Whirlywirld
Encyclopedia
Whirlywirld was an Australian post punk band led by Ollie Olsen
in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and the first of his musical collaborations with drummer John Murphy
. They played in Melbourne
and Sydney
and were supporters of the Melbourne little band scene
.
formed one of the first punk crews in Melbourne, The Reals, who on occasion shared the bill at suburban dance halls with The Boys Next Door. The Reals would eventually evolved into The Negatives, but before that Olsen had become dissatisfied with their exclusively savage, guitar-based attack and left. Olsen went on to form The Young Charlatans. The Young Charlatans could be described as a seminal supergroup, consisting of Olsen, guitarist Rowland Howard (later of The Boys Next Door/The Birthday Party
), drummer Jeffrey Wegener (Laughing Clowns) and bassist Janine Hall (later of The Saints
). But if the volatile Charlatans were an extraordinary outfit - closer, earlier, to art-punk than almost anybody - their greater potential went unfulfilled. After a very brief, stormy existence, the band inevitably imploded. By then Ollie had met John Murphy
. Murphy at the time was the drummer for another early Melbourne punk band, NEWS.
The pair forming Whirlwirld in 1978 with their stated priority, from the outset, to go electronic, determined as they were to take flight from the sonic limitations of the conventional, guitar-based rock format. Whirlywirld was completed by two keyboardists, who got credited with 'electronics', Andrew Duffield and Simon Smith (Olsen, by this point, had abandoned guitar in favour of 'electronics') together with guitarist Dean Richards. Whirlywirld refused to play live but they did rehearse religiously.
In June 1979 the band released a self titled debut EP
. Whirlywirld made their live debut at The Crystal Ballroom later that year, by which time Duffield left to join The Models
and had been replaced by Philip Jackson.
Whirlywirld would go on to play only fourteen performances in their entire career. Gradually, the personal within the band changed, in accordance with a change in direction, Richards, Jackson and Smith departed. Richards went on to front a couple of cult combos, Equal Local and Hot Half Hour. Arnie Hanna came in on guitar and Greg Sun on bass. During this period Murphy played an array of percussion devices, natural, electronic or otherwise and Olsen even played saxophone as well as keyboards. This incarnation of the band recorded a number of tracks at York St. Studios in December, 1979. Four of these tracks came out on a 12" EP, again titled Whirlywirld in February 1980.
After the band split, Olsen and Murphy went on to form firstly The Beast Apparel, and then Hugo Klang, which performed a handful of gigs in England, and recorded a single, "Beat Up On The Old Shack", released in Australia on Prince Melon Records. Olsen and Murphy then went on to form Orchestra of Skin and Bone
, before their musical partnership ended with Olsen going to form NO
in the late 1980s.
Hanna and Murphy later played with Olsen and Michael Hutchence
in the band Max Q. A version of one of Whirlywirld's songs, "Win/Lose", was re-recorded by Olsen in 1986 for inclusion in the film Dogs In Space
. Hutchence sang the early Whirlywirld song, "Rooms for the Memory" on the soundtrack, being a hit on the mainstream Australian charts as a single in 1987. The remixed version of "Win/Lose" was also released as a single by Olsen.
Ollie Olsen
Ollie Olsen 1958, Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian composer, synthesist and sound designer who has been producing and performing rock, electronic and experimental music for the past thirty years...
in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and the first of his musical collaborations with drummer John Murphy
John Murphy (musician)
John Murphy , sometimes credited as "Jonh Murphy", is an Australian drummer, percussionist and multi-instrumental session musician who has played in numerous Australian and British post-punk, ambient and industrial music groups...
. They played in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and 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 were supporters of the Melbourne little band scene
Little band scene
The Little Band scene is the name given to an experimental post-punk scene which flourished in Melbourne from 1978 until early 1981. This scene was concentrated around the inner suburbs of Fitzroy and St Kilda, and was characterised by large numbers of small bands, more concerned with artistic...
.
Biography
In 1976, as a guitarist, Ollie OlsenOllie Olsen
Ollie Olsen 1958, Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian composer, synthesist and sound designer who has been producing and performing rock, electronic and experimental music for the past thirty years...
formed one of the first punk crews in Melbourne, The Reals, who on occasion shared the bill at suburban dance halls with The Boys Next Door. The Reals would eventually evolved into The Negatives, but before that Olsen had become dissatisfied with their exclusively savage, guitar-based attack and left. Olsen went on to form The Young Charlatans. The Young Charlatans could be described as a seminal supergroup, consisting of Olsen, guitarist Rowland Howard (later of The Boys Next Door/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...
), drummer Jeffrey Wegener (Laughing Clowns) and bassist Janine Hall (later of The Saints
The Saints (band)
The Saints are an Australian rock band, which formed in Brisbane in 1974 as punk rockers. Founders were Chris Bailey , Ivor Hay , and Ed Kuepper . Alongside mainstay Bailey, the group has had numerous line-ups...
