Machine Gun Fellatio
Encyclopedia
Machine Gun Fellatio was an Australian alternative rock
band, formed in 1997. They were well-known for their provocative on-stage antics and humorous lyrics, as well as the musical merit of their songs. Their outrage-provoking name (apparently coined after being spotted in some graffiti
) gives some idea of the attitude that pervades the band's work. They released three studio albums, three EPs, and three singles before breaking up in 2005.
) on vocals and keyboard, Warrick Leggo (LoveShark) on guitar, and Ross Johnson (3k Short) on bass guitar and keyboards. Their first release, Unsound Sounds, was a collection of songs by themselves and two other bands, The Libertines, and Limebunny. The three groups were not completely separate, as there was some overlap between members.
Machine Gun Fellatio's first well known track was "Isaac or Fuzz", released in 1997, and made of parts of a voice message left at a recording studio (mostly humming the tune to "Reach Up" by the Paul Oakenfold
-related project Perfecto Allstarz) put to a fast dance beat.
Matt Ford, better known as Pinky Beecroft
, later joined the band as singer, keyboardist, and guitarist after leaving Limebunny and turning down an offer to join the band The Whitlams
, after helping to write their hit song, "No Aphrodisiac". The band was also joined by Christa Hughes (KK Juggy – the Ks standing for "knickers" and "knockers"), Glenn Abbott (Bryan Ferrysexual) on drums, and Widow Jones on vocals and keyboards, completing the band's line-up.
Their first release under this arrangement was the song "Mutha Fukka on a Motorcycle". The lyrics were apparently based on something sung by a party guest at one of the member's homes. This, and another song released to radio, "Unsent Letter", were very popular with listeners of the radio station Triple J
. They released their debut studio album, Bring It On
, on Mushroom Records
in the following year.
In 2002, they performed live at the Big Day Out
festivals, and played at many others, including Homebake
, Livid
, the Woodford Folk Festival
and Gone South
. Their second album Paging Mr. Strike
was released in the same year, containing the band's most popular single, "Rollercoaster", which displayed more radio-friendly lyrics and was used in a commercial for Just Jeans
. In 2003 the album was followed by a two-disc edition titled 2nd Page for Mr. Strike, which contained a second disc of remixes and rare tracks.
The group caused some controversy for their wild live performances, which often involved both male and female nudity
, light bondage gear, and implied sexual intercourse with their instruments. After a Student Union organised performance at the University of Melbourne
, fellow Victoria
n universities RMIT University
and Swinburne University of Technology
cancelled their scheduled performances because of the band's lewd behaviour at Melbourne University. This did not stop other Australian universities in New South Wales
, Queensland
, and Tasmania
allowing the band to perform on their campuses, and did not stop Melbourne University hiring the band again the following year.
Widow Jones left the group in 2004 and was replaced by Connie Mitchell (Feyonce), who later became known as the lead singer of Sneaky Sound System
. Pinky Beecroft moved to Melbourne
to get away from the band and to deal with drug-related health problems. The band's last album, On Ice
, was released the same year and was met with a relatively muted response, and the band decided to break up the following year.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band, formed in 1997. They were well-known for their provocative on-stage antics and humorous lyrics, as well as the musical merit of their songs. Their outrage-provoking name (apparently coined after being spotted in some graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
) gives some idea of the attitude that pervades the band's work. They released three studio albums, three EPs, and three singles before breaking up in 2005.
Formation
Machine Gun Fellatio was formed in 1997 by Glenn Dormand (Chit Chat Von Loopin StabChit Chat Von Loopin Stab
Chit Chat Von Loopin Stab is an Australian songwriter, musician, record producer, remixer, TV presenter, radio announcer, and video director. He is best known as one of the founding members of the band Machine Gun Fellatio and his presenting work on pay TV music channel MAX...
) on vocals and keyboard, Warrick Leggo (LoveShark) on guitar, and Ross Johnson (3k Short) on bass guitar and keyboards. Their first release, Unsound Sounds, was a collection of songs by themselves and two other bands, The Libertines, and Limebunny. The three groups were not completely separate, as there was some overlap between members.
Machine Gun Fellatio's first well known track was "Isaac or Fuzz", released in 1997, and made of parts of a voice message left at a recording studio (mostly humming the tune to "Reach Up" by the Paul Oakenfold
Paul Oakenfold
Paul Mark Oakenfold is a British record producer and a trance DJ.-Early Career: 1979–84:Paul Oakenfold's career was set to be a chef, after having hopes of becoming part of a band. He describes his early life as a "bedroom deejay" in a podcasted interview with Vancouver's 24 Hours, stating he grew...
-related project Perfecto Allstarz) put to a fast dance beat.
