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Peachfuzz was a three-piece indie rock band based in Melbourne, Australia that formed late 1991 and disbanded in 1996. We were the first Peachfuzz - other bands of the same name have since emerged, including a European power pop band from the mid-late 1990s and a current Hollywood-based group of rock dudes. But it's harder to find references to us online because we finished up just as the Internet got going. That's why this site exists.
This is what used to be on the Wikipedia page: Melbourne's Peachfuzz played an intelligent and often adventurous brand of melodic power pop inspired by the likes of the Pixies, Pavement, Husker Du and post-punk. The debut mini-album V8 was released in 1992 and distributed by Mushroom Distribution Services, receiving high-rotation airplay of the single Hurt You on national radio station Triple J. This was followed by the 1994 mini-album Watermelon Man, produced by Craig McArthur and released on Mushroom Records' Temptation development label. This release was again favourably received with the tracks Beautiful Fire gaining national airplay and Who Loves You being featured on the Australian TV drama Police Rescue, plus air time on the John Peel Show in the UK.
Peachfuzz was known for its live high-jinks which included costume dress-ups, the hurling of instruments and the entertainingly intense performances of drummer Cameron Potts, who also designed the band's album covers. The band toured nationally throughout its five years and was an important part of the "Fitzroy scene" that also included Hurdy Gurdy/Slurper, Breatherhole/Disaster Plan, the Lucksmiths and Paintstripper.
Peachfuzz's final recording, the album E Coli, was released independently in 1995 and distributed by Shock Records. E Coli, produced like V8 by Melbourne independent music legend Simon Grounds, was darker and more complex than its predecessors, reflecting the mood in the band at the time. The album was again glowingly received by the critics but failed to sell as well as the previous two releases. Not long after the release of E Coli, and following a long 1996 tour of New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania, the band decided to call it a day.
Following the breakup of Peachfuzz, singer/guitarist Stefan Schutt began the lo-fi, home-recording project Schmozzle and is now playing in three Melbourne bands: Ekranoplans, Ashtray Boy and Stavros Brothers. Bass player/singer Steve Hyde played upright bass with Royal Chord and The Original Snakeskins. Drummer/singer Cameron Potts now plays in a number of Melbourne bands including Cuba is Japan. After Peachfuzz Cameron joined Sandro, was/is an integral part of the band Ninetynine and released music through his own hip hop and Arabic music-inspired outfit Baseball.
In early 2019, Peachfuzz drummer Cameron uncovered a bunch of cassette tapes containing dozens of his ghetto blaster recordings of Peachfuzz gigs. This motivated Stefan to pull his finger out, digitise the tapes and also collect all the Peachfuzz stuff in one place on this page. There is another Peachfuzz website out there created by friend Grant McDonald in 2002, but it's pretty outdated now.
So here it all is, in suitably 1990s, lovingly hand-coded, lo-fi web style. The first table has details of the three Peachfuzz releases. The second table has a chronological list of gigs, interviews and other memorable bits of the band's career.
| Release | About | Songs (with YouTube links) | Images |
| V8 (1993) | Released in 1993 when we'd been together for about 8 months. The first four songs were recorded/produced with Simon Grounds at his Stupid Studios, and feature original drummer John Edwards. After John left in late 1991, new drummer Cameron Potts played a set of live songs at the Empress of India Hotel that were recorded by Dave Nelson on his portable recording setup. Four of these songs, with a few overdubs added, made it onto V8 as songs 5-8. | Hurt you Dancing on my grave Oh friend Body Ram Shirt Octopus Dallas (wondercat) See below in 'Non-Releases' for a song that didn't make it onto the album. |
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| Watermelon Man (1994) | Mini-album recorded and produced by Craig McArthur at his Whirled Studios in Richmond. Watermelon Man was released through the Temptation development label (Mushroom), which also had The Plums and Skinwalker. Our EP and The Plums' record were planned to be released in the UK through a partner label of Mushroom's, but some argy bargy between the partners meant it wasn't to be. This was a pity because there was strong UK interest in the band at the time from people including BBC DJ John Peel and music journalist Everett True. As it was, the EP got great reviews, generated more local airplay from JJJ and Melbourne community radio, and sold pretty well. | Who loves you True believers True believers (with film clip made by La Trobe media students) Diana Beautiful fire Freedo Intense and depressed |
