Perth Music I

If you're a JET who happens to be feeling homesick right now, I suggest skipping this post and moving onto the next one. (When it comes.) If you're a Japanese visitor whom either Emma or myself have directed to this site, the following is Part One of a collection of YouTube videos from popular Perth and WA musicians that I have posted for the satisfaction of your curiosity.

I should mention that this particular selection reflects my own biases and age, so don't expect to see anything by Cosima deVito.

First up, Ammonia: the band that put Perth back on the map as an exponent of fine Australian rock music. (I could be mistaken, but the last Perth band to enjoy a similar level of radio airplay was V-Capri, fronted by a man who would later find success as a TV weather presenter.)

Ammonia (1998): "You're Not The Only One Who Feels This Way"


Ammonia, sadly, broke up in 1999 ("creative differences" & c.). I saw their last ever show at the Big Day Out. At the same festival I also saw the great Jebediah. This one goes out to our fellow JETs.

Jebediah (1997): "Leaving Home"


At around the same time as the members of Ammonia were going their separate ways and Australia was falling in love with a band whose lead singer sounds as if his vocal chords are located in his nose, there emerged a band by the name of Eskimo Joe. Nowadays, sadly, they have embraced commercial rock (Who Sold Them Out? hehe), but this early song is an absolute classic:

Eskimo Joe (1998): "Sweater"


In the late 90s, an art student named John Butler, originally from California but who grew up in Pinjarra, began busking on the streets of Fremantle for some extra cash, and soon enough The John Butler Trio was born.

John Butler Trio (2001): "Better Man"


Following the success of these groups, Perth in the opening years of the twentieth century went from being a musical backwater to quite an exciting place. (In other respects it arguably remains a backwater.) Symptomatic of this newfound fame is The Sleepy Jackson.

Sleepy Jackson (2003): "Good Dancers"


More in the next post . . .