** UPDATE : JULY 2009 **
Paul Malandain (MC Say) just uploaded a clip of a video recording of Bliss performing ‘Prodigy’ live in Adelaide at the Synagogue. This clip starts with the build/intro tape we used to use as well, enjoy!
I’ve put most of the old Bliss songs in clips with various band photo promo shots… Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/user/techione
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** UPDATE : DECEMBER 2008 **
I’ve put two zips with mp3s of the two Bliss EPs ‘Threshold’ and ‘More Wires Than Braincells’ up on my server space.
You’ll also find the Bliss song ‘(Casting) Shadows’ from the Homegrown CD compilation in the ‘Threshold’ zip.
Download them from here: http://decoded.astarael.co.uk/bliss
Enjoy! Cheers Dave
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Bliss logo designed by Tae Won Lee (Riot Design).
Hi this is David McCann (DAMC/TECHiONE), you’ve found a side page on my blog, click decoded_ up the top to check out the main blog, where I rabbit on about all the music (mostly minimal techno) I buy, mix, listen to, experience out and dance to.
In my quest to document and put on-line some of my past musical activities (before I forget it all), I present to you a page dedicated to my old, defunct live band… Bliss. This is a work in progress, edits, more photos, clipping scans, mp3s and more to come…
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Bliss
Who? Bliss was an Adelaide/Sydney 6 piece cross-over; rap, funk, rock, dance, techno live band, that I helped form in early 1990, wrote songs for, toured and performed live keyboards/samples with, and had a huge passion for, all for about 7 years. I left the band about a year before it fell apart and came to an end, I don’t know exactly why/how it ended. I left the band at the end or 1996, frustrated at our lack of commercial interest/success after playing 100s of live gigs. I guess you could also say due to ‘musical differences’, with the rest of the guys wanting to go a lot more rock, and move away from the dance/techno sounds I was very into.
Photo by Paul Armour.
Left: Paul Malandain [MC Say] (Raps/Vocals/Turntables), Micheal Meissner (Guitar/Samples).
Centre Back/Front: Chris Lambert (Bass), Danny Trimarchi [MC Dee] (Raps/Vocals).
Right: Wayne Dixon (Drums), David McCann [DAMC] (Keyboards/Samples).
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Bliss : Data…
The band was formed and based originally in Adelaide, and after loads of regular gigs, great support, and a good level of success reached there, we decided to relocate to Sydney around the end of 1994, early 1995, to try a make a proper thing out of it. We hoped for a recording deal, CD releases, regular radio support, and more higher profile gigs and tours etc. We all did the full time musician thing for a while when first in Sydney, but it’s not a nice life on the dole in very expensive Sydney, we didn’t make any $ from the band either. We all ended up with day time jobs soon enough. We rehearsed (at Zen) a lot, and played live a lot, did a lot of driving, touring in hired Toyota Tarago vans across the boring Hay Plain.
Bliss performed regularly in clubs and pubs in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne between 1991 and 1997. In the beginning with a more techno/dance sound we played at quite a few rave/dance-parties in Adelaide. We had to rock things up in Sydney for the venues we played. I think you lose a bit of what makes you unique/special when you change to fit in, but that’s life huh. I think the stress of being in Sydney turned my music quite dark and angry.
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Bliss : Supported…
Some of the well known bands/acts (at the time) that Bliss has performed with/supported: Regurgitator, D.I.G (Directions In Groove), Sound Unlimited Posse, Renegade Funk Train, Swoop, Crisp, Skunkhour, Insurge, Def-FX, Caligula, SuperGroove (NZ), Dogbuoy, The Screaming Jets, Frenzal Rhomb, Grinspoon, Universe, Juice, The Strange, Custard, Buffallo Tom, Infusion and The Shamen (UK).
Some of the Adelaide bands/acts we performed with, and gave suport to: 60ft Robot, The Mandelbrot Set, Kinetic Playground, Hobson’s Choice, The Always, Capital F, The Clowns Of Decadence, The Egg, Finger Lickin’ Good, Sin Dog Jellyroll, B.A.S.E, Hoopsnake, Devils Caberet, The Eldoradoes, The Mark Of Cain, Where’s The Pope?, ExoSet and many more…
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Bliss : The Sounds…
A big part of the Bliss sound was sequenced beats, breaks, loops and samples, with live drums, bass, guitar and keyboards on top, inspired by Jesus Jones and Pop Will Eat It’s Self.
Our drummer Wayne, tied to a click track thumping into his headphones, did an awesome job of keeping all the beats/loops and the rest of us together. Our two vocalists were MCs and they rapped and rhymed. One of our MC’s also did record scratching, using the turntables as instruments. As the band evolved, Michael our guitarist got a sampler/keyboard rig as well, and started writing a lot of great tracks for the band as well, with sequenced sampled loops, and noises.
We had quite a cross-over sound, dance music you can mosh to. Which I think made it more difficult, not easier for people to get their head around at the time, people were confused by us. I think we were perhaps ahead of our time. Years later groups like The Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers explode with their cross-over dance/rock sounds, not saying we were anywhere near as awesome as those guys, we tried.
Our performances were full of energy, we were all very energetic on stage, check out my kangaroo action in the photos below. There were quite a few gigs where on stage chaos almost sent racks of $ equipment flying. Danny MC Dee loved to hang off lighting scaffolding a lot too. We put on a great live gig I think.
We liked to make our own gigs a special event too, with backdrops, projections of Anime comic pages, and always brought in extra sound and lighting. Ben FX Phillips and his always smiling, and helpful friend Chris McGarrigan helped turn a pub gig into a night club experience with their awesome intelligent club lighting and effects. We even started using intro tapes, and doing encores!
I remember how we used to turn our gigs at the little Austral Hotel Beer Garden (Adelaide) into a mini rave, with club lighting and guest DJs spinning techno beats.
