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Thought Criminals

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The Thought Criminals were an influential and enterprising Australian punk band based in Sydney. They formed in late 1977 and disbanded in late 1981. The "angular, fast and quirky punk rock" of the Thought Criminals "was a fixture in the burgeoning Sydney underground scene ." The band's name was derived from the concept of 'thoughtcrimes' (unapproved thoughts) from George Orwell 's book, Nineteen Eighty-Four . The Thought Criminals exemplified the do-it-yourself punk ethos of the late 1970s, with which they combined considerable business acumen. The band members formed the Doublethink record label and agency which provided recording and live performance opportunities for other new bands.

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31-628: The Thought Criminals were formed in late 1977 with the initial line-up of Roger Grierson ( aka Jack Boots; guitar), Rique Lee Kendall ( aka Matt Black; bass) and Bruce Warner ( aka Kit Identity; vocals). Various drummers played in the band during this early period. The band's first gigs were at Blondies in Bondi Junction in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. Inspired by the DIY ethic of the Desperate Bicycles ,

62-467: A folklore unit in Sydney where he collects material of cultural significance. His Australian folklore unit has been collecting and annotating Australian folklore for nearly 50 years and made available in his books, radio programs, concerts and, on his website. In 1973 he established Folkways Music as a "retail music outlet specialising in folkloric recordings and publications." The store supplied "records, books, sheet music and instruments" and commenced "as

93-610: A major multi-screen art installation commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney titled Damned Souls and Turning Wheels , a history of Cockatoo Island. In 2012, he was Artistic Producer for the Kings Cross Festival. 2014 saw Lahey return to collaborating with video artist Mic Gruchy to devise and create a series of films on the history of Rookwood Cemetery for the Rookwood Trust. In 2015, Fahey and Max Cullen co-wrote and performed

124-450: A means to financing its proprietor's collecting activities. It received no government assistance, and for its first year was subsidised by advertising work." Fahey founded Larrikin Records in 1974 "to publish and commercially release extended play recordings featuring Australian traditional folk music and songs for both educational and entertainment purposes." The label's first album, Man of

155-686: A performance for the Governor of NSW and the Premier. In 2006 he performed a song cycle world premiere performance of Andrew Ford's 'Barleycorn' for the Brisbane Festival. Lahey was artistic director of the ten-day Australian Spotlight, Lorient Festival, Brittany, France, on behalf of the Australian Government. Fahey is a regular broadcaster on ABC Radio . In 2010, Fahey devised, scripted, recorded and co-produced (with visual artist Mic Gruchy)

186-643: A performer he tells Australian folk stories, recites bush poetry, and sings either solo or with The Larrikins, The Celebrated Knickers & Knockers Band, and the Australian Bush Orchestra. Lahey started performing in 1969 and has a repertoire of bush songs, early ballads, city ditties and associated folklore including poetry, drinking toasts and parodies. He presents entertainment programs based on his books at various Writers Week festivals as well as performances at folk and regional arts festivals. He plays an English Edeophone concertina . In 1970 Fahey began

217-454: Is an Australian folklore collector, cultural historian, author, actor, broadcaster, record and concert producer, visual artist, songwriter, and performer of Australian traditional and related historical music. He is the founder of Folkways Music (1973), Larrikin Records (1974) and a folk music ensemble, the Larrikins (1975). Fahey has received numerous awards for his folklore efforts, including

248-484: The 2010 Don Banks Music Award . Warren John Fahey was born on 3 January 1946 and grew up in Sydney. His father, George Fahey, and mother, Deborah (née Solomon), were each members of large families. Fahey attended Marist Brothers College, Kogarah . Fahey has a distinguished career as a folklorist and collector of oral histories. His collection has been housed in the National Library of Australia since 1973. As

279-704: The 40th anniversary of the Sydney Festival. These shows were staged in the Famous Spiegel Tent in Sydney's Hyde Park. In August 2019 he was artistic director for the Sydney Folk Festival, a three-day event staged in Sydney Central with over 150 performers. The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music . They commenced in 1987. The Don Banks Music Award

310-536: The Bad Seeds . In 1989 he toured Tackhead, Public Image Ltd, Pop Will Eat Itself and began managing bands such as The Hummingbirds and Tall Tales and True. At this time he also formed Lost in Music publishing and signed Tex Perkins , Rebecca's Empire , Caligula, Dave Graney , Clouds, Falling Joys, Crystal Set and Kim Salmon to name but a few. In 1990 he promoted tours by Pop Will Eat Itself , Buzzcocks , Jesus Jones ,

