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Showing posts with label Hoodoo Gurus. Show all posts

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Hoodoo Gurus name new drummer

Hoodoo Gurus (L-R) Rick Grossman, Dave Faulkner, Mark Kingsmill, Brad Shepherd

The Hoodoo Gurus have named Nik Reith as their new drummer following the retirement of Mark Kingsmill after 30 years with the group.

Reith’s long history on the Australian music scene includes stints with New Christs, The Celibate Rifles, Tumbleweed and, most recently, punk legends Radio Birdman.

“Nik kept Deniz and Rob from Birdman fully informed about his audition with us,” says frontman Dave Faulkner, “and he apparently has their blessing (and we thank them for being so generous of spirit about that). Nik will still be touring Europe with Radio Birdman in June, then he will be ready, willing and able to perform with us.

“Our first gig with Nik will be in August. Before then there will be a lot of rehearsal as we bring Nik up to speed on more than 30 years of Gurus music! Our other priority is to begin working on new material for the NEXT Hoodoo Gurus album.”

Kingsmill announced his retirement plans last month, with Faulkner revealing the drummer had lost his passion for being on the road after three decades.

Kingsmill joined the Hoodoo Gurus in 1984 following the dismissal of original drummer and founding member James Baker; he first appeared on the band’s second album, 1985’s “Mars Needs Guitars!”

Kingsmill played what was originally scheduled to be last show with the Gurus this past weekend in Victoria, but they have just announced he will appear with the band for the final time as part of Sydney’s Vivid Festival on May 23.

The event sees an encore presentation of “Be My Guru: The Evolution Revolution”, a concept show they introduced last year that features all past and current members of the Gurus perform by recreating each of the band’s lineups in chronological order, followed by an encore with all members on stage closing the night with an epic version of their 1982 classic, “Leilani.”

See also:

VIDEO: Hoodoo Gurus unplug for Sydney TV
Hoodoo Gurus drummer announces retirement
AC/DC: Angus Young named Australia’s greatest guitarist
VIDEO: Hoodoo Gurus – Use-By Date
Search Hoodoo Gurus at hennemusic

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

VIDEO: Hoodoo Gurus unplug for Sydney TV

Hoodoo Gurus frontman Dave Faulkner and guitarist Brad Shepherd unplugged recently for a performance of the band’s 1984 track, “Zanzibar”, on Seven Network’s The Morning Show in Sydney, Australia.

The track originally appeared on the band’s debut, “Stoneage Romeos”, which was named No. 28 in the 2010 book The Best 100 Australian Albums (the band’s 1985 release, “Mars Needs Guitars”, landed at No. 60).

Faulkner and Shepherd have been playing stripped-down acoustic shows as a duo recently, and the group have two March dates scheduled before drummer Mark Kingsmill retires from the band after 30 years.

The Hoodoo Gurus recently released an EP, “Gravy Train”, in sync with their 30th anniversary last year. The project features all 8 past and present members of the Australian group performing songs dating from the earliest days of their career, including three tunes never recorded before.

Three eras of the Gurus are represented, including the original le Hoodoo Gurus crew, the “Stoneage Romeos” edition and the ”Blow Your Cool” lineup – with all 8 members forming “The Super Hoodoo Gurus” for a remake of the band’s first single, “Leilani.”

The Hoodoo Gurus were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame in 2007.

See also:

Hoodoo Gurus drummer announces retirement
AC/DC: Angus Young named Australia’s greatest guitarist
VIDEO: Hoodoo Gurus – Use-By Date
Christmas Rock: Hoodoo Gurus
Search Hoodoo Gurus at hennemusic

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Hoodoo Gurus drummer announces retirement

The Hoodoo Gurus have announced that drummer Mark Kingsmill will retire from the band at the end of March after 30 years with the group.

“Though he still enjoys playing drums, Mark has completely lost his appetite for the endless travelling and the many hours of hotel room boredom,” revealed frontman Dave Faulkner. “The physical demands of playing the drums as energetically as he does are also exacting a higher toll on his body than ever before. Really, who can blame him for wanting a change?”

