Weddings Parties Anything. was an Australian folk rock band formed in 1984 in Melbourne and continuing until 1999. Their name came from The Clash song "Revolution Rock". Musicologist Billy Pinnell described their first album as the best Australian rock debut since Skyhooks' Living in the 70's.[1]
The band was led by Mick Thomas, the only continual member throughout the group's history. The single "Father's Day" was nominated for Single of the Year as well as winning Song of the Year at the 1993 ARIA awards.[2] They were renowned for their energetic live performances and in particular their annual Christmas shows at the Central Club Hotel in Swan Street, Richmond held in the lead up to Christmas Eve every year from the late 1980s to 1998.
The band have reunited to play live on a number of occasions since their original breakup. In November 2012 the band were inducted into the EG Hall of Fame, with Mick Thomas stating that the show would be the last time the band performed.[3] The band reunited in March 2021 for two shows in Victoria.
Biography
1984–1986: Formation years
Mick Thomas grew up in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, where he played in bush bands in his youth. In 1981 (at age 21) he moved to Melbourne[4] and after a couple of years in Melbourne's pub rock scene with bands like Where's Wolfgang and Trial, Thomas formed the first version of Weddings, Parties, Anything. in late 1984.[1][5]
"I couldn't get any rubber on the road. By about 1983 I stopped – and that was the closest to an epiphany I had, to quit and say 'I have to enjoy this or there's no point'."
Thomas' idea behind Weddings Parties Anything was to combine that punk rock inspiration with his original love for the honest storytelling in folk music. The band was essentially based on a song he'd written, "Away, Away".[4]
In early 1985 the group's original piano accordion player Wendy Joseph was replaced by Mark Wallace.[5] Thomas had placed an ad looking for an accordion player, but didn't receive any responses. He then looked through the phone book for music schools and lists of their past students. After four or five schools he came up with Mark "Wally" Wallace, who'd been playing in his dad's Scottish Club band. Wallace was also listening to rock bands such as The Violent Femmes and like Thomas he was keen to put the accordion into a modern context.[1]
"He'd rung accordion teachers out of the phone book looking for ex-students, he got on to me, and wrote me a letter with a tape with five songs on it.
Another inclusion to the line-up was guitarist Dave Steel (Strange Tenants and Fire Down Below).[5]
With original drummer David Adams, it was this four piece Weddings, Parties, Anything. which released a four track self-titled EP on the group's own Suffering Tram label.[5] By the time they released their version of Tex Morton's "Sergeant Small" as a single, the line-up comprised Michael Thomas, Mark Wallace, Dave Steel, bassist Janine Hall (formerly of the band The Saints) and drummer Marcus Schintler returning to work with Thomas, after the two met at an audition as the rhythm section for Melbourne band Little Murders two years earlier.[5] Clarke, Schintler and Thomas worked on early versions of "Away, Away" and "The River is Wide", never performing live. "Sergeant Small" was written in the 1930s about the Queensland Railway Police, and was banned soon after its release in Australia.[6][7][8]
1987–1995: First albums and success
In April 1987 Weddings, Parties, Anything. released its first album, Scorn of the Women. They recorded it as another independent release, but on the strength of their growing live following, the group ended up being offered a recording contract and the album was released by Warners.[1] Janine Hall left the band following the release of the album, and was replaced by Peter Lawler, adding a mandolin to the band's repertoire. It was that line-up that produced 1988's Roaring Days. 1988 also saw Weddings Parties Anything winning its first ARIA music awards for Best New Talent, followed by another ARIA in 1989 for ARIA Award for Best Indigenous Release (Roaring Days).[2]
Dave Steel left the band following a tour of North America, citing exhaustion as the chief reason. He also noted in several interviews, at the time of his departure (1988), that he was feeling frustrated not getting a lot of his material on the Weddings Parties Anything albums.[9] He released his debut solo album through WEA in 1989. He was replaced by Richard Burgman (The Sunnyboys, The Saints) for the band's 1989 release, The Big Don't Argue, and accompanying tours.
In 1989 the band won a third ARIA for Best Indigenous Release (The Big Don't Argue),[2] the second such award, with the nomination causing the band to boycott the awards for the second year running. In 1990 Weddings Parties Anything parted company with Warners.
