New Race
Encyclopedia
New Race was a punk
/proto-punk super-group based in Sydney
, Australia
formed in April 1981
. New Race was a concept band featuring three members of Radio Birdman
: Deniz Tek
, Rob Younger
, and Warwick Gilbert, along with their inspirational mentors: Ron Asheton
of The Stooges
, and Dennis "Machine Gun" Thompson
of the MC5
.
New Race played one tour of the East Coast of Australia which consisted of 16 shows. Many of these shows were recorded in anticipation of a live album at the end of the tour, and it was these recordings which formed the band's only "official" album, The First and Last
. There are two quality "bootleg" albums, also from these recordings, released on French label, Revenge Records. The three albums include Radio Birdman
originals, songs from the MC5
and The Stooges
as well as songs from Deniz Tek
's post Birdman band, The Visitors
and Asheton's post Stooges band, Destroy All Monsters
along with one original song, "Columbia", credited to the entire band.
At the conclusion of the tour both Ron Asheton and Dennis Thompson returned to the United States to pursue new musical avenues.
Additional Members
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
/proto-punk super-group based in Sydney
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...
formed in April 1981
1981 in music
See also:* Timeline of musical eventsThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1981.-January–April:*January 10 – A revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadway's Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith.*January 24 –...
. New Race was a concept band featuring three members of Radio Birdman
Radio Birdman
Radio Birdman was one of the first punk bands in Australia along with The Saints. Deniz Tek and Rob Younger formed the group in Sydney, Australia in 1974...
: Deniz Tek
Deniz Tek
Deniz Tek is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter and a founding member of Australian group Radio Birdman who broke up, for the last time, after their last European tour in 2007...
, Rob Younger
Rob Younger
Rob Younger is an Australian rock musician, vocalist and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the influential Sydney-based punk rock group Radio Birdman, which formed in 1974. After the Radio Birdman break-up, Younger joined the super-group, New Race, who were active in 1981...
, and Warwick Gilbert, along with their inspirational mentors: Ron Asheton
Ron Asheton
Ronald Frank Asheton was an American guitarist and co-songwriter with Iggy Pop for the rock band The Stooges.Asheton is ranked as number 29 on Rolling Stones list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time....
of The Stooges
The Stooges
The Stooges are an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003...
, and Dennis "Machine Gun" Thompson
Dennis Thompson (drummer)
Dennis Thompson is the drummer with the 1960s/1970s Detroit proto-punk/hard rock group MC5, which had a #82 US single with "Kick Out The Jams" and a #30 US album with the same name....
of the MC5
MC5
The MC5 is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan and originally active from 1964 to 1972. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson...
.
New Race played one tour of the East Coast of Australia which consisted of 16 shows. Many of these shows were recorded in anticipation of a live album at the end of the tour, and it was these recordings which formed the band's only "official" album, The First and Last
The First and Last
The First and Last is a live album released by the "once-only" supergroup band New Race. The First and Last is a collection of recordings from the various shows the band played along the East Coast of Australia in 1981...
. There are two quality "bootleg" albums, also from these recordings, released on French label, Revenge Records. The three albums include Radio Birdman
Radio Birdman
Radio Birdman was one of the first punk bands in Australia along with The Saints. Deniz Tek and Rob Younger formed the group in Sydney, Australia in 1974...
originals, songs from the MC5
MC5
The MC5 is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan and originally active from 1964 to 1972. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson...
and The Stooges
The Stooges
The Stooges are an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003...
as well as songs from Deniz Tek
Deniz Tek
Deniz Tek is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter and a founding member of Australian group Radio Birdman who broke up, for the last time, after their last European tour in 2007...
's post Birdman band, The Visitors
The Visitors (band)
The Visitors were an Australian rock band formed in 1978 after the breakup of popular punk band Radio Birdman. The songs were written by Deniz Tek but unlike many other Tek bands, Tek did not sing vocals in The Visitors. Instead the vocals were sung by long time friend of the band Mark Sisto...
and Asheton's post Stooges band, Destroy All Monsters
Destroy All Monsters (band)
Destroy All Monsters were an influential Detroit band existing from 1973 to 1985, with sporadic performances since. Their music touched on elements of punk rock, psychedelic, heavy metal music and noise rock with a heavy dose of performance art. Their name likely came from the Godzilla film Destroy...
along with one original song, "Columbia", credited to the entire band.
