TISM

TISM bounces back on stage for the Good Things festival in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

“For the old fans, they’ll appreciate the liturgical dance reinterpretations of the classic numbers,” he said. “If you’re on your third investment property, like we are, then music and costumes, it’s trivial compared to interest rates, mortgages. “We’re introducing a new genre, KDRB,” he said. Catering mostly to fans of rock, metal and punk music, Good Things was first held in 2018. “This 19 years of silence on our behalf, has actually been an art event,” he said. However, it’s the past 19 years, according to singer Ron Hitler-Barassi, that he’s most proud of so far.

It was 18 years ago next week that Melbourne's TISM released 'The White Albun', their sixth and final full-length record.

It was 18 years ago this November that TISM performed their final show in front of a crowd that likely knew or cared little for them, and now close to two decades on, they’ll be making their return as part of a bill that doesn’t exactly seem to be filled with their contemporaries. Despite the ominous sign that such a tour seemed to indicate, none of the group’s obsessive fans seemed to believe that TISM would indeed ever take their leave of the Australian music scene. That said, the lack of focus on a potential reunion likely helped to ensure the impact of the recent releases. At the end of the day though, should we really be surprised that a TISM reunion would occur? A far cry from the sort of albums the band had previously released, this record would ultimately serve as the group’s largest commercial success to date – despite a title and cover artwork that made no mention of TISM itself. In 1998, the group unleashed their www.tism.wanker.com album, featuring enduring singles such as ‘Whatareya?’, ‘Thunderbirds Are Coming Out’, and ‘I Might Be A Cunt, But I’m Not A Fucking Cunt’ (whose music video was so explicit it was broadcast on the likes of Rage only once). Working with famed producer Tony Cohen (The Birthday Party, The Cruel Sea), TISM returned to their pub-rock roots for 1992’s The Beasts Of Suburban EP, with the seven-track release featuring a version of the band who seemed far more comfortable with the music they were making. In fact, an infamous Hey Hey It’s Saturday performance saw membership of the group expand to 28 on live TV, while journalists would often be subjected to all manner of demands, including one who was forced to interview the band in a freezer, or another whose interview took place in a Melbourne restaurant while dressed in a wetsuit. Despite their mysterious public persona (complete with artistic pseudonyms and what would become a myriad costumes for their live performances), the core team of TISM was university educated, with a remarkable penchant for writing and recording songs. By 1987 though, the group were already planning bigger and better things, kicking off the recording of what would become their debut album in March of that year. In fact, their craft was so powerful that despite an antagonistic relationship with the general public, the group would ultimately win a Battle Of The Bands competition held by Triple R (despite the venue’s PA blowing up mid-set). And lo, hidden within the third disc of their final album was a PDF file with unreleased and unrecorded song lyrics.

Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane will be treated to Good Things in December with TISM reforming for the event.

TISM (Exclusive: First shows in 19 years!) NOFX (performing ‘Punk In Drublic’ in full + all your favourites) The Amity Affliction, Regurgitaor, Soulfly and Kisschasy will also play.

Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane will be treated to Good Things in December with TISM reforming for the event.

TISM (Exclusive: First shows in 19 years!) NOFX (performing ‘Punk In Drublic’ in full + all your favourites) The Amity Affliction, Regurgitaor, Soulfly and Kisschasy will also play.