Hoodoo Gurus frontman Dave Faulkner has previewed the band’s upcoming anniversary tour of Australia.
The iconic band will celebrate the 45th anniversary of their formation on the road later this year.
The ‘Rewind Tour — All Killer, No Filler’ will take them to Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne — for Live at the Gardens — and Brisbane in November and December.
Hoodoo Gurus will be joined by two very special guests in Sydney’s Ratcat and Perth’s The Stems at all shows.
Speaking with Rolling Stone AU/NZ months ahead of the tour, Faulkner had high praise for both support acts.
“I think they’re a good band and we always loved them back when they played with us before,” he said of Ratcat. “We shared bills back in the day and we toured together, and they were great. And Simon [Day, frontman] is a fantastic person. And they were one of those bands that came in our wake that were stealing our thunder, in the sense that they’re the pop darlings now and you’ve already got your career.
“And we know what you’re doing, but who are these guys and what are they about to do? And aren’t they fabulous? And isn’t he a good-looking guy?’ as well. And all the girls are hot for him, ‘cause he’s very nice looking and a very great person. So curse him for that [laughs]. But he’s also a good songwriter and so, yeah!
“Ratcat had a nice career and I don’t know the ins and outs of how they eventually folded up the tent, but I’m glad they’re coming back out and having some fun.”
On The Stems, Faulkner said, “We do meet in that ‘60s psychedelic basement; that’s the roots of [The Stems] and the same with us [Hoodoo Gurus]… They’re a great band and, as I say, we have that commonality – it makes sense that we’re on the same show together, but we’re not doing exactly the same thing.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Faulkner discussed the band’s reputation.
“People say we’re a great singles band and we are, ‘cause the songs are memorable and they’re still hanging around so that says something,” he told Rolling Stone AU/NZ. “But as far as chart performance, we’ve underperformed. I mean, we’ve never had a number one. The closest we got was number three, with ‘What’s My Scene’. But we were never chart-toppers.
“When the songs are still alive and vital – that, to me, is great. And they don’t sound like they belong in a bygone era… The way they’re recorded might sound of its era, but the songs themselves are still communicating just as vitally as they ever did and that’s really incredible to me. As a songwriter, I’m really proud of that.”
Tour information is available here.
