Tim Hemensley | |
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Birth name | Timothy Michael Hemensley |
Also known as | Meatcleaver Boy |
Born | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | 23 November 1971
Died | 21 July 2003 31) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | (aged
Genres |
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Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments |
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Years active | 1981–2003 |
Timothy Michael Hemensley (23 November 1971 –21 July 2003) was an Australian bass guitarist and singer. He was the front man of Powder Monkeys (1991–2002), a punk, garage and hard rock band. He had been a member of GOD (1986–89), Bored! (1989–91) and the Yes-Men. Hemensley was in his first band at age ten. In 1996 he played bass guitar for Peter Wells (ex-Rose Tattoo). Hemensley died of a heroin overdose on 21 July 2003, aged 31. Hemensley was the son of the poet, Kris Hemensley.
Timothy Michael Hemensley was born in 1971 and grew up in Melbourne. [1] [2] His father was Kris Hemensley, an English-Australian poet, editor and bookstore co-owner with Retta Hemensley, his mother, who was also a poet. [2] [3] At the age of 10 he played in his first Melbourne-based punk band. [1] [4] By 1984 he was a member of Royal Flush, which recorded two tracks, "Christian Bullshit" and "Coppers 'Round the Corner", for a punk, various artists compilation album, Eat Your Head (1984). [4]
In 1986 Hemensley, a.k.a. Meatcleaver Boy, on bass guitar, drums and vocals, formed a punk rock group, GOD. [4] Fellow founders were Sean Greenway (a.k.a. Sean Scorpion) on guitar and vocals, Joel Silbersher (a.k.a. Joel Rock'n'Roll) on guitar and vocals, and Matthew Whittle (a.k.a. Matty Mustang) on bass guitar, drums and vocals. [4] [5]
In January 1988 GOD released their debut single, "My Pal", via Bruce Milne's record store and related label, Au Go Go Records. [4] [5] [6] Milne later recalled "Joel and Tim [Hemensley] had been coming into my shop [Au Go Go Records] since they could lean over the counter. One day Joel came in and played me the cassette of the song and I thought, 'Oh my god, this is too good to believe. I'm putting this out'." [5] According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, it was an "astonishing Husker Du-styled" track and they "had an alternative #1 hit on their hands before they were even old enough to get beer riders at their gigs!" [4] The group disbanded ahead of releasing their debut album, For Lovers Only, in December 1989. [4] In 2010 Afterburn records issued a 2× CD compilation album, GOD. [7]
Hemensley, late in 1989, replaced Grant Gardner on bass guitar in Bored!, another punk group, alongside John Nolan on guitar. [8] With Hemensley aboard they released a seven-track extended play, Take It out on You (1990), on Dog Meat Records. [8] Two of its tracks were written by Hemensley: "Conquest" and the title track. [9] McFarlane noticed that "[he] added much to the band's charisma and sense of arrogance." [8] The group toured Europe and, after returning to Australia, both Hemensley and Nolan left Bored! in 1991. [8]
In 1991 Hemensley, on bass guitar and lead vocals, formed a punk group, Powder Monkeys, with Nolan on lead guitar. [10] They were joined by Aydn Hibbert on rhythm guitar and vocals (ex-the Philisteins), Timmy Jack Ray on drums and Jed Sayers on harmonica. [10] [11] Their first gig was at the Great Britain Hotel. [11] McFarlane declared they "were the band to experience in the live arena. The band's hard-driving, seething, strung-out, incendiary blend of punk, high energy rock'n'roll and heavy metal came on like a cross between The Stooges (circa 1973), Motorhead (circa 1976), Rose Tattoo (circa 1978) and US hardcore heroes Black Flag (circa 1980)." [10] He specified that their "Volatile singer/songwriter/bass player [Hemensley] wrote primal, street-level songs like 'Another Nite in Hell', 'I Stand Bare', 'Straight Until Morning' and 'In the Doldrums' that were reflections of his life." [10]
