The Cruel Sea (band)
Encyclopedia
The Cruel Sea are an Australian indie rock
band from Sydney formed in late 1987. Originally an instrumental-only band, they became more popular when fronted by vocalist Tex Perkins
(Beasts of Bourbon
and solo) in addition to Jim Elliott on drums, Ken Gormly on bass guitar, Dan Rumour on guitar and James Cruickshank on guitar and keyboards. Their popular albums are The Honeymoon Is Over (1993), Three Legged Dog (1995) and Over Easy (1998). Their best-known songs are "Better Get a Lawyer", "Takin' All Day", "The Honeymoon Is Over" and "Reckless Eyeballin'" – an instrumental track from their debut album Down Below that became the theme of Australian TV police drama, Blue Heelers
. The band has won five ARIA Music Awards
including four in 1994
for work associated with The Honeymoon Is Over.
bands Blackrunner, Urban Guerrillas, Friction, Ugly Mirrors and Bedhogs in Sydney from the mid-1970s to 1980. In 1980 he formed Sekret Sekret which played a "sprightly brand of punky power pop with psychedelic overtones". Sekret Sekret would often play at Sydney pub, The Grand, with Rumour assembling an ad hoc line-up of musicians using instruments housed at the venue. With lead vocalist David Virgin (ex-Ugly Mirrors), they released four independent singles by 1984. When they broke-up in 1987, the line-up included Rumour, Virgin, James Elliot on drums and Ken Gormly on bass guitar.
After Sekret Sekret disbanded, The Cruel Sea was formed in late 1987 by Elliot on drums and Rumour on guitar. They enlisted Dee Corben on bass guitar and his brother, Gerard "Ged" Corben (also in Lime Spiders
), on guitar. The name was from a 1964 surf instrumental, "Cruel Sea
", by United States group The Ventures
(a cover of The Dakotas' 1963 single, which was in turn inspired by the novel and film
of the same name). Early gigs in 1988 were played at the Harold Park Hotel, behind a pool table where space was so tight that the guitarists had to move out of the way when pool players took a shot. The original line-up played about 20 shows and parties, then Dee Corben left, he was replaced by former Sekret Sekret band mate, Gormly. Barry Turnbull (ex-John Kennedy's Love Gone Wrong, The Widdershins
) briefly substituted for Gormly on bass guitar. James Cruickshank (The Widdershins) joined on keyboards and guitars.
, their lighting technician and member of Beasts of Bourbon
, to join them on-stage. Perkins had written lyrics for some of their instrumentals. The band was signed by Red Eye Records and released a 12" extended play (EP), Down Below, in September. It contained nine tracks and was produced by Phil Punch (The Mexican Spitfires
) and The Cruel Sea. It was followed by an eleven-track album of the same name, Down Below in December, both releases featured Perkins on vocals. "Reckless Eyeballin'" – an instrumental track on the album – later became the theme song of Australian TV police drama, Blue Heelers
(1994–2006). Although Perkins was also performing with Beasts of Bourbon, The Cruel Sea built a following on the inner-city pub rock
circuit with "atmospheric music [that] evoked the feel of wide open spaces". During 1990, Ged Corben left to focus on his work with Lime Spiders.
A single, "I Feel" was released in September 1991 ahead of their second album, This Is Not the Way Home issued in December. It was produced by Tony Cohen
(The Birthday Party
, Beasts of Bourbon) and The Cruel Sea. The album provided a range of music "from funky Louisiana swamp blues to sweet soul". Vocals by Perkins were compared with Captain Beefheart
, John Lee Hooker
and Tony Joe White
. An EP, 4 x 4, followed in March 1992 with "This Is Not the Way Home" released as a single in August. After the album's release, the band toured Europe in support of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
. In December they released, "Black Stick" as a single, which peaked at No. 25 on the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) Singles Chart
. This Is Not the Way received a nomination for 'Best Group' at the ARIA Music Awards of 1993
.
(Robert Forster
, Anita Lane
) of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Released in May, it peaked at No. 4 on the ARIA Albums Chart, and sold over 140,000 copies. The title song, "The Honeymoon Is Over" reached the Top 50 in August. It was followed by a cover of White's 1969 song, "Woman with Soul", which did not chart. Perkins also performed as a member in the country-blues trio, Tex, Don and Charlie
and released Sad But True (1993).