Kingsmill joined the Hoodoo Gurus in 1984 following the dismissal of original drummer and founding member James Baker; he first appeared on the band’s second album, 1985’s “Mars Needs Guitars!”

“None of us want to see him go and, to be honest, we even contemplated breaking up the band rather than try to replace him,” Faulkner continued. “Apart from all the personal upheaval that his retirement entails (yeah, we're gonna really miss him!) there will also be a significant change to the band's musical personality. Mark, like James Baker before him, has a unique style of drumming and no-one else will ever be able to replicate it.”

“Inevitably our sound will change - it's up to [guitarist] Brad [Shepherd], [bassist] Rick [Grossman] and I to make sure that the next person is as inspirational a player as Mark has always been, and that we don't diminish as a band. That will be no mean feat but, trust us, we will not settle for anything less than someone we feel is a perfect fit.”

“Most of Mark's adult life has been dedicated completely to music and it's easy to understand that he wants to begin a new phase,” added the frontman. “We're just grateful we've had the opportunity to work together for as long as we have. Thanks for everything, Mr. Kingsmill, it's been amazing!”

Kingsmill will be on board to perform shows with the Hoodoo Gurus until the end of next month.

The band recently released an EP, “Gravy Train”, in sync with their 30th anniversary last year. The project features all 8 past and present members of the Australian group performing songs dating from the earliest days of their career, including three tunes never recorded before.

Three eras of the Gurus are represented, including the original le Hoodoo Gurus crew, the “Stoneage Romeos” edition and the ”Blow Your Cool” lineup – with all 8 members forming “The Super Hoodoo Gurus” for a remake of the band’s first single, “Leilani.”

The Hoodoo Gurus were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame in 2007.

See also:

AC/DC: Angus Young named Australia’s greatest guitarist
VIDEO: Hoodoo Gurus – Use-By Date
Christmas Rock: Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus rock Australia
Search Hoodoo Gurus at hennemusic

Monday, May 14, 2012

AC/DC: Angus Young named Australia’s greatest guitarist

Australian Guitar magazine has named AC/DC’s Angus Young as the greatest guitar player in Australian music history.

The Daily Telegraph reports Angus was #1 on the magazine’s Top 50 list, ahead of Tommy Emmanuel (2), Cold Chisel’s Ian Moss (3), The Living End’s Chris Cheney (4) and The Angels’ Rick Brewster (5).

It was an AC/DC double-shot on the list as Angus’ brother, Malcolm, landed at #11.

The magazine's editor Lachlan Marks said the list includes guitar players from a variety of genres.

The top 20 are listed below – to see who made the top 50, click here.

Greatest guitar players in Australian history
Australian Guitar magazine – May 2012
Top 20

01. Angus Young (ACDC)
02. Tommy Emmanuel
03. Ian Moss (Cold Chisel)
04. Chris Cheney (The Living End)
05. Rick Brewster (The Angels)
06. Slava Grigoryan
07. Deniz Tek (Radio Birdman)
08. Jim Moginie (Midnight Oil)
09. Lobby Loyde (Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs)
10. Ross Hannaford (Daddy Cool)
11. Malcolm Young (ACDC)
12. Adalita (Magic Dirt)
13. Marty Willson-Piper
14. Mick Harvey (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds & Grinderman)
15. Tim Rogers (You Am I)
16. Rowland S Howard (Boys Next Door, Birthday Party)
17. Ed Kuepper (the Saints, Laughing Clowns, Black Ticket Day)
18. Spencer P Jones (The Johnnys, Beasts of Bourbon, Spencer P Jones)
19. Gareth Liddiard (The Drones, Gareth Liddiard)
20. Brad Shepherd (The Hitmen, Hoodoo Gurus, The Monarchs)

AC/DC – Let There Be Rock
Apollo Theatre – Glasgow, Scotland – April 1978

Saturday, February 11, 2012

VIDEO: Hoodoo Gurus – Use-By Date

The Hoodoo Gurus are celebrating 30 years of recorded history with the March 16 release of “Gold Watch: 20 Golden Greats.”

30 years on from the release of the debut Hoodoo Gurus single, "Leilani" [1982] and the Aussie rockers offer an all-new, career-spanning greatest hits album.

