clinkerfield

Busy times gone, and busier times ahead…

May 17th, 2011

Clinkerfield’s Spazmotron now has got a Sherremin (copyright Danny Walsh 2011) for company… it’s possibly the BEST new hybrid instrument that Australia has ever seen. Look out for it at a show near you, like the 7th Annual “Wash Winter’s Willies Away With Whiskey” Festival, being held at the Tote on Sunday 31 July. Git down and marvel at the constant never-ending de-evolution of Clinkerfield. Their new record, now almost 18 months waiting in the wings, is officially on the shelf until TIME slows down, and MONEY starts growing on trees. See you in outer-space, interstellar compañeros!

Jimmy “It’s A Wonderful Life!” Stewart upped the ante and played 51 gigs in 2 months for March and April… 65 in total for March-May. Is he Melbourne’s most pro-active musician/ex-country footy star? Check out the brand-new blogsite for this international ratbag vagabong vagrant… WWW.JIMMYSTEWARTSWONDERFULLIFE.WORDPRESS.CUM …he’s currently in New York City, writing and recording in the Catskill Mountains for a new project, and propping up the bar at The Anyway Cafe every Sunday evening. Read all about it!

Boogie Festival was 150% amaaaaazing… Life-affirming, wondrous stuff. http://www.boogie.net.au

The Miserable Little Bastards new record “Misery Loves Company” – in the production line for the past 14 months – finally nears completion… and won’t be released until… September 2011…! But, album launch tour dates are currently being booked for October and November. So… start holding your breath.

The 7th Annual “Wash Winter’s Willies Away With Whiskey” Festival IS back at the Tote Hotel once more on Sunday 31 July, and promises to be the best one ever! Public Bookings, together with Waste Management, will bring you 13 bands, plus DJ’s and random sideshows, across FOUR stages across TWO pubs!!! And that’s not to mention the massive pots of SOUP! Stay tuned for more details…

Our fearless fraternising footloose fuckwit frontman, The Jimmy Stewart, has departed for his annual pilgrimage to New York, reconvening for almost two months of Sundays (June-July) at NYC’s best Russian gypsy vodka bar, the Anyway Cafe, and also to make some new solo recordings, collaborating with NYC based musicians and producers, in a cottage in the Catskill Mountains. How delightful!

That’s all for now, folks. And remember: sometimes it’s good to be a little bit bad, but it is never bad to be good.

Clinkerfield’s 7th Annual January Residency at the Old Bar

January 5th, 2011

Clinkerfield are very pleased to pronounce that they are again hosting their annual January residency at the good old Old Bar. For the seventh year in a row…! 

Since 2005, the tireless crew at the helm of Clinkerfield’s navigational franchise, Waste Management, have plucked a delectable selection of musical treats from Melbourne and beyond to join them in celebration of music in Melbourne in Summer.

The meticulous selection process involves multifarious procedural variations, but essentially it’s the ancient art of street corner stake-outs and stacks-on, sudden exclamations of “Oh! Look who’s under the table with us!” upon waking, and other more mysterious methods of divination like spinning in a circle for 30 seconds, eyes closed, and then pointing at IT, whatever IT may be.

And that’s what’s so magical about Melbourne! You can point in any direction you like and be sure to hit some amazing music.

Every Sunday in January, commencing on Sunday 9th January until the 30th, it’s a creamy selection of different acts each week, plus the B-Grade Celebrity staffed world-famous BBQ with Special Salads, underground legend DJ’s and dirty dancing, and the frantic antics of Melbourne’s only all-you-can-eat drunken pirate convict rockenroll spaz debacle Clinkerfield. Now with the Spazmotron! Batteries not included. Made on pressing plants that also produce golden day-times and twilight night-terrors. Small parts not suitable for children under 4 years. May contain traces of nuts. Complete nuts.

Old Bar. Sundays in January. Doors $7 each week. Gold coin BBQ. The fun starts sometime after 7 pm each week.

This year you can check out Benn Bennett, Pete Ewing, Stray Thread, Lone Tyger, Skippy’s Brain, The Sinking Tins, Skyscraper Stan, Conway Savage, Ryan Sterling, The Once Overs, and The Steins. And Clinkerfield, of course.