Powder Monkeys debut single, "Yin Yang", appeared in February 1993 via Dog Meat Records. [10] The track was written by Hemensley and was included on their debut album, Smashed on a Knee (March 1994). [10] McFarlane observed "Despite its uneven, rough-hewn quality, [the album] possessed enough moments of sheer excitement and blazing energy to catapult the band to the forefront of the independent scene." [10] Their second album, Time Wounds all Heels, was issued in February 1996. [10]
Hemensley and Ray, while still members of Powder Monkeys, performed a run of gigs during 1996 as members of Peter Wells Band alongside Wells on lead guitar and vocals (ex-Rose Tattoo) and Lucy de Soto, Wells' then-partner, on keyboards and vocals. [12] [13] They recorded an album, Go Ahead Call the Cops, which was released in October with the members co-producing. [12] [13]
Powder Monkeys issued their third album, Lost City Blues, in 2000. In the following year Ray was replaced by Todd McNear. Later that year Nolan had a severe asthma attack and was unable to perform for four months. [11] The group resumed in 2002 and played their last gigs, supporting the Dictators and then Dead Moon, before disbanding by the end of the year. [11] Tim Hemensley died of a heroin overdose on 21 July 2003, aged 31. [6] [14] Expenses for his funeral were covered by a series of benefit concerts. [15]
The Saints were an Australian rock band, originating in Brisbane, Queensland in 1973. The band was founded by Chris Bailey, Ivor Hay (drummer), and Ed Kuepper (guitarist-songwriter). They were initially labeled a punk band because, like American punk rock band the Ramones, the Saints were employing the fast tempos, raucous vocals and "buzzsaw" guitar that characterised early punk rock – although this only reflects a portion of their overall sound. With their debut single "(I'm) Stranded" in September 1976, they became the first punk band outside the US to release a record, ahead of better-known acts the Damned, the Sex Pistols and the Clash. They are considered one of the first and most influential groups of the genre, particularly within Australia.
Rose Tattoo are an Australian rock and roll band, now led by Angry Anderson, which formed in Sydney in 1976. Their sound is hard rock mixed with blues rock influences, with songs including "Bad Boy for Love", "Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw", "Nice Boys", "We Can't Be Beaten" and "Scarred for Life". Their first four albums were produced by Harry Vanda and George Young who also worked with AC/DC. They disbanded in 1987, subsequently reforming briefly in 1993 to support Guns N' Roses on an Australian tour. They reassembled again from 1998 and have since released two more studio albums.
Rob Younger is an Australian rock musician, vocalist, songwriter and producer. He is a founding mainstay of the punk rock group, Radio Birdman, and a pioneer of the local independent music scene. Radio Birdman, formed with Deniz Tek on guitar in November 1974, was one of the first punk rock bands ever formed in Australia, and is considered one of the most influential and crucial bands in Australian music history. Younger formed a short-term super-group, New Race, in 1981. He also formed New Christs in that year, who is still active today.
Powder Monkeys were an Australian punk, indie rock band, formed in 1991. The founding mainstays, Tim Hemensley, on bass guitar and lead vocals and John Nolan on lead guitar were both ex-members of Bored!. Powder Monkeys released three studio albums, Smashed on a Knee, Time Wounds all Heels and Lost City Blues (2000), before they broke up in 2002. Tim Hemensley died on 21 July 2003, aged 31, of a heroin overdose.
Noise Addict was an Australian alternative rock band formed in 1993 by founding mainstay Ben Lee on lead vocals and guitar. He was joined in 1995 by Romy Hoffman on guitar before the group disbanded early in 1996. They had issued a studio album, Meet the Real You, on Fellaheen Records/Shock Records in late 1995. Lee undertook a solo career. He briefly reconvened Noise Addict in 2009 with new members, Lou Barlow and Lara Meyerratken, to issue a second album, It Was Never About the Audience, before returning to his solo pursuits.