In Adelaide we had a nice little posse of creative people around us, helping us out regularly: Paul Armour, and Melissa McNamara for photos, Tae Won Lee for his awesome graphics, Core Magazine for all their supporting features/interviews, Ben FX Phillips and Chris McGarrigan for awesome lighting/effects and always there to lend a hand, Julie Grace, and Richard Builder for sound engineering, DJ friends, bands we played with, the Watkins family and more. We also had the support of our partners and loved ones, most who also made the move to Sydney with us. Much thanks and respect to you all, and anyone I may have forgotten, sorry!
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Bliss : Inspiration…
A melting pot of music/artists/bands influenced and inspired us, to name a few: Jesus Jones, Pop Will Eat It’s Self, E.M.F, Utah Saints, Quadrophonia, Janes Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Public Enemy, N.W.A, Living Color, Boo Ya Tribe, James Brown, Parliament, P-Funk All Stars, Funkadelic, Bootsy Collins, Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, Curve, Ride, Lush, Blur, Rage Against The Machine, Primal Scream, Happy Mondays, Portishead, Beck, My Bloody Valentine, New Order, Massive Attack, Sonic Youth, 808 State, The KLF, Tricky, Orbital, The Orb, The Beloved, LFO, The Shamen, Depeche Mode, The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Bomb The Bass, various Hip-Hop, Hip-House, Acid-House, Techno, Rave, Jungle, Hardcore tracks… We absorbed it all. Like most band members, we were also big fans of movie Spinal Tap.
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Bliss : Band members…
Danny Trimarchi (MC Dee) – Raps, Vocals
Paul Malandain (MC Say) – Raps, Vocals, Record Scratching/DJing
Wayne Dixon – Drums
Michael Meissner – Guitar, Keyboards, Samples, Programming
David McCann (DAMC) – Keyboards, Samples, Programming
Bass players… (We never could hold on to them for very long)
Jason Paffas (Founding member of Bliss)
Chris Lambert
Raphael Bender – Sydney
Zachary Carmody – Sydney
Andy McKekerz (Kinetic Playground – helped out for a bunch of gigs)
Justin Litchfield (Kinetic Playground – helped out for a few gigs)
Sam Dixon (D.I.G – helped out a for a few gigs)
Management was handled by the non playing 7th member of Bliss… The Wookie! Joshua Watkins and his Outer-Style Management. Our bookings were handled by The Harbour Agency once we were based in Sydney.
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Bliss : The ‘Where are they now?’ file…
Well the band finished up sometime in late 1997, I believe. I had left the band close to a year before that. It’s been a long time since I’ve really spoken to any of the guys, you can imagine they were not too happy with me when I left the band. I’ve caught up with a couple of guys via Facebook recently which has been great.
Where are they now? Well… Last I heard… Danny Trimarchi became a dad, moved back to Adelaide via the UK, and runs/owns a restuarant there, a Google search brings up Bistro Kasbah. Wayne Dixon got married, has kids and is back in Adelaide doing architecture or design work. Michael Meissner is in Sydney and works at Jands. Paul Malandain is in Sydney and does web/Internet design work for NineMSN. Jason Paffas moved to Sydney and is doing graphic design work. Joshua Watkins our manager has a busy carreer in movies, and is off around the planet, hanging out with big name directors and movie stars, on location somewhere when not in Melbourne. Me… David McCann, I’m still in Sydney and work for FOXTEL doing software testing for the customer equipment group. I think I may have been the only one still musically active, producing and performing live up until the end of 2004, I do the odd DJ gig here and there still. I may get back into producing and performing live again later this year. I have no idea what all our other bass players are up to these days… Please feel free to correct me or fill me in on any of these details, would love to hear from you guys. Comments box below…
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Bliss : Discography…
Bliss : Threshold EP CD – 1994
– Easy Ride
– Drop The Knife
– Purple And Green
– NRG Burst
– Cyber Future (DAMC techno version) – secret unlisted track
Various * – Homegrown ’94 CD – 1994
Bliss – (Casting) Shadows
* Other bands featured: The Egg, Capital F, Blue Experience, Mark Of Cain,
Oblong, Kinetic Playground, Jazz Odyssey, Raisin Toast, Sin Dog Jellyroll,
Crush, Bearded Clams, Numbskulls, Where’s The Pope, Stain.
Bliss : More Wires Than Braincells EP CD * (Never released) – 1996
– Reality
– Chemikill
– Mayhem Man
– We Have The Technology
– Can You Give It?
– Punk
* Produced, Engineered, Mixed by Magoo (Regurgitator Producer) but never released/manufactured. We had BMG Records interest at the time, but it didn’t develop into anything more. The A&R guy said something like “I don’t know if I really like them, or really hate them” in regards to our sound.
I don’t actually have a proper copy of the recordings for this EP. I would love a copy of a CD-R if anyone has one. Josh? Would also be keen for a digital colour version of the artwork that Paul had a lot of fun manipulating, anyone remember/know what comic that image is from?
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Bliss : Song titles… (In no particular order)
Nightmare at 140BPM
Cyber Future
Purple & Green
Easy Ride
Drop The Knife
NRG Burst
Believe
Silk (Never Too Late For Love)
(Casting) Shadows
Rhino Horn
Come Back
Feel It
Wrong Move (You’re Out)
Colour Time
Give It (Can You Give It To Me?)
Soul Train
Point The Finger
This Is Bliss
Scream (Sometimes In My Mind I Just Can’t…)
Sweet Dreams To Your Bones
E-Zeh
Go
Reality (With A Bad Ass Kick)
Ambience
Bliss Bomb
Latest
Prodigy
ChemiKill
King Hit
Mayhem Man
Punk
Victim
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Bliss : Lyrics… Coming soon
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Bliss : Live gigs…
I know we played with Insurge in Melbourne a couple of times at The Esplanade Hotel in St.Kilda VIC in 1994/1995, and Caligula at the Synagogue in Adelaide SA, not sure which gigs/dates sorry. I don’t have details of every band we performed with. I do have a clear record of all the gigs and what songs were performed at each gig (for APRA performance returns) but I won’t bore you with that much detail.