The band spent a great deal of time touring over the next three years, and managed to release only one EP in 1990, titled The Weddings Play Sports (and Falcons), featuring cover versions of the bands The Sports, and Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons. The band resurfaced in 1992 with the release of Difficult Loves and yet another guitarist, Paul Thomas (Huxton Creepers), replacing the departing Richard Burgman.[5] It was only when the album was finished that at a new distribution deal was signed, with RooArt. The single "Father's Day" reached No. 29 on the ARIA charts and was nominated for 'Single of the Year' as well as winning 'Song of the Year' at the 1993 ARIA awards).[2] This line-up (Michael Thomas, Paul Thomas, Mark Wallace, Marcus Schintler, and Peter Lawler) remained intact for another two years, producing another album, King Tide in October 1993, charting at No. 45, with the single "Monday's Experts" reaching No. 45.
Following the world tour to promote that release, Marcus Schintler left the band for family reasons (later joining Sydney surf band The Wetsuits with Jon Schofield, Clyde Bramley, Stephen "Bones" Martin and Katrina Amiss). Schintler went on to pursue a career in government as Chief of Staff to the NSW Minister for Industrial Relations and Aboriginal Affairs. Peter Lawler left a year later to pursue a solo career (later to work with Jimmy Barnes and Tim Rogers among others).
1996–present: Reformation with new lineup
Thomas reformed the band, and by 1996, the new Weddings, Parties, Anything. lineup was ready for its first release, the independently produced Donkey Serenade. The band now included Jen Anderson (violins, mandolin; formerly of the band The Black Sorrows), Michael Barclay (drums; Paul Kelly & The Messengers, Little Murders), Stephen O'Prey (bass; formerly of The Badloves), as well as Michael Thomas, Paul Thomas and Mark Wallace.[5] The music style shifted somewhat from folk to a more alternative country sound.[9] The band decided to concentrate on the Australian market, and did less touring outside of their native Australia.
The band finished 1997 with a new release and what was to be its final studio album, Riveresque on a new label (Mushroom/Sony). By 1998, the band decided to take a break and work on several solo projects, including Michael Thomas's musical Over in the West.
"I felt like the market, the industry, had pushed us into a corner. What they wanted of us was this huge Christmas tour every year and that was it. We were in danger of becoming pawns for Carlton & United Breweries. We were selling a mother lode of beer and not coming back with much to show for it."
Weddings, Parties, Anything. initially gained a reputation as a hot new band through their constant touring in their early days, but they never really became a commercial success.[citation needed] They did, however, form a fanatical supporter base, known as the "Wedheads", that continued to sustain the band for years.[citation needed]
"Trouble was, I didn't have any room to move in the end. All the things that evolved within the crowd, the throwing of coins, all the audience participation, that became the show in itself. I started having to apologise before we played a new song!"
Upon the conclusion of the band several members continued on to other projects, with Thomas embarking on a solo career and eventually settling with a new band, The Sure Thing, which went through many different lineups. He also established Croxton Records with friend Nick Corr. Thomas has also written or co-written plays, including Over in the West and The Tank, and is an accomplished music producer and engineer.
Weddings, Parties, Anything. reformed for the Community CupFootball match in July 2005[14] and also performed at the Corner Hotel in Melbourne as a warm-up show two nights prior. The band reformed again later the next year for a one-off performance at the Queenscliff Music Festival in November 2006.[15]
"It became obvious to us at Queenscliff that a lot of people never saw the band while we were going, and more than any time since the band broke up, we were friends. I guess we just had to wait until the time felt right. We were careful not to jump into the first thing that was offered, and believe me, we've been offered stuff."
In January 2008, Weddings, Parties, Anything. announced March/April dates for the band's Ten Year Reunion Tour 2008, including an international performance at the Astoria (formerly The Mean Fiddler) in London on 25 April (ANZAC Day). They sold out four consecutive shows at Melbourne venue The Corner Hotel, adding a fifth to surpass the record previously held by the Hilltop Hoods from 2004.[17]
"We've got no plans for any new recordings at all for the time being. We’ve been pretty strong that this tour be seen as a 'reunion' and not a 'reformation'."
In 2010, 2011 and 2012 the band played Grand Final Eve shows in Melbourne.
