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
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?)
ORDER RAREHIDE: OUT TAKES, B-SIDE AND RARITIES NOW!
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
Sat Nov 14 - Croxton, Melbourne - tix
Sun Nov 15 - Theatre Royal, Castlemaine - tix
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.
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