At the ARIA Music Awards of 1994
, The Cruel Sea won 'Single of the Year' and 'Song of the Year' for "The Honeymoon is Over", 'Album of the Year' and 'Best Group' for The Honeymoon is Over and received three further nominations including 'Best Cover Art' by Kristyna Higgins and Jan Manby. At an after-party, a drunken guest attacked Higgins, a professional photographer, and a fracas ensued with Perkins defending his partner. Also that night, two of their ARIA trophies were stolen. Late in 1994, the group toured Europe, again supporting Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. They followed with a headlining tour across Europe and to Canada.
The next album, Three Legged Dog, was produced by Cohen, the group and Paul McKercher (Clouds
). It was released in April 1995 and peaked at No. 1. The Cruel Sea toured Canada, United States and Europe, followed by a support slot for The Rolling Stones
on the Australian leg of their Voodoo Lounge Tour
. Top 50 singles from Three Legged Dog were "Better Get a Lawyer" (November 1994), "Just a Man" (April 1995) and "Anybody But You" (July). The album won an ARIA in 1995
for 'Best Group' and two nominations, 'Album of the Year', and 'Best Cover Art' for Higgins and Jim Paton.
(1997). The Cruel Sea returned to their instrumental roots and embarked on a series of gigs without Perkins including the Big Day Out
tour.
In February 1998, with Perkins returned, the group released a single, "Hard Times" ahead of its album Over Easy in August. The album was produced by Daniel Denholm (Frente!
, Boom Crash Opera
), Phil McKellar
(Grinspoon
, Frenzal Rhomb
), the band and McKercher. It peaked at No. 13 and was followed by their Takin All Day national tour through most of 1998. Another compilation, The Most appeared in November 1999 and reached the Top 50. After the success of his first album, Perkins released his second solo album Dark Horses (2000).
In August 2001, ABC-TV
broadcast the series, Long Way to the Top
. Perkins featured on "Episode 6: Gathering of the Tribes 1984–2000" where he discussed his non-mainstream work with both Beasts of Bourbon and The Cruel Sea, which were "Providing the poor forgotten 5% with something – who like the really fucked up weird shit". In September their next album, Where There's Smoke, produced by Magoo
(Regurgitator
, Midnight Oil
) and the band, appeared and reached the Top 30. It was followed by another compilation, We Don't Work, We Play Music in October 2002 with "Groovy Situation" issued as a single.
Individual members concentrated on side or solo projects. In early 2005, Perkins returned to Tex Don and Charlie and released All is Forgiven in March. Guitarist and main composer, Rumour began touring and recording with his own roots style instrumental band the Dan Rumour Band and Elliot joined on drums by mid-2006. In August, Perkins declared on ABC2
's Dig radio program that The Cruel Sea were no more. Dan Rumour Band appeared on the Australian surf music project Delightful Rain released October, and a documentary film of the same name on Australian television in December. Rumour's first solo album was released in October 2007 as by Dan Rumour and The Drift
.
In spite of his earlier statement, The Cruel Sea with Perkins toured Melbourne and Sydney in 2008 before their Blues & Roots Festival performances. They also toured Australia in 2010.
are presented annually from 1987 by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA). The Cruel Sea has won five awards from fifteen nominations.
|-
| 1993
|| This Is Not the Way Home || Best Group ||
|-
| rowspan="7"| 1994
|| rowspan="3"| "The Honeymoon Is Over" || Song of the Year ||
|-
| Single of the Year ||
|-
| Best Video ||
|-
| rowspan="4" | The Honeymoon Is Over || Album of the Year ||
|-
| Best Group ||
|-
| Best Alternative Release ||
|-
| Best Cover Art ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1995
|| rowspan="3" | Three Legged Dog || Best Group ||
|-
| Album of the Year ||
|-
| Best Cover Art ||
|-
| 1996
|| "Too Fast for Me" || Best Video ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1998
|| "Takin' All Day" || Best Video ||
|-
| "Hard Times" – Daniel Denholm, Phil McKellar
|| Producer of the Year ||
|-
|| 1999
|| "You'll Do" || Best Video ||
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band from Sydney formed in late 1987. Originally an instrumental-only band, they became more popular when fronted by vocalist Tex Perkins
Tex Perkins
Tex Perkins is an Australian singer-songwriter, who is widely known for fronting the popular Australian rock-band The Cruel Sea, but has also performed with the Beasts of Bourbon, Thug, James Baker Experience, The Butcher Shop, Salamander Jim, and Tex, Don and Charlie. He has also released many...
