Tim Hemensley

Tim Hemensley
Birth name Timothy Michael Hemensley
Born (1971-11-23)23 November 1971
Origin Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died 21 July 2003(2003-07-21) (aged 31)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres
  • Punk
  • garage rock
  • hard rock
Occupation(s) Musician
Instruments
  • Bass guitar
  • lead vocals
  • drums
Years active 1981–2003
Associated acts

Timothy Michael Hemensley (23 November 1971 – 21 July 2003) was an Australian bass guitarist and singer. He was the front man of Powder Monkeys (1991–2002), a punk, garage and hard rock band. He was also a member of GOD (1986–89), Bored! (1989–91) and the Yes-Men. Hemensley was in his first band at age ten. He occasionally played bass for Peter Wells (of Australian band Rose Tattoo). Hemensley died of a heroin overdose on 21 July 2003, aged 31. Hemensley was the son of the poet, Kris Hemensley.

Biography

Timothy Michael Hemensley was born in 1971 and grew up in Melbourne.[1][2] His father was Kris Hemensley, an English-Australian poet, editor and bookstore co-owner with Retta Hemensley, his mother, who was also a poet.[2][3] At the age of 10 he played in his first Melbourne-based punk band.[1][4] He was a member of Royal Flush, which recorded two tracks, "Christian Bullshit" and "Coppers 'Round the Corner", for a punk, various artists compilation album, Eat Your Head (1984).[4]

In 1986 Hemensley, a.k.a. Meatcleaver Boy, on bass guitar, drums and vocals, formed a punk rock group, GOD.[4] Fellow founders were Sean Greenway (a.k.a. Sean Scorpion) on guitar and vocals, Joel Silbersher (a.k.a. Joel Rock'n'Roll) on guitar and vocals, and Matthew Whittle (a.k.a. Matty Mustang) on bass guitar, drums and vocals.[4][5]

In January 1988 GOD released their debut single, "My Pal", via Bruce Milne's, record store and related label, Au Go Go Records.[4][5][6] Milne later recalled "Joel and Tim [Hemensley] had been coming into my shop [Au Go Go Records] since they could lean over the counter. One day Joel came in and played me the cassette of the song and I thought, 'Oh my god, this is too good to believe. I'm putting this out'."[5] According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, it was an "astonishing Husker Du-styled" track and they "had an alternative #1 hit on their hands before they were even old enough to get beer riders at their gigs!"[4] The group disbanded late in 1989 ahead of releasing their debut album, For Lovers Only (December 1989).[4]

Hemensley replaced Grant Gardner on bass guitar in Bored!, another punk group, alongside John Nolan on guitar.[7] With Hemensley aboard they released a seven-track extended play, Take It out on You (1990), on Dog Meat Records.[7] Two of its tracks were written by Hemensley: "Conquest" and the title track.[8] McFarlane noticed that "[he] added much to the band's charisma and sense of arrogance."[7] They toured Europe and after returning to Australia both Hemensley and Nolan left Bored! in 1991.[7]

References

General
Specific
  1. 1 2 Donovan, Patrick (25 July 2003). "Sticky Carpet - Music – Sad Loss of a Rock 'n' Roll Warrior". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  2. 1 2 Hemensley, Kris; Hemensley, Retta (21 July 2012). "Tim Hemensley Memoriam – Melbourne, Victoria". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  3. ↑ Fogarty, Lionel. "Victoria". Australian Poetry. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 McFarlane, 'God' entry. Archived from the original on 30 September 2004. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 Donovan, Patrick (9 April 2010). "Gift from Above". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  6. ↑ Mueller, Andrew (20 May 2014). "Music – Australian Anthems: God – 'My Pal'". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 4 McFarlane, 'Bored!' entry. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  8. ↑ "'Conquest' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 12 August 2017. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' or 'Performer:'
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