Pel Mel
Encyclopedia
Pel Mel was an Australian post-punk
music band. They formed in Newcastle
, Australia
in mid 1979 and moved to Sydney
, Australia in late 1980. They toured and recorded until 1984.
Pel Mel's early lineup included Graeme Dunne (guitar & vocals), Judy McGee (sax), Jane McGee (guitar), Glenn Hill (bass), Dave Weston (drums) and Nigel Savage (sax). By early 1980 Nigel Savage had left, and by late 1980 Lindsay O'Meara (ex-Voigt/465
) replaced Glenn Hill on bass. Judy McGee began playing keyboards in 1980 and began sharing vocals with Graeme Dunne. Jane McGee left in February 1981, and Craig Robertson replaced Lindsay O'Meara on bass in late 1981.
Pel Mel's first single, "No Word From China", was released in 1981 on Primate records (re-issued on GAP records), and was followed by the album Out Of Reason.
Pel Mel's second album, Persuasion, was recorded by a new lineup including Graeme Dunne on vocals, bass and guitar, Paul Davies on guitar, Judy McGee on vocals, keyboards and saxophone and Dave Weston on drums.
Acclaimed Australian producer Tony Cohen
produced both albums. He later produced albums by notable Australian artists The Birthday Party (band)
, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Hunters & Collectors
and The Go-Betweens
.
Pel Mel moved from an early punk-influenced sound to a distinctive pop sound, and were a backbone of the thriving inner Sydney music scene in the early 1980s. Other bands associated with this scene include Pel Mel offshoot band The Limp, Wild West, Tactics, The Particles, Scapa Flow and the bands from the M Squared label and studio.
"No Word From China" was included on Tales From The Australian Underground, a collection of key Australian independent singles from 1976-1989.
Pel Mel have been cited as an influence by some of Australia's later rock acts. In 2003, Glen Bennie of Underground Lovers
, cited them as one of his favourite bands, with Persuasion one of his top 3 Australian records. Australian social commentator, academic and writer, Philip Brophy
, cites Pel Mel as a representative of the Australian musical avant garde rock in his essay "Avant-Garde Rock - History In The Making"http://www.philipbrophy.com/projects/rstff/AvantGardeRock_M.html published in the 1987 collection Missing In Action - Australian Popular Music In Perspective (edited Marcus Breen).
The Pel Mel track, "Pandemonium", was covered by Sobriquet Vs Other People's Children on the Re-fashioned - Antipodean Classics compilation on the Groovescooter label in 2001.http://www.groovescooter.com/catalogue/refashioned.html
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...
music band. They formed in Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in mid 1979 and moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia in late 1980. They toured and recorded until 1984.
Pel Mel's early lineup included Graeme Dunne (guitar & vocals), Judy McGee (sax), Jane McGee (guitar), Glenn Hill (bass), Dave Weston (drums) and Nigel Savage (sax). By early 1980 Nigel Savage had left, and by late 1980 Lindsay O'Meara (ex-Voigt/465
Voigt/465
Voigt/465 were an Australian post-punk band based in Sydney. They were a feature of the Sydney inner-city music-scene during the late 1970s and their music was critically acclaimed. Their sound was influenced by Krautrock and has been described by a band-member as an “unsettling mixture of...
) replaced Glenn Hill on bass. Judy McGee began playing keyboards in 1980 and began sharing vocals with Graeme Dunne. Jane McGee left in February 1981, and Craig Robertson replaced Lindsay O'Meara on bass in late 1981.
Pel Mel's first single, "No Word From China", was released in 1981 on Primate records (re-issued on GAP records), and was followed by the album Out Of Reason.
Pel Mel's second album, Persuasion, was recorded by a new lineup including Graeme Dunne on vocals, bass and guitar, Paul Davies on guitar, Judy McGee on vocals, keyboards and saxophone and Dave Weston on drums.
Acclaimed Australian 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...
produced both albums. He later produced albums by notable Australian artists The Birthday Party (band)
The Birthday Party (band)
The Birthday Party were an Australian rock band, active from 1973 to 1983.Despite being championed by John Peel, The Birthday Party found little commercial success during their career...
, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Hunters & Collectors
Hunters & Collectors
Hunters & Collectors were an Australian rock music band formed in Melbourne in 1981, fronted by singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Seymour, they developed a blend of pub rock and art-funk...
and The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens were an indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Australia in 1977 by singer-songwriters and guitarists, Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. They were later joined by Lindy Morrison on drums, Robert Vickers on bass guitar and Amanda Brown on violin, oboe, guitar, and backing vocals,...
.
Pel Mel moved from an early punk-influenced sound to a distinctive pop sound, and were a backbone of the thriving inner Sydney music scene in the early 1980s. Other bands associated with this scene include Pel Mel offshoot band The Limp, Wild West, Tactics, The Particles, Scapa Flow and the bands from the M Squared label and studio.
"No Word From China" was included on Tales From The Australian Underground, a collection of key Australian independent singles from 1976-1989.
Pel Mel have been cited as an influence by some of Australia's later rock acts. In 2003, Glen Bennie of Underground Lovers
Underground Lovers
Underground Lovers are an Australian alternative rock band and one of the most lauded music acts in the country's alternative scene throughout the 1990s. While the band has experienced many lineup changes during its existence, the nucleus of the band since its inception has been Vincent M...
, cited them as one of his favourite bands, with Persuasion one of his top 3 Australian records. Australian social commentator, academic and writer, Philip Brophy
Philip Brophy
Philip Brophy, born in Reservoir, Melbourne 1959 is an Australian musician, composer, sound designer, filmmaker, writer, graphic designer, educator and academic.-Music:...
, cites Pel Mel as a representative of the Australian musical avant garde rock in his essay "Avant-Garde Rock - History In The Making"http://www.philipbrophy.com/projects/rstff/AvantGardeRock_M.html published in the 1987 collection Missing In Action - Australian Popular Music In Perspective (edited Marcus Breen).
The Pel Mel track, "Pandemonium", was covered by Sobriquet Vs Other People's Children on the Re-fashioned - Antipodean Classics compilation on the Groovescooter label in 2001.http://www.groovescooter.com/catalogue/refashioned.html
Singles
- "No Word From China" (1981, Primate) re-issued on GAP
- "Water" (1981, GAP)
- "Head Above Water" (1981, GAP)
- "Blind Lead The Blind" (1982, GAP)
- "Shoes Should Fit" (1983, GAP)
- "Pandemonium" (1983, GAP)
Albums
- Out Of Reason (1982, GAP, GAPLP2001)
- Persuasion (1983, GAP, GAPA2002)
- Live 1980 (Inner City Sound, 1808CD)