Gallucci - (still)Exists! - Download it from Bandcamp.

So, life's ticking on with serioso 'adult' stuff in full swing now, but the pilot light of gallucci is lit! A convo at family christmas, plus an out-of-the-sky gig invite from those Hoodlum Shouts blokes (cheers fellas) had us locating each other in the only available timeslot of 0600-0900. In those early hours of the day it was cool to find some over-think and desperation fading as the years progress, replaced with (what felt like) instinctive express and old-fashioned brotherly connect. In the interest of hearing what we were doing, each were assigned a speaker, and really, that was that. So now it's the year of the little rooster........ We've been waiting for this.

Just in time for the release of the next recording, we finally finished a video for the previous one.... Timely, strategic, efficient - Man are we good over at the dpd offices! Really it just took that long to get through the finalcut user manual. All said, we're chuffed with the result, and now feel it's the ultimate working of a 'Song for D. Boon to Sing'. Thanks again to Joyride for being so generous with his big-ass body and time, and Mike Williams for massive help, realising the vision behind the lens!

We just got an outta-the-blue gig invite from the very kind Hoodlum Shouts for the 19th of Feb. Timing guys! Between that and some turkey talk at the NicNac family christmas, we're gonna knock out some new songs for this gig. There's not much time available, but working within limitations should prove a good thing. There's been chatter over the last year about maybe ending the gallucci era, putting a line in the sand with a new name and headspace for making music together. But, regardless of baggage and parts of our history we might not want everyone staring at, ultimately it's our history as brothers, for better or worse, we should own it no matter how good or shit it is. And the best way to go forward is to just add new chapters to the book. Time to start writing.

We are very sad to write that our generous friend, Stooges/Femmes sax-man Steve Mackay has died. Gutted, and gutted for his band-brother Watt. Two distinct memories of Steve are him taking a knee during our wild gig in '06 to stare closely at Jake's playing during each guitar solo as if he wanted to put his mouth right on the end of the firehose. The other is bursting into joyous uncontrollable laughter in the middle of a take when recording Steve's parts on 'Click to Switch' - Hearing him playing in the room, the sound it made, the richness, tone & expression of his improvise was mind-blowing. He seemed to understand our song more than we did. Hearing it coming together right before me, pretty much at the first take, was overwhelming. I lost it, laughing. Thanks for these joys and so many more Steve (thankfully lots are on tape!). We'll miss you.

To celebrate his 30th, Timothy shit pants big time by getting up on the concrete coping at the big end of the Bondi bowl (for about a 2cm kick-turn 'grind'). All whimpy safety gear employed to avert near certain death - And just happy not to end up on an ep of Bondi Rescue! Crazy to really get just how hectic those pros are.

Just a few days after we finished off 'Click to Switch' we left home for a month on a West African adventure with our guide to the awesomely mad and dusty land, Moussa. As the photo above of a tired, confused Jacob suggests, it was indeed crazy. See here:

Just in case you're wondering, Jacob is corrupting young musical minds, day-by-day in Sydney's south-west, at his very very prefeshernal & totally reputable music tuition biznuss, which goes by the dystopian name, Utopia.

Meanwhile, Timothy's getting busy in podcast land, putting bread on the table and doubling down on Australia. Usually with good 'ol Mike Williams, together as Post Bake, the radio 'band'.

More filler on the tbn webspot:

Gallucci punches out the first/last ever episode of the diepunkdeath radio show, and it's a big one! A documentary on 'The Man In The Van with The Bass in His Hand' Mr Mike Watt! We've mostly focused on his recorded efforts - You're gonna hear the cream from our 3+hr conversation with Watt and music from his awesome solo albums, Minutemen, Stooges, Banyan, fIREHOSE, Dos, Unknown Instructors and the million other projects you've never got around to listening to...... Here lies the ultimate dig deep into the mind of the thunderbroom sailor....... Get it!

Credit for this fine Watt painting goes to Alex Fine the man - check him out.

God was a Skater......

Those crazy Pacer fans... Area 55! I also like that fuzzy guy staring at him in the background....

'Half of Gallucci' (as in the Jacob half, the guitar half......the better half) is playing some gigs over the coming months as a solo guitar bonanza. Check out our gig page for details.

