Following similar footpaths to (Punk) Rock N Roll supremacy as luminaries Roky Erickson, Sonny Vincent and Deniz Tek, Australian singer/songwriter/guitarist Simon 'Chainsaw' Drew has forged his own legacy throughout the last four decades. And like his aforementioned forefathers, developed his own low-key, low-brow fan base. Finding and forming backline's on the go, Drew has recorded on four continents and played on at least five. In the mid-late 80s he was a founding member of Vanilla Chainsaws out of Sydney, Australia. While carrying a torch for local heroes New Christs, Vanilla Chainsaws dabbled with all sorts of sounds like proto-grunge, European prog and OC punk. They were moderately successful but had a hard time keeping it together after that first taste. By the early 90s they were more or less done, rallying part timers for performances and the odd studio engagements where the recordings mostly stayed. Drew however, unable to idle by, set off to see the world and seize any and every opportunity to record blistering punk rock n roll along the way. Between 1999 and 2003 he recorded albums in California, Rio De Janeiro, France, Germany and back in his home of Sydney. He's since established lasting relationships with fellow musicians and recording engineers in all these locations and beyond, and has spent the better part of three decades jetsetting from one studio's storage closet to another. Often recording with the same small pockets of local players yet rarely with the exact same line-up twice. His unrelenting nature is often described as both annoying and awe inspiring. He's recorded well over a dozen albums and released most of them.
I don't think I heard Vanilla Chainsaws until 1990/91 ish and even then my exposure wasn't enough to glean an appreciation. Then in late '93 I picked up their Red Lights EP and was quite impressed with it. Fast forward ten years, opposite side of the country and a certain CD in the imports section catches my eye. I was on a Gunk tangent at the time and the cover does have a provocative quality to it ... Down To The Wire was all the fierce punk rock n roll I was hoping for, and then some. I didn't make the connection right away either but when I did I hit the ground running, hunting for his albums with The Forgotten Boys and The Hippy Killers out of Brazil, Chainsaw Men and any old Vanilla Chainsaws stuff I could get. I remember a couple years later reading online that he had a handful of albums recorded that he couldn't contractually release. I believe most have been independently released now however. A few were later packaged in a box-set while the others trickled out much later than when they were recorded. Regardless, Simon Chainsaw has been rather prolific throughout his career -- quiet lately so don't be surprised if he drops a few records any day now. Most punks prefer his Fuck The Neighbours album which actually collects previously released and unreleased covers of early Australian punk bands that influenced Drew. It's great, I agree, but I believe they've all got goodies to offer. Exemplified by this extended sleaze laden smorgasbord of underground gunk n roll. Git it!
Simon Chainsaw - Rules Of Life [Anthology 1986-2022] (PukeGreenPinto 4X-PGPR-009)
101 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1986 - To The Shore [Demo] (Das Boot [Australia] CDR no#)
102 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1986 - So Old [Demo] (Das Boot [Australia] CDR no#)
103 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1986 - Change Things [Demo] (Das Boot [Australia] CDR no#)
104 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1986 - When Worlds Collide [Demo] (Das Boot [Australia] CDR no#)
105 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1987 - Everything (Phantom [Australia] 7" PHMLP-23)
106 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1987 - Like You (Phantom [Australia] 7" PHMLP-28) {rel;1988}
107 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1987 - Onslaught (Phantom [Australia] 7" PHMLP-28) {rel;1988}
108 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1988 - Average Inadequacy [Demo] [MACHINATIONS] (Das Boot [Australia] CDR no#)
109 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1988 - Face A New Day [Demo] (Das Boot [Australia] CDR no#)
110 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1990 - Long Way (Glitterhouse [Australis] 12" GR 0083)
111 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1990 - Question Of Degree (Glitterhouse [Australis] 12" GR 0083)
112 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1991 - Liberty (Phantom [Australia] 12" PHMLP-17)
113 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1991 - Walk Away (Phantom [Australia] 12" PHMLP-17)
