Blood Duster are an Australian grindcore/stoner rock band from Melbourne. Their name comes from the song "Blood Duster" by John Zorn, from the 1990 album Naked City.
Blood Duster | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Melbourne, Australia |
| Genres | Grindcore, death'n'roll, stoner rock |
| Years active | 1991–2017, 2024–present |
| Labels | Shock, Dr Jims, Relapse |
| Past members | Jason Fuller Tony Forde Matt Rizzo Matt Collins Dave Haley Euan Heriot Finn McCarthy Troy Darlington Andrew Brown Shane Rout Brad Johnson Josh Nixon Callum Wilson Anthony Barry |
| Website | www |
History
editFormation
editThe band was formed in 1991 by Jason Fuller (aka Jason PC) (bass), Anthony Barry (vocals and guitar), and Andrew Brown (drums). After completion of their first demo, Anthony Barry resigned and was replaced by Troy Darlington and Callum Wilson.[1]
A self-released demo recording in 1992 was titled Menstrual Soup.[2] By the time the band recorded their first EP, Wilson and Darlington had been replaced by Tony Forde, Shane Rout (who would later go on to form the NSBM band Abyssic Hate) and Brad Johnston.[1]
Fisting the Dead (1993)
editFisting the Dead, the band's debut, is a straightforward grindcore EP that featured 25 tracks, released in mid-1993. According to Rosemary Overell, "They are largely credited with establishing Melbourne's gore- and porno-grindcore aesthetic".[2] The tracks were initially recorded for a proposed split album on the Wild Rags label with other tracks by Impetigo and Meat Shits.[1] The track "Derek" refers to a character played by Peter Jackson in his 1987 cult film Bad Taste, which was "heavily influenced by the late-'80s grindcore of such Earache label bands as Carcass and Napalm Death."[3]
In 1996, the album was released in the US as bonus tracks on the U.S. CD issue of the group's 1995 EP Yeest, on Relapse Records and Drug Bust Records. In 2001, it was reissued on vinyl with Yeest on the B-side.
In 2005, the album was reissued as Fisting the Dead... Again on bassist Jason Fuller's label, with bonus tracks, on Goat Sounds Records.
In 2008, it was reissued on Stomp Records with Yeest, the compilation tracks, and live tracks from a gig at the Great Britain Hotel on 18 August 1993 as bonus tracks. AllMusic's Tom Forget described the 2008 version: "A noticeable splatter seems to accompany every spin of Blood Duster's mammoth reissue".[4] He felt that it "traces the band's early-90s grind heyday, before elements of Southern and stoner rock groove seeped into their toxic sound."[4]
1995–2000
editIn 1995, Blood Duster released the EP Yeest, which started to show some more rock leanings. The band toured Australia including Canberra in November 1995.[5]
The band next produced 1998's Str8 Outta Northcote, which featured a bizarre combination of Southern rock riffs and blasting grindcore.[6]
In 1998, Blood Duster again toured Australia with Brutal Truth, and recorded shows for a planned double live album. The next album, controversially entitled Cunt, was released worldwide in 2001 and saw Blood Duster returning to a more percussive-driven grind style. It was also around this time that the band appeared in the music video for the song "Thunderbirds Are Coming Out" by fellow Australian band TISM.
2001–2017
editAfter touring with The Dwarves in 2001, Blood Duster released the Drink, Fight, Fuck EP, which featured the track "66.6FMONYOURRADIODIAL", used in a television commercial for Reflex copying paper, along with three songs in the pre-gap.[7]
The eponymous Blood Duster album was released in 2003 and featured special guests including original AC/DC singer Dave Evans, Jay Dunne from 28 Days, and all three members of Melbourne band The Spazzys.[8] Two further singles were released from this album, "IWannaDoItWithADonna" in 2003 and "SixSixSixteen" in 2004.
Most of 2004 was spent touring Australia, first with the Big Day Out festival and then their own shows.[9] Following tours with The Dwarves[10] and Pungent Stench in early 2005, Blood Duster toured across Europe and Japan to promote the release of their first DVD, The Shape of Death to Come. In 2006, the band issued the live album Kill, Kill, Kill in a limited edition of 500 copies. The album was recorded in Sydney in 1996 during a tour with Brutal Truth.
In 2006, Blood Duster began pre-production for a proposed triple album consisting of a disc each of death metal, grind, and drone doom, with guest 1970s balladeer and actor Darryl Cotton.[11] Lyden Nå (Norwegian for The Now Sound) was released in April 2007 as a double album, with the third disc available as additional downloadable content.
In October 2012, the group released KVLT, a vinyl album, which had been deliberately rendered unplayable; its producer Jason PC explained "It's kind of a statement piece ... We made the album, sat down and listened to it, thought: 'Yep, that's perfect, let's wreck it'."[12]
Blood Duster played their final show on 9 December 2017 at the Corner Hotel, Richmond.
