Who The Hell are Beer
Fridge?
They’ve been around for a while now
and you might’ve seen a BeerFridge movie or t-shirt
or even a sticker plastered on someone’s car or arse
crack, but seriously-who the hell are BeerFridge? And what
do they represent?
Essentially, it’s all about the music.
In the year 2000 Prevelly General Store work mates Paul “Hopper”
Trainos, Tim “D-man” Delaney and Karl “Ost”
Heusenstamm decided to start a band in honour of the facility
they spent much of their shifts dwelling in – the Beer
Fridge.
“We started as a joke death-metal-reggae
band,” said Karl Ost of their humble beginnings. The
band took no time in becoming popular in the Margaret River
region and the trio quickly transformed into a 12 piece band.
Gig by gig more of their mates would join in with whatever
instruments they could get their hands on, from harmonicas
and flutes to double plugger thongs and yoghurt containers.
With such a large number of young rowdy men in the band (and
audience) BeerFridge soon became synonymous with mind numbing
garage music and the age old phenomenon of youthful self-destruction.
“We got so big so quick that the band only lasted about
six shows,” said Karl. However they did not go out without
a bang.
Their final gig was to be by far their most
prestigious. They had been invited to play at the highly regarded
“Caves House” pub on the legendary Yallingup Hill
for the presentations of the 2000 longboard state titles.
The gang was super amped and went extra hard on the Cooper’s
Sparkling Ale for the gig (which had become their ritual ppreparation
drink.) They got on stage and played their hearts out but
for some reason the local crowd were not responding. The fact
that BeerFridge were hitting the wrong notes and according
to Karl sounded like “a bullfrog getting hit with a
golf club” was beside the point. It seemed the cultured
people of Yallingup didn’t appreciate this pisstake
of modern music and before long the band’s electricity
was cut off and they were ordered to leave the stage.
“We got our own back,” said
maracas player D’man who was later arrested for disorderly
behaviour, “they stole our limelight so we stole their
trophies hahar!” Needless to say this was the end of
BeerFridge the band.
2000 was also the year Karl Ost got married
to his high school sweetheart Belinda. As a wedding present
Karl received his first video camera and when the lad’s
band split up he thought this would be the perfect tool for
keeping the BeerFridge spirit alive. Karl never let the camera
out of his sight and basically kept it rolling everywhere
he went, including bikini parades and dirt drag races. When
it came to editing time Karl said their was such a surplus
of footage that he decided to expand the format and include
“surf, skate and motocross footage plus clips of local
bands and antics.” This format laid the foundation for
the next five movies from Beer Fridge.
A close inspection of these movies reveals
the progression of the Beer Fridge entity from filthy beer-stained
rags to using-money-as-tissues-type riches. Each movie has
its own memorable highlights, from the early days of “Skinney”
getting beaten up by a smackie in Main street Margaret River
in “Driving Schoul” to Hawk and Barry Backo’s
treacherous dirt-surfing in “No Commercials” and
all the hot chicks, burnouts and barrels in between.
In more recent times Karl has expanded his
filming exploits from the Margaret River Township to interstate
Crusty Demon Shows, inner-city punk rock gigs and North-Western
surf lineups. His next production, “slim sober educated”,
number seven in the line of BeerFridge flicks and premiering
in WA in March, is shaping up to be a corker. “It’s
gunna be hardcore in-ya-face action from start to finish,”
says Karl, “don’t even think about an intermission.”
Karl recruited a shitload of crazy punters with cameras for
this film to ensure “slim sober educated” contains
more BeerFridge gold than you could throw a turd at.
To spread the BeerFridge vibes and make
some extra millions in the process Karl and his bro Gabe started
the BeerFridge clothing line. The brothers are both talented
artists and do all of the stencils, logos and screen printing
themselves, with a little help from Perth’s “Illusive
Steve” who also designs Chopper Reid’s clothing
label and the album covers for PC Thug and 3 Days Later. “We’re
going to be hitting hard with the clothes in the following
months,” says Karl, “Steve’s a freak with
a paintbrush and together we’re drawing some dope designs.”
If you’re frothing for some BeerFridge threads and can’t
find them anywhere you can always catch Gabe and Karl at their
stalls at Big Day Out or Southbound concerts. Or if you too
pussy to go to one of these events then kick your little sister
off the computer and log on to www.beerfridge.com.au
BeerFridge have also dabbled in some hip
hop, releasing an underground album called “Straight
Outta Beer Fridge” in 2004. Mostly freestyle, this 16
track LP contains twisted rhymes from Dr Nasi and Ice Coffee
amongst others with phat cuts by DJ Bobs Casino.
The boys from BeerFridge recently established
their proudest achievement to date, BeerFridge the recording
label. Besides making millions, Karl says Beer Fridge’s
number one goal in the recording industry is to, “help
up and coming punk rock and hardcore bands produce and release
cd’s worldwide.” Their first music release, “Battle
of Hope” is now on the streets. It’s a 100% punk
rock cd that features twenty tracks by WA bands Battletruk
and Pillar of Hope. Their second release “Plagued”
by PC Thug will also be out when this magazine hits the stands
so all you little punk rock rangas can go ahead and treat
yourselves to some brain-thrashing music.
Ok so BeerFridge the label has come in leaps
and bounds but what of the other boys? Where is D-Man and
Hopper in the middle of all this punk rock and Hollywood super-stardom?
At time of writing D-man was happily married to his Japanese
wife and living in Broome surfing and cookin’ chips
to feed his Coopers addiction. Meanwhile Hopper had shunned
the BeerFridge spotlight and fled the country with a young
Middle Eastern girlfriend in tow. Rumour has it he attempted
to hijack a Coopers delivery van on its way to Prevelly Liquor
Store, now owned by notorious liquor tycoon Mr. Big. He was
captured midway through the hijacking and fled the country
vowing never to return. He will be sadly missed. Finally,
what can we expect next from this uncanny bunch known as BeerFridge?
Another rap album? “No way,” says Karl, “rap’s
gone way too trendy, fuck that shit!” What about the
rumour that Barry Backo is running for Prime Minister? “It’s
all lies,” says Barry, “but then I guess that
would make me the perfect Prime Minister.” Righo, how
about the question that is on everyone’s lips …
will BeerFridge the band ever get back together? To which
Barry Backo answered, “Were they ever together?”
- Hards.
BEERFRIDGE TIMELINE
- December 1999
Hopper, D-man, Karl form band named “Beer Fridge”
after alcohol fridge at Prevelly Liquor Store.
- February 2000
Karlost receives video camera for wedding present, starts
filming for first movie.
- March 2000
Band breaks up after six gigs.
- April 2001
Release of first movie “Our best gig ever” keeps
BeerFridge dream alive.
- February 2002
BeerFridge clothing label established.
- January 2003
Boys erect first BeerFridge tent at Big Day Out and make
their first million selling clothes and videos. Their latest
film is Beer Fridge 5.
- February 2004
BeerFridge rap album released.
- April 2005
BeerFridge 6 “No Commercials” premiered at Settler’s
Tavern. BeerFridge receives sponsor from Coopers and all
in attendance receive free Pale Ale.
- August 2006
BeerFridge recording label established, signs up PC Thug,
Battletruk and Pillar of Hope.
- March 2007
BeerFridge 9 “slim sober educated” is released
and BeerFridge make their first billion in the first day
of sales. Box Office Records are blown apart.
- January 2008
BeerFridge QC Barry Backo wins national election by a landslide
and is voted most popular PM of all time for removing beer
tax from Coopers beverages. Oowee!!
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