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Datura4 returns to Rottnest Island with the cream of the Perth blues rock crop. Ticketed event More info HERE.

Big thanks to TONE Scott at Goldmine magazine for the great rave for Invisible Hits in his December 2023 edition of Eclectic Discoveries (No.9). Cheers On the outskirts of Perth, out of the mysterious land of Fremantle, (western) Australia, for just short of a decade and a half, Datura4 has been steadily grinding their way to the international presence and the revere that the band has garnered to this very day.  Having been following the band's progress and rise since slightly after their debut release (Demon Blues, 2019, Alive Records), I will be the first to acknowledge that it's been very evident that Datura4 has put every foot forward with the perpetuation of a freight train, in order to get where they are today.  This is not a lazy band, by far.  Before this year, they have released a total of five studio albums since 2015, all having been put-out by the only label home they've known, Alive Records (Alive Naturalsound) out of the music capital of the world, Los Angeles, California.  The band's modern style mixture of '70s throwback boogie woogie, hard blues rock and psychedelia, falls right inline with the mentality of their record label, whose roster includes some of the hottest names in glam rock, psych, blues, classic punk, and the list goes on. If you have been following our Eclectic Discoveries article series here at Goldmine this past year, you may have been privy to the review that I did in the May/June 2023 edition, with regard to the band's 2022 fifth studio effort, Neanderthal Jam.   The review was over the moon and as praising and accolades-driven as any album review could be (you'll have to read it for yourself if you haven't already). Since then, the band has been on a steady international tour schedule, and has temporarily put aside formulating a sixth studio effort, in order to visit their fandom at various places across the globe.  And while we can imagine that it is definitely in the band's itinerary, to give us a new collection of original songs to drool over, fans of the band will just have to have a little more patience. However, because Datura4 followers are eagerly awaiting a new full-length studio effort, the label and the band, collectively, thought it to be a fantastic idea, and give Datura4 fandom a small collection of never-before-heard versions/out takes and grouping of songs that have never before been available on vinyl record, before now.  The end of 2023 has given us a pseudo-new album by the band, and thus Invisible Hits is proving to be a great pacifier, in order to hold fans over, until we can get a new Datura4 full-length 'original material' album onto our turntables and into our CD players. Photo credit: Jon Tarry As a music collector and fan of physical music media, because of space constraints, many times you will find that a compact disc version of an album may have one, two or more extra available songs than does its vinyl record counterpart.  Often, one might think that this may be a ploy by the band and/or the record company to force you to buy both format releases.  I can assure you that this is not the case.  If you want a single disc vinyl record to sound even halfway decent, let alone fantastic, you don't cram more music than can be mastered properly onto one side of a vinyl record.  Two of the songs on the new Invisible Hits LP are prime examples of that.  Not only is "Drive-by Island" one of my most frequently visited Datura4 songs out of their entire discography, but it was also never featured on the vinyl version of their last album, Neanderthal Jam.  