The Leftards

The Leftards: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Discogs 

The Leftards, Fully Grown Men (With Little Boy Brains), 14 July 2023, YouTube, duration: 1.24 minutes.

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The strange, exciting world of The Leftards

The Leftards are a punk rock band from Wollongong, Australia. The four members are, as of July 2023: Uncle Jim (bass), Lez Miserables (guitar), Ronny Wreckless (vocals) and Craig Ford (Colonel Hotcrack). The ever upright Tom Tom Parradiddle (drums) departed in May 2023 after a 3 year stint bringing up the rear. This blog (such an awful word!) pulls together links to various recordings - audio and video - made by the band in recent years, along with posters, ephemera and gig notices. The list is arranged from most recent to oldest. Check out the Bandcamp, Facebook and Instagram links above for heaps more info on The Leftards. Images have been acquired from those band-complied sources of truth.

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Back 2 the future

The following chronology outlines some of the performance and recording history of The Leftards.

* 27 October 2023 - La La La’s, Globe Lane, Wollongong.

* 1 October 2023 - The Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle.

* 30 September 2023 - Def Frets, Dicey Riley's Hotel, Wollongong.

* 29 September 2023 - Town & Country Hotel, St. Peters.

* 9 September 2023 - Bonny Hills Beach Hotel, Port Macquarie.

* 8 September 2023 - Federal Hotel, Bellingen.

* 1 September 2023 - Link & Pin, Woy Woy.

* 27 August 2023 - Diamond Dogs Music Lounge & Bar, Dapto.

* 10 June 2023 - band photograph.

* June 2023 - new t-shirt - Leftards / [Chickens] / Sonic Fustercluck.

* April 2023 - recording new material at El Capitano Records.

* 31 March 2023 - New collage poster.

* 17 March 2023 - T-shirt design for The Leftards by Mr. Detonators Tribute Band, honoring the new King of Australia.

* 4 March 2023 - Gig at Dicey Riley's hotel, Wollongong.

* 11 February 2023 - Gig at the Pot Belly Bar, Canberra.

* 10 February 2023 - Gig at 3Sixty Indoor Skate Park, Wollongong. Live video here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/867900694473756/?s=single_unit.

2022

* 26 November 2022 - Poster for gig at the Federal Hotel, Belligen.

* 25 November 2022 - Poster for gig at Blackhead Bowling Club.

* 15 October 2022 - The Leftards Live at The Johnnys 40th Anniversary Show, Marrickville Bowlo, YouTube, duration: 6.01 minutes. Posted by BZfilmco.

* 14 October 2022 - The Leftards, poster / t-shirt design, artist: Joe the Badger (JP Kavanaugh).

* 13 October 2022 - Band interview with Matt, YouTube, duration: 2.02.44 minutes.

LYRICS (unreleased track): Asylum This street is an asylum Every driveway a little inroad to dysfunction Sirens wailing through the broken parade Cricket bats and broken bones, The nightly tirade Police patrols and ambulance Growing weary of this ground-hog dance They’re pissing on the street Angry like cut snakes Hissing around bonfires on the council strip at night Pulling hair and biting kids passing on skateboards I’m just trying to check my mailbox man but they wanna fight They howl ‘I done my time’ ! That bloke at number 43 Bashed his old man, senseless again Broken parole, they’re at his door, back to jail, back to the broken system The ice age is here The ice age is here I gotta get out Asylum.

* 9 October 2022 - The Leftards live at LaLaLa's, Wollongong, YouTube, duration: 30.29. Posted by DMWC Films.

* 13 August 2022 - Backroom at the Bowlo, Mayfield Bowling Club. Promo: The amazing White Knuckle Fever return to The Bowlo along with the resurrection of the brilliant Leftards. Rounded out by The Not Nots (who will be farewelling bass player Chris) and the effervescent Piss to EME. Entry is FREE.

* 12 August 2022 - White Knuckle Fever and The Leftards with Audiobox, Link & Pin, Woy Woy, poster.

* 15 July 2022 - Lojetz, Leftards and Grounds at the Link & Pin [video], YouTube, duration: 1.30.11 minutes. 

