Kimble Rendall | |
---|---|
Born | 1957 (age 66–67) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
Other names | Dag Rattler |
Occupation(s) | Director, musician, writer |
Years active | 1978–present |
Spouse | Basia Bonkowski |
Children | 2 |
Kimble Rendall (born 1957) is an Australian director, musician and writer mostly known for his Second unit direction of The Matrix Reloaded (2003), The Matrix Revolutions (2003), I, Robot (2004), Casanova (2005) and Ghost Rider (2007). [1] As a musician Rendall was guitarist, vocalist and co-founder of punk rockers XL Capris and of rock band the Hoodoo Gurus. [2] [3]
Rendall used an 8mm camera to write and direct short films while still at school, he completed a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Mass Media and then trained at Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) as a film editor. [1] My Survival as an Aboriginal (1978) was a documentary written and directed by Essie Coffey on her life in the township of Brewarrina produced and edited by Rendall. [4]
Rendall was taking acting lessons at the Nimrod Theatre when he met Tim Gooding and Johanna Pigott, and with their mutual interest in music they formed punk rock band XL Capris in 1978 (Rendall was called 'Dag Rattler'). [5] Rendall played lead guitar and sang vocals with Gooding (guitars, vocals) and Pigott (bass guitar, vocals, keyboards). [2] Early practice sessions were held in the front room of a Birchgrove house where Gooding (and later Rendall) lived. [6] They were joined by Julie Anderson (drums) and achieved minor notoriety for their first single "My City of Sydney" (1979), Rendall co-wrote (with Gooding) their second single "Skylab (Son of Telstar)" but he left XL Capris after their next single "World War Three" (October, 1980). Pigott and Gooding created Sweet and Sour (1984) for ABC-TV which followed the first year of a fictional band, The Takeaways, and was based on their experiences with XL Capris. [7] [8]
A chance meeting on New Year's Eve with fellow guitarists Dave Faulkner and Roddy Radalj, led to the formation of the Hoodoo Gurus (with drummer James Baker) in January 1981. [9] Rendall also managed the band whilst they developed the material for their first album Stoneage Romeos . The band supported Gary Glitter on his national tour. Rendall had a meeting with Joe Strummer at The Sebel Townhouse when The Clash were looking for a Sydney support act. Strummer sat at the pool bar between swims, in his swimming costume and dripping wet. The band dropped the "Le" to become Hoodoo Gurus and later, after Rendall's departure, had a #3 Australian hit with "What's My Scene?" (1987). [10] Hoodoo Gurus iconic status on the Australian rock scene was acknowledged when they were inducted into the 2007 ARIA Hall of Fame. [11] [12]
Rendall returned to film as a Music video director with clips for: XL Capris, Sardine v, Scribble, Peter Blakeley, Mental as Anything, UB40, Hoodoo Gurus, The Angels (e.g. "Between the Eyes"), [13] Cold Chisel (e.g. "Flame Trees"), [13] Dragon, Rockmelons, Hunters and Collectors, and Boom Crash Opera. [14] He was voted Australia's top music video director in a poll conducted by Rolling Stone magazine.
In 1994, Rendall set up Flat Rock Pictures to direct TV commercials and, later, film projects. He has won all the major awards in advertising including a Cannes Lion. He directed a short film Hayride to Hell (1995) featuring Kylie Minogue and Richard Roxburgh and the teen slasher flick, Cut (2000) which starred Molly Ringwald and Minogue. [1] Cut went to number two at the box office in France and was the second most popular Australian film there behind Strictly Ballroom . It also went to number two in Asia. Rendall became the second unit director for The Matrix Reloaded , The Matrix Revolutions and the associated video game Enter the Matrix (all in 2003). [1] He was also second unit director for Casanova (2004) Ghost Rider (2007)., [1] Underworld: Revenge of the Lycans (2008) and most recently Knowing (2008).
