TISM

Infobox musical artist
Name = TISM


Img_capt =
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = , Australia
Genre = Alternative rock
Years_active = 1982–2004 (On indefinite hiatus since 2004)
Label = Elvis, Musicland, Phonogram, Shock, FMR, genre b.goode
Associated_acts = ROOT!, Jock Cheese
URL =
Current_members = Ron Hitler-Barassi
Humphrey B. Flaubert
Jock Cheese
Eugene de la Hot-Croix Bun
Jon St. Peenis
Les Miserables
Past_members = Tokin' Blackman
Genre B. Goode
Leak Van Vlalen

TISM (an acronym of This Is Serious Mum) is a seven piece anonymous alternative rock band from Melbourne, Australia. The group was formed in 1982 and enjoyed a large underground/independent following. Their third album "Machiavelli and the Four Seasons" reached the Australian national top 10 in 1995. TISM is known for its hybrid of dance music and rock'n'roll, high-energy live shows and humorous lyrics. TISM's songs frequently satirise modern culture, celebrities and the entertainment industry, classic literature and art, current affairs, politics and sport. The titles of their songs are often wordplays created by juxtaposing pop culture references and/or more intellectually highbrow identities.

History

Early years

In early 1982, at a Melbourne University, the members of TISM formed a band out of "a pure sense of shared mediocrity", [http://web.archive.org/web/20050616025137/www.tabula-rasa.ssu.swin.edu.au/articles/02_1_18.pdf Return of the Pop Vigilantes] (essay) (2002-02-21). Archived on 2005-06-16 by the Internet Archive. Retrieved on 2007-10-16.] and wrote more than 100 songs throughout the year which were "immediately discarded due to lack of interest" and later became known as "The Bedroom Recordings". [http://web.archive.org/web/20001206202000/www.tism.com.au/history/ TISM - The History of This Is Serious Mum] (2000). Archived on 2000-12-06 by the Internet Archive. Retrieved on 2007-10-16.] Ten tracks were recorded to tape and sold as the "This Is Serious Mum Demo Tape" (1985), a select few were heard on their début album "Great Truckin' Songs of the Renaissance" (1988) and a collection of twenty-five were released with "tism.bestoff." (2002). TISM's first concert was on 6 December 1983 – almost 12 months after dismissing their bedroom recordings. The concert, at the Duncan McKinnon Athletics Reserve in the small suburb of Murrumbeena was considered a complete failure which caused the band to officially split up. They reformed the following year and have considered every subsequent performance a "re-union gig".

By 1985 the band was playing regularly around Melbourne and soon released their début single, "Defecate On My Face" (1986), a 7" vinyl packaged in a 12" sleeve with all four sides glued shut. Their next single, "40 Years - Then Death" (1987), was released on transparent vinyl in a clear plastic sleeve with no cover art or labels. TISM's first radio-friendly single, despite the obscure packaging, is received well.

The début album, "Great Truckin' Songs of the Renaissance" (1988), is a double vinyl release in an embossed gatefold sleeve. The first record contained twelve of TISM's most popular tracks; the second was a pastiche of interviews, bedroom recordings and live diatribes. Despite this odd combination, "Truckin' Songs" entered the lower reaches of Australia's mainstream Top 50, as did the single "Saturday Night Palsy".

Phonogram Records signed the band in 1989 and paired with producer Lawrence Maddy, began work on their follow-up album. The band soon lost interest and channelled its remaining funds into "The TISM Guide To Little Aesthetics", a book compiling lyrics, interviews and press releases. When Phonogram released "Hot Dogma" (1990) it failed to reach the commercial charts, and TISM were fired despite owing the label tens of thousands of dollars.

Over two nights in May, 1991, the band were filmed live and released the video "Incontinent in Ten Continents" (1991). These performances were the last for guitarist Leek Van Vlalen. [http://web.archive.org/web/20040923022202/http://www.tism.com.au/tourdates/ This Is Serious Mum live dates: 1991] (list) (2004). Archived on 2004-09-23 by the Internet Archive. Retrieved on 2007-12-09.]