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| E-coli (1995) | This final album was a wilful attempt to get more diverse - and perhaps confounding - following our established reputation as a power pop band. At the time, one of the record company A&R gents said that it sounded like 13 songs from 13 different bands. We ended up putting it out ourselves with distribution through Shock. It was certainly darker and harder work to listen to, but I (Stefan) still enjoy its light and shade, especially the brilliant diversity of songs that Steve and Cameron brought to the LP. We recorded the drums Steve Albini open-room style with Nick Carroll at his place in North Melbourne, then added the rest with Simon Grounds at Stupid Studios. |
Our glory My camera my boat Copper arse king All falls down All falls down (with film clip made by Steve and starring Cam Doctor death Old Leo Having a fight with someone Kick The wrong shirt Feeling blue Down to the ground Black sheep M.A.M. M.A.M. (with Steve's film clip) |
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| And here's the cover art of the cassette tape sent to record companies |  |
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| Non-releases | About | Songs (with audio links) | |
| First V8-related recording (1992) | This is a song we recorded for the V8 sessions with Simon Grounds at Stupid Studios. I (Stefan) always liked it but it didn't make the album. | Creatures | |
| More V8-related recordings (1992) | When we recorded our live show at the Empress in November 1992 with the intention of using some of this for the first recording, we also recorded some songs for future use/reference. The whole recording is below, but here are those songs that weren't used for V8 or released after that. We played most of these songs live at shows. | Kill Cage of lace Caught She goes Smelling like roses |
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| Other unreleased songs | This is the home for itinerant Peachfuzz songs that never made it onto releases, taken from other recordings in this archive. A place where they can rest in dignity. | Recorded with Dave Nelson at his parents' house in August 1993. The unused songs in this demo session for Watermelon Man: Sink It Quick She Goes Caught Dear Wembley Setting Sun Barking - a latter day unrecorded song. Captured through our live performance on the Channel 31 TV show 'Under Melbourne Tonight'...as recorded onto someone's dodgy VHS tape |
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| A random bunch of early posters we knocked up... |  ...... ...... ...... |
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| Date | Details | Audio (or more images) | Images |
| 1992 | |||
| 15 May | Gig - our first! At Jo's party in Coburg. |
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| 3 June | Gig - Battle of the Bands, Sarah Sands Hotel, Brunswick | A tryout gig, just to practice in front of people. A vague memory here of me (Stef) running around the pool table after buying a wireless radio system for the guitar. | |
| 13 June | Gig - The Club, Collingwood |
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| 20 June | Gig - The Evelyn Hotel. With Smudge and SIx Degrees South. | ||
| 27 June | Gig - The Empress Hotel. With Hurdy Gurdy | ||
| 28 June | Gig - The Arthouse. With Manic Pizza | ||
| July | Adelaide tour - our first. 2 July - Exeter Hotel. Here's the ad in the street press. 3 July - The Ville, with the Millards. Here's that ad. See right for the tour skivvy that Hadley made for us! |
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| 19 September | Gig - Empress Hotel. With (headline?) and Empee | ||
| 26 September | Gig - Woozy Magazine launch, Empress Hotel |
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| 31 October | Gig - Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne. With Swordfish |  |
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| 29 November | Live at The Empress November 1992, recorded by Dave Nelson. Four of these songs were used, with overdubs, for the final four songs of V8. | Dry recording | |
| 2 November | Gig - Rochester Castle Hotel, Melbourne. Cup Eve gig with Hurdy Gurdy and Tumbledream |  |
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| 8 November | Gig - Karnival warehouse venue (Banjo's?), North Melbourne. With Hurdy Gurdy |  |