Rendall is set to direct the Australian-Chinese thriller film The Nest 3D. [15]
Year | Film | Notes |
---|---|---|
2000 | Cut | |
2012 | Bait 3D | |
2018 | Guardians of the Tomb | |
Rendall married Basia Bonkowski on 1982 and they have two adopted children. [16]
Bonkowski was from Adelaide, born to Polish immigrants, and was a TV presenter and journalist on SBS in the 1980s (and then TEN and Seven Network).[ citation needed ] She presented Rock Around the World on SBS from 1982. [17] Australian band Painters and Dockers released a single "Basia" (1984) in her honour. [18] Bonkowski authored two books including Jesse's World (2005) on her adopted children. [19] She died on 3 September 2022. [20]
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1987 | Kimble Rendall for "Hands Up in the Air" (Boom Crash Opera) | Best Video | Nominated | [21] |
Hoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1981 by Dave Faulkner and later joined by Richard Grossman (bass), Mark Kingsmill (drums), and Brad Shepherd. Their popularity peaked in the mid- to late 1980s with albums Mars Needs Guitars!, Blow Your Cool! and Magnum Cum Louder.
Stoneage Romeos is the debut album by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. Released in March 1984 by Big Time Records in Australia, the album's release saw them receive record sales to complement their already strong reputation for live performances. With radio and television support for their third single "My Girl" (1983), complete with a film clip about a greyhound of the same name, the band's following grew. The album's other singles were "Leilani", "Tojo" and "I Want You Back". The album peaked at number 29 on the Australian charts.
Mars Needs Guitars! is Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' second album, released in March 1985. The title is a reference to the 1967 science fiction film, Mars Needs Women. Singles from the album were "Bittersweet", "Like Wow – Wipeout", "Death Defying" and "Poison Pen". Mars Needs Guitars! reached No. 140 on the American Billboard 200 albums chart in 1986.
Todd Stuart Hunter is a New Zealand musician and composer known for his involvement in the band Dragon. Their best known songs are "April Sun in Cuba", "Are You Old Enough?", "Still in Love With You", and "Rain". Hunter also composed John Farnham's hit song "Age of Reason" with Johanna Pigott and music for film Daydream Believer (1991) and TV series Heartbreak High (1994–1999).
James Lawrence Baker is an Australian musician, best known as the drummer of various rock and punk rock groups, including the Victims, the Scientists, Hoodoo Gurus, Beasts of Bourbon, and the Dubrovniks. In 2006 Baker was inducted into the West Australian Music Industry Hall of Fame. The following year, Hoodoo Gurus were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.
David Jonathan Faulkner is an Australian rock musician who also performed as Dave Flick. Faulkner is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist; he has performed with several bands, but is best known as a member of Hoodoo Gurus. He wrote the band's best known single, 1987 hit "What's My Scene?", which reached No. 3 on the National charts.
Johanna Paton Pigott is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and screenwriter. Her best known hit songs are Dragon's "Rain" which peaked at No. 2 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart in 1983, and John Farnham's "Age of Reason". "Rain" was co-written with her partner, Dragon's Todd Hunter, and his younger brother, Marc Hunter. When "Age of Reason" reached the top of the charts in July 1988, Pigott became the first Australian woman to have written a No. 1 hit. It was co-written with Todd Hunter.
Crank is the sixth studio album by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released in February 1994 and peaked at number 2 on the ARIA charts. The album was produced by Ed Stasium, who had mixed Hoodoo Gurus previous studio album, Kinky in 1991. It was the band's first release on Zoo Records.
Blue Cave or In Blue Cave is the seventh studio album by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. The album was released in May 1996 and peaked at number 18 on the ARIA charts.
Mach Schau is the eighth studio album by the Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was recorded eight years after their previous studio album, Blue Cave, and released by EMI/Capitol Records on 15 March 2004. It was co-produced by the group with Kim Salmon. The album peaked at number 67 on the ARIA Charts.