Because of proper mastering rules, it was one of the songs that were chosen to be left off of the vinyl, and available only on the compact disc variant.  Now, however, you can experience this absolutely gorgeous track in the warmth of analog on a vinyl record.  Just as well, "Fish Fry," a song with a great bar-band feel, encompassing a smooth electric blues undertone, with a hard rock personality, is now also available to be heard on vinyl for the very first time ever.   "Walk on the Water," is new to the ears of Datura fans. Never before released as a single, nor available on any of the five previous studio albums, it is a graceful, melodic yet punchy production, with flowing lead vocals and beautifully arranged backgrounds, and topped off with an amazing lead guitar solo that follows a Hammond B3 run that will keep you glued to the song.  Upon hearing it for the first time, I could not pull myself away.  It became stuck under the phono cartridge on my turntable for several repeats before I allowed the album to move forward. "Evil People Pt. 2," a chant-style semi-instrumental that was originally featured ONLY on the compact disc version of the band's third studio effort, Blessed Is The Boogie, can now be chanted along with as it comes out of the analog grooves of this new vinyl record.  With absolutely no disrespect intended to Dom Mariani's incredibly fit lead vocals, the never-before-released instrumental, "Phoenix," has found its way onto this new album, and it is a breath-taking way to experience the pure talent of the band's instrumentation, lathered in big sounding blues rock goodness, and just slightly reminiscent of a non-vocal "Won't Get Fooled Again," by The Who.   One of the coolest variants that you will come across, is an expanded version of "Going Back to Hoonsville," found originally as the lead-in track on 2022's Neanderthal Jam, which is a freedom-ringing hard rocker, as the original version already conveys.  With the Invisible Hits version, you'll immediately come head-on with intricate guitar riffing in the intro of the song—that was never previously there—and which continues through parts of each of the verses and choruses.  Moreover, there is a blazing guitar solo in the bridge of the song that is the heartbeat of this new variant; simply fantastic!   Another 'missing' vinyl piece from the recent past comes by way of the original 2020 version of "Rule My World," first found only on the compact disc version of the band's West Coast Highway Cosmic album, as the only track not included on its vinyl counterpart.  Such a hard, blues laced, boogie woogie rocker it is—one of their best pure bar-band styled bangers, which sounds crisp and precise on the CD format.  However, now, you can listen to the song via an analog medium, giving it slightly more of a natural and unpolished sonic characteristic, the way I believe this song should always be heard. Lastly, just the same as was their 2019 semi-instrumental "Evil People Pt. 2,"(as mentioned above) so it is with "The City of Lights," as both were only ever included digitally on the CD version of their third studio effort.  This melody-driven, beauty of lyrical story-telling, which is supported by an absolute blossomed production, with layers of fantastic instrumentation, can now be had to enjoy, coming from within the confines of the analog grooves of a vinyl record.  While the analog vinyl format, and the digital compact disc format both have their designated purposes, and as both appease in the same way for some, or hold a totally separate preference with others, it is just fantastic that now all Datura4 material can be experienced either way, and we have the band and the label to thank for that.

