Melbourne Ska Orchestra’s Nicky Bomba said: “The Australian ska scene is forever indebted to them.”
Meanwhile, Painters and Dockers’ Paulie Stewart, describes them as: “A life changing band.”
Now, former journalist and political writer Lorann Downer has for the first time ever, told the story of seminal ska band, Strange Tenants, and their contribution to the Australian music scene.
The book, Strange Tenants: Godfathers of Australian ska, traces the evolution of the Melbourne band’s take on 2Tone ska.
Delving into each original member’s musical, social and political influences, the book offers an all-encompassing view through five years of writing, recording and touring from 1982 to 1986.
The book details the band’s independent and underground success through first-hand accounts from the band, and even some from the ‘Tenants Army’, whose memories are made immutable in one dedicated chapter.
Watch Strange Tenants perform ‘Love Is Blind’ below:
“There’s something here for the Tenants’ Army, for lovers of ska everywhere, for those curious about Australia’s contribution to the global 2Tone scene, and those interested in Australian music
and culture generally,” Lorann Downer says.
It arrives just as the band announces a tour in support of new LP Militant Style, produced by Grammy-winning producer Roger Lomas (Happy Mondays, Echo and the Bunnymen).
The tome also coincides with the readying of a documentary about
the Tenants, by independent Melbourne film-maker Fiona Cochrane; set to be released in early 2019.
BUY ‘GODFATHERS OF AUSTRALIAN SKA’ HERE
Strange Tenants Tour
• November 10. The Zoo, Brisbane
• November 16. The Fly, Newtown
• November 17. Brass Monkey, Cronulla
• November 23. The Gov, Adelaide
• December 1. The Curtin, Melbourne
