James Paull "Tokin Blackman" Dies of Cancer

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A sad day for the Australian music scene indeed..

Sorry for my lateness in posting...

It has been confirmed that James "Jock" Paull, guitarist for popular Australian satirical rock band This Is Serious Mum, has died of cancer aged 51.
Paull, best known by his anonymous TISM moniker 'Tokin Blackman', was a member of the group for 16 years and 5 albums, co-writing their hit songs "Greg The Stop Sign" and "(He'll Never Be An) Old Man River".
TISM singer and lyricist Ron Hitler Barassi said of his fallen band mate:
"He always had the licks, just never the poses. James Paull – Jock to nearly everyone – was one of very few who could say "I spent a year composing in Amsterdam" and not sound like he was on Radio National.
"Jock was (the stage's) king. Live performance, that usurper of so many pretenders, never once dethroned him. He played guitar so well he seemed unaware of his fingers.
"Other people would care about other things; but, for Jock, it was (his partner Matty), his daughter, and music. The music seemed to speak. "For him," it told us, "nothing else was as good as this."
The defiant group won an ARIA award for their 1995 album "Machiavelli and The Four Seasons", but bewildered the media with their guerilla public relations tactics, and insistence on wearing masks during performances and interviews.

I will never forget the times I was able to see TISM, one of the best Australian bands ever. For anyone who has seen TISM, I am sure you can agree their shows are like none other, the times at Meredith music festival were a hoot.



Ron Hitler Barrassi's Eulogy can be read here - Smartartists - TISM - Jock

[Troy711]

TISM are awesome. ive read so many funny arse stories about them and their gigs. i wish i could have seen them live

[Lumps of cheese]

How come i've never heard of these guys???

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TISM are awesome. ive read so many funny arse stories about them and their gigs. i wish i could have seen them live

The entire performance is insane. We got in to see the Save our Tism concert at the hifi bar. Was eerily strange but enthralling. I seriously never expected another CD from them, so when the white albun was released it made my year

Would be great if they released some previously unreleased material but that would be a sell out...that won't ever happen.

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How come i've never heard of these guys???

Because your too old and live in the sticks lol

I would almost be certain you have heard some of their stuff at one stage or another...

YouTube - TISM

YouTube - TISM - What are ya?

YouTube - TISM - Greg! the stop sign.

YouTube - He'll Never Be An Ol' Man River - TISM - official clip

and one of my all time favourites which ALWAYS goes off

YouTube - TISM - Five Yards

TISM are a band in which you needed to grow up with or at least understand what they are all about. Always masked, there were always rumours about their true identities.

[pow3rslave]

damn man, that sucks.

i hope this doesn't stop them reunion touring

[Troy711]

man, i swear i watched ol' man river a billion times until i picked up all the lyrics. this was before the time i had internet access

[sixshooter]

Gone @ 51 with Cancer... sheesh !!!

Live is too short to sweat the small stuff !!!

I remember TISM some of their songs were really catchy.

[Bax]

Unfortunately 51's not that young for the evil stuff to strike. We recently just lost a guy at work that was a in his late 30's/ early 40's.

Can't say I ever really got into TISM, always thought there music was more of a joke then music I guess. Greg the stop sign is about the only song that I can say I've heard more often then not. But it's never good to hear I guess, may definitely get into their music a bit more now.

[jules]

oh man that's sad. TISM are one of the greatest, no doubt. i saw their show at the Hi Fi in Melb (is that the one on swanston st? i forget) a few years back and these guys put on a better show than most of the big name international stars who charge twice the cost. they just go nuts on stage.

it's a shame they are marginalised a bit as alternative or fringe because they are easily one of our best rock bands. RIP

[minux]

oh man that's sad. TISM are one of the greatest, no doubt. i saw their show at the Hi Fi in Melb (is that the one on swanston st? i forget) a few years back and these guys put on a better show than most of the big name international stars who charge twice the cost. they just go nuts on stage.

it's a shame they are marginalised a bit as alternative or fringe because they are easily one of our best rock bands. RIP

I don't think many people understand how much TISM take the **** out of people etc and how political some of their music is.

Was the show you seen the save our tism telethon? Thats the last one I seen and all I can say is bloody brilliant.

[jules]

truth is i never really appreciated them on their hits until a friend made me a mix tape. their non-radio-friendly stuff is brilliant, especially the spoken word tracks. funny as.

i saw them at some gig, don't recall it being under that name, was on swanston st (hi fi i think). would definitely see them again.

[ProphetVX]

Saw them at homebake or BDO one year, I can't remember. Have to be one of the funniest stage acts I've ever seen. They made some great music.

I didn't realise that they were in their fifties, I thought they'd be mid to late 30's. Hit the music scene pretty late I guess.

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Saw them at homebake or BDO one year, I can't remember. Have to be one of the funniest stage acts I've ever seen. They made some great music.

I didn't realise that they were in their fifties, I thought they'd be mid to late 30's. Hit the music scene pretty late I guess.

They have been making music since the early 80's lol.


jules, Kill Americans is brilliant!!

[ProphetVX]

They have been making music since the early 80's lol.


jules, Kill Americans is brilliant!!

I thought they started in the 90's... Around 91 or 92 was the earliest stuff I can remember from them.

*EDIT*
Just a quick visit to Wiki sorted that one out... You're right

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I thought they started in the 90's... Around 91 or 92 was the earliest stuff I can remember from them.

*EDIT*
Just a quick visit to Wiki sorted that one out... You're right

lol I know I am right, I own EVERY album

[jules]

They have been making music since the early 80's lol.

jules, Kill Americans is brilliant!!

i always laugh at Morrison Hos'tel too

i went to a private school and it's so spot on

[Troy711]

lol I know I am right, I own EVERY album

i would never have picked you as a fan

[crazyspoon05]

A real shame, have seen TISM many times live and have all their albums as well

Mourningtown Ride is one of my many faves, certainly very clever songwriters and energetic performers that made them one of those bands who were even better live than on their albums

[NORTI]

Y know I never knew it was called 'he will never be an old man river' lol I always thought it was called 'im on the drug' lols

I remember them from just as I started High School, infact it was this song I think that I remember most.....

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Y know I never knew it was called 'he will never be an old man river' lol I always thought it was called 'im on the drug' lols

I remember them from just as I started High School, infact it was this song I think that I remember most.....

It was the song that made them publicly known within the masses.

I mean Even Jocks stage name "Tokin Blackman" is hilarious. Ahh what i'd give to see a Live TISM show once more.

[NORTI]

yeah thats me...... poor deprived person of the masses