The Victims (Australian band)

Last updated

The Victims
The Victims.jpg
(L to R): Dave Flick, James Baker, Rudolph V
Background information
Origin Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Genres Punk rock
Years active1977 (1977)–1979 (1979)
LabelsVictim, Timberyard, 1977/Fuse
Past members

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 (Dave Faulkner) on guitar and vocals, and Rudolph V (Dave Cardwell) 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 (of Hard-Ons) as the Television Addicts to perform the Victims material. The 2014 and 2015 shows were so well received that the trio assumed the band name The Victims and played sold-out shows at Rosemount Hotel and Mojo's Bar.

Contents

History

The Victims were formed in Perth in mid-1977 with James Baker on drums (ex-Beheaded/The Geeks), Dave Flick (real name Dave Faulkner) on guitar and vocals (ex-Beagle Boys) and Rudolph V (real name Dave Cardwell) on bass guitar. [1] [2] Earlier in that year Baker and Cardwell had founded another punk band, the Geeks, with Ross Buncle on guitar and a vocalist, Lloyd. That group folded in May and their original songs formed the core of the Victims' initial repertoire. [3] The group's sound was based on United States proto-punk garage band, the Flamin' Groovies, as well as the Heartbreakers, New York Dolls, and the Stooges. [1] Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, commented that "with their frantic, explosive sound backed by a solid melodic bent, The Victims became the premier punk band on the Perth scene." [1]

In 1977 the Victims recorded their debut single, "Television Addict" (Faulkner/Baker) / "I'm Flipped Out Over You" (Baker/Buncle), [1] [4] of which only 1,000 copies were pressed. In August 1978 they released a five-track extended play, The Victims (also known as No Thanks to the Human Turd), with: "I Understand", "Open Your Eyes", "TV Freak", "High School Girls" and "Disco Junkies". [1] [2] Baker was one of the writers of the latter four tracks; the identity of his co-composer was disputed – some sources attributing Faulkner and others citing Buncle – the situation was later resolved, with Buncle acknowledged as co-writer. [4] [5] Only 500 copies of the EP were released. Some versions had hand-drawn sleeves, which McFarlane described as "ultra-rare and highly prized collector's items." [1]

Their performance at Hernando's Hideaway in Perth in January 1978 was recorded: it was issued on the live album, Culture Shock, in 2014. [6] By mid-1978 the Victims had disbanded, they briefly reunited in early 1979 to provide a farewell gig. [1] Baker was a founder of The Scientists (1978–81). [2] [7] Flick reverted to using his surname, Faulkner, and briefly joined Midget and The Farrellys. [1] [2] In late 1979, he joined Mannikins. [1] [2] Baker and Faulkner reunited in January 1981 and founded Hoodoo Gurus in Sydney. [1] [2] [8] Rudolph V became a member of Love Assassins with Mark Hutchinson on guitar, John Rowlings on vocals and Marc Siddall on drums. [1] [2]

In December 1989 the Victims material was issued as a compilation album, All Loud on the Western Front, on Timberyard Records. [1] This included all the tracks from their first single and EP, as well as a previously unreleased track, "Perth Is a Culture Shock". [1] [2] It was re-issued on CD in 2005.

"Television Addict" has been covered by Hoodoo Gurus (both live when Baker was still a member and on record for Crank , 2005 re-issue) and recorded by You Am I, The Hellacopters and Teengenerate. It is also a mainstay of Australian punk compilations. The song was also played live by United States band The Bronx on their 2007 Australian tour. The 2011 compilation, Sleeping Dogs Lie, was issued by Japanese label 1977 Records and distributed in Australia by the Fuse label. [9] [10] In addition to the tracks on All Loud on the Western Front it added two demo songs. [10]

In August 2014 Baker and Faulkner were joined by Ray Ahn (of Hard-Ons) on bass guitar as the Television Addicts at the Rosemount Hotel in North Perth. They performed the Victims material and in February of the following year gigged in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. [11] [12] According to Faulkner, Cardwell was not asked to join as "we ended up not liking the third Victim very much and didn't want to have anything to do with him." [12]

Discography

Albums

Extended plays

Singles

Compilation appearances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Scientists</span> Band from Perth, Western Australia

The Scientists are a 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoodoo Gurus</span> Australian rock band

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.

<i>Stoneage Romeos</i> 1984 studio album by Hoodoo Gurus

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.

<i>Mars Needs Guitars!</i> 1985 studio album by Hoodoo Gurus

Mars Needs Guitars! is Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' second album, released in August 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.

