Mu Mesons: The Sydney Music Scene Has Always Been A Reflection of The Times (Naked City)

It’s often underestimated, the role of art as a major influencer in the social, political and cultural history of Sydney. Of all the arts, music has probably been the prime instigator, not only a reflection of the times but a driver of numerous social movements. cliques and obsessive followers.

We are obviously the target of much larger music trends and styles worldwide, exacerbated by the power of the mass media and the various corporate forces. Yet dig a little deeper into the pubs and clubs of the inner city heartland, and you’ll often discover the type of music that reflects the good, bad and ugly of the present time.

Sadly that exploration applies less and less these days, with both a diminishing live music scene and a general conservatism that stamps out anything radical, outrageous, sexually explicit or even satirically offensive. Hey, it hasn’t always been like dreary old 2025.

Many will fondly remember a time when all of the above were passionately embraced and the Petersham Hotel once hosted free beer for patrons prepared to strip naked at the bar.

In the 80s and 90s in Sydney, there were barriers to be smashed, old school values to be challenged and the absurdities of life both ridiculed and embraced. Music was a great vehicle with which to do so, infused with both humour and an element of shock — just to keep the audiences on their toes.

Along with a thriving experimental scene, spearheaded by groups such as Severed Heads, SPK and Scraping Foetus, there were the grunge, glam and goth combos like Lubricated Goat, Box The Jesuit and Beasts Of Bourbon – to name just a few. The pubs and clubs were always packed, often beyond their legal limit and underground venues invariably managed to escape the eye of the authorities.

At the same time, Jaimie Leonarder — along with his partner Aspasia (aka Jay Katz and Miss Death) — had established the now legendary Mu Meson Archives, initially in Chippendale but followed by much larger warehouse premises in Annandale.

Continually dodging Council closures and other bureaucratic killjoys, the Archives became one of Sydney’s best loved underground cultural hubs with numerous film screenings, talks and book launches, music performances and other unique events.

With a CV that includes Mission Beat driver, nurse, DJ, MC, archivist, radio broadcaster, blogger, UFO researcher, and presenter on The Movie Show on SBS, it’s not surprising Jaimie Leonarder chose to add band leader to that list – drawing inspiration from all these life experiences.

The Mu Mesons, sometimes described as an anti-band, first appeared on the Sydney scene in the mid 1980s with an anarchic blend of no wave, industrial, noise, and misfired electronics, punctuated by vocals that screamed of angst and euphoria combined.

As Jay Katz remembers:

“As students of naive art, folk art, Art Brut, we noticed a lack of understanding and support for those on the spectrum with musical ability, so the core members created a safe environment for outsider artists to create (explode is more like it).”

Whilst their Sydney shows were few and far between, they were all entirely memorable whether it was opening for Mike Patton and Fantomas or startling bewildered workers at the Clyde Railways Workshop Christmas Party.

On their only trip to Melbourne, Katz demonstrated what would never become an Olympic sport but featured an erotic interchange between spandex and an analogue music generator – not to mention an over enthusiastic Katz himself.

As he recalls:

“The Spandex and Sequins costume was designed by the brilliant Miss Death. Embroidered on the back of each outfit were separate letters and when aligned properly they spelt MESON. Very rarely in the heat of frenetic performance were we ever able align anything let alone our branding.”

The welcoming news is that you can turn back the clock and catch a very rare appearance from the Mu Mesons along with US combo King Missile at the Vanguard in Newtown on Wednesday 24 September. Sad to say there will be no Dr William McCoy in the group, but the three original band members will no doubt be channelling his spirit on stage.

In its various forms, King Missile have released a string of songs, resoundingly embraced by American college radio, including Take Stuff From Work, Wuss, Sensitive Artist, and the hugely popular Detachable Penis.

There’s a definite simpatico between the two groups, rooted in a world some four decades ago. If you happened to be alive back then, the night promises more than just a dose of nostalgia. Think of it as an instant psychotic flashback, free of magic mushrooms or a whole box of Bex.

For the younger generation — sorry kids, it’s unlikely there will be free beer for nudes at the Vanguard, but do expect a schooner full of the cathartic and a glimpse of what true artistic chaos was back in the late 80s and early 90s.