Marie Hoy is an Australian musician and actress. As a vocalist and keyboardist, she was a member of Sacred Cowboys, Orchestra of Skin and Bone (1984–86), No (1987–89) and a number of bands in Melbourne's little band scene. As an actor, she appeared in the 1986 film Dogs in Space, where she performed the Boys Next Door's track, "Shivers". She worked with performance artist, Stelarc, on a short science fiction film, Otherzone (1998).
God were an Australian punk rock band formed in 1986 by Sean Greenway on guitar and vocals; Tim Hemensley on bass guitar, drums and vocals; Joel Silbersher on guitar and vocals; and Matthew Whittle on bass guitar, drums and vocals. All four were 15-16 at the time. Their signature song, "My Pal", was released as their debut single in January 1988. Their sole studio album, For Lovers Only, appeared in December 1989 after the group disbanded. Sean Greenway died of a heroin overdose on 21 January 2001, aged 30. Tim Hemensley also died of a heroin overdose, on 21 July 2003, aged 31. Whittle curated their 2× CD compilation album, GOD, in February 2010.
The Hard-Ons are an Australian punk rock band, which formed in 1982 in Punchbowl, New South Wales. Its founding members were Keish de Silva on lead vocals and drums, Peter "Blackie" Black on guitar and backing vocals, and Ray Ahn on bass guitar. The band issued eight studio albums prior to their disbandment in 1994, and achieved 17 consecutive number-one hits on the Australian alternative charts during their first 12 years as a band. During that time, they became Australia's most commercially successful independent band, with over 250,000 total record sales.. The band reformed in 1997 to release further material, and have remained together ever since. In 2002, de Silva announced his departure from the band. He was replaced on drums by Front End Loader's Peter Kostic, while Black took over on lead vocals. Kostic was later replaced in turn by Conation drummer Murray Ruse in 2011. de Silva returned as a guest vocalist in 2014, and permanently rejoined the band in 2016. This version of the band would stay together for a further five years and one studio album, prior to de Silva's second departure in 2021. You Am I frontman Tim Rogers has since taken over as the band's lead vocalist.
Peter William "Pete" Wells was the founder and slide guitarist in Australian hard rock band, Rose Tattoo, from 1976 to 1983. He was previously bass guitarist with the pioneering heavy metal outfit Buffalo from 1971 to 1976. Wells also had a solo career and issued albums, Everything You Like Tries to Kill You (1991), The Meaning of Life (1992), No Hard Feelings (1993), Orphans (1994), Go Ahead, Call the Cops (1996), It's All Fun and Games 'till Somebody Gets Hurt (1999), Hateball (2000) and Solo (2002). In 2002 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and, on 27 March 2006, Wells died of the disease, aged 59. Rose Tattoo were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame on 16 August of that same year.
Hoss were an Australian hard rock band which formed in 1990 by Scott Bailey on bass guitar, Todd McNeair on drums, Joel Silbersher on guitar and lead vocals (ex-God) and Michael Weber on lead guitar. They released five albums, Guzzle (1990), You Get Nothing, Bring on the Juice, Everyday Lies and Do You Leave Here Often. In 1992 McNeair was replaced by Michael Glenn on drums, who was replaced in turn in 1995 by Dean Muller. Michael Weber, who had been replaced in 1992 by Jimmy Sfetsos on guitar, died in January 1999, aged 32.
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 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.
The Meanies are an Australian punk rock band formed in 1988 by D.D. Meanie on lead guitar, Link Meanie on vocals and guitar, Ringo Meanie on drums, and VB Meanie on bass guitar and vocals. As from September 2015 the line-up is Link, Ringo and Wally Meanie on bass guitar and backing vocals. The Meanies had a hiatus from 1996 to 2006.
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.
