Blow Your Cool!
Encyclopedia
Blow Your Cool! is iconic Australia
n rock group Hoodoo Gurus
' third album released in May 1987 and contains their hit single "What's My Scene?
". The single reached #3 on the Australian Music Charts. The band's American label, Elektra Records
, was hoping that they could come up with something a bit easier to market than the witty, '60s-obsessed pop/rock of Stoneage Romeos
and Mars Needs Guitars!
, so they paired the group with producer Mark Opitz, who had previously produced records for AC/DC
, INXS
, and the Divinyls
. Background vocals on two tracks were supplied by The Bangles
. It was recorded both in Sydney
and LA
. The album reached No. 120 on the Billboard 200
album charts in 1987.
EMI
re-released the album on February 6, 2005 with four additional tracks, a fold out poster and liner notes by Vicki Peterson
(The Bangles
). One of the additional tracks, "The Generation Gap
" was their first recording with Grossman, and had been released as a single-only in 1988; it was their cover of Jeannie C. Riley
's 1970 country
song.
unless otherwise indicated.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rock group Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band, formed in Sydney in 1981, by the mainstay Dave Faulkner and later joined by Richard Grossman , Mark Kingsmill , and Brad Shepherd...
' third album released in May 1987 and contains their hit single "What's My Scene?
What's My Scene?
"What's My Scene" is an Australian Top 3 single performed by iconic rock group Hoodoo Gurus and was written by their singer-songwriter Dave Faulkner. It was included on Gurus' third album Blow Your Cool! released by Elektra Records. The B-side, "Heart of Darkness" was also written by Faulkner...
". The single reached #3 on the Australian Music Charts. The band's American label, Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
, was hoping that they could come up with something a bit easier to market than the witty, '60s-obsessed pop/rock of Stoneage Romeos
Stoneage Romeos
Stoneage Romeos was iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' first album and saw them receive record sales to complement their already strong reputation for live performances. The album name is from a Three Stooges short film...
and Mars Needs Guitars!
Mars Needs Guitars!
Mars Needs Guitars! was iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' second album. The title is a reference to the 1967 science fiction film, Mars Needs Women. Singles from the album were "Bittersweet" , "Like Wow – Wipeout" , "Death Defying" and "Poison Pen" . Mars Needs Guitars! reached No...
, so they paired the group with producer Mark Opitz, who had previously produced records for AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
, and the Divinyls
Divinyls
Divinyls were an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1980 and featuring vocalist Christina Amphlett and guitarist Mark McEntee. As the focal point, Amphlett performed on stage wearing a school uniform and fishnet stockings, often using an illuminated neon tube as a prop and displaying...
. Background vocals on two tracks were supplied by The Bangles
The Bangles
The Bangles are an American all-female band that originated in the early 1980s, scoring several hit singles during the decade.-Formation and early years :...
. It was recorded both in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and LA
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The album reached No. 120 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album charts in 1987.
"When the Blow Your Cool! touring was over Clyde retired from the road and the band. At this point we persuaded Rick Grossman to join, contributing his tremendous bass skills to the band, and so we had reached what was to be our ultimate line-up. After that we only changed our haircuts (and underwear)." - Dave Faulkner.
EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
re-released the album on February 6, 2005 with four additional tracks, a fold out poster and liner notes by Vicki Peterson
Vicki Peterson
Vicki Peterson is an American rock musician ....
(The Bangles
The Bangles
The Bangles are an American all-female band that originated in the early 1980s, scoring several hit singles during the decade.-Formation and early years :...
). One of the additional tracks, "The Generation Gap
The Generation Gap (song)
"The Generation Gap" was a single by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released on RCA Records in 1988 as a single-only release. It was written by Charlie Craig, Betty Craig, Jim Hayner and was a cover of Jeannie C. Riley's 1970 country song. The B-side, "Jungle Bells" was written by Dave...
