Sydney’s Greta Mob are picking up some great gigs at the moment (Beasts of Bourbon) and building some buzz around their music which is built on a visceral mix of Australian swamp rock and dirty post punk blues. We recently caught up with drummer Luke Millar who plugged in the memory card for Sonic Kicks and took a look at some of the albums that shaped him musically. Check out a recording of Greta Mob’s epic 10 minute The Vengeful Narodnik at the end of the post.

The first album I bought – The Offspring | Americana

The first album I ever bought was in the form of a cassette. It was Americana by The Offspring from a two dollar shop in Wangaratta called Crazy Clints. I vividly remember standing in the checkout queue after spending about half an hour kicking footballs around whilst waiting for my mum to finish shopping. I was about 8 years old at the time and being the little shit I was, I nagged mum until she bought it.

The album that soundtracked a relationship – J Dilla | Heroin Joint

Due to me failing miserably on the relationship front, I actually don’t have an album that has soundtracked a relationship. However, freakishly in the last few months I’ve found myself a girl who loves hip-hop and beat driven music. She pointed me in the direction of Mr J Dilla which has been a mind blowing experience. As Heroin Joint was the first song she showed me by Dilla, I can’t help but think about that moment when I hear it… as lame as that sounds. Check it out!

The album that inspired me to form a band – Tool | Undertow

Rhyece and my older brother used to play in a high school band together called Iron Turpie which was comically named after the Australian actor Ian Turpie. They used to rehearse at our house and when they’d have a break I’d sneak into the shed and start bashing the drums and cranking the guitars that were still set up. So that was probably what inspired me to start playing music. However, my brother and his friends used to play a lot of Tool around the house at that point so I’d say Undertow by Tool was very influential at that point.

The album that reminds me of my high school years – Rage Against The Machine | The Battle of Los Angeles

Every single day after school without fail, my best friend and I used to watch The Battle Of Mexico City by Rage Against The Machine. We were about fourteen at the time and both had a stupendous amount of energy. We basically just head banged and drank coca cola for an hour until it finished. So yeah, I’d say The Battle Of Los Angeles by Rage.

The album I’d love to hear live and played in full – David Bowie | Low

This is probably the toughest question, but the more I think about it, it’d probably have to be Low by David Bowie. Speed of Life… What a way to open up an album!!

My favourite album cover art – Herbie Hancock | Headhunters

Headhunters by Herbie Hancock is the first funk album I ever bought, and still to this day is one of my favourite album covers. So Headhunters.

My guilty pleasure album – Snoop Doggy Dogg | Doggysstyle

Hmmm, probably Nickleback’s The Long Road… Just tricking, I’m low, but not that low. I’d probably have to say Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle. Now let me explain, yes the lyrics are quite filthy and sexist but gee there’s some fat ass beats on that album. That’s how I like to justify it anyway 🙂

An album I loved but now have no idea why I bought it – Hillsong | Celebrate Jesus Celebrate

Back in the day when I was a Pentecostal church goer, I bought an album by Hillsong. I can’t remember what the album was called, but one thing I do know is that Celebrate Jesus Celebrate was on it. Just listening to this truly made me feel uneasy. Sorry Jesus, but I just repented of all my sins, which means you’ve now forgiven me. Cheers!

The last album I bought – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | Push The Sky Away

I heard it at work for the first time a couple of months ago and after spending the train ride home with Jubilee Street stuck in my head I just had to buy it. Killer!

Upcoming Shows

Sunday 1st September w/ Spencer P Jones @ Lyrebird Lounge, Ripponlea

Thursday 5th September w/ Dead River, The Deep End, Smoke Stack Rhino @ The Espy, front bar, St Kilda

Thursday 26th September – The Bank Hotel, Newtown (solo headline show)

Friday 27th September – w/ Swervedriver, Charlie Horse @ Metro Theatre

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