The Sports

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Sports

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Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = Melbourne, Victoria Australia
Genre = Rock
New Wave
Years_active = 1976 - 1981
Label = Mushroom Records
Sire Records
Arista
Stiff Records
Raven Records
Festival Records
Associated_acts = Pelaco Brothers
URL =
Current_members =
Past_members = Stephen Cummings, Andrew Pendlebury, Robert Glover, Paul Hutchins, Ed Bates, Jim Niven, Red Symons, Freddie Strauks, Martin Armiger

The Sports were a popular Australian rock group that performed and recorded between 1976 and 1981.

Based in Melbourne, Victoria, the group released a number of successful singles and albums. Their sound fit well with both 1970s British pub rock bands (such as Brinsley Schwarz) and British New Wave (such as Elvis Costello). Their best known songs include "Boys (What Did The Detective Say?)", "Don't Throw Stones", "When You Walk In The Room", "How Come", "Who Listens To The Radio?", "Perhaps" and "Strangers on a Train".

Biography

The Sports were formed in 1976 by Stephen Cummings who was the singer of Melbourne rockabilly group, The Pelaco Brothers, (which comprised Cummings, Joe Camilleri, Peter Lillie and Johnny Topper). Cummings, togther with Andrew Pendlebury (ex-Myriad), Ed Bates (Ex-Pelaco Brothers), Robert Glover (ex-Myriad), Jim Niven (ex-captain Matchbox Whoopee Band) [cite web|url=http://www.milesago.com/artists/matchbox.htm |title=The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band|publisher=Milesago |accessdate=2008-06-26] and Paul Hitchins. Cummings recalls

"I just vaguely met people and dragged them into it. I always wanted Andrew in the group as a guitarist and I had an idea for a rockabilly country sound. But I always wanted to change it because I really liked the MC5 and wanted to make it more like that as well."cite web |url=http://www.lovetown.net/articles/97juice.html |title=The Good Sport |publisher=Juice Magazine |last=Creswell |first=Toby |date=September, 1997 |accessdate=2008-06-26]

The Sports started its recording career in early 1977 by pressing 500 copies of an independently produced EP, "Fair Game". A friend in London posted the record to the New Musical Express which declared it 'Record Of The Week'. [cite web|url=http://www.mushroommusic.com.au/songwriters/songwriter.asp?id=268 |title=Songwriters: Cummings, Stephen |publisher=Mushroom Music Publishing |accessdate=2008-06-26] The Sports finding themselves right in tune with the very latest music trend dominating London rock. They became part of the promise of a new beginning for song-based rock as an antidote to punk, dubbed New Wave. "We were totally surprised," Cummings says of the NME review.

"It was the last thing you'd expect. It was my making and my undoing in some ways. When you have everything go right so quickly you expect that everything after that is going to be good and that easy. It meant that I probably didn't put myself out as much as I should have."

The Sports broke up in 1981 with lead singer Stephen Cummings going on a successful solo singing career. Guitarist Martin Armiger became a successful composer for film and TV.

Members

* Martin Armiger - guitar (1978-1981)
* Ed Bates - guitar (1976-1978)
* Stephen Cummings - vocals (1976-1981)
* Robert Glover - bass (1976-1981)
* Paul Hitchins - drums (1976-1980)
* Iain McLennan - drums (1980)
* Jim Niven - vocals, keyboards (1976-1980)
* Andrew Pendlebury - guitar, vocals (1976-1981)
* Freddie Strauks - drums (1980-1981)
* Red Symons - keyboards (1980)

Discography

Albums/EPs

* "Fair Game" (EP) - Zac Records (1977) - limited to 500 copies
* "Reckless" - Mushroom Records (1978) #43 AUS
* "Don't Throw Stones" - Mushroom/Arista/Sire (February, 1979) #9 AUS
* "So Obvious" (EP) - Stiff (1979)
* "O.K., U.K.!" (EP) - Mushroom (August, 1979) #40 AUS
* "Suddenly" - Mushroom/Arista (1980) #13 AUS
* "Sondra" - Mushroom (May, 1981) #20 AUS
* "The Sports play Dylan (and Donovan)" (EP) - Mushroom (1981) #70 AUS
* "All Sports" - Mushroom (1982) #35 AUS
* "Missin' Your Kissin"' - Raven (1987)
* "This Is Really Something" - Mushroom (1997)
* "Definitive Collection" - Festival (August, 2004)

ingles

* "Boys! (What Did The Dective Say)"/"Modern Don Jaun" - Mushroom (March, 1978) #55 AUS
* "When You Walk In The Room" - Mushroom (July, 1978) #42 AUS
* "Who Listens To The Radio?" - Mushroom/Ariola (November, 1978) #35 AUS, #50 US
* "Reckless"/"Mailed It To Your Sister" - Mushroom (1979)
* "Don't Throw Stones"/"Terror Hits" - Mushroom/Arista (March, 1979) #26 AUS
* "Suspicious Minds"/Bruises" - Mushroom (April, 1979) #74 AUS
* "Poor Mouth"/"Heart Of Darkness" - Mushroom (1980)
* "Strangers On A Train"/"Can't Ever Decide" (live) - Mushroom (March, 1980) #22 AUS
* "Perhaps" - Mushroom (April, 1980)
* "Stop The Talking"/"Big City Lights" - Mushroom (October, 1980)
* "How Come"/"Drug Sluts" - Mushroom (March, 1981) #21 AUS
* "When We Go Out Tonight"/"Some Brass Thing" - Mushroom (July, 1981)
* "Sunshine Superman"/"Cargo Cult" - Mushroom (November, 1981) #72 AUS

References

External links

* [http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=402 Australian Encyclopedia of Rock & Pop article]
* [http://lovetown.net/discog/sports.html Sports Discography]
* [http://www.whiteroom.com.au/howlspace/en2/sports/sports.htm HowlSpace]
* [http://lovetown.net/articles/79ram.html RAM magazine - June 29, 1979]