MusicJournoH-Block 101
June 15th 2006 11:47
If you ask me (and by reading this, you essentially do), H-Block 101 are probably the greatest current(ish) punk band in Australia. I first saw them in 1998 at the Iron Duke in Sydney, where they played as part of a Hardcore superbonanza styled show. They were the best band of the night and their performance was electrifying, I was hooked and became a huge fan. If you've seen them play and didn't like them I'd venture that you're probably boring.
MP3s (both from Synergy EP)...
Great Australian Joke - right click and save
60 Seconds - right click and save
MEMBERS
Karl Mautner - Vocals, Guitar (1994-present)
Rick Munro - Guitar, vocals (1995-present)
Brent Millhouse - Bass, vocals (1996-present)
Matt Bodiam - Drums (1998-present)
Joe Piripitsi - Drums (1996-1998)
Dave Culliford - Drums (1995-1996)
Jason Mahoney - Bass (1995-1996)
Brothers Tim (from Growing Concern) and Jay on bass and drums respectively in 1994.
H-Block 101 is the brainchild of Karl Mautner, a 77-era punk enthusiast from Melbourne who struggled between 1993 and 1995 to get a band together that could play something vaguely approaching the classic style of punkrock he loved so much. In 1994 he formed the band as a three-piece with a pair of brothers named Tim and Jay. Tim had come via the band Growing Concern and the three practiced for a few months until Jay decided he wasn't into it. Tim lost interest soon after that. Karl had trouble getting the band happening so he joined fellow-Melbourne band Engine 54 for something to do. He played with the band for about a year. In 1995 he got the band going again with a new lineup consisting of Dave Culliford (drums) and Jason Mahoney (bass) and they started playing shows. Rick Munro joined on second guitar not long after this and they recorded their first album, 'New Inventions'. Jason then left the band, followed by Dave in 1996. Brent Millhouse came in on bass (he had jammed with Karl two years earlier when the band was first getting started) and Joe Piripitsi (who had just been kicked out of the Living End) was quickly brought in on drums in time for the band's tour of New Zealand in 1997. Joe played on the 'No Room for Apathy' album and 'Synergy' EP before being kicked out of the band (from what I understand he was some kind of drug addict, hence his earlier dismissal from The Living End). Matt Bodiam (from Nihilistik View) put his hand for drum duties and joined the band in 1998, and the lineup has remained unchanged since then, touring interstate many times over the following eight or so years.
The band signed to Universal records to release their double-album 'Burning with the Times'. I think the band grew disatisfied with the contract though and didn't release anything for three years afterwards. They seemed to be getting back into the swing of things in 2005 with the release of a new EP and some compilation CDs, and were also playing side-shows under the name 'Jimmy Spliff and the Weedkillers' where they would do all ska/reggae sets.
A new album/EP called 'Brain on Automatic' was (or is?) slated for 2006 sometime to coincide with the band's planned European tour later this year... but this information is from their website, which hasn't been updated for months. From all sources I've been told the band has broken up and played their last shows in March. It's a shame if this is true, they were one of the few contemporary Australian punk bands that seemed to get the appreciation they deserved. I hope they get back together.
DISCOGRAPHY
High Energy Plan (1994?) DEMO TAPE
Jimmy Numbers (1995) DEMO TAPE
New Inventions (1995) ALBUM
A Voice in the Crowd (1996) EP
A Voice in the Crowd (1996) 7"
The Arthouse Tapes (1996?) LIVE TAPE
The Tote Tapes (1996?) LIVE TAPE
No Room For Apathy (1997) ALBUM
Synergy (1998) EP
Synergy (1998) 7"
Koka-Kolonisation (2000) SINGLE
Workers Wages (2000) SINGLE
Burning With the Times (2001) DOUBLE-ALBUM
Group Dynamics (2001) SINGLE
Burning With the Times (2004) EP
Human Flotsam (2005) COMPILATION ALBUM (Europe only)
Tapes 1996-1999 (2005) COMPILATION ALBUM
Brain on Automatic (2006) EP (Unreleased?)
They have also appeared on the following compilations... 'So This is Jeff's Victoria', 'Pulling on the Boots - Live and Extremely Tanked', 'Anti-Work Songs', 'Riot on Ramsey Street', 'File Under Ska', 'Barcode the World - On the Nod 2000', 'Punk O'Clock Vol 1', 'Punk O'Clock Vol 2', 'Who You Calling Punk?', 'Promotional Use Only', 'Rubbing All the Right People the Wrong Way - Again', 'Twentybandcomp', 'Rip Curl - Built for Riding', 'Homebake 4', 'Class Pride World Wide', 'A Thousand Feet and Falling', 'Busted Again', 'Dance to the Revolution' and 'Horrorshow Presents - Images of My Underworld Vol 3'.
