# The Johnnys unearth lost recordings with Paul Kelly's White Train **New Music** — On Your Markus **Published:** 13 November 2026 **Author:** Markus Hamence **Source:** https://onyourmarkus.au/new-music-releases/the-johnnys/ The Johnnys release Rarehide: Out Takes, B-Sides And Rarities, a compilation of previously unreleased recordings from the Sydney cow-punk band's classic 1980s line-up fronted by the late Spencer P. Jones. The album includes the band's never-before-heard version of Paul Kelly's "White Train", which Kelly gifted to the Johnnys before recording it himself on his Gossip LP, along with unreleased covers, B-sides, and early versions of songs including "Bleeding Heart" (co-written with Kelly), available now on vinyl, CD, and digital formats. --- **THE JOHNNYS**** - LEGENDARY SYDNEY COW-PUNK ROCK'N'ROLLERS - RELEASE *****‘RAREHIDE - OUT TAKES, B-SIDES AND RARITIES'*** **THE ALBUM - WHICH FEATURES THE BAND'S CLASSIC '80s LINE-UP FRONTED BY ****SPENCER P. JONES****, AND INCLUDES THE BAND'S NEVER-BEFORE HEARD RECORDING OF**** PAUL KELLY'S "WHITE TRAIN"**** - IS OUT TODAY ** [Watch on YouTube](https://youtu.be/bqWpnMbl190?si=Eo7nLXfvjfLWxVL5) **The Johnnys** - the legendary Sydney cow-punk rock'n'roll band formed out of the original **Hoodoo Gurus** line-up and famously fronted in the '80s by the late **Spencer P. Jones** - today release the new compilation*** Rarehide: Out Takes, B-Sides And Rarities***. The album is released in a limited run on wonderful **cowpat coloured vinyl** as well as limited **emerald green** and **yellow** vinyl editions, in addition to a limited run **CD** and **digital formats**, is available **now**.  The album features previously unreleased recordings from the band's **Spencer P. Jones**-fronted line-up and includes a number of completely unreleased tracks, including the band's version of **Paul Kelly's "White Train"**, which Kelly gave to the band and they recorded before he decided to release it himself on his classic ***Gossip ***double LP. Other never before heard tracks include covers of **Vaughn Monroe**'s 1949 C&W hit **"Silver Saddle" **and the revved-up version of **Slim Harpo**'s blues classic **"Got Love If You Want It" **sung by bass man **Graham "Hoody" Hood **which was a live fave in the early days.  The album also includes an unreleased version of the song that the band wrote with **Paul Kelly**,** "Bleeding Heart"**, a never before heard early version of the hit **"Injun Joe"**, classic early B-sides **"Rebel Yell"** and **"Cannonball"** and more. ***Rarehide*** stands as a great companion to the band's classic Mushroom albums ***Highlights of a Dangerous Life ***and*** Grown Up Wrong***. As the band explain in the liner notes, the material was sourced from original multi-track tapes found in record company archives and recently mixed by the great **Phil Punch**. Everything has come up sounding fantastic and a "punchy" as hell. (Geddit?) ![Album cover for The Johnnys' "Rarehide" featuring distorted vintage imagery and neon yellow and green text on dark background.](https://media.onyourmarkus.au/admin/2026/11/5a40d0b0-5ba4-47b5-85b6-c0015df04018.jpg) ***ORDER RAREHIDE: OUT TAKES, B-SIDE AND RARITIES NOW!*** [https://thejohnnysau.bandcamp.com/album/rarehide-outtakes-b-sides-and-rarities](https://thejohnnysau.bandcamp.com/album/rarehide-outtakes-b-sides-and-rarities) **The Johnnys play three shows with The Reverend Horton Heat this weekend!** Fri Nov 13 - The Factory, Sydney - [tix](https://us.list-manage.com/JXfk7mGPYOW?e=3758bcc5db&c2id=d8fc69bf59de4d11215c8d6988e0877f) Sat Nov 14 - Croxton, Melbourne - [tix](https://us.list-manage.com/KdYPSSWDvea?e=3758bcc5db&c2id=d8fc69bf59de4d11215c8d6988e0877f) Sun Nov 15 - Theatre Royal, Castlemaine - [tix ](https://us.list-manage.com/fbk6Pr9EGWP?e=3758bcc5db&c2id=d8fc69bf59de4d11215c8d6988e0877f) **THE JOHNNYS...