- Nunbait
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Nunbait Origin Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Genres Punk rock Years active 1989–1993, 2010 Labels Waterfront Records
Survival
Hippy KnightWebsite http://www.myspace.com/nunbaitaustralia Members Ian (Ivan) Fraser
Shaun Butcher
Mark Guthrie
Mathew FantePast members Jay Doherty Nunbait are a punk band from Australia.
Contents
History
Nunbait first formed in Sydney in 1989. Butcher and Guthrie had been in bands in Townsville; Guthrie later joined Fraser’s Brisbane proto-grunge 60s garage punk-inspired combo Dementia 13 (1984–1988).[1]
In the late-1980s, Butcher, Guthrie and Fraser migrated separately from Queensland to the Sydney suburb of Newtown, where they decided to form a band with Doherty, a native of Mudgee, who took up drums despite very limited experience. It was Doherty who named the band, apparently as a pun on ‘jailbait’. The band was variously referred to as “acid-psych”[2] and “noise rock”.[3]
The band’s first release was 500-copy run of a self-pressed single, “Track Trauma” (1990). After winning a battle of the bands at Sydney’s Lansdowne Hotel, Nunbait secured a contract with Australian underground label Waterfront Records,[4] which resulted in a mini-album, “The Hub” (named after a Newtown porn theatre), in 1990. The record contained six original tracks, albeit one (‘The Melting Hour’) which had its origins in “Dementia 13” days.[5]
File:Nunbait the hub.JPGThe Mini LPNunbait opened for Butthole Surfers (Burland Hall Newtown, 1991), Mudhoney (Phoenician Club Sydney, 1990), Einstürzende Neubauten and The Beasts of Bourbon (Phoenician Club Sydney 1991), Nirvana (Selinas, Sydney, February 1992),[6] Helmet (1991), Fugazi (1991) as well as performing tours/shows with Superchunk and Australian underground acts including Tumbleweed, Cosmic Psychos, and the Celibate Rifles.
A follow-up single, “Nowhere Fast”, mixed by Sub Pop’s Jack Endino and Mudhoney’s Mark Arm, was released on Waterfront in 1991, charting at #3 in the independent street music charts. Local label Survival released a 4-song EP, ‘Spinout’ in 1992 and the band’s final release, on tiny Melbourne label Hippy Knight, was a hastily-mixed album, ‘Busted’, the production of which left the members extremely dissatisfied.
The band reformed for a short tour (with The Hard Ons) in 2010.
Personnel
- Ian (Ivan) Fraser - Vocals (1989–1993)
- Shaun Butcher - Guitar (1989–1993)
- Mark Guthrie - Bass, Vocals (1989–1993)
- Jay Doherty - Drums (1989–1990)
- Mathew Fante - Drums (1990–1993)
Recordings
45s
- Track Trauma / Blow Me Away (1990), (Masterbait Records), recorded at Sound Barrier, June 1990, produced by Nunbait with help from Amr Zaid ( of “Ratcat”)
- 'Nowhere Fast / Head In The Jam (1991), (Waterfront Records, Damp163), recorded at Electric Ave. Nov 1990, with Adam Chapman (Mixed bat Reciprocal Studios Seattle by Mark Arm of Mudhoney and Jack Endino of Sub Pop)
Mini LP
- The Hub (1990), (Waterfront, Damp142), recorded at Tracking Station, Sept 1990, produced by Stu Spasm (of Lubricated Goat). Tracks: The Melting Hour, Rattler, Erotic Auto Accident, Super Charged, Creepy Crawl, The Hub.
Mini CD
- Spinout (1992), (Survival), Tracks: Bladder Mouth, Crack in Her Eye, Kill Kylie, Spinout.
CD
- Busted (1993) (Hippy Knight), Tracks: 7.30PM, Busted, Cease to Squirm, Cut it Out, Metal Gibber, Monoblaster, Point of no Return, Poor Henry, Track Trauma, Young Bloke Blues
Compilations
- Fresh from the Womb (1992), (Magnet), (10" mini LP). One track: Crack in Her Eye
- Various - Self Mutilation Volume Three (1993), (Hippy Knight Records, Creep 012) (USA), (7", EP, Sampler). One track: "Shit for Brains" (recorded late 1992 at Troy Studios, originally recorded by The Bastards).
References
Bibliography
- Spencer, Chris, Nowarra, Zbig & McHenry, Paul: "The Who's Who of Australian Rock", The Five Mile Press, 5th Ed, 2002.
External links
Categories:- New South Wales musical groups
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