On 20 November 2012, the band were inducted into the EG Hall of Fame (Entertainment Guide – The Age). The band played at the event, which was held at Billboard The Venue in Melbourne. Joined by original guitarist Dave Steel, they performed their first album, Scorn of the Women, in its entirety. In the lead-up to the show, The Age newspaper reported that Mick Thomas had posted on his Facebook page that it would be the last time the band performed, using the show to say a heartfelt farewell to long-standing fans.[19]
The band reunited for two shows on 27 and 28 March 2021 at the Archies Creek Hotel in Victoria. The shows were intended as a warm-up for the band's scheduled performance at the Byron Bay Bluesfest,[20] which was subsequently cancelled due to COVID-19.
Live performances and Christmas shows
Renowned for their energetic live shows, Weddings, Parties, Anything. had a handful of live songs that were nearly always guaranteed to push the mosh pit into a frenzy, particularly "A Tale They Won't Believe", the story of Alexander Pearce, a cannibal in the convict days of Tasmania.[21] Fans would traditionally have coins ready to throw at the band as they sang the chorus of "Ticket in Tatts", while shielding their eyes. This was in reference to the lyrics concerning being "ten cents short of a dollar".[16]
The legendary Christmas shows were held at the Central Club Hotel in Swan Street, Richmond in the lead up to Christmas Eve every year from the late 1980s to 1998. Due to their increasing popularity and live reputation as a band, the number of concerts increased as the years progressed, culminating with seven nights in a row for the last year, 1998. In the liner notes for the CD They Were Better Live, a live recording of the concerts from the final year, the bands main songwriter and singer Mick Thomas stated:
"We could never seem to make up our minds when the Christmas shows started. We’d played there when the stage was facing east and when it faced north, right through to its final resting place looking west, up toward the Tennis Centre. We’d seen it re-carpeted, painted, renovated and re-named. The only thing that never seemed to change was the enormous pillar in the centre of the room. How people cursed that pillar, but it provided a convenient place to hide, to leave your drink or cigarettes, to meet someone. And in reality it was holding the whole place up."
Live recording
Various songs from the last shows in 1998 (and one track from 3 January 1999 at the Belvoir Amphitheatre near Perth, Western Australia) were recorded and released as a double live album, They Were Better Live, which was nominated for an ARIA award in 1999 for 'Best Blues & Roots Album').[2] The last performance was also the basis of a play, A Party in Fitzroy, by Victorian playwright Ross Mueller.
"That last series of shows was a big break-up for a lot more people than the band. I'd go every year with a certain group of my friends, and those last ones had a real sense of transition for us."
Musically, Weddings, Parties, Anything. were a combination of Australian indie and garage rock, sixties folk, punk and (later) country and are usually described as being a folk rock band. The audience for the band was close to a mainstream rock crowd, their folk credentials were further evidenced by Celtic influences and an affinity for traditional Australian songs ("Streets of Forbes", "Sergeant Small"), plus original songs by Thomas which drew upon a similar repository of colonial folklore ("A Tale They Won’t Believe"). Canadian commentator Jeremy Mouat concluded that their "music is largely concerned with the connections between past and present, whether it be the bond of memory or an identification with tradition".[22] They led what later became known as the alt-country scene in Melbourne.[citation needed] The band were often compared to The Pogues,[23] though the two bands were actually contemporaries rather than one following the other; the two bands toured Australia together in the early '90s.
Members
Current
Mick Thomas (vocals, guitar, mandolin) 1984–1999, reunions from 2005–
Mark Wallace (piano accordion, keyboards, vocals) 1985–1999, reunions from 2005–
Paul Thomas (guitar, pedal steel) 1989–1999, reunions from 2005–
Michael Barclay (drums, vocals) 1993–1999, reunions from 2005–
Stephen O'Prey (bass guitar, guitar, vocals) 1993–1999, reunions from 2005–
Jen Anderson (violin, mandolin, guitar, vocals) 1992–1999, reunions from 2005–
Former members
Dave Adams (drums) 1984–1986
Richard Burgman (guitar, mandolin, tin whistle, vocals) 1988–1989
Paul Clarke (guitar) 1984–1985
Janine Hall (bass guitar, vocals) 1986–1987, died 2008
Wendy Joseph (violin) 1984
Peter Lawler (bass guitar, vocals) 1987–1993
Marcus Schintler (drums, melodica, vocals) 1986–1993
Live in Richmond/Christmas at the Central Club VHS - 18 song live recording at the Central Club in Melbourne, 1993. The video also contains interviews with members of the band between songs.