— — — —

You can still catch Jimmy Stewart ploughing through each and every Tuesday evening at the Gem Bar & Dining Room, continuing his never-ending Tuesday night residency that begain way back in 2006.

And the new albums for Clinkerfield and The Miserable Little Bastards are still… being… mixed….

Winter, into Spring…

July 29th, 2010

Waste Management’s fearless leader, Jimmy Stewart, is firmly back on Australian soil after bumming his way around the world for five months like a wastrel vagabond hobo minstrel. Western Australia – done. New York City – done. Rehab in a farmhouse – still in progress…

The sixth annual “Wash Winter’s Willies Away With Whiskey” festival was a screaming success down at the Tote on the last Sunday of July. Full house, magical vibes… a growing local legend…

And now Clinkerfield and Miserable Little Bastards shows resume sporadically, with both bands new albums in the mixing stages and due for release soon. Looks like the MLB’s new record will be out on vinyl before the end of the year, with the Clinkerfield mess taking a little longer to unravel.

Check the Gigs page for details of Clinkerfield gigs in Melbourne that are being booked for November and December.

Meanwhile, Jimmy’s back every Tuesday night at the Gem Bar, where he’s been plugging away every Tuesday he’s been in town since December 2007, plus other sporadical random appearances all over town. In a modest homefront milestone, Jimmy plays his 100th show at the Gem on Tuesday 14th September. Big silly party.

Look out for Jimmy solo shows around town everywhere over Spring and Summer.

Check gigs page for updates.

Whirled Peace.

The next six months – recording, national/international tours etc…

January 21st, 2010

And so, the unflappable rock at the helm of all things worthy of Waste Management, Jimmy “Thee M.L.B” Stewart, has escaped the Australian winter for the USA summer, packed his bags for the streets of New York City, and is all set to knuckle down for two-and-a-half months performing a residency at the Anyway Cafe in the East Village every Monday night until the end of June. Other shows are popping up (check the gigs page), but this is the main project for Australia’s most miserable little bastard extraordinaire. And the Anyway Cafe is just thee most magical little Russian gypsy bar this side of the known world. Check it out!

When Jimmy returns, it’s all hands on deck preparing for the last Sunday of July and the Sixth Annual “Wash Winter’s Willies Away With Whiskey” festival at the Tote Hotel, back on the calendar after the Tote looked lost to us forever recently. Stay tuned for details. And it looks like Jimmy will reconvene at the Gem Bar & Dining Room, picking up his never ending solo Tuesday night residency.

And recording of new albums is well underway…

The drunken pirate convict rockenroll warhorse machine Clinkerfield returned to the farmhouse of Carrigmore in central Victoria in February to record a new album, tentatively titled “A Heart Full Of Ice & A Gut Full Of Rubble“. But maybe we’ll just call it “Clinkerfucked“. With song titles like “K.A.O.S. Is Everywhere”, “Stumblin’ Into The Pit”, “Nowhere & Nothin’ At All”, “That Sweet Ol’ Sour Taste Of Defeat”, and ”The Doomed Pirate” – amongst others - it promises to be a real cheery affair. Recorded by Fergus McAlpin and Adam Afiff – our brothers from Silver City Highway – over a hot and stormy week in mid-February, initial rough mixes of the completely live sessions have been providing much pleasure, and indeed, entertainment! Look forward to further news as post-production and mixing unfolds…

The Miserable Little Bastards (”depression era show-tunes for the new global recession, and a salvation procession from emotional oppression“) – that hangover healing group of desperadoes from Clinkerfield, Redfish Bluegrass and beyond – have also completed a marathon recording session in at Fitzroy’s Adelphi Studios in April, just before Jimmy left town, where they worked up an album of old depression era tunes mixed with new original compositions from the current global recession era, proving that not much has changed, that nothing ever really changes, and it’d be real nice if we all had a little bit more spare change. Over two days in the beautiful surrounds of Adelphi, they completed a full album of around a dozen songs. Again, this should be out some time later in the year.

