said. “I mean, they can fix this damned thing.” “That's the point about the bloody thing is that if I got it early - a year or six months earlier or something - it would have saved an awful lot of inconvenience, I can tell you - pain and misery and the rest of it.”

Wells was renowned for his outstanding musical contributions to the local scene, which included not only his most famous outfit Rose Tattoo but also Buffalo, Hillbilly Moon, The Lucy DeSoto Band and Rocks Push. He also released several albums as a solo artist.

 
 
Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw Benefit Concert
31 July 2005
Mike Gee
 

Pete Wells is the genuine, 100 per cent proof, rock and roll outlaw. With a fag hanging from his mouth and tatts crawling over his body, Wells has often been described as an Australian version of Keith Richards. Now listen, Wellsey is tougher. He played bass for 1970s rock monsters, Buffalo, and is slide guitarist for the almighty Rose Tattoo. And, of course, he’s a celebrated solo artist, collaborator, and leader of the Pete Wells Band. Right now, though, he’s fighting a battle against prostate cancer.

Tough as he is, Pete needs a helping hand, so his mates in the Australian music industry are turning up the watts at the Enmore Theatre on Wednesday, 7 September, 2005.

Welcome to the Pete Wells Rock ‘n’ Roll Outlaw Benefit Show – it’s going to bring down the walls, cave in the floor and bloody rock, okay.

All the bad boys (maybe, for love) and a bad girl (or two) are confirmed: Rose Tattoo, Billy Thorpe (MD), Diesel, Jon Stevens + Noiseworks, Tim Gaze (Tamam Shud/Ariel), Dave Tice (Buffalo), Chris Turner (Buffalo), Tim Rogers, Killing Heidi, The Original Angels Band, Ian Moss, The Radiators and Sarah McLeod with more announcements still to come – what a line-up! Talk about back in black. Hell, the bar is going to be busy.

There are always kind words said for occasions like this, even though none are necessary. Pete’s mate Angry Anderson (Rose Tattoo) said: “Pete is one of my oldest and closest friends – basically, he's family. We've been together for 30 years in a band, there's no way I wouldn't be there for him as I'm sure he would for me. Anything the rest of the band and I can do to help him out …"

Billy Thorpe added “Pete ‘Pops’ Wells is the last of our rock n roll outlaws. From his early days with Buffalo through to the legendary Rose Tattoo Pete’s uncompromising attitude and steel hard, kick arse, brand of unadulterated, undiluted, pure rock n roll has inspired a legion of fans both in Australia and internationally where he is held in the highest regard by the likes of Slash and Keith Richards.

“The speed with which everyone has come on board this benefit is a testimony to the high regard in which Pete is held and a true measure of how much he is loved. Tim Rogers summed it up perfectly when I asked him if he’d do the show. He said ‘I’ve never met the man. But Pete Wells! Are you kidding? I consider it an honour to be part of Pete’s benefit concert.’ And so do I”.

Pete’s response to the announcement of the benefit show was typically short and warm: "I'm totally overwhelmed by this love and generosity" he said. He’s man of few words is Mr Wells. He prefers to let his guitar do the talking and his snakeskin boots do the walking.

But before we get too misty-eyed and start in on the chorus of one of those Tatts anthems, let’s remember why we’re here. There’s a job to be done.

The players are in place, the amps are cranked, the guitars are getting tuned, now Sydney it’s up to you. Show Pete Wells you care. Make the Pete Wells Rock ‘n’ Roll Outlaw Benefit Show a sell-out. He deserves it.

 
Select Venue:
Enmore Theatre
 
Select Date:
Wed 7 September 2005, 6:30pm
 
RUNNING TIMES:
Box Office - 9:00am
Doors - 6:30pm
Show Start - 7:00pm
Approx Finish - 11:00pm
Michael Chugg www.chuggentertainment.com
 
   
 
The Big Daddys
1 November 2003
 

The Big Daddys will be playing they next LIVE SHOW at Dee Why RSL Club on Friday November 28th, 2003 with special guest ANGRY ANDERSON. Angry will be joining us during "Act II" of the gig, after intermission as outlined below.

Angry and The Big Daddys will be performing a special set. More details will be posted soon.