Rise to fame

In mid-1991, independent record label Shock Records signed TISM and re-issued "Great Truckin' Songs of the Renaissance", as well as the EP "Gentlemen, Start Your Egos" (1991), a compilation of tracks previously unavailable on CD. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20060205122123/shock.com.au/artists/releases.asp?artist_ID=56389 Shock Records - T.I.S.M] - Official page at the Shock Records website. Archived by the Internet Archive on 2006-02-05. Accessed on 2007-12-10.] TISM, with producer Tony Cohen, then released the EP "Beasts of Suburban" (1992). A new guitarist 'Tony Coitus', later 'Tokin' Blackman', joined the group onstage for the first time on 23 January 1992.

The next EP, "Australia The Lucky Cunt" (1993) was TISM's most controversial release to date. Courts issued an injunction order of the CD when the Ken Done Society threatened legal action over the artwork, which parodied Done's signature style and depicted a koala sucking a syringe. The matter was settled for an undisclosed amount of money "fairly close to the amount that Radiohead spends on buying friends"Humphrey B. Flaubert (2002-12-05). [http://us.share.geocities.com/brittletina/tism_jamb_small.mov Album cover censorship on John Safran's Music Jamboree] (.mov). SBS TV, Melbourne, Australia. Hosted by [http://us.share.geocities.com/brittletina/ brittletina] . Retrieved on 2007-10-16.] and was re-released with new artwork as "Censored Due To Legal Advice".

TISM's biggest success was the 1995 album "Machiavelli and the Four Seasons". The release was a shift from alternative-rock to synth-driven techno and dance which retained vocal melodies and loud guitars. The album was certified Gold and won an ARIA Award for Best Independent Release. Three of its singles reached Triple J's Hottest 100, two of them in the top 10. [Triple J (1995). " [http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/history/1995.htm Hottest 100 | History | 1995] " (list) (1995). Retrieved (2007-12-11).] Success exposed TISM to mainstream Australian radio and television, most of which was perplexed by the band's guerrilla approach to interviews and disinterest in the music industry. A box set of early albums was released and steady record sales allowed extensive tours of Australia and New Zealand. In 1996 TISM toured on the Big Day Out, during which Ron Hitler-Barassi was either absent or wheelchair-bound due to a detached retina caused by a stage dive prior to the tour.Flaubert, Humphrey B. (2005). [http://www.australiantraveller.com/index.cfm?page_id=1276 The Big Day Out Part Two The Rest Of Australia] "Australian Traveller Magazine". Retrieved on 2007-11-17.] Later the same year, TISM toured England – the group's sole Northern Hemisphere excursion.

Taking a year off from touring, TISM spent 1997 working on its next album with producer Lachlan Magoo. The album, "www.tism.wanker.com" (1998) was announced via a series of live Internet chats and webcasts. The first official music video for the album, "I Might Be A Cunt, But I'm Not A Fucking Cunt", parodied the Mimi Macpherson sex tape and was rarely broadcast. Australian RSL head Bruce Ruxton wrote a letter of complaint to Shock Records describing it as "...Dropping [Australia's standards] through the floor into the proverbial sewer." [Ruxton, Bruce (1998-05-05). [http://www.geocities.com/tismselfstorage/ruxton.jpgBruce Ruxton denounces TISM in a letter to Shock Records] . "letter". Bruce Ruxton. Hosted by [http://www.geocities.com/tismselfstorage/ tismselfstorage] . Retrieved on 2007-10-18.] The letter was published on TISM's website at the time. [TISM (1998) [http://web.archive.org/web/19981202013421/www.tism.wanker.com/cunt.html I Might Be A Cunt, But I'm Not A "Fucking" Cunt] from the website www.tism.wanker.com. Archived on 1998-11-11 by the Internet Archive. Retrieved 2007-12-09.]

"www.tism.wanker.com" sold reasonably well, thanks in part to an extensive Australian tour with Regurgitator, then at the height of their popularity, and The Fauves; however, sales were low compared to "Machiavelli and the Four Seasons"'s success and TISM's contract with Shock had ended.