And thee primo MLB hisself, riotous ringleader and footloose frontman, Jimmy Stewart – who, previous to his current adventure in the USA, was on tour through Western Australia for five weeks playing a rash of shows across Perth, Fremantle and anywhere else he could wrangle – is working up a minimalist recording of some of his songs that are too gay for his two bands. But, being the slack shit that he is, works have completely stalled. Indefinitely.

Stay tuned for announcements of Clinkerfield and Miserable Little Bastards shows that may pop up between Jimmy’s escapades out of town and country.

Onwards & Upwards…

September 18th, 2009

Look out, because Clinkerfield pop up for a show at The East Brunswick Club on Boxing Day with Silver City Highway. Tickets on sale soon. Meanwhile, Jimmy continues to play a whole shit-load of shows here there and everywhere.

Aside from that, it’s business as usual at Waste Management™, with Clinkerfield™, Miserable Little Bastards™, and Jimmy Stewart™ projects all bubbling away. Jimmy has finally removed his eye-liner after a successful theatre season for “My Friend Schadenfreude“, the show he performed with Nicola Gunn at La Mama in September, and for now at least he’s beaten off the temptation to return to the bosom of his new Russian gypsy family in New York City. Next year.

Pre-production and pro-crastination continues apace in the Carrigmore farmhouse on new albums for all the various Transmutations of Waste, and a re-pressing of Clinkerfield’s “A Head Full Of Rain & A Heart Full Of Puddles” album is underway, with plans to include a Previously Unreleased™ song from the magical 2007 sessions that didn’t make it onto the original cut. Special.

Squizz the gigs page for details, for Clinkerfield and Jimmy pop for shows over the coming months, though with Greg “Miserable Fiddler Bastard” Field still in the USA, there are no MLB shows until November when they will take their misery to happy QLD for a show or three. In the meantime, placate yourself HERE with the YouTube video of them performing “What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor?” on ABC TV’s show “Spicks & Specks”.

And after much dilly-dallying, Jimmy is finally returning to his homes away from home in Western Australia, with a solo tour booked for the last weekend of November. This is his first trip out West after touring there seven times last year! Upon returning he takes up at his other home away from home, the Gem Bar & Dining Room, to re-convene at the scene of his 18 month long Tuesday night residency, for a summery month of Tuesday evenings in December.

Busy.

Next…

August 3rd, 2009

With memories slowly fading of the excitement of the fifth annual Waste Management/Clinkerfield curated “Wash Winter’s Willies Away With Whiskey” festival (has it become a “Melbourne Institution” yet?) – which was a resounding success at the Tote Hotel on Saturday 25th July – and with Jimmy “I ♥ NY” Stewart back from touring the USA and reinstated at the helm of all things worthy of Waste Management, projects resume once more…

(Click HERE and HERE for reviews/pictures of the WWWAWW event.)

Ringleader of W.M. incorporated, Jimmy Stewart, is back home and straight back into a busy schedule after a dozen or more shows across NYC and Nashville. Two months of adventure, a whole lotta luck, and a raucous chilli-vodka-fuelled residency at The Anyway Café (a magical little Russian gypsy hole in Manhattan), means plans are already underway for a return to the States before too long.

But presently, Jimmy has been invited to perform as part of a two-week musical theatre season at La Mama running from 26 August to 6 September, collaborating with internationally acclaimed performer Nicola Gunn. The show is “My Friend Schadenfreude”, and it is the story of The Inconsolable Woman and her Mute Bellhop. Jimmy relishes in the role of the bellhop, and breaks into calamitous song occasionally… Visit www.nicolagunn.com and www.lamama.com.au for more info, or phone 03 9347 6142 for bookings. Tickets are $25/$12 concession. It will be a most interesting collaboration and show between two dynamic performers…

Jimmy also performs a few solo shows of his own, including two special appearances in August at the Gem Bar & Dining Room, returning to the scene of the 18 month long Tuesday night residency he completed there before he left shore for the USA in May.  In mid-October he returns to Western Australia for a short jaunt – after six trips West last year this will be his first for 2009. Slack-o.

