Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
“Those Bloody McKennas are an independent Australian band with a solid reputation. Through consistent touring, they have developed a 3000 strong mailing list, plus have sold over 5000 independent EPs."
- Richard Kingsmill - Triple J Aug 2005
Wow! While being almost impossible to define in terms of genre, there is no mistaking that Those Bloody McKennas are a feel-good band…capacity to make the audience feel a bit lighter on their feet and in their spirits. Flautist Clare Kildea was the biggest mover of the band, swinging, rocking and stomping absolutely every part of her body that wasn't taken up with playing her instrument…and successfully convincing the audience to do the same...used a wah pedal to make the flute do some tough-talkin'. It seemed to say: "Ian Anderson eat your heart out."
Phill…made his Mandolin scream so powerfully you sometimes wondered if it was a Mandolin at all, or if he had simply ignored the ‘Dry Clean Only' tag on his guitar. Perceptions of The McKennas as a ‘folk band', though not entirely erroneous, were immediately challenged when Phill spent their opening number shaking his Mandolin in front of the amplifier to maximise feedback.
Diversity is the name of the game for The Bloodies. Bookending their main set with psychedelic instrumentals like Grace Emily Jam, in between we had tastes of folk, country, reggae and prog-rock. We had chilled-out three-chord strumming with Ant¹s compellingly earthy vocals, pounding walls of sound courtesy of Danny (drums) and Bill (bass), tricky passages of seven-counts, and slick displays of virtuosity where Clare and Phill would lock their playing together, producing a sound that is surreal to say the least.
The encore of The Bloodies next single, Popular Culture, was a brilliant piece of subversion - a bouncing hook-a-rama that attacked the blandness of it¹s namesake. When coupled with Grace Emily Jam, it seems the band have managed to capture their challenging, mischievous essence perfectly in only their first two releases.
Those Bloody McKennas are one of those bands that you have to see at least once, if only to expand your idea of what is possible. The fact that you might have the time of your life is merely a bonus.
- Melbourne Beat Magazine Jan 2006
“I was blown away. These guy's not only put in one hell of a show but musically I found them inspiring. Having recently recorded albums by both The Drones (infidelity) and the soon to be released album by The Spoils (reverberation) I'm really keen to record an album for Those Bloody McKennas as I feel that they lie at times somewhere between these bands yet display a unique Australian bent to their sound, I highly recommend them”
- Loki Lockwood www.spookyrecords.com
Discography
Ticket to The Moon EP 2002
Time & Tide EP 2004
Grace Emily Jam Single & Video 2006
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Richard Kingsmill Triple J August 2005
"an independent Australian band with a solid reputation...consistent touring...a 3000 strong mailing list, plus have sold over 5000 independent EPs"
JESSE SHROCK - LIVE REVIEW - BEAT Magazine Jan 25 2006
"Wow!...no mistaking that Those Bloody McKennas are a feel-good band...make the audience feel a bit lighter on their feet and in their spirits. It seemed to say: "Ian Anderson eat your heart out...Phil made his Mandolin scream so powerfully you sometimes wondered if it was a Mandolin at all...Bookending their main set with psychedelic instrumentals like Grace Emily Jam...compellingly earthy vocals, pounding walls of sound...tricky passages of seven-counts, and slick displays of virtuosity...a sound that is surreal to say the least.
The encore of The Bloodies next single, Popular Culture, was a brilliant piece of subversion...a bouncing hook-a-rama that attacked the blandness of it's namesake. When coupled with Grace Emily Jam, it seems the band have managed to capture their challenging, mischievous essence perfectly in only their first two releases.
Those Bloody McKennas are one of those bands that you have to see at least once, if only to expand your idea of what is possible. The fact that you might have the time of your life is merely a bonus."
Melbourne's Beat Magazine Jan 2006
"The outfit known both colloquially and literally as Those Bloody McKennas, are at the height of a leap of faith... a blistering, psychedelic, trippy instrumental! To conceptualise the sound of Those Bloody McKennas, you'd have to cross-breed a bunch of bands, like Jethro Tull and the Jimi Hendrix Experience..."
Melbourne's Inpress Magazine Jan 2006
"Those Bloody McKennas are committed to some experimentation and progression this year. They have forged a relationship to truly perfect a sound which is hard to define...they belt out material which has serious universal appeal."
Niki Bruce, Cairns Post October 2005
"One of Cairns' favourite live original acts...a solid reputation for diverse, inspiring and thought-provoking rocking folk music. This is a band that needs to be heard to be fully understood, and needs to be seen to understand why they've developed a cult following."
Sold 5000 CDs through a comprehensive touring program throughout Australia
Received airplay on Triple J, ABC and most community stations
Gathered 5000 fans on our database
Supported regional areas from Fitzroy Crossing to Hobart to Cairns and everywhere in between
Won a national award for the song 'Time & Tide'
Performed for detainees at Port Hedland Detention Centre
Developed a management strategy that is one of the best in Australia
Gained endorsement for some instruments
Played all the major folk festivals in Australia
Headlined New years Eve Celebrations South Bank Brisbane (100,000 people in attendance)
Played with: The Waifs, Pete Murray, Xavier Rudd, George, Women in Docs, Mick Thomas, Things of Stone and Wood, TISM, Ash Grunwald, Jodi Martin, Mick Hart, David Bridie, The Boat People, Paul Greene, Neil Murray, Chris Wilson, Matt Walker & Ash Davies, Archie Roach & Rubie Hunter, The Gin Club
Festivals: Woodford Folk Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival, National Folk Festival, Festival of Folk Rhythm & Life, Blue Mountains Music Festival, Cygnet Folk Festival, Joyfest (Gold Coast)
Headlined & highest CD sales at
Yungaburra Folk Festival Northern Qld Nov 2005
Earthbeat Northern Victoria Nov 2005
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