Perth music community comes together to support ‘backbeat’ of local music scene, James Baker

Perth’s music community is coming together to celebrate the life and times of local musician James Baker, who is unfortunately battling liver cancer.

Known for his work with influential punk acts The Victims and The Scientists, along with supergroup The Beasts of Bourbon and Australian rockers Hoodoo Gurus, James Baker’s rock and roll resume is hard to beat.

Over one weekend in January, a host of artists and bands influenced by James Baker will come together and donate their services to help assist with his ongoing treatment.

The first of these shows will take place at Clancy’s Fish Pub, Fremantle, on Friday, January 10, with live performances from The Kill Devil Hills, The Volcanics, Greenzo’s Weird Ol’ Blues and The Shakeys.

This will be followed by another show at Lyric’s Underground on Saturday, January 11, featuring Datura4, The Floors, Carla Geneve, The Secret Buttons and Robber’s Dog.

To coincide with the benefit shows, James Baker has teamed up with fellow Perth music luminary Dom Mariani (The Stems, DM3, DATURA4) to record a new single under the moniker of The James Baker Beat.

Friday Night Friend and its B-side, She Said (Bad Weekend), both penned by Baker and Mariani, are classic garage punk and pop fare that recall the rock and roll sounds and tradition of both the early Scientists and Stems. The single will be released on Friday, January 10, on 7” limited edition pink vinyl (300 only) and digitally through Cheersquad Records & Tapes.

The James Baker Beat’s Friday Night Friend will be released on Friday, January 10, 2025. You can pre-order your copy now from cheersquadrecordstapes.bandcamp.com The James Baker benefit gigs take place at Clancy’s Fish Pub on Friday, January 10 and Lyric’s Underground on Saturday, January 11, 2025.