341-647: The Doublethink and GREEN labels. On 4 February 2006 the band reformed for a one-off performance at the Annandale Hotel to publicise the CD. On the subject of reforming the Thought Criminals after 25 years Roger Grierson commented: "It seemed like everybody was doing it and with the release of the CD, and we put a website up to give away all the songs for free, it dragged a few people out of the woodwork". In September 2006

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372-534: The Doublethink stable. In 1980 the band toured beyond the precincts of their usual inner-city venues, at the end of which they announced their intention to retire from live performances. In their own words: "The band were not enamoured of the Music Business and had made a pact that when it wasn’t fun they’d call it a day – so when it wasn’t, they did". The Thought Criminals' final gig was at Chequers in inner-city Sydney on 29 August 1980. In their studio phase during

403-621: The Earth: Songs and Ballads of the Australian Mining Industry (1975), produced by Lahey, credited Fahey on lead vocals; Dave de Hugard on concertina, button accordion and fiddle; Phyl Lobl on guitar, Mike Jackson on mouth organ and spoons; Andy Saunders on 5-string banjo and guitar; and Tony Suttor on accordion. Fahey also produced the album. By 1995, the record company was one of the largest independent distributors in Australia, and

434-627: The Fall, Norman Cook/ Beats International. 1991 saw more touring with PWEI, Jesus Jones, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, The Godfathers, Dread Zeppelin, and Mojo Nixon. In 1983 Grierson was involved in the Dead Kennedys tour in 1986, with The Gun Club and in 1989 with Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr. In the 1990s, he also started and organised The Big Backyard Concert. In 1992 Grierson moved the Lost in Music catalogue to Polygram Music Publishing and became managing director of

465-709: The National Folk Festival (2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009), Majors Creek Music Festival (twice), Victor Harbour Festival, Araluen Folk Festival WA and, in 2009, The Blue Mountains Festival, National Folk Festival and Cobargo Festival. In 2001, he hosted and performed at the Belongings Exhibition for the State Library of NSW for the Governor-General, and then at the re-opening of the Mitchell Library with

496-490: The Thought Criminals took the stage again in a concert with Buzzcocks at Sydney's Century Theatre. In February 2007 they again reformed to play with T.V. Smith of The Adverts at the Annandale Hotel. Roger Grierson Roger Grierson (born June 1957 ) is a New Zealand born musician and music industry executive. In 1975 Grierson headed to London and Egypt to live but found himself lured back to Sydney in 1976 to work at White Light Records. Soon afterwards he formed

527-557: The Thought Criminals' first recording was the EP Hilton Bomber , with Mark Kingsmill ( aka Jim Boots) on drums. The EP was the inaugural release on the band's own Doublethink label. Rique Lee Kendall left to join the Last Words and, in turn, the Last Words' drummer, Ken Doyle ( aka Derik Wapillspoon), joined the Thought Criminals. With the inclusion of Stephen Philip ( aka Vivi Sector) on guitar, Roger Grierson switched to bass. By

558-595: The UnTh!nkables with Phillip Judd from Split Enz , releasing an album "UNTitled" In 2010 he became a director of Moshcam.com , the world's leading online streaming live music concert platform. In 2015, he commenced lecturing on music publishing and music industry related issues at the Australian Institute of Music , while commencing his escorted tours of Oddball Japan, Lobrow Japan , with Rick Tanaka Warren Fahey Warren John Fahey AM (born 3 January 1946)

589-595: The award-winning Nippi Rock Shop on JJJ, and they started 135 Music (135 being the line that joins Aust and Japan on the map) to encourage cross cultural promotion. This partnership has lasted over 30 years, and they now run escorted tours of oddball Japan, as LobrowJapan.com In 1987 Grierson started promoting Australian tours for acts signed to the New Zealand label, Flying Nun Records . These acts include The Bats, The Chills, Straitjacket Fits and JPS Experience. In 1988 he started managing The Go Betweens and Nick Cave and

620-453: The court case, suggested that the copyright owners of the Kookaburra , Larrikin Music, 'gift' the song to Australia. In 1971 Fahey formed a folk music ensemble, the Larrikins. In April 1975 the Larrikins undertook a tour of north-western Australia, to perform "folk-army songs, bush songs, bush poetry and yarns, bush dance music." The band issued an album, Limejuice and Vinegar (1977), with

651-405: The end of 1978 John Hoey ( aka The General) had also joined the Thought Criminals, playing keyboards. The Thought Criminals built up a following with performances at mainly inner-city venues. The music of the Thought Criminals, in their early recordings and live performances, has been described as a "jagged, frantic sound". Their songs often had an irreverent sense of humour, perhaps exemplified by