(Beasts of Bourbon
Beasts of Bourbon
Beasts of Bourbon was an Australian alternative rock band formed in 1983, with a line-up that has changed as the band splintered and reformed several times - Beginnings :...
and solo) in addition to Jim Elliott on drums, Ken Gormly on bass guitar, Dan Rumour on guitar and James Cruickshank on guitar and keyboards. Their popular albums are The Honeymoon Is Over (1993), Three Legged Dog (1995) and Over Easy (1998). Their best-known songs are "Better Get a Lawyer", "Takin' All Day", "The Honeymoon Is Over" and "Reckless Eyeballin'" – an instrumental track from their debut album Down Below that became the theme of Australian TV police drama, Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers is an Australian police drama series which depicted the lives of police officers stationed at the fictional Mount Thomas police station in a small town in Victoria.- Overview :...
. The band has won five ARIA Music Awards
ARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Australian Recording Industry Association...
including four in 1994
ARIA Music Awards of 1994
The Eighth Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 30 March 1994 at the State Theatre in Sydney...
for work associated with The Honeymoon Is Over.
Formation and early years
Danny Rumour (aka Daniel John Atkins) was a member of punk rockPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
bands Blackrunner, Urban Guerrillas, Friction, Ugly Mirrors and Bedhogs in Sydney from the mid-1970s to 1980. In 1980 he formed Sekret Sekret which played a "sprightly brand of punky power pop with psychedelic overtones". Sekret Sekret would often play at Sydney pub, The Grand, with Rumour assembling an ad hoc line-up of musicians using instruments housed at the venue. With lead vocalist David Virgin (ex-Ugly Mirrors), they released four independent singles by 1984. When they broke-up in 1987, the line-up included Rumour, Virgin, James Elliot on drums and Ken Gormly on bass guitar.
After Sekret Sekret disbanded, The Cruel Sea was formed in late 1987 by Elliot on drums and Rumour on guitar. They enlisted Dee Corben on bass guitar and his brother, Gerard "Ged" Corben (also in Lime Spiders
Lime Spiders
Lime Spiders are an Australian punk rock band, currently consisting of Mick Blood, Tom Corben, Gerard Corben, David Sparks and Tony Bambach.-Early Days :...
), on guitar. The name was from a 1964 surf instrumental, "Cruel Sea
Walk, Don't Run '64
"Walk, Don't Run '64" was an updated Ventures recording of their 1960 hit "Walk, Don't Run", written by Johnny Smith. The remake features a guitar style more similar to that of "Misirlou", and is notable for starting with a "fade-in"...
", by United States group The Ventures
The Ventures
The Ventures is an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, the group in its various incarnations has had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. With over 100 million records sold, the group is the best-selling...
(a cover of The Dakotas' 1963 single, which was in turn inspired by the novel and film
The Cruel Sea (film)
The Cruel Sea is a 1953 British film from Ealing Studios starring Jack Hawkins and Donald Sinden, with Denholm Elliott, Stanley Baker, Liam Redmond, Virginia McKenna and Moira Lister...
of the same name). Early gigs in 1988 were played at the Harold Park Hotel, behind a pool table where space was so tight that the guitarists had to move out of the way when pool players took a shot. The original line-up played about 20 shows and parties, then Dee Corben left, he was replaced by former Sekret Sekret band mate, Gormly. Barry Turnbull (ex-John Kennedy's Love Gone Wrong, The Widdershins
The Widdershins
Widdershins were an Australian indie pop band, active from 1987 to 1989. After The Lighthouse Keepers disbanded in early 1986, Greg Appel and Juliet Ward went on to form the Rainlovers which became Widdershins in 1987 with the addition of James Cruickshank, Peter Timmerman and Barry Turnbull .Three...
) briefly substituted for Gormly on bass guitar. James Cruickshank (The Widdershins) joined on keyboards and guitars.
