Erin Pearson
LEGENDARY Australian rock band Hoodoo Gurus is like a “high-performance sports car”, according to frontman Dave Faulkner.
“There’s no point having it up on blocks in the garage,” he says, “you’ve got to take it out on the road for a spin,”
Speaking to the Independent from a Melbourne hotel with a husky voice after a boozy night, Faulkner was spruiking the band’s return to the region to promote its ninth studio album.
The Gurus would play tracks from Purity of Essence and other hits from their back-catalogue of almost 30 years at Barwon Heads this Saturday night, he said.
The group was looking forward to reconnecting with local fans.
“Six years ago we reformed and produced an album we called Mach Schau and that went okay but this one (Purity of Essence) has been a real kick in the pants – fans are going to love it,” Faulkner said.
“It’s a lot more diverse than others. It’s got some influences we never thought we’d explore, some folk and blues things we’re not known for.”
Faulkner said his bandmates – guitarist Brad Shepherd, bassist Rick Grossman and drummer Mark Kingsmill – reformed in late 2003 after almost six years a part.
Hoodoo Gurus have been a part of the Australian music scene since it released classic singles including Tojo, My Girl and I Want You Back from 1984 hit album Stoneage Romeos.
The band has performed at festivals including Big Day Out, Splendour In The Grass, South By Southwest and England’s Glastonbury. In 2007 the Gurus earned induction into ARIA’s Hall Of Fame “for being one of the most inventive rock and roll bands to emerge in the past three decades”.
Faulkner said Australian musicians had changed markedly since he first entered the industry.
“It’s just absolute luxury to be playing music at our time of life,” he admitted.
“The only gripe I have with a lot of artists now is they seem a little bit too pre-digested. They decide who they want to be straight away and often sound like someone else.
“I want them to explore their own areas and grow, not try to sound like someone else and have someone else’s career.”
Faulkner said Hoodoo Gurus was now under the Sony label but still in “fine form”.
“Fans can expect the same rush, the same energy and that’s something we pride ourselves on.”
Faulkner said taking the Gurus sports car out on to the road was still important, although success had brought its rewards on tour.
“We do it a little more comfortably now.”
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