Biography
Like an out-of-control piece of sky-lab, NUNBAIT hurled themselves onto the early 90's Sydney OZ indie scene and made their presence known with their full-tilt, no-holds-barred grunge-punk-psychedelic-noise rock band. First line up was Ivan Fraser (vocals), Shaun Butcher (guitar), Mark Guthrie (bass), and Jay Doherty (drums). Originally, Shaun, Mark and Ivan migrated down from Queensland and met up with Jay (who named the band after a nasty acid experience with a couple of christian flatmates) in Newtown, Sydney and NUNBAIT was born in 1989. Later in 1990, Matt Fante joined, replacing Jay on drums, and Newtown remained the band's much-beloved epicentre.
Musical influences ranged from the Birthday Party to Pink Floyd, but the sound was definitely more akin to underground American and European underground artists at the time (Helmet, Jesus Lizard , Killdozer, Sonic Youth, numerous Sub Pop bands etc.). The sound was a heady blend of Captain Beefheart swamp-ooze, pounding post-rock bass that could also deviate into soaring psych lead lines, a phenomenal drum assault from Fante, and vocals swinging between wry Mark E. Smith-ian asides and David Yowian yelps. It was a sound that was pretty unforgiving but could lift you up and let you swirl in the clouds with twisted-aural delight then suddenly slam you face first into a cow pat. Lovely. They recorded a handful of albums and EPs including "The Hub" (Waterfront), "Spinout" (Survival) and "Busted" (Full Length Album) on Cousin Creep's Hippy Knight Records. Their two singles were "Blow Me Away" (on their own Masterbait label, financed by Marek Urbanski) and "Nowhere Fast" on Waterfront, (produced by Jack Endido (Sub Pop) and Mark Arm from Mudhoney). A shared EP, "Fresh From The Womb" by Magnet Promotions, included songs by Tumbleweed, Crow and Swirl.
NUNBAIT had a reputation as a great live act in Sydney at the time, with a keen following particularly around Newcastle and Wollongong and down in Victoria in Melbourne (where they toured eight times)and Geelong. In fact the band on a good night could be an exhillarating experience, and their sound was seldom captured to the members' satisfaction in the studio. It was on stage where the band really shone, and they enjoyed numerous cathartic performaces in several Sydney venues (some sadly defunct nowadays) including the Landsdowne, Hopetown, Sandringham and Annandale Hotels. They also played once each in Canberra and Adelaide, entertained an empty bar in Toowoomba, and produced a couple of legendary spectacles in small clubs in Brisbane.
Grunge broke in the US just as NUNBAIT were peaking; they toured with their heroes Mudhoney, opened for Nirvana, and supported the Butthole Surfers, Einsturzen Neubarten, Beasts of Burbon, Tumbleweed, the Celebate Rifles, Fugazi and the Cosmic Psychos (to name a few), and played regular shows up and down the east coast of Australia. They disbanded after 200 gigs with a final show with their friends Tumbleweed at Wooloongong Uni in 1993, before Ivan took off for his dream pilgrimage to the USA. Shaun continues to play and tour with country-rock band the Re-Mains.
NEWSFLASH: NUNBAIT reformed and began rehearsing again in early 2010 in preparation for their first show in 16 years, at Monster Sessions II on March 13, 2010, at the Manning Bar, Sydney University. Further shows are currently being organised.
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