At the conclusion of the tour both Ron Asheton and Dennis Thompson returned to the United States to pursue new musical avenues.
Personnel
Primary Members- Rob YoungerRob YoungerRob Younger is an Australian rock musician, vocalist and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the influential Sydney-based punk rock group Radio Birdman, which formed in 1974. After the Radio Birdman break-up, Younger joined the super-group, New Race, who were active in 1981...
: Lead Vocals - Ron AshetonRon AshetonRonald Frank Asheton was an American guitarist and co-songwriter with Iggy Pop for the rock band The Stooges.Asheton is ranked as number 29 on Rolling Stones list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time....
: Lead Guitar - Deniz TekDeniz TekDeniz Tek is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter and a founding member of Australian group Radio Birdman who broke up, for the last time, after their last European tour in 2007...
: Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals - Warwick Gilbert: Bass
- Dennis ThompsonDennis Thompson (drummer)Dennis Thompson is the drummer with the 1960s/1970s Detroit proto-punk/hard rock group MC5, which had a #82 US single with "Kick Out The Jams" and a #30 US album with the same name....
: Drums, Backing Vocals
Additional Members
- Chris MasuakChris MasuakChris Masuak is a Canadian-born Australian rock musician, guitarist and songwriter. He is as a member of the influential Sydney-based punk rock group Radio Birdman, which formed in 1974, and for his other outfits The Hitmen, and The Screaming Tribesmen...
: Third Lead Guitar (played some shows on the songs "Looking At You" & "Columbia") - Clyde Bramley: Studio dubbed-in Backing Vocals (on some songs on "The First And The Last" album)
Discography
| Title | Release |
| The First and Last The First and Last The First and Last is a live album released by the "once-only" supergroup band New Race. The First and Last is a collection of recordings from the various shows the band played along the East Coast of Australia in 1981... (Vinyl LP) |
1982 1982 in music This is a list of notable events in music from 1982. 1982 was a big year in music with Madonna making her debut as well as the year that Michael Jackson released Thriller which became the world's best selling album and it still holds that title today.... |
| The First and Last The First and Last The First and Last is a live album released by the "once-only" supergroup band New Race. The First and Last is a collection of recordings from the various shows the band played along the East Coast of Australia in 1981... (German Pressing Vinyl LP) |
1983 1983 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1983.-January-April:*January – ZTT Records is founded.*January 8 – The UK singles chart is tabulated from this week forward by The Gallup Organization... |
| Crying Sun/Gotta Keep Movin (Vinyl Single) | 1983 1983 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1983.-January-April:*January – ZTT Records is founded.*January 8 – The UK singles chart is tabulated from this week forward by The Gallup Organization... |
| The First and Last The First and Last The First and Last is a live album released by the "once-only" supergroup band New Race. The First and Last is a collection of recordings from the various shows the band played along the East Coast of Australia in 1981... (UK Version Vinyl LP) |
1983 1983 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1983.-January-April:*January – ZTT Records is founded.*January 8 – The UK singles chart is tabulated from this week forward by The Gallup Organization... |
| The First To Pay (Vinyl LP and CD) | 1989 1989 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989.-Events:*January 14 – Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in the USSR... |
| Hail Columbia 45 (Green Vinyl Single only 1000 copies pressed) | 1989 1989 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989.-Events:*January 14 – Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in the USSR... |
| The Second Wave (Vinyl LP and CD) | 1990 1910 in music -Events:*March 19 - Béla Bartók's String Quartet No. 1 is premiered in Budapest*June 25 - Igor Stravinsky's ballet, The Firebird, is premiered in Paris*September 12 - Gustav Mahler's Symphony No... |
| The First And Last Reissue (Vinyl LP and CD) | 1997 1997 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy... |
External links
- Dennis Thompson and Deniz Tek on the New Race
- Dennis Thompson Interview with Jarrod Dicker
- http://www.divinerites.com/b_newrac.htm
- http://www.answers.com/topic/new-race
- http://www.machinegunthompson.com
- http://www.alive-totalenergy.com/New%20Race.html
- http://perso.orange.fr/birdmanpage/newrace.htm