Hitmen, The - Tora Tora DTK (Album)
» The Hitmen Announce Tour - October 15, 2007
The Hitmen were a pub rock band from the early 80s featuring previous members of Radio Birdman, future members of The Hoodoo Guru’s plus a pedigree of other seminal rock bands.
They have recently reformed and played a spate of shows around Sydney. Tora Tora TDK is a reprint of one of their classic 80s albums, including many new unreleased tracks.
The reissue features a massive 30 page booklet full of The Hitmen’s history and their many line up changes. It talks about their struggle to pick up where they left off, and the tour with Iggy Pop. This release is for any die-hard Hitmen fan who didn’t get enough of them in the 80s are looking to reignite that punk spark within.
Disc one of the two disc set starts with the classic 'Rock n Roll Soldiers' from a live set in 1984. The Tora Tora DTK tour took place over three weekends in and around Sydney, recorded for Triple J for an ABC release.
From the first song you can definitely hear the energy on stage. They pump out each track, recreating the studio sound with ease.
For me it's a cross of hair metal and straight up rock and roll. A pioneering band of the Sydney scene it is great to see them out at it again entertaining fans that still have a love for vintage rock music.
Although I am glad in many ways that Kingsmill developed his sound further and ended up being a founding member of The Hoodoo Guru’s, I can respect a band that slogged it out in pubs every weekend.
They existed in a scene much before the mass digital media bands rely on so heavily today. This release has a lot of value in it, with two discs covering a variety of the older releases and live recordings. It also includes a full colour booklet and interviews with band members. Hitmen fans come and get it.
