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).
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.
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.
Hoodoo Voodoo is an EP by iconicAustralian rock group Hoodoo Gurus and was released by Mushroom Records on 27 March 1997. This EP includes several tracks from the band's seventh studio album Blue Cave including "Down on Me", "Son of a Gun", and "Mind the Spider". Also includes extended remixes of "Son of a Gun" and "Down on Me" as well as an additional track "Whoopee Cushion". It was issued in a card sleeve and intended as the second disc of the "Down on Me" double pack.
"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.
"Like Wow – Wipeout" is a song written by Dave Faulkner and recorded by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus for their album Mars Needs Guitars!. As a single, it was released on Big Time Records in October 1985 and reached #28 on the Melbourne record chart.
"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.
"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.
"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.
