Cosmic Psychos

ROSS KNIGHT – BASS AND VOCALS 

DEAN MULLER – DRUMS 

JOHN MCKEERING  – GUITAR 

“Here’s three ugly looking blokes, touring the world, playing at all these wonderful cities, dining at all these wonderful restaurants, meeting all these famous people. In the back of ya head I’m thinking to myself ‘Im a fuckin’ farmer!’” – Ross Knight 

“Even thou the Cosmic Psychos never had the commercial impact or success that Nirvana and Pearl Jam had, they were still a major influence on them, and I think a lot of it had to do with the spirit and the sound of their music.” – Butch Vig, Record Producer. 

The Cosmic Psychos are (almost) an Australian punk rock institution who formed in Spring Plains, Victoria in 1982, spearheaded by founding member and bass player Ross Knight. 

To date, the band have released 10  studio albums since their self-titled debut (1987) and their influence has been global, with UK band The Prodigy sampling their music on 1997’s ‘The Fat of the Land’ LP and Nirvana producer Butch Vig proclaiming them an influence on both Nirvana and the Seattle grunge scene of the 1990’s.

In 2009, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam spoke candidly of the effect the band had on him growing up in Seattle. The band’s repetitive lyrics, fuzzed out guitar and wah-wah bass sound has remained unchanged over their 30 plus year career and continues to win over new audiences.  

A documentary by film maker Matt Weston, released in 2013, titled ‘Blokes You Can Trust’ featured a whose who of global indie tastemakers and music makers espousing the Cosmic Psycho’s legacy in Australian musical history. The documentary has given the band new life and they currently find themselves fielding touring and interview requests as far flung as Spain, Germany and Costa Rica. 

It’s been a wild ride for the Psycho’s mainstay Ross Knight who originally formed the band in 1982 for ‘shits and giggles’.  He’s been trying to balance the demands of fronting one of Australia’s defining punk bands and managing his vast third-generation farm ever since;  which includes running cattle, tending a vineyard and volunteering his time and tractor to the local fire service.  

Rounding out the Psycho’s line-up since 2005 is Melbourne born Dean Muller on drums and John ‘Mad Macka’ McKeering on guitar. Macka (formerly of Brisbane stalwarts The Onyas), has spent time as a lawyer, pizza delivery driver, carpet factory worker, bartender and swim coach. These days, when not hanging with the Psycho’s he teaches punk rock chords to guitar students and regales beginners with stories about the time he once beat Olympian swimmer Kieran Perkins in a medley race. 

The Cosmic Psycho’s have survived the passing decades, musical trends and fashions with ease.  Most fans will tell you they’re simple blokes (you can trust), just making straight-ahead, good-fun, Australian influenced punk rock. 

In 2019, the Cosmic Psychos celebrate 30 years since the release of their second album ‘Go the Hack’ – which perfectly sums up the career trajectory of one of Australia’s most loved bands. 

“They’re our ambassadors, have a listen to their lyrics, they sing about dead kangaroos.”  Ray Ahn – HardOns 

Discography:

• Cosmic Psychos (1987)
• Go The Hack (1989)
• Blokes You Can Trust (1991)
• Self Totalled (1995)
• Oh What a Lovely Pie (1997)
• Off Ya Cruet! (2006)
• Dung Australia (2007)
• Glorius Barsteds (2011)
• Cum the Raw Prawn (2015)
• Loudmouth Soup (2018)

Live Albums: 

• Slave To The Crave: Live At The Palace, Melbourne (1990)
• I Love My Tractor: Live At The Tote Hotel, Melbourne (2013)

Current Members:

• Ross Knight — lead vocals, bass guitar (1982–present)
• John McKeering — lead guitar (2006–present)
• Dean Muller — drums, backing vocals (2005–present)

Past Members: 

• Peter Jones — lead guitar, backing vocals (1982-1990)
• Steve Morrow — lead vocals (1982)
• Neal Turton-Lane — bass guitar (1982)
• Bill Walsh — drums, backing vocals (1982-2005)
• Robbie Watts — lead guitar, backing vocals (1990-2006) (deceased)

Forming in Owensboro, Kentucky in 1986, Nine Pound Hammer, originally known as the Black Sheep, became a pivotal band in the “cowpunk” scene. Led by guitarist Blaine Cartwright and vocalist Scott Luallen, they are known for their raucous, over-the-top blend of punk rock, hard rock, and country, paving the way for alt-country in the late ’80s and early ’90s.

The band’s story began in 1986 as the Black Sheep, transforming into Nine Pound Hammer after a series of changes. After their 1988 debut, “The Mud, the Blood, and the Beers,” released on Wanghead Records, the band had a shift to the punk rock label Crypt Records and released their second album “Smokin’ Taters” in 1991. Following a European tour, lineup changes continued with drummer and bassist changes. 

In 1994, Nine Pound Hammer dropped their third album, “Hayseed Timebomb,” recorded in Glasgow, Kentucky. Their song, “Run Fat Boy Run,” was featured on the popular 2004 skateboard video game “Tony Hawk’s Underground.” The band once again was on the road after the album hit stores, touring the United States, Canada, and Europe.

After disbanding in 1995, they reunited in 2000 for shows and officially reformed in 2004 with a new lineup. That year they released “Kentucky Breakdown.” 

In 2005,  they released Mulebite Deluxe, which combined rare 1989 recordings with new sessions recorded with the Kentucky Breakdown lineup” And in the same year was commissioned to compose the theme song for the Adult Swim animated series “12 Oz. Mouse.” Additionally, they contributed to another Adult Swim show, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, creating “Carl’s Theme” for the 2007 film spinoff “Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters.” 

Following this, the band released “Sex, Drugs, and Bill Monroe” in 2007. And in 2009, the band  saw the launch of a tour-only album titled “Country Classics.” This album featured energetic covers of vintage outlaw country classics and revisited some of their earlier tracks.

In 2010, a 25th-anniversary tour took place, and in 2017, they released “Bluegrass Conspiracy” and “The Barn’s on Fire: Live in Kentucky.” In 2021, the band had a new line-up again and returned to the studio to record “When the Shit Goes Down,” produced by Daniel Rey. 

The lineup reunited for “Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio” in 2023, which was issued on Cleopatra Records. The album features covers of Hammer’s favorite songs, including tunes by the Ramones, the Rolling Stones, Thin Lizzy, the Sex Pistols, and the Move, along with a cover of one of their own numbers, “Run Fat Boy Run,” from Hayseed Timebomb.