- For the anthropological concept, see Hunter-gatherer.
Hunters & Collectors were an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1980. They were noted for songs such as "Throw Your Arms Around Me", "Talking To A Stranger" and "Say Goodbye" and were renowned as one of the best live acts of their day.
The original band was influenced by the Krautrock genre and the productions of Conny Plank and featured strong percussive influences, coupled with noise guitar and driving bass lines. The sound was in the vein of Remain in Light, the Talking Heads album of 1980. The band took its name from the track "Hunters & Collectors", on the German band Can's album Landed.
The first version of the band was: Mark Seymour (guitar & vocals); John Archer (bass); Doug Falconer (drums); Geoff Crosby (keyboards); Greg Perano (percussion); Ray Tosti-Gueira (guitar); and Robert Miles (who would stay with the band throughout their career, usually being credited with "live sound" and "art direction/design"). As lead singer, guitarist and principal songwriter, Seymour was the lynchpin of the group, and Archer and Falconer are widely regarded as one of the best rhythm sections ever to emerge from the Australian rock scene. Seymour is also the older brother of bassist Nick Seymour of Crowded House and in the mid-1980s he was romantically involved for a time with Do Re Mi (band) lead singer Deborah Conway.
The band was signed to White Label, part of Mushroom Records. Their first single was "Talking to a Stranger" which was accompanied by an influential music video directed by Richard Lowenstein, who went on to make many successful videos for INXS and the features 'Strikebound' (1984) and 'Dogs In Space'(1987) (which starred INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence).
In 1984 they briefly disbanded but reformed later in the year without Lubran. This line up also featured keyboards and a three-piece horn section. This was the period during which Hunters & Collectors enjoyed their greatest success. The first album featuring the new line up was The Jaws of Life (1984). It featured the single "The Slab", which was an underground success (mainly thanks to the support of radio station Triple J), but didn't make any inroads on the commercial music scene, possibly because of the masturbatory subtext of the lyrics. However, the record, regular airplay on the radio station JJJ (then Sydney-based) and video play on Countdown and other music video shows, and especially their consistent live performances brought Hunters & Collectors a strong and devoted following on the Australian pub scene.
Their breakthrough commercial success was the album Human Frailty which featured the single "Throw Your Arms Around Me".
Australian discography
Studio albums
- Hunters And Collectors (White Label L42002, 26 July 1982)
- The Fireman's Curse (White Label L38066, 6 September 1983)
- Jaws Of Life (White Label L38222, 6 August 1984)
- Human Frailty (White Label RML53205, 7 April 1986)
- What's A Few Men? (White Label RML53253, 16 November 1987)
- Fate (White Label D30455, 1991) [new version of What's A Few Men?]
- Ghost Nation (White Label TVD93314, November 1989)
- Cut (White Label TVD93364, 6 October 1992)
- Demon Flower (White Label TVD93401, 16 May 1994)
- Juggernaut (White Label MUSH33081.2, 26 January 1998)
Studio EPs
- World Of Stone (January 1982)
- Payload (White Label X14002, December 1982)
- Living Daylight (April 1987)
Live albums
- The Way To Go Out (CD, video, DVD) (White Label L27148, 6 May 1985)
- Living ... In Large Rooms And Lounges (White Label D98017, 27 November 1995)
- Under One Roof (live) (White Label MUSH33176.2, 11 November 1998)
Compilation albums
- Collected Works (CD, video) (White Label TVD93338, 19 November 1990)
- Natural Selection (CD, 2CD, DVD) (Liberation BLUE034.5, 13 October 2003)
Personnel
The 'classic' Hunters and Collectors line up (for the last ten years together):
- John Archer - bass guitar, P.A., backing vocals (1981-1998).
- Doug Falconer - drums, percussion, programming, backing vocals (1981-1998).
- Jack Howard - trumpet, keyboards, backing vocals (1981-1998).
- Robert Miles - live sound/mixing, art/design (1981-1998).
- Barry Palmer - lead guitar (1988-1998).
- Mark Seymour - lead vocal, lyrics, guitar (1981-1998).
- Jeremy Smith - French horn, guitars, keyboards, programming, backing vocals (1981-1998).
- Michael Waters - trombone, keyboards, finance (1981-1998).
Additional early members
- Nigel Crocker - trombone (1981-1982).
- Geoff Crosby - keyboards, artwork (1981-1985).
- Martin Lubran - guitar (1982-1983).
- Andy Lynn - trumpet (1981-1982).
- Chris Malherbe - trumpet (1981-1982).
- Greg Perano - percussion (1981-1983).
- Ray Tosti-Gueira - guitar, backing vocals (1981-1982).
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