114 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1992 - Watching Me (ID [Australia] CD 0005-2)
115 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1992 - Skinflower (ID [Australia] CD 0005-2)
116 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1994 - Safe (Corrosion [Australia] CD CORMLP-001)
117 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1994 - Quitar Lavando La Puta (Corrosion [Australia] CD CORMLP-001)
118 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1994 - Take Us Home [Smash Studios Demo] (Tronador [Brazil] CD TMSS04-2) {rel;2001}
201 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1994 - Down She Said [Smash Studios Demo] (Tronador [Brazil] CD TMSS04-2) {rel;2001}
202 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1996 - Blows My Mind [Doom Sessions Demo] (Tronador [Brazil] CD TMSS04-2) {rel;2001}
203 - Vanilla Chainsaws - 1996 - Doom [Doom Sessions Demo] (Tronador [Brazil] CD TMSS04-2) {rel;2001}
204 - Chainsaw Men - 1999 - Bad Timing (NKVD CD Article-14)
205 - Chainsaw Men - 1999 - Meltdown (NKVD CD Article-14)
206 - Chainsaw Men - 1999 - 100 Hundred Miles Away (NKVD CD Article-14)
207 - Simon Chainsaw - 2000 - In My Mind (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
208 - Simon Chainsaw - 2000 - Trashboy (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
209 - Simon Chainsaw - 2000 - Back To My Roots (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
210 - Simon Chainsaw - 2000 - Strange Place (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
211 - Simon Chainsaw - 2000 - Down She Said (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
212 - Simon Chainsaw & The Forgotten Boys - 2001 - One For The Road (Tronador [Brazil] CD TMWD01)
213 - Simon Chainsaw & The Forgotten Boys - 2001 - No Time [THE SAINTS] (Tronador [Brazil] CD TMWD01)
214 - Simon Chainsaw & The Forgotten Boys - 2001 - Killing Off The Past (Tronador [Brazil] CD TMWD01)
215 - Simon Chainsaw & The Forgotten Boys - 2001 - Thinking 'Bout It (Tronador [Brazil] CD TMWD01)
216 - Simon Chainsaw & The Hippy Killers - 2002 - Breaking Out (Tronador [Brazil] CD TMWD02)
217 - Simon Chainsaw & The Hippy Killers - 2002 - Stamp Out Disco [RAZAR] (Tronador [Brazil] CD TMWD02)
218 - Simon Chainsaw & The Hippy Killers - 2002 - I Said Well (Tronador [Brazil] CD TMWD02)
219 - Simon Chainsaw & The Hippy Killers - 2002 - Hard Luck Guy (Tronador [Brazil] CD TMWD02)
220 - Simon Chainsaw - 2002 - What's This Shit Called Love? [PAGANS] (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
301 - Simon Chainsaw w. Holy Curse - 2002 - Soul On Ice (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
302 - Simon Chainsaw - 2003 - Can't Break Me (Nova Express [France] CD 10076)
303 - Simon Chainsaw - 2003 - Rules Of Life (Nova Express [France] CD 10076)
304 - Simon Chainsaw - 2003 - Standard Operating Procedure (Nova Express [France] CD 10076)
305 - Simon Chainsaw - 2003 - Sick (Nova Express [France] CD 10076)
306 - Simon Chainsaw - 2003 - We Walk Alone (Nova Express [France] CD 10076)
307 - Simon Chainsaw - 2003 - I Don't Know (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
308 - Simon Chainsaw - 2003 - We Ride (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
309 - Simon Chainsaw - 2003 - Gone Too Far (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
310 - Simon Chainsaw - 2003 - Another Day (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
311 - Simon Chainsaw - 2003 - Bringing Me Down (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
312 - Simon Chainsaw - 2003 - Crawling (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
313 - Simon Chainsaw - 2003 - Rock N' Roll Dream (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
314 - Simon Chainsaw - 2006 - Never Listen To The Radio (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
315 - Simon Chainsaw - 2006 - Headspins (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
316 - Simon Chainsaw - 2006 - One In The Crowd (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
317 - Simon Chainsaw - 2006 - Ain't Where I Wanna Be (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
318 - Simon Chainsaw - 2006 - Never Cared (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
319 - Simon Chainsaw - 2006 - Chelsea Kids [LA FEMME] (Dark Roasted [Brazil] 4CD BoxSet DRBS1)
320 - Sonny Vincent w. Simon Chainsaw - 2007 - Killing For God (Nest Of Vipers [France] CD no#) {rel;2008}
321 - Simon Chainsaw - 2008 - Sticking Up For Myself (Dark Roasted [Brazil] CD DR001)
322 - Simon Chainsaw - 2008 - Tell Me Why (Dark Roasted [Brazil] CD DR001)
323 - Simon Chainsaw - 2008 - You Ain't Me {formerly Rock N' Roll Dream} (Dark Roasted [Brazil] CD DR001)
324 - Simon Chainsaw - 2009 - You're So Boring [ROCKS] (Dark Roasted [Brazil] CD no #)
325 - Simon Chainsaw - 2009 - Task Force [RAZAR] (Dark Roasted [Brazil] CD no #)
