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TISM

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TISM

TISM (an acronym of This Is Serious Mum) is a seven piece anonymous alternative rock band from Melbourne, Australia. The group formed in 1982 and enjoyed a large underground / independent following until 1995 when its third album Machiavelli and the Four Seasons reached the Australian national top 10.

TISM is known for its hybrid of dance music and rock'n'roll, high-energy live shows and humorous lyrics. TISM's songs frequently satirise modern culture, celebrities and the entertainment industry, classic literature and art, current affairs, politics and sport. The titles of their songs are often wordplays created by juxtaposing pop culture references and/or more intellectually highbrow identities.

Members

TISM members are pseudonymous and anonymous. They wear balaclavas during all public appearances.

Current

File:TISMrage.jpg
Humphrey B. Flaubert (left) and Ron Hitler-Barassi (right) guest program Rage (May 20, 1995)
  • Ron Hitler-Barassi: Vocals
  • Humphrey B. Flaubert: Vocals / Drums
  • Tokin' Blackman (first billed as Tony Coitus): Guitar
  • Jock Cheese: Bass
  • Eugene de la Hot-Croix Bun: Keyboards
  • Jon St. Peenis: Dancing / Vocals
  • Les Miserables: Dancing / Vocals

Previous

  • Leak Van Vlalen: Guitar (1982–1991)
  • Genre B. Goode: Vocals (1982–1983)

St. Peenis played saxophone on earlier recordings[1]. Cheese plays guitar on various recordings and in live shows[2]. Blackman arranged orchestral sections on The White Albun (2004)[3]. Flaubert programs rhythms and samples, and has occasionally played acoustic drumkits live[4].

History

Early years

File:The-get-fucked-concert.jpg
TISM's first public appearance - The Get Fucked Concert.

In early 1982 TISM formed at a Melbourne university out of "a pure sense of shared mediocrity."[5] Over the course of their first year TISM wrote more than 100 songs which were "immediately discarded due to lack of interest" and later became known as "The Bedroom Recordings"[6]. Few of them have been made public – excerpts are heard on Great Truckin' Songs of the Renaissance (1988), and full songs were made available on tism.bestoff. (2002) as well as original purchasers of 1985's This Is Serious Mum Demo Tape.

TISM appeared live for the first time on December 6, 1983 – almost 12 months after dismissing their bedroom recordings. Their début concert was held at the Duncan McKinnon Athletics Reserve and was considered a complete failure. The band then officially split up. Every concert since then has been considered a "re-union gig".[6]

TISM reformed the following year and by 1985 the band was playing regularly around Melbourne. TISM's début single, Defecate On My Face (1986), was a 7" vinyl packaged in a 12" sleeve with all four sides glued shut. The next single, 40 Years - Then Death (1987), was released on transparent vinyl in a clear plastic sleeve with no cover art or labels. It is TISM's first radio-friendly single, and despite the obscure packaging, the record sells well.[6]

Early albums

The début album, Great Truckin' Songs of the Renaissance (1988), was released as a double vinyl in an embossed gatefold sleeve. The first record contained twelve of TISM's most popular tracks; the second was a pastiche of interviews, bedroom recordings and live diatribes. Despite this odd combination, Truckin' Songs entered the lower reaches of Australia's mainstream Top 40, as did the single Saturday Night Palsy.[6]

Phonogram Records signed the band in 1989 and paired with producer Lawrence Maddy, began work on their follow-up album. The band soon lost interest and channelled its remaining funds into The TISM Guide To Little Aesthetics, a book compiling lyrics, interviews and press releases. When Phonogram released Hot Dogma (1990) it failed to reach the commercial charts, and TISM were fired despite owing the label tens of thousands of dollars[6].

At this low point in the band's history, Van Vlalen's relationship with TISM ended. His final performance with the band is captured in the Incontinent In Ten Continents (1991) video.

Mid-period works

File:Tism-bdo.jpg
TISM in fat suits at the Gold Coast Big Day Out, January 21, 1994.

Independent giant Shock Records soon signed TISM and re-issued Truckin' Songs, as well as Gentlemen, Start Your Egos (1991), a compilation of tracks previously unavailable on CD. The band's new guitarist Tony Coitus, later 'Tokin' Blackman', first appeared onstage on January 23, 1992. Shock paired TISM with producer Tony Cohen to produce Beasts of Suburban (1992), a decidedly "harder" sounding EP.