“Gold Watch” opens with the new single, "Use-By Date," and features 19 of the band’s biggest hits such as “My Girl,” “Bittersweet,” “What's My Scene?,” “Come Anytime” and more.

The band has released the video for the new single, “Use-By Date.”

Hoodoo Gurus
"Gold Watch: 20 Golden Greats"
Release date: March 16

01. Use-By Date (new single 2012)
From the Leilani 7" single (1982):
02. Leilani
From Stoneage Romeos (1984):
03. Tojo
04. My Girl
05. I Want You Back
From Mars Needs Guitars! (1985):
06. Bittersweet
07. Like, Wow - Wipeout!
08. Death-Defying
From Blow Your Cool! (1987):
09. What's My Scene?
10. Good Times
From Magnum Cum Louder (1989):
11. Come Anytime
12. Axegrinder
From Kinky (1991):
13. Miss Freelove '69
14. 1000 Miles Away
15. Castles In The Air
From Crank (1993):
16. The Right Time
From In Blue Cave (1996):
17. Waking Up Tired
From Mach Schau (2004):
18. When You Get To California
From Purity of Essence (2010):
19. I Hope You're Happy
20. Crackin' Up

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas Rock: Hoodoo Gurus

hennemusic is rockin’ some Christmas favorites to celebrate the spirit of the holiday season.

Australia’s favorite sons, the Hoodoo Gurus, released a surf-rockin’ instrumental version of “Little Drummer Boy.”

Hoodoo

Hoodoo Gurus

Hoodoo Gurus – Little Drummer Boy (Up The Khyber)

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Hoodoo Gurus rock Australia

It’s been a while since I checked in on the Hoodoo Gurus…

The Gurus 9th studio album, “Purity Of Essence,” has been repackaged and now comes with the 'Must Travel On Wheels' documentary which the band filmed while they were recording and promoting the album. Along with the doc, there’s videos for about a half dozen songs from the disc.

Singer Dave Faulkner posted an update recently:

“We're about to wind-up our 'Purity Of Essence' album tour. It began innocently enough way back in April and since then it's taken us to the four...no, make that THREE corners of the earth: Europe, the U.S. and now back home to sunny Australia.

I think my two favourite shows of the recent overseas tour were in Valencia, Spain (¡Hola!) and San Francisco (at the Great American Music Hall). Most of the shows were great but those two stood out for me. On a personal note, I got to visit some fantastic art galleries and furthered my visual education. I particularly enjoyed discovering the work of the Bay Area neo-figurative artists - David Park, Richard Diebenkorn and Elmer Bischoff and also getting up close and personal with Eva Hesse's brilliant sculptures.

After we finished that tour in L.A. at the infamous Viper Room (on Sunset Boulevard - one of my favourite movies) we had a few weeks off which I mostly spent in NYC, though I also went out on a road trip for a few days with my good friends (and musical heroes) The Fleshtones.

To cut a long story short I lost my...no, I mean, we're now back home and are two dates in to our final run of shows for the '...Essence'.”

The Gurus are rocking their way through a series of shows in their native Australia, and I came across some excellent video so thought I’d pass it along. Let’s start with one track from the final US show…

Hoodoo Gurus – When You Get To California
The Viper Room – Los Angeles, CA – October 14, 2010

Hoodoo Gurus – Leilani
Sharkies, Cronulla Leagues Club – Woolooware, NSW - November 28, 2010

Hoodoo Gurus – Miss Freelove ‘69
Sharkies, Cronulla Leagues Club – Woolooware, NSW - November 28, 2010

Hoodoo Gurus – My Girl
Unknown location/date

Monday, October 11, 2010

Hoodoo Gurus rock the US Northeast

Australia’s legendary Hoodoo Gurus kicked off their U.S. tour last week, with four shows in the Northeast: New York, Boston, Philly and Washington.

Fan reviews are raving about the gigs, as the Gurus are on the road in support of their new disc, “Purity Of Essence.”

Dave Faulkner and Brad Shepherd stopped by NPR Radio on Sunday to talk about some of their storied history and the new album, including the origin of its title. “It's from ‘Dr. Strangelove, Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb,’ the Stanley Kubrick film,” says Faulkner. “It was the obsession of the main protagonist who causes World War III. He's a bit worried about his manhood being zapped by the commies. At least the essence is being polluted.”

