224:
saw their performance in
October 1987, he observed " play original songs with a basis on harmony. Like Paul Kelly an acoustic lays the basis for their arrangement with tasteful electric lead following In and out of powerful pop songs. Sounding somewhere between Lloyd Cole and the Smiths, with a hefty
198:
With three songwriters in O'Reilly, Quinlan and McCowage, the band's set lists contained mostly original material. Harking back to their earlier experiences in Prince Vlad & the
Gargoyle Impalers, the band displayed a 1960s pop sensibility with strong harmonies from Quinlan and O'Reilly and also
134:
band formed in 1986. The original lineup consisted of Price Conlan on drums, Stephen McCowage on lead guitar, Tim O'Reilly on bass and vocals, Michael
Quinlan on rhythm guitar and vocals. O'Reilly, Quinlan and McCowage had all played in a
290:
the
Mexican Spitfires provided "Impressive songs in the Kelly/Kennedy vein with a slightly English sounding pop touch." The EP was favourably received in Germany and Italy, where "You Can't Run" gained substantial airplay on
365:
described the album, "a fun collection, snappily packaged in bright red. The liner notes explain where each track originated, and indicate if they went anywhere on the independent charts." "Sydney Town" appears on a
571:
685:
882:
471:
Whilst the
Mexican Spitfires have not played live as a band since early 1989, their music has been played on radio stations like 88.1 FM
316:
547:
355:
Two tracks, "Sydney Town" and "You Can't Run (Forever)", were included on a compilation album by Red Eye
Records' various artists,
192:
188:
654:
210:
In July 1986 the
Mexican Spitfires played their first gig to an audience at the Lismore Hotel, Sydney. They were signed to
612:
215:
308:
168:
252:). The EP appeared on the independent charts, moving into the top 5 in Sydney and received significant airplay on
833:
628:"Live Review Miracle Men / The Mexican Spitfires / Craven Fops Saturday October 10, Evening Star Hotel, Surry Hills"
381:
During the mid to late 1980s, the
Mexican Spitfires played many local pubs: the Hopetoun, the Sandringham Hotel in
180:
156:
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in
October; alongside Bodycore, Things for the Weekend, Merrie Melodies, and the Jive Turkeys. George Braddock of
659:
272:
176:
697:
475:
382:
567:
520:
494:
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385:(aka the "Sando"), Paddington Green, and Harold Park. In 1988 they toured Melbourne with other Red Eye acts
211:
164:
85:
584:
Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' or 'Performer:'
406:
139:
1960s-styled indie pop band, Prince Vlad & the
Gargoyle Impalers. They recorded two extended plays,
245:
394:
349:
755:
461:
159:. They dealt with aspects of local daily life,: "Ivy Street" about a dilapidated street familiar to
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414:
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200:
478:, and fans of their music can be found in Australia, Japan, Germany, Italy and the United States.
732:
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136:
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344:, during 1989 and 1990. That EP has not been released in any format, despite interest from
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The Mexican Spitfires were an inner-city suburban band which developed a collection of
785:
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s Michael Kozoil as " upbeat ditty... about a summer rendezvous" at Sydney Town Hall.
876:
866:
430:
375:
237:
229:
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dose of Australian pub sounds, they are an interesting and worthwhile Sydney band."
457:
410:
402:
398:
326:
727:
627:
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453:
422:
367:
296:
260:), particularly for the "Sydney Town", "You Can't Run" and "Town Hall Steps".
127:
42:
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47:
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filling in on drums. O'Reilly has since gone on to perform with the Sydney
841:
214:. The group were finalists at a talent quest, Battle of the Bands, run by
599:
445:
249:
220:
810:
270:, and in the Australian music press. "Town Hall Steps" was described by
304:
340:
Studio of Phil Punch to record their second six-track 12-inch EP,
167:; "Sydney Town" on the moral tightrope found between the city and
171:
down Park Street; "Town Hall Steps" about a meeting out front of
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257:
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253:
481:
Since then films have been made about this even in history.
187:. Similar lyrical territory was farmed by contemporaries,
374:, which was released in 2000 to coincide with the Sydney
336:
After their debut, the Mexican Spitfires returned to the
603:. Vol. 32, no. 13. 13 October 1986. p. 31
440:
joined the band on lead guitar. That line-up supported
264:
received favourable reviews in English music magazine,
728:"Big Pig keeps its bare bones and adds some garnishes"
307:. The music video for "Sydney Town" made its debut on
595:"University Union – Student Air: Battle of the Bands"
542:, Chris Spencer, 2nd ed., 1989 The Five Mile Press,
433:
and John Kennedy of John Kennedy's Love Gone Wrong.
758:
Somewhere in Sydney: 30 songs from the harbour city
527:
Somewhere in Sydney: 30 songs from the Harbour City
372:
Somewhere in Sydney: 30 Songs from the Harbour City
95:
91:
81:
56:
35:
27:
20:
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147:(1990); however, they had disbanded late in 1989.
397:. The band also played with other bands such as:
515:"Sydney Town" and "You Can't Run (Forever)" on
236:, was released in 1988. The EP was produced by
655:"Sandstone facelift for city's grand old dame"
325:. The band also performed "Ivy Street" on the
282:According to London-based rock music critic,
8:
760:[sound recording] – Version details"
736:. Vol. 65, no. 20, 375. p. 14
744:– via National Library of Australia.
642:– via National Library of Australia.
