pic by Robyn Murphy
Nic Dalton
Nic Dalton has been in many Australian bands, including the Plunderers, Godstar and Sneeze; as well playing with Ratcat, the Hummingbirds and US act the Lemonheads. He was also half of Love Positions with Robyn St Clare from the Hummingbirds. Nic also runs the independent record label, Half A Cow, which he co-founded in 1990. Since 2005 his main bands are the Sticker Club and the Gloomchasers (who split in 2019).
*****
Just Like Honey – previously unreleased track from 1986
“I was twenty-one and spending the last month or so by myself in the house the Plunderers had rented in Melbourne. The rest of the Plunderers had moved back to Canberra on our way to make Sydney our new home. I recorded a handful of songs including this cover of The Jesus And Mary Chain’s “Just Like Honey” that had come out six months earlier on their Psychocandy album. As much as I loved their over-the-top tinny fuzz that was sprayed across the entire album, I wanted to make a less extreme version.” – Nic
Recorded on a Tascam 244 in West Melbourne at the house called Romolo in May 1986. All instruments by Nic Dalton. Mixed by Pete Jones at Charing Cross Studio 1998 and mastered by William Bowden at Festival 1998.
Mixed and mastered alongside all the tracks that appeared on the Romolo 86-88 album (released on cd in 1998) but not seen the light of day until now. A loungeroom mix of the song was previously released on the Plunderers Half A Cow cassette that was given away at a Plunderers show at the ANU Union Bar in October 1986.
*****
*****
I Don’t Have a Team / Brenda Pt 2 – released 29th September 2023
A song about not following a footy team, released on the eve of the footy finals weekend in Australia. Backed with a version of Captain Sensible’s “Brenda Pt 2” which first appeared on Captain Sensible’s Women and Captains First (1982) and was co-written with Robyn Hitchcock.
Romolo LP – released September 2020
The first solo recordings by Nic Dalton – available on vinyl for the first time. All of these songs appeared on the Romolo 1986-88 cd (released in 1997) except two (Anniversary Song, Ring On Every Finger) which appeared on the Last Seen Near Trafalgar 1987-89 cd (released in 2008).
In late 1985 the Plunderers decided to leave their hometown of Canberra and move to Melbourne, finding a terrace called ‘Romolo’ on the edge of West Melbourne, a few blocks from the Victoria Street Markets. They bought a Tascam 244 four track machine and recorded many songs. Whilst the other Plunderers slept in during the day, Nic would record more songs. The band moved to Sydney at the end of 1986 where more four tracks were recorded.
Some of these songs would find their place on the Love Positions Billiepeebup (the first long-player released on Half A Cow in 1990) but the rest wouldn’t be released until the Romolo cd. Nic says: “I’ve never treated my 4-track recordings as ‘demos’. Why going to all the bother of borrowing drums, borrowing a car, an amp, a 12-string or electric guitar, hiring a space, getting the drum tracks as good as possible and then calling it a demo?”
Recorded by Nic Dalton on a Tascam 244 with two Shure SM58s and a Roland Space Echo. “Taking The Easy Way Out” feature Stevie Plunder and Andy Lewis on backing vocals and “Run Wild Again” has Andy Lewis on bass. All songs recorded West Melbourne, February-June 1986 except “Lounge Room” – Glebe, 1986, “Anniversary Song” and “Ring On Every Finger” – Glebe/Surry Hills, January 1988 and “Sleepwalk” – Annandale, September 1988. The songs on the new Romolo LP have been re-mastered from the original tapes by William Bowden in June 2020.
Numbered #/100 copies
Pics
Video
Buy Music
Just Like Honey (1986)
I Don’t Have a Team / Brenda Pt 2
Romolo
Blackout
Discography
Romolo LP
Romolo LP (hac246)
released September 2020
Side 1:
Good To Me #2
Taking The Easy Way Out
Turn Around
Kensington
Believe Me
Anniversary Song
Side 2:
Ring On Every Finger
Run WIld Again
Sleepwalk
Word Gets Around
Lounge Room
Recorded by Nic Dalton on a Tascam 244 with two Shure SM58s and a Roland Space Echo
Taking The Easy Way Out – Stevie Plunder and Andy Lewis: backing vocals
Run Wild Again – Andy Lewis: bass
All songs recorded West Melbourne, February-June 1986
except Lounge Room – Glebe, 1986
Anniversary Song and Ring On Every Finger – Glebe/Surry Hills, January 1988
Sleepwalk – Annandale, September 1988
All songs mixed with Pete Jones at Charing Cross, June 1997
except Anniversary Song – with David Coulthard-Clark at Charing Cross, November 1998
and Ring On Every Finger – by Nic Dalton at Troy Horse, January 1993
Blackout
- Rock and Roll Fireworks
- Saw You In A Play
- The Last Wrecker
- Maybe Going Commercial Wasn’t Such A Good Idea
- Bulbs and Bath
- In The Night
- Black Cat 1
- Black Cat 2
Recorded on a Tascam 244 late at night 1990-1991 in Trafalgar Street, Annandale . All vocals and guitar recorded live with some overdubs (such as the second vocal, bass guitar, drums) recorded later. The “Bulbs and Bath” drum track (recorded in the bath) had the fuzz guitar and Casio added later.
Mixed at the Nook June-August 2020 except “Maybe Going Commercial Wasn’t Such A Good Idea” and “Bulbs and Bath” mixed 1991. The audio corruption on “Rock and Roll” Fireworks at .27 seconds is because the cassette tape chewed.
Reviews
Last Seen Near Trafalgar 87-89
Aussie Nic Dalton was famously one of Evan Dando’s Lemonheads, but back in the late 80s he was evidently very busy meticulously writing and recording an enormous body of work, much of it at home on a Tascam four-track. ‘Last Seen Near Trafalgar 87-89’ is a recently-released collection of this work, and follows on from ‘Romelo 86-88’.
Perhaps the most startling thing about this record is that it sounds so fresh. I still find it hard to believe it’s 20 years old. The second most startling thing about it is that it was recorded at Nic’s home in Sydney on basic equipment; it’s a full-sounding album which could have been made in any studio. The third most startling thing is that it sounds like a full band playing, not a solo record. The fourth most startling thing is that it plays coherently like an album, not like just a collection of old songs.
With a voice like a sweeter-sounding Joey Ramone, Nic didn’t treat the songs as merely demos and went to the effort of laying down proper drum tracks (which he plays).
Stand-out tracks include the Ramones-esque ‘See I See You As Mine’, the Byrd’s-like twang of ‘Numbered Days’ and the irresistible ‘Yo Yo Time Again’ – which closes with a yo-yo mimicking bass slide.
Clearly, Nic’s back-catalogue deserves to explored and appreciated long after it was recorded. He’s a multi-instrumentalist and a hugely talented and prolific songwriter. This album is an absolute must for fans of Nic’s work in the Lemonheads, Godstar and The Plunderers. But then it’s a must even if you’re unfamiliar with all that. – Chris Walker Sept 2008 isthismusic.com