Like previous Gurus efforts, “Purity” displays a variety of musical styles - from the gospel-tinged “I Hope You’re Happy” to the hard rocking “Crackin’ Up” and “What’s In It For Me?” to the country-twang of “Somebody Take Me Home.” “I took a long time to get into country,” says principal songwriter Faulkner “It actually took Elvis' Sun sessions to kind of bridge the gap between rock and roll and country for me. And I'm a huge fan now.” At the end of the day, it all come back to rock for the Gurus. “We've always been in like a hard rocking band,” says Dave. “But it's been kind of the more punky sort of '70s energy that sort of forms out our sort of furious bluster.”

The Gurus were well past legendary status at home when, in 1997, after 15 years and 7 studio albums, they originally called it a day – Faulkner explains why. “What it was, the previous record we had made I just loved. It was an album called 'Blue Cave.' And I felt that I didn't want to make a record that I didn't like as much as that album. So, I just thought let's just stop while we're ahead and, you know, there's also the certain sort of prejudice in the industry against older artists. You know, it's just a fact of life that it's a young person's game as far as getting attention and radio and things like that.”

“It just seemed like a natural thing to do,” continued Dave, “just to quit while we were at the top of their game. And it was a good thing to do, actually, at the time. But, you know, unfortunately, the Hoodoo Gurus, that beast that lurked within the four of us wasn't so easily conquered.”

The Gurus reunited in 2003, released “Mach Schau” in ’04, and were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Explaining the band’s longevity, Shepherd gets the last word. “Honestly, I just think it's because we're music fans. It's really simple. You know, I personally feel like an archaeologist or something. You know, you just keep digging and you never get to the bottom. There's always new music to turn you on.”

The Gurus continue to play different sets at every show, as usual, mixing classics with new tracks and taking audience requests on the fly. How many bands even consider doing that anymore?

The Hoodoos now head west for four shows in California starting tomorrow night:

Oct 12 – San Diego, CA – Belly Up
Oct 14 – San Francisco, CA – The Rrazz Room
Oct 15 – Petaluma, CA – Mystic Theatre & Music Hall
Oct 17 – Los Angeles, CA – The Viper Room

A few clips of the Gurus’ Boston gig on Thursday have surfaced…check ‘em out…

Hoodoo

Hoodoo Gurus

Hoodoo Gurus – Bittersweet
Showcase Live, Foxborough, MA – October 7, 2010

Hoodoo Gurus – Miss Freelove ‘69
Showcase Live, Foxborough, MA – October 7, 2010

Hoodoo Gurus – The Right Time
Showcase Live, Foxborough, MA – October 7, 2010

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Hoodoo Gurus kick off US tour tonight

On the road in support of their latest release, “Purity Of Essence,” Australia’s favorite sons, the Hoodoo Gurus, kick off their US tour tonight in New York City at The Bell House in Brooklyn.

“Yes, the Gurus are back in the USA, baby - AND THIS TIME IT'S PERSONAL!”, writes frontman Dave Faulkner. “We got into New York City last night after two hectic weeks happily sampling the delights of Spain, France and, lastly, London.”

“Tonight we play our only NY area show of the tour at The Bell House in Brooklyn (just across the Brooklyn Bridge from lower Manhattan). Supporting are the wonderful 'The Master Plan' featuring members of our old friends The Fleshtones and The Dictators. To add to the incest factor here, I have to confess, I'm even featured on their latest album singing lead on one song. It should be a great night in a cool venue.”

Hoodoo Gurus
U.S. Tour 2010

Oct 5 – Brooklyn, NY -- (The Bell House)
Oct 7 – Boston, MA -- (Showcase Live)
Oct 8 – Philadelphia, PA -- (World Café Live)
Oct 9 – Washington, DC -- (IOTA Bar)
Oct 12 – San Diego, CA -- (Belly Up)
Oct 14 – San Francisco, CA -- (The Rrazz Room)
Oct 15 – Petaluma, CA -- (Mystic Theatre & Music Hall)
Oct 17 – Los Angeles, CA (The Viper Room)

The Gurus do more than just rock on the road, they also get out and see the sights. “Highlights of the tour, so far, were revisiting the astonishing art collections at the Prado in Madrid and the Musée D'Orsay in Paris,” writes Faulkner. “Best meal of the tour? Angouleme in France (near Bordeaux) at the club La Nef. Their catering is rightly legendary in music circles and the local wines were excellent too, as you'd expect from that part of the world. We also had great wine in Spain too, with the best being a lovely red from the Ribera Del Duero region.”

