Hunters & Collectors
Encyclopedia
Hunters & Collectors were an Australian rock music
band formed in Melbourne
in 1981, fronted by singer-songwriter
and guitar
ist Mark Seymour
, they developed a blend of pub rock
and art-funk
. Other mainstays were John Archer on electric bass
, Doug Falconer on drums
and percussion
, Jack Howard on trumpet
and keyboards
, Jeremy Smith on French horn
, guitars and keyboards, and Michael Waters on trombone
and keyboards. Also acknowledged as a mainstay member was engineer
and art designer
Robert Miles. Joining in 1988, Barry Palmer
, on lead guitar
, remained until they disbanded in 1998. Their hit singles were "Throw Your Arms Around Me
", "Talking to a Stranger", "Imaginary Girl", "Holy Grail
", "True Tears of Joy" and "Say Goodbye", and they became one of the best live acts in Australia.
Originally Hunters and Collectors were influenced by the Krautrock
genre and the productions of Conny Plank
, featuring strong percussive influences, noisy guitar, and driving bass lines. The sound was in the vein of Remain in Light
, the Talking Heads
album of 1980. The band's name is from "Hunters and Collectors", a track by German group Can
, on the 1975 album Landed
. Hunters & Collectors utilised Plank to produce two of their early albums, The Fireman's Curse and The Jaws of Life, but neither charted into the Top 50 of the Australian albums chart on the Kent Music Report
. Their Top 10 albums started with Human Frailty
in 1986, which first featured their distinctive logo, a H & C symbol, where the "&" was twin snakes entwined around a hunting knife
, a variation of the Caduceus
. Other Top 10 studio albums were Ghost Nation
in 1989, Cut
in 1992 and Demon Flower
in 1994.
), Doug Falconer (drums
) and Mark Seymour
(guitar
& vocals
) met as residential students of Ormond College
at the University of Melbourne
in the late 1970s. With Robert Miles (sound engineer
), in 1978, they formed a casual band called The Schnorts, named for a Belgian tennis racket, and played cover versions of 1960s songs including "To Sir, with Love
". A more ambitious band The Jetsonnes, followed in September 1979, with the addition of vocalist Margot O'Neil (later a journalist on radio 3RRR
program Talking Headlines and then an ABC reporter), and Ray Tosti-Guerra on guitars and backing vocals. The Jetsonnes had a clever post-punk
style which was lighter and more infectious than similar bands Models
and International Exiles. Their only recorded track is "Newspaper" which was one side of a gig giveaway single in June 1980 with "Miniskirts in Moscow" by International Exiles as the other. By September, The Jetsonnes had disbanded but Archer, Falconer, Miles, Seymour and Tosti-Guerra decided to continue on with new members, Geoff Crosby on keyboards
and Greg Perano on percussion
to form a new band.
), Doug Falconer (drums
; ex-Jetsonnes), Robert Miles (live sound
, art director; ex-Jetsonnes), Greg Perano (percussion
; ex-True Wheels), Mark Seymour (guitar
, vocals; ex-Jetsonnes) and Ray Tosti-Guerra (guitar, vocals; ex-Jetsonnes) formed Hunters & Collectors in early 1981. Miles was credited as an equal part of the band's output and stayed throughout their career. Perano provided the band's name from "Hunters and Collectors", a track on 1975's Landed
by German group Can
. Originally Hunters & Collectors were influenced by the Krautrock
genre and the productions of Conny Plank
, featuring strong percussive influences, noisy guitar, and driving bass lines. The core of Hunters & Collectors was expanded by a horn section, later dubbed Horns of Contempt, consisting of Nigel Crocker (trombone
), Jack Howard (trumpet
), Andy Lynn (trumpet), Chris Malherbe (trumpet), Jeremy Smith (French horn
) and Michael Waters (trombone).
As lead singer, guitarist and principal lyricist, Seymour, who is the older brother of Nick Seymour
bassist for Crowded House
, was the linchpin of the group. In the mid-1980s, he was romantically involved for a time with Do-Re-Mi
lead singer Deborah Conway
. Archer and Falconer are widely regarded as one of the best rhythm sections ever to emerge from the Australian rock scene .
Mushroom Records
specifically formed a new 'alternative' label, White Label Records, when they signed Hunters & Collectors. Their first release was World of Stone, a three-track EP
in January 1982. A self-titled debut LP, Hunters & Collectors, followed in July and was produced by Sydney-based engineer-producer Tony Cohen
. The album peaked at #21 on the Kent Music Report
for Australian albums charts. Their first single, "Talking to a Stranger" also released in July, was accompanied by an influential music video
directed by film maker Richard Lowenstein
, but it did not peak into the Top 50 singles chart. By this time, Tosti-Guerra was replaced by Martin Lubran on guitar and the Horns of Contempt were reduced to three, Howard, Smith and Waters. Another EP, Payload, produced by Mike Howlett
(ex-Gong
), was released in November. In 1983, the band toured the UK for six months and signed with Virgin Records
which recompiled the Australian version of Hunters & Collectors and the Payload EP into the international version of Hunters & Collectors released in April. The band then decamped to Germany, where they recorded their second album The Fireman's Curse, produced by Conny Plank
(Can, Cluster
, Kraftwerk
), which was released on Virgin Records in September. A three-record deal with Virgin was broken after some members of Hunters & Collectors insulted their executive, Simon Draper, by describing him as "a poncy little blueblood
" with no faith in their band. After November's single, "Sway" failed to chart, they disbanded briefly.
s from Crosby and the reduced three-piece Horns of Contempt. The band began to pare back their art-rock pretensions of their earliest albums, although they retained a muscular, bass-driven sound, rounded off by the band's distinctive horn section. Mark Seymour
's lyrics became less abstruse and more focused on the twin themes of the fraught personal relationships and the politics of the day.
The first album featuring the new line up was The Jaws of Life (July 1984). The title, cover art and opening track, "42 Wheels" all refer to the murder of five people by an intoxicated, outback trucker, Douglas Crabbe
. Again produced by Plank, the album was recorded at the old Can studio by Rene Tinner. Although it spawned a classic underground single, "Betty's Worry or the Slab", The Jaws of Life didn't make much headway for the band on the commercial music scene. However relentless touring, limited but constant airplay on the (then Sydney-only) radio station Triple J
plus some video play on Countdown and other music video shows, fostered Hunters & Collectors a devoted following on the Australian pub
scene. November saw the first release of "Throw Your Arms Around Me
" as a live recorded single-only release, it had no chart success. A live version of "Throw Your Arms Around Me" appeared on their 1985 album The Way to Go Out, the album showcased their powerful and energetic performance style. Crosby left after the album's release and Waters took over on keyboards.
