A bass player and singer from Melbourne, Tim Hemensley is one of the great underrated figures of the Australian music scene. Beloved by those who new him, awed those who saw his thrilling live performance, and remembered fondly by all who met him, not least those who fell under the spell of Powder Monkeys, the influential independent punk rock band he led from 1991 to 2002.
With a four-album strong discography and a legendary live show that won them fans in Lobby Loyde, Rose Tattoo’s Pete Wells, The Hellacopters, and American producer Rick Rubin (who nearly signed them to American Recordings), Powder Monkeys were a band renowned for their energy and honesty ever since Hemensley first formed the outfit with fellow Bored! member John Nolan.
But Hemensley tragically passed away from a heroin overdose on July 21st, 2003, aged 31 and every year since, his family and friends have gathered at Melbourne’s The Tote to share quiet drink in his memory. But to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the frontman’s death, things are going to get a lot louder at the Collingwood live music venue.
The surviving members of the Powder Monkeys, guitarist John Nolan and drummer Timmy Jack Ray, are reforming to headline a special night in tribute to Tim Hemensley, featuring a best of the best of the local Melbourne scene to perform a set of Powder Monkeys classics, for I Thank You: the Powder Monkeys/Tim Hemensley 10th Anniversary Gig on Sunday 21st July 2013.
Paying tribute to the band and their influential leader are the likes of Hemensley’s GOD bandmates, Joel Silbersher, Matty Whittle, Adalita, Dave Hogan, Roman Tucker, Sly Splatterhead, Dick (Hits), and Spencer P Jones, with more to be announced. The surviving members of the Powder Monkeys, guitarist John Nolan and drummer Timmy Jack Ray, are reforming to headline a special night in tribute to Tim Hemensley, featuring a best of the best of the local Melbourne scene.
Warming up for the Powder Monkeys reunion is a day’s worth of live rock and roll over two stages at the Tote with many of the bands that Hemensley was friends with and loved including Hoss, Seminal Rats, The Casanovas, The Spazzys, The Onyas, Hits, Digger & The Pussycats, Wrong Turn, Fortress of Narzod, Leadfinger, and The Undecided.
Amongst the lineup is Geelong’s Bored!, whom Tim Hemensley was a member of with fellow Powder Monkey John Nolan, who will also be debuting with Power Line Sneakers with Sly Splatterhead and Katie Dixon. There’s also two younger bands which the Powder Monkeys frontman never got a chance to see, but for whom the spirit of the band runs rich through their veins. Namely, The Swedish Magazines, who started a Powder Monkeys cover band, while singer Jack Davies (of the Bitter Sweet Kicks) was awarded the Tim Hemensley medal for being ‘Most Rock On Ground’ at last year’s Community Cup footy match.
As part of the 10th Anniversary celebrations, Powder Monkeys’ 1993 debut Smashed On A Knee will be reissued this July by Freeform Patterns through Fuse Music, newly remastered by Mikey Young (Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Ooga Boogas) and featuring bonus tracks and previously unpublished liner notes and photos. Smashed On A Knee, along with second album Time Wounds All Heals will also get vinyl reissues soon after the July release.
The 10th Anniversary ‘I Thank You’ tribute show will be accompanied by the annual Hemensley Cup foot match, kicking off at 11am at Victoria Park in Abbotsford, with two short matches including a ladies’ match.
Both events are part of the recently announced Leaps And Bounds Festival, a series of music events curated for Melbourne’s inner-north suburbs and put together by the City of Yarra council. As previously reported, Music Victoria and PBS community radio announced details of the inaugural Leaps And Bounds Festival last month, confirming plans first announced in January that local music industry figures and venue heads were plotting a new cultural event.
Ranging from well-established venues such as The Corner Hotel, “the largest venue in the area”, to The Empress, “the longest-serving”, Leaps And Bounds will emphasise the locality of live music. Each precinct in the Yarra City area will have a “focus day” throughout the festival. The spotlight being placed on Richmond on 7th July, Johnston St on 12th July, Abbotsford on 13th July, the backstreets of Fitzroy and Collingwood on 14th July, Brunswick St on 17th July, Smith St on 18th July, and North Fitzroy and Clifton Hill on July 20th.
The Powder Monkeys 10th Anniversary Show
I THANK YOU: The Powder Monkeys / Tim Hemensley 10th Anniversary Gig
Sunday 21st July 2013
The Tote, 71 Johnston St, Collingwood.
Doors 2pm, 2 stages, free BBQ
The Powder Monkeys set with guests
Hoss
Seminal Rats
Bored!
The Casanovas
The Spazzys
The Onyas
Power Line Sneakers
Hits
Digger & the Pussycats
Bittersweet Kicks
Swedish Magazines
Wrong Turn
Fortress of Narzod
Leadfinger
The Undecided
plus more to be announced
Please note: This is not the playing order, times will be revealed closer to the day.
Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/events/495792143824857/
Tickets $35 +BF from www.oztix.com.au on sale Wed 22 May 2013
Leaps And Bounds Music Festival 2013
July 5th – 21st, 2013
Details for applications for venues, bands, events, and sponsors available at leapsandboundsmusicfestival.com