1991
* Our first gig! We had no vocalist, played an instrumental set, with the odd vocal sample.
001 : 21.09.1991 : Flinders University – Tavern : Bedford Park : SA
* We had a very ‘Michael Hutchence’ RIP style singer at this gig (I think his name was Richard ? from Triple-M/3D Radio) it didn’t work out.
002 : 02.10.1991 : Limbos Night Club : Adelaide : SA
* Danny Trimarchi (Raps) joins the band.
003 : 26.12.1991 : The Austral Hotel : Adelaide : SA
1992
004 : 19.02.1992 : LeRox – Battle Of The Bands (1st Heat) : Adelaide : SA
005 : 06.03.1992 : Control (Club Night/Night Club) – Hindley Street : Adelade SA
006 : 13.03.1992 : LeRox – Battle Of The Bands (Final Heat) : Adelaide : SA
007 : 21.03.1992 : Adelaide Fringe 1992 – Imagineer – Go (Rave) – Hindley Street Warehouses : Adelaide SA
008 : 17.04.1992 : Karma (Rave) : McMahons Night Club : Tonsley SA
009 : 24.04.1992 : Control (Club Night/Night Club) – Hindley Street : Adelaide SA
* Danny Trimarchi (Raps) goes OS for a ‘couple of months’ working holiday, is away for 6 months, bringing the band to a halt. Can’t remember if Danny was back for this next gig or not, we may have played an instrumental set.
010 : 31.08.1992 : Gener8 (Rave) : Old Malcom Reid Buidling – Rundle Street : Adelaide : SA
011 : 27.11.1992 : Vision (Rave) (w/ The Shamen UK) : Vision Warehouse (20 Adam Street) : Hindmarsh : SA
012 : 26.12.1992 : The Austral Hotel : Adelaide : SA
1993
013 : 03.01.1993 : The Austral Hotel : Adelaide : SA
* Paul Malandain (Raps/Turntables) joins the band.
014 : 28.01.1993 : Rip It Up 200th Issue Party : Newmarket Hotel : Adelaide : SA
015 : 30.01.1993 : Cargo Club : Adelaide : SA
016 : 31.01.1993 : The Austral Hotel : Adelaide : SA
017 : 10.03.1993 : Zulus (w/ Swoop) : North Adelaide : SA
018 : 11.03.1993 : Zulus (w/ Swoop) : North Adelaide : SA
019 : 19.03.1993 : Equinox (Rave) : Underdale University : SA
020 : 08.04.1993 : Hell (Club Night) : The Grenfell Tunnel : Adelaide : SA
021 : 11.04.1993 : The Austral Hotel : Adelaide : SA
022 : 21.05.1993 : The Synagogue : Adelaide : SA
023 : 29.05.1993 : Release (Rave) : Vision Warehouse (20 Adam Street) : Hindmarsh : SA
024 : 11.06.1993 : 151 (w/ Factory, Finger Lickin’ Good) : North Adelaide : SA
025 : 18.06.1993 : LeRox (w/ Def-FX) : Adelaide : SA
026 : 16.07.1993 : The Synagogue : Adelaide : SA
027 : 29.07.1993 : The Botaic Hotel : Adelaide : SA
028 : 18.08.1993 : The Royal Hotel : Adelaide : SA
029 : 03.09.1993 : The Synagogue (w/ Sound Unlimited Posse) : Adelaide : SA
030 : 05.09.1993 : Boltz Cafe : Adelaide : SA
031 : 11.09.1993 : The Austral Hotel : Adelaide : SA
* Sam Dixon (D.I.G) helps out (Bass) for a couple of gigs here, while Jason Paffas holidays.
032 : 16.09.1993 : Lennies Tavern (w/ Skunkhour) : Glenelg : SA
033 : 19.09.1993 : Boltz Cafe : Adelaide : SA
034 : 22.09.1993 : The Royal Hotel : Adelaide : SA
035 : 08.10.1993 : Flinders University : Bedford Park : SA
036 : 09.10.1993 : The Big One : Salisbury Univeristy : SA
037 : 15.10.1993 : The Synagogue : Adelaide : SA
038 : 23.10.1993 : S.T.A.T.E : ? : Adelaide : SA
039 : 30.10.1993 : Cargo Club : Adelaide : SA
040 : 22.12.1993 : The Royal Hotel : Adelaide : SA
041 : 20.12.1993 : The Synagogue : Adelaide : SA
042 : 29.12.1993 : The Royal Hotel : Adelaide : SA
1994
043 : 01.01.1994 : New Years Eve (w/ Def-FX) : Flinders University : Bedford Park : SA
044 : 02.01.1994 : The Austral Hotel : Adelaide : SA
045 : 28.01.1994 : The Big Day Out 1994 – Boiler Room : Adelaide Show Grounds : SA
* Jason Paffas (Bass) decides he wants out of the band. Justin Litchfield from Kinetic Playground helps out (Bass) each now and then.
046 : 10.02.1994 : The Synagogue : Adelaide : SA
* The too many bass players incident. Jason Paffas (Bass) changes his mind, turns up in Melbourne to play, after Justin Litchfield had already been toured to Melbourne with the band. Jason plays.
047 : 13.02.1994 : Circus Showcase 1 – Melbourne Music Festival 1994 : St.Kilda : VIC
048 : 14.02.1994 : Circus Showcase 2 – Melbourne Music Festival 1994 : St.Kilda : VIC
049 : 19.02.1994 : Cargo Club : Adelaide : SA
050 : 28.02.1994 : The Arena – Adelaide Fringe 1994 : SA
051 : 19.03.1994 : Cargo Club : Adelaide : SA
* Not clear on the exact date, but somewhere around this point in time Jason Paffas (Bass) left permanently, and Chris Lambert (Bass) joined the band, I’m pretty sure this next gig was our first with Chris.