The Dubrovniks were an Australian rock band which formed in August 1986 as The Adorable Ones. Early in 1987 they changed their name to The Dubrovniks in acknowledgement to the city of Dubrovnik in Croatia, which was the birthplace of two founding members, Roddy Radalj, and Boris Sujdovic. Both Radalj and fellow founder James Baker had previously founded Hoodoo Gurus in 1981. All three had earlier associations in the Perth punk scene of the late 1970s. The group issued four albums, before disbanding in 1995.

The Manikins were an Australian punk rock and new wave band from Perth, Western Australia. Founding mainstay Mark Betts (drums) was joined by various lead vocalists, Robert Porritt, Christine Bodey and Christine Anne Trent. They issued a self-titled album in 1988 before disbanding in the early 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Television Addict</span> 1977 single by The Victims

"Television Addict" was the A-side of the debut single by The Victims, an early punk rock band from Perth, Western Australia. The song is a mainstay of compilations of Australian punk from the 1970s, and has been recorded by the Hoodoo Gurus, You Am I, The Hellacopters and Teengenerate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Baker (musician)</span> Australian musician

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Faulkner (musician)</span> Australian rock musician

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.

<i>Kinky</i> (Hoodoo Gurus album) 1991 studio album by Hoodoo Gurus

Kinky is the fifth studio album by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released on 9 April 1991 by RCA Records and peaked at number 4 on the Australian charts and number 172 on the American Billboard charts.

<i>Crank</i> (Hoodoo Gurus album) 1994 studio album by Hoodoo Gurus

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.

<i>Blue Cave</i> (album) 1996 studio album by Hoodoo Gurus

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.

<i>Gorilla Biscuit</i> 1992 compilation album by Hoodoo Gurus

Gorilla Biscuit a.k.a. Gorilla Biscuit: B Sides and Rarities is a compilation album by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus, released in August 1992.

<i>Bite the Bullet</i> (Hoodoo Gurus album) 1998 compilation album by Hoodoo Gurus

Bite the Bullet is a compilation album by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus, released in July 1998.

<i>Ampology</i> 2000 compilation album by Hoodoo Gurus

Ampology is the fifth compilation album by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. The album spans the group's career from their first single, "Leilani" in October 1982 through to "Real Deal" in 1997. The album peaked at number 76 on the ARIA charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leilani (song)</span> Single by Hoodoo Gurus

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tojo (song)</span> 1983 single by Hoodoo Gurus

"Tojo"a.k.a."Tojo Never Made it to Darwin" is a song by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released in June 1983 as the second single from their debut studio album, Stoneage Romeos. 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roddy Radalj</span> Musical artist

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Shepherd</span> Australian musician (born 1961)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Kingsmill</span> Australian rock musician (born 1956)

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.

References

General
Specific
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 McFarlane, 'The Victims' entry. Archived from the original on 6 August 2004. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Australian Rock Database entries:
    • The Victims: Holmgren, Magnus; Georgieff, Didier; Hartung, Stephan. "The Victims". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
    • James Baker: Holmgren, Magnus; Miles, Richard. "James Baker". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
    • Hoodoo Gurus: Holmgren, Magnus; Georgieff, Didier; Hartung, Stephan. "Hoodoo Gurus". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  3. Buncle, Ross (2013). "The Geeks Story". perthpunk.com. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  4. 1 2 "'Television Addict' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 2 October 2015. Note: User may have to click "Search again" and provide details at "Enter a title:" e.g. Television Addict; or at "Performer:" Victims
  5. Buncle, Ross; Faulkner, Dave (June 2015). "The Dave Faulkner Song Credit Controversy". perthpunk.com. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  6. 1 2 Victims (2014), Culture shock, Tokyo: 1977 Records. National Library of Australia, retrieved 3 October 2015
  7. McFarlane, 'The Scientists' entry. Archived from the original Archived 16 September 2004 at the Wayback Machine on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  8. McFarlane, 'Hoodoo Gurus' entry. Archived from the original on 6 June 2004. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  9. 1 2 Victims (2011), Sleeping dogs lie, Tokyo: 1977 Records. National Library of Australia , retrieved 2 October 2015
  10. 1 2 Scott, Tim (1 October 2011). "Sleeping Dogs Lie". Mess+Noise. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  11. The Barman (7 January 2015). "The Television Addicts play the songs of The Victims". I-94 Bar. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  12. 1 2 Bell, Steve (13 February 2015). "The Television Addicts' Dave Faulkner on Why the Victims Fizzled Out So Quickly". theMusic.com.au. Street Press Australia. Retrieved 3 October 2015.