The Celibate Rifles
Roman Beach Party

THE REVIEW

If I ever participated in one of the many fake quiz shows on television and they asked me what the best Australian rock band is, I would pretend to have accepted their slip with INXS written on it (they don't put AC/DC on it...), and with a smile showing 31 teeth (yes, well, I confess, I'm missing one) I would pronounce: CELIBATE RIFLES!!!

It's true, they came after the groundbreaking work of seminal bands like Saints and Radio Birdman, but no one better than them managed to combine the MC5 / Stooges rush with an unconventional, eclectic, and spacey velvetian streak (listen to the wonderful "Oceanshore" on this record to believe). The propellant for the joyous war machine is provided by the fast guitars of the Steedman / Morris duo and the dark voice of Damien Lovelock, who also wrote the gritty lyrics, check out those of "Jesus on T.V.".

After a tough apprenticeship in the fiery gigs in Sydney, the Rifles rode the international interest wave towards Australian bands in the mid-eighties (and there were some good ones, damn there were) with a couple of excellent records and a tour witnessed by the album Kiss Kiss Bang Bang recorded at CBGB's.

But for me and another billion fans, the best is this "Roman Beach Party" from 1987, because it puts you in difficulty when they fatefully ask you what the best track is. Perhaps the punk ride "The more things change"? The stoogesian "Circle sun"? The raga of "Downtown"? The meeting between Dylan's harmonica and the rap of "Invisible"? The wonderful guitar riff of "Strange Days Strange Nights" with its explosive solo? The anthem "Wonderful Life"? The irresistible riff of "I still see you" that gets stuck in your head all day? The instrumental "Frank Hyde" that makes you regret never having played in a rock band at a surfer party on the ocean?

Enough! I quit the quiz and settle for the consolation token...