Wall of Hoodoo

Press, 6 February 1986, Page 14

Wall of Hoodoo

By

NEVIN TOPP

What are we to make of an Australian band that dedicated their debut album to a pig and an actor from an American comedy series, yet is acknolwedged as one of the best bands by their peers in rock music.

The Hoodoo Gurus, who play at the Aranui Motor Hotel, Wednesday, have a widely appreciative audience taking a number of influences, including popular 60s television shows to extremes.

For example, their debut album, “Stoneage Romeos,” was dedicated to Arnold Ziffle, the pig in “Green Acres,” and to Larry Storch, played by Randolph Agam in another American television comedy, “F Troop."

One song off the album, “In The Echo Chamber,” was inspired by an episode from “Get Smart.” During one of their two tours of North America, they met Don Adams, the actor who played Maxwell Smart, the klutz who was an agent for Control, and presented the actor with a copy of “Stonqage

Romeos, and a tour shirt. “Get Smart,” was cowritten by Mel Brooks, so it is not surprising that it has taken Americans a while to get used to the mixture of rockabilly, Merseybeat, glitter rock, and psychedelia, that the Gurus play.

But the Gurus have found themselves fans by fellow musicians in Uncle Sam, notably Phil Spector, The Ramones, R.E.M. and the Flamin’ Groovies, and on the English side by Elvis Costello.

The band were formed by Dave Faulkner, from a '79 Sydney punk band, The Victims. The new band was not expected to go anywhere when the group were signed up by Big Time Records, it caused a bit of laugh at first, but it proved to be a masterstroke because the band suddenly began to attract a lot of attention.

The band themselves admit that their second album, “Mars Need Guitars,” has not received the same attention that their debut album received, and that that first LP was a hard act to

follow. “I Want You Back” from the first album was the seventh most performed song in 1984 on the big U.S. college radio network. Late last year the band arrived back from their second tour of the United Kingdom, and have been working extensively in Australia, before coming to play in New Zealand. The band should appreciate New Zealand as they list “Get Smart" and “The Beverly Hillbillies” as their favourite TV shows. Strangely enough, after “Get Smart” finished its re-run on Saturday morning TV here, what should follow it but “The Beverly Hillbillies.”

The band supporting the Hoodoos at the Aranui are Mea Culpa and in Dunedin, The Orchids.