Sony Music Entertainment Australia is proud to release Hoodoo Gurus GRAVY TRAIN EP, out now. This is the second EP ever to be released by the Hoodoo Gurus in the band’s history. It features all eight past and present members, performing on four songs dating from the earliest days of the band’s career, three of them never recorded before!
Back in September 2011, the Hoodoo Gurus celebrated its 30th anniversary. As that date was approaching Dave Faulknercame up with an unusual concert idea to mark the event. “I thought about recreating the evolution of the Hoodoo Guruslive on stage, beginning with the first incarnation of the band, when we were called le Hoodoo Gurus and had no bass guitarist, then swapping members during the set just as it happened historically, with each line-up playing the songs most closely identified with it. The concert finale was envisaged to be everyone on stage jamming together,” said Dave.
That proved too difficult to organise in time for their 30th anniversary however this year they finally succeeded, with the last three line-ups performing at this year’s Splendour In The Grass. Next weekend the Be My Guru: The Evolution Revolution concert is happening at Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre in Perth and all four line-ups of the band will appear, just as first imagined four years ago.
The 30th anniversary discussions got Dave reminiscing about the band’s early history and it also brought to mind some of the lost gems from their early repertoire that narrowly missed out on being included on their first album STONEAGE ROMEOS (1984). Dave went on to add “There were pulpy songs about Count Dracula vacationing with The Mummy (‘Egyptian Holiday‘), another about a blind crime fighter who solved crimes using his incredibly acute sense of smell (‘The Shadow Nose‘) and one detailing a bizarre aeroplane trip over Warragamba Dam (‘Mystery Flight‘). So many songs lost to mankind forever. Perhaps for the best. Three songs, however, always stood out as being short-changed by the restrictions of the vinyl L.P. format, ‘Too Bad, She’s Bad’, ‘I Love A Mystery’ and ‘Voodoo You’. Like many of the songs from that time, they were writing collaborations between Rod Radalj and myself. I’ve always felt they would have held their own alongside their more celebrated siblings on STONEAGE ROMEOS.”
“When we got together in Sydney to rehearse for Splendour we took the opportunity to record the GRAVY TRAIN EP at the same time. Each line-up of the band was given its own track though the current, most long-lasting version of the band only appears as part of the all-in version of ‘Leilani 2000’, the Gurus’ first single and still one of the band’s signature songs, this time featuring all eight current and ex-Gurus. The most amazing thing to me was how each re-grouped version of theHoodoo Gurus captured the sound and spirit they had back in the day.”
Dave continues, “We had a lot of fun, the Splendour show was magnificent and I’m sure next week’s Be My Guru concert will be just as good, if not 25% better – well there will be 25% more Hoodoo Gurus on stage! Most important of all, an historical wrong has been made right with these three ancient Gurus relics being immortalised on 12″ vinyl and CD, along with the ultimate rendering of ‘Leilani’ in all its psychedelic, tribal glory. We love it and we think you will too.”
GRAVY TRAIN EP Vinyl and CD Track Listing:
1. TOO BAD, SHE’S BAD recorded by le Hoodoo Gurus: James Baker (drums), Dave Faulkner, Rod Radalj & Kimble Rendall (guitars)
2. I LOVE A MYSTERY recorded by Hoodoo Gurus (Stoneage Romeos edition): James Baker (drums), Clyde Bramley (bass) Dave Faulkner & Brad Shepherd (guitars)
3. VOODOO YOU recorded by Hoodoo Gurus (Mars Needs Guitars/Blow Your Cool edition): Mark Kingsmill (drums), Clyde Bramley (bass), Dave Faulkner & Brad Shepherd (guitars)
4. LEILANI 2000 recorded by The SUPER Hoodoo Gurus: James Baker & Mark Kingsmill (drums), Clyde Bramley & Rick Grossman (basses), Dave Faulkner, Rod Radalj, Kimble Rendall & Brad Shepherd (guitars).
Catch the Hoodoo Gurus live at the following locations:
BE MY GURU
Special Guests include Ratcat, Jebediah and British India
Sunday 30th November 2014 Scarborough Beach, Perth, WA
THE RED HOT SUMMER 2015 REGIONAL TOUR
Hoodoo Gurus will be playing with James Reyne plays Australian Crawl, Daryl Braithwaite and Boom Crash Opera at all shows.
Special Guests at selected shows include Mondo Rock, The Angels, Diesel and Ian Moss.
Saturday January 3rd 2015 Mulwala Waterski Club, Mulwala, NSW
Sunday January 11th 2015 Mornington Racecourse, Mornington, VIC
Saturday January 17th 2015 ‘Sounds By The River’, Mary Ann Reserve, Mannum, SA
Sunday January 18th 2015 The Mildura Sound Shell, Mildura, SA
Saturday January 31st 2015 Launceston Country Club, Launceston, TAS
Saturday March 7th 2015 Harrigans Drift Inn, Jacobs Well, QLD
Saturday March 14th 2015 North Gardens, Ballarat, VIC
FOR TICKETS AND FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT:
