Cosmic Psychos

Cosmic Psychos
Origin	Victoria, Australia
Genres	Punk Rock, Yob Rock
Years active	1982–present
Labels	Mr Spaceman Records, Survival Records, Amphetamine Reptile Records, Timberyard Records, PITSHARK Records
Associated acts	Spring Plains, The Onyas, DUNG
Website	Official website
Members
Ross Knight Dean Muller John McKeering
Past members
Robbie Watts Bill Walsh Peter "Dirty" Jones

The Cosmic Psychos are a punk rock band based in Melbourne and rural Victoria in Australia. An underground band that has only ever achieved limited recognition.

Description

Known for their droning, fuzzed-out bass and wah-wah guitar with repetitive lyrics, the Cosmic Psychos have a simple sound that works well in context and remained largely untouched since they formed in 1982 when they evolved from the short lived Spring Plains and first achieved notoriety for their demo 'Custom Credit' which received enormous airplay on Melbourne public radio station 3PBS.

The Cosmic Psychos had a huge influence on the Seattle Sound during the 1990s, and were seen as some of the pioneers of grunge. Known for their hard drinking behaviour and vulgar lyrics, the Cosmic Psychos are one of the defining bands of the yob rock genre, a movement that celebrates the Australian male lifestyle; other bands include The Onyas, The Vee Bees and ThundaBox. Their fans include Buzz Osbourne from the Melvins, Donita Sparks from L7, Lindsay McDougall from Frenzal Rhomb and Kurt Cobain from Seattle band Nirvana and Stanners. Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder recognized the Cosmic Psychos at a 2009 Melbourne solo show as an early influence on him and his band.

History

"Custom Credit" was later released on the Down On The Farm mini LP for Mr Spaceman Records, the label which also released the band's debut LP. They later moved to Survival Records releasing Go The Hack which was later licensed to Sub Pop Records. They eventually signed to Amphetamine Reptile Records for the American market for their 1991 album, Blokes You Can Trust. Production duties were handled by the then little-known producer, Butch Vig, fresh from completing Nirvana's Nevermind. "Blokes You Can Trust" introduced a song that became an enduring fan favourite, "Dead Roo", which shed light on some Australian highway hazards.The band went on to release Self Totalled and Oh What a Lovely Pie.

In 2006, after a lengthy quiet period, the Psychos issued Off Ya Cruet on Sydney's Timberyard Records. Notable for being recorded with a new drummer, in Dean Muller, the opening track on the album is Kill Bill, presumably a bitter song for ex-drummer, Bill Walsh.

The band was also covered by UK band The Prodigy who released a version of L7's tune, "Fuel My Fire", which itself was largely based on a the Cosmic Psychos' tune "Lost Cause".

In 2007 the band released "Dung Australia". Ross Knight, Dean Muller and Robbie Watts cover (70s Australian band) Buffalo's song "Skirtlifter". The album introduced new guitarist John "Mad Macka" McKeering (The Onyas) and saw the band drop Timberyard Records. July 2007 saw the release on the European label Pitshark Records of the "Off Ya Cruet!" CD album, in a different digipak cover. On December 13, 2008, the same Pitshark label released "Dung Australia" on CD, again in a different digipak cover, and with a bonus unreleased song called "Anarchy In Boondall".

2011 : Glorius Barsteds on CD (Missing Link rds) + a bonus "Best Of" CD...

2011 : Glorius Barsteds on Vinyl LP (PITSHARK Records) + a bonus CD : DUNG "Who Flung" !!!

Robbie "Rocket" Watts

Robbie Watts joined the band in 1990 as a replacement for guitarist Peter "Dirty" Jones. Watts' first album with the group was "Blokes You Can Trust". He remained the band's sole guitarist until his death^[1] on 1 July 2006, following a show in Bendigo.

Discography

• Down On The Farm (1985)
• Cosmic Psychos (1987)
• Go The Hack (1989)
• Slave To The Crave: Live At The Palace, Melbourne (1990)
• Blokes You Can Trust (1991)
• Down On The Farm & Cosmic Psychos (1991)
• Palomino Pizza (1993)
• Self Totalled (1995)
• Oh What A Lovely Pie (1997)
• 15 Years, A Million Beers (2001)
• Off Ya Cruet! (2006)
• Dung Australia (2007)
• Glorius Barsteds (2011)

references

1. ^ www.theage.com.au July 3, 2006

External links

• PITSHARK Records