Travelling around the globe can be challenging, at times. “The definite lowlight was losing my passport (and with it my U.S. work visa) somewhere in Spain,” notes Dave. “The Australian and U.S. authorities in Paris all bent over backwards to expedite my replacement passport and visa, so I narrowly avoided a very pathetic, premature end to our overseas jaunt. A big thank you to them for saving my bacon at the eleventh hour!”

“Gig-wise, I think the show in Valencia, Spain was our best performance though I reckon we gave a good account of ourselves everywhere (despite the occasional technical hitches with unfamiliar gear). Last Sunday, in London, we had "a cracker" too. That means it was good, for those who aren't familiar with the lingo.”

The Gurus have never taken their fans for granted. “We've been very touched to hear about the great distances many of you have traveled, or will travel, to see us on this tour,” Faulkner writes. “From everyone's comments about the shows, it seems like everyone's having a good time on this tour - I know we are. So, if you're reading this and you're near one of the gigs we're playing, jump on your bike and come on down. You KNOW you'll be glad you did.”

For a taste of some live Gurus, check out the band’s FULL SET at last year’s Sound Relief benefit concert in Australia here.

Hoodoo

Hoodoo Gurus

Hoodoo Gurus – What’s My Scene
Sound Relief Concert, Sydney Cricket Ground – March 14, 2009

Hoodoo Gurus – I Hope You’re Happy
Sunrise TV– Channel 7 - Sydney, Australia - March 16, 2010

Hoodoo Gurus – Only In America (2010)

Hoodoo Gurus – Bittersweet (1985)

Friday, September 3, 2010

Hoodoo Gurus’ Dave Faulkner moonlights on RocKwiz

It’s rare to see a member of the Hoodoo Gurus moonlighting, but I found some fun video of frontman Dave Faulkner appearing on the Aussie quiz show, “RocKwiz.”

Hosted by Julia Zemiro, “RocKwiz” is a quiz show based on rock; teams of contestants must pass through five rounds of scoring to determine a winner.

The opening round, “Who Can It Be Now?”, introduces the show's two musical guests for the evening. Clues are read out in a "Who Am I" style, and a team buzzes in when they know the answer; the guest then arrives and performs a song. The first guest announced will join the team that correctly guessed them, then the next guest joins the other team (after also performing a song), although the first team can still answer the question.

In the spring of 2006, with the show in its second season, Dave Faulkner appeared on RocKwiz alongside Sydney musician, Holly Throsby.

Come

Hoodoo Gurus - Come Anytime - Magnum Cum Louder

Dave Faulkner – Come Anytime
“Who Can It Be Now?” round
RocKwiz – March 4, 2006

Holly Throsby – Things Between People
“Who Can It Be Now?” round
RocKwiz – March 4, 2006

At the end of the episode, Faulkner and Throsby teamed up for a cover of Hank Williams’ “Your Cheatin’ Heart.”

Dave Faulkner & Holly Throsby – Your Cheatin Heart
RocKwiz – March 4, 2006

RocKwiz took their show on the road – literally – when they did a special broadcast last year to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne.

The event was packed with Aussie music legends, and the evening spotlighted many of the venues’ greatest moments. Bob Dylan played three nights in Melbourne back in ’72; the occasion was marked with a Dylan classic performed by Dave Faulkner and Lisa Miller.

Dave Faulkner & Lisa Miller – Like A Rolling Stone
Sidney Myer Music Bowl – Melbourne, AU – February 13, 2009

Click here to view.

When the RocKwiz filming was done, Faulkner rejoined the Hoodoo Gurus for a greatest-hits set at the end of the night, for those lucky enough to be on hand.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Hoodoo Gurus 2010 Fall Tour

Australia’s favorite sons - the Hoodoo Gurus - are on the road this summer across their homeland in support of their excellent new release, “Purity Of Essence.”

