Ron Peno & Mick Medew

* I didn't realise the connection at the time of writing the previous post.  I knew both Screaming Tribesmen and Died Pretty had origins in Brisbane.  I did not know that Ron Peno co-wrote Igloo.  You learn something everyday.  So Igloo was recorded in 1982.  What a tune! Anyway it's all a little bit confusing but I'll try and explain the connections.  Ron Peno (lead singer of Died Pretty) was in a band called The Hellcats circa '77 whose drummer was Mark Kingsmall (later of Hoodoo Gurus fame).  The Hellcats would sometimes support Radio Birdman in their heyday in Sydney.  Ron then turned up in a band in Brisbane circa'79 called The 31st who included Mick Medew (later of Screaming Tribesmen) on guitar.  This is when the two wrote Igloo and A Stand Alone.  Before Peno left they played their last couple of gigs under the name The Died Pretty circa early '81.  Peno left they became The Screaming Tribesmen.

There was another band in Brisbane called The End who contained Brett Myers (future Died Pretty guitarist/songwriter).  apparently Ron loved em and used to say you need a frontman ie. Ron Peno. Myers and Peno became friends.  To cut a convoluted story short The End broke up in Sydney.  Myers started a collaboration with keyboardist/music journo Frank Brunetti (future Died Pretty keyboardist) doing Suicide-esqe tunes they eventually became a band called Final Solution with Peno out front.  Ron then revived the name Died Pretty and the rest is history.  Clear enough?

Anyway the early singles, eps and first 2 lps Free Dirt and Lost are quintessential 80s Sydney rock.  When Brunetti left they were never quite the same in my opinion.  The convoluted prehistory of the band is explained in more detail in the liner notes of the Aztec Music deluxe reissue of Free Dirt (which pretty much contains everything they did from 84-86 ie. pure fuckn' gold!).

Shoulda' been in the book part 1

This is beginning in my series of albums that should have been in the top 100 Australian albums book published a couple of years ago.  As stated above pure fuckn' gold.  Mars Needs Guitars by The Hoodoo Gurus was included over this ?  That record was so disappointing after Stoneage Romeos, one of the greatest debut albums of all time.  I remember thinking at the time 'a coupla great tunes doth not maketh a good follow up album!'  Don't get me wrong it's ok but...... 



Errr....couldn't resist

Everybody Moves

Died Pretty

Classic!