Years ago I was at a Bush Dance outside Brisbane, Australia, watching the ghostly figures dance while engulfed in the fine dust. The band was called Bullamakanka, one of the country’s top “bush bands,” groups that played Aussie music and American country favorites. In more than a few of their songs the leader was shaking a stick covered in beer caps. He called it his “Lagerphone” and every now and then he’s smack it with another stick which made a loud rattle.

The “Lagerphone” - sometimes called the “Murrimbidgee River Rattler” - is an upright pole with two crosspieces upon which are screwed beer bottle tops. The noise I heard was made by hitting the instrument on the floor at the same time striking the middle section with a with a solid piece of wood. I have checked throughout the web and the Lagerphone’s beginnings were in far-off England long before the beer cap was invented.

A Monkey Stick By Any Other Name

It started out as a traditional English percussion instrument called the mendoza or “monkey stick” and was popular in folk music. This original instrument used pieces of carved bone and round metal disks. Nowadays, it is made from a round pole like a shovel handle with a work boot screwed onto the working end in place of the shovel. Tambourine-like disks made from flattened beer-bottle tops are screwed on at intervals along the handle. The player drives booted end down to the floor which produces a bass-drum-like sound and the rattle of many tambourines.

Beer Caps = “Lager-Phone”

In Newfoundland, it is referred to as an “ugly stick” but it is ingrained into the Australian heritage as the lagerphone and no bush band is complete without one. Try making one. All you’ll need is a boot, shovel handle and beer caps - and another stick to hit it.

Now go to this site and you can make your Gut Bucket!