052 : 04.05.1994 : The Royal Hotel (w/ Def-FX) : Adelaide : SA
053 : 14.05.1994 : The Kent Town Hotel : Adelaide : SA
054 : 27.05.1994 : The Synagogue : Adelaide : SA
055 : 02.06.1994 : Lennies Tavern : Glenelg : SA
056 : 03.06.1994 : The Austral Hotel : Adelaide : SA
057 : 12.06.1994 : Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club (w/ Where’s The Pope) : SA
058 : 30.06.1994 : Lennies Tavern (w/ Swoop) : Glenelg : SA
059 : 02.07.1994 : The Crown Hotel (w/ Swoop) : Victor Harbour : SA
060 : 03.07.1994 : The Synagogue (w/ Swoop) : Adelaide : SA
061 : 09.07.1994 : MadLove Bar : Adelaide : SA
062 : 14.07.1994 : Lennies Tavern (w/ Skunkhour) : Glenelg : SA
063 : 06.08.1994 : Paranormal : Flinders University : Bedford Park : SA
064 : 13.08.1994 : Flinders University (w/ Def-FX, Clowns Of Decadence) : Bedford Park : SA
065 : 19.08.1994 : Underdale University (w/ Crisp) : SA
066 : 02.09.1994 : Flinders University – Tavern : Bedford Park : SA
067 : 03.09.1994 : 3D (Radio Station) Rent Party (w/ The Mandelbrot Set, Aquila) : Producers Hotel : Adelaide : SA
068 : 16.09.1994 : The Synagogue (w/ Kinetic Playground, Hobson’s Choice) : Adelaide : SA
069 : 21.09.1994 : Virgin Mega Store VIP Party (w/ D.I.G) : Adelaide : SA
070 : 02.10.1994 : The Esplanade Hotel – Front Bar : St.Kilda : VIC
071 : 13.10.1994 : Cargo Club : Adelaide : SA
072 : 21.10.1994 : The Synagogue (w/ Def-FX) : Adelaide : SA
073 : 28.10.1994 : Adelaide University : SA
074 : 05.11.1994 : The Esplanade Hotel – Gershwin Room (w/ Swoop) : St.Kilda : VIC
075 : 06.11.1994 : The Esplanade Hotel – Gershwin Room (w/ Swoop) : St.Kilda : VIC
076 : 10.11.1994 : The Austral Hotel : Adelaide : SA
077 : 12.11.1994 : The Tivoli Hotel : Adelaide : SA
* Danny Trimarchi had no voice at this Synagogue gig, Paul stepped up to do all the vocals.
078 : 13.11.1994 : The Synagogue (w/ Swoop) : Adelaide : SA
079 : 17.11.1994 : Radius Club Night : Heaven : Adelaide : SA
080 : 24.11.1994 : Westlands Hotel : Whyalla : SA
081 : 27.11.1994 : AIDS Day Concert : Rymil Park : Adelaide : SA
082 : 27.11.1994 : Street Party : Cargo Club : Adelaide : SA
083 : 10.12.1994 : Thebarton Theatre : SA
084 : 17.12.1994 : The Esplanade Hotel – Front Bar : St.Kilda : VIC
085 : 22.12.1994 : Lennies Tavern : Glenelg : SA
086 : 23.12.1994 : The Synagogue : Adelaide : SA
* Around the end of 1994 the band plans for a move to Sydney, Chris Lambert (Bass) wants to stay in Adelaide, and leaves the band a few gigs later.
1995
087 : 01.01.1995 : New Years Eve : Flinders Univerity : Bedford Park : SA
088 : 05.01.1995 : The Austral Hotel : Adelaide : SA
* Andy McKekerz the guitarist/singer from Kinetic Playground helps out on (Bass) at a number of gigs during the move and estabilishing ourselves in Sydney.
089 : 23.02.1995 : Lennies Tavern : Glenelg : SA
090 : 24.02.1995 : The Synagogue : Adelaide : SA
091 : 25.02.1995 : Adelaide University : SA
092 : 11.03.1995 : Wonga Park Festival 1995 : VIC
093 : 11.03.1995 : The Esplanade Hotel – Front Bar : St.Kilda :
* Band has now all relocated from Adelaide to Sydney, our first Sydney gig! Adelaide friends running Good Bar at the time got us lots of gigs there for a while.
094 : 25.03.1995 : Good Bar : Sydney : NSW
* Raphael Bender (Bass) joins the band.