JAB were an Australian punk rock band, which formed in Adelaide in 1976. The original line-up was Johnny Crash on drums and vocals, Ash Wednesday on bass guitar, synthesiser and tapes, and Bohdan X on guitar and vocals. Johnny Crash died on 24 January 2014.
Johnny Dole & the Scabs were an early Australian punk rock group formed in 1977 by Terry Walsh on lead vocals, Dave Berry on bass guitar and vocals, Peter Mullany on guitar and Greg Morris on drums and vocals. They disbanded early in the following year. A compilation album, Scab Animal 1977, was released in 1996. Terry Walsh died on 9 August 1987, aged 33.
Nursery Crimes were a hardcore band from Melbourne. They formed in early 1989 by Phil Rose on lead vocals. They played both locally and around Australia before disbanding in 1994. They released two full length albums, some singles and extended plays. Their debut releases were "All Torn up Inside", No Time for That Crime and Fun Hurts!. They were early pioneers and supporters of "all-ages", no-alcohol gigs, to allow a wider and younger audience to experience live music. Nursery Crimes were a support act on Australian tours by L7, Henry Rollins, Faith No More, Fugazi and All. Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, described how Nursery Crimes' "sound was built around melodic yet crunching guitar riffs, frenetic arrangements, rapid fire lead vocals and sweet harmonies". The group reunited for a series of gigs in 2006.
TimGaze is an Australian rock and blues guitarist, songwriter, singer and producer. He was a member of several Australian groups from the 1960s to 1990s including Tamam Shud, Kahvas Jute (1970), Ariel (1973–74) and Rose Tattoo (1985–87). He also had a solo music career and released the albums, Band on the Run, Rough Trade (1992), Blue Sierra (1996) and Blues Remedy (1998). In April 2008 he issued a retrospective compilation covering both his group and solo work, Reckless Love: the Tim Gaze Anthology.
Bored were an Australian punk band formed in Geelong in 1987. The original line-up was Grant Gardner on bass guitar, Adrian Hann on keyboards, Justin Munday on drums, John Nolan on guitar and Dave Thomas on guitar and vocals. In 1989 Gardner was replaced by Tim Hemensley. Both Hemensley and Nolan left in 1991 to form Powder Monkeys. Bored! released five studio albums by 1993 and disbanded later that year. Thomas briefly joined Magic Dirt and subsequently enlisted various line-ups for reformed versions of Bored! in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
The Philisteins were a garage punk band formed in Hobart in 1985 as The Cheesemongers with a line-up including; Aydn Hibberd on guitar, vocals and harmonica; and Guy Lucas on guitar, vocals and organ. In 1986 Konrad Park joined on drums and they adopted a new name, The Philisteins. In late 1986 they issued their debut album, Reverberations, and soon after relocated to Adelaide and signed with local label, Greasy Pop Records. In December 1988 they released an eight-track extended play, Bloody Convicts, Ian Wettenhall on bass guitar and Nick Bruer on drums. They followed with a six-track EP, Some Kind of Philisteins, in November 1989, with Bruer replaced by Stewart Tabert. Their full-length album, Lifestyles of the Wretched and Forgettable, appeared in November of the next year on Dog Meat Records and they had moved to Melbourne. In September 1992 they disbanded and Lucas, Tabert and Wettenhall joined ex-GOD member, Sean Greenaway in a new group, The Freeloaders. Hibberd was a founding member of indie rock band, Powder Monkeys. In March 1998 Guy Lucas died of a drug overdose. A compilation album, A Savage Affection: 1986–1992, appeared in December 2007.
The Yes-Men were a high energy rock band from Melbourne Australia formed by Sean Greenway in 1995. Musically the band played a powerful Australian style of rock’n’roll, very close to the pulse of Radio Birdman and Sonic's Rendezvous Band but with a harder edge and more full-on production. Sean Greenway died unexpectedly in January 2001 and with his passing The Yes-Men ceased to exist.