"Leilani" is the debut single by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus when they were called Le Hoodoo Gurus, released on Phantom Records in October 1982. It had been written by all four Gurus: James Baker, Dave Faulkner, Roddy Radalj and Kimble Rendall. Rendall left shortly before its release and, not long after, the band dropped the 'Le' to become Hoodoo Gurus. Le Hoodoo Gurus were noted for having three guitars and no bass player, creating a distinctive, layered sound. This was captured on "Leilani", which told the story of a maiden sacrificed to the gods and an erupting volcano while her true love looked on helplessly. A re-recorded version of the song was later released on Hoodoo Gurus' first album Stoneage Romeos (1984).
"Astute listeners will note the absence of bass guitar in the band... "Leilani" was based on an old 50s movie, Bird of Paradise starring Jeff Chandler..." - Dave Faulkner.
Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus have released ten studio albums, thirty-seven singles, two extended plays, six compilation albums and 3 video albums. Formed in January 1981, the band was originally known as Le Hoodoo Gurus for the release of their first single, "Leilani", in October 1982. As Hoodoo Gurus, the band signed with Big Time Records and premiered their debut album, Stoneage Romeos, in March 1984. Also issued in the United States through A&M Records, the record remained atop the Alternative/College Albums Chart for four consecutive weeks, with it also becoming one of the most played albums of that year on the college network. The group's subsequent albums, Mars Needs Guitars!, Blow Your Cool! and Magnum Cum Louder, all reached the Billboard 200.
XL Capris were an Australian indie-punk band formed in Sydney in 1978 by Julie Anderson, Tim Gooding, Johanna Pigott, and Kimble Rendall.
Rodney John "Roddy" Radalj is a Croatian-born Australian musician and singer-songwriter. He has provided guitar, bass guitar and vocals in several influential Australian bands starting with Perth punk bands in the late 1970s before relocating to Sydney to become a founder of the Hoodoo Gurus in 1981 and of Dubrovniks in 1988. Since 1989, as Roddy Ray'Da he has released a number of solo albums, including Guns Girls & Guitars in 2005.
Richard Grossman is an Australian rock musician who has played bass guitar for two iconic bands: Divinyls and Hoodoo Gurus. Hoodoo Gurus' status on the Australian rock scene was acknowledged when they were inducted into the 2007 ARIA Hall of Fame. For Grossman, this was his second Hall of Fame induction in a row; the 2006 award was for his stint with Divinyls. Often referred to as Rick Grossman, he has also performed with other Australian bands: Matt Finish, Ghostwriters, Persian Rugs, The Kelly Gang and Men at Work.
Bradley Mark Shepherd is an Australian rock musician. Shepherd is a guitarist, singer-songwriter and harmonica player; he has performed with several bands, especially Hoodoo Gurus.
"Careless" is a song by Australian rock group Paul Kelly and the Messengers, released in October 1989 as the second single from their 1989 studio album, So Much Water So Close to Home. The song was written by Kelly and co-produced with Scott Litt. The single was released in October 1989 on the Mushroom Records label. It peaked at number 116 on the ARIA singles chart. The song was later covered by Renée Geyer on Difficult Woman (1994), Angie Hart on Women at the Well (2002), and Ozi Batla on Before Too Long (2010).
Mark Adrian Kingsmill is an Australian rock musician. He has drummed with several bands including the Hitmen (1979–84), New Christs (1983–84), the Screaming Tribesmen (1984) and Hoodoo Gurus. He is the older brother of Richard Kingsmill, former music director and presenter on Triple J.
Scribble were a post punk synth pop band based around Johanna Pigott on lead vocals, guitar, piano and keyboards, which she formed in 1983. She was joined by her domestic partner, Todd Hunter, on bass guitar and keyboards, and session musicians. They released two albums, So Far 1983-1985 and Pop Art (mid-1986). Scribble disbanded in 1987 with Pigott focussing on her song writing.
Stoneage Cameos is a Hoodoo Gurus tribute album by various artists, released by Shock Records in August 2005