The Cosmic Psychos will do anything for free Beer

Cosmic Psychos are an old Australian punk rock band who has been around forever. I recently interviewed them on their upcoming tour of Victoria and their new album. How do they keep going? ,What other band inspires you to keep playing music? “I guess you gotta say the now nearly all dead Ramones. I take my hat off to those blokes,” Ross Knight (bass and vocals) says.

They have toured America, inspired all girl rockers L7 to drop their pants on TV. and inspired many more punk rock acts. Their advice to a young band starting out.

“Do what you love doing, don’t listen to the industry fuckwitts who wanna make you into a star, don’t sign anything at least until your mum has a look at it & have a good time all the time,” Knight says.

The original line up started around 1982 with Bill Walsh, Ross Knight and original guitarist Peter Jones plus a vocalist. Ross Knight was the original member of the band to keep coming back for more free beer. When asked what the impetus to reform was in 1997 the answer was simple.

“Boredom and the lust for free beer.”

But with many line up changes since they first started, including reducing to a three piece. Cosmic Psycho keep going.

If you are a thirty-something punk-rocker then you probably had poignant moments of you life, (your first beer, vomit, head kicked in the mosh pit) while watching The Psychos play. They played Big Day Out, and have been booed by 37,000 people, but don’t abuse them at one of their gigs or they’ll drop their pants. A stage antic that hasn't disappeared thus far.

“We do when the opportunity presents itself,” Knight confesses.

These guys aren’t you’re average misogynist punk band they love those powerful punk gals.

“I always though Joan Jett was a bit of a spunk. We love the Spazzys too.”

It’s been 9 years since they have released a new album but it was something that needed to be done.

“We got a new drummer so that kind of makes things a bit fresh again. We also got sick of playing the same old songs,” Knight says.

This is old school punk rock, simple, rocking tunes, that don’t stray out of the 3 chord formula. The new album is the first one for nine years, Knight explains.

“The new album is very cranky, I think 9 years of angst has been successfully vented.”

They’ll be touring with Tiger by the Tail and Double Agents relatively new in the eyes of these guys.

“Dave Thomas (Bored) is the main man behind Tiger by the Tail; he’s an old school rock ’n’ roll guy. I reckon they sound a bit like The Wipers. Double Agents are old mates too they play a 60’s flavour of garage punk (Aussie style),” Knight says.

The Cosmic Psychos know how to get a crowd going, and we love em and will keep coming back for more. They never wanted to be superstars, and the band is only a part time occupation, which is probably why they still sound as fresh and as angry as they did over twenty years ago. Or maybe driving a bulldozer all day the vibrations and alcohol did something irreversible to Ross’s brain.

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