History

History

Biography by Sean Mussett (aka Gravel Burns)

Dissection Committee formed in '85, with school mates Mick (Ranch Hunter) and Warren (Gorton Klartoo)  and their mate Fletcher (first name lost to me Ed:  Anthony).
The first sounds were 'Devo' influenced electronica, coming from the then, very underground, 'Newcastle Skate Scene' that Mick was involved in.
I was introduced to Mick and Warren by a mutual friend Michael Cossettini who I was playing in a band with.
Anyway Michael Cos introduced me to Dissection Committee, which was 'mutually beneficial' as I was into Punk and 'The Boneless Ones' wanted someone who could sing.
They eventually formed 'Bark' with Karl Richardson on vocals.
He can sing!

I brought my school friend Brian Tolhurst along, as he was learning guitar, and ended up being a fine bass player.

I don't recall much rehearsing initially. We played a few parties relying mainly on Mick's originals and a dozen or so punk standard covers of 'The Clash', 'DK's', 'Hard On's', 'Black Flag' and 'Devo'.
Mick and Warren by then were living above the Newsagent in Hunter St, near Darby St, so we could rehearse till all hours. We quite often had an impromptu audience gathered across the street, Mick regularly clambered out the window and played guitar on the awning.

Dissection Committee played regularly in Newcastle from 86-89 at venues such as Souths, The Airforce Club, Wickham Park Bowling Club, National Park Bowling Club, The Premier Hotel, The Stag And Hunter, The Congo Club and The Newcastle Leagues Club.
We supported a lot of great bands including 'Raw War', 'The Marones', 'Cash from Chaos', 'Fractured Black', 'The Pork Hunts'. As well as headlining several shows including the notorious, (in skate circles), Bi-centennial Newcastle Ramp Rage gig at Merewether High School.

At the end Dissection Committee was playing mostly originals, with all members contributing songs. Crowd favourites included "Pollution City", "Dog Guts", "Getting in Peoples Way" and "Apathy Crowd".

There was an untimely end to the band in 1989 when Brian Tolhurst moved to Sydney to form, and have reasonable success with, 'Fractured Black'.

Dissection Committee reformed later in '89 with a new Brian (Rowe) on bass. (Sorry Brian and I've still got your Utter Stench album). We played a few Airforce club gigs as well as a support for the premier gig of 'Bark' at the Stag And Hunter.

The band split up at the end of 1989 when Brian moved to Melbourne and I went to Europe. There will never be anything in my life to replace the fun and friendship of Dissection Committee, and "lets get the band back together", always makes me smile.