The follow-up EP, Australia The Lucky Cunt (1993) was TISM's most controversial release. Police raided record stores and confiscated the CD when the Ken Done Society threatened legal action[6]. TISM's artwork parodied Done's signature style, depicting a koala sucking on a syringe. The EP was eventually re-released with new artwork as Censored Due To Legal Advice but the debacle had hurt TISM's publicity campaign, and the incident cost them an undisclosed amount of money "fairly close to the amount that Radiohead spends on buying friends".[7]

Success

File:Tism-caveat-emptour.jpg
TISM dance with cricket bats while performing Dumb 'n' Base during the Caveat Emptour.

TISM's biggest success was the 1995 album Machiavelli and the Four Seasons. It was a shift in direction from alternative-rock to synth-driven techno and dance that retained vocal melodies and loud guitars. The album was certified Gold and won the ARIA Award for Best Independent Release[6]. Three of its singles reached Triple J's Hottest 100, two of them in the top 10.

Success exposed TISM to mainstream Australian radio and television, most of which was perplexed by the band's guerrilla approach to interviews and disinterest in the music industry. A box set of early albums was released and steady record sales allowed extensive tours of Australia and New Zealand. In 1996 TISM toured England – the group's sole Northern Hemisphere excursion.

TISM spent 1997 working on its next album with celebrated Australian producer Lachlan Magoo. The band reappeared in public via a series of live Internet chats and webcasts, during which a new album, www.tism.wanker.com, was announced. Its first music video I Might Be A Cunt, But I'm Not A Fucking Cunt parodied the Tommy Lee/Pamela Anderson sex tape, and was consequently ignored by every music television show in Australia – even the usually liberal rage[6]. Australian RSL head Bruce Ruxton wrote a letter of complaint to Shock Records describing it as "...Dropping [Australia's standards] through the floor into the proverbial sewer."[8] The letter was published on TISM's website at the time.

www.tism.wanker.com (1998) sold reasonably well, thanks to an extensive Australian tour with Brisbane's Regurgitator, then at the height of their popularity; however, sales were low compared to Machiavelli's success. It was TISM's last for Shock Records.

Post-fame

After the wanker.com tour and the bands dismissal from Shock Records, TISM disappeared for nearly two years. Eventually resurfacing on major label Festival Mushroom Records, TISM returned with De RigueurMortis (2001). FMR re-released TISM's earlier work on December 3, 2001. De RigueurMortis débuted impressively at #24 on the ARIA chart[9] and #3 on the Alternative ARIA Chart. Flaubert predicted on Triple J radio that the album would "plummet out of the top 40 like a stone"[10]: his prediction was accurate and the album had little further chart success. Touring was sporadic and less thorough than in previous years.

In 2002 Festival-Mushroom released the "best of" compilation, ending its contract with the band. The CD included 'greatest hits' plus two new tracks, and a bonus disc of old 'Bedroom Recordings'.

A special one-off concert in 2003 was filmed and released as The White Albun (2004). A documentary and full length album were also included, making it a 3-disc set that sold well and received good reviews, however, the release (by Madman Entertainment) was not eligible for ARIA chart tracking. The concert DVD is presented as a telethon at which TISM breaks up. This was a typical TISM stunt: the band played on after the concert.

Current status

Snapshot of the Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me music video.

TISM's most recent release is the German CD-single Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me (2005). It is TISM's first non-Australian release: Sony/BMG Germany expressed interest when the song's animated clip was an Internet hit thanks to bloggers and sites such as YouTube. The single reached the German commercial charts.[11]

In October of 2006, after a near two-year silence from the band, rumours circulated online that TISM would be playing at the Big Day Out 2007.[12]

On October 4, 2006 Flaubert spoke to Jay and the Doctor on Triple J radio. Although the downloads section for the Jay and the Doctor radio show said "TISM are NOT playing the 2007 BDO", [13] in the interview itself, Flaubert did not clearly state whether the rumour was true or false, choosing instead to skirt the issue almost entirely except to say, "Who gives a shit about that?" and a lengthy rant about terrorist threats and Osama bin Laden being a Thin Lizzy fan.[12] In mid December, 2006, the final list of acts for the 2007 Big Day Out were announced. TISM was not among them.[14]

Flaubert also remarked in the Triple J interview, when asked about the current status of TISM, "we are slowly moving towards our deaths". [13]

In early December, 2006 Flaubert contributed to the ABC's "My Favourite Album" program, where he stated his favourite album as "Any album – as long as it's by Nickelback!" [15] Later the same month, TISM were inducted into the EG Hall of Fame, at which they made an appearance and "a hilariously irreverent speech".[16]

Humphrey B. Flaubert is now involved with a new band called ROOT![17]

The masks

TISM have always used a variety of methods to conceal their identities. They have never revealed their names, instead choosing to use pseudonyms on their records and in interviews, all the while concealing their faces. Usually this involves the wearing of a balaclava, but ridiculous costumes have been created for the purpose, including Ku Klux Klan uniforms made of newspaper, silver suits with puffy arms and legs, giant foam paintings worn on the head, large foam signs bearing the name of a Beatle, fat 'businessman' suits, and eight-foot-high inflatable headpieces, among others.