Wonzo the great says that’s a wrap. Our final show at Villa Abrizzi Marini in an old converted Armenian church. 16 Rockin’ shows in Spain and Italy over 19 days, phew!!! Thank you to all our fans old and new, Luca and Julia for driving the van and getting us to the show on time. Lorena and Gerardo for booking everything and making our tour fun and a successful one. See you next time. Dom, Waz, Stu and Joe #australianrock @leicashow_presents@folc_records#boogierock #bluesrock #classicrock #hardrock #stonerock #heavybluesrock#psychblues #psychrock

A review from last Friday’s show (7/10/23)at Joshua Blues Club, Como. The following is translated, but if you read Italian head over to LOUDD SONGS & STORIES and read the original there. Thanks Stefano Nicastro for taking the time to review us. Grazie mille! 09/10/2023 Live Reports Datura4, 07/10/2023, Joshua Blues, Como Dom Mariani's Datura4, with their rock-blues strongly influenced by the classic seventies sound, gave a great live show to Joshua Blues in Como for the last stage of their European tour. by Stefano Nicastro Raise your hand if, in 2015, you thought that Datura4 would be the musical "third life" of Dom Mariani & Co? I certainly don't! Datura4, for those who don't know them, are Australian guys who are certainly not "first-time": Dom Mariani (former frontman of the Stems, garage band of the 1980s, and then lead singer of DM3), the very nice Jozef Grech (who in over the years he replaced Greg Hitchcock (also a veteran of the Aussie scene) on second guitar and the rhythm section composed of Warren Hall and Stuart Loasby. Although Dom Mariani has always been faithful to a markedly power pop sound, with the new band he offers a rock-blues strongly influenced by the classic seventies sound . At the time I thought that Demon Blues (2015 - already programmatic title of everything that would follow) could be considered the divertissement of the Australian rocker in search of new "old" stimuli and, perhaps, also a larger audience. From 2015 to today, however, Datura4 have churned out 5 albums on an almost annual basis, where the mix offered is a primordial soup of electrified blues, proto hard rock and lysergic distortions, which found its points of reference in the classic groups of that era. Given the musical composition proposed, it is easy to assume that the group could give its best live, and so it was. The last stage of the European tour (which however only touched first Iberian and then Italian soil), thanks to the guys from Otis Tours, touched the little "pearl" of the Joshua Blues of Como, allowing me and the Lombard fans to attend a concert that is certainly old style , but played impeccably. Datura4 did not hold back, a set of around 16 pieces (with the cover of "Oh Well Fleetwood Mac" combined, with a clever medley, with "Going back to Hoonsville") which saw the presentation of pieces from all the their albums, with the predominance of the last three: Blessed Is the Boogie (2019), West Coast Highway Cosmic (2020) and the latest Neanderthal Jam (2022). So forget about any technical devilry, Datura4 play a healthy old R&R with the classic lineup of 2 guitars, bass, drums, 1,2,3, and so on. We immediately started strong with the torrential blues of “Looper”, and then moved on to the southern rock of “Digging My Own Gravfe” gradually increasing the volume and unleashing cascades of wah wah solos (that little pedal also called "Cry Baby", trademark of a series of great musicians from Jimi Hendrix, to Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Steve Satriani). A note of mention also goes to “Sounds of Golds”, the demonic boogie of “Worried man's Boogie” and the previously unreleased “Overlord”. But it would be impossible not to also mention “Bad Times” or the super electrified blues of “Ooh Poo Pah Doo”, or “Mother Medusa”, supported by Warren's powerful drumming. In short, although not exactly, as the English say, "my cup of tea", these concerts have a "detox" effect for me. Of course, the ridge between tackiness and good music, especially for a genre like this, is very thin, but with musicians of this kind who have been on stage for over 30 years, the risk has been totally dispelled by a compactness of sound that has made it more how enjoyable it all was. #australianrock #boogierock #bluesrock #classicrock #hardrock #stonerock #heavybluesrock#psychblues #psychrock

Had an absolute blast sharing the stage last night with Dave Hole at The Regal Theatre for the West Australian Music Industry Awards. Thanks to the WAM team for helping make it happen and John Mariani for the snaps.

The Neanderthal Jam Tour through Spain and Italy was an epic jaunt and definitely one for the rock of ages. Big time thanks to Lorena Nah from Leicashow Presents, Gerardo from @FOLC in Spain and Otis Tours in Italy. We’re forever grateful to our tour managers / drivers and dear friends Luca Re and Julia-Leo Re and to all the fans, local promoters, bar-keepers, sound engineers and venues… you’re all alright! Cheers. D4

Our first ever compilation album “Invisible Hits” is available to order right here RIGHT NOW through Alive Naturalsound. “Invisible Hits” collects the stray tracks that have only appeared on the compact disc editions of our previous albums plus a couple of previously unreleased tunes t’boot. This super limited edition bundle features “Invisible Hits” on hand-numbered, clear blue vinyl, the splatter edition of our 4th LP “West Coast Highway Cosmic”, a fully signed (by the whole band) insert and a Datura4 poster. Only 25 bundles available so strike now while the iron is HOT.

New South Wales & Victoria - That’s a wrap. Top shelf cheers to everyone who came to the shows, bought a shirt and a record and for givin’ a rats. WA shows incoming and a new album to dive into. Compliments of the highest to Gumball Festival & Dashville Skyline, Cherry Bar, The Barwon Club Hotel and The Great Club for having us and the Sheepdogs for sharing the stage. Supercharged kudos to Aidan d'Adhemar for sound, stage and steering the van and Stu Liqvist, Jeffrey Baker and Keith Claringbold for the snaps. You’re all alright.

