Ladies and gentlemen, the Hard Quartet is:
Emmett Kelly, a songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist best known for his work in The Cairo Gang and The Double, as well as in the company of artists such as Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Ty Segall, Rob Mazurek, and many more.
Stephen Malkmus, a songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist best known for his work with Pavement, the Jicks, Silver Jews, Straw Dogs, and eponymously.
Matt Sweeney, a songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist best known for his work with Chavez, Superwolf, Super- wolves, and in the company of a panoply of artists from Guided by Voices and Cat Power to Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond.
Jim White, a drummer and songwriter best known for his work with Dirty Three, Xylouris White, eponymous-ly, and with such stalwarts as Guy Picciotto, Cat Power, Bill Callahan and Venom P Stinger.
Do you see? Four Titans, basically. And here they are, now, today, starting a band – a band which they’ve gone ahead and named The Hard Quartet, for Christ’s sake – which is a bulletproof, effortless amalgam of their completely distinct and completely broken-mold utterances.
Perhaps, on the streets and the messageboards, you’ve heard rumors and mutterings about the death of rock. Maybe you’ve read a critical essay about it in an academic journal. We implore you to reject this crackpot theory propagated by unbelievers and philistines who haven’t listend to Danny & the Juniors once in their lives. The Hard Quartet, through its very existence and onward via its dedication to electrified reels, hymns, paeans, and rave-ups, is mathematical, empirical proof that human beings slashing at strings, pounding at skins, and opening their mouths to intone tuneful, mythic messages is here to stay. It will never die; we’ll dig it to the end.
What follows is a selection of musings, aphorisms, and slogans of the HQ clergymen. Perhaps you’ll want to fold it up and keep it in your pocket for easy reference in times of rudderlessness. Think of it as a sort of Meditations for the soon-to-be faithful, an Aurelius for the audiophile, a peek through the stubborn skull into the pink bumps and grooves of the pulsating brain shared by Emmett, Stephen, Matt, and Jim – also known, from this day until the sun goes out, as The Hard Quartet.
PRESALE: 4.10.24 12PM
GENERAL SALE: 8.10.24 8AM
Minors are permitted to attend licensed 18+ ticketed concerts at Fremantle Arts Centre if accompanied by a parent or LEGAL GUARDIAN AT LEAST 25 YEARS of age.
Fremantle Arts Centre is an entirely outdoor venue.
Concert information is available at www.fac.org.au/visit/concert_info/