095 : 21.04.1995 : Good Bar : Sydney : NSW
096 : 26.04.1995 : Old Manly Boat Shed (w/ SuperGroove) : NSW
097 : 03.06.1995 : Springfields (w/ PSK) : Kings Cross : NSW
098 : 08.06.1995 : The Austral Hotel : Adelaide : SA
099 : 09.06.1995 : The Main Event : Heaven (Big Top) : Adelaide : SA
100 : 10.06.1995 : Threshold CD Launch : Cargo Club : Adelaide : SA
101 : 11.06.1995 : The Synagogue (w/ Hoopsnake) : Adelaide : SA
102 : 22.06.1995 : The Annandale Hotel (w/ Juice) : NSW
103 : 24.06.1995 : Good Bar : Sydney : NSW
104 : 01.07.1995 : The Annandale Hotel (w/ Juice) : NSW
105 : 07.07.1995 : Springfields (w/ PSK) : Kings Cross : NSW
106 : 15.07.1995 : Feedback : Newtwon : NSW
107 : 21.07.1995 : The Metro (w/ Swoop) : Sydney : NSW
108 : 28.07.1995 : Adelaide University : SA
109 : 29.07.1995 : The Esplanade – Front Bar : St.Kilda : VIC
110 : 30.07.1995 : The Evelyn Hotel : Fitzroy : VIC
111 : 04.08.1995 : Narrabeen Sands (w/ Swoop) : NSW
112 : 05.08.1995 : Good Bar : Sydney : NSW
113 : 12.08.1995 : The Cock And Ball Hotel (w/ Swoop) : Bondi Junction : NSW
114 : 27.08.1995 : Underground Cafe (w/ Skunkhour) : Kings Cross : NSW
115 : 15.09.1995 : Good Bar : Sydney : NSW
116 : 12.10.1995 : UTS – University Of Technology (w/ The Strange) : Sydney : NSW
117 : 20.10.1995 : Good Bar (w/ Sin Dog Jellyroll) : Sydney : NSW
118 : 22.10.1995 : Sandringham Hotel (w/ Universe) : Newtown : NSW
119 : 27.10.1995 : The Synagogue (w/ The Egg, Rash) : Adelaide : SA
120 : 28.10.1995 : Mosh For World Peace : Thebarton Theatre : SA
121 : 03.11.1995 : Blaxland Hotel (w/ Swoop) : NSW
122 : 04.11.1995 : Narrabeen Sands HOTEL (w/ Swoop) : NSW
123 : 10.11.1995 : 4 Seater : Cargo Club : Adelaide : SA
124 : 11.11.1995 : One Big Mob : Liberty : Adelaide : SA
125 : 17.11.1995 : The Esplanade Hotel – Gershwin Room (w/ SuperGroove) : St.Kilda : VIC
126 : 18.11.1995 : The Armadale Hotel (w/ SuperGroove) : VIC
127 : 19.11.1995 : The Evelyn Hotel (w/ SuperGroove) : Fitzroy : VIC
128 : 25.11.1995 : Feedback (w/ Juice, PSK) : Newtown : NSW
129 : 09.12.1995 : Good Bar : Sydney : NSW
130 : 22.12.1995 : The Metro (w/ Swoop) : Sydney : NSW
131 : 26.12.1995 : Heaven (w/ Def-FX, Grinspoon) : Adelaide : SA
132 : 27.12.1995 : The Royal Hotel : Adelaide : SA
133 : 29.12.1995 : Cargo Club : Adelaide : SA
1996
134 : 01.01.1996 : New Years Eve : Flinders University : Bedford Park : SA
* It was so hot in Byron Bay, Michael’s floppy discs of sounds/sequences melted! making for a shorter set.
135 : 06.01.1996 : Byron Bay Music Festival 1996 : NSW
136 : 07.01.1996 : Byron Bay Music Festival 1996 : NSW
137 : 19.01.1996 : Sydney Fringe : Bondi Pavillion (w/ Renegade Funk Train) : NSW
138 : 24.01.1996 : Good Bar : Sydney : NSW
139 : 26.01.1996 : Funk & Thump (w/ Swoop, Renegade Funk Train) : Narrabeen Sands : NSW
140 : 27.01.1996 : The Loft (w/ Renegade Funk Train) : Newcastle : NSW
141 : 03.02.1996 : The General Bourke Tavern (w/ Renegade Funk Train) : Parramatta : NSW
142 : 10.02.1996 : Sandringham Hotel : Newtown : NSW
143 : 29.02.1996 : Woolongong University (w/ Swoop, Custard, Buffalo Tom, Infusion) : NSW
144 : 01.03.1996 : University Of NSW (w/ The Screaming Jets) : Kingsford : NSW
145 : 02.03.1996 : Freak La Fever Mardi Gras (w/ The Hoong & I, DJ Ollie Olsen) : New Toast Gallery : Sydney NSW
146 : 06.03.1996 : Good Bar : Sydney : NSW
147 : 07.03.1996 : O-Ball : University Of North Newcastle (w/ Swoop) : NSW
148 : 29.03.1996 : Fairfield R.S.L (w/ Swoop) : NSW
149 : 30.03.1996 : Narrabeen Sands Hotel (w/ Swoop) : NSW
150 : 12.04.1996 : Narrabeen Sands Hotel (w/ Renegade Funk Train) : NSW
151 : 21.04.1996 : Manly Beach Funk Festival (w/ Skunkhour, Renegade Funk Train, Crisp, Smooth) : NSW
152 : 18.05.1996 : Prosh : Adelaide University (w/ Crisp) : SA
153 : 19.05.1996 : The Crown Hotel (w/ Crisp) : Victor Harbour : SA
154 : 22.05.1996 : Macquire University (w/ Skunkhour, Renegade Funktrain) : North Ryde : NSW
155 : 23.05.1996 : Sandingham Hotel (w/ Dogbouy) : Newtown : NSW
156 : 30.05.1996 : Patricks (w/ Skunkhour, Renegade Funk Train) : Pennant Hills : NSW
157 : 07.06.1996 : Coogee Beach Palace (w/ Renegade Funk Train) : NSW
158 : 08.06.1996 : Eastwood Tavern (w/ Swoop) : NSW
159 : 09.06.1996 : Castle Tavern (w/ Swoop) : Newcastle : NSW
160 : 15.06.1996 : Cambridge Hotel (w/ Renegade Funk Train) : Newcastle : NSW
161 : 28.06.1996 : Bondi Diggers (w/ Renegade Funk Train) : NSW
162 : 10.07.1996 : Kinselas : Sydney : NSW
* Zac Carmody (Bass) joins the band, replacing Raphael Bender.
163 : 15.09.1996 : Sandringham Hotel : Newtown : NSW
164 : 04.10.1996 : Adelaide University (Outdoor) (w/ Regurgitator) : SA
165 : 05.10.1996 : The Tivoli Hotel : Adelaide : SA
166 : 06.10.1996 : The Crown Hotel : Victor Harbour : SA
167 : 19.10.1996 : Bigge Park – Liverpool (w/ Frenzel Rhomb) : NSW
168 : 23.10.1996 : The Annandale Hotel : NSW
169 : 26.10.1996 : Gig 4 World Peace : Manly Youth Club : NSW
170 : ??.11.1996 : Leumeah Inn : NSW
* David McCann (Keyboards) leaves the band after this gig. I remember this was a really horrible gig, I guess it was the last straw for me.
