Classic Reish from Australia’s Hitmen

Band featured members of Radio Birdman and Hoodoo Gurus.

By Blurt Staff

With the classic Australian rock scene of the late ‘70s through mid ‘80s getting steadily documented over the past years - we've seen key titles from Radio Birdman, the Saints, Hoodoo Gurus, Died Pretty, Scientists and others arrive as remastered and often expanded reissues - now comes word of yet another choice title, this one from Sydney punk legends the Hitmen.

Led by Birdman guitarist Chris Masuak, and Birdman cohort Johnny Kannis, the band where the Gurus recruited Brad Shepherd and Mark Kingsmill from. Shepherd was gone by the time the group cut its definitive recording, Tora Tora DTK (Kingsmills appears on it however), and it was also the band's swansong live album, recorded in 1984 during what was their farewell tour at the time. It includes all their classic tracks, like "Didn't Tell The Man" and  "I Don't Mind" along with their killer covers of "Shake Some Action" and "Solid As A Rock."

Expanded to double disc and issued by the Shock/Savage label, Tora Tora now includes 6 more tracks from the same shows, including stage favourites 'Suspicious Minds', 'Search & Destroy' and 'Louie Louie'. The second disc includes the band's '91 comeback album Moronic Inferno in its entirity (featurin Birdman's Deniz Tek), plus outtakes, plus the earlier U.E.L.A. EP and  Masuak's own Cowboy Angel mini-lp all as a bonus.

This comes on the heels of Savage's other two Hitmen offerings, The Hitmen and It Is What It Is, so no doubt Hitmen completists will be in Oz heaven at the news.

Incidentally, if you happen to be in Australia this weekend and next, the band has gotten back together for a string of reunion shows, including Melbourne's Cherry Bar (Nov. 14 and 20) and Sydney's Sandringham Hotel (Nov. 21).