326 - Simon Chainsaw - 2009 - Fuck The Neighbours [THE THOUGHT CRIMINALS] (Dark Roasted [Brazil] CD no #)
401 - Simon Chainsaw - 2009 - Wild Weekend [PSYCHO-SURGEONS] (Dark Roasted [Brazil] CD no #)
402 - Simon Chainsaw - 2009 - That's It [THE LEFTOVERS] (Dark Roasted [Brazil] CD no #)
403 - Simon Chainsaw - 2009 - Discotek Wreck [THE CHOSEN FEW] (Dark Roasted [Brazil] CD no #)
404 - Simon Chainsaw - 2011 - Laughing [GOO GOO DOLLS] (Kicking 7" Kicking40)
405 - Simon Chainsaw - 2012 - Before I Could Think (Kicking 7" Kicking49)
406 - Simon Chainsaw - 2012 - Tearing Out My Heart (Kicking 7" Kicking49)
407 - Simon Chainsaw - 2013 - Rules Of Life (Dark Roasted [Brazil] CD DR006)
408 - Simon Chainsaw - 2013 - Never Say Never (Dark Roasted [Brazil] CD DR006)
409 - Simon Chainsaw - 2013 - We Are One (Dark Roasted [Brazil] CD DR006)
410 - Simon Chainsaw - 2013 - Don't Deserve My Love [SECOND RATE] (Dark Roasted [Brazil] CD DR006)
411 - Simon Chainsaw - 2013 - Watch Out [PRECIOSA] (Dark Roasted [Brazil] CD DR006)
412 - Simon Chainsaw - 2013 - Gary Gilmore's Eyes [THE ADVERTS] (Kicking CD COMP Kicking59)
413 - Simon Chainsaw - 2014 - What You Didn't Know (Dark Roasted 7" DR007)
414 - Simon Chainsaw - 2015 - Half (Dark Roasted 7" DR008)
415 - Simon Chainsaw - 2015 - Anytime (Dark Roasted 7" DR008)
416 - Simon Chainsaw - 2018 - Starshooter [STACY CROWNE] (Pitshark [France] CD RIK-066)
417 - Simon Chainsaw - 2018 - Legends (Pitshark [France] CD RIK-066)
418 - Simon Chainsaw - 2018 - Get On With The Show (Pitshark [France] CD RIK-066)
419 - Simon Chainsaw - 2018 - Breakthrough (Pitshark [France] CD RIK-066)
420 - Simon Chainsaw - 2018 - Two Steps Forward (Pitshark [France] CD RIK-066)
421 - SC/TC - 2018 - Lick My Wounds (Simon Chainsaw & Tony Currenti) (Dark Roasted [Australia] CDS no #)
422 - Simon Chainsaw - 2021 - Life Don't Stop (Dark Roasted [Australia] CD DR013)
423 - Simon Chainsaw - 2021 - Mr. Mowtown [LOS LOTUS] (Dark Roasted [Australia] CD DR013)
424 - Simon Chainsaw - 2021 - Can't Look Back (Dark Roasted [Australia] CD DR013)
425 - Nasty S & The Ghost Chasers - 2022 - The Last Goodbye [AGENT ORANGE] (Twenty Something [France] NS109CD)
ROL
RECORDINGS CREDITS:
(included in folder via text document)
it's quite fragmented, frantic and lengthy. not suited to the aesthetic here.
also included is corresponding track by track line-up details. it's lengthy as well.
PRODUCTION CREDITS:
tracks 101-111,116,117 produced by John Bee
tracks 112,113,202,203 produced by John Bee and Vanilla Chainsaws.
tracks 114,115 produced by Tony Cohen
tracks 118,201 unspecified
tracks 204-424 produced by Simon Chainsaw except <>
<> track 320 produced by Sonny Vincent.
<> track 412 unknown (though presumably produced by Simon Chainsaw).
<> tracks 414-420 Produced by Simon Chainsaw and Davi Pacote.
track 425 produced by Nasty Samy aka Samuel Guillerand.
WRITING CREDITS:
tracks 101,109 written by Mark Alexander, Simon Drew, Cameron Lee
tracks 104,105,107,111,112,114,118,202,203 written by Mark Alexander, Simon Drew
track 108 written by Machinations and originally performed by MACHINATIONS
tracks 116,117 unknown
track 205 written by Steve Gardner
track 208 written by Leif Alan Creed
track 213 written by Chris Bailey, Ed Kuepper and originally performed by THE SAINTS
track 217 written by Steve Mee and originally performed by RAZAR
track 220 written by Tim Allee and originally performed by PAGANS
tracks 307,308,310,311 written by Stephan Grujic, Bernward Klimik, Simon Drew
track 319 written by Brett Walker and originally performed by LA FEMME
track 320 written by Sonny Vincent
track 324 written by Bill Posters and originally performed by ROCKS
track 325 written by Marty Burke and originally performed by RAZAR
track 326 written by Bruce Warner and originally performed by THE THOUGHT CRIMINALS
track 401 written by Mark Taylor, Paul Gearside and originally performed by PSYCHO-SURGEONS
track 402 written by The Leftovers and originally performed by THE LEFTOVERS
track 403 written by The Chosen Few and originally performed by THE CHOSEN FEW
track 404 written by Goo Goo Dolls and originally performed by GOO GOO DOLLS
track 410 written by Second Rate and originally performed by SECOND RATE
track 411 written by Borderlinerz, Zeh Monstro and originally performed by PRECIOSA
track 412 written by TV Smith and originally performed by THE ADVERTS
track 416 written by Dominik Sladek, Dustin Coutts and originally performed by STACY CROWNE
track 423 written by Los Lotus and originally performed by LOS LOTUS
track 425 written by Mike Palm and originally performed by AGENT ORANGE
all other tracks written by Simon Drew
LINKS:
https://www.simonchainsaw.com
https://www.discogs.com/artist/2688920-Simon-Chainsaw
https://www.discogs.com/artist/341381-Vanilla-Chainsaws