Early albums: Down Below and This Is Not the Way Home
In 1989, The Cruel Sea invited vocalist Tex PerkinsTex Perkins
Tex Perkins is an Australian singer-songwriter, who is widely known for fronting the popular Australian rock-band The Cruel Sea, but has also performed with the Beasts of Bourbon, Thug, James Baker Experience, The Butcher Shop, Salamander Jim, and Tex, Don and Charlie. He has also released many...
, their lighting technician and member of Beasts of Bourbon
Beasts of Bourbon
Beasts of Bourbon was an Australian alternative rock band formed in 1983, with a line-up that has changed as the band splintered and reformed several times - Beginnings :...
, to join them on-stage. Perkins had written lyrics for some of their instrumentals. The band was signed by Red Eye Records and released a 12" extended play (EP), Down Below, in September. It contained nine tracks and was produced by Phil Punch (The Mexican Spitfires
The Mexican Spitfires
The Mexican Spitfires were a Sydney, Australia-based indie rock–indie pop band formed in suburban Strathfield in the Strathfield Municipality in the mid 1980s...
) and The Cruel Sea. It was followed by an eleven-track album of the same name, Down Below in December, both releases featured Perkins on vocals. "Reckless Eyeballin'" – an instrumental track on the album – later became the theme song of Australian TV police drama, Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers is an Australian police drama series which depicted the lives of police officers stationed at the fictional Mount Thomas police station in a small town in Victoria.- Overview :...
(1994–2006). Although Perkins was also performing with Beasts of Bourbon, The Cruel Sea built a following on the inner-city pub rock
Pub rock (Australia)
Pub rock is a style of Australian rock and roll popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and still influencing contemporary Australian music today....
circuit with "atmospheric music [that] evoked the feel of wide open spaces". During 1990, Ged Corben left to focus on his work with Lime Spiders.
A single, "I Feel" was released in September 1991 ahead of their second album, This Is Not the Way Home issued in December. It was produced by Tony Cohen
Tony Cohen
Tony Cohen is an acclaimed Australian record producer and sound engineer based in Melbourne, best known for his work with The Birthday Party and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in the 1980s...
(The Birthday Party
The Birthday Party (band)
The Birthday Party were an Australian rock band, active from 1973 to 1983.Despite being championed by John Peel, The Birthday Party found little commercial success during their career...
, Beasts of Bourbon) and The Cruel Sea. The album provided a range of music "from funky Louisiana swamp blues to sweet soul". Vocals by Perkins were compared with Captain Beefheart
Captain Beefheart
Don Van Vliet January 15, 1941 December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter and artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians called The Magic Band, active between 1965 and 1982, with whom he recorded 12...
, John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
and Tony Joe White
Tony Joe White
Tony Joe White is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known for his 1969 hit "Polk Salad Annie"; "Rainy Night in Georgia", which he wrote but was first made popular by Brook Benton in 1970; and "Steamy Windows", a hit for Tina Turner in 1989...
. An EP, 4 x 4, followed in March 1992 with "This Is Not the Way Home" released as a single in August. After the album's release, the band toured Europe in support of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
. In December they released, "Black Stick" as a single, which peaked at No. 25 on the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
. This Is Not the Way received a nomination for 'Best Group' at the ARIA Music Awards of 1993
ARIA Music Awards of 1993
The Seventh Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 14 April 1993 at the Entertainment Centre in Sydney. Host, Richard Wilkins, was assisted by presenters, James Reyne, Elle Macpherson, Billy Birmingham, Tim Finn, Neil Finn and Daryl Somers to distribute 24 awards...
.
Mainstream success: The Honeymoon Is Over and Three Legged Dog
In early 1993, The Cruel Sea had Perkins on-board full time with his commitment to Beasts of Bourbon on hold. The Cruel Sea's third album, The Honeymoon Is Over was produced by the band, Cohen and Mick HarveyMick Harvey
Michael John Harvey , is an Australian rock musician, composer, arranger and record producer. He is best known for his long-time collaboration with the singer and songwriter Nick Cave...
(Robert Forster
Robert Forster (musician)
Robert Forster is an Australian singer-songwriter, best known for his work with songwriting partner Grant McLennan, with whom he co-founded The Go-Betweens.Forster grew up in Brisbane, Australia attending Brisbane Grammar School...