Dee Why RSL Club
932 Pittwater Road
Dee Why NSW 2099
PH: (02) 9454 4000
Email: info@deewhyrsl.com.au

 
 
Pain
1 May 2002
Jason MacNeil
 

(Steamhammer / SPV)
US release date: 2 July 2002
UK release date: available as import
Germany release date: 3 July 2002

Back in the late '70s and early '80s, the depth of talented Australian rock groups was quite high. Having punk rockers Radio Birdman making some inroads internationally, groups like AC/DC would create a global presence for more than two decades. But for every AC/DC there is Rose Tattoo, a group that had just as much skill and ability but never reaped the rewards they so justly deserved. After breaking up in 1984, the band was requested by Guns N Roses to open for them for the Australian leg of its 1993 world tour.

In 2000, the group returned with 25 to Life and a tour of Europe. Now, sounding like they're still joyfully stuck in a time machine circa AC/DC's Highway to Hell, the group has returned with a genuine good time rock and roll record. Led by singer Angry Anderson, an enigmatic bald and heavily tattooed character, the band begins with a meaty and infectious "Black Magic". Not as raspy or ragged as Brian Johnson, Anderson is fully supported by Pete Wells on slide guitar and "Rockin'" Rob Riley on electric guitar. It's a perfect opener that sets the stage for much more of the same. "The Devil Does It Well" has more of an early '80s heavy metal feeling to it, with the constant 4/4 drumming of Paul DeMarco. While it might seem relative simplistic, the KISS philosophy (Keep It Simple, Stupid) sounds just as fresh now as it did in the group's first time around. The track tends to slouch slightly near the conclusion though, perhaps not fading out while it's still on top and instead going for a lengthy jam ending.

One aspect of the album you won't find that appealing is the lyrics. The group won't be known for its deep or hidden meanings in the words, but it's not supposed to be given the airtight rhythm section that sounds like it's a live take in the studio rather than being overly produced. "No Mercy" is a blend of the first two tracks, a bit more infectious than both with a faster tempo and more slide guitar deep in the bowels of the track. "Pain" is a Zeppelin-like tempo with Anderson's accent coming to the fore before building into a thundering guitar rock tune.

It also has a lot in common with Judas Priest when Rob Halford was still the group's key component. "Kisses and Hugs" is a punk metal track that comes across like Aerosmith's "Young L.U.S.T.". "I don't need no one to tell me how to feel / Don't need a multi album deal," Anderson howls over a head banging, foot stomping tune. "House Of Pain" is perhaps one of the more neatly packaged songs of the 16 presented. With a somewhat cookie-cutting blueprint, the band sounds a bit uninspired and lacking that oomph for the first time on the record. "I Can't Help It If I'm Lucky" has a lot in common with California punk legends Social Distortion in its punishing beat and infectious old-school rock guitar. "Union Man" deals with, well, the support of unions and "an honest day's work for an honest day's pay". "Satan's Eyes" misses the mark with a heavy metal theme and sound that doesn't look good on the quintet. "Hard Rockin' Man" and the quasi-funky "Stir Crazy" are two of the strongest here though, the latter relying far more on a groove than any crunchy guitar riff.

The last quarter of the album stands up against the other dozen tracks, but tends to improve on the earlier portions. "Living Outside My Means" has much more of galloping beat to it with Anderson playing more of a bit role than being a dominating force. His madcap laughs and devil-may-care diatribe only adds to the song's appeal. "Illustrated Man" continues on the hard and enjoyable rock path with another high-octane 4/4 tempo and some stellar guitar work. The album isn't the art rock of Radiohead and doesn't truly care to be. If fans of AC/DC or just out and out great guitar rock haven't heard of this underrated band, don't say I didn't tell you!

 
 
Rose Tattoo
28 June 2002
 

***Last minute low key London gig @ The Garage booked for July 29th***

Rose Tattoo, the legendary Australian blues-rockers, who release 'Pain', their first studio album for 18 years, on SPV on July 1st, have confirmed a short notice low key London gig at the Garage on July 29th. Tickets, priced £7 in advance and £8 on the door, are on sale now from all the regular Mean Fiddler outlets and box office 020 7344 0044.