1997
* I have no details… I believe the band continued on for most of this year. I did have the pleasure of watching Bliss as a punter during this year, can’t remember where though.
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Bliss : Promo Band Photos…
Bliss with original bass player – Jason Paffas (probably our first band photo ever) : 1992 : Photo by ?
Bliss with new rapper/record-scratcher Paul Malandain : 1993 : Photo by Paul Armour
Bliss with new rapper/record-scratcher Paul Malandain : 1993 : Photo by Paul Armour
Bliss – YouthWorks photo shoot (our own clothes) ? : 1993 : Photo by ?
Bliss with next bass player – Chris Lambert : 1994 : Photo by Paul Armour
Bliss with first Sydney bass player – Raphael Bender : 1995 : Photo by ?
Bliss with last Sydney bass player – Zac Carmody : 1996 : Photo by ?
Bliss after I had left the band : 1997 : Photo by ?
Most of these pics are scans from print-outs or newspaper clippings, sorry for the low res. I don’t have the original photos. Not sure who to credit for some of these either, sorry.
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Bliss : Live Photos…
Danny Trimarchi (MC Dee) with Bliss @ Synagogue ? : Adelaide : SA : ? : Photo by Paul Armour
David McCann (Me) with Bliss @ Big Day Out – Boiler Room 1994 : Adelaide : SA : 28.01.1994 : Photo by Mellisa McNamara ?
David McCann (Me) with Bliss being a kangaroo @ Street Party : Cargo Club : Adelaide : SA : 27.11.1994 : Photo by Paul Armour
David McCann (Me) with Bliss being a kangaroo @ Mosh For World Peace : Thebarton Theatre : SA : 28.10.1995 : Photo by Paul Armour
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Bliss : History… (a rough first draft, needs re-write)
Before Bliss, for me there was Creatures Of Habit, a live rock/dance band I started to play keyboards in around 16/17 years of age during the mid 1980s.
I’d spent years prior messing around with hi-fi gear, electronic music instruments, keyboards, synthesizers, MIDI sequencing, my Commodore 64 computer, drum machines, effects units/pedals, 4 track recording etc. I made a lot of noise as a kid.
Creatures Of Habit main man Darren Conway discovered my music talents at a party my parents had at home, Darren worked with my dad. I guess you could say… Darren helped me change from computer nerd to rock star… hehe.
In high-school, my best friend Wayne Dixon started playing drums. We would often get together on w/ends and make a lot of strange noise together, recording it and handing around tapes to friends at school for laughs. We used to get together with other muso friends and jam at parties too, playing Led Zeppelin, and Police stuff.
Also during my high-school years, I used to spend many hours on Saturdays in electronic music instrument shops with Paul Armour, messing around with new synths, drum machines. This is how I came to meet Craig Packer, who worked at Regent Music, he sold me a lot of my early equipment, and it’s because of him really that Bliss came together.
After high-school, I did the year diploma at the School Of Audio Engineering, whilst also still playing with Creatures Of Habit. I was also taking on all the management, publicity, gig booking responsibilities as well. We did ok for a while, then the end of the 80’s arrived, and COH fell apart. It was all fantastic experience for me though. COH re-formed for some gigs in Newcastle a few years ago, it was an odd experience for me, confirmed for me that I’m way over playing with live bands.
Where was I? Oh yeah… After high-school my friend Wayne Dixon went on to play drums in a guitar band “Liquid Sky” with Nathan Barnes on guitar/vocals, Simon ? on guitar and a pommy git called Jason Paffas on bass. I hung out with them quite a bit, even did some live sound and lighting work with them for a few gigs.
I stayed in touch with Craig Packer, who started up a company with Paul ? called Show World, doing Akai music equipment distribution, P.A system and audio gear hire, and eventually band rehearsal space. I checked out his company and had a few jam sessions with Craig, he played bass. He invited along a guitarist friend Micheal Meissner to join in the jamming fun. Michael was playing in a band at the time, can’t remember their name? I was going to do some keyboard parts for a recording they were doing, then that band fell apart.
I became close friends with Michael, and we began hanging out together a lot. He introduced me to a lot of cool stuff, a lot of great music/bands, and he basically introduced me to techno/electronic dance music and clubbing. He got me a part time job at his work too, building medical lasers and laser pointers. We began jamming together a lot, making tracks, sampling a lot of CDs and vinyl records for loops and sounds. We didn’t know it at the time, but we were putting together the building blocks for what became Bliss.
We auditioned a few vocalists, and were keen on getting someone who rapped, we didn’t have much luck at first.
Wayne Dixon on drums, and his mate Jason Paffas on bass soon joined with Michael and I, and we began having long jam sessions in my backyard music room at my parents place. We had Wayne playing along to a click track to stay in sync with sequenced loops, breaks and samples, and it sounded great. We were all taking in so many different musical influences at the time.
Things started getting more serious, rehearsing together more regularly. Building up a collection of structured songs to perform. We moved out of my little backyard music room into Show World’s new rehearsal space.
We settled on the name Bliss, inspired by The Beloved’s album Blissed Out, and all the single word band names around at the time, Lush, Curve, Ride, Blur etc.
Our first gig was at Flinders Uni, and we had no vocalist, so it was instrumental, but I think it was a great success.
We auditioned a few singers, but still couldn’t find what we were looking for. We did another gig, this one at Club Limbos, this time with a vocalist, who thought he was a bit of a Michael Hitchence (RIP) and it didn’t work too well with our sounds.
Wayne, Michael and I began spending more time in night clubs, getting to know DJs, and getting our name/music around. Eventually we hooked up some contacts for rappers and MCs in Adelaide, a group called Major Rhyme Squad, MC Dee, MC Say.
