Spurs For Jesus
Encyclopedia
Spurs For Jesus are a Sydney
, Australia
Alternative country
/cowpunk
band with elements of satire
. They started out as a covers band but have progressed gradually to a healthy proportion of originals.
The genesis of Spurs, as they are known to fans, was when a group of old school friends played a private party at the Agincourt Hotel in Sydney in December 1994. The band started playing regular gigs about April 1995, primarily around the Sydney suburb of Newtown
at such venues as the Sandringham Hotel and Warren View Hotel. Influenced by Jason & the Scorchers
and The Johnnys, their original set-list consisted entirely of high energy cover-versions, sometimes of bland pop and country hits.
The band have for many years played annual shows at the Annandale
Hotel in Sydney on ANZAC Day
, National Rugby League
Grand Final
day, and on Christmas Eve
.
Whilst primarily playing in Sydney, Spurs have also played gigs in Melbourne
and Brisbane
, and regional areas in between, including the Tamworth Country Music Festival
. They have supported the likes of The Flying Burrito Brothers
, Tony Joe White
, The Supersuckers
, Southern Culture on the Skids
, The Johnnys & in 2003 they embarked on an East Coast tour as backing band for Jason Ringenberg
of Nashville
legends Jason & the Scorchers
.
, and Shivers, written by Rowland S. Howard
, originally performed by The Boys Next Door
(Nick Cave
, Rowland S. Howard
, Mick Harvey
, Tracy Pew
, Phill Calvert
), on a couple of low profile compilations.
In 2000 the band released an EP Repenthouse containing a mixture of originals like This Aint No Place For a Lady,(But You Look Right at Home), with covers such as Drugstore Truck Drivin' Man, by Gram Parsons
, and The Gambler
, by Kenny Rogers
.
In 2006 they released their first full length CD of all originals, Dark Side of the Saloon on Nonzero Records
.
Past members have included Con Voy (Con Shacallis), Sonny Courtyard (David Keys),Bruce Highway (Richard Anderson), Chuck Wagon (Robbie Cove) and Ranger Tex Message (Steve Wood).
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
Alternative country
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
/cowpunk
Cowpunk
Cowpunk or Country punk is a subgenre of punk rock and New Wave that began in the UK and California in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It combines punk rock or New Wave with country music, folk music, and blues in sound, subject matter, attitude, and style...
band with elements of satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
. They started out as a covers band but have progressed gradually to a healthy proportion of originals.
The genesis of Spurs, as they are known to fans, was when a group of old school friends played a private party at the Agincourt Hotel in Sydney in December 1994. The band started playing regular gigs about April 1995, primarily around the Sydney suburb of Newtown
Newtown, New South Wales
Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west is located approximately four kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, straddling the local government areas of the City of Sydney and Marrickville Council in the state of New South Wales, Australia....
at such venues as the Sandringham Hotel and Warren View Hotel. Influenced by Jason & the Scorchers
Jason & the Scorchers
Jason & the Scorchers, originally Jason & the Nashville Scorchers, are a Cowpunk / Country rock band formed in 1981 and led by singer/songwriter Jason Ringenberg....
and The Johnnys, their original set-list consisted entirely of high energy cover-versions, sometimes of bland pop and country hits.
The band have for many years played annual shows at the Annandale
Annandale, New South Wales
Annandale is a suburb of Inner West Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Annandale is located within 3-5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt. Annandale's northern end lies on Rozelle Bay,...
Hotel in Sydney on ANZAC Day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
, National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
Grand Final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
day, and on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
.
Whilst primarily playing in Sydney, Spurs have also played gigs in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, and regional areas in between, including the Tamworth Country Music Festival
Tamworth Country Music Festival
The Tamworth Country Music Festival is an annual music festival held in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia and is a celebration of Australian country music culture and heritage. The festival lasts for two weeks during late January and during this period the city of Tamworth comes alive, with...
. They have supported the likes of The Flying Burrito Brothers
The Flying Burrito Brothers
The Flying Burrito Brothers was an early country rock band, best known for its influential debut album,The Gilded Palace of Sin . Although the group is most often mentioned in connection with country rock legends Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman, the group underwent many personnel changes.-Original...
, Tony Joe White
Tony Joe White
Tony Joe White is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known for his 1969 hit "Polk Salad Annie"; "Rainy Night in Georgia", which he wrote but was first made popular by Brook Benton in 1970; and "Steamy Windows", a hit for Tina Turner in 1989...
