10 recommendations

I recommend this...

Hoodoo Gurus' Dave Faulkner Talks To Citysearch!

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

Ask anyone and The Hoodoo Gurus is most definitely on the list of seminal Australian bands. Formed in late 1981 by singer/ songwriter Dave Faulkner, the Hoodoo Gurus' early line-up had its fluctuations, before settling with Brad Shepherd (guitar), Mark Kingsmill (drums) and Clyde Bramley (bass - replaced by Richard Grossman in 1988). Renown for up-beat melodies, live shows bursting with energy … and Dave's crazy hair … the band was a hit in the US and Europe as well as on our own shores. Their songs, such as My Girl, Like Wow - Wipeout!, What's My Scene and Come Anytime, sank into our Aussie psyche. But then in 1997, after 15 years together, the Hoodoo Gurus called it a day … or so they thought. Citysearch recently caught up with Head Guru Dave Faulkner to talk about all things Hoodoo Gurus …

Looking back at Hoodoo Gurus '81-'97 - the tours, the albums, the live shows and wild hair - what was it like for you?
At the time we were pretty unaware of how big we'd gotten. I think between the second and third album we went 'Yeah, this is a bit of phenomenon…' We were in the middle of it but we didn't notice, because we were just so busy! (He laughs). [On tour] you're in your own isolated world and all you've got is the gig in front of you and a phone call to your loved ones to try and connect - we'd taken it in our stride because it just seemed normal to play big concerts, even though it's kind of not!

You had quite a reputation for killer live shows …
From day one that was always what the band was about - just making a racket and having a good melody and words that were half-decent and didn't embarrass us. I might have failed at some of those things at different times (he laughs …), but overall that's the tender of what we were up to!

But in 1997 you called it quits?
It was my decision, to be honest. The other guys weren't completely happy with it because they didn't feel the same way I did - but you can't have a three-member four-piece band. I loved Blue Cave and was really worried that the next album I made wouldn't be as 'on top of it', and I didn't really want to do that album. So I thought, 'Well, we'll just stop'.

You were worried?
We'd been doing it [the band] for a long time and maybe I'd started to take it to heart when people said 'You're too old, you've got to give it up'. And I thought, 'Is this all I'm going to do all of my life?', and at the time it seemed like a terrible fate! (He laughs).

Where did the band's 'reunion' start?
We played [Homebake 2001] and it was a bit of a challenge - but we went out there and had a great show. That planted the seed and it took me another year before I followed my drive and realised that the only reason the Hoodoo Gurus weren't playing wasn't because it was right for them to play or not, it was because I wouldn't do it. The band still felt like the Hoodoo Gurus … To have it so forcefully demonstrated to me that there's this other magical component [to a band] that you can't invent was a real wakeup to me.

Do you see 'the reunion' as a reunion?
I guess it's a reunion - but for me it's an acknowledgement that the band never really broke up. As much as I thought it had, it hadn't. We were certainly confident that we'd get criticised for going back on our word … but my attitude to that has always been: stay away! If you think we should have broken up then and never want to see us again, then you have that choice.

Why do you think Hoodoo Gurus has such an enduring appeal?
The songs have seeped into folklore in a way. There seems to be a very strong appetite for people to dig back and discover where the music they're listening to now comes from - maybe searching for a stronger reality than what's here today and gone tomorrow on radio. Not saying that music of today won't endure, it's just there's a lot of stuff thrown at people which is just of the moment, and kids aren't allowing themselves to be led. They're finding stuff out for themselves.

You're about to go on tour - what can fans expect?
We always try to put out our maximum - and that's all there is to it. It's why we can still be together as a band because we all have the attitude of doing our honest best work every night.

Is there a new album on the horizon?
We've pencilled in some recording time, so hopefully in a year's time we can talk about our new album.

I'll be in on that!

Catch Hoodoo Gurus' last date in Sydney on Thursday, 4 September.

Kelly Ford for Citysearch, August 2008

Page 1 2 Next