Frenzal Rhomb: Shedding the Punk Rock Fig Leaves

Shedding the Punk Rock Fig Leaves

A Top Dollar entry to the realms of the 'rhomb'

Sydney based punkers Frenzal Rhomb have long prided themselves on the fact that the crowds they play to either love them - with all the attached adoration, lipsyncing, body convulsions and enraptured gazes - or they totally despise and hate and loath them - lots of crossed arms, disgusted expressions, teeth-gritting, filthy looks. There's not much ground inbetween 'um' and 'arrhh' upon.

"It's good to inspire extremes of emotion in people," says vocalist Jason Whalley. "I'd much prefer it if someone loathes it, than just feels half-hearted about it. You know 'oh yeah, it was alright'."

Not So Tough Now is the name of Frenzal Rhomb's new album, and the one that just may see them taking their aural punkazoidia to foreign shores, with Epitaph Records in the US (former homes of Bad Religion and The Offspring) now reading to offer the 'Rhomb an international deal.

There's no big deal to the music they are making, points out Jason, "it's just good fun music to play, and if people like it then good, and if they don't they can get fucked."

Not So Tough Now opens with a twinge of acoustics, lashed with the sounds of someone copping a tremendous hiding, before the first song 'Punch In The Face' drags you in to the realm of the 'Rhomb for the next hour or so. What follows is an avalanche of ska- splashed punk, bounce with dirges of speedy guitarama, flourished with kaboodling bass and whippings of rapid fire drumming. Songs like 'Parasite', 'Now Is Your Thyme', 'Uncle Ken' and 'Urban Myth' is music to squirm too, to slam too, to rattle your head too, to shake your collective bits too. Short, sharp shots of the fast n' furious punk gear. The first most people knew of Frenzal Rhomb was early supports opening for a slew of international, aging punk rock bands-The Offspring, SNFU, The Meanies, NOFX- and the grinningly crude cover and music of the debut EP, 'Dick Sandwich' in 1994. The debut album Coughing Up A Storm helped to find the 'Rhomb airplay and gave them an excuse to get out on the road. They then toured some more, lost some members, gained some new members....yadayadayada.

All boring past shit, according to Jason, for the big wide, huge wide world now lies ahead. A virtual virgin paddock through which the 'Rhomb can frolic naked, shedding forever their proverbial punk rock figleaves.

But the rock n' roll fantasies only take up a few seats on the daydreams bus of Frenzal Rhomb. There's another world out there beyond the tightly drawn curtains of crappy motel rooms and the beer-soaked disinterest of dinky pub dives, and the members of Frenzal Rhomb intend to make the most of it.

"Yeah," says Jason after a pause of deep contemplation, "we want to get into the studio audience for Wheel Of Fortune. Last time we went to Adelaide I booked us in, but we missed out. Then we tried to get into the studio audience for Family Feud, in Brisbane, when we were up there, but we missed out again. But soon, we'll be there, unseen yet heard in the audience at Wheel Of Fortune, yelling out those words..... (suddenly exploding into a scream of chanting) Top Dollar! Top Dollar!"

So, you'd be pretty freaked out now that John Burgess (one of the last grande purveyors of 'male pig' behavior on daytime television) has been given the boot off Wheel Of Fortune? Jason? Hello?

There is only silence on the other end of the phone line, a low hum broken by a whinnying gasp for breath. Then a gurgle as deep shock settles into Jason's body. "Burgess has been....sacked?" A consuming wave of emotions - entwining dismay, mortal horror, denial and then final acceptance - submerge Jason and for a moment he is too deeply moved to speak cohesively. The first words he can find are mere grunts.

"Today is indeed a sad day for television. This is terrible, I'm devastated. I can't speak anymore, I'm sorry I just can't......oh God! This is terrible!"

A respectful moment of reverential silence follows.

"Oh well, you can't dwell on these things," says Jason, finally.

So what does the future hold for the 'Rhomb? Any plans for offensive behavior way beyond the ever tightening net of the Acceptable?

"Hopefully we'll go overseas," says Jason, "that was always one of the things we wanted to do....oh look, we'll just ride this punk bandwagon thing till it dies than jump on the next one....which may or may not be acid jazz."