Cosmic Psychos

Punk rock band

Melbourne, Australia-based punk rock band Cosmic Psychos became known for their hard-drinking, rowdy behavior and vulgar lyrics. Although they never received widespread international recognition, they became an important influence on the grunge scene in Seattle in the 1990s, and also influenced both Ma-honey and Pearl Jam. Their sound is simple, with repetitive lyrics, fuzzy bass, and wah-wah guitar.

The band began in 1982 under the name Spring Plains. The four-piece band performed until 1985, when members Bill Walsh and Peter Jones fired their singer and asked bassist Peter Knight to form a new band with them. Thus the Cosmic Psychos were born. Their first recording was an EP, Down on the Farm, and it was followed by a self-titled debut album in 1987.

"A Real Fuzzed-Out Sound"

In 1989 the Cosmic Psychos released Go the Hack, which received widespread attention and distribution outside Australia. In 1990 they released Slave to the Crave, a live album that showcased the energy of their live shows and included material from all three of their earlier albums. Soon after this release, however, guitarist Peter Jones left the group. He was replaced by Robbie Watts.

Next the band traveled to the United States to record their fourth album, Blokes You Can Trust, with well-known producer Butch Vig. Their next release was an EP, Palomino Pizza, which had three new tracks and three covers of Australian pub classics.

In 1995 the Cosmic Psychos released Self Totaled. This album had a notably fuzzy sound, so much so that Bill Walsh told an interviewer in Cousin Creep, "People who listen to it have said, 'Is there something wrong with the speakers?'" He added, "It's got a real fuzzed out sound which I really like actually. I think that when you see the band live we are very fuzzy." He explained that the album's producer, Lindsay Gravina, intentionally caught the fuzzy sound. The cover of the album, which featured the band disguised as old men, was nominated for an ARIA award. Walsh told Cousin Creep that if the band ever actually won such an award, "I think it would spell the end of the band." He added, "When you're considered serious in that sense then there are a huge new set of expectations on a band."

Self Totalled was followed in 1997 by Oh What a Lovely Pie. According to the Cosmic Psychos' website, this album "has become known as the Psychos' greatest record to date." One track, "Chainsaw," was picked up by an Australian serial-killer sitcom and used for its theme song.

A long studio hiatus followed, during which the band toured and played. They were offered $150,000 to sign with Sony, but refused. They learned quite a bit about working with a major label when they played with the American band Pearl Jam in a concert in Canberra. In Cousin Creep, Bill Walsh explained why the band was so adamantly opposed to signing with a big label: "You just don't have a life. You end up having to erect a ten foot high brick fence around your house to keep people out." He added, "I'm quite happy for the Cosmic Psychos to go on in their Cosmic Psychos way."

After nine years outside the studio, the band came back in 2006 to record Off Ya Cruet!, described by Australian Music Online as "10 tracks of balls-out and grunged-up punk rock equipped with a chip on the shoulder and a healthy thirst for amber ale." On the website for Australian radio station PBS 106.7 FM, Steven Rhall wrote that the album showed a certain maturity that had been lacking in the band's earlier work: "This album is more varied than what I'm used to, with each song having some quality that is unto itself. It is almost as if the band's influences have come through and mixed it up with their own style."

A Big Loss

After the release of Off Ya Cruet!, guitarist Robbie Watts was found dead in a friend's kitchen in Bendigo, Australia, the morning after a show. In an obituary in Undercover, Andrew Tijs wrote that in contrast to the rowdy image of the band, Watts was "a quiet and gentle man, a respected rocker and well-loved father." He was also an accomplished banjo player and often played to entertain fans outside Melbourne soccer games. He had four children: Rani, Billy, Dan, and Lily, and was 47 years old at the time of his death. The band had been touring to promote Off Ya Cruet, but canceled all remaining tour dates after this.

After Watts's death, Dean Muller took his place in the lineup. In an interview in Australian Music Online, Muller described his job: "There are no challenges involved in writing and recording, it's easy! Can't understand why people think it's so hard to write and record songs…. It's paying for it or finding someone to release the product that is the hard part." Muller also commented on the band's loyalty to Australia and said the worst thing about the Australian music industry was Australian bands "that pretend they are too good for this joint and … moan about breaking into the overseas markets."

Bill Walsh summed up the band's achievements and goals to Cousin Creep: "We are beginning to be credited by people for having some kind of impact on our musical peers or whatever…. I just hope we continue to do things that younger people kind of like, and tell us their parents are really irritated by us when they play the records at home."

Selected discography

Down on the Farm (EP), Mr. Spaceman, 1985.
Cosmic Psychos, Mr. Spaceman, 1987.
Go the Hack, Megadisc/Normal Records, 1989.
Slave to the Crave, Normal Records, 1990.
Blokes You Can Trust, Amphetamine Reptile, 1991.
Palomino Pizza (EP), Amphetamine Reptile, 1993.
Self Totalled, Amphetamine Reptile, 1995.
Oh What a Lovely Pie, Amphetamine Reptile, 1997.
15 Years—A Million Beers, Dropkick Records, 2000.
Off Ya Cruet!, Shock, 2006.

For the Record …

Members include Peter Jones (guitar, vocals; left group in 1990), Ross Knight (bass, vocals), Dean Muller (joined group, 2006); Bill Walsh (drums, vocals), Robbie Watts (joined group in 1990; died in 2006).

Group formed in 1985; released Down on the Farm, 1985; released Cosmic Psychos, 1987; released Go the Hack, 1989; released Slave to the Crave, 1990; Blokes You Can Trust, 1991; released Palomino Pizza, 1993; released Self Totalled, 1995; released Oh What a Lovely Pie, 1997; 15 Years—A Million Beers, 2000; released Off Ya Cruet!, 2006.

Addresses: Office—Cosmic Psychos, P.O. Box 158, Albert Park, Vic 3206, Australia.

Sources

Online

"Cosmic Psychos," Australian Music Online, http://www.amo.org.au/artist.asp?id=1413; http://www.amo.org.au/qa_interview.asp?id=1142 (November 13, 2006).

"Cosmic Psychos: Bill Walsh," Cousin Creep, http://www.cousincreep.com/cosmic.htm (November 14, 2006).

"Cosmic Psychos Guitarist Robbie Watts Dies," Undercover, http://www.undercover.com.au/news/2006/jul06/20060703_cosmicpsychos.html (October 23, 2006).

Cosmic Psychos Official Website, http://www.cosmicpsychos.com/ (October 23, 2006).

"Cosmic Psychos: Off Ya Cruet!," PBS FM Website, http://www.pbsfm.org.au/ (October 23, 2006).