Have you ever wondered what the Melbourne music scene was like in the 1970s and '80s? Or what it was like to live in Melbourne's inner north in that era?

Our next guests on Bleus Conversations are Mick Earls and Stuart Grant from the band Use No Hooks, a Melbourne post-punk band prominent in the Little Bands scene of the late '70s and early '80s. In those years, Mick and Stuart lived in dirt cheap share houses and shop fronts in Melbourne's inner northern suburbs, making music and partying around the clock. The shop fronts on Brunswick Street were boarded up and Gertrude Street was a no go area; a world away from the cafe and boutique lined streets that exist there today. "It's impossible to imagine that world even existed," says Mick.

Playing at local institutions like the Tote, no one knew what to expect when Use No Hooks took to the stage over 40 years ago. Drawing inspiration and influences from many sources, Use No Hooks’ music was always unpredictable because of their relentless experimentation and frequent line-up changes. On stage, the band's approach embraced elements of fluxus (little known to them at the time) and their numbers varied from three to ten band members.

Inspired by punk bands of the '70s, disco icons like Nile Rogers, and rap legends like Grandmaster Flash, their music is a harmonious crossover of all these genres, creating something truly unique. Lost and forgotten for many years, their recordings were dug up a few years ago and released on vinyl for the first time on local label @chaptermusic.

Track list: Do The Job - Use No Hooks In The Clear - Use No Hooks The Hook - Use No Hooks Sideshore Boogie (live) - Use No Hooks I Can't Stop It - Primitive Calculators Times Up (Timeless) - Age Of Chance Circumstances Beyond Our Control - Use No Hooks

This episode was produced and hosted by Hugo Hodge Photo by Wendy Morrissey