After Shock Records

Following the 1998 tour, TISM signed with Festival Mushroom Records which re-released their entire back catalogue on CD. Their first and only official album with FMR, "De RigueurMortis" (2001) débuted at #24 on the ARIA chart [ [http://www.australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?key=62030&cat=a TISM - De Rigueurmortis] chart information from [http://australian-charts.com australian-charts.com] . Retrieved 2007-10-18] and #3 on the Alternative ARIA Chart. [http://web.archive.org/web/20050907114426/http://www.tism.com.au/G0015/index.html Official TISM Website - New Album News] (2002-02-05). Archived on 2005-07-09 by the Internet Archive. Retrieved on 2007-10-17.] Flaubert predicted on Triple J radio that the album would "plummet out of the top 40 like a stone"; - the following week, it was not on the list. Touring became less thorough than in previous years, though no less active - at the closing of the Punters Club, the band ended up naked and tore the ceiling down during the gig. [Ms.45 (2002). " [http://www.geocities.com/tismselfstorage/punters-ms45.html TISM Self Storage goes to the Punters] ". Ms.45. [http://geocities.com/tismselfstorage tismselfstorage] . "review". (external link contains explicit material) Retrieved 2007-11-19.] FMR then released tism.bestoff. (2002), a best of compilation which included their greatest hits, two new tracks and a disc of remastered Bedroom Recordings. The compilation was their second, and last, release with Festival Mushroom Records, as TISM's contract had ended.

Finding itself with no record label again, TISM returned to touring. In late 2003, a special one-off concert was filmed and released on DVD as "The White Albun" (2004) by Madman Entertainment. A documentary and full length album were also included, making it a 3-disc set which received good reviews [Anton (2004-06-30). " [http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/music/725/ TISM - The White Albun] " (review) (2004). Retrieved (2007-12-11).] , however, the release was not eligible for ARIA chart tracking. The concert DVD is presented as a telethon at which TISM breaks up. Ironically, TISM performed after that concert in order to promote the set.

TISM's most recent release is the German CD-single "Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me" (2005). It is TISM's first non-Australian release: Sony/BMG Germany expressed interest when the song's animated clip was an Internet hit thanks to bloggers and sites such as YouTube. The single reached the German commercial charts. [TISM - Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me. Chart information from [http://www.charts-surfer.de/musiksearch.php charts-surfer.de] . (A search for TISM brings up the Max. Pos. 63.) Retrieved (2007-12-11).]

Current status

In October 2006, after a near two-year silence from the band, rumours circulated online that TISM would be playing at the Big Day Out 2007. [MrJenkins, (2006-11-04) [http://tism.11.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=8 TISM at Big Day Out 2007?] from the [http://tism.11.forumer.com TISM Forum] . Retrieved 2007-10-18.]

On 4 October 2006 Flaubert spoke to Jay and the Doctor on Triple J radio. Although the downloads section for the Jay and the Doctor radio show said "TISM are NOT playing the 2007 BDO",Jay and The Doctor [http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/jayandthedoctor/listen/audio_alpha_T.htm audio page] and [http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/jayandthedoctor/listen/mp3s/tism.mp3 interview with Humphrey B. Flaubert] . Recorded by Triple J, 2006-10-03. Retrieved 2007-10-18] in the interview itself, Flaubert did not clearly state whether the rumour was true or false, choosing instead to skirt the issue almost entirely except to say, "Who gives a shit about that?" and a lengthy rant about terrorist threats and Osama bin Laden being a Thin Lizzy fan. [MrJenkins, (2006-08-06) [http://tism.11.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=11 TISM at Big Day Out - Confirmed (?)] from the [http://tism.11.forumer.com TISM Forum] . Retrieved 2007-10-18.] In mid December, 2006, the final list of acts for the 2007 Big Day Out were announced. TISM was not among them. [Big Day Out (December 2006). [http://web.archive.org/web/20070112022141/http://www.bigdayout.com/news/pressreleases.php?PressReleaseId=16 Final Acts Announced for 2007 BDO] . "press release". Big Day Out. Archived on 2007-01-12 by the Internet Archive. Retrieved 2007-10-18.]

Flaubert also remarked in the Triple J interview, when asked about the current status of TISM, "we are slowly moving towards our deaths".

In early December, 2006 Flaubert contributed to the ABC's "My Favourite Album" program, where he stated his favourite album as "Any album – as long as it's by Nickelback!" [ [http://abc.net.au/myfavouritealbum/celebrities/tism.htm Humphrey B. Flaubert's online entry] as part of ABC TV's [http://abc.net.au/myfavouritealbum/ My Favourite Album] (2006-12-13). Retrieved 2007-10-18.] Later the same month, TISM were inducted into the EG Hall of Fame, at which they made an appearance and "a hilariously irreverent speech". [Donovan, Patrick (2007-12-22). " [http://www.theage.com.au/news/music/sticky-carpet/2006/12/21/1166290654614.html Sticky Carpet] ". Patrick Donovan. The Age. "article". p. 1. Retrieved 2007-10-16.]

