Birdman and the rising tide of excitement

"Radio Birdman did it first, did it harder, and broke up sooner, than any other Australian band. They were too much too soon, and their legacy has been felt, through a slew of 80s pretenders right down to this day."

-- Alex Wheaton in Adelaide's dB Magazine.

With 10 days to go before I leave for SYDNEY, I have been listening to the legendary Sydney band, RADIO BIRDMAN. Formed in 1974, Radio Birdman produced a pair of brilliant albums, "Radios Appear" and "Living Eyes," before splintering into various other bands in 1978. Don't let the short tenure fool you: Radio Birdman combined raw American rock like the Stooges and the MC5 with surf instrumental music and a touch of the Rolling Stones to form the template that Aussie independent music would follow for years to come. Even today, there are bands that sound like they have worshiped at the hard-rockin' altar of Radio Birdman. I'm listening to Radio Birdman as I drive to several assignments today. Their exciting music matches the nervousness and excitement building within me as my Aussie trip nears.