The Clinkerfield/Redfish Bluegrass collaboration The Miserable Little Bastards continues to garner more exposure than Clinkerfield ever did…! Fresh from their appearance on ABC TV’s program Spicks & Specks where they performed “What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor?” with mischievous glee (watch the YouTube video HERE), they pop up for a show or two before taking a break whilst their internationally jetsetting fiddler Greg Field embarks on his own USA adventure. The Bastards will be cranking up again in October.

And the drunken pirate convict rock’n’roll machine Clinkerfield takes the mighty bathtub out onto the high seas once again with a slurry of shows, taking in some good old favourite local holes, including closing out the High Vibes festival on Sunday 20 September at the Northcote Social Club, and a looming October show with the Kill Devil Hills (WA).

Betwixt all this hullaballoo, long overdue pre-production has commenced on three (or more) new albums, with Jimmy currently holed up in the farmhouse Carrigmore where Clinkerfield recorded their 2008 hit album “A Head Full Of Rain & A Heart Full Of Puddles”. He’s currently finding it very difficult to concentrate, and even harder to figure out which album to make first…

So lucky there’s some shows to let all hell loose upon! Check that gigs page and sign up for that mailing list for regular updates and other hot tips…

The Fifth Annual Wash Winter’s Willies Away With Whiskey

July 2nd, 2009

Uncork the single malt and prepare for the Fifth Annual Wash Winter’s Willies Away With Whiskey, Saturday 25th July at The Tote.  A celebration of Australian music inspired and impaired by the bottle.  Saturday July 25th from 7:00pm – eight acts, two stages, and the now almost-famous homemade soup. Assuage your solstice sadness, sip a tipple as you tilt for an earful from bands including Clinkerfield, The Tom Budge Band, Van & Cal Walker, Silver City Highway, The Holy Sea, Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, Steph Brett & The Dreamland Band, and those Miserable Little Bastards (featuring members of Clinkerfield & Redfish Bluegrass), fresh from their fame-propelling appearance on ABC’s Spicks & Specks.  Free 14-track compilation CD to first hundred payers.  (See “Shows” for playing times.)

Jimmy off to USA, final Aus shows

May 7th, 2009

Clinkerfield and the Miserable Little Bastards play their final shows for the next little while before ringleader Jimmy Stewart heads for a solo misadventure in the USA for two months. See gig guide for details.

In the US, Jimmy will be playing shows in NYC and Nashville, with more shows to follow.

This means that Jimmy’s solo Tuesday night residency at the Gem Bar, now a year-and-a-half long, is finishing up.

Upon Jim’s return Clinkerfield will host the sixth annual Wash Winter’s Willies Away With Whiskey festival at the Tote on Saturday 25th July.

Check back to this news page for more updates on USA adventures and other bizzo.

NEWS

March 19th, 2009

Clinkerfield will appear at this year’s Boogie Festival. It’s a boutique festival in country Victoria for only 500 people! Tony Joe White’s playin…

A couple more Clinkerfield shows are planned, and a few Miserable Little Bastards (Clinkerfield/Redfish Bluegrass collaboration) shows too.

Jimmy continues at the Gem every Tuesday, heads to Tassie for three solo shows 2-4 April, and is off to the USA for a few shows in June.

And a little bit of pre-production is underway for new recordings.

Summer is almost over…

March 1st, 2009

Clinkerfield are preparing for their 7th Annual Labour Day Long Weekend show at the Colbo Pub on Sunday 8th March.

The Miserable Little Bastards (Clinkerfield/Redfish Bluegrass collaboration) recently performed a version of “What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor” live on ABC TV’s program ‘Spicks & Specks’. Everyone was very excited to meet Murray from the Wiggles. Unsure when the episode will go to air…

A couple of other shows are looming, Jimmy continues at the Gem Bar every Tuesday, and recording plans are underway.

News..

January 27th, 2009

Upcoming shows…

Clinkerfield appear at the St Kilda Festival on Sun 8th Feb, 4:30 pm on the World Music Stage.