, Anita Lane
Anita Lane
Anita Lane is an Australian singer and songwriter who directly influenced the early 1980s European post-punk landscape.-Birthday Party:Lane was born in Melbourne, Australia in the late 1950s. Lane began singing and writing songs at age 16. She was a classmate with Rowland S. Howard who would...
) of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Released in May, it peaked at No. 4 on the ARIA Albums Chart, and sold over 140,000 copies. The title song, "The Honeymoon Is Over" reached the Top 50 in August. It was followed by a cover of White's 1969 song, "Woman with Soul", which did not chart. Perkins also performed as a member in the country-blues trio, Tex, Don and Charlie
Tex, Don and Charlie
Tex, Don and Charlie is an Australian super group formed by Tex Perkins from The Cruel Sea, Beasts of Bourbon and others, Don Walker from Cold Chisel and widely respected guitarist Charlie Owen. Their first album Sad But True was released in 1993 with the second released in 2005.The band was...
and released Sad But True (1993).
At the ARIA Music Awards of 1994
ARIA Music Awards of 1994
The Eighth Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 30 March 1994 at the State Theatre in Sydney...
, The Cruel Sea won 'Single of the Year' and 'Song of the Year' for "The Honeymoon is Over", 'Album of the Year' and 'Best Group' for The Honeymoon is Over and received three further nominations including 'Best Cover Art' by Kristyna Higgins and Jan Manby. At an after-party, a drunken guest attacked Higgins, a professional photographer, and a fracas ensued with Perkins defending his partner. Also that night, two of their ARIA trophies were stolen. Late in 1994, the group toured Europe, again supporting Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. They followed with a headlining tour across Europe and to Canada.
The next album, Three Legged Dog, was produced by Cohen, the group and Paul McKercher (Clouds
Clouds (Australian band)
The Clouds are an indie rock band from Sydney, Australia formed in December 1989. The core of the group consisted of frontwomen Jodi Phillis and Patricia "Trish" Young . The line-up of The Clouds has changed several times with different drummers and lead guitarists...
). It was released in April 1995 and peaked at No. 1. The Cruel Sea toured Canada, United States and Europe, followed by a support slot for The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
on the Australian leg of their Voodoo Lounge Tour
Voodoo Lounge Tour
The Voodoo Lounge Tour was a worldwide concert tour by The Rolling Stones to promote their 1994 album Voodoo Lounge. This was their first tour without bassist Bill Wyman; he was replaced by Darryl Jones. The tour grossed $320 million, becoming the highest grossing tour of any artist at that time...
. Top 50 singles from Three Legged Dog were "Better Get a Lawyer" (November 1994), "Just a Man" (April 1995) and "Anybody But You" (July). The album won an ARIA in 1995
ARIA Music Awards of 1995
The Ninth Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 20 October 1995 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre. There had been a 19-month gap since the previous award ceremony which was moved to be "closer to the business end of the music industry's year"...
for 'Best Group' and two nominations, 'Album of the Year', and 'Best Cover Art' for Higgins and Jim Paton.
Later years
The Cruel Sea's next album, Rock 'n Roll Duds, was a compilation of b-sides and studio outtakes, released in November 1995. The group had a two-year hiatus in releases, Perkins issued his first solo album, Far Be it from Me (1996) and contributed to Beasts of Bourbon's GoneGone (Beasts of Bourbon album)
Gone is the fifth studio album by the Australian rock band Beasts of Bourbon, released in 1997.-Track listing:#"Saturated" - 3:53#"Fake" - 4:07...
(1997). The Cruel Sea returned to their instrumental roots and embarked on a series of gigs without Perkins including the Big Day Out
Big Day Out
The Big Day Out is an annual music festival held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in late January. It started in Sydney in 1992, spread to Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth by 1993, with the Gold Coast and Auckland joining in 1994...
tour.
In February 1998, with Perkins returned, the group released a single, "Hard Times" ahead of its album Over Easy in August. The album was produced by Daniel Denholm (Frente!
Frente!
Frente! are an Australian alternative rock group, formed in 1991. The original lineup featured singer Angie Hart, founder and guitarist Simon Austin, bassist Tim O'Connor , and drummer Mark Picton...
