Sacred Cowboys
Encyclopedia
Sacred Cowboys are an Australia
n post-punk
rock band based in Melbourne
and active in 1982-85, 1987-97 and since 2006.
The band's lead singer and lyricist is Garry Gray. The current line-up includes: Spencer P. Jones
(guitar); Penny Ikinger (guitar); Nick Rischbieth (bass) and; Stephan Fiddock (drums). A special guest for shows in August 2006 was Ash Wednesday
(keyboards). Past members include: Johnny Crash (drums) and Mark Ferrie (bass) who were both previously members of Melbourne pop band Models
; Terry Doolan (guitar); Andrew Picouleau (bass); and Ian Forrest (keyboards). Rischbieth joined the group in 1983 and Fiddock in 1987.
The Sacred Cowboys began playing inner city Melbourne in early 1982. Gray and Mark Ferrie thought of the name after watching "The Groovy Guru", an episode of the classic TV comedy series Get Smart
. In it, the Groovy Guru and his rock band, the Sacred Cows, use psychedelic music
to control the minds of young people. (The same episode was the inspiration for a Hoodoo Gurus
song, "In The Echo Chamber" and Painters and Dockers
covered Groovy Guru's "Kill Kill Kill".)
Within six months, the Cowboys signed with Mushroom Records
/White Label
and recorded the "Nothing Grows In Texas" single. After their performance of the song on television pop show Countdown, Molly Meldrum said: "this is the worst group I've seen in five years", a title the band wore with perverse pride.
The Cowboys Mark I also released a second single, a cover of Alex Chilton
's "Bangkok", a self-titled EP on the White Label, a self-titled album on French Label New Rose Records, and a live/demo compilation named after a Rolling Stones cover, We Love You on ManMade Records.
After reforming in 1987, the Cowboys signed to Germany's Normal records and released the classic Trouble From Providence album. Hell Sucks was the hit from this album and became the Cowboys signature tune. The Cowboys began recording again in the 1990s. They released a "best of" CD EP called Black City. The Australian edition of Rolling Stone
magazine listed this as one of its Top 100 albums of the 20th century. The Things To Come album was released in 1996. Spencer Jones and Penny Ikinger joined Terry Doolan as the band's guitarists, both live and in the studio.
In 2005, the song "Hell Sucks" from Providence was selected for Clinton Walker's compilation of classic Australian punk and post-punk music, Inner City Sounds.
When the Cowboys reformed in August 2006, they played a series of shows in Melbourne, and put the finishing touches to the Cold Harvest album, which was released on Bang Records.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
rock band based in 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...
and active in 1982-85, 1987-97 and since 2006.
The band's lead singer and lyricist is Garry Gray. The current line-up includes: Spencer P. Jones
Spencer P. Jones
Spencer P. Jones is a Melbourne based guitar player from Te Awamutu, New Zealand. He has been a member of The Emotional Retreads, Country Killed the Cow Penalty, Escape Committee, Cuban Heels, Beats Working, North 2 Alaskans, The Johnnys, The Beasts of Bourbon, Olympic Sideburns, Paul Kelly and The...
(guitar); Penny Ikinger (guitar); Nick Rischbieth (bass) and; Stephan Fiddock (drums). A special guest for shows in August 2006 was Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (musician)
Ash Wednesday is an Australian musician, who played in JAB, the Models and Einstürzende Neubauten.-Biography:Wednesday formed an Australian punk rock band in Adelaide in January 1976...
(keyboards). Past members include: Johnny Crash (drums) and Mark Ferrie (bass) who were both previously members of Melbourne pop band Models
Models (band)
Models were an alternative rock group formed in Melbourne, Australia, in August 1978 and went into hiatus in 1988. They are often incorrectly referred to as The Models. They re-formed in 2000, 2006 and 2008 to perform reunion concerts. "Out of Mind, Out of Sight", their only No. 1 hit,...
; Terry Doolan (guitar); Andrew Picouleau (bass); and Ian Forrest (keyboards). Rischbieth joined the group in 1983 and Fiddock in 1987.
History
Gray was previously a member of The Reals (1975-76) and The Negatives (1977-79) and is the only constant in the band's history.The Sacred Cowboys began playing inner city Melbourne in early 1982. Gray and Mark Ferrie thought of the name after watching "The Groovy Guru", an episode of the classic TV comedy series Get Smart
Get Smart
Get Smart is an American comedy television series that satirizes the secret agent genre. Created by Mel Brooks with Buck Henry, the show starred Don Adams , Barbara Feldon , and Edward Platt...
. In it, the Groovy Guru and his rock band, the Sacred Cows, use psychedelic music
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
to control the minds of young people. (The same episode was the inspiration for a Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band, formed in Sydney in 1981, by the mainstay Dave Faulkner and later joined by Richard Grossman , Mark Kingsmill , and Brad Shepherd...
song, "In The Echo Chamber" and Painters and Dockers
Painters and Dockers
Painters and Dockers are a rock band formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1982. Their best performed album, Kiss My Art, peaked in the top 30 of the Australian Recording Industry Association albums charts in 1988. The album included two top 50 singles, "Nude School" and "Die Yuppie Die"...
covered Groovy Guru's "Kill Kill Kill".)
Within six months, the Cowboys signed with 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...
/White Label
White label
White label records are vinyl records with adhesive plain white labels affixed. Test pressings, usually with Test Pressing written on the label, with catalogue number, artist and recording time or date, are produced in small quantities to evaluate the quality of the disc production...
and recorded the "Nothing Grows In Texas" single. After their performance of the song on television pop show Countdown, Molly Meldrum said: "this is the worst group I've seen in five years", a title the band wore with perverse pride.
The Cowboys Mark I also released a second single, a cover of Alex Chilton
Alex Chilton
William Alexander "Alex" Chilton was an American songwriter, guitarist, singer and producer, best known as the lead singer of the Box Tops and Big Star...
's "Bangkok", a self-titled EP on the White Label, a self-titled album on French Label New Rose Records, and a live/demo compilation named after a Rolling Stones cover, We Love You on ManMade Records.
After reforming in 1987, the Cowboys signed to Germany's Normal records and released the classic Trouble From Providence album. Hell Sucks was the hit from this album and became the Cowboys signature tune. The Cowboys began recording again in the 1990s. They released a "best of" CD EP called Black City. The Australian edition of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone Australia
Rolling Stone Australia is an Australian-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published monthly, it is the Australian edition of the United States' Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone was initially released in Melbourne in May 1970 as a supplement in Revolution, an...
magazine listed this as one of its Top 100 albums of the 20th century. The Things To Come album was released in 1996. Spencer Jones and Penny Ikinger joined Terry Doolan as the band's guitarists, both live and in the studio.
In 2005, the song "Hell Sucks" from Providence was selected for Clinton Walker's compilation of classic Australian punk and post-punk music, Inner City Sounds.
When the Cowboys reformed in August 2006, they played a series of shows in Melbourne, and put the finishing touches to the Cold Harvest album, which was released on Bang Records.