Very heavy thanks to Linda Dunjey Photography for coming to our show at Lyric's and taking a bundle of sweet pics and writing a bunch of kind words for X-Press Magazine. Our east coast run kicks in tonight, Friday April 21st, at The Great Club in Marrickville with the Sheepdogs all the way from Canada . On stage 8pm sharp. Image credit Linda Dunjey Extract from Review below, and you can read the full review on Xpress mag's website HERE Datura4 took to the stage as a quintet with Dom Mariani on guitars and vocals, Warren Hall on drums, Stu Loasby on bass, Jozef Grech on guitars and vocals and Bob Patient on keyboards. From the opening chords of the darkly mesmerising Trolls, to Digging My Own Grave followed by the insanely catchy Bad Times, Worried Man's Boogie, Black Speakers and Going Back to Hoonsville, there was more than enough of the new Neanderthal Jam tracks to hope the merch tables on the tour will get a workout of their own. The other four Datura4 albums were also represented in the setlist to satisfy any die hard fans who wanted to hear the earlier songs. On a night that well and truly cemented the band's well-deserved reputation of being top of the boogie/blues/psychedelic scene in WA, no-one wanted the night to be over, but the encores of the beloved Blessed is the Boogie, and closer Oh Well sent punters home on a high.

Some choice words from Dom about growing up in Fremantle and the legacy of Bon Scott in the latest edition of Fremantle Herald Official, ahead of the High Voltage WA Festival which is taking over the Harbour city on Sunday, May 7. OUT of all the classic rock bands from the 1970s, AC/DC were one of the few admired by the punk and new wave movement. By the mid 70s, rock music had became grandiose and artists more aloof as they donned extravagant costumes and played longer guitar solos and bigger venues, giving birth to stadium rock. But AC/DC never wavered, continuing with their stripped down rock ’n’ roll and unpretentious approach. So it’s no surprise that Fremantle singer/guitarist Dom Mariani – who burst onto the scene as frontman of punk-garage band The Stems in the early 80s – is a fan of AC/DC. “It was the favoured soundtrack of the suburban hoon doing laps around Fremantle in the late 70’s and early 80’s in their hotted-up Holden or Falcon,” Mariani says. “I was a fan from the moment I saw them play Baby Please Don’t Go on Countdown. They were the antithesis to Sherbert (who I didn’t mind) and Air Supply, but Bon Scott had a cheekiness and stage persona that was instantly appealing.” Mariani is busy rehearsing with his latest band, the critically acclaimed Datura4, for the Bon Scott-inspired High Voltage festival in Fremantle. Since forming in 2009, Datura4 have released four albums, wowing fans and critics with their heady mix of blues and psychedelic rock. Songs like Neanderthal Jam have all the musicianship of classic rock, but with a modern twist and catchy hooks. “I would say Datura4 is my favourite of all the bands that I’ve put together because it satisfies and fuses all of my rock and roll influences and guilty pleasures in rock,” Mariani says. “It may have taken me awhile to get back there, but I’d describe it as an open slather of hard rock, heavy blues and psychedelic rock which goes back to my earliest influences as a teenage high-school rocker growing up in Fremantle. “I’ve been lucky and I can honestly say that I’ve enjoyed all my previous bands from The Stems to DM3 and The Someloves to The Majestic Kelp.” The High Voltage festival was inspired by the successful Highway to Hell in 2020, which commemorated the 40th anniversary of Bon Scott’s death with tribute bands playing throughout Greater Fremantle and on trucks barrelling down the Canning Highway (the original ‘Highway to Hell’). This time the festival has been expanded with a wider variety of bands at Fremantle Oval, Wilson Park and Esplanade Reserve, as well as bands playing on trucks as they do 5km bog laps of the CBD and South Fremantle. The Oval zone will be more geared towards kids while the Esplanade features the most bands including Katy Steele, Dan Sultan, The Southern River Band, DIESEL and Natalie Gillespie. It’s hoped the festival will become an annual event and bolster Fremantle’s reputation as a hub for music, culture and arts. 64-year-old Mariani, who has lived in the port city most of his life, says Freo is a bit special with a European flavour. “My parents were Italian immigrants who came out on passenger ships in the mid-fifties to start a better life as did so many others,” he says. “Growing up in Fremantle was the best thing that my folks could have done for us. There was a very European flavour growing up in the port city, which has diminished somewhat over the years, but I do love living in Fremantle and being near the ocean with all it has to offer.” Datura4 are playing Wilson Park at around 1pm as part of the High Voltage Festival on Sunday May 7 from 1pm-6pm. For the full line up and more details see highvoltagewa.com.au