Breakthrough Australian commercial success came in 1986, with the April release of the album Human Frailty
, which featured a second version of the single "Throw Your Arms Around Me", as well as other fan favourites such as "Say Goodbye" and "Everything's on Fire". Human Frailty became their first Top Ten chart hit. The band had signed a parallel deal with I.R.S. Records
for North America, which released the album there in July 1987. "Throw Your Arms Around Me" peaked at #49 on the Australian singles charts in 1986, but it became one of their most popular songs, voted in the Top 5 on the Triple J Hottest 100 for 1989, 1990, and 1991.
After Human Frailty the band toured USA twice and released their third EP, Living Daylight produced by Greg Edward and released in Australia in April 1987. It was followed by their next album, What's a Few Men?
, also produced by Edward and released in November, it peaked at #16. It featured the singles for "Do You See What I See" and "Still Hangin' Round". The latter was deemed to be too "Australian" and cut from the American configuration, it was retitled Fate and released in September 1988, three other songs were recorded for this version, including "Back on the Breadline", which charted at #6 on the Billboard
Modern Rock Tracks. The August 2003 re-issue of What's a Few Men featured all 15 songs from the two versions.
Guitarist Barry Palmer (ex-Harem Scarem) joined the band in 1988. Ghost Nation
, produced by Clive Martin and released in November 1989, was their second Australian Top Ten album. It featured the single "When the River Runs Dry", which peaked at #23 in Australia and #5 on Billboard Modern Rock Tracks in 1990. Hunters & Collectors were support to Midnight Oil
's North American tour of 1990 and, although the band struggled to find further success in the US and elsewhere, they maintained their status in Australia as local favourites. The compilation Collected Works was released in 1990, and was another Top Ten album. It contained a third version of "Throw Your Arms Around Me" to be released as a single, which peaked at #34. Another single, "Where Do You Go", which was produced by Nick Sansano
and released in late 1991 also reached the Top 40.
with producers Don Gehman
and Nick Sansano, and although the relationship was apparently strained at times, due to Gehman's combative working methods, Cut peaked at #6. It retained a balance between the band's artistic core and its commercial ambitions and provided the anthemic single "Holy Grail
", inspired by Napoleon
's march to Russia in 1812 but also reflecting the band's own flagging attempts to "crack" the American market. The song is often put in context with the Australian Football League
(AFL), and was Channel 10
's theme song for their AFL coverage from 2002–2006, it was sung by Seymour at the 2002 AFL Grand Final, although he doesn't follow the game. Another single from the album, "True Tears of Joy" peaked at #14 to become their highest charting single.
Demon Flower
followed in May 1994, produced by Nick Mainsbridge, it peaked at #2 and provided "Easy" and three other singles. Demon Flower was dominated by themes relating to the politics in the state of Victoria
, particularly the economic rationalist
policies of Premier Jeff Kennett
. A double live album, Living ... In Large Rooms and Lounges, was released in November 1995, with one disc consisting of an acoustic set at the defunct Continental Cafe in Prahran, Melbourne
, and the other being a more typical pub performance. Juggernaut, their last studio album was produced by Kalju Tonuma
and Mark Opitz. The album was recorded in 1997 and released in January 1998, it featured the single "True Believers". With its release, Hunters & Collectors announced they would disband after the Juggernaut tour.
Hunters & Collectors embarked on their final tour of Australia in 1998, with a concert performed at Selina's, Coogee Bay
Hotel, Sydney being recorded and released on CD and DVD
as Under One Roof
. The group's last public show was on 22 March in Melbourne. According to rock historian, Ian McFarlane, their "great achievement was to lay bare human emotions in the intensely ritualistic milieu of the pub-rock gig".
.
"Throw Your Arms Around Me" has been performed by many bands and individuals, including Crowded House
, Pearl Jam
, Luka Bloom
, and Australian musical comedy trio the Doug Anthony All Stars
(and subsequently by member Paul McDermott
.) In May 2001 it was recognised by the Australasian Performing Right Association
(APRA) as one of the Top 30 Australian songs
of all time.
On 14 July 2005, Hunters & Collectors were recognised as icons by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) when inducted into their Hall of Fame
at the Plaza Ballroom alongside Split Enz
, Renée Geyer
, Normie Rowe
, Smoky Dawson
and The Easybeats
. They were inducted into the Hall of Fame by Peter Garrett
former lead singer of tour mates Midnight Oil
, Hunters & Collectors provided a one-off performance of "Say Goodbye" and "Throw Your Arms Around Me".
Hunters & Collectors played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
on 14 March 2009 for Sound Relief
, which was a multi-venue rock music concert in support of relief for the Victorian Bushfire Crisis
. The event was held simultaneously with a concert at the Sydney Cricket Ground
. All the proceeds from the Melbourne Concert went to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire relief. Appearing with Hunters & Collectors in Melbourne were, Augie March
, Bliss N Eso with Paris Wells, Gabriella Cilmi
, Kasey Chambers
& Shane Nicholson with Troy Cassar-Daley
, Jack Johnson
, Jet
, Kings Of Leon
, Liam Finn
(joined on stage with Crowded House
), Midnight Oil
, Paul Kelly
, Split Enz
and Wolfmother
. The Band performed a selection of their most popular songs over a 40 minute set, including an encore performance of The Slab. The Sound Relief concert, including the Hunters & Collectors set, was broadcast on Australian cable TV and FM radio, and available on DVD.
In 2009 Hunters & Collectors - "Throw Your Arms Around Me" was voted number # 23 in Triple J's hottest 100 of all time
.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band formed in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 1981, fronted by singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Mark Seymour
Mark Seymour
Mark Seymour is an Australian musician and vocalist best known for his work as the frontman and songwriter of rock band Hunters & Collectors...
, they developed a blend of pub rock
Pub rock (Australia)
Pub rock is a style of Australian rock and roll popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and still influencing contemporary Australian music today....
and art-funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
. Other mainstays were John Archer on electric bass
Electric Bass
Electric bass can mean:*Electric upright bass, the electric version of a double bass*Electric bass guitar*Bass synthesizer*Big Mouth Billy Bass, a battery-powered singing fish...
