DIVINE RITES Where Birdmen Flew

Band

Porcelain Bus

Porcelain Bus: members, records and connected archive material.

Talking to God by Porcelain Bus album cover

Who played when

Members

4
01 1985–1991

Ian James (Ian Towart)

Lead vocals

02 1985–1989

John Nolan

Drums, Vocals

03 1985–1991

Paul Patrick

Bass

04 1985–1991

Robert McKiernan

Lead guitar, Vocals

Later member

1

  • Adam Toole

    Drums

    1989–1991

Sydney · 1985–1991

Sparse guitar rock with a dark rhythm section

Porcelain Bus joined melodic guitar lines, husky vocals and R&B roots across two albums and a sequence of Citadel releases.

01

Formation

School friends Ian James, Robert McKiernan and Paul Patrick formed Porcelain Bus with drummer John Nolan in late 1985, after an earlier group called Mr Pharmacist.
02

Citadel years

In house producer Rob Younger produced the 1986 debut single Indignation. Brett Myers produced the following singles, the Steel Bros EP and the 1988 album Talking to God.
03

Fragile and Europe

Adam Toole replaced Nolan in 1989. The band released Fragile in 1990, toured Europe and then the Australian east coast before separating in 1991.

Made for rock’n’roll

Discography

10 Records

Indignation Teenage.jpg 5.387 K
1986 7"

Indignation / My Family 7" (1986)

Credits & release details

Members

  • Robert Mc Kiernan : Vocals, Guitar
  • Ian James: Vovals
  • Paul J. Patrick: Bass
  • John Nolan: Drums

Production & release

Indignation Citadel.jpg 6.081 K

Produced by Rob Younger , engineered by Alan Thorne at Trafalgar Studios

Reference :

  • Citadel - CIT021
  • Teenage Records - TEEN02
The Well Is Dry.jpg 4.824 K
1987 7"

The Well Is Dry / The Hands Have Control 7" (1987)

Credits & release details

Members

  • Robert Mc Kiernan : Vocals, Guitar
  • Ian James: Vovals
  • Paul J. Patrick: Bass
  • John Nolan: Drums

Production & release

Produced by Brett Myers

Reference : Citadel - CIT030

Own Little World.jpg 7.167 K
1988 7"

Own Little World / Clockwork 7" (1988)

Credits & release details

Members

  • Robert Mc Kiernan : Vocals, Guitar
  • Ian James: Vovals
  • Paul J. Patrick: Bass
  • John Nolan: Drums

Production & release

Produced by Brett Myers

Reference : Citadel - CIT041

p_rats.jpg 6.134 K
1988 7"

Rats / Old Soldiers / Hanging's Back 7" (1988)

Credits & release details

Members

  • Robert Mc Kiernan : Vocals, Guitar
  • Ian James: Vovals
  • Paul J. Patrick: Bass
  • John Nolan: Drums

Production & release

Produced by Brett Myers

Reference : Citadel - CIT048

Steel Bros.jpg 7.783 K
1988

Steel Bros (1988)

Tracks

  1. Talk To Me
  2. Steel Bros
  3. End Of The Line
  4. Cathie’s Baby
  5. On Sunday
  6. Mother’s Milk
Credits & release details

Members

  • Robert Mc Kiernan : Vocals, Guitar
  • Ian James: Vovals
  • Paul J. Patrick: Bass
  • Adam Toole: Drums

Production & release

Produced by Brett Myers

Reference : Citadel - CITLP508

Talking To God.jpg 3.973 K
1988

Talking To God (1988)

Tracks

  1. Can’t Work It Out
  2. Driver
  3. In The Box ?
  4. Rusty Nails
  5. Walk Away
  6. Rats
  7. Walters Boy
  8. Own Little World
  9. Terminal
  10. Talking To God
  11. Talk To Me (CD Only)
  12. Mothers Milk (CD Only)
  13. Clockwork (CD Only)
  14. The Well Is Dry (CD Only)
Credits & release details

Members

  • Robert Mc Kiernan : Vocals, Guitar
  • Ian James: Vovals
  • Paul J. Patrick: Bass
  • John Nolan: Drums

Production & release

Produced by Brett Myers

Reference :

  • Citadel - CITLP519 (LP)
  • Closer - CIF04 /RE405 (LP)
  • Normal Records - CGAS804CD (CD)
Positively Elisabeth Street.jpg 5.557 K
1989

Positively Elisabeth Street (1989)

Tracks

  1. Driver (from Talking To God )
Credits & release details

Production & release

Reference :

  • Citadel - CITLP523
  • Closer - CIF05 /RE405 (LP)
  • Normal Records - CGAS803CD (CD with 5 bonus tracks)
Sacred Relics.jpg 4.469 K
1990

Sacred Relics (1990)

Tracks

  1. Indignation
  2. My Family
  3. The Well Is Dry
  4. The Hands Have Control
  5. Talk To Me
  6. Steel Bros
  7. End Of The Line
  8. Katie’s Baby
  9. On Sunday
  10. Mothers Milk
Credits & release details

Members

  • Robert Mc Kiernan : Vocals, Guitar
  • Ian James: Vovals
  • Paul J. Patrick: Bass
  • John Nolan: Drums

Production & release

Produced by Brett Myers

Reference :

  • Citadel - CITLP???
  • Normal Records - CGAS811CD (CD)
Blue On Blue / Vertigo Man 7" (1990) cover
1990 7"

Blue On Blue / Vertigo Man 7" (1990)

Credits & release details

Members

  • Robert Mc Kiernan : Vocals, Guitar
  • Ian James: Vovals
  • Paul J. Patrick: Bass
  • Adam Toole: Drums

Production & release

Produced by Brett Myers

Reference : Blue Mosque - K10087

Fragile.jpg 5.832 K
1990

Fragile (1990)

Tracks

  1. Blue On Blue
  2. Sister’s Life
  3. Those Foundry Blues
  4. Into The Fire
  5. Miss America
  6. The Last Train
  7. Blackburn Tower
  8. Driftwood
Credits & release details

Members

  • Robert Mc Kiernan : Vocals, Guitar
  • Ian James: Vovals
  • Paul J. Patrick: Bass
  • Adam Toole: Drums

Production & release

Produced by Brett Myers and engineered by Alan Thorne at Trafalgar Studios

Reference :

  • Blue Mosque - L30368
  • Normal Records - CGAS814 (CD)