Into Time On VHS - 20 song recording of the band playing at the Metropolis Nightclub in Perth on Friday, 16 October 1998.
Siren VHS - Live recording of the band's last official performance at the Belvoir Amphitheatre in Perth, in January 1999.
Long Time Between Drinks DVD/CD - Recorded live at the Queenscliff Music Festival, November 2006. Extras include music videos and Roaring Days film. Released in December 2007.[26]
Awards
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987 Weddings Parties Anything won two awards from seven nominations.[27]
The Birthday Party were an Australian post-punk band, active from 1977 to 1983. The group's "bleak and noisy soundscapes," which drew irreverently on blues, free jazz, and rockabilly, provided the setting for vocalist Nick Cave's disturbing tales of violence and perversion. Their 1981 single "Release the Bats" was particularly influential on the emerging gothic scene. Despite limited commercial success, The Birthday Party's influence has been far-reaching, and they have been called "one of the darkest and most challenging post-punk groups to emerge in the early '80s."
Jet are an Australian rock band formed in 2001. Founding mainstays are brothers Nic and Chris Cester together with Cameron Muncey. They were joined in the following year by Mark Wilson. The quartet released three studio albums Get Born (2003), Shine On (2006) and Shaka Rock (2009) before disbanding in 2012. Get Born is their highest charting work, which peaked at number one in Australia, top 20 in the United Kingdom and top 30 in the United States. Its lead single "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" (2003) reached the top 20 in Australia and UK and top 30 in the US. Both Shine On and Shaka Rock are Australian top five albums, while their other top 20 singles are "Look What You've Done" (2004), "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is" (2006) and "She's a Genius" (2009).
Edmund "Ed" Kuepper is a German-born Australian guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. He co-founded the punk band The Saints in 1973, the experimental post-punk group Laughing Clowns and the grunge-like The Aints!. He has also recorded over a dozen albums as a solo artist using a variety of backing bands. His highest charting solo album, Honey Steel's Gold, appeared in November 1991 and reached No. 28 on the ARIA Albums Chart. His other top 50 albums are Black Ticket Day, Serene Machine and Character Assassination. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1993 he won Best Independent Release for Black Ticket Day and won the same category in 1994 for Serene Machine.
The Waifs are an Australian folk rock band formed in 1992 by sisters Vikki Thorn and Donna Simpson as well as Josh Cunningham. Their tour and recording band includes Ben Franz (bass), David Ross Macdonald (drums) and Tony Bourke.
Hidden Things is an album by Australian folk rock group Paul Kelly & the Messengers released in March 1992 on Mushroom Records, which reached No. 29 on the ARIA Albums Chart. It also reached the Top 40 on the New Zealand Albums Chart. It is a collection of tracks recorded by Kelly and both his backing bands, the Coloured Girls and the Messengers, from 1986 to 1991, but were not issued on previous studio albums. The album spawned a single, "When I First Met Your Ma", which was released in March. Messenger band members provide lead vocals on "Hard Times" from its writer Steve Connolly, and "Rock 'n' Soul" from its writer Jon Schofield. "Sweet Guy Waltz" is a slower version of "Sweet Guy" which was on 1989's So Much Water So Close to Home. The album was re-released in 2011 as Hidden Things: B-sides & Rarities.
Michael John Harvey is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist, he is best known for his long-term collaborations with Nick Cave, with whom he formed The Boys Next Door, The Birthday Party and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
Dave Graney is an Australian rock musician, singer-songwriter and author. Since 1978, Graney has collaborated with drummer-multi instrumentalist Clare Moore. The pair have fronted or been involved with numerous bands including The Moodists, Dave Graney and The White Buffaloes, Dave Graney and The Coral Snakes, The Dave Graney Show, Dave Graney and Clare Moore featuring The Lurid Yellow Mist or Dave Graney and The Lurid Yellow Mist and Dave Graney and The mistLY. Many albums since LETS GET TIGHT in 2017 have been credited to Dave Graney and Clare Moore.