Who TISM are beneath the masks has been the cause of much speculation by fans, with one theories contending that TISM is composed of members of other bands who don't want their fans to find out: popular targets of this theory include Painters and Dockers, Machine Gun Fellatio and even The Wiggles[18][19][20]. A theory based on the band's tour schedule's roughly coinciding with school holidays proposes that TISM are school teachers[21][22]. Another common theory, based on the high instance of football references in their lyrics, is that they are famous AFL players[22].

When asked why they wear masks, Flaubert replied:

The answer that makes me sound good is that we desired to circumvent the cult of personality that is inherent in rock music by choosing to remain anonymous. Unlike every other band in rock we CHOSE to be anonymous. The answer that makes me sound good would probably also incorporate some lengthy discussion about Brechtian alienation techniques, about our post modernist grasp of ever cooling universe, and a dehumanizing society encapsulated in the somewhat paramilitary aspect of our clothing. All of those things would make me sound good, but actually we’re really boring guys." [5]

TISM have always stated in interviews that they have normal jobs and normal lives outside of the band, and that fans of the music would be disappointed to discover TISM are in fact everyday, unremarkable people[citation needed].

Style

TISM are distinguished from other 'joke' or 'gimmick bands', among other things, by their musical style. The band has rarely in any seriousness stated actual influences on the type of music they play, except that The Residents were a band which TISM 'did' notice and 'possibly' took some influence from[5]. Though a clear link can be drawn from The Residents' The Third Reich 'n' Roll video, in which the band wore Ku Klux Klan uniforms made of newspaper: TISM did exactly this at their first gig. Another link may be drawn to early TISM tracks "The Ballad Of The Semitic Nazi" or "I'm Gonna Treat Ya To A Neitschze Double Feature" which use a similar naming convention. Other bands which may have influenced TISM are difficult to pinpoint.

Sometimes, the band is criticised as unoriginal for continually opting for standard pop song structures. One reason for this is clarified in their book, The TISM Guide To Little Aesthetics, in the following paragraphs, when asked why their ideas are post-modern but their music is not:

"Give me a pop-song, mate. Give me a fucking pop-song. Not only is it more fun, it's pretty fuckin' hard to write as well. You can bung in as many out-of-tune oboes as you want, but putting chords together so they sound pleasant isn't as simple as it might appear. It mightn't be the Sistine Chapel, but what is? Ollie fucking Olsen with his stupid feedback and cough mixture? The Jesus and Mary Chain, with their stupid feedback, and their stupid stage show with 800 powerful stupid lights and enough stupid dry ice to enhance their stupid stupidity up its own bullshit crappy teenage pretentious one dimensional dick witted puissant artistic enigma?

So ... what have you listened to for a good time that isn't, after all, a 'traditional' song? Still playing the Mike Oldfield records, huh? Still whipping Yessongs on for a good time? Wanna count on one hand how many people have fun at a Sonic Youth gig? I'm not supporting The Choirboys, old man, I'm just saying that the day some jumped up over-paid self-important post-modernist cocksucker puts his foot upon his Fairlight computer in the middle of his 47 minute opus The Silent Forgiveness Of The Pig-God and belts out the chords to Johnny B. Goode is the day I'll join you at the footlights of post-modernism.

Besides which, pop songs sell more."[23]

As with most bands, recurring themes are present throughout TISM's extensive output, the most common being death, violence, fame and prominent figures, drugs and alcohol, and the AFL. Many of TISM's lyrics are tinged in fatalism, mocking both the superficial and the sublime side of the human condition and the desire for people to be loved and respected (even just in the titles of such songs as "If You're Not Famous At Fourteen, You're Finished", "If You're Ugly, Forget It" and "Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me").

