Guitar: Michael Galvin
Organ: Justin Wheelahan
Bass: Gordon Johns
Drums: Duncan Talbot
Influences
Davie Allen & The Arrows
Booker T & The MGs
The Avengers
Lonnie Mack
James Burton
The Ventures
Dick Dale
The Sonics
Junior Brown
The Bel-Airs
Duane Eddy
Ike Turner
Albert Collins
Bo Diddley
The Martinis
Stanley Turrentine
The Astronauts
Freddie King
The Futuras formed as a surf guitar instrumental outfit in the latter part of 2005 and launched their self-titled debut album in December 2006 at Fitzroy’s ‘world famous’ Rainbow Hotel.
That album featured a king-tide of reverb laden surf guitar tunes alongside covers of fuzzed out B movie themes and raw and rockin’ garage obscurities. Noted critic, Ken Williams (The Age), said it all when he described The Futuras sound as Surf music as soundtrack for a spaghetti western played out on the demonic sands of Saturn.
Since making that recording however The Futuras have recruited a permanent keys player together with an ancient Hammond Organ and Leslie speaker. This classic combination of molasses thick, surging organ, stinging guitar, thumpin’ bass and hypnotic drums has allowed the band to broaden its scope to include the ‘Memphis Sound’ and to plunder deep and rare veins in the in instrumental archives.
The Futuras have retained some surf in their repertoire as well as some garage and proto-psychedelic tunes, think of Lee Hazelwood’s early instrumental compositions, for example. But importantly, the band’s sets now include lashings of driving, organ heavy instrumental rhythm & blues ala Booker T & The MGs, Willie Mitchell, Freddie King, Ike Turner, Billy Larkins and others of that ilk.
In this regard The Futuras could be seen as self-styled and self-appointed keepers of the flame, guardians of a timeless sound. However more than this The Futuras serve up some killer originals and other ‘instrumentalised’ gems.
The Futuras are Michael Galvin, Lead Guitar, (Dave Hogan’s Meltdown), Gordon Johns, Bass (Ex Breadmakers), Justin Wheelahan, Hammond Organ, (Ex Loin Groin) and Duncan Talbot, Drums (The Black Popes).
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Skimming low across the surf, coming out of an early rising sun for maximum surprise.
TWWWWAAAAAAANNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG.
The Futuras ride a wave of rumbling, grumbling bass, driving drums and kamikaze guitar.
This is surf music as soundtrack for a spaghetti western played out on the demonic deserts of Saturn. The Futuras are a four-piece in the time-honoured rock'n' roll line-up of two guitars, bass and drums.
Their sound is dynamic, classic and, well, Futura-istic.
(Ken Williams)
Swizzle A Go Go launch
Friday 11th of September at the Winter Room
(Level 1, 199 Russell Street Melb ... just above the Exford Hotel.
Footscray's finest DJ's playing a mixture of 60's and 70's exotica;
northern soul, sleaze funk, psychedelic cumbia, fuzzy jazz, porno
soundtracks, northern soul and a few tragic 70's Euro-disco numbers.
The Line up: VINCE PEACH (3PBS); BIG SAMMY (JC'S); CHAIRMAN GAZ (Back
from Retirement); DJ MLC (Licorice)
Looking forward to your company. Cheers from Footscray's Finest
artists registered with US rights organizations are able to license what they create as they choose. members of APRA are not able to license what they create as they choose. this means that services like myspace are not able to evolve in Australia. APRA policy empowers US business and puts Australian artists in a less competitive situation. REFORM APRA.
Hi Michael, Tim, Gordan and Duncan,
I've just uploaded two more tracks on our mp3 player from The Tol-Puddle Martyrs soon to be released “Psych-Out USA” album:
Thinkin’ ‘bout You and Who’s That Knockin’?
I hope you enjoy them and all is well at your end!
Keepin' the Sixties Alive!!!!
Peter.
