Teargas

[phaffas]

just thought id post about a new young band ive recently become a massive fan of. Teargas are from Melbourne, Australia and are a very young band inspired by bon jovi, dokken, def leppard, van halen etc....

they have a 3 song ep out called "Crazy". it is brilliant! nice and heavy yet very melodic, a modern updated sound yet still remains firmly based in their roots. guitars are very cool, great solos..... the vocals are one of the best things on it! Al, the lead singer does a great job, and the backing vocals are very cool. hard rock which you just wanna sing along too.

they supported Brides of Destruction on their Australian tour and are to support Jeff Scott Soto soon also!

so i recommend to people to have a look at their site

 

www.teargas.com.au

 

and i think u can get the crazy cd quite cheaply from:

http://www.metalmayhem.com.au/

 

cheers!

[melodicrockoz]

I have also managed to catch this very young bunch of melodic rockers TEARGAS live on a few occasions and they can do no wrong!

 

Fans of melodic rock take notice, there is more to Australian melodic rock than just Jimmy Barnes, John Farnham & ofcourse the mighty Avion, here comes Teargas!

[phaffas]

i personally believe they are the best aussie band since roxus, bb steal and the early choirboys albums.

i dont understand why these guys arnt on the radio! there music is awesome radio friendly rock who both the old and new generation can listen to. if someone just gives them a chance i think they are big for the future! yet we still have to put up with crap down here, how the hell does Jet make it big??? give Teargas a few years and i hope they are huge, they are just getting to be known internationally known. and they a nice bunch of guys

 

enough of my craptalking for now

[Geoff]

Matt? Andre? Lindsay... Doggy? My Aussie buddies, why are you keeping me out the loop? Why'd no one tell me the guys have released a brand new EP???

 

I thought they were done, finished. Imagine my surprise when I pick up a copy of their brand new 2007 release EP 'A Dark Obsession' off the shelves today.

 

This is their myspace page... sh*t... I miss their gigs down here by one week:

 

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...riendID=4755120

 

The page isn't loading properly for me at work, but hopefully it has a few samples/details of this new EP. It's got 5 songs, and is a lot more metallic than the 'Crazy' EP. There are still a couple of songs like 'Why' and 'Envy' that still have that very melodic edge. The opening track 'Heart of Darkness' is killer. Huge riff, even some screams in it - very heavy for Teargas.

 

Anyway, any of you guys got this yet, or have you heard about it?

 

My biggest disappointment concerning all this? The fact that the collection of original songs I heard when Teargas opened for JSS 2 years ago will never see the light of day. Arguably the most tragic event in Australian music history... as these songs would have blown the melodic rock community apart.

[phaffas]

what the fek???

Geoff whered you get that? how much was it? any chance i can get you to get me a copy??

 

their first ep is one of the best cd's in my collection!!!

[Geoff]

For interest's sake, here's the line-up on the 'Crazy' EP:

 

Al Gammie – Lead Vocals

Kyle Ross – Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals

Andy Filmore – Guitars, Backing Vocals

Steve Cox – Bass

Nick Blatt – Drums

 

Here's the current line-up on the 'A Dark Obsession' EP:

 

Al Gammie – Lead Vocals

Kyle Ross – Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals

Josh Andrea - Bass

Luciano Alvaro - Drums

[Geoff]

what the fek???

Geoff whered you get that? how much was it? any chance i can get you to get me a copy??

 

their first ep is one of the best cd's in my collection!!!

Hey mate,

 

If I see another one I'll get it for you. I was just up in Dixons in Blackburn and I saw this on the shelf for aud$6.00. Only the one copy. I'll keep an eye out for any others.

[glam_junkie]

I knew this one was out, but don't have it yet.

Apparently it's a lot darker and heavier than their previous stuff, as is their image.

 

As with Geoff's observation, I'm disappointed that a heap of their older melodic rock will (probably) never see the light of day. The perfomance I saw these guys pu on, as recent as 2 years ago were awesome.

[phaffas]

what the fek???

Geoff whered you get that? how much was it? any chance i can get you to get me a copy??

 

their first ep is one of the best cd's in my collection!!!

Hey mate,

 

If I see another one I'll get it for you. I was just up in Dixons in Blackburn and I saw this on the shelf for aud$6.00. Only the one copy. I'll keep an eye out for any others.

 

thanks mate

[glam_junkie]

Here's the current line-up on the 'A Dark Obsession' EP:

Luciano Alvaro - Drums

 

 

Luciano was on the drums when Stevei Rachelle played his Aussie show not so long ago.

[Geoff]

I knew this one was out, but don't have it yet.

Apparently it's a lot darker and heavier than their previous stuff, as is their image.

 

As with Geoff's observation, I'm disappointed that a heap of their older melodic rock will (probably) never see the light of day. The perfomance I saw these guys pu on, as recent as 2 years ago were awesome.

