"I'm diggin' Muscle Car. The Motorhead end of The Hellacopters. What's not to like?"— Brad Shepherd, Hoodoo Gurus.
Formed in Adelaide in 1998, Muscle Car's hunger for real rock n roll was apparent as 4 guys with an interest in getting on stage and kicking out the jams joined forces to do exactly that.
Muscle Car's debut recording in 1999, a split 7" with Adelaide rock n rollers, The Gels, was a foot in the door for what was coming next. The band started playing anywhere and everywhere and gathering quite a following. The next release, "Sandra Sully" (2001), about Sydney's infamous news celebrity, achieved the band even more notice when Channel V took note of the band's ode to the lovely lass of late night news and promptly interviewed the band. A growing desire to release his very own tribte to The Hard-Ons, one of Damo's favourite bands of all time and the one reason that he started playing music to begin with, Muscle Car recorded the "Single As Usual" EP (2003). A power pop gem of 6 tracks including their cover of the New York Dolls "Looking For A Kiss". This EP also included the balltearing rocker "Hell Yeah, Let's Rock!" which featured special guest, Elea from Brisbane girl-punks Gazoonga Attack, on vocals and the video could be seen numerous times on ABCTV's "Rage".
In support of the "Single As Usual" EP, the South Australian Government gave the band money to go on tour around the country to showcase themselves to anyone and everyone who was prepared to listen. A successful tour also had the band on a high and to follow up the momentum, work was begun on a new release. This is what became the "Baby, Come On" EP (2004). The band continued to play and tour a lot more but the ever growing desire to move to the big city of Melbourne started playing on Damo's mind. "I felt I was stuck in Adelaide. I wasn't able to move further and I wanted so much more. I put it to the band, half were interested, half weren't. Then one thing led to another, personal issues got in the way and the band started falling apart. But I wasn't going to let that get in the way of creativity so I thought 'fuck it, I'm outta here' and made the move. I don't regret it all. Melbourne is a real home for rock 'n' roll. There's so many amazing bands and people here."
In December 2007, Damo made the long overdue move to Melbourne. Within weeks of arriving, he had put together a new line-up which rocks harder than ever before. "I met Riley through one of our old bass players, funnily enough" remembers Damo. "And Dave I've known for years as he used to come to our shows when we toured Melbourne. Matt was recommended to us by the first drummer the new line-up rehearsed with after he couldn't cut it. It all came together really quickly." Just 2 weeks after the line-up was together, Muscle Car found themselves in HeadGap studios laying down new tunes. "I like to move fast. get things done. I hate being stagnant which is what I was in Adelaide. hence the move" says Damo.
Now having completed a UK tour with fellow punk rock n rollers, The Hip-Priests and The Shadowcops, touring with The Wildhearts in Australia, and heading to the USA in 2010 for a nationwide tour, Muscle Car are here to stay. With 2 new songs out now on the 'Smash It Up' compilation released by Motherbox Records (click the link below) and a couple split 7"ers in the pipeline, and of course, an album, this is just a taster for what will be coming in 2010. Stay tuned for more rock n roll.
