The Moodists

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Moodists


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Background = group_or_band
Origin = Melbourne, Australia
Genre = Rock
Years_active = 1980–1987
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Current_members =
Past_members = Dave Graney Clare Moore Steve Miller Chris Walsh Mick Turner David McClymont Malcolm Ross

The Moodists were an Australian post-punk band that formed in 1980, when Dave Graney, Clare Moore and Steve Miller of punk group The Sputniks moved from Adelaide to Melbourne. They added bass player Chris Walsh and later added guitarist Mick Turner.

After recording two singles and a six track EP for Bruce Milne and Greta Moon's Au Go Go label in Melbourne they relocated to London. This was at the behest of the Red Flame label who had released a compilation of their Australian releases. They then recorded the albums "Thirstys Calling" (1984) and "Double Life" (1985).

They returned to Australia in 1985 for six months and then travelled again to the UK. During this time they toured extensively through Northern Europe and also made a short tour of the USA. In 1985 they recorded an EP for Creation Records. In 1986 they released two EPs on the TIM label. All their recorded works from the time they first decamped to the northern hemisphere were produced by the band and Victor Van Vugt (who went on to work with Nick Cave, Beth Orton and PJ Harvey as well as many others) Their final gig was in London and the lineup by this time featured Dave Graney, Clare Moore and Steve Miller as well as former members of Scottish band Orange Juice: David McClymont on bass and Malcolm Ross on guitar. (Malcolm Ross was later to play with Graney and Moore as part of the original Coral Snakes). After they disbanded in 1987, Dave Graney and Clare Moore formed the first of Graney's solo groups 'Dave Graney with the Coral Snakes'. This band featured Malcolm Ross, Gordy Blair on bass and piano player Louis Vause. They recorded an ep for Fire Records which was produced by Barry Adamson. Turner reconvened his earlier group Fungus Brains, and would later form The Dirty Three.

In 2003 a retrospective CD "Two Fisted Art" was released on the W.Minc label (run by guitarist Steve Miller) and the band reformed for a limited number of live performances in Melbourne. In 2004 a DVD of a performance recorded for British television in 1984 was released by Umbrella Entertainment. The band were asked for any contributions and they reconvened for a filmed interview for the disc as well as providing footage from Mick Harvey's private archives and also film of another, more raw performance at the Hacienda in Manchester.

Discography

Albums

*"Engine Shudder" mini-album (Au Go Go Records, 1983)
*"Thirsty's Calling" LP (Red Flame/Virgin Records, 1984)(Virgin Records Australia 1984)
*"Double Life" UK only mini-album (Red Flame/Virgin Records, 1985)
*"Two Fisted Art" retrospective double CD (W.Minc, 2003)

ingles & EPs

*"Where The Trees Walk Down Hill" (Au Go Go Records, 1981)
*"Gone Dead/Chad's Car" (Au Go Go Records, 1982)
*"The Disciples Know" (Red Flame/Virgin Records, 1983)
*"Runaway" (Red Flame/Virgin Records, 1984)
*"Enough Legs To Live On" (Red Flame/Virgin Records, 1985)
*"Justice And Money Too" (Creation Records, 1985)
*"Take The Red Carpet Out Of Town" (TIM Records,1986)
*"The Moodists" (TIM Records,1986)

ee also

*Dave Graney
*Dirty Three

External links