, The Supersuckers
The Supersuckers
Supersuckers are an American rock band. They are the self-proclaimed "Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World." Following the relative success of their 1997 foray into country music with the release of Must've Been High, they have also been known to play country shows under various names,...
, Southern Culture on the Skids
Southern Culture on the Skids
Southern Culture on the Skids, also sometimes known as SCOTS, is an American rock band that was formed in 1983 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina...
, The Johnnys & in 2003 they embarked on an East Coast tour as backing band for Jason Ringenberg
Jason Ringenberg
Jason Ringenberg is an American musician, and lead singer of Jason & the Scorchers. He is also a songwriter and guitarist....
of Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
legends Jason & the Scorchers
Jason & the Scorchers
Jason & the Scorchers, originally Jason & the Nashville Scorchers, are a Cowpunk / Country rock band formed in 1981 and led by singer/songwriter Jason Ringenberg....
.
Recorded History
Prior to the band's first release under their own name, Spurs had covers of On The Inside, the theme from PrisonerPrisoner (TV series)
Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera which was set in the Wentworth Detention Centre, a fictional women's prison. The series was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation and ran on Network Ten for 692 episodes from 27 February 1979 to 11 December 1986.The series was inspired by the 1970s...
, and Shivers, written by Rowland S. Howard
Rowland S. Howard
Rowland Stuart Howard was an Australian rock musician, guitarist and songwriter, he played electric guitar in the post-punk group The Birthday Party. Howard died of liver cancer in December 2009, aged 50 years....
, originally performed by The Boys Next Door
The Birthday Party (band)
The Birthday Party were an Australian rock band, active from 1973 to 1983.Despite being championed by John Peel, The Birthday Party found little commercial success during their career...
(Nick Cave
Nick Cave
Nicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
, Rowland S. Howard
Rowland S. Howard
Rowland Stuart Howard was an Australian rock musician, guitarist and songwriter, he played electric guitar in the post-punk group The Birthday Party. Howard died of liver cancer in December 2009, aged 50 years....
, Mick Harvey
Mick Harvey
Michael John Harvey , is an Australian rock musician, composer, arranger and record producer. He is best known for his long-time collaboration with the singer and songwriter Nick Cave...
, Tracy Pew
Tracy Pew
Tracy Pew was an Australian musician, best known as the bass player for The Birthday Party.Born in Australia, Pew moved with his family to New Zealand in 1959, returning in May 1964...
, Phill Calvert
Phill Calvert
Phill Calvert is an Australian rock drummer and producer best known for his playing in the influential post-punk band The Birthday Party with Nick Cave. His playing with the Birthday Party was noted for its use of tom-toms...
), on a couple of low profile compilations.
In 2000 the band released an EP Repenthouse containing a mixture of originals like This Aint No Place For a Lady,(But You Look Right at Home), with covers such as Drugstore Truck Drivin' Man, by Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Parsons is best known for his work within the country genre; he also mixed blues, folk, and rock to create what he called "Cosmic American Music"...
, and The Gambler
The Gambler (song)
"The Gambler" is the title of a song written by Don Schlitz and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Rogers. It was released in November 1978 as the title track from his album The Gambler which won him the Grammy award for best male country vocal performance in 1980. Bobby Bare had...
, by Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
.
In 2006 they released their first full length CD of all originals, Dark Side of the Saloon on Nonzero Records
Nonzero Records
Nonzero Records is an independent record label based in Sydney, Australia, dedicated to supporting the Sydney independent music scene and select overseas artists...
.
Group Members
- Rev KD Twang (Kane Dyson) - vocals
- Mr Spatsy Cline (Matt Allison ex Slaters, Finkers) - guitar
- El Moose Morricone (Martin Martini ex The TrilobitesThe TrilobitesThe Trilobites were an Australian power pop/rock band formed in Sydney in June, 1984. Original Trilobites were: Mike Dalton on vocals, Scott Leighton on bass guitar, Martin Martini & Paul Skates on guitars and Paul Styman on drums. Their first two singles, "Venus in Leather"' and "American TV"...
, The Upsets) - guitar - Miss Dirt Track Daisy (Michelle Ker ex Rum Babas, Booby Traps) - drums
- Slim Tablets (Michael Couvret ex Lime Spiders, Celibate Rifles) - bass
Past members have included Con Voy (Con Shacallis), Sonny Courtyard (David Keys),Bruce Highway (Richard Anderson), Chuck Wagon (Robbie Cove) and Ranger Tex Message (Steve Wood).