The New Christs - Divine Rites (1988)

Founded by ex-Radio Birdman vocalist Rob Younger, Australia's New Christs have managed to persevere through many personnel changes, as well as Younger's many commitments producing other bands. Initially started as a one-off to record a single ("Face a New God," 1981, now worth big money down under), the band did not perform until 1983 when Younger assembled an all-star lineup featuring members of the Celibate Rifles, Birdman, and a future Hoodoo Guru to tour with Iggy Pop, then making his first venture down under. Younger, perhaps Australia's most charismatic frontman, apparently left Pop (who, it must be noted, had a relatively inferior band) in the dust. Several singles and lineups followed and the debut album, Distemper, was not released until 1989. That version of the band included Charlie Owen (Divinyls, Louis Tillett, Tex Perkins) on guitar; then unknown, he is now renowned as one of Australia's finest musicians. A greatest-hits CD (or as Younger puts it, "the songs I can still stand") called Born Out of Time, named after perhaps the band's finest single, was released in Canada in 1996. The 2" tape transfer gave the songs a sonic quality not heard on the original versions. Younger had the band up and running again with the Pedestal EP in 1995, Woe Betide in 1996, and Lower Yourself in 1997.~Geoff Ginsberg