Hoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band, formed in Sydney in 1981, by the mainstay 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.
Mars Needs Guitars! is Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' second album, released in 1985. The title is a reference to the 1967 science fiction film, Mars Needs Women. Singles from the album were "Bittersweet" (1985), "Like Wow – Wipeout", "Death Defying" (1986) and "Poison Pen" (1986). Mars Needs Guitars! reached No. 140 on the American Billboard 200 albums chart in 1986.
Blow Your Cool! is Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' third album, released in May 1987 and contains their hit single "What's My Scene?". The single reached #3 on the Australian Music Charts. The band's American label, Elektra Records, was hoping that they could come up with something a bit easier to market than the witty, 1960s-obsessed pop/rock of Stoneage Romeos and Mars Needs Guitars!, so they paired the group with producer Mark Opitz, who had previously produced records for AC/DC, INXS, and the Divinyls. Background vocals on two tracks were supplied by the Bangles. It was recorded both in Sydney and Los Angeles. The album reached No. 120 on the Billboard 200 album charts in 1987.
"When the Blow Your Cool! touring was over Clyde retired from the road and the band. At this point we persuaded Rick Grossman to join, contributing his tremendous bass skills to the band, and so we had reached what was to be our ultimate line-up. After that we only changed our haircuts ." - Dave Faulkner.
"What's My Scene" is an Australian top 3 single (1987) performed by iconic rock group Hoodoo Gurus and was written by their singer-songwriter Dave Faulkner. It was included on Gurus' third album Blow Your Cool! released by Elektra Records. The B-side, "Heart of Darkness" was also written by Faulkner. The single was re-released in 1998 by Mushroom Records.
"Whenever I'm asked to name a favourite of my songs I usually choose this one, not because I think it's 'the best' but because it best captures everything I try to do when writing any song. I wouldn't change a note or a syllable of this one and I'm especially proud that it has two different choruses when one is usually enough." - Dave Faulkner
Kinky was Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' fifth studio album, and was released on 9 April 1991 by RCA Records. It was produced by the group.
Blue Cave or In Blue Cave was the Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' seventh studio album. The album was nominated for 'Best Pop Release' at the 1996 ARIA Awards. The album was co-produced with Charles Fisher, who had produced the band's second album, Mars Needs Guitars!, in 1985; Paul McKercher was the sound engineer and the Silverchair producer Kevin Shirley mixed the tracks. The entire album also had a limited release as a set of seven 7" vinyl singles as In Blue Cave on Mushroom Records; and, as a CD, it was released with More Electric Soup video in a special box.
"Leilani" was the first single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus when they were called Le Hoodoo Gurus and was 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. 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.
"Bittersweet" was a single by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus which reached #10 on the Melbourne Record Charts. It was released on Big Time Records in June, 1985; and was written by Dave Faulkner.
"I Want You Back" is the fourth single released by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus from their debut album Stoneage Romeos. It was released on Big Time Records in March 1984. "I Want You Back" was written by Dave Faulkner. Its B-side, "Who Do You Love?" was recorded live at 2JJJ. The single was released in the United Kingdom in 1984 by Demon Records, but with an alternative B-side, "Be My Guru".
"Come Anytime" was a single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus which reached #27 on the ARIA Singles Charts and #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. It was released on RCA Records in June, 1989; and was written by Dave Faulkner. B side "Cajun Country" was also written by Faulkner.
" "Come Anytime"... best described as a romantic song about an unromantic subject but you can reverse the adjectives and the statement would be equally correct.
"Cajun Country" wears its Creedence influence proudly on its sleeve which is probably the reason we (foolishly) left if off the album and consigned it to the obscurity of a flip-side..." - Dave Faulkner.
"Miss Freelove '69" was a single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus which reached #19 on the ARIA Singles Charts and #3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. It was released on RCA Records in February, 1991; and was written by Dave Faulkner. B side "Stomp the Tumbarumba" was written by Johnny Devlin and Joy Inman. Miss Freelove '69 opens with some sitar playing sampled from the Henry Mancini composition "The Party [Instrumental]" from the film of the same name. Miss Freelove '69...
"... was written on the morning after the events described in the song, although I gave them some embellishment to provide a happy ending: the real police declined to join the party. Miss Freelove herself was meant to be the incarnation of Bacchus but if she was anyone, she was me!" - Dave Faulkner.