Hey Lindsay, it is definitely a lot darker and heavier, and the image is too. There's a 2 page picture of the band on the insert, with black leather jackets, black hair... black everything, Iron Maiden shirts etc. They look nothing like who I saw 2 years ago. The artwork is also much more "metal".

[phaffas]

they look alot different dont they! i was chatting to them at a show in sydney after jss, and they were just normal guys...

 

they look a bit "try hard" now to me...

 

but hey if it rocks! yay

[Geoff]

they look alot different dont they! i was chatting to them at a show in sydney after jss, and they were just normal guys...

 

they look a bit "try hard" now to me...

 

but hey if it rocks! yay

Yeah, I can't really recognise the guitarist at all anymore. The singer still looks a little similar, except a few more piercings, the dyed black emo-ish hair and a few extra kgs maybe? But the guitarist, I couldn't pick it. I just remember this hunky young dude with "stylish" hair... and killer skillz on the guitar (which thank jeezus are still there) but on the piccie he just looks like a big ugly oaf. Jeezus cripes he's tall too.

[melodicrockoz]

Matt? Andre? Lindsay... Doggy? My Aussie buddies, why are you keeping me out the loop? Why'd no one tell me the guys have released a brand new EP???

 

I thought they were done, finished. Imagine my surprise when I pick up a copy of their brand new 2007 release EP 'A Dark Obsession' off the shelves today.

 

This is their myspace page... sh*t... I miss their gigs down here by one week:

 

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...riendID=4755120

 

The page isn't loading properly for me at work, but hopefully it has a few samples/details of this new EP. It's got 5 songs, and is a lot more metallic than the 'Crazy' EP. There are still a couple of songs like 'Why' and 'Envy' that still have that very melodic edge. The opening track 'Heart of Darkness' is killer. Huge riff, even some screams in it - very heavy for Teargas.

 

Anyway, any of you guys got this yet, or have you heard about it?

 

My biggest disappointment concerning all this? The fact that the collection of original songs I heard when Teargas opened for JSS 2 years ago will never see the light of day. Arguably the most tragic event in Australian music history... as these songs would have blown the melodic rock community apart.

 

 

My first Teargas gig was the band's final show with their keyboard player & I can tell you that it was the best AOR / melodic Rock gig from an Aussie band I have ever witness here in Australia . This was around 2003.

 

Since then, singer Al Gammie has pretty much had his own way with the band causing the other 3 of 4 musicians listed on thier debut e.p to move on. Whether you like or dispise the current teargas sound, you will never hear those old classic Teargas tunes played the way they were.

 

Al has single handedly alienated his band from AOR / melodic rock fandom. As much as I despise the curent Teargas set of tracks & their direction, I have respect for Al for getting what he want from his band.

 

Teargas has been handpicked as support act for Jeff Scott Soto's Sydney gig in November, I guess Sydney melodic rockers have 1 more chance to see Teargas play before they'll have to attend emo / metal gigs to see them.

 

Teargas do not want to be classified as a melodic hard rock band let alone an AOR band like they did during thier early days.

 

For fans of vintage 80's melodic hard rock, there seems to be a few things brewing here in Melbourne, one of them is the up coming The Deadthings album.

 

cheers

A

[Geoff]

Hey Andre, what happened to the other guys from the band? Did they all go their separate ways or are they doing something together? Again, I just can't express how disappointing it is that those songs from their past will never see the light of day. Are there any high quality recordings of those gigs anywhere? Were more songs in the style of the 'Crazy' EP ever recorded in a studio?

[Geoff]

And in regards to the emo thing... they got the image and the artwork down, especially Al Gammie who looks like an member of any emo band... and they got the emo/metal screams in that first song too. One thing they sure as hell still have, though, are some killer solos.

[phaffas]

Lindsay and i were both on the Teargas forum for a while way back... Lindsay do you remember talk of a few teargas aor style demos going around that were available for download?

 

i also thought someone from teargas went on to one of the bigger melbourne prog/power metal bands like Vanishing Point or something...

[melodicrockoz]

Hey Andre, what happened to the other guys from the band? Did they all go their separate ways or are they doing something together? Again, I just can't express how disappointing it is that those songs from their past will never see the light of day. Are there any high quality recordings of those gigs anywhere? Were more songs in the style of the 'Crazy' EP ever recorded in a studio?

 

 

Geoff, Basist Steve Cox most notably went onto play bass with famed melodic metallers Vanishing Point for a year before leaving. Last I heard Steve is apparently forming his own metal band & may have already done so. I know Steve still gigs around with various bands in various styles, most of them I think has been in the capacity oif filling in for friends temporarily etc..

 

Drummer Nick Blatt I believe has quit the music biz altogether, he copped allot of flack for not being able keep time propperly. I never found fault with his drumming though.

 

Rhythm Guitarist Andy has followed drummer Nick.

 

Keyboardist Simon ? who was sacked by the band hasn't been in a band since, as far as I know.