* 17 June 2022 - Moshpit Bar, Erskineville, poster.

 

 

* 6 June 2022 - Afternoon Delight, Flangipanis, Leftards and Moot, Link and Pin, Woy Woy, poster.

* 3 June 2022 - Rockafella NSW Reunion Shows, LaLaLa's, Wollongong, poster.

 

* Friday, 19 March 2022, Link & Pin, Woy Woy, poster.

* Saturday, 28 February 2022 - The Moshpit Bar, Erskinville, poster.

* 6 February 2022 - The Hamilton Station Hotel, poster.

 

2021

* 11 December 2021 - Overkill [video], Facebook, duration: 1.46 minutes. 

LYRICS: Overkill got 18 guns in my collection Each and every one For personal protection Gonna feel secure With my arsenal of guns Gonna get me some more In case I gotta kill someone Every week a massacre The bodies piling high And still that major disconnect ‘We need our guns’ they cry Fuck my hair trigger temper And substance addictions I need automatic weapons not government restrictions The right to bear arms That old musket defendment Anything to justify The second amendment Open carry in the suburbs Just bringing out the hate They’ll kill you with their logic More guns will keep us safe! The fucking NRA and vigilantes in the night Walking round in camouflage They sure don’t look too bright They Got their god damned rights Their god damned rights They got their god Damned rights Their rights to Overkill.

* 31 July 2021 - Deprogram Me [video], Facebook, duration: 1.25 minutes. Great Link Wray intro!

Audio file access: Shazam (Apple Music).

* 26-27 June 2021 - Smash It Up, Mothership Studios, Marrickville, Sydney. Promo: 4 Horsemen is proud to present sMash It Up!. A night of powerhouse punk at Mothership Studios on June 26th. Featuring The Leftards, Rust, Trashed Again, Space Boys and OGATR, a stellar line set to rip the roof off Mothership Studios. Doors open 6pm for first band at 7pm. 

* 26 March 2021 - Knucklehead, animated video, Facebook, duration: 2.41 minutes. Animator: Tyrone McCrystal.

* LYRICS: Knucklehead He’s a redneck hiccup In a dual cab pick up He’s a roid munchin’ Coward punchin’ knucklehead A sneaky feel-up slimer A ‘not all men’ whiner an entitled creep He’s a first world cheap-thrill knucklehead With southern cross tattoos A white supremecist in Chinese shoes He’s a gym- junky Trump flunky knucklehead She’s a suburban ocker A mindless, programmed, backward shocker A no-thinkin’sherry drinkin’ knucklehead She believes in Jesus And Pauline Hanson really pleases This one dimension, no direction knucklehead She’s so opinionated Uneducated bile and hatred A Big-twitted, under-witted knucklehead.

* 18 March 2021 - CCP, YouTube, duration: 1.35 minutes. Black and white continual shot of track 'CCP' live at Diamond Dogs, Dapto, overlayed with coloured highlights of the same performance. Filmed by Shaye Fox, DMWC Films. Edited by Lochy. Off the 'Artifuct' EP released 2020. Recorded mixed & mastered at Foley Street Studios. Listen to the full EP here:

https://leftards.bandcamp.com/album/a....

* 28 February 2021 - The Leftards, MoshPit Bar, Erskinville, Sydney, setlist.fm. Provides access to free / pay (Amazon Music) audio files from this and other concerts. Promo: The Leftards - A unique supergroup made up of the least-good members of four unpopular Wollongong bands. Lez Miserable – guitars. Dr Sound – drums. Uncle Jim – bass, backing vocals. Ronny Wreckless – vocals, “percussion”.

 

2020

* 7 December 2020 - Artifuct, CD / 7" vinyl EP. Tracks: Just like the CCP, Knucklehead, Troll, Spontaneous Combustion, Motley Tramp Stamp. Duration: 10.07 minutes. Bandcamp. 

LYRICS: Troll Warfare on the internet Armchair death threats Infantile opinions,major disrespect From faraway dominions, getting very upset Troll Meltdown, Delete me Threaten to beat me Challenged and ignited tough talking dork Behind the safety of a screen That’s coward talk Implosion, you’re a Dickhead There’s No cure for stupid Stamp your digital feet Punch your cyber walls But ya got no meat But ya got no balls Troll.

