Dave Faulkner | Long Play Series

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Dave Faulkner has been a quintessential member of the Australian music industry for over 40 years, known as a founding and ongoing member of the Hoodoo Gurus.

In 1977, Faulkner joined his first band, The Victims, under the stage name Dave Flick, alongside James Baker and Dave Cardwell. He co-wrote their first single, ‘Television Addict’, widely regarded as a seminal Australian punk classic. After their split in 1979, Faulkner travelled overseas before relocating from Perth to Sydney in 1981. Inspired by the garage bands he saw in New York such as The Cramps and The Fleshtones, that same year he founded the Hoodoo Gurus with Roddy Radalj and Kimble Rendall, later joined by Richard Grossman, Mark Kingsmill, and Brad Shepherd. Known for Faulkner’s relatable lyricism and their experimentation with various genres – such as garage rock, psychedelic, pop, and blues – the band released a successful string of singles followed by their debut studio album, Stoneage Romeos (1984). In 1987, their single ‘What’s My Scene’, penned by Faulkner, reached No. 3 in Australia. The song remains their biggest hit to date. After touring the college rock circuit in the United States and building a cult following back home, they disbanded in 1998.

Faulkner continued to perform with bands, including Antenna and the Persian Rugs, but always remained loyal to the Hoodoo Gurus. They officially reformed in 2003 with the release of their eighth studio album, Mach Schau. In 2007, the Hoodoo Gurus were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

Off stage, Faulkner has written the original music for the films Broken Highway (1993) and The Sum of Us (1994) and was a music critic for The Saturday Paper.

In this interview, Faulkner reflects on buying his first guitar from a junk shop and playing with The Victims as Dave Flink, his experience touring the United States with the Hoodoo Gurus in the 1980s, and his reflections on embracing the role of the band’s lead songwriter.

Interviewer: Jane Gazzo

Location: Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, 2024