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| 12 November | Gig - Punters Club, Melbourne. With Uncle Bob. |  |
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| 15 November | Gig - The Tote, Melbourne. Fangzine (Perth) launch. With Hurdy Gurdy, The Mavis', Manic Pizza, Rob Clarkson, The Plums, Jane McCracken and The Sea Hags. | Ghetto blaster recording | |
| 17 November | Gig - Punters Club, Melbourne | Ghetto blaster recording | |
| 1993 | |||
| 16 January | Gig - Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne. Supporting the Plums |  |
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| 22 January | Gig - Music Swop Shop benefit at Parkview Hotel |
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| 14 February | Gig - Barwon Club, Geelong |
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| 13 February | Gig - Richmond Club. With Chevelles |
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| 25 February | Gig - Punters Club. With Hurdy Gurdy | ||
| 27 February | Gig - The Room, Geelong. With Hurdy Gurdy | ||
| 5 March | Gig - Woozy zine launch at the Empress |
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| 19 March | Gig - Banjo's. Afterglow CD launch, also with Station Wagon |
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| 8 April | Gig - Karnival at Melbourne University |  |
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| 14 May | Gig - Tote. Supporting Caligula and Tlot Tlot |
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| 3 June | Gig - Evelyn. MDS "Hat Trick" with The Wash and Tess McKenna |
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| 17 June | Gig - Evelyn. MDS "Hat Trick" with The Wash and Tess McKenna |
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| July | 'V8' is released (see above for more details). |
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| 6 July | Live to air on Radio JJJ's Australian Music Show with Richard Kingsmill. Has the songs Shirt, Hurt you, Watermelon man and Copper Arse King. | JJJ Live to air (YouTube) | |
| 7 July | Interview - Radio 3RRR, Melbourne. With Peter Chellew | Audio link | |
| 9 July | Gig - CD Launch, Royal Derby Hotel, Melbourne. With Snout and New Waver. | Ghetto blaster recording |  |
| ? July | Interview - JJJ Radio, Perth. With Leigh Baker | Audio link | |
| 22 - 25 July | Tour - Adelaide: 22 July - Exeter 23 July - Colonnades, with Clowns of Decadence 24 July - Crown and Anchor 25 July - Austral (afternoon) 25 July - Boltz (evening) |
23 July | Dallas is live on Simon Townshend's Wonder World (a TV show that the Gen Xs reading this might remember) |
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| 29-31 July | Gigs - Perth tour 29 - Club Original 31 - arvo - House of Wax instore 31 - night - The Cave |
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| 14 August | Gig - Evelyn Hotel | ||
| 2 November | Gig - Rochester Castle. Cup Eve party, with Hurdy Gurdy and Tumbledream | ||
| 19 November | Gig - Evelyn Hotel | ||
| 27 November | Gig - Prince Patrick, Fitzroy. With Rob Clarkson |  |
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| 10 December | Gig - Punters Club | ||
| 11 December | Gig - Central Club Hotel. Supporting The Hummingbirds' last show. With the Earthmen |  |
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| 17 December | Gig - Evelyn Hotel | ||
| 1994 |  |
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| 9 January | Gig - Golden Vine Hotel, Bendigo | ||
| 16 January | Gig - Evelyn Hotel | ||
| February | Recording for "Watermelon Man" - Whirled Studios, Richmond with Craig McArthur. | Audio link | |
| 17 February | Gig - Empress Benefit gig to pay for Cameron's cymbals, which fell out of the back of Stefan's van in transit |
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| 25 February | Gig - The Tote | ||
| 2 March (day) | Gig - Rusden Campus of TAFE | ||
| 2 March (night) | Gig - Great Britain. With Paint Stripper. Here's the ad. |
 Also this. |
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| 5 March | Gig - Punters Club. Supporting Smudge for their "Manilow" launch. With Snout | Ghetto blaster recording |
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| 17 March | Gig - Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne. With Barefoot and Raspberry Cordial | Ghetto blaster recording |  |
| 19 March | Gig - Evelyn Hotel | ||
| 31 March | Gig - Deakin University | ||
| 15 April | Gig - Barwon CLub, Geelong | ||
| 26 April | Gig - Melbourne University. With Andrew Cuddlefish | ||
| 12 May | Gig - The Evelyn, Melbourne. With Chalk and Automatic. | Ghetto blaster recording |  |