, Doug Falconer on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, Jack Howard on trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
and keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, Jeremy Smith on French horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
, guitars and keyboards, and Michael Waters on trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
and keyboards. Also acknowledged as a mainstay member was engineer
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
and art designer
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
Robert Miles. Joining in 1988, Barry Palmer
Barry Palmer (musician)
Barry Palmer is an Australian musician, songwriter and record producer based in Melbourne, best known as a member of the band Hunters & Collectors, from 1988-1998.-History:...
, on lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, remained until they disbanded in 1998. Their hit singles were "Throw Your Arms Around Me
Throw Your Arms Around Me
-Personnel:Hunters & Collectors members*John Archer — bass guitar*Geoffrey Crosby — keyboards*Douglas Falconer — drums*John 'Jack' Howard — trumpet*Mark Seymour — vocals, lead guitar*Michael Waters — trombone...
", "Talking to a Stranger", "Imaginary Girl", "Holy Grail
Holy Grail (song)
Holy Grail is a song performed by the Australian band Hunters & Collectors on their 1992 album Cut. With lyrics referring to popular Holy Grail mythology, the song is an anthemic single inspired by Napoleon's march to Russia in 1812, but also referencing the Hunters and Collectors' flagging...
", "True Tears of Joy" and "Say Goodbye", and they became one of the best live acts in Australia.
Originally Hunters and Collectors were influenced by the Krautrock
Krautrock
Krautrock is a generic name for the experimental music scenes that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s, especially in Britain. The term is a result of the English-speaking world's reception of the music at the time and not a reference to any one...
genre and the productions of Conny Plank
Conny Plank
Konrad "Conny" Plank was a German record producer and musician. He was born in Hütschenhausen. His creativity as a sound engineer and producer helped to shape some of the most important and innovative recordings of postwar European popular music, covering a wide range of genres including...
, featuring strong percussive influences, noisy guitar, and driving bass lines. The sound was in the vein of Remain in Light
Remain in Light
Remain in Light is the fourth studio album by American New Wave band Talking Heads, released on 8 October 1980 on Sire Records. It was recorded at locations in the Bahamas and the United States between July and August 1980 and was produced by the quartet's long-time collaborator...
, the Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
album of 1980. The band's name is from "Hunters and Collectors", a track by German group Can
Can (band)
Can was an experimental rock band formed in Cologne, West Germany in 1968. Later labeled as one of the first "krautrock" groups, they transcended mainstream influences and incorporated strong minimalist and world music elements into their often psychedelic music.Can constructed their music largely...
, on the 1975 album Landed
Landed (album)
Landed is the band Can's seventh studio album, released in 1975. It is said to be the beginning of their poppier, less experimental era.The album has been described as the band's attempt at glam rock, and the upbeat nature of most of the tracks do give the album this feel...
. Hunters & Collectors utilised Plank to produce two of their early albums, The Fireman's Curse and The Jaws of Life, but neither charted into the Top 50 of the Australian albums chart on the Kent Music Report
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
. Their Top 10 albums started with Human Frailty
Human Frailty
Human Frailty is an album released by Australian band Hunters & Collectors in 1986. It was their commercial breakthrough album in Australia, and a commercial and critical success...
in 1986, which first featured their distinctive logo, a H & C symbol, where the "&" was twin snakes entwined around a hunting knife
Hunting knife
A hunting knife is a knife used during hunting for preparing the game to be used as food: skinning the animal and cutting up the meat. It is different from the Hunting dagger which was traditionally used to kill wild game....
, a variation of the Caduceus
Caduceus
The caduceus is the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology. The same staff was also borne by heralds in general, for example by Iris, the messenger of Hera. It is a short staff entwined by two serpents, sometimes surmounted by wings...
. Other Top 10 studio albums were Ghost Nation
Ghost Nation
Ghost Nation is an album released by Australian band Hunters & Collectors in 1989. It was released in Australia on White/Mushroom Records and reached No.5 on the national album chart....
in 1989, Cut
Cut (Hunters and Collectors album)
Cut is a 1992 album by Australian rock band Hunters & Collectors. Produced by American Don Gehman , it reached No. 6 on the Australian album chart...
in 1992 and Demon Flower
Demon Flower
Demon Flower is the ninth Hunters & Collectors album and was released in 1994. It reached #2 in the Australian charts and has been certified Gold by the ARIA.-Track listing:All songs lyrics written by Mark Seymour, music by Hunters & Collectors....
in 1994.
1978–1980: Formation
John Archer (electric bassElectric Bass
Electric bass can mean:*Electric upright bass, the electric version of a double bass*Electric bass guitar*Bass synthesizer*Big Mouth Billy Bass, a battery-powered singing fish...
), Doug Falconer (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
) and Mark Seymour
Mark Seymour
Mark Seymour is an Australian musician and vocalist best known for his work as the frontman and songwriter of rock band Hunters & Collectors...
(guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
& vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) met as residential students of Ormond College
Ormond College (University of Melbourne)
Ormond College is the largest of the residential colleges of the University of Melbourne. It is home to 332 undergraduates, 30 postgraduates and 27 professorial/academic residents.-Establishment:...
at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
in the late 1970s. With Robert Miles (sound engineer
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
), in 1978, they formed a casual band called The Schnorts, named for a Belgian tennis racket, and played cover versions of 1960s songs including "To Sir, with Love
To Sir, with Love (song)
"To Sir With Love" is the theme from the 1967 film To Sir, With Love. The song was written by Don Black and Mark London."To Sir With Love" was initially recorded by Lulu for the film of the same name...
". A more ambitious band The Jetsonnes, followed in September 1979, with the addition of vocalist Margot O'Neil (later a journalist on radio 3RRR
3RRR
3RRR is a popular Australian community radio station, based in Melbourne. It is the largest per capita subscribed radio station in the world....
program Talking Headlines and then an ABC reporter), and Ray Tosti-Guerra on guitars and backing vocals. The Jetsonnes had a clever post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
style which was lighter and more infectious than similar bands Models
Models (band)
Models were an alternative rock group formed in Melbourne, Australia, in August 1978 and went into hiatus in 1988. They are often incorrectly referred to as The Models. They re-formed in 2000, 2006 and 2008 to perform reunion concerts. "Out of Mind, Out of Sight", their only No. 1 hit,...
and International Exiles. Their only recorded track is "Newspaper" which was one side of a gig giveaway single in June 1980 with "Miniskirts in Moscow" by International Exiles as the other. By September, The Jetsonnes had disbanded but Archer, Falconer, Miles, Seymour and Tosti-Guerra decided to continue on with new members, Geoff Crosby on keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and Greg Perano on percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
to form a new band.
