Mic Conway’s National Junk Band – Corporate Chook

“Corporate Chook” is the latest dish served up by the legendary Mic Conway’s National Junk Band. This album has been baking for over four years, and features seventeen delicious tracks dripping with virtuosity, humour, social and political comment.

Mic Conway’s National Junk Band’s new CD, Corporate Chook, targets.mindless consumerism, amoral corporations and ageing hack musician’s.

Mic Conway (Captain Matchbox) and his lunatic rhythmagicians combine jug band blues, political satire and musical mayhem into a new-Vaudevillian cabaret, featuring everything including a real kitchen sink. Juggling, magic, tap dancing, ventriloquism and some very funny songs for all ages.

Known by many for Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band, Circus Oz and from various film and TV appearances, Mic Conway has collected together some of Australia’s finest oddball virtuosos, including Cazzbo Johns (The Kransky Sisters, The Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra), Phil “Philthy Dunny Seat” Donnison (Jugalug), Jeremy “Junkyard” Cook (The Elton Jack Show, Black Hatz, Justine Clarke) and Marcus Holden (Fiddlers Feast).

Witness fire, illusion, passion, irreverent satire, singing saws, flying chooks and musical mayhem. Since 1997, the National Junk Band has had toes tapping and jaws dropping at festivals and pubs, as well as on radio and TV. They have four death-defying albums to their credit. “Corporate Chook” was released on 4 July 2008. Their DVD of live concert footage and interviews: “Everything You Never Wanted to Know” must also be seen to be believed.

Both are available in the TradandNow online shop.

Like the band, this album defies categorisation. Sousaphone, stroviol, musical saws, hooters, garbage bins, wash boards and all kinds of strange noises have been folded together to create some stunning originals and “junked-up” popular songs. This is a tasty offering with a difference

Review: Corporate Chook Mic Conway’s National Junk Band Rouseabout Records RRR45
Here’s an opportunity to leave the ups and downs of present economic conditions and for an hour or so enter the mad capped world of Mic Conway’s National Junk Band. Phil Donnison, Jeremy Cook, Marcus Holden, Cazzbo Jones ably assist their eccentric bandmaster Mic Conway as they energetically perform a generous selection of mainly original songs.
The band members show their ample skills on a range of instruments that would make the average garbage truck sag under the weight. If you are partial to bells and whistles, along with other strange, musical gizmos and gadgets, then Mic and his team are here to deliver.
If you like your love songs delivered in a weird and wacky way, then songs like “Who Gave You a Licence to Drive Me Crazy?” and the country inspired “Goodbye My Friend” will not disappoint. Clever puns, tired jokes and embarrassing innuendo are extravagantly scattered throughout these ditties with “Worn Saw Concerto” and “Race Call of Life to Death” their pinnacles. “Thief of Old Bad Gags” is slipped in as a humorous, totally tongue-in-cheek apology for the band’s shenanigans.
The band’s willingness to attack social issues head on is evidenced in their song “Corporate World’ and the jaunty, opening offering “Consume”, warning of the pitfalls of consumerism. Their cover of “Just Like That” considers the compatibility of humans to get along together. While talking of covers, they give their engaging, Junk Band treatment to Leon Russell’s “Tightrope”, John Lennon’s “Crippled Inside” and Randy Newman’s “Political Science”.
Some of the songs like “Allergic to My Girl” and “Rubbish Rap” are obviously better suited to live performance; however listeners will not be disappointed with just the audio versions.
Bowing to the traditions of music hall and vaudeville, Mic Conway’s National Junk Band energise and push these genres in their pursuit of entertainment and some social commentary. Produced by Marcus Holden, recorded at Bloody Dog Studios and mastered at Blue Mountain Sound, this CD is well worth a listen. It’ll put a smile on your face.
Jim Low November 2008