After dropping off a demo tape to MC Dee at the restaurant he was a chef at, eventually he agreed to come along to a band rehearsal and give it a go. He sounded fantastic, exactly what we had been looking for, but he was a bit freaked out by the intensity/volume of a live band, after years of “two turntables and a microphone” behind him, he came around to it after much encouragement, and then really grew into a fantastic band front man.
We rehearsed for a year, getting a really tight unit happening, and a great collection of songs together, before we even considered playing live gigs. Once we were ready, we were really ready!
Once we were up and running, MC Dee invited along his fellow rapper friend Paul Malandain MC Say to a rehearsal. He also brought with him his technics turtables with him, now we had 2 rapper vocalists bouncing ryhmes off each other with live record scratching, Awesome!
And so it began…
Bliss : Set Lists – Post Gig : Synagogue : Photo by Paul Armour
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Bliss : More…
More details, photos, flyers, and mp3s coming soon… If anyone has any photos, videos, or audio recordings of Bliss live gigs, I’d love to get my hands on copies… Comments welcome.
Without a doubt, the fact that Bliss wasn’t more successful commercially is one of my great disappointments from that era. The band had a unique sound, played tight and energetic both live and in the studio, and showed all the signs. But, as with so many things, it’s a mater of who you know and being in the right place at the right time. The Fates were not with you, it seems.
I for one am hanging out for those audio files to appear…
Comment by Stilgherrian — March 18, 2008 @ 9:33 am
David McCann,It’s Steve Rooney,
Just found you on my own nostalgic web visit. You were geeky looking but not really a geek. I was the dodgy drummer in crisp. Ahhhhh, trying to not only play the drums but to think I was actually ok at them(not). I tried one better and instead of moving to Sydney, I decided that I would make it as a rock god in London(yeah mate, good one). Just like a certain Bliss member. Well(4 me personnally)…not to be…You guys rocked when you moved to sydney in ’96/’97…You were the dogzbollox…shit hot….I personnally thought, ‘well, i could do that too’…..bullshit(bollox in england) no, no, no, i would have lasted 4 weeks if that..
I am now married to a lovely brasilian lady, one child, aaron who is almost 2 (yeah started late but hey, had a good time earlier and, always use protection)..Almost 40 now/nuff said…
Looking at all the bands you new’z ta play with…I wuz there and playing at the same f@£%”n venue…too cool…
so you are in sydney! I am almost 10 years in england..its cold and i hope to get back to OZ for my son’s sake to put him through the ozzie education system…
Look, I am about to put out a video on the web with an old pommy band i wuz in called ‘Twisterbait’ and its gonna take the piss out of Pop Idol (simon Cowell etc), could you do me a favour and spam this for me at some point? If so, let me know at steverooney37@hotmail.co.uk if you could….
Great to see you on line and still a happn’n dude….
Steve Rooney
Comment by Steve Rooney — March 22, 2008 @ 9:59 am
Paul now lives in Japan! yes that’s right… it’s me MC Say… I just have to say i really really really miss those days… I stumbled upon this page and it has bought back so many memories! good onya’ Dave!! I have the Audio files for More wires… how can i get them to you. email me. P.
Comment by Paul — April 4, 2008 @ 3:01 pm
Dave – you’ve done an amazing job of documenting the Bliss years. Onya! Cheers, Jodie (Wano’s wife amongst other things)
Comment by Jodie — April 10, 2008 @ 9:32 pm
hey guys, wow.. so many memories
Dave you are a legend for putting this up, amazing you have this info
I am dead keen to hear the More wired ep that was never put out…
one day i need to ge thru the boxes of photos and pull out some more, oh to have a digital camera back then…. it was 90% hand processed and hand printed B&W shots that i use to take.. oh my oh my the hours/ days / weeks i use to spend in the lab.
some photo credit info:
http://users.on.net/~dmccann/images/bliss/bliss-jason.jpg
Comment by Paul Armour — April 10, 2008 @ 11:22 pm
Hey Dave, Wayne (Drummer) here, love the site – brought back many happy memories. You were always the one for the details… I’m amazed you kept records of all of those gigs. Did we really do 170 gigs?
Just a bit of a epilogue on Bliss . After Dave left, we continued on for about another 18 months or so. We gigged for about a year with no Dave, and then called a halt to live performances while we regrouped and developed some new material and did some recording. This proved to be a bit too difficult, as we were all running out of energy for the project. In 1998, when Danny told us all that Romi – his then partner – was pregnant, and he was moving back to Adelaide, it pretty much sealed the fate of Bliss.
It’s all a bit sad that we didn’t have more success, but I always thought that we were a bit ahead of our time. One door closes and another opens as they say….
Member update
Wayne – living in Adelaide doing Interior Design. And proud father of 2 cute kids.
Danny – not sure. Was running Kasbah in Noarlunga, but has now moved on…..
Paul – in Nippon. Web development Paul?
Jason – still in Sydney working as an Art Director I think.
Michael – still working in Sydney in professional Audio and Lighting.
Raph – no idea on his current status.
Chris Lambert – still in Adelaide. Working in Pro audio I believe.
Zac – ….. no idea on his current status.
Happy times indeed. I remember some good times on our trips to Melbourne, and one particularly lost weekend in Falls Creek.
Comment by Wayne Dixon — April 11, 2008 @ 1:24 pm
Nice bit of nostalgia!, I’ve got a wad of photos I took from various studio sessions and tours, will just have to digitise them, also the cassette of demo tracks from the Charring Cross sessions just before we got signed to Mushroom (and then dropped by them after they were bought out)
Zac and I did some tunes for a few years together after Bliss split, we got a tune onto the soundtrack of an Australian movie 2Hands and the Search for a Supermodel TV show and a few other things like that played a load of underground gigs in peoples warehouses in Surrey Hills before it went up market, that was some real fun, being chased by the cops whilst trying to hang onto your sampler!