No original TISM material has been released since 2004's "The White Albun". In early 2007, a Melbourne country and western band called ROOT! appeared on MySpace, with Humphrey B. Flaubert (now called DC Root) on vocals.MySpace|rootthemusic|ROOT!. Retrieved (2007-12-11).] [Donovan, Patrick and Virgiotis, Tessie (2007-09-07) " [http://www.theage.com.au/news/music/a-love-letter-to-berlin/2007/09/06/1188783364478.html?page=2 A love letter to Berlin] ". Patrick Donovan and Tessie Virgiotis. The Age. "article". p. 2. Retrieved on 2007-10-16.]

On 29 April 2008, it was confirmed that guitarist James Paull, otherwise known as Tokin' Blackman, had died after a battle with cancer. [Perez, Jesse. [http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/04/29/TISM_guitarist_dies_of_cancer "TISM guitarist dies of cancer"] , Macquarie National News, 29 April 2008]

Members

TISM members are pseudonymous and anonymous. They wear balaclavas during all public appearances. However, their names have been revealed (see below).;Current
*Ron Hitler-Barassi: Vocals
*Humphrey B. Flaubert: Vocals / Drums
*Jock Cheese: Bass
*Eugene de la Hot-Croix Bun: Keyboards
*Jon St. Peenis: Dancing / Vocals
*Les Miserables: Dancing / Vocals

;Former
*Tokin' Blackman (first billed as Tony Coitus): Guitar (1992–2008) [ [http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/masked-and-understated-virtuoso-of-the-guitar-from-classical-toindierock-legends-tism/2008/05/06/1209839650170.html Masked and understated virtuoso of the guitar, from classical to indie rock legends TISM] , The Age, May 7, 2008.]
*Leak Van Vlalen: Guitar (1982–1991)
*Genre B. Goode: Vocals (1982–1983)

St. Peenis played saxophone on earlier recordings. [TISM (1991). [http://www.geocities.com/tismselfstorage/ladychatterley.html Lady Chatterly's Louvre] . "press release". TISM. Hosted by [http://www.geocities.com/tismselfstorage/ tismselfstorage] . Retrieved 2007-10-18] Cheese plays guitar on various recordings and live shows. [ [http://pipl.com/directory/people/Jock/Cheese Jock Cheese - Pipl Profile] . [http://pipl.com pipl.com] . Retrieved 2007-10-18] Blackman arranged orchestral sections on "The White Albun" (2004). [Album notes for The White Albun (2004) [inset] . Madman Entertainment, Melbourne, Australia (MMA2204). [http://musicbrainz.org/release/e3003aef-0f4d-4ed2-81ae-bba4da30ca57.html The White Albun] at MusicBrainz.] Flaubert programs rhythms and samples, and has occasionally played acoustic drumkits live. [The White Albun (2004) [DVD] . Madman Entertainment, Melbourne, Australia (MMA2204). Disc Three : A Docunentary. Dumb 'n' Bass recorded live by [Channel V|Channel [V] .]

Identities

TISM have always used a variety of methods to conceal their identities. They have never officially revealed their names, instead choosing to use pseudonyms on their records and in interviews, all the while concealing their faces. Usually this involves the wearing of a balaclava, but ridiculous costumes have been created for the purpose, including Ku Klux Klan uniforms made of newspaper,The White Albun (2004) [DVD] . Madman Entertainment, Melbourne, Australia (MMA2204). Disc 1: A film by Antonionioni and Disc 3: Home Videos] silver suits with puffy arms and legs, giant foam paintings worn on the head, large foam signs bearing the name of a Beatle, [coxy (2004) [http://cox.id.au/david/gallery/TISM-06Aug2004/TISM_06Aug04_256 Coxy's Live Concert Photo Collection :: TISM - Troccadero - 06 August 2004] (photo gallery) (2004) Retrieved (2007-12-11).] fat 'businessman' suits, and eight-foot-high inflatable headpieces, among others.