" was their first recording with Grossman, and had been released as a single-only in 1988; it was their cover of Jeannie C. Riley
Jeannie C. Riley
Jeannie C. Riley is an American country music and gospel singer. She is best known for her 1968 country and pop hit "Harper Valley PTA" , which missed becoming the Billboard Country and Pop number one hit at the same time...
's 1970 country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
song.
Track listing
All tracks written by Dave FaulknerDave Faulkner (musician)
Dave Faulkner is an Australian rock musician who also performed as Dave Flick. Faulkner is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist; he has performed with several bands, but is best known as a member of Hoodoo Gurus...
unless otherwise indicated.
Original release
- "Out That Door" – 4:14
- "What's My Scene?What's My Scene?"What's My Scene" is an Australian Top 3 single performed by iconic rock group Hoodoo Gurus and was written by their singer-songwriter Dave Faulkner. It was included on Gurus' third album Blow Your Cool! released by Elektra Records. The B-side, "Heart of Darkness" was also written by Faulkner...
" – 3:50 - "Good TimesGood Times (Hoodoo Gurus song)"Good Times" was a single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released on EMI in August, 1987; and was written by Dave Faulkner. Backing vocals were supplied by touring mates The Bangles. Its B-side was: "Hell for Leather " and was also written by Faulkner."Brad was off...
" – 3:02 - "I Was the One" – 4:10
- "Hell for Leather" – 3:28
- "Where Nowhere Is" – 4:00
- "In the Middle of the LandIn the Middle of the Land"In the Middle of the Land" was a single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released on Big Time Records in 1987; and was written by Dave Faulkner. "Hayride to Hell, part 2 ", the B-side, was also written by Faulkner....
" – 4:34 - "Come On" – 2:43
- "Heart of Darkness" – 3:04
- "My Caravan" – 4:15
- "On My Street" – 3:16
- "Party Machine" – 5:10
2005 re-release
- "Out That Door" – 4:14
- "What's My Scene" – 3:50
- "Good TimesGood Times (Hoodoo Gurus song)"Good Times" was a single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released on EMI in August, 1987; and was written by Dave Faulkner. Backing vocals were supplied by touring mates The Bangles. Its B-side was: "Hell for Leather " and was also written by Faulkner."Brad was off...
" – 3:02 - "I Was the One" – 4:10
- "Hell for Leather" – 3:28
- "Where Nowhere Is" – 4:00
- "In the Middle of the LandIn the Middle of the Land"In the Middle of the Land" was a single by iconic Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released on Big Time Records in 1987; and was written by Dave Faulkner. "Hayride to Hell, part 2 ", the B-side, was also written by Faulkner....
" – 4:34 - "Come On" – 2:43
- "Heart of Darkness" – 3:04
- "My Caravan" – 4:15
- "On My Street" – 3:16
- "Party Machine" – 5:10
- "Hell for Leather (live) – 3:12
- "Hayride to Hell, Pt 2 (The Showdown)" – 3:39
- "The Generation GapThe Generation Gap (song)"The Generation Gap" was a single by Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus. It was released on RCA Records in 1988 as a single-only release. It was written by Charlie Craig, Betty Craig, Jim Hayner and was a cover of Jeannie C. Riley's 1970 country song. The B-side, "Jungle Bells" was written by Dave...
" (Charlie Craig, Betty Craig, Jim Hayner) – 3:42 - "Jungle Bells" – 3:37
Hoodoo Gurus
- Dave FaulknerDave Faulkner (musician)Dave Faulkner is an Australian rock musician who also performed as Dave Flick. Faulkner is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist; he has performed with several bands, but is best known as a member of Hoodoo Gurus...
– lead Vocals, guitar, keyboards - Brad ShepherdBrad ShepherdBrad Shepherd is an Australian rock musician. Shepherd is a guitarist, singer-songwriter and harmonica player; he has performed with several bands, especially the Hoodoo Gurus...