This gig follows their co-headline slot (with Doro) at the Rock and Blues Festival in Derby on July 27th. Last year Rose Tattoo toured the UK for the first time in 18 years and were rewarded with an exceptional KKKKK live review in Kerrang! in their June 16th 2001 issue:-

'It's not always easy finally getting to see a favourite band that you missed the first time around, and I have to confess that if I hadn't been reviewing tonight (and mistakenly believed that Dukes of Hazard were supporting) then I'd probably have given this show a miss. After all, we've all depressingly witnessed a legend or two going through the motions to pay the mortgage, and while Rose Tattoo may be one of the first true bad-ass rock'n'roll bands, they're all knocking on a bit, y'know. Sometimes it's just better to leave fond memories alone. Sometimes I can be a right c**t! Because, quite frankly, if this gig had slipped past then arguably the best show of the year would have been little more than hearsay. Older readers might know the score; Rose Tattoo were a bunch of Aussie headcases who wrote true classics, often covered to this day, like 'Nice Boys (Don't Play Rock And Roll)' and 'Rock 'N' Roll Outlaw' and lived it like they sang it every step of the way. Younger readers may remember the little dude who played Ironbar in 'Mad Max 3'. That was Rose Tattoo's frontman Angry Anderson' and he wasn't acting! You could put the f****r in the Thunderdome with all of Splipknot and he'd be the one who walked away! Anderson simply oozes charisma as he belts them out, like the brother of Bon Scott and wayward father of Axl Rose and Chris Robinson all rolled into one. There's so much soul in that voice as the band swagger through 'Rock 'N' Roll Is King' and 'One Of The Boys' that it simply puts everyone else to shame. And this, bear in mind, is over two decades after they started scaring (and sometimes scarring) audiences Down Under, so it's probably only a shadow of what they once were. No wonder they were revered as Gods in some of the more spit 'n' sawdust bars of the world! Absolutely Awesome!' (Morat).

*******Rose Tattoo will be available for interviews on July 30th********

 
 
Rose Tattoo
24 May 2002
 

Angry Anderson - Vocals
Pete Wells - Slide Guitar
Rob Riley - Guitar
Steve King - Bass
Paul Demarco - Drums

"What else can you do in Australia but write rock songs? People always think everything's so exciting over here, when in fact it's dead boring. There are no crocodiles here, with the exception of Angry Anderson perhaps, and I've never run into Crocodile Dundee." (Pete Wells, May 2002.)

Rose Tattoo are set to release 'Pain', their first studio album for 18 years, on SPV on July 1st, and have confirmed a co-headline slot at the Rock and Blues Festival in Derby on July 27th. 'Pain' is almost sixty minutes of brilliant, pure, undiluted, unadulterated hard rocking bluesy metal. "The great thing about our music is that there's no faking it; on our albums you get that authentic, pure rock 'n' roll feel," notes guitarist Pete Wells.

Angry Anderson's raw, whiskey-soaked voice oozes pure adrenaline, perfectly riding the colossal musical juggernaut inexorably rolling on behind him. Song titles such as 'Someone To Fuck', 'Hard Rockin' Man', 'The Devil Does It Well', 'No Mercy' or 'One More Drink' say it all. The 16 tracks on 'Pain' were produced by Rainer Hansel at the Karo Studios in Brackel outside Hamburg, and mixed by former Victory guitarist Herman Frank (Saxon, Nostradamus, etc).

Rose Tattoo emerged in Sydney in 1976, their electric live performances and tough tattooed image drawing support from punks and rockers alike. The first Tatts single 'Bad Boy For Love', released in 1978, was an instant radio smash, swiftly followed by their classic debut album, (self titled in Australia but released as "Rock' N' Roll Outlaws" in the rest of the world). The track 'Rock'n'Roll Outlaw' was covered in 1981 by American rock vocalist Helen Schneider under the title of 'Rock'n'Roll Gypsy' and went on to become a world-wide hit, while 'Nice Boys (Don't Play Rock'n'Roll)' was later covered by Guns N'Roses on their debut EP.

The band toured tirelessly during the early years of their career and before releasing their second album in 1981. "Assault And Battery" was packed with yet more quality songs, with Angry Anderson characteristically offering political comment and true story narrative against a straightforward boogie background.

Rose Tattoo's gigs were incendiary. Angry Anderson was a rabble rousing ex-skinhead whose violence on stage was legendary; it wasn't uncommon to see him head-butt walls or band members, or pummel his own head with something blunt. "Apart from a sense of euphoria, I don't know what made me do things like that. I used to run across the stage and Pete would barely see me coming, but I'd launch myself at him and smash into his guitar. If nothing else, it made a fantastic sound" Angry recalls. "There used to be a lot of

drugs and alcohol involved, but luckily that's all behind us now. We're much wiser. Or at least I hope so," grins Wells.