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682-430: The first Beasts of Bourbon record The Axemans Jazz . Grierson managed The Allniters, Tactics and Spy v Spy in 1981. During this period he was the distribution manager for Larrikin Records ; in 1983 he took on The Johnnys , and in 1985 The Wreckery : a "junk rock" group formed by ex members of Nick Cave's backing band The Bad Seeds. In 1985, he teamed up with Rick Tanaka, radio presenter / producer of Tokyo Hit Beat and

713-583: The following extract from "Fun" (1978): "Don’t want no top ten hit / Don’t want no disco shit / Just wanna have fun". The Thought Criminals' debut album, Speed. Madness.. Flying Saucers… , was released in February 1980. The songs were recorded in three separate sessions spread over a period of eighteen months. The Thought Criminals' Doublethink label evolved from a record label to include agency and PR functions. Other less-established bands such as Tactics , Popular Mechanics and Sekret Sekret became incorporated within

744-521: The following year the Thought Criminals recorded a second album, You Only Think Twice , which "revealed the band expanding its scope with a more considered and diverse approach". In late 1981 the band played a live show at Chequers, after which the Thought Criminals disbanded. Roger Grierson, Warren Fahey and rock journalist Stuart Coupe set up the Green record label in the early 1980s. Grierson continued to work in band and tour management, eventually attaining

775-496: The line-up of Fahey and Suttor (on button accordion and Anglo concertina) joined by Ned Alexander on fiddle; Liora Claff on guitar and whistle; Jack Fallis on mandolin and guitar; and Paddy McLaughlin on banjo. It was re-released in 1985, with the content described as "Traditional Australian seamen's and boatmen's songs." The Larrikins toured for Musica Viva and the Arts Council circuit for the past 40 years. Fahey has performed at

806-687: The now defunct Polygram Music Australia, a position he retained until 1997. During his time at the helm of Polygram Music, he signed Pauly Fuemana , The Cruel Sea, David Hirschfelder , the LennOno catalogue, Leonard Cohen , Died Pretty , Nick Cave , Powderfinger , The Fauves and The Go Betweens . In 1998 Grierson replaced the long-serving Alan Hely as Chairman of Festival Records and Festival Music publishing, working closely with James Murdoch . Under Griersons' stewardship, Festival Records acquired Michael Gudinski's 51% share of Mushroom Records to become Festival Mushroom Records in 1999. In 2001, Grierson

837-437: The position of Managing Director of PolyGram Music Publishing, and later Chairman of Festival Records. In 1982 guitarist Stephen Philip joined Do-Ré-Mi . In 1988 keyboardist John Hoey joined Died Pretty . Bruce Warner became an animator and the drummer Ken Doyle works in computing. In July 2005 a retrospective two-CD anthology ( Chrono-logical ) was released, which featured all the Thought Criminals' recordings released under

868-428: The punk band The Thought Criminals . In 1978, Grierson started Doublethink Records to record local Australian bands including Singles, Rejex, and Suicide Squad. In 1980 he started GREEN Records with Stuart Coupe and Warren Fahey , and together they released records by Tactics , Allniters , Lime Spiders , Spy V Spy , Do-Re-Mi , Dropbears , Beasts of Bourbon , New Christs and The Johnnys , Grierson producing

899-534: The two-hand stage play Dead Men Talking , Cullen playing Henry Lawson and Warren Fahey portrayed Banjo Paterson . The first tour covered the mid-NSW coast in a twelve-night tour. Since March 2015 through to May 2016 the play has been performed nearly 250 times including successful tours in NSW, Tasmania, ACT and Victoria. The actors toured west New South Wales and Victoria in 2019. In January 2016 Fahey presented three sold-out shows of 40 Ways To Love Your City celebrating

930-509: Was acquired by Festival Records . Larrikin Music, a publishing company Fahey sold in 1988 owns the rights to the well-known children's "Kookaburra song". In a high-profile case that began in 2009, Norm Lurie, then the managing director of Music Sales, Larrikin Music's parent company , sued the group Men at Work for using its melody in 5 bars of their 93-bar song "Down Under." After the Down Under court case, Fahey, who had nothing to do with

961-630: Was promoted to Senior Vice President for Newscorp Music, continuing his existing roles but now also supervising Mushroom UK and Rawkus and he oversaw the Festival 50th anniversary in 2002. In 2005 Grierson left Festival and retired from the music business. A year later, FMR sold to the Warner Music group, and its lucrative publishing assets were subsequently acquired by Michael Gudinski In 2006 he proceeded to reform The Thought Criminals, released an EP "Peace Love and Under surveillance" and in 2007 formed

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