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In late 1983 we recorded an album, "Thirsty's Calling" in London. We toured through Holland, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Germany in a rough riding old Bedford van. The Gothic scene was big in the Uk and groups we were running into were very much from that scene, Alien Sex Fiend, Gene Loves Jezebel, the March Violets, Bone Orchard, the Skeletal family. As a band, we were more into all things American and didn't really take to this batty stuff much. We recorded what was to be released as a second album, "Double Life" in late 1984 before returning to Australia to tour with P. I. L. in 1985. On our way back we did a short tour of the USA, playing in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Our records in Australia were now released on the Virgin label. (They distributed Red Flame in the UK) Parting ways with Red Flame in mid 1985, we returned to London and recorded a single for Creation. Mick Turner had stayed in Australia and , in late 1985, Chris Walsh headed back home as well. David McClymont, formerly of Scottish band, "Orange Juice", joined just in time for the band to complete another tour of Northern Europe. We recorded two further singles for the TIM label, "take the red carpet outta town" and "someones got to give". We played our last show at a pub in North London in 1987. Clare Moore, Steve Miller, David McClymont and myself were joined by Malcolm Ross (also, formerly with Orange Juice as well as Aztec Camera and Josef K) on guitar and Mark Fitzgibbon on piano. |
 The Moodists , 1985. Clare Moore,Steve Miller, Tiny David Graney, Chris Walsh and Mick Turner.
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David Graney and Clare Moore went on to create and play with the Coral Snakes and the White Buffaloes. They now perform as the Dave Graney Show. Steve Miller went on to tour manage both the Triffids and the Go Betweens through the late 80's. During the life of the Moodists he was the most musically active, playing in the rockabilly/country disaster that was "Tall Dark and Handsome"(Jim Shugg from the Feral Dinosaurs was "tall", the late Mark Francisoff was "dark" , Dave "lucky" Last was "and" and Steve was"handsome") and the much missed acoustic duo, "the Starliners" with Lucky. He ran the Standard hotel, a thriving social centre for many musicians in Melbourne for about seven years and then founded the W. Minc label with Graham Lee( formerly of the Triffids). He occasionally plays around Melbourne and Sydney in the shocking "Love Moods". Chris Walsh was formerly in the Melbourne punk bands, The Reals(with future electronica pioneer, Ollie Olsen) and the Negatives. Mick Turner played in the Fungus Brains and the Sick Things before playing in the Moodists. After the Moodists he went on to play and record with Jim White (formerly of the People with chairs up their noses and the Feral Dinosaurs) in Venom P Stinger. They now work together with Warren Ellis as the Dirty Three. David McClymont, formerly of Orange Juice, went on to a life of international travel before settling in Melbourne. His last musical involvement was writing and recording with Malcolm Ross on his New York cd of 1997, "Happy Boy". Other players in the Moodists story. Malcolm Ross later played in the first(1988) lineup of the Coral Snakes, recording their first ep "with the Coral Snakes at his stone beach". He also played on the 1990 "I was the Hunter and I was the prey" album. He has released two cds, "Low Shot" and "Happy Boy" on the German "Marina" label. Mark Fitzgibbon went on to become a most respected jazz player around Australia. He plays constantly and in many different situations. He appears on several tracks on the Dave Graney Show cd. Victor Van Vugt started working as the live sound engineer for the Moodists when still a teenager. He went to the UK with them and never really came back. He worked live all around the world with the Triffids and the GoBetweens and then Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds . Like a few engineers, he eventually got to prefer working in a studio environment. He produced , among hundreds of others, Beth Ortons brilliant "Trailer Park" cd and followed that up by returning to Australia to work with Dave Graney 'n' the Coral Snakes on "the soft'n'sexy sound". He now lives and works in New York City. |
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| An interview with the Moodists in 2003. | ||
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