Meanwhile, Timothy is still circling the block, looking for the gig.....

Low level musical draw GALLUCCI finally comes out of retirement to start their career!
Gallucci, the band you think you might've heard of, but unsure it was for a good reason, delivers new music in a "two sides of the coin" fashion on 'Click to Switch'

Post-Joe Lally, G'cci found itself in a brief period of creative difference, with each brother petitioning heavily for their own version of the band to reign supreme across the land. After much sibling discourse (yelling), a grand idea was struck upon, previously known by Mamma NicNac as 'You put your nose in that corner, and yours in that one over there' - Thus allowing the 'love supream' to prosper, seperately, but as one, together, forever.

So, to document & celebrate the band's existence as a truly two-headed beast - Gallucci, being Jacob & Timothy Nicastri of Sydney, Australia - hereby present their new album 'Click to Switch' to the public ear proper.......

On this very same album, you'll eventually locate contributions from Minutemen/fIREHOSE/Stooges bassman Mike Watt, Stooges/Violent Femmes hornman Steve Mackay and ABC Radio Renegade Tony Barrell amongst many other good people - and of course, there's a whole bunch of guitars.....

Gallucci, a band of infinite stupidity, and inconsistent appearance does "something" once more....

You can download the album on Bandcamp by clicking here - But If you'd like one of our 'Swish & limit-edish USB hard-card-copies', we'll sort you out too.... Email us at diepunkdeath@yahoo.com!

Just pulled an all-nighter to shoot the first (and probably only) video clip for the new album 'Click to Switch'. This one was for 'Song for D. Boon to Sing'. In the room was uncanny resembler Rowan Dix (aka Joyride) and behind the lens, Mike Williams....... soon, soon, soon, it's on it's way!

Here is the heavy deet and links for our song 'Brothers Since Birth' from Click to Switch (Note: big-store mersh links provided to keep the legals okay, not to endorse the selling websites!). Talk about fine print.......

*Roger Casement: Sounds came from Padraic Colum - Purchase Here. *Joseph Conrad: Sounds came from 'Heart of Darkness' from ABC Radio National's The Bookreading, read by William Zappa. *OrsonWelles/John Milius/Francis Ford Coppola: Sounds Came from 'Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmakers Apocalypse' - Purchase Here. *Martin Sheen (Estevez)/Michael Herr: Sounds came from 'Apocalypse Now' - Purchase Here. *Jim Morrison: Sounds came from 'The Hill Dwellers' from The Doors 'In Concert' album - Purchase Here. *Joe Strummer: Sounds came from BBC World Service program 'Joe Strummer's - London Calling' - Download Here. *Sean Flynn. *Bob Cousy/Jerry West: Sounds Came from 'NBA on TNT' theme music - Purchase NBA Games Here. *Press Maravich/Pistol Pete Maravich: Sounds Came from 'Pistol Pete's Homework Basketball' - Purchase Here. *Calvin Murphy(+Red Auerbach): Sounds Came from 'Red on Roundball - Dexterity/Dribbling' - Purchase NBA TV Here. *Isiah Thomas. *Zephyr Lads: Sounds Came from 'Dogtown and Z-Boys' - Purchase Here. *Lance Mountain: Sounds Came from '411 video magazine' intro theme by Sol the Boxcar - Purchase Here (much better from your local skateshop though....). *Mike Vallely: Sounds Came from 'Drive: My Life in Skateboarding' - Purchase Here. *John Muir: Sounds Came from 'Sligo Creek' by Al Petteway - Purchase Here - which was used in Ken Burns' 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea'- Purchase Here. *National Geographic Magazine: Sounds Came from National Geographic Channel's theme music - Purchase (NGS Stuff) Here. *The Avalanches: Sounds Came from 'Extra Kings' on their album 'Since I Left You' - Purchase Here. *Wikipedia - Donate Here. *Studs Terkel: Sounds Came from This Program on American Public Radio - Donate Here. *Ira Glass/Planet Money: Sounds Came from 'This American Life' #423 - Donate Here. *Tom Morton: Sounds Came from 'The Many Lives of Roger Casement' on ABC Radio National's Hindsight. *Nick Franklin: Sounds Came from 'The Fish & Chips and the Meaning of Life' on ABC Radio National's Encounter. *Tony Barrell. *The Night Air: Sounds Came from Gallucci's Night Air program on ABC Radio National 'Paranoid Parade' - Download Here. *Mike Watt: Sounds Came from 'Big Train' on his 'Ball-hog or Tugboat' album - Purchase Here. *Joe Lally: Sounds Came from 'Long Division' on Fugazi's 'Steady Diet of Nothing' album - Purchase Here. *Paul Simonon: Sounds Came from 'Charlie Don't Surf' on The Clash's 'Sandinista' album - Purchase Here. *Fela Anikulapo Kuti: Sounds Came from the track/album 'Confusion' - Purchase Here. *Flea: Sounds Came from 'I've Been Down' on the 'Basketball Diaries' soundtrack - Purchase Here. *Dada/John Coltrane: Sounds Came from 'Lord, Help Me To Be' on John and Alice's 'Cosmic Music' album - Purchase Here. *Pharoah Sanders: Sounds Came from 'Love Is Everywhere' on his 'Love In Us All' album - Purchase Here. *Benito Mussolini: Sounds Came from the 1934 Taranto Speech.

