BAND HISTORY - PART 1 - PERTH
Perth, March 1989. It had been a long summer. Heat permeated everything. Dogs and cats lay panting in the shade, people fled to the beaches and bars, and Kings Park went up in flames - a glorious bushfire in the middle of the city. Against this backdrop, The Blackeyed Susans were formed, as a part-time concern for various members "on holiday" from their regular bands. David McComb ( The Triffids - vocals and guitar), Phil Kakulas (Martha's Vineyard - bass), Rob Snarski (Chad's Tree - vocals and guitar), Alsy McDonald (The Triffids - drums) and Ross Bolleter (organ and accordian) formed the first line up of the band.
They played eight gigs and recorded four songs before their "day jobs" forced them to put the project on hold. The songs became their first EP, Some Births are Worse than Murders, released in 1990 on Waterfront Records. Acclaimed by music critics in Australia and the UK the record spent several weeks at No. 1 on the independent charts in Australia.
By the time this record was released the band had already undergone several incarnations. Not everyone took their holidays at the same time, so a floating lineup became an integral part of the band's character and appeal.
Kakulas had left for Sydney with Martha's Vineyard. He was replaced by Martyn Casey (The Triffids). Bolleter went to work in Japan, making his fortune playing piano in cocktail bars and restaurants before becoming a zen master. He was replaced by Adrian Wood. McComb was present in the second lineup in 1989 before departing for England. He was replaced by Kim Salmon (Beasts of Bourbon, The Surrealists - guitar and vocals) in the summer of 1990. Casey departed shortly after to join Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
BAND HISTORY - PART 2 - SYDNEY
In mid -1990 Snarski travelled to London and recorded an album's worth of material with McComb and Kenny Davis Jnr (The Jackson Code - keyboards). Upon returning to Australia, Snarski moved to Sydney and with Davis Jnr formed the next lineup of the band.
Kakulas returned as bass player, having worked with GW McLennan (Go Betweens) since the demise of Martha's Vineyard six months earlier. Kathy Wemyss (The Jackson Code - vocals, trumpet) and Tim Rollinson ( DIG - guitar) were recruited whilst on holidays from inner city cabaret band Pressed Meat and the Smallgoods. James Elliott (drums) and James Cruickshank (organ) took leave from The Cruel Sea to play in the band. This lineup remained intact for most of 1991 and recorded an EP, Anchor Me , as well as contributing the song Glory, Glory to the Triple J Live at the Wireless compilation album.
Excellent reviews and good crowds followed sporadic appearances of the group in Sydney and Melbourne. The Blackeyed Susans were still very much an occasional event, coming together when it suited them for the pleasure of playing. They created a backdrop for Snarski' s honey-laden vocals which were gaining more attention from press and public alike. He was awarded the WA Music Industry Award for Best Male Vocalist in 1991.
In late 1991 four songs from "the London Sessions" were released as the EP...Depends on What you Mean by Love.
BAND HISTORY - PART 3 - MELBOURNE - 1992-1995
After releasing two solo singles and playing a handful of shows in London with his band The Red Ponies, McComb had decided to return to Australia and settle in Melbourne. Graham Lee had been a resident of Melbourne for the past three years, playing in The Paradise Vendors , The Pub Dogs and Crown of Thorns, and Kakulas and Snarski had recently moved there - "going where the weather suits my clothes", as the song says. Locals Jim White (Venom P Stinger, The Dirty Three - drums) and Warren Lee Ellis (The Dirty Three - violin, organ, piano accordion) completed the lineup. A compilation CD entitled Welcome Stranger was released in 1992.
It incorporated material from the three previous EPs plus two extra tracks from The London Sessions and a live version of The Triffids' song In The Pines . Months of touring followed to promote
Perth, March 1989. It had been a long summer. Heat permeated everything. Dogs and cats lay panting in the shade, people fled to the beaches and bars, and Kings Park went up in flames - a glorious bushfire in the middle of the city. Against this backdrop, The Blackeyed Susans were formed, as a part-time concern for various members "on holiday" from their regular bands. David McComb ( The Triffids - vocals and guitar), Phil Kakulas (Martha's Vineyard - bass), Rob Snarski (Chad's Tree - vocals and guitar), Alsy McDonald (The Triffids - drums) and Ross Bolleter (organ and accordian) formed the first line up of the band.
They played eight gigs and recorded four songs before their "day jobs" forced them to put the project on hold. The songs became their first EP, Some Births are Worse than Murders, released in 1990 on Waterfront Records. Acclaimed by music critics in Australia and the UK the record spent several weeks at No. 1 on the independent charts in Australia.
By the time this record was released the band had already undergone several incarnations. Not everyone took their holidays at the same time, so a floating lineup became an integral part of the band's character and appeal.
Kakulas had left for Sydney with Martha's Vineyard. He was replaced by Martyn Casey (The Triffids). Bolleter went to work in Japan, making his fortune playing piano in cocktail bars and restaurants before becoming a zen master. He was replaced by Adrian Wood. McComb was present in the second lineup in 1989 before departing for England. He was replaced by Kim Salmon (Beasts of Bourbon, The Surrealists - guitar and vocals) in the summer of 1990. Casey departed shortly after to join Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
BAND HISTORY - PART 2 - SYDNEY
In mid -1990 Snarski travelled to London and recorded an album's worth of material with McComb and Kenny Davis Jnr (The Jackson Code - keyboards). Upon returning to Australia, Snarski moved to Sydney and with Davis Jnr formed the next lineup of the band.
Kakulas returned as bass player, having worked with GW McLennan (Go Betweens) since the demise of Martha's Vineyard six months earlier. Kathy Wemyss (The Jackson Code - vocals, trumpet) and Tim Rollinson ( DIG - guitar) were recruited whilst on holidays from inner city cabaret band Pressed Meat and the Smallgoods. James Elliott (drums) and James Cruickshank (organ) took leave from The Cruel Sea to play in the band. This lineup remained intact for most of 1991 and recorded an EP, Anchor Me , as well as contributing the song Glory, Glory to the Triple J Live at the Wireless compilation album.
Excellent reviews and good crowds followed sporadic appearances of the group in Sydney and Melbourne. The Blackeyed Susans were still very much an occasional event, coming together when it suited them for the pleasure of playing. They created a backdrop for Snarski' s honey-laden vocals which were gaining more attention from press and public alike. He was awarded the WA Music Industry Award for Best Male Vocalist in 1991.
In late 1991 four songs from "the London Sessions" were released as the EP...Depends on What you Mean by Love.
BAND HISTORY - PART 3 - MELBOURNE - 1992-1995
After releasing two solo singles and playing a handful of shows in London with his band The Red Ponies, McComb had decided to return to Australia and settle in Melbourne. Graham Lee had been a resident of Melbourne for the past three years, playing in The Paradise Vendors , The Pub Dogs and Crown of Thorns, and Kakulas and Snarski had recently moved there - "going where the weather suits my clothes", as the song says. Locals Jim White (Venom P Stinger, The Dirty Three - drums) and Warren Lee Ellis (The Dirty Three - violin, organ, piano accordion) completed the lineup. A compilation CD entitled Welcome Stranger was released in 1992.
It incorporated material from the three previous EPs plus two extra tracks from The London Sessions and a live version of The Triffids' song In The Pines . Months of touring followed to promote