517:Asides & Besides: The First Five Years
17:
721:
719:
688:Asides and Besides – The First Five Years
572:Australasian Performing Right Association
568:"'Desperate Ways' at APRA search engine"
436:Following McCowage's departure in 1989,
357:Asides and Besides: The First Five Years
244:, and featured a keyboard appearance by
634:. Vol. 33, no. 14. p. 27
559:
448:leg of their 1989 tour supplemented by
240:(of the Coloured Girls), engineered by
726:Layland, Penelope (24 January 1991).
7:
626:Braddock, George (26 October 1987).
653:Kozoil, Michael (17 January 2016).
228:The band's debut six-track 12-inch
189:Paul Kelly & the Coloured Girls
31:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
14:
700:(Magnus Holmgren). Archived from
199:covered tracks by the Beatles' "
766:. National Library of Australia
840:. NKVD Records. Archived from
505:(12-inch EP, 1990, unreleased)
193:John Kennedy's Love Gone Wrong
175:; "Until" on spending time in
1:
834:"Red Eye Records Discography"
613:National Library of Australia
216:University of New South Wales
183:; and "Rookwood" talks about
163:students who walk to or from
883:Australian indie rock groups
540:Who's Who of Australian Rock
359:(1990). Penelope Layland of
288:Who's Who of Australian Rock
899:
660:The Sydney Morning Herald
348:labels such as Catania's
273:The Sydney Morning Herald
698:Australian Rock Database
476:Cambridge, Massachusetts
315:, before being shown on
869:via Sydney Architecture
519:(Compilation CD, 1990)
370:double CD compilation,
790:Drivingthedeathcar.com
529:(Compilation CD, 2000)
313:Rock Around the World
311:'s world music show,
124:The Mexican Spitfires
22:The Mexican Spitfires
466:Live at the Basement
395:the Bhagavad Guitars
203:" and the Monkees' "
786:"BoC Thurs 6/16/05"
493:(12-inch EP, 1988)
201:If I Needed Someone
126:were an Australian
867:"Sydney Town Hall"
844:on 7 December 2008
733:The Canberra Times
684:Holmgren, Magnus.
444:on the Sydney and
407:Penguins on Safari
362:The Canberra Times
157:songs about Sydney
525:"Sydney Town" on
499:
246:Russell Parkhouse
185:Rookwood Cemetery
161:Sydney University
121:
120:
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854:
853:
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849:
838:Noise for Heroes
832:Gardner, Steve.
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812:Mexican Spitfire
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391:Curious (Yellow)
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173:Sydney Town Hall
106:Stephen McCowage
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704:on 28 July 2012
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534:Further reading
521:Red Eye Records
495:Red Eye Records
487:
464:, and recorded
442:the Proclaimers
387:the Crystal Set
350:No Tyme Records
338:Electric Avenue
286:, as quoted in
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212:Red Eye Records
165:Redfern Station
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112:Michael Quinlan
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861:External links
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419:the Last Metro
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181:Blue Mountains
179:in the nearby
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415:the Wet Taxis
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376:Olympic Games
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238:Jon Schofield
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230:extended play
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846:. Retrieved
842:the original
837:
827:
816:, retrieved
811:
805:
793:. Retrieved
789:
780:
768:. Retrieved
763:
757:
750:
738:. Retrieved
731:
706:. Retrieved
702:the original
693:
687:
664:. Retrieved
658:
648:
636:. Retrieved
631:
621:
611:– via
605:. Retrieved
598:
589:
576:. Retrieved
562:
539:
526:
516:
510:Compilations
502:
490:
480:
470:
465:
458:gospel music
435:
427:Billy Baxter
411:the Whitlams
403:Roaring Jack
399:the Triffids
380:
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341:
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331:Ridgey Didge
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209:
197:
154:
144:
140:
123:
122:
109:Tim O'Reilly
103:Price Conlan
97:Past members
58:Years active
15:
848:4 September
770:4 September
740:4 September
708:4 September
666:4 September
638:4 September
607:4 September
578:4 September
485:Discography
438:DJ Pantless
329:programme,
327:Network TEN
293:Radio Marte
169:Kings Cross
143:(1988) and
137:psychedelic
115:DJ Pantless
818:28 January
554:References
491:Lupe Velez
454:the Upbeat
423:the Upbeat
368:Sony Music
297:Radio Luna
262:Lupe Velez
242:Phil Punch
234:Lupe Velez
141:Lupe Velez
128:indie rock
43:Indie rock
346:indie pop
205:Mary Mary
132:indie pop
48:indie pop
877:Category
795:29 April
632:Tharunka
600:Tharunka
503:Elephant
498:(RedEP3)
446:Canberra
342:Elephant
250:Riptides
248:(ex-The
221:Tharunka
177:Katoomba
145:Elephant
460:choir,
409:(later
383:Newtown
305:Catania
151:History
86:Red Eye
72: (
64: (
574:(APRA)
546:
82:Labels
36:Genres
28:Origin
764:Trove
277:'
256:(now
70:–1990
850:2017
820:2019
797:2017
772:2017
742:2017
710:2017
668:2017
640:2017
609:2017
580:2017
544:ISBN
473:WMBR
429:and
393:and
322:rage
319:'s,
299:and
258:2JJJ
191:and
74:1990
66:1986
62:1986
452:of
413:),
317:ABC
309:SBS
303:in
267:NME
254:2JJ
207:".
879::
836:.
788:.
762:.
730:.
718:^
696:.
692:.
676:^
657:.
630:.
597:.
570:.
468:.
425:,
421:,
417:,
405:,
401:,
389:,
378:.
352:.
333:.
295:,
232:,
195:.
852:.
799:.
774:.
756:"
712:.
690:"
686:"
670:.
615:.
582:.
130:–
76:)
68:)
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