* 7 November 2020 - The Leftards Live at the Wet Shoe Clubb [video], YouTube, duration: 35.12 minutes. Posted by AESH BOX.

* 19 September 2020 - Illawarra Music Foundry, Studio Sessions with Rawrus Tongue, The Leftards, and Sheryl Shiraz, Facebook, duration: 1.48.08 minutes. The Leftards are at 13.00 - 45.20. COVID alert!!!! Tracks: Subculture, Don't call 'em Hipster, 50 Plus Degrees, Cock'n'Balls, etc....

2019

* 24 November 2019 - Change the date [animated video], YouTube, duration: 1.12 minutes. Posted by Tyrone McCrystal, a 19 year old animator and fan of The Leftards.

* 1 October 2020 - The Leftards Live at the opening of the Wet Shoe Club, Wollongong [video], YouTube, duration: 27.46 minutes. Posted by SC FM. Further information on the video recording contained on the website.

* 2 November 2019 - The Servo, Port Kembla. [This was the first time the blog editor saw the band - from behind a wire fence as he was too skint to afford the entrance fee .... Big question: why didn't the guitarist wear any shoes????]

* 1 November 2019 - Captain Cook Hotel, Newtown.

* 26 October - Dicey Riley's Hotel, Wollongong.

* 28 September 2019 - Fuck Religion [audio], YouTube, duration: 2.14 minutes. Posted by Mick Fletcher.

* 21 September - Dicey Riley's Hotel, Wollongong.

* 13 September 2019 - Marrickville Bowling Club.

* 21 July 2019 - The Servo, Port Kembla.

* 19 July 2019 - The Servo, Port Kembla.

* 12 July 2019 - The Valve Bar, Sydney.

* 29 June 2019 - Mayfield Bowlo, Newcastle.

* Saturday, 25 May 2019 - The Servo, Port Kembla.

* 23 May 2019 - Breech Birth [video], YouTube, duration: 1.27 minutes.

* Sunday, 19 May 2019 - Moshpit, Sydney.

 

 

* 11 May 2019 - Illawarra Foundry, Wollongong.

 

 

* 3 May 2019 - Orange Clown [video], YouTube, duration: 1.22 minutes.

* Saturday, 20 April 2019 - Townie, Newtown.

 

 

* 29 March 2019 - The Rad Bar, Wollongong. Second EP launch gig.

 

 

 

* 29 March 2019 - Deep C Divers, 7" vinyl EP. Tracks: Breech Birth, (Do tha) Blofish, Party Drugs, Orange Clown. Bandcamp. Second EP by The Leftards.

Review #1 by The Barman: If you’ve spent any time in Wollongong, you’ll know it as Sydney’s less pretentious cousin. Much of the music from the onetime steelworks city is the same way. So here’s cheers to The Leftards, your new favourite punk band. As a bunch of older dudes from shop-soiled local bands like Bulldoze All Bowlos and The Dark Clouds,The Leftards have no compunction winding things back to the late ‘70s when everybody knew rap was crap and techno was a college where mechanics went to do a trade. This is the second Leftards seven-inch release and puts four inspired songs on a vinyl single. Buzzy, fuzzy guitars, nagging and damaged vocals, yob humour and social commentary all sit side by side. The sound is a little shambolic - like a loose version of the Misfits - but nobody's shooting for AOR airplay.

Review #2 by Mike Wilson: The Leftards are a 4 piece punk rock band from Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The Leftards Formed in December 2017, the band have had two vinyl EP releases ‘Apocalypse Cabaret’ released back in April of 2018 and ‘Deep C Divers‘ released on the 29th of March 2019. The band have built up a strong following playing shows around Sydney, Newcastle, Central Coast, Blue Mountains and hometown Wollongong. All four band members have been active musicians before forming The Leftards, guitarist Lez Miserable played with the Heapsgoods, Solid Gold Bastards and Turbo Degenerate.The bassist Comrade Pinko has been involved in the Sydney and Wollongong scenes with Straw Dogs and Tuskin Raiders. The Drummer and band artist Replaceable Ben has played with Bulldoze all Bowlos and Shotgun Wedding. Frontman Ronny Wreckless has played with the Heapsgoods, FugG, and the Dark Clouds to name a few.