1981–1983: World of Stone to The Fireman's Curse
John Archer (electric bass; ex-Jetsonnes), Geoff Crosby (keyboardsKeyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
), Doug Falconer (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
; ex-Jetsonnes), Robert Miles (live sound
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, art director; ex-Jetsonnes), Greg Perano (percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
; ex-True Wheels), Mark Seymour (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals; ex-Jetsonnes) and Ray Tosti-Guerra (guitar, vocals; ex-Jetsonnes) formed Hunters & Collectors in early 1981. Miles was credited as an equal part of the band's output and stayed throughout their career. Perano provided the band's name from "Hunters and Collectors", a track on 1975's Landed
Landed (album)
Landed is the band Can's seventh studio album, released in 1975. It is said to be the beginning of their poppier, less experimental era.The album has been described as the band's attempt at glam rock, and the upbeat nature of most of the tracks do give the album this feel...
by German group Can
Can (band)
Can was an experimental rock band formed in Cologne, West Germany in 1968. Later labeled as one of the first "krautrock" groups, they transcended mainstream influences and incorporated strong minimalist and world music elements into their often psychedelic music.Can constructed their music largely...
. Originally Hunters & Collectors were influenced by the Krautrock
Krautrock
Krautrock is a generic name for the experimental music scenes that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s, especially in Britain. The term is a result of the English-speaking world's reception of the music at the time and not a reference to any one...
genre and the productions of Conny Plank
Conny Plank
Konrad "Conny" Plank was a German record producer and musician. He was born in Hütschenhausen. His creativity as a sound engineer and producer helped to shape some of the most important and innovative recordings of postwar European popular music, covering a wide range of genres including...
, featuring strong percussive influences, noisy guitar, and driving bass lines. The core of Hunters & Collectors was expanded by a horn section, later dubbed Horns of Contempt, consisting of Nigel Crocker (trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
), Jack Howard (trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
), Andy Lynn (trumpet), Chris Malherbe (trumpet), Jeremy Smith (French horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
) and Michael Waters (trombone).
As lead singer, guitarist and principal lyricist, Seymour, who is the older brother of Nick Seymour
Nick Seymour
Nick Seymour is a musician, painter, and record producer. He is best known for being the bass guitarist in the Australasian rock group Crowded House and brother to Mark Seymour of another successful group; Hunters and Collectors.- Biography :Born in Benalla, Victoria, Australia, Seymour studied...
bassist for Crowded House
Crowded House
Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Australia and led by New Zealand singer-songwriter Neil Finn. Finn is the primary songwriter and creative director of the band, having led it through several incarnations, drawing members from New Zealand , Australia and the United States...
, was the linchpin of the group. In the mid-1980s, he was romantically involved for a time with Do-Re-Mi
Do-Re-Mi (band)
Do-Re-Mi aka Do-Ré-Mi were an Australian Rock/Pop band formed in Sydney in 1981 when Deborah Conway and Dorland Bray joined Helen Carter and later recruited Stephen Philip...
lead singer Deborah Conway
Deborah Conway
Deborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
. Archer and Falconer are widely regarded as one of the best rhythm sections ever to emerge from the Australian rock scene .
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
specifically formed a new 'alternative' label, White Label Records, when they signed Hunters & Collectors. Their first release was World of Stone, a three-track EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
in January 1982. A self-titled debut LP, Hunters & Collectors, followed in July and was produced by Sydney-based engineer-producer Tony Cohen
Tony Cohen
Tony Cohen is an acclaimed Australian record producer and sound engineer based in Melbourne, best known for his work with The Birthday Party and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in the 1980s...
. The album peaked at #21 on the Kent Music Report
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
for Australian albums charts. Their first single, "Talking to a Stranger" also released in July, was accompanied by an influential music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
directed by film maker Richard Lowenstein
Richard Lowenstein
Richard Lowenstein is an Australian film director. He has written, produced and directed the feature films He Died With A Felafel In His Hand, Dogs In Space, Say a Little Prayer, Strikebound and Ghost Story, as well as numerous ground-breaking and award-winning music videos for bands such as INXS...
, but it did not peak into the Top 50 singles chart. By this time, Tosti-Guerra was replaced by Martin Lubran on guitar and the Horns of Contempt were reduced to three, Howard, Smith and Waters. Another EP, Payload, produced by Mike Howlett
Mike Howlett
Mike Howlett is a Fijian-born musician, Grammy Award winning producer and teacher based in the United Kingdom and Australia....
(ex-Gong
Gong (band)
Gong is a Franco-British progressive/psychedelic rock band formed by Australian musician Daevid Allen. Their music has also been described as space rock. Other notable band members include Allan Holdsworth, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, Steve Hillage, Francis Moze, Mike Howlett...
), was released in November. In 1983, the band toured the UK for six months and signed with Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
which recompiled the Australian version of Hunters & Collectors and the Payload EP into the international version of Hunters & Collectors released in April. The band then decamped to Germany, where they recorded their second album The Fireman's Curse, produced by Conny Plank
Conny Plank
Konrad "Conny" Plank was a German record producer and musician. He was born in Hütschenhausen. His creativity as a sound engineer and producer helped to shape some of the most important and innovative recordings of postwar European popular music, covering a wide range of genres including...
(Can, Cluster
Cluster (band)
Cluster is a German experimental musical group who influenced the development of contemporary popular electronic and ambient music. They have recorded albums in a wide variety of styles ranging from experimental music to progressive rock, all of which had an avant-garde edge. Cluster has been...
, Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
), which was released on Virgin Records in September. A three-record deal with Virgin was broken after some members of Hunters & Collectors insulted their executive, Simon Draper, by describing him as "a poncy little blueblood
Blue blood
Blue blood may refer to:* Nobility or social prominence- Music :* "Blue Blood", a song by Foals from the album Total Life Forever* Blue Blood, an EP by Atrocity* Blue Blood , 2001...
" with no faith in their band. After November's single, "Sway" failed to chart, they disbanded briefly.