H-Block 101 - website
H-Block 101 - old website, still up!
MP3s (both from Synergy EP)...
Great Australian Joke - right click and save
H-Block 101
MEMBERS
Karl Mautner - Vocals, Guitar (1994-present)
Rick Munro - Guitar, vocals (1995-present)
Brent Millhouse - Bass, vocals (1996-present)
Matt Bodiam - Drums (1998-present)
Joe Piripitsi - Drums (1996-1998)
Dave Culliford - Drums (1995-1996)
Jason Mahoney - Bass (1995-1996)
Brothers Tim (from Growing Concern) and Jay on bass and drums respectively in 1994.
H-Block 101 is the brainchild of Karl Mautner, a 77-era punk enthusiast from Melbourne who struggled between 1993 and 1995 to get a band together that could play something vaguely approaching the classic style of punkrock he loved so much. In 1994 he formed the band as a three-piece with a pair of brothers named Tim and Jay. Tim had come via the band Growing Concern and the three practiced for a few months until Jay decided he wasn't into it. Tim lost interest soon after that. Karl had trouble getting the band happening so he joined fellow-Melbourne band Engine 54 for something to do. He played with the band for about a year. In 1995 he got the band going again with a new lineup consisting of Dave Culliford (drums) and Jason Mahoney (bass) and they started playing shows. Rick Munro joined on second guitar not long after this and they recorded their first album, 'New Inventions'. Jason then left the band, followed by Dave in 1996. Brent Millhouse came in on bass (he had jammed with Karl two years earlier when the band was first getting started) and Joe Piripitsi (who had just been kicked out of the Living End) was quickly brought in on drums in time for the band's tour of New Zealand in 1997. Joe played on the 'No Room for Apathy' album and 'Synergy' EP before being kicked out of the band (from what I understand he was some kind of drug addict, hence his earlier dismissal from The Living End). Matt Bodiam (from Nihilistik View) put his hand for drum duties and joined the band in 1998, and the lineup has remained unchanged since then, touring interstate many times over the following eight or so years.
The band signed to Universal records to release their double-album 'Burning with the Times'. I think the band grew disatisfied with the contract though and didn't release anything for three years afterwards. They seemed to be getting back into the swing of things in 2005 with the release of a new EP and some compilation CDs, and were also playing side-shows under the name 'Jimmy Spliff and the Weedkillers' where they would do all ska/reggae sets.
Karl Mautner
Human Flotsam - Europe-only release
High Energy Plan (1994?) DEMO TAPE
Jimmy Numbers (1995) DEMO TAPE
New Inventions (1995) ALBUM
A Voice in the Crowd (1996) EP
A Voice in the Crowd (1996) 7"
The Arthouse Tapes (1996?) LIVE TAPE
The Tote Tapes (1996?) LIVE TAPE
No Room For Apathy (1997) ALBUM
Synergy (1998) EP
Synergy (1998) 7"
Koka-Kolonisation (2000) SINGLE
Workers Wages (2000) SINGLE
Burning With the Times (2001) DOUBLE-ALBUM
Group Dynamics (2001) SINGLE
Burning With the Times (2004) EP
Human Flotsam (2005) COMPILATION ALBUM (Europe only)
Tapes 1996-1999 (2005) COMPILATION ALBUM
Brain on Automatic (2006) EP (Unreleased?)
They have also appeared on the following compilations... 'So This is Jeff's Victoria', 'Pulling on the Boots - Live and Extremely Tanked', 'Anti-Work Songs', 'Riot on Ramsey Street', 'File Under Ska', 'Barcode the World - On the Nod 2000', 'Punk O'Clock Vol 1', 'Punk O'Clock Vol 2', 'Who You Calling Punk?', 'Promotional Use Only', 'Rubbing All the Right People the Wrong Way - Again', 'Twentybandcomp', 'Rip Curl - Built for Riding', 'Homebake 4', 'Class Pride World Wide', 'A Thousand Feet and Falling', 'Busted Again', 'Dance to the Revolution' and 'Horrorshow Presents - Images of My Underworld Vol 3'.
H-Block 101 - website
H-Block 101 - old website, still up!
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Comment by Anonymous
Burning with the times is probably one of the greatest things ever though, such a good band!!
-Rhys
Comment by Glen
Reggae