Rose Tattoo's European live debut was with Rainbow in 1981, and that year the band went down a storm on their debut UK festival appearance at the Reading Rock Festival. 1982's "Scarred For Life" album was yet another classic rock album and the band set off on their first US tour with Aerosmith and Pat Travers but the original line-up of the band fell apart over numerous personal problems on that tour.

The Rose Tattoo legend, however, remained strong, and in February 1993 the original line-up (sadly without drummer Dallas 'Digger' Royall, who had died in 1990) were persuaded to reunite to support Guns N'Roses on their tour of New Zealand and Australia, plus a small tour of their own.

Rose Tattoo reformed again for a European tour in 1999. Angry Anderson recalls that "I was uncertain of what our reception would be. I need not have worried; we were welcomed back like brothers coming home from a long journey." In 2000 the band returned to Germany and performed a stunning live set in front of 25,000 ecstatic rockers of all ages. The show was recorded and released as '25 to Life', a double live album, in November 2000, on SPV. "'25 To Life' proves whilst nice boys don't play rock'n'roll, Rose Tattoo play it very well indeed" commented Classic Rock in their December 2000 issue.

Then last year Rose Tattoo toured the UK for the first time in 18 years and were rewarded with an exceptional KKKKK live review in Kerrang! in their June 16th 2001 issue:-

'It's not always easy finally getting to see a favourite band that you missed the first time around, and I have to confess that if I hadn't been reviewing tonight (and mistakenly believed that Dukes of Hazard were supporting) then I'd probably have given this show a miss. After all, we've all depressingly witnessed a legend or two going through the motions to pay the mortgage, and while Rose Tattoo may be one of the first true bad-ass rock'n'roll bands, they're all knocking on a bit, y'know. Sometimes it's just better to leave fond memories alone. Sometimes I can be a right c**t! Because, quite frankly, if this gig had slipped past then arguably the best show of the year would have been little more than hearsay. Older readers might know the score; Rose Tattoo were a bunch of Aussie headcases who wrote true classics, often covered to this day, like 'Nice Boys (Don't Play Rock And Roll)' and 'Rock 'N' Roll Outlaw' and lived it like they sang it every step of the way. Younger readers may remember the little dude who played Ironbar in 'Mad Max 3'. That was Rose Tattoo's frontman Angry Anderson' and he wasn't acting! You could put the f****r in the Thunderdome with all of Splipknot and he'd be the one who walked away! Anderson simply oozes charisma as he belts them out, like the brother of Bon Scott and wayward father of Axl Rose and Chris Robinson all rolled into one. There's so much soul in that voice as the band swagger through 'Rock 'N' Roll Is King' and 'One Of The Boys' that it simply puts everyone else to shame. And this, bear in mind, is over two decades after they started scaring (and sometimes scarring) audiences Down Under, so it's probably only a shadow of what they once were. No wonder they were revered as Gods in some of the more spit 'n' sawdust bars of the world! Absolutely Awesome!' (Morat).

And then Rose Tattoo, firing on all cylinders (and then some), blasted back to Australia to write 'Pain', an astonishingly accomplished comeback album which does exactly what it says on the tin!

 
 
Pain album cover by Jim Hilbum
1 May 2002
 

Twelve new songs on "Pain" After the release of last years double live album "25 To Life" and all sold out concerts, Rose Tattoo are back in the studio. It will be their first studio album after 17 !!!! years.

Jim Hilbun (ex-The Angels) has done photo session a couple of weeks ago for album cover, posters, shirts etc. In Jim "words yeah, the boys are still going strong. "I think they're still tossing around ideas for the cover but it should be happening soon".

 
 
Rose Tattoo New Album
30 April 2002
 

Twelve new songs on "Pain" After the release of last years double live album "25 To Life" and all sold out concerts, Rose Tattoo are back in the studio. It will be their first studio album after 17 !!!! years.

The Australian legendary rock band titled the new release "Pain".  Whatever it stands for..... :-))) 

 
 
Ted Mulry Gang Benefit Concert
23 February 2001
 

Ted Mulry, who led the Ted Mulry Gang through the 1970s, has been diagnosed with cancer.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended the two benefit concerts in support of Ted Mulry. Both shows were incredible, emotionally charged nights, with all bands playing fantastically well. 