Jimmy Stewart’s Miserable Little Bastards appear at the Labour In Vain Hotel Sun 15th Feb.

Jimmy has re-commenced his Tuesday night residency at the Gem Bar & Dining Room, now 13 months running.

And after a busy Summer, shows will wind down to focus on more recording.

The Silly Season!!!

December 16th, 2008

With national touring over for the time being, Clinkerfield settle into a Summer in Melbourne.

Firstly, we’ll be Beating The Bejesus Outta Boxing Day, with a show at the Tote early in the night, before barrelling into Pony for the infamous 2am slot… Owww!!!

Then it’s onwards into 2009 with our fifth annual January residency at the Old Bar, every Sunday this year leading up to Australia Day Eve. Different guest acts each week, B-Grade Celebrity chefs on the BBQ, and more….

And after a full year Jimmy’s Tuesday night residency at the Gem has a break over the silly period (the Gem closes on 21 Dec, re-opens on 2 Jan), resuming indefinitely in early 2009.

Stay tuned for updates on shows, and new recording plans for Clinkerfield, and The Miserable Little Bastards (Clinkerfield’s old-timey collaboration with Redfish Bluegrass)…

A Summer with Clinkerfield…

November 21st, 2008

To round out Clinkerfield’s National Tour, we’re heading to QLD for shows with The Gin Club 12-14 Dec.

At home, we pop up for a show at the East Brunswick Club on Thu 11 Dec in support of MAN MAN from the USA. They’re great fun! Check out www.myspace.com/wearemanman. Sounds like their viking vaudeville antics should complement our pirate convict shenanigans perfectly! They’re playing at Meredith this year.

Then it’s onwards to Boxing Day at the Tote with a bunch of bands, and then into Pony for the 2 am slot! Should be crazy! Silly season, hey! Full details to be confirmed….

Further ahead, our fifth annual January residency at the Old Bar is looming – every Sunday this year, different bands each week, the infamous BBQ and more….

And recording plans are underway for new Clinkerfield, Miserable Little Bastards, and Jimmy Stewart records….

– — – –

Bongiorno!

Clinkerfield National Tour!!!

September 25th, 2008

Following up from the release of the album “A Head Full Of Rain & A Heart Full Of Puddles” in March, & after a winter of laying low sharpening cutlasses, Clinkerfield take the bathtub out on the road again in October.

A film clip for “Bonnie Come Save My Soul” featuring footage from their album launch at the Corner Hotel in April, goes to Rage to coincide, and is viewable on YouTube.

Clinkerfield will be visiting WA, TAS, NSW, VIC & SA, with QLD shows in the pipeline. See gigs page for details.

Amongst all this, Jimmy plays a few solo shows around the country, and continues to amaze & depress at the Gem Bar every Tuesday evening.

September…

August 21st, 2008

Clinkerfield pop up for a couple of big September shows – the Espy front bar on Friday 12th September, and Northcote’s Hi-Vibes Festival on Sunday 21st September.

And Jimmy remains busy with his Tuesday night Gem residency continuing into month number ten, and now also a month of Sunday arvo’s at the Marquis of Lorne Hotel with the Miserable Little Bastards.

See gigs page for details.

A national tour of most major capitals, and some regionals, will occur in October/November. Dates to be announced soon… keep checking this site, or sign up for the mailing list.

August…

August 1st, 2008

FRIDAY 8TH AUGUST Clinkerfield join The Sacred Cowboys, Selfish Gene & The Ripping Dylans at THE SPANISH CLUB.

Then Jimmy heads off on tour with The Kill Devil Hills for shows in NSW, TAS, SA and Melbourne. See gigs page for details.

With Jimmy away, and Boogs in the USA splitting particles, the next show after that promises to be a huge one at the Espy when Clinkerfield headline the front-bar on Friday 12th September.

National tour planned for October.

The fourth annual “Wash Winter’s Willies Away With Whiskey” festival is here…

July 9th, 2008

…at the Tote on Sunday 27th July.