Gurus leader Dave Faulkner has been keeping fans up to speed on 2010 tour dates via the band’s website and Facebook page, as the Hoodoos prepare to hit Europe, North & South America this fall.

Unfortunately, the dates are scattered and the band won’t be in any one territory for long, so catch ‘em while you can.

Ticket sales for many of the dates are already underway, so plan ahead. Following the fall shows, the Gurus will return home for more Aussie shows in November and December.

My personal plea is for a Toronto date to be added to the list; the Gurus played The Horseshoe Tavern in 2007 - their first area show in 13 years - following the band’s 2003 reunion after a six-year hiatus. I’ve seen every Gurus tour in the Toronto area since 1985 and, in my mind, they remain one of rock’s must-see live acts.

Here’s how things are shaping up so far…

* note: TBC means the venue is “to be confirmed”

Hoodoo Gurus
“Purity Of Essence” 2010 Fall Tour

Spain:
Sep 23 – Madrid – Turborock Festival
Sep 24 – Santander – Turborock Festival
Sep 25 – Valencia – Turborock Festival

France:
Sep 27 – Montpellier - Secrete Place
Sep 29 – Paris - La Machine du Moulin Rouge
Oct 1 – Angouleme – Club le Nef

UK:
Oct 3 – London – Shepherd’s Bush Empire

US:
Oct 5 – Brooklyn – Bell House
Oct 7 – Boston – Showcase Live
Oct 8 – Philadelphia – World Cafe
Oct 9 – Washington DC – IOTA Bar
Oct 12 – San Diego – Belly Up
Oct 14 – San Francisco – Great American Music Hall
Oct 15 – Los Angeles – Roxy – TBC
Oct 16 – House Of Blues (Anaheim) – TBC

Brazil
Oct 18 – 25 – cities/venues TBA

Hoodoo Gurus - I Hope You're Happy - Purity of Essence (Deluxe Edition)

Hoodoo Gurus – I Hope You’re Happy
Sunrise TV– Channel 7 - Sydney, Australia - March 16, 2010

Hoodoo Gurus - Blow Your Cool - What's My Scene

Hoodoo Gurus – What’s My Scene
Sound Relief Concert, Sydney Cricket Ground – March 14, 2009

Friday, June 4, 2010

Hoodoo Gurus rock Sound Relief 2009

Music helps rally people, especially in times of need.

Last year’s Sound Relief concerts in Australia raised awareness and funds to help deal with that country’s biggest natural disasters: the February 2009 Victoria bushfires and the Queensland floods.

On March 14, 2009, two concerts were held in Melbourne and Sydney, featuring a host of Aussie rock’s finest playing alongside some top international acts, including Midnight Oil, Hunters & Collectors, Coldplay, Split Enz, Wolfmother, Jet, Kings Of Leon and more.

Between the events and a live DVD sold months later, the cause has raised more than 9 million dollars in the past year.

With only three songs on the DVD, I managed to locate the full set, as broadcast live, by Aussie rock legends the Hoodoo Gurus.

Enjoy !

Hoodoo Gurus - Stoneage Romeos - Tojo

Hoodoo Gurus - Tojo
Sound Relief Concert, Sydney Cricket Ground – March 14, 2009

Hoodoo Gurus - Crank - The Right Time

Hoodoo Gurus – The Right Time
Sound Relief Concert, Sydney Cricket Ground – March 14, 2009

Hoodoo Gurus – Gene Hackman
Sound Relief Concert, Sydney Cricket Ground – March 14, 2009

Hoodoo Gurus - Magnum Cum Louder - Come Anytime

Hoodoo Gurus – Come Anytime
Sound Relief Concert, Sydney Cricket Ground – March 14, 2009

Hoodoo Gurus – A Thousand Miles Away
Sound Relief Concert, Sydney Cricket Ground – March 14, 2009

Hoodoo Gurus - Blow Your Cool - What's My Scene

Hoodoo Gurus – What’s My Scene
Sound Relief Concert, Sydney Cricket Ground – March 14, 2009

Hoodoo Gurus - Mars Needs Guitars! - Like Wow-Wipeout!