Matt Ford, better known as Pinky Beecroft
Pinky Beecroft
Pinky Beecroft is an Australian singer/songwriter/performer.He was the lead singer and song-writer of Australian band Machine Gun Fellatio. He quit the band in 2005, at which point the group split up. He is the lead singer of Pinky Beecroft & The White Russians...
, later joined the band as singer, keyboardist, and guitarist after leaving Limebunny and turning down an offer to join the band The Whitlams
The Whitlams
The discography of The Whitlams consists of six studio albums, two live albums, one compilation album, and eighteen singles.-Studio albums:-Live albums:-Compilation albums:-Singles:-Videos:-Music videos:-Awards:...
, after helping to write their hit song, "No Aphrodisiac". The band was also joined by Christa Hughes (KK Juggy – the Ks standing for "knickers" and "knockers"), Glenn Abbott (Bryan Ferrysexual) on drums, and Widow Jones on vocals and keyboards, completing the band's line-up.
Their first release under this arrangement was the song "Mutha Fukka on a Motorcycle". The lyrics were apparently based on something sung by a party guest at one of the member's homes. This, and another song released to radio, "Unsent Letter", were very popular with listeners of the radio station Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
. They released their debut studio album, Bring It On
Bring It On! (Machine Gun Fellatio album)
Bring It On! is the debut studio album by Australian alternative rock band Machine Gun Fellatio. The album was released on 29 September 2000 on Mushroom Records. "Unsent Letter" came in at No...
, on Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
in the following year.
In 2002, they performed live at the Big Day Out
Big Day Out
The Big Day Out is an annual music festival held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in late January. It started in Sydney in 1992, spread to Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth by 1993, with the Gold Coast and Auckland joining in 1994...
festivals, and played at many others, including Homebake
Homebake
Homebake is an annual Australian rock festival, featuring an all-Australian lineup . The festival was first held on 4 January 1996 at Belongil Fields in Byron Bay, on the far north coast of New South Wales...
, Livid
Livid
Livid was an Australian alternative rock music festival held annually from 1989 to 2003. Masterminded by Peter Walsh and Natalie Jeremijenko, the original idea of showcasing both the arts and music in the one event was standardised as late as October/early November from 1991 until 2003...
, the Woodford Folk Festival
Woodford Folk Festival
The Woodford Folk Festival is an annual music festival held near the small country town of Woodford, 72 km north of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is one of the biggest annual cultural events of its type in Australia....
and Gone South
Gone South
Gone South was a music festival in Tasmania, Australia. It has been held in both Launceston and Hobart at various times. It has been promoted by local Hobart businessman Charles Touber, and more recently in conjunction with Karen Henderson....
. Their second album Paging Mr. Strike
Paging Mr. Strike
Paging Mr. Strike is the second studio album by Australian alternative rock band Machine Gun Fellatio. The album was released on 26 August 2002 on Festival Records....
was released in the same year, containing the band's most popular single, "Rollercoaster", which displayed more radio-friendly lyrics and was used in a commercial for Just Jeans
Just Jeans
Just Jeans is an Australian apparel chain store, owned and operated by the Just Group. The Just Group owns and operates Portmans, Jaquie E, Jay Jays, Just Jeans, Peter Alexander, Smiggle and Dotti store brands, and currently has over 950 stores throughout Australia and New Zealand.-Profile:Just...
. In 2003 the album was followed by a two-disc edition titled 2nd Page for Mr. Strike, which contained a second disc of remixes and rare tracks.
The group caused some controversy for their wild live performances, which often involved both male and female nudity
Nudity
Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...
, light bondage gear, and implied sexual intercourse with their instruments. After a Student Union organised performance at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, fellow Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
n universities RMIT University
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
and Swinburne University of Technology
Swinburne University of Technology
Swinburne University of Technology is an Australian public dual sector university based in Melbourne, Victoria. The institution was founded by the Honourable George Swinburne in 1908 and achieved university status in June 1992...
cancelled their scheduled performances because of the band's lewd behaviour at Melbourne University. This did not stop other Australian universities in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
allowing the band to perform on their campuses, and did not stop Melbourne University hiring the band again the following year.
Widow Jones left the group in 2004 and was replaced by Connie Mitchell (Feyonce), who later became known as the lead singer of Sneaky Sound System
Sneaky Sound System
Sneaky Sound System are a Sydney-based Australian dance music group consisting of guitarist and producer Black Angus and vocalist Connie Mitchell.-Early Years:...
. Pinky Beecroft moved to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
to get away from the band and to deal with drug-related health problems. The band's last album, On Ice
On Ice (Machine Gun Fellatio album)
On Ice is the third and final studio album by Australian alternative rock band Machine Gun Fellatio. The album was released on 18 October 2004 on Festival Records....
, was released the same year and was met with a relatively muted response, and the band decided to break up the following year.
