Image: Dave ForcierI first saw GELD – where many people first come across new punk bands in Melbourne – in the front bar of the Tote. As they were setting up for a Saturday afternoon gig, I recognised members from other local punk bands including Soma Coma, Kromosom, Power and Gentlemen, but wasn’t quite expecting the sheer manic power that ripped through the bar when they launched into their first song.By the second song I was thinking it sounded like something Cleveland’s H-100s would come up with if they’d move to Tokyo in the mid 90s, gone on a three-day conbini sake binge and then jumped on stage at a Burning Spirits show.By their third song my beer had been knocked from my hand.The four-piece’s demo quickly sold out but has just been ‘reissued’ through Space Ritual. Take a listen below and read a chat with the guitarist Cormy.Noisey: Is that some trademarked Gutter Gods flange on the guitar?
Cormy: Okay, now is as good a time as ever to come clean on this one… soon after moving to Melbourne I borrowed all these deadly vintage pedals from my ex-housemate. It's a mix of old flanges, choruses and reverbs. She was gonna do a noise thing. Then she moved to Peru. Sarah, if you want your pedals back, I'll give you $40. Final offer.The demo was recorded by Adam Richie of Grotto and other assorted bands. Did you give him a brief? If so did it contain anything more than the words RAW and LOUD?
Recording with Adam was class. We've got probably 100 recording sessions under our collective belts and this was the best ever. A lot of lads/girls who record bands are reluctant to push the levels, generally being from the school of "pretend you're doing what the band asks but actually make it sound like U2". Adam Richie is a poppers-head sexmaniac with bad tinnitus so he's willing to go RAW and LOUD. We didn't give him a brief.One song is called “Pump Room”. How many of you pump?
Oh we all pump, baby. Pump 'em, dump 'em and chump 'em. That's the GELD motto. We're also anti-vaccine. Down in the dumps? Give 'em the mumps.The tape is getting ‘reissued’ on Space Ritual? How much is the original selling for on Discogs?
The original was available only by wager since that was our Cool Thing. We got unexpectedly paid for our first gig at Maggot Fest so we bet it all on fights. It was glorious. We grew spectacularly wealthy in a matter of months through a series of preposterous parlays. Maggot via Ladbrokes financed us to record some tunes, make some tapes, fly to Brisbane and blow the rest on magic beans at Total Attack Fest. We crossed back over the poverty line but we were addicted to the high-flyin' lifestyle so we decided the demo was only available by making a preposterous wager with us. Not sure how many actually went that way but if you paid actual $$$ you got chump-pumped.What you have you got coming up?
We're going to bet the farm on McGregor-Diaz III.GELD tape is available now from Space Ritual.Catch GELD in Melbourne Sept 4 at Bar Open with Priors and TOL
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Cormy: Okay, now is as good a time as ever to come clean on this one… soon after moving to Melbourne I borrowed all these deadly vintage pedals from my ex-housemate. It's a mix of old flanges, choruses and reverbs. She was gonna do a noise thing. Then she moved to Peru. Sarah, if you want your pedals back, I'll give you $40. Final offer.The demo was recorded by Adam Richie of Grotto and other assorted bands. Did you give him a brief? If so did it contain anything more than the words RAW and LOUD?
Recording with Adam was class. We've got probably 100 recording sessions under our collective belts and this was the best ever. A lot of lads/girls who record bands are reluctant to push the levels, generally being from the school of "pretend you're doing what the band asks but actually make it sound like U2". Adam Richie is a poppers-head sexmaniac with bad tinnitus so he's willing to go RAW and LOUD. We didn't give him a brief.
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Oh we all pump, baby. Pump 'em, dump 'em and chump 'em. That's the GELD motto. We're also anti-vaccine. Down in the dumps? Give 'em the mumps.The tape is getting ‘reissued’ on Space Ritual? How much is the original selling for on Discogs?
The original was available only by wager since that was our Cool Thing. We got unexpectedly paid for our first gig at Maggot Fest so we bet it all on fights. It was glorious. We grew spectacularly wealthy in a matter of months through a series of preposterous parlays. Maggot via Ladbrokes financed us to record some tunes, make some tapes, fly to Brisbane and blow the rest on magic beans at Total Attack Fest. We crossed back over the poverty line but we were addicted to the high-flyin' lifestyle so we decided the demo was only available by making a preposterous wager with us. Not sure how many actually went that way but if you paid actual $$$ you got chump-pumped.What you have you got coming up?
We're going to bet the farm on McGregor-Diaz III.GELD tape is available now from Space Ritual.Catch GELD in Melbourne Sept 4 at Bar Open with Priors and TOL