Don't get that many chances to put up a basketball photo that's worth a damn..... So not missing this chance. Dig Deeper Here.

Do you like $$$ money...... but in a perhaps non-normal way? As in, you're not madly focused on your own dollar-mite account so much, but you do find the way it works the world as a whole, pretty intriguing? If so, NPR's Planet Money blog/Podcast was made specifically to buzz your grey matter - Listen in and you'll be a fraudulent bedroom economist in no time! Dig deeper here.

Are you aware that there is a third brother NicNac out there? Aaron Thomas - who we indeed love like any other galluccian - is older than Jacob, younger than Timothy, and a non-fender twin (yes, there are 4 of us!). He's an intriguing man of numbers and games. He was a national magic champion, a pro poker player for a while, was mad enough to think he could sort out the family business Pappa Nicastri runs, and has no cartelige left in his knees from too much Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Aaron spends most waking moments at his gaming joint out in Sydney's west, Gamezilla, where there is something nerdily cool happening in our opinion. Community!

An excellent film, basically about the endless paranoia of being a sound engineer, I get it Harry, I get it..... Mr Coppola made this gem between the two Godfathers, and besides it's fantastic poster above, it's also one of the very few films that features John Cazale in front of the lens. You've actually heard bits of it in our NightAir Mixtape, come to think of it.....

Mike Vallely, a true skateboarder, with a unique expressive style, a way with words, and a lengthy, storied career...... He's a complex contradictory man at times, but is always handing out free inspirato to anyone who cares to pay attention, and this is a rare thing. Dig Deeper Here.

Very sad to write that our friend, broadcaster Tony Barrell passed away last night peacefully at his home in Balmain. Tony was 70 years old. Only yesterday I was sitting next to him chatting away, just after he gave a masterclass-thing about his great radio doco making. Tony and Gallucci visited the White Bay Power Station a few months back, gathering voice material for the next (eventual) Gallucci album..... Sad to think we'll never get to do that tune live with him, but glad that his words are on tape for us to share with you, in time.

You can download an mp3 of 'Listening For Pleasure - The Radio Work of Tony Barrell' here.

We've also started this other spot to collate Tony's various works - Though it's at an early work in progress stage...... http://tonybarrellarchive.blogspot.com/

The recently icy relationship between architects and skateboarders (think knobbly skatestoppers on building ledges) may now be thawing somewhat, and in of all places, cold cold Oslo in Norway, where skateboarding was totally illegal between 1979 and 1989. It's not just reverting back to the good old days when architects were blissfully unaware of the terranical perfection they were creating either - Some are now misdirecting their employers on the purpose of a building, and consulting skateboarders on things like surface and flow. The Oslo Opera House above is one hell of an example. Take a look at this 2008 article from Wired Magazine.

Skateboarding (vaguely borrowing the words of Ian Mackaye in Mike Vallely's film Drive), is about redefining. If a kid can redefine a lifeless gutter or a uninspired parking lot into a place for artistic/physical expression, they can take those skills and redefine themselves and the their entire world along the way. Very interesting to think of that not even being necessary.... but someone else will again redefine I'm sure. In 1980 Mike Watt asked 'who makes the definitions anyway?' - An important question.