** **The Johnnys** were one of the most influential yet unsung Australian bands of the '80s; a GREAT rock'n'roll band with an energy and humour perfectly suited to the pub scene. While their cowboy schtick with what everybody first noticed, it was the quality of their songs that stuck, and what has ensured the band a thriving legacy.  In addition to all that, they had a surprising number of connections to other artists.  They were formed in 1982 in Sydney by guitarist** Rod Radalj**, who previously a founding member of both **the Scientists** and **Hoodoo Gurus** after he quit the Gurus, and bassplayer **Graham 'Hoody' Hood** after he left **the Allnighters**. They were soon joined by **Spencer P Jones**, who became co-frontman with Hoody after Rod quit. Not long after joining the Johnnys, Spencer, together with drummer **Billy Pommer Jr**, became accidental members of legendary Los Angeles punk blues band **the Gun Club **when half of the Gun Club quit at LA airport. Spencer and Billy played the Gun Club's entire Australian tour.    Shortly thereafter, Spencer also became a founding member of **the Beasts of Bourbon**; he and **Tex Perkins** were the only constants in that band until Spencer's passing in 2018. Spencer had previously worked with **Paul Kelly**, and PK gifted the band his song **"White Train" **(he later took it back and recorded it on** "Gossip"**) and co-wrote with them the future single** "Bleeding Heart"**. After **Rod Radalj** quit, having only recorded one single with the band, he was replaced by **Paul "Slim" Doherty**, a barman at the band's favourite Melbourne pub - and iconic rock'n'roll venue - **the Tote**. (Indeed, Slim's family owned the Tote at the time). After a couple of singles on **Regular **and **Green **Records, **the Johnnys** signed to **Mushroom**, where their singles and two albums (including their Top 20 debut album ***Highlights of a Dangerous Life***) were produced by **Ross Wilson**. When they supported **Neil Young **on an Australian tour in 1985, Young loved the band and famously said that whatever it was they had, they should **"bottle it"**. Originally splitting in 1990 not long after a tour of Europe, **the Johnnys **reformed sporadically until the current three-piece line-up formed to play a benefit for the ailing Jones in 2016. With Spencer's blessings the band decided to keep going, and they haven't looked back since. Sadly, the band's plans to record with legendary (and toothy) Aussie C&W singer **Chad Morgan **came to naught before Morgan passed in 2025. ![The Johnnys' Rarehide vinyl record album featuring olive-green disc and cover art with band imagery and text.](https://media.onyourmarkus.au/admin/2026/11/b9895ca7-de9f-4bd1-a9a3-fa5152f8ac85.jpg) **[Join The Johnnys on Facebook](https://us.list-manage.com/4S5qVB6lyvW?e=3758bcc5db&c2id=d8fc69bf59de4d11215c8d6988e0877f)** **[www.cheersquad.com.au](http://www.cheersquad.com.au)** **[cheersquadrecordstapes. ](https://us.list-manage.com/KkhNr3phYNo?e=3758bcc5db&c2id=d8fc69bf59de4d11215c8d6988e0877f)****[bandcamp.com](http://bandcamp.com)** **[www.facebook.com/CheersquadRecordsTapesMGMT](http://www.facebook.com/CheersquadRecordsTapesMGMT)** **[www.instagram.com/cheersquadrecords/](http://www.instagram.com/cheersquadrecords/)** **[twitter.com/wally_kempton](http://twitter.com/wally_kempton)** **[www.youtube.com/channel/UCnjniTJZiFfmw8JlsLZU7Bg](http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnjniTJZiFfmw8JlsLZU7Bg)** **[soundcloud.com/cheersquadrecordsandtapes/](http://soundcloud.com/cheersquadrecordsandtapes/)**