After the split
Since the split, various band members have since moved on to other projects:- Pinky Beecroft formed Pinky Beecroft and the White Russians, whose name was later shortened to just The White Russians.
- LoveShark formed the Outer Space Cowboys and played gigs around Sydney.
- Chit Chat Von Loopinstab now hosts many programs on the adult-oriented Australian cable music channel, MusicMAXMusicMAXMAX is an Australian music channel formerly known as musicMAX prior to 14 March 2004, available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television. The distinctive MAX logo was designed by Australian designer director, Domenico Bartolo of 21-19 ....
. - KK Juggy frequently appears on the Big Day Out's Lilyworld (formerly Lilypad) stage, hosting burlesque shows and other similar ventures. She also now performs as a member of the highly regarded circus troupe Circus OzCircus OzCircus Oz was founded in December 1977, with its first performance season in March 1978. Circus Oz was the amalgamation of two already well-known groups - Soapbox Circus, a roadshow set up by the Australian Performing Group in 1976, and the New Ensemble Circus, a continuation of the New Circus,...
. - Feyonce (Connie Mitchell) has since gone on to be one of the lead singers of the Sydney-based band Sneaky Sound System.
- Bryan Ferrysexual (Glenn Abbott) had another band The Bryan Ferrysexual Experience which broke up shortly after MGF did. He later formed Super Massive with singer-writer Malina Hamilton-Smith.
Members
- Bryan Ferrysexual (Glenn Abbott)—drums
- Chit Chat Von Loopin Stab (Glen Dormand)—keyboard and vocals
- KK Juggy (Christa HughesChrista HughesChrista Hughes is an Australian singer, known for her wild on-stage antics and powerful voice.From age 15 she did gigs with her father, jazz pianist and journalist Dick Hughes...
)—vocals - LoveShark (Warrick Leggo)—guitar
- Pinky Beecroft (Matt FordPinky BeecroftPinky Beecroft is an Australian singer/songwriter/performer.He was the lead singer and song-writer of Australian band Machine Gun Fellatio. He quit the band in 2005, at which point the group split up. He is the lead singer of Pinky Beecroft & The White Russians...
)—vocals, bass, and keyboard - Feyonce (Connie MitchellConnie MitchellConnie Mitchell is an Australian pop singer and the lead vocalist with the Sydney band Sneaky Sound System. She appears on the band's singles "Pictures", "I Love It", "UFO", "Goodbye", "Kansas City", "When We Were Young", "16" and "We Love"...
)—vocals (2004-2005) - 3k Short (Ross Johnston)—bass and keyboard
- Widow Jones—vocals and keyboard (left in 2004)
Extended play
| Year | Album Name | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Love Comes to an End Love Comes to an End Love Comes to an End is a extended play by Machine Gun Fellatio. The extended play was released in 1997.There are reportedly less than 500 copies in existence, Pinky Beecroft once stated in an interview they dumped boxes of their first ep in a skip when they realized they would never sell them... |
- |
| 2000 | Impossible Love Impossible Love Impossible Love is an EP by Australian alternative rock band Machine Gun Fellatio, released in 2000.-Track listing:... |
Import |
| 2002 | For the Ladies | - |
Main albums
| Year | Album Name | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Bring It On! Bring It On! (Machine Gun Fellatio album) Bring It On! is the debut studio album by Australian alternative rock band Machine Gun Fellatio. The album was released on 29 September 2000 on Mushroom Records. "Unsent Letter" came in at No... |
Mushroom Records Mushroom Records Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros... |
| 2002 | Paging Mr. Strike Paging Mr. Strike Paging Mr. Strike is the second studio album by Australian alternative rock band Machine Gun Fellatio. The album was released on 26 August 2002 on Festival Records.... |
Sputnik Records |
| 2004 | On Ice On Ice (Machine Gun Fellatio album) On Ice is the third and final studio album by Australian alternative rock band Machine Gun Fellatio. The album was released on 18 October 2004 on Festival Records.... |
Festival Mushroom |
Compilations
| Year | Album Name | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Unsound Sounds | Mushroom Records Mushroom Records Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros... |
| 2005 | DoublePlays: Paging Mr Strike/Bring It On | Festival Distribution Festival Distribution Festival Distribution was a Canadian independent record label and music distributor, specializing in folk music and world music artists.The company released albums on its imprint Jericho Beach Music... |
| 2010 | The Essential Hits | Warner Music Australia |
Singles
| Year | Single Name | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | "Impossible Dream" | Mushroom Records Mushroom Records Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros... |
| 2002 | "Rollercoaster" | Double T Records |
| 2004 | "You've Ruined All My Favourite Songs" | Mushroom Records Mushroom Records Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros... |
DVDs
| Year | DVD Name | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | To Pussytown and Back | - |