Who TISM are beneath the masks has been the cause of much speculation by fans, with one theory contending that TISM is composed of members of other bands who don't want their fans to find out: popular targets of this theory include Painters and Dockers, Machine Gun Fellatio and even The Wiggles. [Jenkins, Jeff (1998-07-08). " [http://www.geocities.com/tismselfstorage/balaclavard.html Balaclava Road Warriors] ". Jeff Jenkins. In Press. "interview". Hosted by [http://www.geocities.com/tismselfstorage/ tismselfstorage] . Retrieved 2007-10-18.] [ [http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/481502.html Who is TISM?] (2006) discussion at [http://whirlpool.net.au/ Whirlpool.net.au] . Retrieved 2007-10-18.] [Pendragon, Bane. " [http://www.geocities.com/bane_pendragon/TorW/TISM.html TISM or Wiggles?] " Retrieved 2007-10-18.] A theory based on the band's tour schedule's roughly coinciding with school holidays proposes that TISM are school teachers. [Hogan, Chris (2003). " [http://www.geocities.com/tismselfstorage/floydontism.html Big Fucking Whoopie: A Floyd Fan's Intro to TISM] ". Chris Hogan. [http://sparebricks.fika.org/sbzine32/index.html Spare Bricks :: Pink Floyd Webzine] . "essay". Retrieved 2007-10-18.] Murphy, Kerrie (2004-07-08). " [http://www.geocities.com/tismselfstorage/australian080704.html Satire and music in accord] ". Kerrie Murphy. The Australian. Retrieved 2007-10-18.] Another common theory, based on the high instance of football references in their lyrics, is that they are AFL players, however Humphrey B. Flaubert has stated that "We're actually not AFL, we're more violent and crappy... so you're looking at the VFL there." [Martin, Tony and Molloy, Mick (1998). [http://web.archive.org/web/20010615111034/http://www.tism.com.au/multimedia/mmtism.mp3 Interview with TISM] . Tony Martin and Mick Molloy. Archived on 2002-11-18 by the Internet Archive. Retrieved 2007-10-18.]

When asked why they wear masks, Flaubert replied: However, when TISM performed on "John Safran's Music Jamboree" in 2002 playing (He'll Never Be An) Ol' Man River on instruments from Greece, their names were revealed during the credit roll which read ""(He'll Never Be An) Ol' Man River" by Damian Cowell / Peter Minack / Jack Holt / James Paull / Eugene Cester [...] Performed by TISM". [TISM - [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DP_I7XB0bc He'll Never Be An Ol' Man River (Live on John Safran's Music Jamboree)] (2002). SBS TV, Melbourne, Australia. Hosted by YouTube. Retrieved 2007-10-16.]

The members' names were also published later, along side information on "Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me" when it hit success in Sweden and Germany in 2004. [TISM - [http://www.swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=TISM&titel=Everyone+Else+Has+Had+More+Sex+Than+Me&cat=s Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me] . Swedish chart information from [http://swedishcharts.com swedishcharts.com] . Retrieved 2007-10-18.] [ [http://laut.de/vorlaut/news/2005/06/22/12518/index.htm laut.de | Tism: Weniger Sex als Krokodil und Frosch] (2005-06-22). "article". Retrieved 2007-10-18.]

However vigilant fans would have noticed the names years' earlier. Hitler-Barassi was photographed in 1993 at opening night of Madame Butterfly which was published on April 4, 1993N, Te Koha (1993-04-05). "Minack's snap unmasks fury". Te Koha N. Herald Sun, p. 32.] revealed the member to be Peter Minack, who later released a book, "Campaigning With Grant," in 2000, which was about the American Civil War. [Minack, Peter - [http://www.randomhouse.com.au/Books/Default.aspx?Page=Book&ID=9780091841867 Campaigning With Grant] (ISBN 0-09-184186-0) book details from [http://www.randomhouse.com.au/ Random House] . Retrieved 2007-10-18] The book contains thin references to TISM. [ [http://www.randomhouse.com.au/Authors/Default.aspx?Page=Author&ID=Minack,%20Peter Minack, Peter] author details from [http://www.randomhouse.com.au/ Random House] . Retrieved 2007-10-18.] In interviews about his book, Minack revealed he was a teacher, his father fought in WWII for the Germans and that he is fanatical about the Richmond AFL football club, which explains his compound stage moniker. [Waldren, Murray (2000-07-29) " [http://members.optusnet.com.au/~waldrenm/minack.html CWG - Perter Minack's civil war novel] ". Murray Waldren. The Weekend Australian. Retrieved 2007-10-18.]

