The Scientists is an influential post-punk band from Perth, Western Australia, led by Kim Salmon, initially known as the Exterminators and then the Invaders. The band had two primary incarnations: the Perth-based punk band of the late 1970s and the Sydney/London-based swamp rock band of the 1980s.
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.
Stoneage Romeos is the debut album by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. Released on 9 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" (1982), "Tojo" (1983), and "I Want You Back" (1984).
The Victims were an Australian punk band from Perth, Western Australia, active from 1977 to 1979. The founding mainstay members were James Baker on drums, Dave Flick on guitar and vocals, and Rudolph V on bass guitar. Their debut single, "Television Addict", was issued in April 1978 and was followed by a five-track extended play, The Victims, in August of that year. The group disbanded early in the next year. In 1989 Timberyard Records released a compilation album, All Loud on the Western Front, of their material. In late 2014 and early 2015 Baker and Faulkner were joined by Ray Ahn as the Television Addicts to perform the Victims material. The 2014 and '15 shows were so well received that the trio rightly assumed the band name The Victims and played sold-out shows at Rosemount Hotel and Mojo's Bar.
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.
Crank is Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' sixth studio album, released in early March 1994. 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.
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. Upon release it peaked in the top 100 of the ARIA Albums Chart.
Bite the Bullet is a compilation album by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus, released in August 1998 as a single CD sometimes called Bite the Bullet (Live) on the Mushroom label.
"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. 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.
"Tojo"a.k.a."Tojo Never Made it to Darwin" was the second single by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released on Big Time Records and distributed by EMI in June 1983. It was written by their lead singer-guitarist, Dave Faulkner. It was also featured on their first album Stoneage Romeos (1984), which was produced by Alan Thorne. Tojo in the title refers to the World War II Japanese General and Prime Minister Hideki Tōjō.
"My Girl" was the third single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus and was released on Big Time Records and distributed by EMI in October, 1983; it peaked at #35 on the Australian charts. It was written by Dave Faulkner and was also on their first album Stoneage Romeos, which was produced by Alan Thorne. The single was also subsequently released in the United Kingdom in 1985 by Demon Records with a different cover sleeve and a different B-side, "Leilani".
"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".
"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."
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.
"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.
Bradley Mark "Brad" Shepherd is an Australian rock musician. Shepherd is a guitarist, singer-songwriter and harmonica player; he has performed with several bands, especially Hoodoo Gurus.
Purity of Essence is Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' ninth studio album. It was recorded six years after their last studio album, Mach Schau, and was released on 12 March 2010. The album peaked at No. 16 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Albums Chart. It was released internationally on 11 May on the band's own label via Virtual Label/ADA.
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, music director and presenter on Triple J.