). But if the volatile Charlatans were an extraordinary outfit - closer, earlier, to art-punk than almost anybody - their greater potential went unfulfilled. After a very brief, stormy existence, the band inevitably imploded. By then Ollie had met John Murphy
John Murphy (musician)
John Murphy , sometimes credited as "Jonh Murphy", is an Australian drummer, percussionist and multi-instrumental session musician who has played in numerous Australian and British post-punk, ambient and industrial music groups...
. Murphy at the time was the drummer for another early Melbourne punk band, NEWS.
The pair forming Whirlwirld in 1978 with their stated priority, from the outset, to go electronic, determined as they were to take flight from the sonic limitations of the conventional, guitar-based rock format. Whirlywirld was completed by two keyboardists, who got credited with 'electronics', Andrew Duffield and Simon Smith (Olsen, by this point, had abandoned guitar in favour of 'electronics') together with guitarist Dean Richards. Whirlywirld refused to play live but they did rehearse religiously.
In June 1979 the band released a self titled debut EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. Whirlywirld made their live debut at The Crystal Ballroom later that year, by which time Duffield left to join The Models
Models (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,...
and had been replaced by Philip Jackson.
Whirlywirld would go on to play only fourteen performances in their entire career. Gradually, the personal within the band changed, in accordance with a change in direction, Richards, Jackson and Smith departed. Richards went on to front a couple of cult combos, Equal Local and Hot Half Hour. Arnie Hanna came in on guitar and Greg Sun on bass. During this period Murphy played an array of percussion devices, natural, electronic or otherwise and Olsen even played saxophone as well as keyboards. This incarnation of the band recorded a number of tracks at York St. Studios in December, 1979. Four of these tracks came out on a 12" EP, again titled Whirlywirld in February 1980.
After the band split, Olsen and Murphy went on to form firstly The Beast Apparel, and then Hugo Klang, which performed a handful of gigs in England, and recorded a single, "Beat Up On The Old Shack", released in Australia on Prince Melon Records. Olsen and Murphy then went on to form Orchestra of Skin and Bone
Orchestra of Skin and Bone
Orchestra of Skin and Bone were an Australian post-punk band who were active during the 1980s. The band consisted principally of vocalist Ollie Olsen, Marie Hoy and percussionist John Murphy. They released a self-titled mini-LP in 1986, and numerous cassettes on underground noise labels...
, before their musical partnership ended with Olsen going to form NO
No (band)
No were an Australian band, active during the late 1980s. They blended electronic music with nihilistic punk rock, in a similar fashion to New York's Suicide. The band included Ollie Olsen, Marie Hoy, Michael Sheridan, and others...
in the late 1980s.
Hanna and Murphy later played with Olsen and Michael Hutchence
Michael Hutchence
Michael Kelland John Hutchence was an Australian musician and actor. He was the founding lead singer-songwriter of rock band :INXS from 1977 to his death in 1997, a period of twenty years. Hutchence was a member of short-lived pop rock group Max Q and recorded solo material which was released...
in the band Max Q. A version of one of Whirlywirld's songs, "Win/Lose", was re-recorded by Olsen in 1986 for inclusion in the film Dogs In Space
Dogs in Space
Dogs in Space is a 1986 Australian film set in the "little band scene" in Melbourne in 1978. It was directed by Richard Lowenstein and starred Michael Hutchence as Sam, the drug-addled frontman of the fictitious band from which the film takes its name....
. Hutchence sang the early Whirlywirld song, "Rooms for the Memory" on the soundtrack, being a hit on the mainstream Australian charts as a single in 1987. The remixed version of "Win/Lose" was also released as a single by Olsen.
Members
- Andrew Duffield - synthesiser (1978–1979)
- Arne Hanna - guitar (1979–1980)
- Philip Jackson - synthesiser (1978–1979)
- John MurphyJohn Murphy (musician)John Murphy , sometimes credited as "Jonh Murphy", is an Australian drummer, percussionist and multi-instrumental session musician who has played in numerous Australian and British post-punk, ambient and industrial music groups...
- drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s (1978–1980) - Ian 'Ollie' OlsenOllie OlsenOllie Olsen 1958, Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian composer, synthesist and sound designer who has been producing and performing rock, electronic and experimental music for the past thirty years...
- vocals, synthesiserSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
(1978–1980) - Dean Richards - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1978–1979) - Simon Smith - synthesiser (1978–1979)
- Greg Sun - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1979–1980)
Albums/EPs
- Whirlywirld - Missing Link (MLS-3) (June, 1979)
- Whirlywirld - Missing Link (MLEP-4) (February 1980)
- Whirlywirld - The Complete Studio Works - Missing Link (Missing Link 10) (1986) (Re-Issue) (2002)
Singles
- "Sextronics"/"Eyebrows Still Shaved" - Missing Link (MLS-10) - (February 1980)