1984–1991: The Jaws of Life to Collected Works
Late in 1983, Hunters & Collectors had briefly disbanded, but soon reformed without Lubran, (who left the band) and Perano (later formed The Deadly Hume). The 1984 line-up of Archer, Crosby, Falconer, Howard, Miles, Seymour, Smith and Waters now featured greater use of keyboardKeyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
s from Crosby and the reduced three-piece Horns of Contempt. The band began to pare back their art-rock pretensions of their earliest albums, although they retained a muscular, bass-driven sound, rounded off by the band's distinctive horn section. Mark Seymour
Mark Seymour
Mark Seymour is an Australian musician and vocalist best known for his work as the frontman and songwriter of rock band Hunters & Collectors...
's lyrics became less abstruse and more focused on the twin themes of the fraught personal relationships and the politics of the day.
The first album featuring the new line up was The Jaws of Life (July 1984). The title, cover art and opening track, "42 Wheels" all refer to the murder of five people by an intoxicated, outback trucker, Douglas Crabbe
Douglas Crabbe
Douglas John Edward Crabbe is an Australian murderer currently imprisoned in Perth for a multiple murder which occurred when he drove his 25-tonne Mack truck into the crowded bar of a motel at the base of Uluru, on 18 August 1983...
. Again produced by Plank, the album was recorded at the old Can studio by Rene Tinner. Although it spawned a classic underground single, "Betty's Worry or the Slab", The Jaws of Life didn't make much headway for the band on the commercial music scene. However relentless touring, limited but constant airplay on the (then Sydney-only) radio station Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
plus some video play on Countdown and other music video shows, fostered Hunters & Collectors a devoted following on the Australian pub
Pub rock (Australia)
Pub rock is a style of Australian rock and roll popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and still influencing contemporary Australian music today....
scene. November saw the first release of "Throw Your Arms Around Me
Throw Your Arms Around Me
-Personnel:Hunters & Collectors members*John Archer — bass guitar*Geoffrey Crosby — keyboards*Douglas Falconer — drums*John 'Jack' Howard — trumpet*Mark Seymour — vocals, lead guitar*Michael Waters — trombone...
" as a live recorded single-only release, it had no chart success. A live version of "Throw Your Arms Around Me" appeared on their 1985 album The Way to Go Out, the album showcased their powerful and energetic performance style. Crosby left after the album's release and Waters took over on keyboards.
Breakthrough Australian commercial success came in 1986, with the April release of the album Human Frailty
Human Frailty
Human Frailty is an album released by Australian band Hunters & Collectors in 1986. It was their commercial breakthrough album in Australia, and a commercial and critical success...
, which featured a second version of the single "Throw Your Arms Around Me", as well as other fan favourites such as "Say Goodbye" and "Everything's on Fire". Human Frailty became their first Top Ten chart hit. The band had signed a parallel deal with I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records
I.R.S. Records was a record label, started in the United States in 1979 by Miles Copeland III along with Jay Boberg and Carl Grasso. Miles was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, and later, Sting, as well as other bands. I.R.S. was the sister label of Copeland's Illegal Records .I.R.S...
for North America, which released the album there in July 1987. "Throw Your Arms Around Me" peaked at #49 on the Australian singles charts in 1986, but it became one of their most popular songs, voted in the Top 5 on the Triple J Hottest 100 for 1989, 1990, and 1991.
After Human Frailty the band toured USA twice and released their third EP, Living Daylight produced by Greg Edward and released in Australia in April 1987. It was followed by their next album, What's a Few Men?
What's a Few Men?
What's a Few Men? is the fifth album released by Australian band Hunters & Collectors. It was released in 1987. The album's title was drawn from Albert Facey's memoir A Fortunate Life....
, also produced by Edward and released in November, it peaked at #16. It featured the singles for "Do You See What I See" and "Still Hangin' Round". The latter was deemed to be too "Australian" and cut from the American configuration, it was retitled Fate and released in September 1988, three other songs were recorded for this version, including "Back on the Breadline", which charted at #6 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Modern Rock Tracks. The August 2003 re-issue of What's a Few Men featured all 15 songs from the two versions.
Guitarist Barry Palmer (ex-Harem Scarem) joined the band in 1988. Ghost Nation
Ghost Nation
Ghost Nation is an album released by Australian band Hunters & Collectors in 1989. It was released in Australia on White/Mushroom Records and reached No.5 on the national album chart....
, produced by Clive Martin and released in November 1989, was their second Australian Top Ten album. It featured the single "When the River Runs Dry", which peaked at #23 in Australia and #5 on Billboard Modern Rock Tracks in 1990. Hunters & Collectors were support to Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
's North American tour of 1990 and, although the band struggled to find further success in the US and elsewhere, they maintained their status in Australia as local favourites. The compilation Collected Works was released in 1990, and was another Top Ten album. It contained a third version of "Throw Your Arms Around Me" to be released as a single, which peaked at #34. Another single, "Where Do You Go", which was produced by Nick Sansano
Nick Sansano
Nick Sansano is an American record producer, engineer, and musician. He coproduced and recorded Sonic Youth's albums Daydream Nation and Goo. He also engineered and mixed selections from Public Enemy's albums It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Fear of a Black Planet and Muse...
and released in late 1991 also reached the Top 40.
1992–1998: Cut to Under One Roof
In October 1992, Hunters & Collectors released CutCut (Hunters and Collectors album)
Cut is a 1992 album by Australian rock band Hunters & Collectors. Produced by American Don Gehman , it reached No. 6 on the Australian album chart...
with producers Don Gehman
Don Gehman
Don Gehman is an American record producer, best known for his work in the 1980s with John Mellencamp.Gehman grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and played bass in a local rock band...
and Nick Sansano, and although the relationship was apparently strained at times, due to Gehman's combative working methods, Cut peaked at #6. It retained a balance between the band's artistic core and its commercial ambitions and provided the anthemic single "Holy Grail
Holy Grail (song)
Holy Grail is a song performed by the Australian band Hunters & Collectors on their 1992 album Cut. With lyrics referring to popular Holy Grail mythology, the song is an anthemic single inspired by Napoleon's march to Russia in 1812, but also referencing the Hunters and Collectors' flagging...
", inspired by Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
's march to Russia in 1812 but also reflecting the band's own flagging attempts to "crack" the American market. The song is often put in context with the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL), and was Channel 10
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
's theme song for their AFL coverage from 2002–2006, it was sung by Seymour at the 2002 AFL Grand Final, although he doesn't follow the game. Another single from the album, "True Tears of Joy" peaked at #14 to become their highest charting single.
Demon Flower
Demon Flower
Demon Flower is the ninth Hunters & Collectors album and was released in 1994. It reached #2 in the Australian charts and has been certified Gold by the ARIA.-Track listing:All songs lyrics written by Mark Seymour, music by Hunters & Collectors....
followed in May 1994, produced by Nick Mainsbridge, it peaked at #2 and provided "Easy" and three other singles. Demon Flower was dominated by themes relating to the politics in the state of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, particularly the economic rationalist
Economic rationalism
Economic rationalism is an Australian term in discussion of microeconomic policy, applicable to the economic policy of many governments around the world, in particular during the 1980s and 1990s....
policies of Premier Jeff Kennett
Jeff Kennett
Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC , a former Australian politician, was the Premier of Victoria between 1992 and 1999. He is currently the President of Hawthorn Football Club. He is the founding Chairman of beyondblue, a national depression initiative.- Early life :Kennett was born in Melbourne on 2 March...
. A double live album, Living ... In Large Rooms and Lounges, was released in November 1995, with one disc consisting of an acoustic set at the defunct Continental Cafe in Prahran, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and the other being a more typical pub performance. Juggernaut, their last studio album was produced by Kalju Tonuma
Kalju Tonuma
Kalju Tonuma is a music producer, engineer, mixer, and occasional performer based in Melbourne, Australia. He played guitar as a member of Deadstar in 1998...
and Mark Opitz. The album was recorded in 1997 and released in January 1998, it featured the single "True Believers". With its release, Hunters & Collectors announced they would disband after the Juggernaut tour.
Hunters & Collectors embarked on their final tour of Australia in 1998, with a concert performed at Selina's, Coogee Bay
Coogee, New South Wales
Coogee is a beachside suburb of local government area City of Randwick. It is located 8 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is also a part of the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney....
Hotel, Sydney being recorded and released on CD and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
as Under One Roof
Under One Roof (album)
Under One Roof is a live album by Australian rock group Hunters and Collectors, released in 1998. It was recorded at one of the band's last performances at the Coogee Bay Hotel in Sydney.-Track listing:#"Where Do You Go?" – 4:47...
. The group's last public show was on 22 March in Melbourne. According to rock historian, Ian McFarlane, their "great achievement was to lay bare human emotions in the intensely ritualistic milieu of the pub-rock gig".
1999–current: Post-breakup
Subsequent to the group's disbandment in 1998, Mark Seymour and Jack Howard have both pursued solo musical careers. Barry Palmer is now a producer/songwriter and was the subject of the 2005 reality TV series The Hit Game. In the mid-nineties he was a member of the band DeadstarDeadstar
Deadstar was an Australian band from Melbourne based around the songs of singer Caroline Kennedy and guitarist Barry Palmer ....
.
"Throw Your Arms Around Me" has been performed by many bands and individuals, including Crowded House
Crowded House
Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Australia and led by New Zealand singer-songwriter Neil Finn. Finn is the primary songwriter and creative director of the band, having led it through several incarnations, drawing members from New Zealand , Australia and the United States...
, Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
, Luka Bloom
Luka Bloom
Luka Bloom is an Irish folk-rock singer-songwriter. He is the younger brother of Irish folk singer Christy Moore.-Early life:...
, and Australian musical comedy trio the Doug Anthony All Stars
Doug Anthony All Stars
The Doug Anthony All Stars were an Australian musical comedy group who performed together between 1984 and 1994. The band was an acoustic trio comprising Paul McDermott and Tim Ferguson on main vocals and Richard Fidler on guitar and backing vocals...
(and subsequently by member Paul McDermott
Paul McDermott (comedian)
Paul McDermott is an Australian comedian, actor, writer, director, singer, artist and television host. He currently hosts the satirical news-based 'Good News World' a follow up to quiz show Good News Week which airs in Australia on Network Ten...
.) In May 2001 it was recognised by the Australasian Performing Right Association
Australasian Performing Right Association
The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth...
(APRA) as one of the Top 30 Australian songs
APRA Top 30 Australian songs
APRA's Top 30 Australian songs between 1926 and 2001 was a list created by the Australasian Performing Right Association to celebrate its 75th anniversary...
of all time.
On 14 July 2005, Hunters & Collectors were recognised as icons by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) when inducted into their Hall of Fame
ARIA Hall of Fame
Since 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association has inducted artists into its ARIA Hall of Fame. While most have been recognised at the annual ARIA Music Awards, in 2005 ARIA sought to create a separate standalone "ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame" event as only one or two acts could be inducted...
at the Plaza Ballroom alongside Split Enz
Split Enz
Split Enz were a New Zealand band of the 1970s and early 1980s featuring Phil Judd and brothers Tim Finn and Neil Finn. They achieved chart success in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada during the early 1980s ‒ most notably with the single "I Got You", and built a cult following elsewhere...
, Renée Geyer
Renée Geyer
Renée Rebecca Geyer is an Australian singer who has long been regarded as one of the finest exponents of jazz, soul and R&B idioms. She had commercial success as a solo artist in Australia, with "It's a Man's Man's World", "Heading in the Right Direction" and "Stares and Whispers" in the 1970s and...
, Normie Rowe
Normie Rowe
Norman John "Normie" Rowe AM was a major male solo performer of Australian pop music in the 1960s. Known for his bright and edgy tenor voice and dynamic stage presence, many of Rowe's most successful recordings were produced by Pat Aulton, house producer for the Sunshine Records, Spin Records and...
, Smoky Dawson
Smoky Dawson
Smoky Dawson, MBE , born Herbert Henry Dawson, was an Australian country music performer. He was widely touted as Australia's first singing cowboy.-Biography:...
and The Easybeats
The Easybeats
The Easybeats were an Australian rock and roll band. They formed in Sydney in late 1964 and broke up at the end of 1969. They are regarded as the greatest Australian pop band of the 1960s, and were the first Australian rock and roll act to score an international pop hit with their 1966 single...
. They were inducted into the Hall of Fame by Peter Garrett
Peter Garrett
Peter Robert Garrett, AM, MP , is an Australian musician, environmentalist, activist and politician.Garrett was lead singer of the Australian rock band Midnight Oil from 1973 until its disbanding in 2002...
former lead singer of tour mates Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
, Hunters & Collectors provided a one-off performance of "Say Goodbye" and "Throw Your Arms Around Me".
