Machinations (band)
| Machinations | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Genres | Synthpop, funk, pop |
| Years active | 1980–1989, 1997, 2012–present |
| Labels | Phanton, White, A&M, Epic, Mushroom, Almacantar |
| Website | myspace |
| Past members | see Members list |
Machinations are an Australian synthpop band which formed in 1980. They reached the top 20 on the Kent Music Report Albums Chart with Big Music (24 June 1985). Their top 30 hits on the related Kent Music Report Singles Chart are "Pressure Sway" (June 1983), "No Say in It" (September 1984), "My Heart's on Fire" (May 1985), and "Do to You" (August 1987). Earlier they had achieved indie prominence with two versions of their first single, "Average Inadequacy" (September 1981, March 1982). Machinations developed a cult following in dance clubs during the mid-1980s. By late 1989 the group had disbanded, they briefly reunited in 1997 and then reformed in 2012.
Machinations formed in 1980 in Sydney with the line up of Tim Doyle on guitar; Fred Loneragan on lead vocals; and Tony Starr on keyboards, vocals, and drum machine. Doyle and Starr had started song writing together at the end of 1979 using electronic instruments. Their school friend, Loneragan, joined, and in early 1980 Machinations played their first show at Garibaldi's in Darlinghurst. Another school friend, Nero (Nick) Swan, soon joined on bass guitar.
In late 1980, with the assistance of radio station Triple J, the band recorded tracks at Trafalgar Studios for the New Music program. In November that year they entered a studio with Lobby Loyde as producer. The band's debut single, "Average Inadequacy", was released on 26 August 1981. Their debut self-titled, four-track extended play followed on 20 November; both appeared on the independent Phantom Records label. Machinations were managed by SCAM (Suss City Artist Management), which consisted of Sally Collins in partnership with Loyde. SCAM also managed The Triffids, Sardine v, The Sunnyboys, Tablewaiters and Local Product.
"Average Inadequacy" created interest for Mushroom Records's imprint White Records Label to sign the band and reissue that single with a new B-side, "Machinations of Dance" in March 1982. In February of the next year the group issued a new single, "Jack". It was followed by "Pressure Sway" in June, which peaked at No. 21 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart during the next month. Shelley Dempsey of The Canberra Times described it as "probably [the band's] piece de resistance, (or most thrashed song, at least)". In the United States it reached No. 40 on the Billboard Club Play Singles chart.
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