Some bands are present in our lives (even if their line-ups change) for what feels like an eternity (take Yothu Yindi and AC/DC). Some others, on the contrary. They reign on the charts for a few years to fade into oblivion later (like Gotye and Savage Garden).
There are also artists that come and go, reuniting with a bang and disappearing into thin air again for different reasons (The Go-Betweens and The Middle East).
This year, three and a half (I’ll explain this later) Aussie acts have announced their reunions. You’ll be stoked to find out which ones.
PART 188 OF “AM I EVER GONNA SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN?” A RANDOM COLLECTION OF UNKNOWINGLY OBVIOUS FACTS ABOUT AUSTRALIAN MUSIC SCENE
I wish I’d been to an INXS gig. But I was too young when Michael Hutchence was still around. I’d pay a million bucks to attend a Silverchair show. But Daniel Johns is adamant that’s never going to happen again. I regret not having seen Camp Cope live more times when I lived in Oz. But nobody could predict it would disband. (Btw, can you ever?)
Despite popular belief, being a muso, especially in a group with other creatives, is not a bed of roses.
Songwriting is awesome and creative. But recording songs can get mundane (the neverending takes). Playing live shows is nearly every artist’s dream come true. Yet touring, in general, is exhausting (sleeping on a bus is defo not proper rest). Being in a band with your mates is the best and most fun job in the world. Unless you’re in each other’s face due to spending waaaaay too much time together.
Like in human relationships, not all groups survive the test of time. But instead of calling it quits, some choose to go “on hiatus” and keep the door open if they eventually figure things out.
Obvs, I’m not the only one hoping to see my fave acts reforming. To prove it, here’s a thread on Reddit started by the popular youth broadcaster, triple j. It shows you what artists Aussie fans themselves want to see reunited.
On that list, there are acts that have decided to take a break fairly recently (like the Brissie alt-rockers from Violent Soho in 2022). But there are also some that have been quiet for over a decade (i.e. Carpathian – a hardcore outfit from Melbourne).
The reunion is always the most spectacular when the act drops the news unexpectedly after many years of being inactive or when an important anniversary is nearing. Well, we can call ourselves lucky in 2024 because the comebacks I’m about to tell you about are pretty rad. I call them “Blasts from the Past”.
Crowded House
Let me start with a fun fact here. The most popular song of this internationally famous Melbourne-based band is “Don’t Dream It’s Over”. How prophetic, hey?
Since their formation in 1985, Crowded House have been on hiatus three times already. As is often the case, they’ve also gone through numerous line-up changes. And they’ve even done farewell gigs before, too.
The last time they officially came back was in 2019, with new members and fresh material. Since then, they’ve been making appearances here and there, like Byron Bay’s Bluesfest in 2020 or the Glasto in 2022.
But in 2024, they’re throwing a massive tour, supporting the new album, Gravity Stairs, released just a few days ago. They’ll play shows on three continents pretty much non-stop between June and December. Fans in the UK, Ireland, the US, Australia and New Zealand are the ones who will be able to enjoy the legendary rockers live.
So if I can make an official complaint here, it’s this. Why not extend the shows to continental Europe?
Cold Chisel
The BIG 5.0 is a spesh occasion to celebrate. That’s how long ago Cold Chisel started.
The Adelaide hard rockers’ story has a few on-and-off episodes as well. But when they’re on, it’s full-on. For example, one of their tracks, “Khe Sanh” from May 1978, was placed at No. 8 of the all-time best Australian songs by APRA (Australasian Performing Rights Association). They were also inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1993.
Nothing major has been happening in the Cold Chisel camp since 2020. That’s when they released The Live Tapes: Vol. 5. But I knew they wouldn’t miss this significant anniversary. After all, not too many bands out there (regardless of their country of provenance) have been around for such a long time.
And they’re celebrating it like you should: by playing their music live as the “The Big Five-0 Tour” in their home country (and, possibly, overseas later).
And get this: all the 16 dates sold out in a matter of hours. That’s how much Aussies love pub rock.
Fanning Dempsey National Park
If you know anything about Aussie music, the name of this rock outfit will be pretty obvious. But if not, let me break it down for you in reverse order.
Paul Dempsey has been the lead singer and guitarist of a popular Melbourne rock outfit, Something for Kate, since 1994. And even though their last album dropped in 2020, there are no talks of calling it a day. Paul has also had a successful career as a solo musician.
Bernard Fanning, on the other hand, was (is?) the vocalist of an act from Brisbane, Powderfinger. They disbanded in 2010, breaking the hearts of the whole nation. Ten years later, they returned for a charitable appearance live-streamed on YouTube and released a compilation of Unreleased songs and other live albums. But it looks like they have no plans to reform again.
So Bernard Fanning’s participation in this super duo is the “half” comeback I mentioned at the beginning. Described as a project “25 years in the making”, Fanning Dempsey National Park have now released one great anthem, “Disconnect”. But we already know an album, The Deluge, is on its way (dropping on August 2nd). Plus, they’re touring Australia in October.
So, honestly, I didn’t see it coming. But what a treat for Aussie music fans!
Grinspoon
Grinspoon are another of those iconic Aussie rock acts that have taken a break a couple of times. And every time they do, they leave their fans devastated.
The latest reincarnation of the Lismore band happened around 2017. But it was fairly uneventful. Two years later, they released a song compilation and went quiet again. However, no announcements were made regarding a further hiatus. So we all waited patiently.
Finally, in May this year, Grinspoon dropped a proper rock banger, “Unknown Pretenders”, taken from whatever, whatever – their new album, out on August 9th. Between September and December, they’ll also visit virtually every corner of Australia with the new material.
And you can go Harbour Bridge Climbing in Sydney with them if you pre-order the record and enter the comp.
So, sometimes, patience is key. It looks like it was all worth the wait.
What about you, readers? Which Aussie “Blasts from the Past” would you like to see reformed?
Cover image: Cold Chisel FB
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