Tojo (song)
Encyclopedia
"Tojo" aka "Tojo Never Made it to Darwin" was the second single by iconic Australian rock
group Hoodoo Gurus
and was released on Big Time
Records and distributed by EMI
in June, 1983. It was written by Dave Faulkner
. It was also featured on their first album Stoneage Romeos
(1984). Tojo in the title refers to the World War II Japanese General and Prime Minister Hideki Tōjō
.
"Tojo" saw the introduction of new band members Clyde Bramley and Brad Shepherd
, with Bramley providing bass, which had previously been noticeably absent from the band.
"Santa Never Made it Into Darwin" (1975) had been recorded by New Zealanders Bill (Cate) & Boyd (Robinson) and reached #1 in Australia during 1975, Cyclone Tracy
actually devastated Darwin on Christmas Eve / Christmas Day 1974.
"Tojo" was performed by You Am I
on the 2005 tribute album Stoneage Cameos (see Stoneage Romeos
); while (Let's All) Turn On was performed by The Wrights
.
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...
group Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band, formed in Sydney in 1981, by the mainstay Dave Faulkner and later joined by Richard Grossman , Mark Kingsmill , and Brad Shepherd...
and was released on Big Time
Big Time Records (label)
Big Time Records was an independent record label based in Sydney, Australia. The label was owned by Lance Reynolds and Fred Bestall, who managed Air Supply in their early days among others. From 1979 up until 1981 Big Time was distributed by Wizard Records, who were purchased by EMI Ltd...
Records and distributed by EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
in June, 1983. It was written by Dave Faulkner
Dave Faulkner (musician)
Dave Faulkner is an Australian rock musician who also performed as Dave Flick. Faulkner is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist; he has performed with several bands, but is best known as a member of Hoodoo Gurus...
. It was also featured on their first album Stoneage Romeos
Stoneage Romeos
Stoneage Romeos was iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' first album and saw them receive record sales to complement their already strong reputation for live performances. The album name is from a Three Stooges short film...
(1984). Tojo in the title refers to the World War II Japanese General and Prime Minister Hideki Tōjō
Hideki Tōjō
Hideki Tōjō was a general of the Imperial Japanese Army , the leader of the Taisei Yokusankai, and the 40th Prime Minister of Japan during most of World War II, from 17 October 1941 to 22 July 1944...
.
"Tojo" saw the introduction of new band members Clyde Bramley and Brad Shepherd
Brad Shepherd
Brad Shepherd is an Australian rock musician. Shepherd is a guitarist, singer-songwriter and harmonica player; he has performed with several bands, especially the Hoodoo Gurus...
, with Bramley providing bass, which had previously been noticeably absent from the band.
'"Tojo" was an 'answer song' to an Australian hit of a few years earlier, "Santa Never Made it Into Darwin" which had been released to raise money for the victims of Cyclone TracyCyclone TracyCyclone Tracy was a tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, 1974...
which had almost destroyed DarwinDarwin, Northern TerritoryDarwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
on Christmas Eve, 1975 (sic). During World War II the Japanese army invaded New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
but failed to reach Australia thanks to the heroic resistance however Darwin was bombed heavily and often.' - Dave Faulkner.
"Santa Never Made it Into Darwin" (1975) had been recorded by New Zealanders Bill (Cate) & Boyd (Robinson) and reached #1 in Australia during 1975, Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy was a tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, 1974...
actually devastated Darwin on Christmas Eve / Christmas Day 1974.
"Tojo" was performed by You Am I
You Am I
You Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by vocalist/guitarist and main songwriter Tim Rogers. They were the first Australian band to have three albums successively debut at #1 on the ARIA Charts, and are renowned for their live performances.-History:Tim Rogers formed the first...
on the 2005 tribute album Stoneage Cameos (see Stoneage Romeos
Stoneage Romeos
Stoneage Romeos was iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' first album and saw them receive record sales to complement their already strong reputation for live performances. The album name is from a Three Stooges short film...
); while (Let's All) Turn On was performed by The Wrights
The Wrights
The Wrights were a one-off Australian rock music "supergroup". They consisted of Nic Cester , Bernard Fanning , Phil Jamieson , Kram , Chris Cheney , Davey Lane and Pat Bourke...
.
Personnel
Credited to:- James BakerJames Baker (musician)James Baker is a rock musician from Perth, Western Australia. He has drummed with, and was instrumental in the founding of several influential Australian bands including The Scientists, Le Hoodoo Gurus, Beasts of Bourbon, and The Dubrovniks.-Early days:Baker has named Ronnie Bond of The Troggs as...
— drums - Clyde Bramley — bass, vocals
- Dave FaulknerDave Faulkner (musician)Dave Faulkner is an Australian rock musician who also performed as Dave Flick. Faulkner is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist; he has performed with several bands, but is best known as a member of Hoodoo Gurus...
— lead vocals, guitar - Brad ShepherdBrad ShepherdBrad Shepherd is an Australian rock musician. Shepherd is a guitarist, singer-songwriter and harmonica player; he has performed with several bands, especially the Hoodoo Gurus...
— guitar, vocals
- Producer — Alan Thorne
- Design (cover) — Yanni Stumbles, Faulkner
- Photo (rear cover) — Annie Sidlo