Hunters & Collectors played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
on 14 March 2009 for Sound Relief
Sound Relief
Sound Relief was a multi-venue rock music concert held on 14 March 2009, which was announced by the Premier of Victoria, John Brumby on 24 February 2009...
, which was a multi-venue rock music concert in support of relief for the Victorian Bushfire Crisis
February 2009 Victorian bushfires
The Black Saturday bushfires were a series of bushfires that ignited or were burning across the Australian state of Victoria on and around Saturday, 7 February 2009...
. The event was held simultaneously with a concert at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
. All the proceeds from the Melbourne Concert went to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire relief. Appearing with Hunters & Collectors in Melbourne were, Augie March
Augie March
Augie March are an Australian indie/pop rock band. Formed in 1996 in Shepparton, Victoria, the band currently consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Glenn Richards, lead guitarist Adam Donovan, bassist Edmondo Ammendola, drummer David Williams, and keyboardist Kiernan Box...
, Bliss N Eso with Paris Wells, Gabriella Cilmi
Gabriella Cilmi
Gabriella Lucia Cilmi is an Australian singer-songwriter. In 2008, Cilmi was awarded six ARIA awards including Single of the Year and Best Female Artist....
, Kasey Chambers
Kasey Chambers
Kasey Chambers is an Australian country singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of steel guitar player Bill Chambers, and the sister of musician and producer Nash Chambers.-Solo success:...
& Shane Nicholson with Troy Cassar-Daley
Troy Cassar-Daley
Troy Cassar-Daley is a multi-award-winning country musician from New South Wales, Australia.He released his first EP, "Dream Out Loud", in 1994 and was nominated for his first Golden Guitar for Best Male Vocalist the same year...
, Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson (musician)
Jack Johnson was born May 18, 1975 is an American folk rock singer-songwriter, surfer and musician known for his work in the soft rock and acoustic genres. In 2001, he achieved commercial success after the release of his debut album, Brushfire Fairytales. He has since released four more albums, a...
, Jet
Jet (band)
Jet are an Australian rock band formed in 2001 while attending St Bede's College Mentone in Melbourne, . The band consists of lead guitarist Cameron Muncey, bassist Mark Wilson, and brothers Nic and Chris Cester on vocals/rhythm guitar and drums respectively...
, Kings Of Leon
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
, Liam Finn
Liam Finn
Liam Mullane Finn is a New Zealand musician and songwriter. Born in Australia, he moved to New Zealand as a child...
(joined on stage with Crowded House
Crowded House
Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Australia and led by New Zealand singer-songwriter Neil Finn. Finn is the primary songwriter and creative director of the band, having led it through several incarnations, drawing members from New Zealand , Australia and the United States...
), Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
, Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly (musician)
Paul Maurice Kelly is an Australian rock music singer-songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player. He has performed solo, and has led numerous groups, including the Dots, the Coloured Girls, and the Messengers. He has worked with other artists and groups, including associated projects Professor...
, Split Enz
Split Enz
Split Enz were a New Zealand band of the 1970s and early 1980s featuring Phil Judd and brothers Tim Finn and Neil Finn. They achieved chart success in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada during the early 1980s ‒ most notably with the single "I Got You", and built a cult following elsewhere...
and Wolfmother
Wolfmother
Wolfmother is an Australian rock band from Erskineville, Sydney. Formed in 2000, the group was originally a trio composed of vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale, bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett. Wolfmother released their self-titled debut album in October 2005,...
. The Band performed a selection of their most popular songs over a 40 minute set, including an encore performance of The Slab. The Sound Relief concert, including the Hunters & Collectors set, was broadcast on Australian cable TV and FM radio, and available on DVD.
In 2009 Hunters & Collectors - "Throw Your Arms Around Me" was voted number # 23 in Triple J's hottest 100 of all time
Triple J Hottest 100 of All Time, 2009
The Triple J Hottest 100 of All Time was a music poll conducted in 2009 amongst listeners of Australian youth radio network Triple J. Over half a million votes were compiled, with Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" collecting the highest number of votes. Voters could submit a list of up to ten...
.
Studio albums
- Hunters and Collectors (White Label L42002, 26 July 1982) AUS #21, NZ #14
- The Fireman's Curse (White Label L38066, 6 September 1983) AUS #77, NZ #46
- The Jaws of Life (White Label L38222, 6 August 1984) AUS #89, NZ #37
- Human FrailtyHuman FrailtyHuman Frailty is an album released by Australian band Hunters & Collectors in 1986. It was their commercial breakthrough album in Australia, and a commercial and critical success...
(White Label RML53205, 7 April 1986) AUS #10, NZ #5 - What's a Few Men?What's a Few Men?What's a Few Men? is the fifth album released by Australian band Hunters & Collectors. It was released in 1987. The album's title was drawn from Albert Facey's memoir A Fortunate Life....
(White Label RML53253, 16 November 1987) AUS #16, NZ #9 - Fate (White Label D30455, 1988) [international version of What's a Few Men?]
- Ghost NationGhost NationGhost Nation is an album released by Australian band Hunters & Collectors in 1989. It was released in Australia on White/Mushroom Records and reached No.5 on the national album chart....
(White Label TVD93314, November 1989) AUS #10, NZ #29 - CutCut (Hunters and Collectors album)Cut is a 1992 album by Australian rock band Hunters & Collectors. Produced by American Don Gehman , it reached No. 6 on the Australian album chart...
(White Label TVD93364, 6 October 1992) AUS #6, NZ #17 - Demon FlowerDemon FlowerDemon Flower is the ninth Hunters & Collectors album and was released in 1994. It reached #2 in the Australian charts and has been certified Gold by the ARIA.-Track listing:All songs lyrics written by Mark Seymour, music by Hunters & Collectors....
(White Label TVD93401, 16 May 1994) AUS #2, NZ #9 - Juggernaut (White Label MUSH33081.2, 26 January 1998) AUS #36, NZ #48
Studio EPs
- World of Stone (January 1982) AUS #50
- Payload (White Label X14002, December 1982) NZ #31
- Living Daylight (April 1987) AUS #41, NZ #25
Live albums
- The Way to Go Out (CD, video, DVD) (White Label L27148, 6 May 1985) AUS #76, NZ #21
- Living ... In Large Rooms and Lounges (White Label D98017, 27 November 1995) AUS #45
- Under One RoofUnder One Roof (album)Under One Roof is a live album by Australian rock group Hunters and Collectors, released in 1998. It was recorded at one of the band's last performances at the Coogee Bay Hotel in Sydney.-Track listing:#"Where Do You Go?" – 4:47...