TISM bassist Jock Cheese's real name, Jack Holt, can be found on a list of copyright owners on Mushroom Records circa the release of his solo album "Platter" (2002). [Mushroom Records Pty Ltd. [http://www.aria.com.au/pages/documents/sound_recording_label_list.pdf Licensing Copyright Owners] . Retrieved 2007-10-18.]

Eugene Cester was revealed in an Age column as being the uncle of Nic Cester, lead singer of Melbourne's Jet, [" [http://www.theage.com.au/news/music/jet-propelled/2006/09/28/1159337253072.html?page=3 Jet propelled] ," The Age (2006-09-29). "article". p. 3. Retrieved 2007-10-18.] however it did not state which member he is.

On March 28, 2007, a MySpace page opened for a Melbourne band called ROOT! which the lead singer claimed to be "the friend of the uncle of the guys in Jet" [ROOT! Compendium, The (2007-03-28) " [http://mybrain.ej.am/rootsite/oldnews/07march.html Old News - March, 2007] . [http://mybrain.ej.am/rootsite/index.html The ROOT! Compendium] . Retrieved 2007-10-18.] . The singer, whose voice is strikingly similar to that of Humphrey B. Flaubert, uses a pseudonym, DC Root, the DC possibly an acronym of Damian Cowell, who was Flaubert in TISM. [semprini (2001-10-07). " [http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=144566 Humphrey B. Flaubert] " at Everything2. Retrieved 2007-10-18.] [Trina (2001-10-27). " [http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1187614 Damian Cowell] " at Everything2. Retrieved 2007-10-18.] Finally, the page also lists James Paull as a "friend". [ [http://friends.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewfriends&friendID=173471158v MySpace.com - ROOT! - Friends] . Retrieved (2007-12-11).]

Controversy

* Feminist groups in Australia have criticised TISM's use of Sophie Lee in "Get Thee to a Nunnery" which appeared on TISM's EP, "Beasts of Suburban". The song allegedly protests the use of sex to sell a product culminated in Sophie Lee's appointment as a presenter on Australia's Channel 9 Looney Tunes cartoon show. The show is infamous for Lee's wardrobe, which was often highly suggestive. "Urban myth has it that middle-aged men used to rush home from work in time to watch Sophie throw to Bugs Bunny cartoons." [ [http://www.greenleft.org.au/1992/70/2522 Green Left Online -…and ain't i a woman?: No to a nunnery] . (article) Published: September 9 1992. Retrieved: July 14, 2008.]
* The song "(He'll Never Be an) Ol' Man River" left Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist Michael "Flea" Balzary (a close friend of the song's target, River Phoenix) "wanting to kill" TISM.

tyle

TISM are distinguished from other 'joke' or 'gimmick bands', by, among other things, their musical style. The band has rarely in any seriousness stated actual influences on the type of music they play, except that The Residents were a band which TISM 'did' notice and 'possibly' took some influence from. Though a clear link can be drawn from The Residents' "The Third Reich 'n' Roll" video, in which the band wore Ku Klux Klan uniforms made of newspaper: [Sokal, Roman (2001) [http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/timeline.aspx?csid1=22 The Residents: More Than What The Ear Hears Coming From The Eye] Roman Sokal ("essay") Retrieved 2007-12-10.] TISM did exactly this at their first gig. Another link may be drawn to early TISM tracks "The Ballad Of The Semitic Nazi" or "I'm Gonna Treat Ya To A Neitschze Double Feature" which use a similar naming convention as The Residents. Other bands which may have influenced TISM are difficult to pinpoint.

The band has been criticised as unoriginal for continually opting for standard pop song structures. One reason for this is clarified in their book, "The TISM Guide To Little Aesthetics", in the following paragraphs, when asked why their ideas are post-modern but their music is not:

"Give me a pop-song, mate. Give me a fucking pop-song. Not only is it more fun, it's pretty fuckin' hard to write as well. You can bung in as many out-of-tune oboes as you want, but putting chords together so they sound pleasant isn't as simple as it might appear. It mightn't be the Sistine Chapel, but what is? Ollie fucking Olsen with his stupid feedback and cough mixture? The Jesus and Mary Chain, with their stupid feedback, and their stupid stage show with 800 powerful stupid lights and enough stupid dry ice to enhance their stupid stupidity up its own bullshit crappy teenage pretentious one dimensional dick witted puissant artistic enigma?