, Boom Crash Opera
Boom Crash Opera
Boom Crash Opera are a pop-rock band formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1985. Initially based around the songwriting partnership of Richard Pleasance and Peter Farnan Boom Crash Opera also includes Dale Ryder , Peter 'Maz' Maslen , Greg O'Connor and Ian Tilley Boom Crash Opera are a pop-rock band...
), Phil McKellar
Phil McKellar
Phil McKellar is an Australian record producer known for his work with many top Australian rock bands including The Butterfly Effect, You Am I, The Cruel Sea, Grinspoon, Dirty Three, The Mark Of Cain, Frenzal Rhomb, Spiderbait, Silverchair, Kisschasy, Ash, The Sunpilots, Tumbleweed, Nitocris, One...
(Grinspoon
Grinspoon
Grinspoon are an Australian rock band from Lismore, New South Wales formed in 1995 and fronted by Phil Jamieson on vocals and guitar with Pat Davern on guitar, Joe Hansen on bass guitar and Kristian Hopes on drums. Also in 1995, they won the Triple J-sponsored Unearthed competition for Lismore,...
, Frenzal Rhomb
Frenzal Rhomb
Frenzal Rhomb are an Australian punk rock band which formed in 1992 with mainstay Jason Whalley on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. In 1996, Lindsay McDougall joined the line-up on lead guitar and backing vocals. Two of the group's albums have peaked into the top 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart, A...
), the band and McKercher. It peaked at No. 13 and was followed by their Takin All Day national tour through most of 1998. Another compilation, The Most appeared in November 1999 and reached the Top 50. After the success of his first album, Perkins released his second solo album Dark Horses (2000).
In August 2001, ABC-TV
ABC1
ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
broadcast the series, Long Way to the Top
Long Way To The Top
Long Way To The Top was an Australian Broadcasting Corporation documentary on the history of Australian rock and roll from 1956 to the modern era.-Production:...
. Perkins featured on "Episode 6: Gathering of the Tribes 1984–2000" where he discussed his non-mainstream work with both Beasts of Bourbon and The Cruel Sea, which were "Providing the poor forgotten 5% with something – who like the really fucked up weird shit". In September their next album, Where There's Smoke, produced by Magoo
Magoo (Australian producer)
Magoo is the professional name of Lachlan Goold, a multi award-winning Australian music producer based in Brisbane, Australia. With his business partner Jeff Lovejoy, Magoo operates Black Box Recording, a Brisbane-based recording facility....
(Regurgitator
Regurgitator
Regurgitator are an Australian rock band from Brisbane, currently consisting of Quan Yeomans , Ben Ely and Peter Kostic . The band formed in 1994, its original line-up consisting of Yeomans, Ely and drummer Martin Lee...
, Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
) and the band, appeared and reached the Top 30. It was followed by another compilation, We Don't Work, We Play Music in October 2002 with "Groovy Situation" issued as a single.
Individual members concentrated on side or solo projects. In early 2005, Perkins returned to Tex Don and Charlie and released All is Forgiven in March. Guitarist and main composer, Rumour began touring and recording with his own roots style instrumental band the Dan Rumour Band and Elliot joined on drums by mid-2006. In August, Perkins declared on ABC2
ABC2
ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia...
's Dig radio program that The Cruel Sea were no more. Dan Rumour Band appeared on the Australian surf music project Delightful Rain released October, and a documentary film of the same name on Australian television in December. Rumour's first solo album was released in October 2007 as by Dan Rumour and The Drift
Nick Larkins
Nick Larkins is an Australian rock musician who has played with various Australian acts, and solo. Nick was born in London but raised in Hobart, Tasmania. Larkins has been highly nomadic for much of his career...
.
In spite of his earlier statement, The Cruel Sea with Perkins toured Melbourne and Sydney in 2008 before their Blues & Roots Festival performances. They also toured Australia in 2010.
Members
- Dee Corben – bass guitar (1987–1988)
- Gerard Corben – guitar (1987–1990)
- Jim Elliott – drums (1987–present)
- Dan Rumour – guitar, clavinet (1987–present)
- James Cruickshank – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals (1988–present)
- Ken Gormly – bass guitar (1988–1990, 1990–present)
- Tex PerkinsTex PerkinsTex Perkins is an Australian singer-songwriter, who is widely known for fronting the popular Australian rock-band The Cruel Sea, but has also performed with the Beasts of Bourbon, Thug, James Baker Experience, The Butcher Shop, Salamander Jim, and Tex, Don and Charlie. He has also released many...