If you're ever in need of general wardrobe inspirato, Craig Sager is your guy. Sage's various stylistic choices (within the framework of the suit), easily outdo the colours of the NBA jerseys he stands next to game after game, as sideline commentator for TNT's weekly double-header. Tragedy, comedy, and pure style - in every colour of the rainbow.......... A salute to you Mr Sager from the men of Gallucci. Dig Deeper here.

Mr Paul Gough is a man of admirable and worldly contribution. Father of two fine growing lads, amateur chef of great instinct, invaluable friend to Fratelli Gallucci, and (for light and shade) possesses a temper that could make Our Father Below green with envy. Under his musical moniker Pimmon, staring into the brightness of the screen as a man walking toward the light, he convinces even the most cynical that noise is not noise, and (in the right hands) a single laptop can be a truly musical instrument. Along with this, on the radio program 'Paul's Playlunch' on Sydney's FBi 94.5 you get the chance to flick though his gargantuan record library like a small child lost in the forest. On his other radio program 'The Quiet Space' on ABC Radio National he provides a mesmerizing 4am listening experience, exposing music that would otherwise be rarely (or never) heard on such a large scale...... inciting this recent letter to the editor. Gold!Download a pinch of 'Pimmon' here+here.
Download a bite of 'Paul's Playlunch' here.
Download a shhhhhh of 'The Quiet Space' here.

San Pedro's own Thunderbroom Sailor, Mike Watt has been back in town on Stooges BDO business in the last few days, so we went out to chow some squid and also recorded a marathon interview spiel for a radio doc on his post-fIREHOSE works. It was great to see him after so long since our gig together in '06..... We even got our ugly mugs onto Watt's Hootpage tour diary too (scroll down some). Chuffed!

Download a glimpse of the interview with Watt here (backed by 'Intense Song for Madonna to Sing').

Gallucci's 'Save a Dying Thinking Man' project is getting underway! This is where we place old National Geographic Magazines (complete with amazing flicks and cultural lid-flips) in Doctor's waiting rooms across the land, in the hopes of saving us from 'Fading Celebrity Weight Gain Gossip Girl Magazine' etc. etc. If you'd like to get involved and do this in your own locale, we will happily send you some stickers and assist with finding magazines. Get in touch - diepunkdeath@yahoo.com

James Dibble, the original ABC Television newsreader (from 1956-83) and possessor of award-winning diction, died this week aged 87. The reason for your continued interest in James here is that he played an unlikely part in Russell Guy's gonzo radio mind-bend 'What's Rangoon to You is Grafton to Me' which first aired on Double J in 1978. One of the most requested radio programs ever made, and a prince of the bootleg cassette trade-routes of the 80's, you can now download an MP3 of it here. Tony Barrell told me that Dibble couldn't make time to come back to the studio and finish the second half of the script, that's the accidentally genius reason you hear Dibble and Russell Guy woven together in voice as one blur in the program........
Again, the MP3 of 'What's Rangoon....' is here. Enjoi.

"Sydney's confused soca punks Gallucci deliver a peculiar mixtape for ABC Radio National's The Night Air this week, exploring 'The Lighter Side of Male Paranoia'. From watching the waistbelt, to lady worries and fear of the big man, all angles of this humourous and primarly masculine twinge are opened up for pot shots and low brow hubbub. Musically you'll hear Hot Snakes, Minutemen, Coltrane, Daniel Johnston (tons more too) along with ABC archive of Devo, Thomas Pynchon & Tony Barrell with Hunter S. Thompson, as well as tasty contributions from Ray Ahn, Richard Meltzer, Mike Watt, Michael C. Ford, Mykel Board (and anyone else you can think of named Michael)...... Join Gallucci on Paranoid Parade!"

If you reside anywhere down under, hear it on your local Radio National frequency, as part of The Night Air; 9pm Sun 14th Nov. or Midnight Sat 20th Nov.

Check out Gallucci's 'Wall of Sound'.......... The recording of the new album has begun!