Glenn A. Baker, Molly Meldrum, Donnie Sutherland and Ray Burgess co-compered and 'auctioneered' many items of memorabillia including the AC/DC signed, Angus Young signature model Gibson guitar.

To help raise funds for his substantial medical bills, Mulry's musical friends have organised two benefit concerts at City Live Night Club at Sydney's Fox Studios on Fri 09 and Sat 10 March.

Tickets are available from Ticketek for individual nights ($59 plus booking fee) as well as a special discount tickets for both nights ($92.90 plus booking fee). 

This is the artist running order for the two shows - spectacular .. !

FRIDAY 9TH MARCH

BILLY THORPE
JOHN PAUL YOUNG AND THE ALLSTARS
KEVIN BORICH
TMG (with Ted's brother Steve Mulry)
GINA JEFFREYS 
TIM FREEDMAN
ROSS WILSON (with members of The Angels)
RICHARD CLAPTON (with members of INXS)
MASTERS APPRENTICES 
RENEE GEYER
RUSSELL MORRIS
CHRIS TURNER
MARTY RHONE

SATURDAY 10TH MARCH

SHERBET (reforming especially for this event)
NOISEWORKS
TMG (with Ted's brother Steve Mulry)
RADIATORS
KEVIN BORICH EXPRESS
ROSE TATTOO
MENTAL AS ANYTHING
JOHN ENGLISH 
SEBASTIAN HARDIE (reforming especially for this event)
AUTUMN (reforming especially for this event)
ADAM BRAND

 
 
The Tatts Are Back
TE
 

Chrome-domed Angry Anderson and his Bad Boys For Love will perform at the Newcastle Workers Club tomorrow night. The boys from Rose Tattoo will be joined by The Radiators and the Bondi Cigars for a night of high-energy rock.

Speaking to TE last week, Angry said the band was always keen to perform in Newcastle. 'The thing about Newcastle is that it's one of the towns that actually helped put the Tatts on the map,' he said. 'If it hadn't been for Newcastle and their support in the early days; in other words we could go and work in Newcastle when there were many gigs close to us in Sydney but Newcastle being a rock and roll town, we found the mentality of the people and the appreciation of the music was the right kind of atmosphere.

'So we've had a very long and affectionate relationship with Newcastle because you don't forget things like that, when people have done the right thing by you. A mate's a mate and you look after your mates, well, you should.' Tomorrow night's performance brings the Tatts to the city for the first time this year and will be followed by a couple of weeks on the road before the band heads to Germany.

The boys will do a 'handful of gigs' in Germany before returning home to 'maybe produce an album' before heading back to tour Britain and Europe in 2000. If it produces an album it will be the first since the early 1980s. 'It would be (exciting) for us,' Angry said of a new album.

'If the songs come and we consider they are not just a rehash, they are credible and they speak a voice that belongs to the 1990s, let alone the 2000s, that will be the criteria for going ahead with it. 'There's nothing worse than people coming back together as a band years and years later and stumbling around looking like they don't have direction and possibly not having any.'

It seems the Rosy Tatts are moving into top gear just six months after Angry was 'quite considerably' injured in a motorcycle accident. He was one of many bikers injured in the December 12 accident in which one member of the Maitland Gladiators club died.

The accident happened when the bikers were travelling on the F3 freeway from Sydney to Raymond Terrace to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the cult motorcycle movie STONE. 'All I broke was a little finger but I had quite severe concussion from landing at 105kmh on my head,' he said.

'I had a hip and pelvic area injury and also shoulder; I'm just about mended now, they reckon. There were far more serious injuries then that; we lost a brother, which was very tragic, very sad.'

 
 
People And Bikes Flew Through Air, Recalls Angry
14 December 1998
Andrew Clennell
 

Singer Angry Anderson is surprised more people did not die in the Central Coast motorcycle crash on Saturday that killed one man and injured about 25 riders. The dead man was Maitland Gladiators motorcyclist Craig Witherspoon, 29. Anderson was in the crash and felt lucky to escape with only concussion, bad bruising and a broken finger. He was injured when a riderless bike flew through the air and smashed into the bike he was riding on pillion.

"I'm really grateful," he said. "I know I'm here, I know it wasn't my time to go ... Once we got up from the crash there was people laying around us ... They looked like they were dead." But they were only unconscious, which Anderson said was a minor miracle.

