The Beasts of Bourbon
| Beasts of Bourbon | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Genres | Alternative rock, blues rock |
| Years active | 1983–1985, 1987–1993, 1996–1997, 2003–2008, 2013–present |
| Labels | Green/Big Time, Red Eye, Polydor, Universal, Spooky, Alberts, Bang! |
| Associated acts | The Scientists, Salamander Jim, Hoodoo Gurus, The Johnnys, The James Baker Experience, The Cruel Sea, Kim Salmon and the Surrealists |
| Website | myspace |
| Past members | See "Members" |
Beasts of Bourbon are an Australian alternative rock, blues rock band formed in August 1983, with James Baker on drums (ex-Hoodoo Gurus), Spencer P. Jones on guitar (The Johnnys), Tex Perkins on vocals (Dum Dums), Kim Salmon on guitar and Boris Sujdovic on bass guitar (both ex-The Scientists). Except for mainstays, Jones and Perkins, the line-up has changed as the group splintered and reformed several times. Their debut album, The Axeman's Jazz (July 1984), was the best selling Australian alternative rock album for 1984. Their debut single, "Psycho", is a cover version of the Leon Payne original, and was the best selling Australian alternative rock single for that year. However the group disbanded by mid-1985 and each member pursued other musical projects. They reformed in 1987 and issued a second album, Sour Mash, in December 1988 on Red Eye Records. According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, it "virtually redefined the parameters of guitar-based rock'n'roll. The Cramps-influenced swamp-rock of old had been discarded for a more adventurous slab of gutbucket blues and avant-garde weirdness. Perkins' voice had matured into an authentic blues growl". Their fifth studio album, Gone (January 1997), reached the Top 50 ARIA Albums Chart. Their seventh studio album, ''Little Animals (21 April 2007) on Albert Productions, which also peaked into the Top 50.
Beasts of Bourbon were formed in August 1983 by vocalist Tex Perkins to fulfil bookings for his previous band, Tex Deadly and the Dum-Dums, and began playing in small Sydney venues. The initial version of the group was James Baker of Hoodoo Gurus on drums, Spencer P. Jones of The Johnnys on guitar, Kim Salmon on guitar and Boris Sudjovic on bass guitar: both of The Scientists. This line-up was featured on the band's first album, The Axeman's Jazz, which was recorded during October 1983 in a single eight-hour session for $100 by Tony Cohen. In January 1984 the line-up of Jones, Perkins, Sujdovic, Brett Rixon on drums and Tony Thewlis on guitar (both from The Scientists) played gigs in Perth. In July that year the album was issued on Green Records and according to Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, "it remains a classic of Australian garage/swamp rock. It was the best-selling Australian alternative album for 1984. It also went on to sell over 30000 copies in Europe". A cover of Leon Payne's "Psycho" was issued as a single in July, which was a hit on alternative radio and became the best selling Australia alternative single for 1984. The previous line-up fell apart in March when The Scientists left Australia to tour overseas; fill-ins included Stu Spasm of Lubricated Goat, Zulu Rattle and Salamander Jim on bass guitar; and Brad Shepherd of Hoodoo Gurus on guitar. By early 1985 the line-up of Baker, Perkins, Spasm (now on rhythm guitar) and Spencer, were joined by Graham Hood (The Johnnys) on bass guitar. Although the album became an underground success, the band was largely a side project for its various members and Beasts of Bourbon disbanded by June that year. Perkins worked with Salamander Jim and various other projects, Jones had The Johnnys, and Salmon and Sujdovic had The Scientists. Baker tried a self-named group, The James Baker Experience, backed by Perkins and Spasm and joined by Roddy Radalj (The Scientists, Hoodoo Gurus) on guitar and vocals. The ensemble released a one-off single in June 1985 and promptly separated.
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