FOR a band that founding member and frontman, Ross Knight, says was created in 1982 for "shits and giggles", the Cosmic Psychos' enduring sense of fun, and influence, can't be denied.
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Take for example the Melbourne pub-rock doyens' opening three gigs last month to kick off their Australian 40-year anniversary tour (albeit 12 months late).
They played three nights at the Theatre Royal in Castlemaine, Victoria, with a different special guest headliner each night in the Chats, Amyl & the Sniffers and Dune Rats.
All three are among Australia's most popular young rock bands, and they're also all indebted to the music of the Cosmic Psychos.
These Australian shows followed a 29-date tour in the US and Canada in spring supporting The Chats.
"It's reasonably honest. I think that's why it's been relevant," Cosmic Psychos guitarist John McKeering says with the insincerity of a family labrador.
"Ross speaks from an Australian tone of voice and people seem to connect with it in a lot of places we go and play."
"Mad Macka's" own dry and ocker cadence sounds like it's been marinated in meat pies, stubbies of VB and V8 fumes.
But while McKeering wears a stage uniform of jeans and a blue singlet, he also holds a degree in political science and a masters in musicology.
It's not just Aussie bands like the Chats and Amyl & Sniffers - with their yobbish hits Pub Feed and Security - who have been influenced by the Psychos.
Famously Seattle grunge icons like Nirvana and Pearl Jam were influenced by the Cosmic Psychos' dirty, primal and very-DIY brand of garage punk on their self-titled debut album (1987) and the Sub Pop-released follow-up, Go The Hack (1989). Eddie Vedder has since become a long-term friend of Knight's.
While Knight has been playing bass and singing with the Cosmic Psychos since day dot, drummer Dean Muller joined in 2005 after replacing the original percussionist Bill Walsh.
McKeering joined full-time a year later following the death of guitarist Robbie "Rocket" Watts.
McKeering had previously filled in for Watts on guitar in the '90s, after he met Ross while supporting the Cosmic Psychos in his Brisbane punk band the Onyas.
"I don't know if it was smooth or not smooth, it's always a bit off the cuff so to speak," McKeering says of joining the band.
"We practice on and off, but we've never practised a lot. We just sort of make it up as we go along.
"Some songs are songs, and others are sort of like a jazz-ish jam, I suppose."
In many respects the Cosmic Psychos have enjoyed their greatest success with the current line-up, as they've continued to celebrate and accentuate their yobbish image.
The 2011 album Glorius Barsteds was nominated for an ARIA Award and produced their most endearing song Nice Day To Go To The Pub - a fuzzy ode to enjoying a beer and a schnitzel at your local.
There's a lot of stuff that goes into playing the actual show, but when we play the show it's always a lot of fun, 99 times out of 100.
- John McKeering, Cosmic Psychos
In February the band plan to start work on recording their 12th album.
"I like to play guitar. I like to play with my mates and we we get on pretty well," McKeering says on why the Cosmic Psychos remain functional after 40 years.
"We've played together, me, Ross and Dean for a long time, and it's just fun. If it wasn't fun we wouldn't be doing it.
"That's the bottom line of it. It's not for any other reason other than we love doing it.
"There's a lot of stuff that goes into playing the actual show, but when we play the show it's always a lot of fun, 99 times out of 100."
The Cosmic Psychos play the King Street Bandroom in Newcastle on January 11 and Drifters Wharf at Gosford on January 12.
Josh Leeson
Josh Leeson is an entertainment and features journalist, specialising in music, at the Newcastle Herald. He first joined the masthead in 2008 after stints at the Namoi Valley Independent and Port Stephens Examiner and has previously covered sport including the Asian Cup, A-League, Surfest, cricket and rugby league.
Josh Leeson is an entertainment and features journalist, specialising in music, at the Newcastle Herald. He first joined the masthead in 2008 after stints at the Namoi Valley Independent and Port Stephens Examiner and has previously covered sport including the Asian Cup, A-League, Surfest, cricket and rugby league.