– vocals, harmonica, guitar (1989–present) - Barry Turnbull – bass guitar (1990)
Studio albums
- Down Below (December 1989)
- This Is Not The Way Home (December 1991)
- The Honeymoon is Over (May 1993)
- Three Legged Dog (April 1995)
- Over Easy (August 1998)
- Where There's Smoke (2001)
Compilation albums
- Rock 'n Roll Duds (1994) – B-sides compilation
- The Most (1999) – Best of compilation
- We Don't Work, We Play Music (October 2002) – B-sides, rarities and covers; plus a live CD
Singles
- "I Feel" (1990)
- "This Is Not the Way Home" (1992)
- "Black Stick" (1992) - #25 AUS
- "Delivery Man" (1993)
- "The Honeymoon Is Over" (1993) - #41 AUS
- "Woman with Soul" (1993)
- "Seems Twice" (1994)
- "Better Get a Lawyer" (1995) - #29 AUS
- "Cool It Down" (1995)
- "Just a Man" (1995) - #39 AUS
- "Anybody But You" (1995) - #49 AUS
- "Too Fast for Me" (1995)
- "Hard Times" (1998)
- "Takin' All Day" (1998)
- "You'll Do" (1998)
- "It Won't Last" (1999)
- "A Simple Goodbye" (2001)
- "No Choice" (2001)
- "Groovy Situation" (2002)
ARIA Awards
The ARIA Music AwardsARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Australian Recording Industry Association...
are presented annually from 1987 by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA). The Cruel Sea has won five awards from fifteen nominations.
|-
| 1993
ARIA Music Awards of 1993
The Seventh Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 14 April 1993 at the Entertainment Centre in Sydney. Host, Richard Wilkins, was assisted by presenters, James Reyne, Elle Macpherson, Billy Birmingham, Tim Finn, Neil Finn and Daryl Somers to distribute 24 awards...
|| This Is Not the Way Home || Best Group ||
|-
| rowspan="7"| 1994
ARIA Music Awards of 1994
The Eighth Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 30 March 1994 at the State Theatre in Sydney...
|| rowspan="3"| "The Honeymoon Is Over" || Song of the Year ||
|-
| Single of the Year ||
|-
| Best Video ||
|-
| rowspan="4" | The Honeymoon Is Over || Album of the Year ||
|-
| Best Group ||
|-
| Best Alternative Release ||
|-
| Best Cover Art ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1995
ARIA Music Awards of 1995
The Ninth Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 20 October 1995 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre. There had been a 19-month gap since the previous award ceremony which was moved to be "closer to the business end of the music industry's year"...
|| rowspan="3" | Three Legged Dog || Best Group ||
|-
| Album of the Year ||
|-
| Best Cover Art ||
|-
| 1996
ARIA Music Awards of 1996
The 10th Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 30 September 1996 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre...
|| "Too Fast for Me" || Best Video ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1998
ARIA Music Awards of 1998
The 12th Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 20 October 1998 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre...
|| "Takin' All Day" || Best Video ||
|-
| "Hard Times" – Daniel Denholm, Phil McKellar
Phil McKellar
Phil McKellar is an Australian record producer known for his work with many top Australian rock bands including The Butterfly Effect, You Am I, The Cruel Sea, Grinspoon, Dirty Three, The Mark Of Cain, Frenzal Rhomb, Spiderbait, Silverchair, Kisschasy, Ash, The Sunpilots, Tumbleweed, Nitocris, One...
|| Producer of the Year ||
|-
|| 1999
ARIA Music Awards of 1999
The 13th Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 12 October 1999 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre...
|| "You'll Do" || Best Video ||
External links
- Info on Dan Rumour and The Drift, from member Nick LarkinsNick LarkinsNick Larkins is an Australian rock musician who has played with various Australian acts, and solo. Nick was born in London but raised in Hobart, Tasmania. Larkins has been highly nomadic for much of his career...
. - Info on Dan Rumour and The Drift, from Bombora record company.
- The Cruel Sea Biography at Tex Perkins .net