Running Order

BAND ROOM

9:30 – 10:10 pm: The Radio Lights
8:30 – 9:10 pm: Clinkerfield
7:30 – 8:10 pm: Austin Floyd
6:30 – 7:10 pm: Silver City Highway
5:30 – 6:10 pm: Graveyard Train
4:30 – 5:10 pm: Basic Shape
3:30 – 4:10 pm: Kristy Lewis & The Wretched
3:00 pm: DOORS OPEN

FRONT BAR

6:10 – 6:50 pm: Van & Cal Walker
5:10 – 5:50 pm: Redfish Bluegrass
4:10 – 4:50 pm: Fee Brown & The Highwater
3:10 – 3:50 pm: Jimmy Stewart

BBQ in Beer Garden

5:00 – 7:00 pm

NSC show sold out! Now time to Wash Winter’s Willies Away With Whiskey…

June 24th, 2008

Great night at the Northcote Social Club on the Saturday just passed. Full-house, smiles, laughs, sombreros, maybe a few too many drinks… ah well.

Onwards…! The fourth annual “Wash Winter’s Willies Away With Whiskey” festival is looming ever closer at the Tote on Sunday 27th July. Line-up/full details to be announced.

Meanwhile Jimmy heads to QLD for solo shows early July, hangin with The Gin Club, and continues to hold fort at the Gem Bar & Dining Room each and every Tuesday.

Melbourne Show Announced!

May 13th, 2008

With the album out and doing well, the national tour complete, and our longest break from the scene ever (2 whole months!), it’s time to unleash the live beast again…

SATURDAY 21st JUNE Clinkerfield hit the NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB. Tickets available from the NSC Box Office on 03 9486 1677 or www.northcotesocialclub.com.

It’s a bit of a one-off, as we won’t be returning until late July in the lead-up to the Clinkerfield hosted “Wash Winter’s Willies Away With Whiskey” festival.

After the huge success of the last Melbourne show at the Corner in early April, with the streets abuzz with whisperings in hushed tones of words like, “magical” and “amazing”, this show is worth getting in early for…!

There’ll be plenty of songs from the album, plus a whole bunch of newer material, and pleased to announce that we’ll be joined by our mates The Palenecks.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Stewart heads to Western Australia again for shows from 11-14 June, in between continuing his Tuesday evening residency at the Gem Bar, Collingwood, now into month seven. And plans are underway for the band to hit the road again later in the year.

TOUR OVER – KICKED ARSE – NEED A REST

April 22nd, 2008

Yaaarrrgghh…blaeerrghh.. yawn… splat.

We’re all back home now. The shows all over the land were wonderful, especially the magical night at the Corner in early April! We’re working on a film-clip from footage taken on the night, and also mixing a live recording we made of it.

Now that the tour is over, we’re holing up for a while to lick our wounds whilst we plan our next move. Basically, we’re just resting on our laurels whilst the album sells thousands of copies in stores everywhere! Run out and grab your copy while stocks last! It’s also available on-line via the RELEASES page. The response to “A Head Full Of Rain & A Heart Full Of Puddles” has been amazing. Find out why!

After this break the band will return for a one-off Melbourne show in June – stay tuned – though, of course, Jimmy just can’t help himself, and continues to play shows everywhere, now into his sixth month of Tuesday evenings at the Gem Bar in Collingwood.

Looking further ahead, the fourth annual Clinkerfield/Waste Management curated Wash Winter’s Willies Away With Whiskey festival is looming on the last Sunday of July, and plans are underway for another national tour in August/September.

And more recording!

National Album Launch Tour Announced

March 1st, 2008

YARRRGH! We’re on tourrr…!

Our new album “A Head Full Of Rain & A Heart Full Of Puddles” is finally here, out 15 March through Green Media/MGM Distribution on our own Waste Management label.

We’re most excited to announce our national tour dates. Altogether, we’ll be taking in a VIC regional, WA, NSW, VIC, SA, and WA again – a period of about six weeks through March & April. See SHOWS page for details.

We have copies of the album in our grubby hands, and they’re available through this website. Go to RELEASES page to purchase through either Waterfront Records. Alternatively, you could buy it at a shop. It’s in stores nationally.

See ya at a show.