 

I had hoped Andy & Nick & Steve would get together & do something in the melodic rock vein but it looks unlikely.

 

All these guys have myspace sites I'm sure.

 

I can tell you that Teargas has an enornomous aresenal of fantastic songs, one of my favourites was the Steve Cox penned " All I ever had" which is one of best melodic hard rock songs I have heard in a long time. There's another dozen or so powerhouse tunes including the mega De mont like deamy ballad "Light A Candle" of which does not want played & the 2 newbies in the band not taught to play.

 

What we got on the "crazy" e.p doesn't come close to what Al & co have come up with since before the split.

 

As for recording of the gigs, they exist , both visual & audio but Al wont let them go at this point in time.

 

I won't give up on Al returning to Melodic hard rock but for now, it's safe to say he's into other genres

[Geoff]

Hey Andre, what happened to the other guys from the band? Did they all go their separate ways or are they doing something together? Again, I just can't express how disappointing it is that those songs from their past will never see the light of day. Are there any high quality recordings of those gigs anywhere? Were more songs in the style of the 'Crazy' EP ever recorded in a studio?

 

 

Geoff, Basist Steve Cox most notably went onto play bass with famed melodic metallers Vanishing Point for a year before leaving. Last I heard Steve is apparently forming his own metal band & may have already done so. I know Steve still gigs around with various bands in various styles, most of them I think has been in the capacity oif filling in for friends temporarily etc..

 

Drummer Nick Blatt I believe has quit the music biz altogether, he copped allot of flack for not being able keep time propperly. I never found fault with his drumming though.

 

Rhythm Guitarist Andy has followed drummer Nick.

 

Keyboardist Simon ? who was sacked by the band hasn't been in a band since, as far as I know.

 

I had hoped Andy & Nick & Steve would get together & do something in the melodic rock vein but it looks unlikely.

 

All these guys have myspace sites I'm sure.

 

I can tell you that Teargas has an enornomous aresenal of fantastic songs, one of my favourites was the Steve Cox penned " All I ever had" which is one of best melodic hard rock songs I have heard in a long time. There's another dozen or so powerhouse tunes including the mega De mont like deamy ballad "Light A Candle" of which does not want played & the 2 newbies in the band not taught to play.

 

What we got on the "crazy" e.p doesn't come close to what Al & co have come up with since before the split.

 

As for recording of the gigs, they exist , both visual & audio but Al wont let them go at this point in time.

 

I won't give up on Al returning to Melodic hard rock but for now, it's safe to say he's into other genres

Yeah, he's definitely into other genres, but all hard rock related ones. It's still very obvious in his song writing that there is a lot of the melodic rock running through them veins. Although the 5 new songs are definitely much heavier, there is still a huge portion of melodic brilliance in them. I wish to jeebus there was a 2 CD set or something that came out, spanning every song they ever wrote as a band... I sincerely can't think of anything I'd like more musically... that's how high I rate what I heard of these guys 2 years ago.

[glam_junkie]

I first met the band thru a common interest in bon jovi going back a few years. At the time the I'm 99% sure the guyshad a few demos that they were getting peopel to have a listen to. By the time I requested a listen they were already in the process of producing the Crazy EP so I never got the demos. But I'm pretty sure there were some about at the time.

 

Considering they had awesome new songs every time I saw them play fopr the next 2-3 years, they must have some killer stuff in the vaults.

 

If Al wants to take the band in a completely new direction I don't know why he doesn't change the name of the band as people relate "Teargas" with glorious melodic rock, not dark emo rock. I haven't heard the new stuff, but that is the impression I'm getting.

[Doggy]

Al is playing in Motley tribute band on the side, "Shout at the Bastards" and i think the guitarist is doing an Poison one with Jules of the Deadthings, "Cry Tough".

[glam_junkie]

From the teargas myspace page....

 

Teargas parts ways with bass player, Josh Andrea...

 

 

This Blog is to inform everyone that the decision has been made for Teargas to move on without Josh. It's something that's been brewing for a long time, and it has gotten to the point where we simply cannot continue in that way- for the well-being, health and happiness of all four of us. It's unfortunate that things didn't work out, but believe us when we say this is really for the best.

 

Josh has a great heart, and he's an incredible bass player- we're all going to miss him very much. His contributions to this band will never be forgotten, and he'll be a friend forever.

 

Old mate and original Teargas bass player, Steve Cox will be filling in on bass until we find a permanent replacement for Josh. I know plenty of you will be excited to hear that, and we're very excited to share a stage with Steve again!

 

Now it's time to move on to a new and exciting chapter in Teargas!

[Geoff]

Any particular reason why Mr Cox won't be the permanent replacement?

[Geoff]

BTW, any of you guys manage to track down the new EP? Yeah, it's heavier but man I still reckon this thing kicks f*cking ass. Absolutely lovin' it.

[glam_junkie]

There are also a handful of sydney and melbourne gigs listed on the page for anyone interested.

Unfortunately no adelaide.