Sadly, owing to other commitments, we’ve had to delay the release of the new Augie album for a fair spell. Something to look forward to then. Rather than leave you hanging I thought I’d go through my archives and scoop up a cornucopia of ancient rarities, stuff not even the band has heard a fraction of, the stuff they try to exploit after you’re dead, but why wait? That’s not an invitation to kill me but to drink from my horn of oddities - 2 volumes of fully fleshed tunes, 4 track fumbling, shabby chic torch numbers and Hi concept Fi. Film songs, folk songs, post rawk songs, songs where I’m female, songs where I’m Welsh, and of course a song where I’m a vampire. Most of all it’s real and the curtain is at the very least lifted at the corner if not fully drawn away. Available d’load only on Bandcamp, $15 a Volume, near 60 songs for the price of two glasses of wine, or pay what you feel. Support your independent songwriters now or very soon it’s all going to sound like Jack Antonoff’s high school diary. “DEEP DEMONSTRATIONS” by GAR. Listen to excerpts for all tracks here.

Announcing a giant trove of ancient and unreleased material from the songwriter and convener of seminal band Augie March, The Dark Satanic Mills Bros, producer, film composer, mixer, arranger, studio operator and Tasmanian, Glenn Richards.

"DEEP DEMONSTRATIONS" Volumes 1 & 2

Volume 1 “Orphans of Commerce”

For some reason or other there’s always far too much time between Augie March releases and naturally many songs I write end up forgotten or wasted later on as virtual b-sides and obscure ‘bonus trax’ for streamers and the like, but that’s no real knock on their soulful goodness or curiosity value. The deleterious effects of time, the inevitable dwindling enthusiasm, that’s what does for these poor orphans who grow too old to be attractive to prospective Album Parents.

The following are mostly deep demos, they’re what the AM band tend to get when I want a track to sound or structure a very specific way. Quality of audio and, well, quality, varies, but there are some gems and even the fake stones can be nice in a certain light.

Volume 2 “TV, Film & Other Spec Rejects”

About 85% of commissions I‘ve received over the stretch have been for projects that never get up. As if the songwriter/composer life weren’t fraught enough, you’re usually doing stuff on spec, with no advances and no guarantees of any income at all. This volume, with the rare exception, is made up of deep demonstrations that generally worked well and might have gone on to big boy clothes, were it not for the dissolution of entire productions they were attached to.

Also here are songs written and recorded for charities, other artists, concept albums, and some just plain old ‘rejects’. There are also some alt versions of old songs you’ll probably know recorded for opaque purposes, which are included in both volumes.

Of note are the number of times I’ve been required to write from a female perspective, or have chosen to despite being a man. When you’re shooting for a Hollywood noir musical you dig deep psychic trenches, and brazenly ignore prevailing mores. I also try my hand, or rather tongue, at some accents. Nobody asked for this but I gave it anyway because of DEEP DEMONSTRATIONS.

In conclusion, and as those guys leaning against cars in Byron Bay who you don’t want to spend any further time with say, “It’s all good…”. Producers looking for their next off kilter soundtrack or ‘random’ song for their organic TikTok starlet, call me. Please.

PS

Massively enjoy your bonus film clip, cut together generously, and with I can only think deliberately wrong lyrics, by the genius Cairnes Bros who made clips for us back in the day and have gone on to make several excellent films which I’ve had the honour of providing much music for. In this case they were wise not to include my 80’s metal cum psychedelic take on the cheesy James Bond 007 style theme song for their film “Scare Campaign”, but being pigs of rock at heart they could not leave it another languishing orphan. As I write this they are in LA, deservedly enjoying a cinematic release of their latest “Late Night with the Devil”. GO SEE IT.

ALL SONGS WRITTEN, PLAYED AND RECORDED BY GAR 

With following exceptions:

“Walgreens Blues” - Slide guitar by Dan Luscombe

“16 Silent Mouths” - Chorus Vocal by Jess Cornelius

“One Crowded Hour (Kermit’s Banjax Version)” - Piano and Organ by Scott Targett

“The Sweet Primeroses” - Trad

“The Streets of Forbes” - Trad

GAR

Hobart, April 24