"1000 Miles Away" is a single by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus that was written by Dave Faulkner. It was released by RCA Records in June, 1991 and reached #33 on the Australian singles chart;
"Many people have told me "1000 Miles Away" is their favourite Gurus song and it's also among my top ten. There are references to airports and flying but I was writing about emotional distance rather than physical travel. "I Think You Know" was another Punishment Song. We liked to keep bashing out the last two chords for a couple of minutes, Buzzcocks-style, a bit like a punk mantra. Punishment never felt so good."
"Death Defying" was a single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released on Big Time Records in February, 1986; and was written by Dave Faulkner. "Turkey Dinner", was also written by Faulkner. The single peaked at No. 43 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart.
"One of my favourite songs I've written... I have vivid memories of shooting the video in Kakadu National Park after having awoken to see the news footage of the Challenger Space Shuttle exploding during take-off." - Dave Faulkner.
"Poison Pen" was a single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released on Big Time Records in September, 1986; and was written by Dave Faulkner.
"Good Times" was a single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released on EMI on 13 July, 1987; and was written by Dave Faulkner. Backing vocals were supplied by touring mates The Bangles. Its B-side was: "Hell for Leather (live)" and was also written by Faulkner.
"Brad was off gallivanting in L.A. to supervise the recording of the Bangles harmonies on "Good Times". We had toured with them the previous year promoting Mars Needs Guitars! and we watched then go to No. 1 with "Manic Monday" as the tour began. Oh well, so much for the co-headline. That tour and its sequel two years later were some of the most fun we ever had on the road." - Dave Faulkner.
"In the Middle of the Land" was a single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released on Big Time Records in 1987; and was written by Dave Faulkner. "Hayride to Hell, part 2 ", the B-side, was also written by Faulkner.
"... was written about one of my pet subjects: evangelical preachers and their hypocrisy. As a later song of mine says, 'Follow any creed / If my freedom's guaranteed / I don't mind.'" - Dave Faulkner.
"The Generation Gap" was a single by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released on RCA Records in 1988 as a single-only release. It was written by Charlie Craig, Betty Craig, Jim Hayner and was a cover of Jeannie C. Riley's 1970 country song. The B-side, "Jungle Bells" was written by Dave Faulkner.
"Axegrinder" was a single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released on RCA Records in July 1989 from their album Magnum Cum Louder; and was co-written by Dave Faulkner, Brad Shepherd, Richard Grossman and Mark Kingsmill. B side "Spaghetti Western" was also written by Faulkner.
"I often describe "Axegrinder" as the song that 'killed' Magnum Cum Louder. We had enjoyed considerable airplay for "Come Anytime" but "Axegrinder" stopped everything cold. Funnily enough, it became one of our biggest showstoppers in concert within 12 months." - Dave Faulkner.
"The Right Time" was a single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus which reached #41 on the ARIA Singles Charts. It was released on RCA Records in November, 1993; and was written by Dave Faulkner. First B side "Road Hog" was written by Brad Shepherd and second B side "Wait for the Sun" by Faulkner.
"... was originally conceived to be just one of a suite of songs, a mini-opera like the Who's A Quick One as I strived to fulfill my Wagnerian masterplan to revive the '70s concept album. Two other songs from Crank, "Hypocrite Blues" and "Gospel Train", also survive from the grand opus. "The Right Time" was intended as the theme for a female gang of motorcycle hellcats, but of course that's obvious." - Dave Faulkner.
"You Open My Eyes" is a single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus which reached #43 on the ARIA Singles Charts. It was released on BMG in February, 1994; and was written by Brad Shepherd. This was the first Hoodoo Gurus single that was not written or co-written by Dave Faulkner. The B side, "Something I Forgot to Say", was written by Faulkner. The second B side was a cover of The Victims' "Television Addict" written by James Baker and Faulkner. The music video for "You Open My Eyes" was directed by former Guru, Kimble Rendall and was their most expensive to date.
"... found Brad taking over lead vocal duties on a Hoodoo Gurus single. Though Brad had sung on every album since Mars... this was the first time that people started crying out, 'It's a hit!' The video was pretty spectacular and was the most expensive of our career even though we were charged a fraction of its true cost - thanks, Kimble!" - Dave Faulkner.
