The Triffids were an Australian alternative rock and pop band, formed in Perth in Western Australia in May 1978 with David McComb as singer-songwriter, guitarist, bass guitarist and keyboardist. They achieved some success in Australia, but greater success in the UK and Scandinavia in the 1980s before disbanding in 1989. Their best-known songs include "Wide Open Road" and "Bury Me Deep in Love". SBS television featured their 1986 album, Born Sandy Devotional, on the Great Australian Albums series in 2007, and in 2010 it ranked 5th in the book The 100 Best Australian Albums by Toby Creswell, Craig Mathieson and John O'Donnell.
David Richard McComb was an Australian musician. He was the singer-songwriter and guitarist of the Australian bands, The Triffids (1976–89) and The Blackeyed Susans (1989–93). He also had a solo career including leading David McComb and The Red Ponies. Over his career McComb had bouts of alcoholism, and amphetamine and heroin abuse. He developed cardiomyopathy and in 1996 underwent a heart transplant. David McComb died on 2 February 1999 "due to heroin toxicity and mild acute rejection of his 1996 heart transplant", according to the coroner. In May 2001, the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Wide Open Road" by The Triffids – written by McComb – as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time. On 1 July 2008 The Triffids were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame with McComb's contribution acknowledged by a tribute performance.
Graham Francis Lee is an Australian musician and record producer, best known as the steel guitar player of the 1980s band The Triffids, where he was nicknamed 'Evil Graham Lee'.
Martyn Paul Casey is an English-born Australian rock bass guitarist. He has been a member of the Triffids, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Grinderman. Casey plays either his Fender Precision Bass or Fender Jazz Bass.
Born Sandy Devotional is an album by The Triffids, released in March 1986. The songs were written by David McComb.
In The Pines is an album by The Triffids, released in August 1986, which reached No. 69 on the Australian Album Charts.
Australian Melodrama is a compilation album by rock group, The Triffids, released in 1994. It covered material from 1983 to 1989 and was issued by the White Hot label via Mushroom Records and Festival Records.
Love In Bright Landscapes is an anthology by Australian folk rock group, The Triffids, which was released in 1986. The original LP had ten tracks compiled from their album, EP and single releases in the period from 1983 to 1985, during which time the group were resident in Perth, Sydney and London. Three additional tracks from the same sources were included on the later CD version of the album.
The Black Swan is the fifth and final studio album by The Triffids, released in April 1989 and peaking at No. 59 on the Australian Album Charts. The album was originally conceived as a double album.
Treeless Plain is the debut album by The Triffids, released in November, 1983. The album was recorded at Emerald City Studios, Sydney, Australia in twelve midnight to dawn sessions, during August through to September 1983. It was the band's first release after signing with Hot Records.
Stockholm is a live recording by Australian rock group, The Triffids, released in July 1990 and is the final official recording by the band. All tracks were recorded live in Stockholm in 1989 for Swedish National Radio, The Bommen Show. The album was produced by Lars Aldman, engineered by Michael Bergek, and mixed at Planet Sound Studios, Perth on 15, 16 and 17 September 1989 by James Hewgill and David McComb.
Lawson Square Infirmary was a 12" extended play released in November 1984 by the Triffids and James Paterson under the collaborative project of the same name. In 2008 all six tracks from the EP were included on the compilation Beautiful Waste and Other Songs.
Raining Pleasure is a record released in 1984 by the Australian folk rock group The Triffids as a 12" vinyl EP. It reached No. 95 on the Australian Charts. Its seven tracks were co-produced by the group with Nick Mainsbridge who also supplied trumpet.
Field Of Glass by The Triffids was released as a 12" extended play in 1985. All three tracks were generally recorded live at BBC Studio 5, Maida Vale, London. The EP was produced by Mark Radcliffe, engineered by Mike Robinson, engineered by Owen Davies and remixed by Nick Cook at Townhouse 3.
Alan MacDonald is an Australian musician and lawyer, best known as the drummer of the 1980s band The Triffids, where he performed under his nickname 'Alsy'.
"Wide Open Road" is a single released in 1986 by Australian rock band The Triffids from their album Born Sandy Devotional. It was produced by Gil Norton and written by David McComb on vocals, keyboards and guitar. The B-side "Time of Weakness" was recorded live at the Graphic Arts Club, Sydney, November 1985 by Mitch Jones, mixed by Rob Muir. "Dear Miss Lonely Hearts" was recorded at Planet Sound Studios, Perth and produced by the Triffids. "Wide Open Road" reached No. 26 on the UK Singles Chart in 1986, and No. 64 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart. In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Wide Open Road" as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time.
"Holy Water" was the third single taken from Australian rock group The Triffids' Calenture album, and was released in August 1988. It was produced by Craig Leon and was written by lead guitarist and lead singer David McComb. This was one of only two tracks that resulted from Leon's production of the band's fourth album. The production costs of Leon's efforts were more than the total costs of the band's break-through album, Born Sandy Devotional. The record sleeve however credits the production to Gil Norton who produced the remainder of the album with the band. The single was released as 7", 12" and CD single versions by Island Records but failed to chart in either Australia or the United Kingdom.
"Beautiful Waste" is a single released by Australian rock group, The Triffids in February 1984. It was not included on any of the band's studio albums nor extended plays, it was first compiled on Australian Melodrama (1994). The B-side, "Property Is Condemned", was included on the 1984 EP Raining Pleasure. A film clip was made for "Beautiful Waste". Its name was adapted for a 2008 posthumous compilation of mid-1980s non-album tracks, Beautiful Waste and Other Songs.
Jillian Margaret Birt is an Australian rock musician and architect. Birt was the keyboardist and vocalist of the alternative rock and pop band, The Triffids from 1983 to 1989. In 2008, The Triffids were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame.
Love in Bright Landscapes: The Story of David McComb of the Triffids is a feature-length documentary, depicting the life and times of late Australian songwriter David McComb best known for his work with the Triffids, a band he co-founded in Perth, Western Australia. The Triffids were active between 1978 and 1990.