G'cci Jumps!....... and very quickly gets very wet. This is the original bungee spot in NZ, the Kawarau Bridge. This historic suspension bridge (which I fell off) was built in 1880, desgned by Harry Paisley Higginson. The schist masonry towers have a superb affinity with the surroundings and the main wooden truss provides a strong visual link across the 90 metre gap. A thoroughly well-designed structure, it's still showing its sound construction 130+ years later. How do I know all this? Rather than watching others jump while I waited, I read the detailed bronze plaque maybe 50 times.....

Early this morning G'cci visited the White Bay Power Station with a friend to gather some voice material toward the new album.....

On Sunday at the Opera House, as part of the Graphic Festival, Regurgitator are performing a live soundtrack to the western world's first real taste of Anime in 1988, 'AKIRA'. I don't get out of the house much nowdays, but I'm not missing this one for the world.... Unreal!

Some theme music for the small screen is simply a cut above the rest, but then some shows are too.....

Check it out here & Dig Deeper Here.

Claude Monet, a refined dresser, gardener and well-bearded individual, really began to hit his stride artistically from about 42. Moving with his family to Giverny, Northern France in the Spring of 1883, he began planting and perfecting huge gardens which sprawled their property, delivering endless inspirato for his 'series' works. Inside their home, his first studio in Giverny (above, later as a sitting room) was quite a spot, with it's tiers of impressionist beauty edging at the distant ceiling (Check out another flick for height). The photo of himself on the desk is also a nice touch - even he must have appreciated that great beard....

We here at the diepunkdeath office are massive fans of the artwork of one Gav Kyle. Previously you've seen his genius scribbles on the back of Gallucci's 'You-Wrecker'. Dig Deeper Here.

We've just finished working on a theme for the ABC Radio National program 'Elsewhere'. Download and take a listen here. One of Tony Barrell's eerie Japan mini programs from the series '24 Inkstains on the Tatami' is also included - We like TB!

The whole Nicastri family chipped in for Jacob's 21st present, his new pride and joy, a Gibson J-200. The 'J' stands for 'Jumbo', and as you can see Jake applied that to his smile.... Look forward to hearing this thing boom next G'cci recording. Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick, Boom!

I went for a drive today to meet Jacob's new catlings 'Click' & 'Switch', though I still don't know swhich is swhich. Mi piace Gatti.............. Click to Switch; Do you have an album name for me?

So, the next time you hear or see the words 'Bob Loseedo Wears A Speedo' you might have a little more clue what's happening..... Maybe? This awesome flick (by Patrick O'Dell) appears in a book that traces the quarter-century bloodlines of Independent Trucks, called 'Built To Grind - 25 Years of Hardcore Skateboarding'.

Check out the photos from our time on the road with Joe Lally. We had a whole lot of fun, and Joe eventually came round to our stupidity (numba wun!!!)..... Plus there was the chance to sample some Cascade Draught, which is only available in Van Diemens Land. A pleasure of the deep south.

Jacob, you bloody idiot! Death for Life?

In the 1960's, the West African country of Mali began enjoying it's restored independence after 70 years of French colonialism. To resurrect the musical traditions, the new government created a stack of so-called regional orchestras. These groups then suprisingly began integrating European & American instruments and electrified sounds, as well as popular Cuban salsa feels into the rich & historic repertoire of Malian traditional music. I guess they didn't want the kids to bypass their own culture and history just because there weren't any wild surf guitar solos in the tunes. I can also hear some strange musical links between this kinda stuff and 1950's Calypso music....

Download part of 'Sanjina' by Orchestre Regional de Kayes here.

Scenes from the Joe Lally tour visiting Wollongong for a gallery matinée performance, with Gallucci as backing and support act as well. Double Vision!

Next time you visit Canberra, make sure you clear 15 minutes in the schedule to go to The National Gallery to sit in front of Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles. There is even a comfy leather bench seat right in front of it, close enough to study the detail, and distant enough to the appreciate the size. It's also worth noting that when this painting was purchased by the Whitlam Government in 1973 for $1.3million (the highest amount ever paid for a modern painting at the time) it caused significant stirring as to why we'd spent a fortune on a big splashy mess by a barefoot drunk........ why indeed! Dig Deeper Here.