Famous TISM incidents and non sequiturs

  • TISM played at the legendary Punter's Club closing in Melbourne. Half the band were naked and tore the plaster roof down during their performance.
  • Initial pressings of www.tism.wanker.com were shipped with a bonus disc. The CD in question looks like a blank CDR, with texta writing 'Att: SHOCK RECORDS FAULTY PRESSING DO NOT MANUFACTURE'. Thinking it was serious, some retail chains actually returned boxes of the "fake" CD's unopened. [24] In reality, it featured some songs, poems and low-quality audio recordings of Hitler-Barassi and Flaubert discussing various topics whilst watching pornography.
  • Appeared on stage at the December 1998 Glenworth Valley Festival, wearing nothing but their trademark masks.
  • Appeared on the iconic Hey Hey It's Saturday variety show (circa 1988) performing live with 28 members, all dressed in costume. The song performed was Saturday Night Palsy.
  • Most probably the only band to ever play lawn mowers on a live television appearance on ABC show The Big Gig, circa 1989.
  • Appeared on the Australian sketch comedy show Full Frontal (circa 1995), in which they answered questions during an interview with character David McGahan (Shaun Micallef) with a dictaphone.
  • Most live gigs will feature Ron Hitler-Barassi's ranted out poems. Three of which appear on the first album Great Truckin' songs of the Renaissance.
  • Once had whitegoods in place of amps.
  • Once had washing lines strung across the audience with wet clothes out to dry, while old women ironed clothes nearby.
  • Once appeared at a club (The Palace, one of Melbourne's best known live band venues) which had two stages, the crowd gathered in front of the main stage only to see TISM appear on the minor stage. The crowd rushed over to see them and after a few songs, the band switched stages. This happened numerous times during the night, with the crowd rushing from one stage to the other in order to be in the front. The last song of the night was played by two bands, one on each stage, everyone masked and playing two completely different songs at the same time.
  • Usually Ron Hitler-Barassi will jump into the crowd, his suit and mask torn to pieces and will end up naked. A mask and pants are kept on stand-by but subsequent stage dives destroy these and he's usually left with a pair of shorts and a standard black balaclava.
  • In 1988, TISM played at The Club in Melbourne with a pig on a spit and an effigy of Louis Armstrong.
  • In 1990, 3RRR FM in Melbourne held a benefit gig in which TISM agreed to play for "costs" - this amounted to the benefit losing money when TISM had a wedding take place behind them which included a fully attired bridal party, reception band and best man's speech. The groom vomited all over the bridal table and the ensemble had to sit in spew and bile for the rest of the show.
  • When TISM won their ARIA award in 1995, the award was accepted by Les Murray from SBS, who read an acceptance speech in Hungarian.
  • The popular official film clip for one of their songs, "Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me," was decided by means of a competition.
  • One tour was advertised as "Macbeth" and in small print "with supporting music by TISM". The concert opened with a university student group performing Macbeth. TISM only appeared on stage after the audience became bored with shouting obscenities at the actors. The actors continued performing Macbeth on stage during the performance.
  • The band has challenged members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers to a fist fight after the band was infuriated by (He'll Never Be An) Ol' Man River, a song which speaks of, among other famous deaths, their late friend, actor River Phoenix.
  • TISM are known for tormenting the press - one press conference was held at the MCG with the journalists and band cordoned off at either end and conducted by megaphone. Another conference was held in the back room of a pizza shop and conducted by fax. Each question was sent by fax to a provided number and responded to some minutes later. When the journalists sent list of questions in one fax they were made to wait until all answers were provided in another single fax.

Discography

Albums

EPs

Compilations and live albums

Video

References

  1. ^ Lady Chatterly's Louvre from TISM Self Storage
  2. ^ Jock Cheese - Pipl Profile
  3. ^ Liner notes for The White Albun (2004)
  4. ^ TISM - The White Albun (2004). Disc Three : A Docunentary. Dumb 'n' Bass recorded live by [[Channel [V]]]
  5. ^ a b c Return of the Pop Vigilantes
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h TISM - The History of This Is Serious Mum from the Internet Archive
  7. ^ Album cover censorship on John Safran's Music Jamboree
  8. ^ Bruce Ruxton denounces TISM in a letter to Shock Records
  9. ^ australian-charts.com - TISM - De Rigueurmortis
  10. ^ Official TISM Website - New Album News from the Internet Archive.
  11. ^ Charts-Surfer: Suchergebnis search TISM = Max. Pos. 63.
  12. ^ a b TISM Forum: TISM at Big Day Out 2007? and TISM at Big Day Out - Confirmed (?)
  13. ^ a b Jay and The Doctor audio page and interview
  14. ^ Big Day Out Press Release - Final Acts Announced for 2007 BDO
  15. ^ Humphrey B. Flaubert's favorite album
  16. ^ Sticky Carpet, December 22, 2006 - The Age
  17. ^ Template:MySpace
  18. ^ Balaclava Road Warriors - Interview by Jeff Jenkins, In Press, 8/7/98 from TISM Self Storage
  19. ^ Who is TISM?
  20. ^ TISM or Wiggles?
  21. ^ Big Fucking Whoopie: A Floyd Fan's Intro to TISM
  22. ^ a b Satire and music in accord, Kerrie Murphy, The Australian, 08-07-2004, Kerrie Murphy, The Australian, 08-07-2004
  23. ^ The TISM Guide to Little Aesthetics@Everything2.com
  24. ^ paragraph #10 in 2nd post
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