30 years and a million beers with Australia’s most unlikely rock and roll heroes.
For 30 years, the Cosmic Psychos have blazed a trail of empty beer cans and busted ear drums around the globe with their quintessential Australian drawl and pounding punk rock songs.
Fronted by Ross Knight, BLOKES YOU CAN TRUST tracks the band’s adventures along the rock and roll highway, from downtown Kyneton in rural Victoria, into some of New York’s finest S & M parlours and the Seattle grunge scene where they were highly influential. Nirvana were Psychos fans…they even played shows with Pearl Jam. But perhaps their biggest reputation was their ability to drink pubs dry, with word quickly spreading as a warning to other touring bands – “Never drink with the Psychos!”
With appearances (and party tricks) by Eddie Vedder, Mudhoney, The Melvins, Butch Vig, Hard-Ons, L7 (to name but a few), this doco is a full frontal assault on the senses. Loud, rugged and entertaining Blokes You can Trust shows all of the Psychos’ highs and lows; riches and rip offs; line up changes and loss.
As well as the colourful journey of a band, BLOKES YOU CAN TRUST reveals the personal story of founding member and frontman Ross Knight – musician, world champion
weightlifter, the farmer with a bulldozer fetish and dedicated father. This is an extraordinary tale of Australia’s most unique cultural ambassadors, who sing about dead kangaroos, pubs and schnitzels. It’s a tribute to a country lad, a family man, still rocking and rolling, when most have retired to the couch.
“Here’s 3 ugly lookin’ blokes, tourin’ 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 ‘I’m a f***in’ farmer!’”
ROSS KNIGHT – COSMIC PSYCHOS
For 30 years, the Cosmic Psychos have blazed a trail of empty beer cans and busted ear drums around the globe with their quintessential Australian drawl and pounding punk rock songs. With the founding member Ross Knight finding inspiration from the Bulldozer he drove on the family farm in country Victoria, the band forged a unique sound and image that resonated with punk rock fans everywhere. Iconic label Sup Pop! released their second album when the band fell into the 'Seattle' scene of the late 80's amidst the likes of Pearl Jam, Mudhoney and The Melvins. Never quite finding the mainstream success of their grunge counterparts, the band managed to tour heavily in the USA and Europe thanks to a large and devoted fan base. The Cosmic Psychos were notorious for their ability to drink pubs dry, earning them a reputation that resonated around as a warning - "Never drink with the 'Psychos". But it wasn't all shits and giggles. A heavy falling out with drummer and founding member Bill Walsh resulted in a line-up change and a bitter dedication on their new album with the song 'Kill Bill'. They've been ripped off by several record labels, and dealt with the tragedy of the passing of guitarist Robbie Watts in 2006. But the band continues through all its adversity to remain strong to this day with Dean Muller on drums and John 'Mad Macca' McKeering from the Onya's taking care of the guitar duties. COSMIC PSYCHOS : BLOKES YOU CAN TRUST follows the bands colorful history, as well as the enigmatic and entertaining founding member Ross Knight, to get behind the man who rides the bulldozer. Farmer, Father, Weightlifter, and frontman. His story alone, and told from his perspective is a unique portrait of an unlikely and revered rock and roll bloke.
- Written by Matt Weston.
