Little Murders
English ex-pat Rob Griffiths embraced 1960s English pop culture (The
Who, The Kinks, Union Jack flags draped over amplifiers) so
it was perhaps unsurprising that Little Murders (the band were
named after a 1971 film starring Elliot Gould and directed by Alan
Arkin) became the premier Mod
revival band of the late 70s/early 80s
Melbourne (Australia) independent music scene.
Their debut single, Things Will Be Different, was
released on Au Go Go Records in December 1979. The song had
actually been recorded by Griffiths' previous band, Fiction.
Two further singles were released on Au Go Go; High School
and the superb Powerpop track She Let's Me Know. Line-up
changes plagued the band for the next three years until
eventually, unable to secure a major record deal, Griffiths broke
up the band in December 1983.
Griffiths made an unsuccessful attempt to revive Little Murders
in 1985 and independent label Polyester Records issued the 100
Drugs single (recorded in 1983) while Au Go Go issued the
retrospective set Stop! in 1986, drawing together various
singles tracks and unreleased studio cuts.
In 1995, Rob Griffiths revived the Little Murders name and
recorded a new album with backing musicians including Craig
Pilkington and Dave Foley from The Killjoys. The album, ...And
Stuff Like That was released in June 1997 and comprised the
new material plus six previously released tracks.
By that stage a
new Little Murders line-up was touring in Australia, with Michael
Barclay (on loan from Weddings Parties Anything) on drums.
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