The Bamboos (rock band)
Encyclopedia
The Bamboos were an alternative rock
band from Western Australia
.
. The band consisted of Hallsworth (guitar, vocals), Mark Gelmi (bass), Roger Russell (guitar) and Tony Chiallella (drums). In 1985 Russell was replaced by Greg Hitchcock (The Go-Starts) and in 1986 Chiallella was replaced by Shakir Pichler
(The Kryptonics). The band’s brand of raw guitar trash and country-swamp rock caught the attention of Citadel Records boss John Needham and they went on to record and release the single "Snuff", the flexi-disk "Dead Girl", the EP Born Killer and the album Rarer Than Rockinghorse Shit.
After two national tours Pichler left to form his own rockabilly
band The Howlin MoonDoggies and was replaced by Russell Hopkinson
. Some of the bands that they play support for include The Lime Spiders
, Johnny Thunders
, The Dammed, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
, The Johnnys, Hoodoo Gurus
, Violent Femmes
and The Cramps
.
The band is chiefly remembered today for the number of ex-members who have gone to feature prominently in high profile Australian artists.
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 from Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
Biography
The Bamboos were formed in 1984 by Craig Hallsworth in the West Australian township of CollieCollie, Western Australia
-External links:*...
. The band consisted of Hallsworth (guitar, vocals), Mark Gelmi (bass), Roger Russell (guitar) and Tony Chiallella (drums). In 1985 Russell was replaced by Greg Hitchcock (The Go-Starts) and in 1986 Chiallella was replaced by Shakir Pichler
Shakir Pichler
Shakir Pichler is an Australian drummer, singer, writer and actor.Shakir joined his first performing rock band, the WAMI award winning The Kryptonics in Perth, Western Australia in 1984 at the age of 17...
(The Kryptonics). The band’s brand of raw guitar trash and country-swamp rock caught the attention of Citadel Records boss John Needham and they went on to record and release the single "Snuff", the flexi-disk "Dead Girl", the EP Born Killer and the album Rarer Than Rockinghorse Shit.
After two national tours Pichler left to form his own rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
band The Howlin MoonDoggies and was replaced by Russell Hopkinson
Rusty Hopkinson
Rusty Hopkinson is the drummer for Australian rock act You Am I.Allegedly, Rusty was an occasional drinking buddy of You Am I while with his then band, indie act Nursery Crimes, around the turn of the 1990s...
. Some of the bands that they play support for include The Lime Spiders
Lime Spiders
Lime Spiders are an Australian punk rock band, currently consisting of Mick Blood, Tom Corben, Gerard Corben, David Sparks and Tony Bambach.-Early Days :...
, Johnny Thunders
Johnny Thunders
Johnny Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, Jr. , was an American protopunk guitarist, singer and songwriter.He came to prominence in the early '70s as a member of the New York Dolls...
, The Dammed, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
, The Johnnys, 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...
, Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes were an American alternative rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, initially active between 1980 and 1987 and again from 1988 to 2009...
and The Cramps
The Cramps
The Cramps were an American rock band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of Interior and lead guitarist Poison Ivy the only permanent members...
.
The band is chiefly remembered today for the number of ex-members who have gone to feature prominently in high profile Australian artists.
- Hallsworth went on to form The Healers, Wild Palms, Zuvuya, Outstation and Tangled Star.
- Hitchcock went on to play with The Neptunes, The Kryptonics, New Christs, The Verys, Challenger 7, You Am IYou Am IYou Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by vocalist/guitarist and main songwriter Tim Rogers. They were the first Australian band to have three albums successively debut at #1 on the ARIA Charts, and are renowned for their live performances.-History:Tim Rogers formed the first...
, The DearhuntersThe DearhuntersThe Dearhunters were an indie and alternative country band from Sydney, Australia.-History:In 1998, Greg Hitchcock, Tim Oxley, Jodi Phillis and Raphael Whittingham, who were successful artists solo or in various other acts, formed The Dearhunters in a pub in Sydney. They first performed several...
, and The Monarchs. - Hopkinson joined Nursery CrimesNursery Crimes (band)Nursery Crimes is a hardcore band from Melbourne. They formed in 1989 by Phil Rose, played both locally and around Australia before disbanding in 1993. They released three full length albums, some singles and an ep...
and then You Am IYou Am IYou Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by vocalist/guitarist and main songwriter Tim Rogers. They were the first Australian band to have three albums successively debut at #1 on the ARIA Charts, and are renowned for their live performances.-History:Tim Rogers formed the first...
. Hopkinson has also played with Australian punkPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
act Radio BirdmanRadio BirdmanRadio Birdman was one of the first punk bands in Australia along with The Saints. Deniz Tek and Rob Younger formed the group in Sydney, Australia in 1974...
and manages record labelRecord labelIn the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
and distribution company Reverberation Records. - Pichler formed The Howlin MoonDoggies, Fink, Brutal Pancho and toured with Amphetish and US band Wish You Weres. Pichler also established his own record label, Sexbeat Records and has appeared in a number of feature films, Mission: Impossible IIMission: Impossible IIMission: Impossible II is a 2000 action film directed by John Woo, and starring Tom Cruise, who also served as the film's producer...
, On Our Selection, Fat Pizza: The MovieFat Pizza: The MovieFat Pizza is an Australian movie, based upon the stories and characters of the Pizza television series, created by Paul Fenech. It was released by Village Roadshow Pictures and made $7,888,102 at the Australian box office ....
and television series Nightmares and Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King.
Members
- Tony Chiallella : drums (1984–86)
- Mark Gelmi : bass (1984–87)
- Craig Hallsworth : guitar, vocals (1984–87)
- Greg Hitchcock : vocals, guitar (1985–87)
- Russell HopkinsonRusty HopkinsonRusty Hopkinson is the drummer for Australian rock act You Am I.Allegedly, Rusty was an occasional drinking buddy of You Am I while with his then band, indie act Nursery Crimes, around the turn of the 1990s...
: drums (1986–87) - Shakir PichlerShakir PichlerShakir Pichler is an Australian drummer, singer, writer and actor.Shakir joined his first performing rock band, the WAMI award winning The Kryptonics in Perth, Western Australia in 1984 at the age of 17...
: drums (1986) - Roger Russell : guitar (1984–85)
Albums
- Bamboos/Mutants of Desire"(Cassette) - Independent Release (1985)
- Born Killer (EP) - Citadel Records (1987) (AUS #94)
- Rarer Than Rocking Horse Shit - Cleopatra (1987)
Singles
- "Snuff" / "Virginia" - Citadel (1986)
- "With Which To Love You" / "Winded" - Citadel (1986)
- "Dead Girl" (free limited flexi-disk)
Contributions
- Cooking With George - ABC (1985): "Law Of A Gun", "Gone Wishin'", "Virginia"
- Positively Elisabeth Street - Citadel (1989): "With Which To Love You" Closer Records (France), Normal Records (Germany)
- Tales From the Australian Underground - Singles 1976-1989 - Feel Presents Pty (2004): "With Which To Love You"