Last band was the Booty Looters, had a bit of a floating line up with 3 regular members, was a hip hop band with, latino, reggae & ragga influences.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=170228815 last gig was a Mardi Gras a couple of years ago when my lap top died 2 hours before the gig and I had to transfer everything to CD’s and try to replicate the show- that was just too much stress and not enough fun. These days after being on the computer all day at work the last thing I feel like doing is booting up at home of an evening and trying to do some tunes, so now that I have all the gear I could possibly ever want or need, I don’t have time or the inclination to use it, I I’m into strumming my acoustic occasionally and DJing some parties playing party music, some obscure funk and latin tunes.
Zacs married has a kid and is living in Drumoyne
Comment by Mike Meissner — April 15, 2008 @ 3:48 pm
PS. Where’s Danny
Comment by Mike Meissner — April 15, 2008 @ 3:49 pm
Thanks for the comments guys. It’s great to be back in touch with you all. I’ll do some edits and updates to this soon. Would love to get some of those recordings as mp3s if you have the equipment/time to transfer them. I don’t even own a cassette deck anymore.
Comment by decoded_ — April 16, 2008 @ 1:35 pm
Hey Dave, Cool info. I remember the Lerox Battle of Bands final very clearly. I was in Neptune Lolly Shoppe…we won. You guys should have. I remember saying it at the time too. You were ahead of your time which is a curse especially when you see other bands later executing the same style years later with much success. I played a backyard gig in 97/98 sometime and Jason P showed and jumped on guitar…we had a great time reminiscing on what should of been with the respective bands we were in. I still play in bands today! 1 cover ($$$) 1 original (for the love of it). Got signed to Warner briefly in early 2000 with a band called Kaotic Lounge…until it died a slow death. Still love playing. Have great gear now too which helps. Just juggling the family, work while trying to be a muso still is a task.
Comment by Chris — April 28, 2008 @ 4:58 pm
Nice work Dave…….Website is a bloody stroke of genius….ah takes me back…just not sure the info below is exactly true……..
* Jason Paffas (Bass) decides he wants out of the band. Justin Litchfield from Kinetic Playground helps out (Bass) each now and then.
046 : 10.02.1994 : The Synagogue : Adelaide : SA
* The too many bass players incident. Jason Paffas (Bass) changes his mind, turns up in Melbourne to play, after Justin Litchfield had already been toured to Melbourne with the band. Jason plays.
Comment by JJ — May 5, 2008 @ 3:06 pm
Cool a Bliss blog. Nice one Dave. I’m pretty sure Mikie’s got a copy of More wires than braincells. I see him once and a while so I’ll MP3 them and chuck them on ftp for you.’
I’m married with a 1 year old and another on the way in October. Living in Drummoyne. Working as a Freelance Finished Artist and trying to get music production and sound design work. Playing in a rock band called ‘Redhead Welsh Husky’ with Tim Hall. I still love beer.
Comment by Zac Carmody — June 9, 2008 @ 10:46 am
http://katsuki.org/design/bliss/More_wires_than_braincells.rar
Comment by Paul — August 21, 2008 @ 7:28 pm
Hi Dave, and thanks for the kind mentions on this page. These were great days which were a hell of a lot of fun – this page brings back some very fond memories. I recall some great gigs and fun trips to Melbourne. I think I might have recently tossed away all my audio tapes (because I don’t have a player anymore) but then again there might be some still in storage in Oz. I do have some pics in storage but I’m in Egypt for the next 3 years, I’ll see if I can get some out sooner on my next trip. I’m always pleased to find a copy of the Threshold CD in someones collection and agree with other comments that the band was just a little to early in its sound for its own good. Those of us who had the pleasure of the live gigs will never forget the energy, passion and fun.
Comment by Chris McGarrigan — October 5, 2008 @ 3:47 am
Heya Dave.
I am Brasil on a shoot. I am six hours out of the nearest city, drinking beer and talking about Adelaide with a camera guy on the shoot who is also form Adelaide. He turns to me and says ‘Hey did you ever go and see DAMC?’…..The poor guy has just been subject to 6 – 7 years of recollections of my shared experience with you and the band. So we are sitting here with my iPod listening to Cyberfuture from Threshold. Crazy times indeed. I have pulled out the computer and we just pulled up your gig list and figured out which gigs he was at. All whilst being surrounded by Anacondas and Jaguars. Insane. Hope you are well? As for the More Wires cd, I’ll have to look into it. I know we had one copy but I am not sure where it ended up. If I have it then it is in my CD collection in storage in Sydney so I’ll check it out when I get home. I had a great dinner with Mikey and Nella the other day and would love to catch up with the rest of Bliss.
Any dude, rock on….Great site. Let’s catch up when I get home.
Wookie Watkins
Comment by Joshua Wookie Watkins — October 28, 2008 @ 11:51 am
Shit…Nice work Paul on the More Wires. How’s Japan been? Speak soon.
Joshua
Comment by Joshua Wookie Watkins — October 28, 2008 @ 11:56 am
Hey Dave!
Do you know how long I’ve been looking for information about Bliss on the web?!?
And to find out this is a year old is REALLY annoying.
Anyway, thank you so much for this! Especially the Bliss Logo! 😉 I’ve still got VHS footage of the last gig at the Astral, somewhere.
And isn’t it time for a reunion tour??? :p
Comment by Funky J — January 14, 2009 @ 8:45 pm
Hey Dave, yep, I concur with chris, I was walking away from le rox in 91 thinking “fuck” we just got outplayed! we were flat and then through the speakers outside I heard the winner is Neptune Lolly Shop, it was as rigged as the year before when we should have won and aunty raeline did.Thats the music buis for ya, I wont dribble on about neptune or the shit I did after and am still doing, as they say. those that can do, those that cant write about it. Was great to see the pic etc, cheers Andrew.
Comment by Andrew Matters — August 14, 2009 @ 2:04 am