On 4 December 2024, the band were announced as reforming to play the Blacken Open Air festival in Alice Springs between 19 and 22 September 2025. On the 23rd, they also announced an appearance at the Obscene Extreme festival in Czechia between 9 and 13 July.
Members
editCurrent lineup
edit- Jason Fuller - bass, vocals (1991–2017, 2024-present)
- Tony Forde - vocals (1993–2017, 2024-present)
- Matt Rizzo - drums (1994–1995, 1999–2007, 2014–2017, 2024-present)
- Scott Pritchard - guitar, vocals (2002–2015, 2024-present)
- Matt Collins - guitar (2000–2017, 2024-present)
Former members
edit- Brick - drums (1991)
- Callum Wilson - vocals (1992)
- Troy Darlington - guitar (1992)
- Shane Rout - drums (1993–1994, 1999)
- Brad Johnson - guitar (1994)
- Euan Heriot - drums (1995–1999)
- Fin Allman - guitar (1995–2000)
- Josh Nixon - guitar (2000–2003)
- David Haley - drums (2007–2014)
Timeline
Discography
editAlbums
editYeest
- Released: 1995[13]
- Format: CD
- Label: Relapse Records, Dr Jim's Records/Shock Records
- Released: 1998[14]
- Format: CD
- Label: Dr Jims (Australia), Relapse (world)
- Released: 6 October 2003
- Format: CD
- Label: Shock Records (Australia), Season of Mist (world)
- Singles: "I Wanna Do It With a Donna", "Six Six Sixteen"
Fisting the Dead... Again
- Released: 2005
- Format: CD
- Label: Relapse
Kill Kill Kill
- Released: 2006
- Format: CD
- Label: Straight Up
- Released: 2007
- Format: CD
- Label: Shock, Season of Mist
- Producer: Jason PC
- Singles: "PissStomper"
Kvlt (The LP's master had the letters "KVLT" and a pentagram scratched into it, rendering all 66 copies unplayable without destroying the needle. The digital master files were deleted, however a few tracks were saved. These became the Svck EP and the "Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again" single. "Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again" is a cover of The Angels's song.)
- Released: October 2012
- Format: LP
- Label: Blood Duster
- Producer: Jason PC
- Singles: Svck EP, "Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again"
EPs and singles
editFisting the Dead
- Released: 1993
- Format: CD
- Label: Dr Jims (DR JIM 8)[16]
Yeest
- Released: 1995
- Format: CD
- Label: Dr Jims
- Tracks: "Albert", "Northcote", "Motherfuckin'", "Chuck", "Showered With Affection Pt 2", "Strop", "Nasty Chicks (With Big Ol' Tits)"
D.F.F.
"IWannaDoItWithADonna" from the album Blood Duster
- Released: 2003
- Format: 7"
- Tracks: "I Wanna Do It With a Donna", "Midnight NAMBLA"
"SixSixSixteen" from the album Blood Duster
- Released: 3 May 2004
- Format: 7"
- Label: High Voltage
- Chart position: ARIA Hitseekers Singles: 17[18]
- Tracks: "SixSixSixteen", "LovePISS", "It's a Man's World", "I Wanna Be Your Pimp".
References
edit- ^ a b c Giffin, Brian (4 May 2015). "Blood Duster". Encyclopaedia of Australian Heavy Metal. Lulu.com. pp. 2031–2032. ISBN 978-0-9943206-1-2.
- ^ a b Overell, Rosemary (2014). Affective Intensities in Extreme Music Scenes: Cases from Australia and Japan. Springer. pp. 6–7, 180. ISBN 978-1-13740-677-4. Retrieved 14 December 2016 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Blöod Düster: the shape of death to come" (poster). Madman Music. 2005. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- ^ a b Forget, Tom. "Fisting the Dead/Yeest – Blood Duster | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- ^ "Club Asmara goes Latin". The Canberra Times. 9 November 1995. p. 31. Retrieved 12 August 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Blabbermouth.net". Retrieved 25 September 2014.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Top Ten Australian Artists You Need To Hear Now". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ "Ally Doesn't Love Me". Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ Bramwell, Murray Ross (19 December 2005). "Gathering of the Tribes. 'Big Day Out'. Wayville Showgrounds (review)". The Adelaide Review. ISSN 0815-5992.
- ^ "Supporting The Dwarves!". FasterLouder. 19 January 2005. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ "Sticky Carpet". June 2007. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ Buchanan, Matt; Ellis, Scott (24 October 2012). "You Unheard It Here". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ Yeest, Dr Jim's Records: Shock Records (distributor), 1995, retrieved 12 August 2015
- ^ "Releases :: Str8 Outta Northcote". Australian Music Online. Archived from the original on 13 January 2006. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ "Releases :: Cunt". Australian Music Online. Archived from the original on 13 January 2006. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ Fisting the dead, Dr Jim's Records. National Library of Australia, 1993, retrieved 12 August 2015
- ^ "Releases :: D.F.F.". Australian Music Online. Archived from the original on 13 January 2006. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ "The ARIA Report" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 17 May 2004. p. 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 June 2004. Retrieved 12 August 2015.