* 16 February 2019 - The Servo, port Kembla.

 

 

* Saturday, 2 February 2019 - The Stag & Hunter Hotel, Mayfield, Newcastle. Art by drummer Replaceable Ben.

 

 

* 1 February 2019 - Shake Shack, Central Coast.

 

 

2018

 

* 22 December 2018 - Kurrajong Bowlo, Kurrajong.

 

 

* 24 November 2018 - Music Foundry, Illawarra Leagues Club, Wollongong.

 

* 9 November 2018 - Fredas Bar, Redfern.

 

 

* 3 November 2018 - Dicey Riley's, Wollongong.

 

 

* 27 October 2018 - The Servo, Port Kembla.

 

 

* 15 September 2018 - The Servo, Port Kembla.

 

 

* 11 August 2018 - Steel City Tattoo, Port Kembla.

 

 

* 28 July 2018 - Useless Generation [video], Facebook, duration: 2.08 minutes.

 

 

* 21 July 2018 - Illawarra Leagues Club, Wollongong.

 

 

* 20 July 2018 - Band review - The Leftards, Turbo Nun Entertainment Group. Gig review, interview and 31 colour photographs (Flickr) from gig at The Record Crate.

 

* 30 June 2018 - The Record Crate, Glebe, Sydney.

 

 

* 2 June 2018 - The Servo, Port Kembla.

 

 

* Sunday, 27 May 2018 - The Mosh Pit.

 

* 23 April 2018 - Don't call me hipster [video], YouTube, duration: 1.47 minutes. Posted by Ozymandius Von Gimmiesome. Comment: A supergroup made up of the least popular members of four unknown local bands.

* Saturday, 17 April 2018 - First Sydney gig.

* 1 April 2018 -  Apocalypse Cabaret, 7" vinyl EP. Tracks: Side 1 - Subculture, 50 Plus Degrees, Cock'n'Balls / Side 2 - Privileged White Guy Blues, Useless Generation, Don't Call 'Em Hipster. Duration: 10.07 minutes. c.f. Bandcamp.

LYRICS: 50 plus degrees Here comes the firestorm There’s no air to breathe Heatwave tornado Fifty plus degrees They’re clearing the forests Killing all the bees Raping my planet In fifty plus degrees They plunder the oceans Take more than they need Hunted to extinction No end to the greed Scorched all the habitats Used all the energies Still counting their profits In fifty plus degrees.

LYRICS: Cock'n'Balls Use your voice Duty calls Sign petitions Stand tall Use your brain Or don't complain When the same fools Are elected again Cock and balls (X4) A donkey vote Is no vote at all Make your mark Stand tall Resist the greedy Resist the rich Help the needy Or be a right wing bitch Cock and Balls (x4).

2017

* December 2017 - The Leftards form, with the various members coming from local Wollongong and out of town groups.

Precursors

* 3 May 2013 - The Heapsgoods, Openly Hetero, Dicey Riley's Hotel, Wollongong, Facebook, duration: 3.10 minutes. Posted by BZfilmco. Members Ronnie Van Dyke (vocals, guitar) and Paul Zubovik (guitar) are known members who moved on to The Leftards.

The Leftards - Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Discogs  

| Little Richard, Wollongong 1957 | Bee Gees, Wollongong 1963-66 | The Vamps 1965-77 | Kahvas Jute & Chariot 1970-2005 | Cold Chisel @ Gong 1976+ | The Expression 1981-85 | Finch, Bulli, 2020 | The Leftards - Gong punk 2017+ | 

| Blue Fender Bronco 1968 | Cream Gibson SG | Fuzz Tone | Jimi Hendrix Flying V | Jimmy Page Dragon Telecaster | Jo Ann Kelly | Kahvas Jute & Chariot | Music | MC5 | Nick Drake Guitars | Peter Green | Shocking Blue | The Leftards - Gong punk 2017+ | The Vamps 1965-77 | Yardbirds |

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Last Updated: 15 July 2023

Michael Organ, Australia