Mystery Girl hollers the announcement of the return of TRANS AM, with special guests THE F***ING CHAMPS (Drag City).
In early April, Australia and New Zealand will witness the epic collision of American indie rock stalwarts, Trans Am and The F***ing Champs, who will bring their frenetic energy, awesome drumming, dangerous pyrotechnics sexy clothes, dystopic vocals, harmonized leads, synth-pop keyboards to stages all over Australia's east coast and Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand.
Trans Am, formed in 1993, remains the world's heaviest new wave band with nods aplenty to Chrome, Van Halen, Kraftwerk, Eddie Hazel, and Depeche Mode. In the past decade they have released seven albums that have each sold 40-50,000 worldwide and toured extensively, including three previous trips down under.
Their last release, Liberation (Thrill Jockey), revealed the sinister sci-fi apocalypse unfolding in their hometown of Washington DC and all across Bush's America. Unfortunately this album remains as current as the day it was released. Further, Trans Am so successfully captured the x sound of terror and militarism that they were offered several hundred thousand dollars to sell a specific song to be used in a Hummer ad, an offer they had to refuse.
The F***ing Champs have been performing True Metal together in different manifestations since 1992. They have recently integrated Trans Am guitarist Phil Manley into their lineup and are continuing on a world tour after their shows in Oceania. They have released two albums on Chicago's Drag City label and countless side projects, alternate label issues. The most recent was V, a critically-acclaimed meshing of heavy riffing with keyboard interludes. Like Trans Am, The F***ing Champs have a strict code of ethics.
1. The F***ing Champs never use a set list.
2. Any discussion of an evening's set must be limited to 4 songs or less.
3. Every show must end with Flawless Victory, unless there is an unavoidable encore.
4. When in L.A. country. The F***ing Champs must only listen to Black Flag.
The Get In The Van book-on-tape is acceptable. Also acceptable is Gone, Gregg Ginn solo projects, or silence, but not Swa.
5. Any object that has been in the tour van for more than one year must not be removed. The only exception is food or drink.
These bands have appeared together before but their collaborative projects, TransChamps and F***ing Am, they have only performed on stage once, as the encore to a sold-out show in London. On this special Oceania tour the bands will be appearing separately and together playing songs off their Double Vision release on Thrill Jockey as well as Drag City's Gold album which came out in August of 2004.
Fri April 1 Auckland The King's Arms w/The Fucking Champs
Sat April 2 Wellington Indigo Bar w/The Fucking Champs