(live) (White Label MUSH33176.2, 11 November 1998) - Hunters & Collectors - Greatest Hits Live (live) (Liberation Music 0401047, 3 June 2011)
Compilation albums
- Collected Works (CD, video) (White Label TVD93338, 19 November 1990) AUS #6, NZ #26
- Natural Selection (CD, 2CD, DVD) (Liberation BLUE034.5, 13 October 2003) AUS #40
- Mutations (CD) (Liberation BLUE027.2, 2005) [B-Sides and Rarities album]
- Horn Of Plenty ltd. ed. box set (14 CDs + 2 DVDs) (Liberation HUNTERSBOX, 2008)
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart peak positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
NZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
US Mod |
|||
| 1982 | "World of Stone" | 50 | — | World of Stone EP | |
| "Talking to a Stranger" | 59 | — | Hunters & Collectors | ||
| "Lumps of Lead" | — | — | Payload EP | ||
| 1983 | "Judas Sheep" | — | 35 | The Fireman's Curse | |
| "Sway" | — | — | |||
| 1984 | "Betty's Worry or the Slab" | — | — | The Jaws of Life | |
| "Carry Me" | — | — | |||
| "Throw Your Arms Around Me Throw Your Arms Around Me -Personnel:Hunters & Collectors members*John Archer — bass guitar*Geoffrey Crosby — keyboards*Douglas Falconer — drums*John 'Jack' Howard — trumpet*Mark Seymour — vocals, lead guitar*Michael Waters — trombone... " |
— | 28 | single-only release | ||
| 1986 | "Say Goodbye" | 24 | 20 | — | Human Frailty Human Frailty Human Frailty is an album released by Australian band Hunters & Collectors in 1986. It was their commercial breakthrough album in Australia, and a commercial and critical success... |
| "Throw Your Arms Around Me" | 49 | — | — | ||
| "Everything's on Fire" | 78 | 44 | — | ||
| "Is There Anybody in There?" | — | 41 | — | ||
| 1987 | "Inside a Fireball" | 41 | — | — | Living Daylight EP |
| "Do You See What I See?" | 33 | 13 | — | What's a Few Men? What's a Few Men? What's a Few Men? is the fifth album released by Australian band Hunters & Collectors. It was released in 1987. The album's title was drawn from Albert Facey's memoir A Fortunate Life.... |
|
| 1988 | "Still Hangin' 'Round" | — | 48 | — | |
| "Back on the Breadline" | 41 | — | 6 | ||
| 1989 | "When the River Runs Dry" | 23 | 41 | 5 | Ghost Nation Ghost Nation Ghost Nation is an album released by Australian band Hunters & Collectors in 1989. It was released in Australia on White/Mushroom Records and reached No.5 on the national album chart.... |
| 1990 | "Blind Eye" | 42 | — | — | |
| "The Way You Live" | 75 | — | — | ||
| "Love All Over Again" | — | — | — | ||
| "Throw Your Arms Around Me" | 34 | — | — | Collected Works | |
| 1991 | "Where Do You Go?" | 33 | 49 | — | Cut Cut (Hunters and Collectors album) Cut is a 1992 album by Australian rock band Hunters & Collectors. Produced by American Don Gehman , it reached No. 6 on the Australian album chart... |
| 1992 | "Head Above Water" | 64 | — | — | |
| "We the People" | 70 | 36 | — | ||
| "True Tears of Joy" | 14 | 47 | — | ||
| 1993 | "Holy Grail Holy Grail (song) Holy Grail is a song performed by the Australian band Hunters & Collectors on their 1992 album Cut. With lyrics referring to popular Holy Grail mythology, the song is an anthemic single inspired by Napoleon's march to Russia in 1812, but also referencing the Hunters and Collectors' flagging... " |
20 | 25 | — | |
| "Imaginary Girl" | 82 | — | — | ||
| 1994 | "Easy" | 38 | 38 | — | Demon Flower Demon Flower Demon Flower is the ninth Hunters & Collectors album and was released in 1994. It reached #2 in the Australian charts and has been certified Gold by the ARIA.-Track listing:All songs lyrics written by Mark Seymour, music by Hunters & Collectors.... |
| "Back in the Hole" | — | — | — | ||
| "Drop in the Ocean" | — | — | — | ||
| 1995 | "The One and Only You" | — | — | — | |
| 1997 | "Higher Plane" | — | — | — | Juggernaut |
| 1998 | "Suit Your Style" | — | — | — | |
| 2003 | "Debris" | — | — | — | Unnatural Selection |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country. | |||||
Personnel
Listed chronologically:- John Archer — electric bass, backing vocals (1981–1998)
- Nigel Crocker — tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
(1981–1982) - Geoff Crosby — keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, artwork (1981–1985) - Doug Falconer — drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, programming, backing vocals (1981–1998) - Jack Howard — trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, keyboards, backing vocals (1981–1998) - Andy Lynn — trumpet (1981–1982)
- Chris Malherbe — trumpet (1981–1982)
- Robert Miles — live soundAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
/mixingMixing engineerA mix engineer is the person responsible for incorporating all the different recorded elements of music to make the final version of a song. These mixing professionals have many years of experience and training with audio equipment which has enabled them to master the art of audio mixing...
, art/designArt directorThe art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
(1981–1998) - Greg Perano — percussion (1981–1983)
- Mark SeymourMark SeymourMark Seymour is an Australian musician and vocalist best known for his work as the frontman and songwriter of rock band Hunters & Collectors...
— lead vocal, lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
(1981–1998) - Jeremy Smith — French hornHorn (instrument)The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
, guitars, keyboards, programming, backing vocals (1981–1998) - Ray Tosti-Guerra — guitar, backing vocals (1981–1982)
- Michael Waters — trombone, keyboards (1981–1998)
- Martin Lubran — guitar (1982–1983)
- Barry PalmerBarry Palmer (musician)Barry Palmer is an Australian musician, songwriter and record producer based in Melbourne, best known as a member of the band Hunters & Collectors, from 1988-1998.-History:...
— lead guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1988–1998)
External links
- Official website
- Hunters & Collectors discography at BillboardBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
- www.markseymour.com.au Official Mark Seymour website
- Interview with Jeremy Smith on 3RRR FM