Big thanks to TONE Scott from Goldmine magazine outta New York City for the kind words about Neanderthal Jam, who describes it as being "one of the best classic rock infused records of this century." Cheers! Read Tone's review of Datura4 below, and you can read the whole article "Eclectic Discoveries: A review of new music with no boundaries" on Goldmine HERE. Ever wonder what it would be like to be back in 1975, listening to some of the mid-decade hard blues rock wonders, such as Bad Company, Nazareth, Montrose, Deep Purple or ZZ Top? Ever wonder what it would be like to experience that in the year 2023 with new-to-you music? Fret not, for the Los Angeles, California based record label—Alive Naturalsound—gives us another modern throwback with Neanderthal Jam, the 5th studio album from western Australia's very own, Datura4. 2015 would see the band's debut album on the very same record label that they hail from today, and 7 years later would be giving us, what I am confident is, their best studio album to date. The band is rooted in a purist form of blues rock which will positively resonate with any fan of the '70s gritty hard & heavy rock genre. Their current studio album release does not fall short, inspiring everyone from the modern day stoner, to the aficionado of classic-era hard blues rock goodness. Neanderthal Jam—the bands' fifth full length studio recording—is the most prolific continuation of Datura4's dedication to pure modern day boogie-woogie blues rock. The introduction track, "Going Back To Hoonsville," opens up the record with a George Thorogood-esque chugging and crunching repetitive rhythm section, and lyrics to match. It immediately describes the energetic sonic fingerprint that the band will perpetuate throughout the entirety of this road-house-style blues rock album. As the track-listing segues into "Open The Line", the pop melody vocals and the implementation of the Hammond B3 organ into the production gives the feeling of an almost circa 1960's sonic imagery, and offers a nice early break in the album from the deep hard blues rock-n-roll that this album goes so well to exemplify. Right up next is the single-worthy and radio friendly "Bad Times,"where the amazing similarity to their fellow countrymen, AC/DC, shines through brightly. With funky blues rhythm guitar riffs that mimic the late Malcolm Young in the most honorable way, combined with the catchy hook lyrics and melody that are similarly characteristic of the iconic hard rock Australian band, "Bad Times" gives this studio production what it needs to present itself palatable to a very diverse international rock & blues-music-loving audience. It is interesting (and freshening) that the title track, "Neanderthal Jam," which comes about halfway through the album on the compact disc — but at the very end of the vinyl LP — is the only instrumental production found on the record. It offers a groovy, easy, mid-tempo void-of-vocals break from the deep and prevalent rockin' and rollin' that have beautifully inundated the album thus far. With great musical progression (and a fantastic blues harmonica), it wouldn't surprise me if it became one of anyone's favorite tracks on this absolutely monolithic record. While the vinyl record comes offering nine hot firing bar-room blues rock heaters, the compact disc offers the listener two additional tracks that establish their own unique distinction from the rest of Neanderthal Jam's songs list. "Fish Fry"—the first of the two—created inside me a nostalgic trip back to the mid-'70s, when I would hear songs from bands such as Sugarloaf on mainstream AM radio. It is definitely a 'pop-friendly' change from the rest of the albums' hard and heavy rock handprint. Lastly, "Drive By Island" brings this brilliant album to termination with a song that I only wish was available to be heard on the vinyl recording. It is large, it is extremely well written and produced, and is the song that exemplifies the most modern sounding production in juxtaposition to the rest of the album being a nod to a throwback time of blues rock innocents. If you want the full Neanderthal Jam experience, I highly recommend owning this underrated album on both formats and blessings yourself with what is definitely one of the best modern 'classic rock'-infused records of this century.

First gig in Italy. It's always great to play at Raindogs in Savona. Thanks to the Raindogs crew and the punters for coming to our show. We had a blast. October 2023 October 2019