So ... what have you listened to for a good time that isn't, after all, a 'traditional' song? Still playing the Mike Oldfield records, huh? Still whipping Yessongs on for a good time? Wanna count on one hand how many people have fun at a Sonic Youth gig? I'm not supporting The Choirboys, old man, I'm just saying that the day some jumped up over-paid self-important post-modernist cocksucker puts his foot upon his Fairlight computer in the middle of his 47 minute opus The Silent Forgiveness Of The Pig-God and belts out the chords to Johnny B. Goode is the day I'll join you at the footlights of post-modernism.

Besides which, pop songs sell more." [sephira (2003-09-14) " [http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1492226 The TISM Guide to Little Aesthetics] " at Everything2. Retrieved 2007-10-18.]

As with most bands, recurring themes are present throughout TISM's extensive output, the most common being death, violence, [Dwyer, Michael. (2004-07-02) [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/07/01/1088488079697.html The phantom menace] and related video (produced by Libby Chow, 2004). ("article"). ("video"). The Age. Retrieved 2007-12-11.] fame and prominent figures, [Kroenert, Tim. (2007-11-12). [The Chaser's 'just war' on celebrity worship] Tim Kroenert ("essay") Retrieved (2007-11-12)] Dave [http://sympatheticstupid.blogspot.com/2005/08/tism-top-ten-thoughts-on-candidates-i.html TISM Top Ten:Thoughts On The Candidates I] (2005-08-10), [http://sympatheticstupid.blogspot.com/2005/08/tism-top-ten-thoughts-on-candidates-ii.html TISM Top Ten: Thoughts On The Candidates II] (2005-08-12) and [http://sympatheticstupid.blogspot.com/2005/08/ode-for-imperfect.html Ode For The Imperfect] (2005-08-05) from [http://sympatheticstupid.blogspot.com/2005/08/ode-for-imperfect.html Sympathetic Stupid] . Retrieved (2007-12-11).] drugs, including alcohol, [Geniac [http://www.geniac.net/tism/ Satan Loves YOU!] ("lyric archive" - "self rated MA: contains drug references"). Retrieved (2007-12-11).] and the AFL. Many of TISM's lyrics are tinged in fatalism, mocking both the superficial and the sublime side of the human condition and the desire for people to be loved and respected (even just in the titles of such songs as "If You're Not Famous At Fourteen, You're Finished", "If You're Ugly, Forget It" and "Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me").

Discography

;Albums
*"Great Truckin' Songs of the Renaissance" (1988)
*"Hot Dogma" (1990)
*"Machiavelli and the Four Seasons" (1995)
*"www.tism.wanker.com" (1998)
*"De RigueurMortis" (2001)
*"The White Albun" (2004)

;EPs
*"Form and Meaning reach Ultimate Communion" (1986)
*"Beasts of Suburban" (1992)
*"Australia The Lucky Cunt" (1993) – Re-issue title: "Censored Due To Legal Advice";Compilations and live albums
*"Gentlemen, Start Your Egos" (1991)
*"Collected Recordings 1986-1993" (1995) – 4CD boxset
*"Machines Against the Rage" (1996) – Live album
*"tism.bestoff." (2002) – Best-of compilation ;Video
*"Shoddy & Poor" (1989)
*"TISM Television Primer" (1989)
*"Incontinent In Ten Continents" (1991)
*"Boys In The Hoods" (1992)
*"Gold! Gold!! Gold!!!" (1998)
*"The White Albun" (2004)

References

External links

*Official|http://www.tism.net.au
*MusicBrainz artist|id=7c0e7dd0-d65a-44df-9486-7127de873bf0|name=TISM
* [http://www.smartartists.com.au/artists/tism.php TISM info at Smartartists]
* [http://users.cobweb.com.au/~rmiles/tismdisc.html Richard Miles' TISM Discography]
* [http://www.geocities.com/tismselfstorage/ TISM Self Storage] – Comprehensive collection of lyrics, interviews, and multimedia
* [http://home.vicnet.net.au/~moretism/ moreTISM] – Near definitive collection of lyrics and discography
* [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/07/01/1088488079697.html Newspaper interview] ("The Age", 2004)
* [http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/features/768/ "FasterLouder" interview (2004)]