Next big things don’t often come as hot as Melbourne band, The Galvatrons. They’re still on the low down, but with a debut album on the way, this band will soon be everywhere. The four-piece rock-synth outfit do glam 80s better than the 80s acts did, with the attire to match. Currently on a small-scale tour of Australia, they’re worth seeing now before the crowds arrive. The Galvatrons have also already played the country’s biggest festivals, and supported Australian rock royalty such as The Presets, The Panics and You Am I.

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Says Van She bassist and vocalist Matt Van Schie about the Bush Tetras track — Too Many Creeps — from 1982: ‘I LOOOVE this tune. It opens with a perfect snare roll, and then the counter bass and guitar rhythms make it so cool. The lyrics are even more valid today. They’re one of my favourite bands of all time, and so many people try to do what they did for real. What a time! I wish I was born back then in New York, hanging out with these kids. Ahhhh!!’

I had the pleasure of seeing Duran Duran play a few weeks back in the balmy drizzle of New York’s Central Park. I always thought the guys had more cheek than they were ever given credit for. But don’t be fooled! For a band so rooted in the immediacy of disposable pop, they wrote some timeless songs, none more so than The Chauffeur.

Mark Mothersbough, jack of all trades, most famous as frontman of iconic 80s band Devo, has recently started designing wallpaper and rugs, which are available from Walteria Living. Mothersbough’s designs range from expectedly quirky and off-kilter to surprisingly understated and tasteful — after all, he does compose music for commercials and kids’ shows these days.

Oh man! My ears are still ringing with the sweet, sweet sounds of The Reflex, Rio and Save A Prayer. I caught Duran Duran playing the other night in New York’s Central Park, on a night when a light coating of drizzle dulled the sky, but not the mood of a fervent crowd who sang along to every damn word of every damn song. Forget the 80s cliches, these guys are just as vital now as they were when they filled stadiums.

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