THE DOCTOR IS IN: The Triffids

4/20/11

The Triffids

THE TRIFFIDS were an Australian rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia back in 1978 composed of mainstay DAVID McCOMB as singer-songwriter, guitarist, bass guitarist and keyboardist. Other band members were ALAN 'Alsy' MacDONALD on drums, PHIL KAKULAS on guitars and vocals, BYRON SINCLAIR on bass guitar, ANDREW McGOWAN and JULIAN DOUGLAS-SMITH both on guitars. By 1979, Kakulas and Sinclair had left and were replaced by David's older brother, ROBERT McCOMB on violin and guitar, and WILL AKERS on bass guitar and in 1980 MARGARET GILLAR joined on keyboards. There were still a couple of musicians who joined the band which I didn't mentioned already. Dave, Phil and Alsy escaped the heat, boredom and associated water sports by writing songs and recording them. THE TRIFFIDS recorded six self-financed cassettes before releasing any vinyl. They sold the tapes at gigs for a cheap price so that their songs will be heard. Seventy-five songs or so that have existed as magnetized fragments on tiny tapes for over 30 years. THE TRIFFIDS remained as one of Australia's best-loved, post-punk groups. THE TRIFFIDS never really got their music played here in MANILA back in the 80s so the consciousness of PINOY NEW WAVERS about the band didn't really exist. I myself got to know the band only in the late 90s via my cousin and personally as a music enthusiast and music collector I like their kind of sound. THE TRIFFIDS' early beginnings came into form when Alsy and Dave formed the Multimedia Group called "DALSY" back in 1976 and after making remarkable tapes and performing songs about cheese cakes, cats, hotel, gardens, and ruthlessly satirized everything they saw the band split up at the end of 1977 then they reformed as "BLOK MUSIK" in 1978 then transformed into "LOGIC" before being "THE TRIFFIDS". Wheeew!! That's interesting don't you think?

THE TRIFFIDS achieved international success in the 1980s but disbanded in 1989. The band's best known songs are "WIDE OPEN ROAD" and "BURY ME DEEP IN LOVE. The first full length album "The Triffids" ever recorded was called "Treeless Plain" back in 1983. Their very first record for a major label was "Calenture" under Island Records in1986 which opened up many possibilities for the band. Their 1986 album entitled "Born Sandy Devotional" was featured by SBS television in 2007 on the Great Australian Albums series and just last year 2010 it ranked 5th in the book called "The 100 Best Australian Albums" written by Toby Creswell, Craig Mathieson and John O'Donnell. The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) recognized The Triffids' importance on 2008 when they were inducted into their Hall of Fame. Music historian, Ian McFarlane, declared that David McComb was an authoritative singer and accomplished songwriter and that he infused his melancholy songs with stark yet beautiful and uniquely Australian imagery. Few songwriters managed to capture the feeling of isolation and fatalistic sense of despair of the Australian countryside". David McComb died in 1999 from a car collision but his death was mainly due to heroin toxicity and mild acute rejection of his 1996 heart transplant.

"THE TRIFFIDS" "AUSTRALIAN MELODRAMA" is a 19 Track CD Compilation of the band's great works from 1978-1989 which was released by WHITE RECORDS back in 1994. As what was written on the CD "Nineteen Episodes from the Adventures of THE TRIFFIDS". Well, this is my one and only music material from "THE TRIFFIDS" and I find it very concise to learn about the band. If you guys want to know their kind of music I guess better have this CD on your music collection and don't just be contented on mp3 files. The CD Cover is very much related on the Lenten Season here in the Philippines right now. YUP!! The crucifixion cover art was the main reason I made this special blogpost of "THE TRIFFIDS" for "SEMANTA SANTA 2011" and what a way to celebrate Holy Week on "The Doctor Is In" by featuring this TRIFFIDS compilation. Even though the band didn't have any radio exposure here in MANILA back in the 80s, I still believe that if ever their sound were introduced here back then they will be appreciated by fellow PINOY NEW WAVERS too. My personal favorites in the compilation are "RED PONY", "WIDE OPEN ROAD", "BURY ME DEEP IN LOVE", and "GOODBYE LITTLE BOY". I included all four music videos of these songs to spice up this special blogpost of mine about "THE TRIFFIDS". I also made my "AUSTRALIAN MELODRAMA" CD available for download just in case you wanna have a copy. This is only for your listening pleasure okay. All tracks have different flavor that's why you will definitely like each of them. Great music from a great band!! ENJOY THE MUZIC!!

WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO OF "WIDE OPEN ROAD" HERE:

WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO OF "BURY ME DEEP IN LOVE" HERE:

THE TRIFFIDS "AUSTRALIAN MELODRAMA"
TRACKLISTING:

1) Red Pony
2) Hell of a Summer
3) Beautiful Waste
4) Raining Pleasure
5) Bright Lights Big City
6) The Seabirds
7) Wide Open Road
8) Lonely Stretch
9) Tender is the Night (The Long Fidelity)
10)Bury Me Deep in Love
11)Trick of the Light
12)Hometown Farewell Kiss
13)Unmade Love
14)Jerdacuttup Man
15)Save What You Can
16)Falling Over You
17)Goodbye Little Boy
18)New Year's Greeting (The Country Widower)
19)In The Pines

DOWNLOAD MY CD HERE:

PASSWORD: http://docmuzic.blogspot.com/

The CD Back Cover is also cool!! YUP!! You can see the photos of six band members that have been part of "THE TRIFFIDS".
1) David McComb
2) Alsy MacDonald
3) Robert McComb
4) Martyn Casey
5) Jill Birt
6) Evil Graham Lee

THE TRIFFIDS Albums:

Born Sandy Devotional (1984)
Calenture (1986)
In The Pines (1986)
Raining Pleasure (1984)
The Black Swan (1998)
Treeless Plain (1983)

WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO OF "GOODBYE LITTLE BOY" HERE:

Well, I hope you ENJOYED another trip back to the 80s here on my little blog. I'll leave you with the music video of my favorite song from THE TRIFFIDS entitled "RED PONY". THANKS for dropping by again!!

WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO OF "RED PONY" HERE: