The Celibate Rifles were an Australian punk rock band which formed in 1979 with a line-up that included mainstays Dave Morris on rhythm guitar and Kent Steedman on lead guitar; within a year they were joined by Damien Lovelock on lead vocals. They released their first album, Sideroxylon, in April 1983 on the Hot Records label. The band has toured both America and Europe extensively, and released their ninth studio album, Beyond Respect on 19 July 2004. In 1985 the group's style was described as post-Radio Birdman sound which is "a combination of fast, guitar-driven, hard rock and power pop". In November 1987 Sounds magazine's Roger Holland described their album, Roman Beach Party as showing the group's "sawn off rock potential all the way down to the bleached white of the bone, the lyrics reveal all the anger, insight and humour that makes [them] one of the most powerful rock bands in the world today". In April 1994 The Celibate Rifles issued Spaceman in a Satin Suit which according to Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane "was [their] best studio album since Blind Ear". Lovelock undertook a solo career and issued two albums as well as becoming a TV sports presenter prior to his death in 2019.
Biography
The Celibate Rifles were formed in 1979 in Sydney as a punk rock group with a line-up of Michael Couvret on bass guitar, Phillip Jacquet on drums, Dave Morris on guitar and Kent Steedman on guitar. The four band members were still at high school when the group started performing. Their original vocalist, Ian Martin, soon joined. Their name is a response to the Sex Pistols – as an antonym or inspiration. In 1980 Damien Lovelock (ex-Street Noise) replaced Martin on lead vocals – he was ten years older than the others and provided a "lyrical focus for the band's unremitting energy". In 1985 the group's style was described as post-Radio Birdman sound which is "a combination of fast, guitar-driven, hard rock and power pop".
In March 1982 the group independently recorded a four-track extended play, But Jacques, the Fish?, at Honey Farms Studio, Duffys Forest. It was produced by Colin J Ford and engineered by Dave Connor with additional backing vocals by Martin, James Darroch, Tom Couvret and Steve Vineburg. The band was signed by Hot Records, which reissued their EP in March 1983. Darroch (ex-Trans Love Energy, Fifth Estate, Slaughterhouse 5) replaced Michael Couvret on bass guitar, who went on to join the Mushroom Planet. In April the same year, the group released their debut album, Sideroxylon. Eucalyptus sideroxylon is the scientific name of the red or mugga ironbark. The album was produced by Connor and Ford with additional musicians including Simon Knuckey (Wet Taxis) on guitar, Tracey Pearson on saxophone, Sandie Rose on trumpet, Scott Spillane on backing vocals, Duncan Sproul on trombone, and Bruce Tatham on piano and organ. RAMs Frank Brunetti found the band's "white trash thrash is one of the best manifestations of their style of music by the judicious use of other instruments – sax, trombone, trumpet, keyboards, extra guitars and vocals – the strength, humour, style and intelligence of their sonic attack comes through with undiminished force".
Upon Sideroxylons release both Lovelock and Steedman focused on separate side-projects. Lovelock formed an acoustic studio band, No Dance, with Bruce Calloway (New Christs) on guitar; Brett Myers (Died Pretty) on guitar and backing vocals; and Louis Tillett (Wet Taxis) on vocals, keyboards and harmonica. In March 1984 No Dance issued a three-track EP, Carnival of Souls, on Hot Records, which was produced by Connor and Steedman. Meanwhile Steedman had joined New Christs which supported Iggy Pop on his June 1983 Australian tour. Steedman appeared on New Christs' single, "Born Out of Time", and stayed with them until October, when The Celibate Rifles resumed.
Michael Mackie, writing in The Australian Almanac (1985), found two distinguishing qualities in The Celibate Rifles: they are "based in the upper middle-class area of Sydney ... [and are] prepared to comment on a variety of social issues ranging from the destruction of rainforests to the problems created by an ever-increasing suburbia".