The crash happened a little before noon just north of the Cobbs Road overpass at Wyong. Police said it appeared Mr Witherspoon's bike hit a car in the freeway's breakdown lane and set off a domino effect. The ride from Berowra to Raymond Terrace was to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the cult movie Stone.

Mr Witherspoon's mother, Barbara, said yesterday at her Kurri Kurri home that her son called her on Saturday and told her, "Watch out for me on the news", before he joined the 20,000-bike motorcade. She agreed to watch but could not have known that the news would be of the horrible pile-up. "I never thought anything of it, because he often went on rides with Gladiators ... I just can't believe that he's gone." Mrs Witherspoon said her son "was a jolly type of person, very happy ... He just liked to spend time on his bike".

Anderson, the former lead singer of Rose Tattoo and patron of the NSW branch of the Vietnam Veterans' Motorcycle Club, said the pile-up was horrific. "We were about 30 bikes back ..." he said. "I looked up and don't even remember what it was that I saw, but I saw something and an impact and instinctively knew the rest of us were ... all just doomed to it." He said people and bikes flew through the air.

Inspector Paul Mosley, of Tuggerah Lakes police, said reports of violence after the accident were exaggerated.
Police said the Coroner would investigate the death and the safety and organisation of mass rides. An actor from Stone at the front of the cavalcade, Roger Ward, said the accident brought a pall over the event.

 
 
Angels keen on Tatts Tour
TE
 

When The Angels heard that Rose Tattoo were getting back together and the chance to play support was offered, Doc Neeson said the band jumped at the chance.

The gig at the Newcastle Workers Club on Thursday, August 6, was going be a chance to show off The Angels' latest album, SKIN & BONE, in front of a hard rock audience.

The CD is a return to the classic Angels formula of bass, guitars and drums, circa 1979 and FACE TO FACE, but with the production values of HOWLING. 'I think you'll find it has probably got that rawness and honesty but with head space,' Neeson said.

It's a testament to enduring nature of classic hard rock that 20 years after they made their names The Angels and Rose Tattoo continue to have an audience.

 
 
Thorny Bunch Of Roses
TE
 

When The Angels heard that Rose Tattoo were getting back together and the chance to play support was offered, Doc Neeson said the band jumped at the chance.

The gig at the Newcastle Workers Club on Thursday, August 6, was going be a chance to show off The Angels' latest album, SKIN & BONE, in front of a hard rock audience.

The CD is a return to the classic Angels formula of bass, guitars and drums, circa 1979 and FACE TO FACE, but with the production values of HOWLING. 'I think you'll find it has probably got that rawness and honesty but with head space,' Neeson said.

It's a testament to enduring nature of classic hard rock that 20 years after they made their names The Angels and Rose Tattoo continue to have an audience.

 
 
Rock down to Skin and Bone
 

It will be a night of classic hard rock to rival even the recent sold out show by Screaming Jets at the Newcastle Workers Club.

A double bill featuring The Angels and Rose Tattoo, at the Newcastle Workers Club on August 6, will shake the foundations at the Workers Club.

THE ANGELS front man Doc Neeson said the group was enjoying a great response to its latest album SKIN & BONE. Neeson said the album, which hearkened back to the days of FACE TO FACE, proved that audiences were returning to rock music in droves.

'One of the reasons we're calling the album SKIN & BONE is because it's back to basics,' he said. During a month-long promotional trip in May, the group played the whole album as its set, with old favourites brought out for the encore.

'In a way I'm proud of the band because I think it's a pretty ballsy move to go out and do a whole set,' he said.

'If anything the problem is that we've got 12 albums to choose from and can't fit every song into one set.'

The Angels will be on the road with Rose Tattoo for the first time with bass player Ian Rilen who quit the band in 1977.

Rose Tattoo will release ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE, a single recorded in 1981 but never released, with a Greatest Hits compilation NICE BOYS DON'T PLAY ROCK AND ROLL.

Tatts' front man Angry Anderson said the return of Rilen would complete the original band lineup, except for original drummer Dallas Royal who died in 1989.

Anderson said he regarded Rilen as one of the best bass players in the country. 'It's like the first time you hear the tyrannosaurus rex howl in Jurassic Park,' he said.

'He's got all that low sting in it, but it's almost like you expect it to go into this blood-curdling shriek, but it never actually gets there.'

It will be Rose Tattoo's first re-union since it was asked to support GUNS 'N' ROSES at Eastern Creek in 1993.