The Crocodiles

The Crocodiles
Origin	New Zealand
Genres	Pop, new wave
Years active	1979–1981
Labels	Stunn
Associated acts	The Spats The Wide Mouthed Frogs The Whizz Kids The Swingers Sardine v Models
Past members	Fane Flaws Peter Dasent Tony Backhouse Arthur Baysting Jenny Morris Tina Matthews Bruno Lawrence Ian Gilroy Rick 'Rikki' Morris Jonathan Swartz Barton Price

The Crocodiles was a New Zealand pop/new wave band formed in 1979 with lead singer Jenny Morris, who went on to commercial success as a solo artist in Australia; and later included drummer Barton Price who subsequently joined Sardine v and then Models. The Crocodiles top 20 hit single in New Zealand was "Tears" in 1980 from debut album, Tears; a second album, Looking at Ourselves, appeared in November. The band relocated to Australia in February 1981 but disbanded in July without further releases.

Fane Flaws was guitarist and Bruno Lawrence was drummer for Blerta (1971–1975); Flaws and Lawrence then went on to form The Spats (1977–1979) with Tony Backhouse on guitar and Peter Dasent on keyboards. In 1978 an all-female band, the Wide Mouthed Frogs, comprising Jenny Morris and Kate Brockie(lead vocals), Tina Matthews (bass guitarist), Andrea Gilkison (guitar), Bronwyn Murray (keyboards) and Sally Zwartz (drums) was established in Wellington, New Zealand, Lawrence played saxophone for the band at a number of their performances, and Dasent was the musical director for the band.

The Crocodiles evolved from The Spats, under the mentorship of US producer Kim Fowley, and were founded in 1979 in Auckland with Backhouse, Dasent, Flaws, Lawrence and Mark Hornibrook on bass guitar and songwriter Arthur Baysting. The lineup was finalised with Morris joining as lead singer. They were managed by Mike Chunn (ex-Split Enz), Mark Hornibrook was subsequently replaced by Mathews.

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Wikipedia