| The Fun Things | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Genres | punk, Detroit rock/punk |
| Years active | 1979–1980 |
| Labels | Pennimann |
| Associated acts | The Hoodoo Gurus, The Monarchs, The Hitmen, The Screaming Tribesmen, The Four Horsemen, Vampire Lovers (band), Harpoon, Vanilla Chainsaws, Died Pretty, Lime Spiders, Radio Birdman |
| Past members | |
| Murray Shepherd Brad Shepherd John Hartley Graeme Beavis |
|
The Fun Things were a high energy punk band that was formed during the heyday period of punk rock. Known for their admiration of Radio Birdman, they also have been documented as being "modeled on almost exclusively on the Radio Birdman / Stooges / Sex Pistols mould."[1] The band released one highly acclaimed E.P. and has become "one of the most collectable artifacts from Australia’s punk rock era."[2]
Contents |
While the band existed from 1979 to 1980 under the name The Fun Things, they were also known previously during 1978 as The Aliens. There was another band of the same name during this period from Adelaide but were more new wave orientated. The Brisbane punk rock “Aliens” members featured Brad Shepherd on guitar and vocals, bassist John Hartley, and Murray Shepherd on drums but dissolved to form the Phantom Agents for a phase without Hartley.[3]
After the Phantom Agents, The original Aliens reformed as The Fun Things with The Phantom Agents guitarist Graeme Beavis. This outfit rapidly gained a strong local following, which was due to their tight and energetic live shows.
The Fun Things were still teenagers but managed to record a self titled E.P. in 1980. “It was just part of the punk process. It was something you wanted to do. We felt we had a couple of decent songs. We were still all in school at the time. I borrowed 400 bucks from my parents in order to make the thing happen,” Brad Shepherd recollected.[4] The songs were “mixed gutsy guitar riffs, breakneck tempos, punk attitude and youthful exuberance in equal measure,” according to Ian McFarlane.[2] In 2000 the EP was re-released on Pennimann Records from Spain. Some of the tracks in the past had been subject to bootlegging from outside Australia.
The band split in 1980 at the time of their E.P. release which was followed by Brad Shepherd joining The 31st, an alternative rock outfit from Brisbane. Murray Shepherd and Hartley went to form The Screaming Tribesmen in 1981 with Mick Medew and Ronnie Peno from The 31st.
In the early 2000s the Shepherd brothers formed a band called The Monarchs, which was loosely based on the Fun Things. A CD called Make Yer Own Fun was released by The Monarchs.
When The Birdman Fly, Lipstick, (I Ain't Got) Time Enough for Love, Savage
When The Birdman Fly, Lipstick, (I Ain't Got) Time Enough for Love, Savage
Tracks on Compilation CD