Boom Crash Opera are an Australian pop rock band formed in late 1984. Initially based around the songwriting partnership of Richard Pleasance and Peter Farnan, the band was later joined by Dale Ryder (vocals), Peter ‘Maz’ Maslen (drums) and Greg O’Connor (keyboards). Pleasance developed tinnitus from constant exposure to loud live music and left in 1992 to pursue a solo career as an artist and producer. O’Connor departed in 1994.
Michael James Thomas is an Australian singer-songwriter, producer, guitarist and hotelier. Thomas was the frontman of folk rock group Weddings Parties Anything (1984–1998), and leader of Mick Thomas and the Sure Thing. He has also released material as a solo artist.
Scorn of the Women is the debut album by Australian rock band Weddings Parties Anything. The band originally recorded it as an independent release, but on the strength of the group's ever growing live following, the group ended up being offered a recording contract and the album was released by Warners. Eight songs were by Michael Thomas, three by Dave Steel, and one was an adaptation of a poem by Berthold Brecht.
Roaring Days is the second studio album released by Australian rock band Weddings Parties Anything. The title of the album was based on the poem "Roaring Days" by Henry Lawson.
The Big Don't Argue is the third studio album released by Australian rock band Weddings Parties Anything. The album was produced by Jim Dickinson, who had worked with Big Star and the Rolling Stones. "A Tale they won't Believe" relates to a tale from Australia’s colonial past, a macabre account of escaped convicts making their way across Tasmania, resorting to cannibalism to survive the long trek in the bush. It was based on a passage in Robert Hughes’ The Fatal Shore.
Difficult Loves is the fourth studio album released by Australian rock band Weddings Parties Anything.
King Tide is the fifth studio album released by Australian rock band Weddings Parties Anything. The album was released in October 1993 on the RooArt label and peaked at No. 20 on the ARIA Album Charts.
Daddy Cool is an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1970 with the original line-up of Wayne Duncan, Ross Hannaford, Ross Wilson and Gary Young. Their debut single "Eagle Rock" was released in May 1971 and stayed at number 1 on the Australian singles chart for ten weeks. Their debut, July 1971's LP Daddy Who? Daddy Cool, also reached number 1 and became the first Australian album to sell more than 100,000 copies. The group's name came from the 1957 song "Daddy Cool" by US rock group The Rays. Daddy Cool included their version of this song on Daddy Who? Daddy Cool.
Riveresque is the ninth studio album by Australian folk rockers, Weddings Parties Anything. It was released in September 1996 with band members co-producing alongside Cameron Craig and Dylan Hughes. It peaked at No. 34 on the ARIA Albums Chart. According to the inlay card: "Riverésque after the style of a river winding, flowing towards the sea, meandering."
They Were Better Live : Live at the Central Club Christmas, 1998 is a double live album released by Australian rock band Weddings Parties Anything. The recording was of the band's series of live shows at the Central Club Hotel in Richmond. It was released after the band disbanded and was the band's first live album. Paul Kelly joins the band for a rendition of his song "Laughing Boy."
No Show Without Punch is a mini-album released in the United Kingdom by Australian rock band Weddings Parties Anything. It was released in 1989 on Billy Bragg's Utility label on both vinyl and CD. The mini-album comprises material from the band's 1987 debut album, Scorn of the Women, and the 1988 EP, Goat Dancing on the Tables. This was the band's only release on this label.
David Alexander John Steel is an Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. He is a former member of folk rock group, Weddings Parties Anything (1985–88) and pop band, The Whipper Snappers (1990–91). Steel has released eleven solo studio albums, including one as leader of Dave Steel and the Roadside Prophets and two albums with folk singer, Tiffany Eckhardt. He has been nominated for three ARIA Music Awards.
"Dumb Things" or "I've Done all the Dumb Things" is a song by Australian rock group Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls, released as the fourth single from their second album, Under the Sun. It was released by Mushroom Records imprint White Label Records in January 1989 and reached No. 36 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Singles Chart. In the US, it was released under the band name, Paul Kelly and the Messengers, which reached No. 16 on the Billboard Modern Rock chart. A music video, directed by Larry Williams, was provided for the single – a still from the clip is used as the single's cover.
All peaks before mid-1988: Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrateded.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p.334. ISBN0-646-11917-6.
Weddings Play Sports (and Falcons), "Step in Step Out", "The Rain in My Heart" and "Luckiest Man": Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDFed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p.298.
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