| 17 May | Interview - Radio 6RTR, Perth. Cameron, with Guy Blackman | Audio link | |
| 20-28 May | Perth Tour 20 - The Loft 21 - House of Wax (arvo) 21 - Lone Star Saloon 23 - Edith Cowan Uni, Mt Lawley 24 - UWA 25 - Edith Cowan UNI, Jindaloop 26 - Edith Cowan Uni, Churchlands 27 - Murdoch Uni (arvo) 27 - Curtin Uni (arvo) 28 - Cave Bar Here's a write-up in the paper. |
Lone Star gig - Ghetto blaster recording
Curtin uni gig pic! |
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| 29 May | Interview - Radio 6RTR, Perth | Audio link | |
| 10 June | Gig - Punters Club | Pic on right: credit, Michelle Sanfilippo |  |
| 16 June | Gig - Bridge Mall Inn, Ballarat | ||
| 17 June | Gig - The Tote, Melbourne. With Hurdy Gurdy | Ghetto blaster recording |  |
| July | 'Watermelon Man' is released (see above for more details). The Watermelon Man poster to the right has been blessing the amps at Music Swop Shop in Carlton, Melbourne since 1994! |
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| 8 July | Interview - 3RRR, Melbourne. With Bohdan | Audio link | |
| 9 July | Gig - CD launch, Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne. Oh boy, that was quite a night. Replete with broken strings, borrowed basses, Cameron triggering orchestra stabs from his kit, and "breaking the house record"...that was an in-joke about bands competing to get the most payers. We got someone from the audience to literally break a vinyl house record. | Ghetto blaster recording | |
| 15 July | Gig - Tote. Part of Paint Stripper residency |  |
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| 20 July | Interview - Monash Uni Radio, Melbourne. With Yumi Stymes and second interviewer (name escapes). Bad recording off the radio with dodogy reception, but some amusing moments including embarassing attempts to discuss gender issues in rock. Erm. Recorded 20 July but broadcast 3 August. | Audio link | |
| 20 July | Gig - Punters Club. With Yummy Fur, Lamia and Bedridden duo. | ||
| 12 August | Live to Air - "Live in your Loungeroom", 3RRR, Melbourne. Followed by test song (Diana). | Full Live to Air (YouTube link) Test song |
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| 13 August | Gig - Royal Derby. With Lucksmiths, Slurper and Trippin' Phil's All Skas |  |
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| 18 August | Gig - Empress Hotel | ||
| 20-21 August | East coast tour - with Skinwalker 20 August - Asylum, Canberra, supporting Frenzal Rhomb. Here's the ad for the gig. 21 August - Annandale Hotel, Sydney |
Ghetto blaster recording, Annandale Hotel show |  |
| 27 August | Gig - Esplanade Hotel | ||
| 8 September | Gig - Punters Club. Benefit for Men Against Sexual Assault/White Ribbon. With Mouth, Times Bakery and Bittersweet |  |
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| 10 September | Gig - Evelyn Hotel | ||
| 18 September | Gig - Evelyn Hotel. With Scarecrow Tiggy |  |
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| 23 September (I think) | Gig - Tote. With The Plums | Note: The gig poster says "Friday 23", but this could apply to more thsn one month from 1993 to 1995 when the Plums were around. So this is a placeholder until I find more info :) |  |
| 25 September | Gig - Central Club Hotel. With the Meanies, Seaweed Goorillas, Spiderbait, Snout, Guttersnipes and Sourpuss |  |
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| 12-25 October | Recording - 8 track with Nick Carroll. Preliminary recordings for our debut album E-coli. | Dry recording | |
| 21 October | Gig - Evelyn Hotel. With Custard. | ||
| 23 October | Gig - The Venue, Noble Park. All-ages show with Bodyjar, Shreen and others. | 
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| 28-30 October | Adelaide tour: 28 October - Crown and Anchor Hotel, with Liftdwellers 29 October - Tivoli Hotel, with The Egg and Bearded Clams 30 October - The Exeter Hotel |
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| 2 November | Gig - Punters Club. With the Melniks and Little Victims. | ||
| 17 -16 November | Tour - East Coast: 17 November - Interview: Radio 2SER, Sydney. Here's the audio 17 November - Gig: Sandringham Hotel, Newtown, Sydney 19 November - Gig: Sunami All Ages, Wollongong. Here's the ghetto blaster recording 20 November - Gig: Bangalow Bowling Club 22 November - Gig - Railway "Friendly Bar", Byron Bay. Acoustic show with Matt Hills (who was mixing) playing guitar on three songs at the end. Here's the ghetto blaster recording 23 November - Gig: Tatts Hotel, Lismore 25 November - Gig: The Zoo, Brisbane 26 November - Gig: Babble-On Cafe, Brisbane. With Melniks. Here's the ghetto blaster recording |
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| 3 - 11 December |