Hoodoo Gurus – Like Wow - Wipeout!
Sound Relief Concert, Sydney Cricket Ground – March 14, 2009

Friday, March 12, 2010

new Hoodoo Gurus released

The new Hoodoo Gurus disc, “Purity Of Essence,” hits stores today in Australia, as well as online. With a North American release date set for later this spring (April/May), I have at least three options, including: (a) order a download version right away; (b) order the cd online and wait for it to arrive; (c) wait a few months and buy it in person.

I actually used a fourth option that presented itself, recently: thanks to a heads-up tip from a friend/fellow music fan, I ordered the new Gurus disc in advance from an online Australian music store a couple of weeks ago. The exclusive online limited edition CD/DVD package is autographed by the Gurus and features a bonus DVD of four classic live tracks from a show a few years ago.

Now…the waiting begins…

In truth, the waiting for this album started, back in December, with the release of the first single, “Crackin’ Up,” which I wrote about recently.

In the past few months, the Gurus have revamped their online home and profile, which is great to see: their website has become an active and vibrant place, and the facebook home is well-maintained with features, news, exclusives, contests and regular updates from the band. In fact, advance audio of the new album is available to fans who sign up to the band’s facebook page; five tracks are available to check out.

The Gurus have created a series of webisodes documenting the making of the album; at least, that’s how it appears on the surface – the whole thing is actually a mockumentary in the same vein as “This is Spinal Tap” and Metallica’s “Some Kind Of Monster.”

Hoodoo Gurus - The Making Of 'Purity Of Essence' - Trailer (2010)

There are 6 episodes in the series, “Must Travel On Wheels”; a new feature is available each week during the six-week run, and each contains a live performance of one of the new tracks. Watch them exclusively here.

Trivia: the series is directed by Kimble Rendall, who was a founding member of the Gurus’ precursor, Le Hoodoo Gurus. Rendall went on to direct music videos and has worked on some major films, including "The Matrix" series and 2007’s “Ghost Rider.”

So, while I have enjoyed the videos, the webisodes, and an advance listen to a few new songs, there’s nothing like having the cd in my hands, so the waiting continues.

In the meantime, check out a recent performance of a Gurus classic:

Hoodoo Gurus - Mars Needs Guitars! - Bittersweet

Hoodoo Gurus – Bittersweet
Triple M Radio Melbourne - February 5, 2010

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Hoodoo Gurus - "Crackin' Up"

Australia's Hoodoo Gurus were well past legendary status at home when, in 1997, after 15 years and 7 studio albums, they originally called it a day. After a four-year hiatus, they appeared as Persian Rugs, a very 60s-soaked project, releasing both an e.p. and a full studio record. Killer stuff and highly recommended; I'll cover Gurus side projects in future posts.

Australia still beckoned for more Gurus when, in 2003, the band officially reunited to record a version of one of their biggest hits, "What's My Scene," as a promo theme for the National Rugby League. "That's My Team" was released as a single with all monies being donated to Breast Cancer charities at home.

The groundswell continued: the band co-headlined the Big Day Out Festival with Metallica and The Strokes in January 2004, signed to EMI Australia and released their 8th studio album, Mach Shau. Back on the road for more shows meant Gurus fans were in heaven once more. EMI even re-released all Gurus albums with bonus tracks, as well.

2007: the Gurus consider regaining some lost ground in North America, hitting the road for several dates, including an appearance at the prestigious SXSW Festival in Austin. An induction into the Australian Recording Industry Hall Of Fame capped off the year.

In 2008, when Melbourne's newspaper The Age celebrated 50 years of Aussie Rock by selecting the Top 50 Aussie albums, Stoneage Romeos - the Gurus 1984 debut - came in at #5, ahead of records by INXS, Crowded House and no less than 4 albums by AC/DC (including Back In Black).

Talk about a new lease on life: the Gurus are back in 2010 with a new album, Purity Of Essence, due out next month. The first track was released in December - the truly rockin' Crackin' Up.

The band has disabled the video for posting, so please click the following link and enjoy........!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZMSru8PjRs