– guitar, harmonica - Mark Kingsmill – drums
- Clyde Bramley – bass
Additional musicians
- The BanglesThe BanglesThe Bangles are an American all-female band that originated in the early 1980s, scoring several hit singles during the decade.-Formation and early years :...
(Susanna HoffsSusanna HoffsSusanna Lee Hoffs is an American vocalist, guitarist and actress. She is best known as a member of the all-female pop band The Bangles.-Early life:...
, Debbi PetersonDebbi PetersonDeborah Mary 'Debbi' Peterson is the younger sister of Vicki Peterson, and the drummer of the all-girl group, The Bangles...
, Vicki PetersonVicki PetersonVicki Peterson is an American rock musician ....
, Michael SteeleMichael Steele (musician)Michael Steele is an American bassist, guitarist, songwriter, and singer. She performed with The Bangles and numerous other bands.-Career:Steele began her professional career as Micki Steele in the teen-girl band The Runaways, among the first all-female rock groups.Steele's stay in the Runaways was...
) – background vocals (tracks 3 & 12) - The Calamity Bake Sails
- Dream SyndicateDream SyndicateThe Dream Syndicate was an alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California active from 1981 to 1989. The band was associated with the Paisley Underground music movement.-History:...
members Steve WynnSteve Wynn (songwriter)Steve Wynn is a songwriter based in New York . He led the band the Dream Syndicate from 1981 to 1989 and afterward began a solo career.- Career in bands :...
& Mark Walton – background vocals (track 7) - Mike Kloster (The Bangles' engineer) – background vocals (track 12)
- Stevo Glendinning – background vocals (track 12)
- Mark OpitzMark OpitzMark Opitz, started his career with ABC TV in Sydney in the 1970’s and has since gone on to work with many of the great Australian musicians that have graced both the Australian and international music charts for the past 25 years....
– background vocals (track 12) - Geoff Rhoe – background vocals (tracks 6 & 12)
- Paul Thirkell – background vocals (track 7)
- Allan Wright – background vocals (track 12)
- Malcolm Eastick (StarsStars (Australian band)-Other appearances:-Members:*Glyn Dowding – drums *Malcolm Eastick – guitar, vocals *Mick Pealing – vocals *Graham Thompson – bass guitar *Andrew Durant – guitar...
, Broderick Smith's Big ComboBroderick SmithBroderick Smith aka Brod Smith is an Australian singer-songwriter, harmonica, guitar and banjo player. He was a member of 1970s bands Carson and The Dingoes, 1980s Broderick Smith's Big Combo and performed solo...
) – guitar (track 1) - James ValentineJames Valentine (Australian musician)James Valentine is an Australian journalist, musician, and radio and television presenter.As a musician, Valentine has worked with Australian artists such as Kate Ceberano and Joe Camilleri. In 1984 he joined the band Models and played with them until they broke up in 1988...
(ModelsModels (band)Models were an alternative rock group formed in Melbourne, Australia, in August 1978 and went into hiatus in 1988. They are often incorrectly referred to as The Models. They re-formed in 2000, 2006 and 2008 to perform reunion concerts. "Out of Mind, Out of Sight", their only No. 1 hit,...
) – saxophone (tracks 4 & 10)
Credits
- Richard Allan – Art Direction, Cover Design
- Allan Wright – Engineer
- Heidi Cannavo, Kathy Nauton, Paula Jones, Tchad Blake — Assistant Engineers
- Mark OpitzMark OpitzMark Opitz, started his career with ABC TV in Sydney in the 1970’s and has since gone on to work with many of the great Australian musicians that have graced both the Australian and international music charts for the past 25 years....
– Producer - Barry Diament – Mastering
Release history
| Region | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Big Time | |
| EMI | ||
| Europe | Chrysalis Chrysalis Records Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis... |
|
| United States | Elektra Elektra Records Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009.... /BMG BMG Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann... |