Tour - Tasmania: 2 December (day) - Round Midnight, Hobart 2 December (night) - Doghouse Hotel, Hobart 3 December - Wheatsheaf Hotel, Hobart. Here's the ghetto blaster recording 8 December - Doghouse Hotel, Hobart 9 December - Trades Hotel, Launceston. Here's the ghetto blaster recording 10 December - Arrows Youth Centre, Launceston 11 December - Wynyard Theatre, Wynyard Here's the ad. |
 The t-shirts we made in Tassie, designed by Cam |
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| 1995 |  |
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| 14 January | Gig - Empress Hotel | ||
| 19 January | Gig - The Tote | ||
| 28 January | Gig - Punters Club | ||
| 1 March | Gig - Rock Against Work, Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne | Ghetto blaster recording | |
| 8 March 1995 | Gig - Forest Benefit at Melbourne Uni. |
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| 10 March | Gig - The Tote. Triple Indemnity show #1. With The Lucksmiths and Honeysuckle |  |
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| 17 March | Gig - The Tote. Triple Indemnity show #2. With The Lucksmiths and Honeysuckle | ||
| 24 March | Gig - The Tote. Triple Indemnity show #3. With The Lucksmiths and Honeysuckle | ||
| 31 March | Gig - The Tote. Triple Indemnity show #4. With The Lucksmiths and Honeysuckle | ||
| 1 April | Gig - Evelyn. Coalition Against Duck Shooting benefit. With Bittersweet (birthday tour!), Fat Thing, Lucksmiths, Sickbay, Trippin' Phil's All Skas, Fimo |  |
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| 7 April | Gig - Empress Hotel. With Paintstripper |
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| 13 April | Gig - The Evelyn | ||
| 21 April | Interview - 3D Radio, Adelaide | Audio link | |
| 21 April | Gig - Tivoli Hotel, Adelaide | Ghetto blaster recording | |
| 13 May | Gig - Evelyn Hotel | ||
| 17 May | Gig - Punters Club. Our 3rd birthday show. With Dollop and Happy Patch. | ||
| 29 May | Gig - Rusden College of TAFE | ||
| 10 June | Gig - Sandringham Hotel, Newtown, Sydney | ||
| 23 June | Gig - Nicholson's Hotel ("Toe Jam's"), North Carlton | ||
| 24 June | Gig - Public Bar, North Melbourne | ||
| 30 June | Gig - Empress Hotel | ||
| 1 July | Gig - Empress Hotel | ||
| 6 July | Gig - Punters Club | ||
| 14 July | Gig - Evelyn Hotel | ||
| 29 July | Gig - Evelyn Hotel. Gigantaur EP launch. Also with Billy Baxter and Ricaine |  |
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| 4 August | Gig - Winterstock, Provincial Hotel, Ballarat. With Breather Hole, Trippin' Phil's All Skas, The Lucksmiths, Cuddlefish, Slurper, Ricaine, Boxing Tostados, Paint Stripper etc. |  |
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| 5-6 August | Tour - Adelaide: 5 August - Gig: Exeter Hotel 6 August - Gig: Crown and Anchor Hotel |
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| 11 August | Gig - Empress Hotel | ||
| 13 August | Gig - Royal Derby Hotel | ||
| September | Reviews of E Coli, street press | 
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| 2 September | Gig - Empress Hotel. With Lamia and Dollop duo | ||
| 6 October | Gig - Nicholson's Hotel, North Carlton | ||
| 12 October | Gig - St Kilda Bowling Club ("Fringe Club") | ||
| 15 October | Gig - Evelyn Hotel. Radio 3MU benefit. With Ricaine, Three, Chioscuro, Egg the Mountain and Poncherelli. |  |
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| 20 October | Gig - Sandringham Hotel, Newtown, Sydney | ||
| 31 October | Gig - Empress Hotel (Stefan acoustic solo) | ||
| 2 November | TV Performance - Melbourne tonight, Channel 31, RMIT Studios | ||
| 3 November | Gig - Empress Hotel | ||
| 17 November | Gig - Punters Club. Album launch for "E-Coli". With Pleasurepig |  |
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| 26 November | Gig - The Tote | ||
| 14 December | Gig - Metro Nightclub, Bourke Street | ||
| 21 December | Gig - Punters Club | ||
| 1996 | |||
| 21 January | Gig - Punters Club | ||
| 23 January | Gig - Empress Hotel (Steve acoustic) | ||
| 1 February | Gig - Public Bar | ||
| 2 February | Gig - Royal Derby Hotel | ||
| 17 February (day) | Gig - Waterstock, Ballarat. With a bunch of great bands (see program) |  The T-Shirt! |  The program |
| 17 February (night) | Gig - Evelyn Hotel | ||
| 24 February | Gig - Empress Hotel | ||
| 29 February | Gig - Metro, Bourke Street | ||
| 5 March (day) | Gig - Metro College of TAFE, Footscray | ||
| 4 July | Gig - Punters Club | ||
| 5 July | Gig - Corner Hotel, Melbourne. Our final show! Has some furious versions of new songs that would never be recorded by the Fuzz. Supported by Snout. | Ghetto blaster recording |