Tojo never made it to Darwin.
March 22, 2018 7:08 AM   Subscribe

'Stoneage Romeos' was the debut album for the Hoodoo Gurus. An homage of sorts to Hammer's ridiculously camp caveman b-movie One Million Years BC, it hinted towards the elemental joys contained within: day-glo colours, menacing Tyrannosaurus rex, cowering cavewoman, and a band logo that looked as if it had been drawn on the back of an exercise book during a particularly dull double maths session on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. Its cover was alluring and a statement all in itself.
posted by h00py (12 comments total) 26 users marked this as a favorite
 
I think I've put "I Want You Back" on every other mix tape I've made in the past 30 years. A glorious slab of power pop with an irresistible chorus.
posted by Bron at 7:52 AM on March 22, 2018 [10 favorites]


What a great article. The Gurus have been such a bedrock part of the landscape since forever, it's hard to remember how mind-blowing it was for them to have sprung up from nowhere so fully formed.
posted by whuppy at 8:16 AM on March 22, 2018


I love these guys. Great choice. "I Want You Back" is a classic --- I also suggest Mars Needs Guitars, Blow Your Cool and Magnum Cum Louder.
posted by bwvol at 8:26 AM on March 22, 2018 [2 favorites]


Great band. I saw them on a college tour in the mid80s and then again in 89.
posted by DaddyNewt at 10:03 AM on March 22, 2018


I Want You Back is my jam. I probably listen to it once a week. Great post 🦖
posted by supercrayon at 10:53 AM on March 22, 2018


Tojo never made it to Darwin

I can never hear the words "Tojo" or "Darwin" without getting this line in my head. "Togo" is close enough to have the same effect (and also triggers an audio clip of a BBC announcer saying "and plucky Togo" thanks to the repeated use of that phrase in coverage of the 2006 World Cup).

I saw the Gurus on the tour for Blue Cave and it was just a great show. Not theatric or bombastic or anything, but energetic and fun. I remember thinking at the time how the show was really the epitome of the conception of rock'n'roll as "four guys, two guitars, a bass and a drum kit."

"Waking Up Tired" was like the theme song of my college years.
posted by nickmark at 11:08 AM on March 22, 2018


Hoodoo Gurus shows were always great - we all went nuts when they played in Adelaide.

Brad Shepherd's guitar work is great. And the song writing is superb.
posted by awfurby at 3:46 PM on March 22, 2018


I fall in love with this record all over again every time I rediscover it - which I have just recently, as a few weeks ago for no reason that I could figure out, the break from Leilani popped into my head.
posted by soundguy99 at 4:18 PM on March 22, 2018


Someone introduced me to the Hoodoo Gurus in high school and man, they were fantastic. They were on heavy rotation next to the Smithereens in my collection.
posted by rednikki at 5:34 PM on March 22, 2018


Wow -- I thought I was into this band in college but I didn't know there was an album before Mars Needs Guitars!
posted by escabeche at 5:58 PM on March 22, 2018


They were a great live act from the beginning, back when they were Le Hoodoo Gurus and they were finishing sets with Rock and Roll Pt. 2. So many great shows each week in Sydney back then. Never should have fired James Baker!
posted by N-stoff at 6:07 PM on March 22, 2018


By pure coincidence, Dave Faulkner put up a post on their Facebook group page today, sharing that the Hoodoo Gurus are now available to stream online (finally!), that their new website has been launched, and that they're starting a vinyl music club because all of their records will now be available on vinyl, some for the first time ever!
posted by h00py at 3:53 AM on March 23, 2018


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