Killed By Death Records

6 Responses to “Popular Mechanics - From Here To… E.P. 7″”

1. killedbycandis Says:
   May 31st, 2006 at 2:00 pm

   Great post. Looks like Mr. Noxious strikes again, what a cunt.

2. Mark Lame Says:
   June 1st, 2006 at 6:32 pm

   Even OZ Rock writers like Clinton Walker and Ian Mcfarlane seemed to of been content to leave people in the dark on this outfit in they’re written works, not to mention them being absent from Phil Turnbulls excellent Sydney post-punk site No-Night Sweats – although none of them regarded Popular Mechanics too highly compared to other talent on the scene at the time so maybe that’s why.. maybe someday the story will be fully revealed if Roger G. ever gets a Doublethink Singles collection out!! Until then this is the random amount of info I can share…

   ‘New Wave’ pop band from Sydney (Darlinghurst to be more specific I believe) active from 79-82 at least.. Good friends with and supported to some degree by the Thought Criminals. The lineup at the time of their first release was:

   Mark Foster ~ Vocals
   Russell Handley ~ Farfisa/Vocals
   Gary Doyle ~ Guitars
   Garry Manley ~ Bass
   Beck ~ Drums
   (additional songwriting credits for Richard Sheehan, Craig Youden and Dave Lemon)

   The EP ‘From Here To Obscurity’ was recorded/mixed during Sept.-Nov. 1979 and released in December on the Thought Criminals Doublethink label (dtdt-4) and came in a 7”x7” foldover P/S which also included a nice 12”x12” insert.

   After Doublethink had folded the band underwent some line-up changes, but continued recording and produced one further 7” recorded in June of 1980 and released in Feb.81 on the Basilisk imprint (You Get The Picture b/w Furniture ~ BAZ-3). The line-up at that time was:

   Russell Handley ~ Farfisa/Vocals
   Garry Manley ~ Bass/Vocals/Guitars
   Jim Heywood ~ Drums
   Gary Dodd ~ Guitars

   P.S.
   TO THE BLOGGER: The tracks on the 2nd 7” are (in my opinion at least) as good if not more solid than the debut so feel free to get in touch if you want to hear them.. theonechordwonders@yahoo.com

3. The Flakes // Drummer Says:
   June 2nd, 2006 at 4:50 am

   Thanks for the info Mark! I’m definetly interested in hearing their second 7inch. You can contact us through the “Contact” link on the left.

4. sinister Says:
   February 5th, 2008 at 2:19 am

   I saw them perform infrequently between 79 and 81, often with other Doublethink acts–though the Pop Mechanics sound was distinctly different. Believe that R. Handley was the first person to die from HIV-AIDS in Australia. RIP. A great band.

5. ruadhri Says:
   February 11th, 2008 at 8:29 pm

   Hi
   I can offer some light on Popular Mechics story. Sadly, Gary Doyle and Russel Handley are no longer with us. They both died in the 80s, Gary maybe ‘81, before Russell in mid-decade. I won’t say how they died as it may offend the families.
   Beck left first and was replaced by Jim Heywood (drummer from the legendary Sydney rhythm n blues band The Layabouts) just after the ‘From Here to Obscurity’ ep.
   Then Gary decided he didn’t want to do it anymore and disappeared up to north west NSW. He was replaced by Gary Dodd. Around this time too, Mark Foster left; just after and probably because of Gary’s leaving. Before Dodd joined, the other 4 recorded the second release. It was rushed, and the production isn’t as raw as the first ep. I thought it a failure.
   Pop Mex played a few gigs after that with the new Gary on gtr. After the band Tactics lost their bass player Geoff Marsh, Garry Manley joined Tactics, as two things were happening to PopMex.

   1) NZ band Pop Mechanics came to Oz to tour and the Sydney PM’s manager (Russell’s brother) Mark Handley decided to sue, with help and cynical encouragement of PM’s producer/engineer/owner of Basilisk Studio, Martin Bishop (he of the co-production-ship of the remarkable My Houdini, by Tactics). So there was a court case, but it was obvious that Mark and Russel and Martin weren’t going to get anywhere as the NZ band were on Sony or something like that, so it got kind of sour. God, even Molly fcnk Meldrum was called to give evidence of ‘confusion’ in the names…
   But Martin was thinking of ways to ‘get them’. Garry Manley left PM to join Tactics at this point, because apart from all that above, 2) PopMex was falling apart anyway. And Tactics was a big drawcard.

   Beck teamed up with Mark Foster a bit later and joined Geoff Datson in a band called Samurai Trash. Funky punkpop.
   Jim Heywood continued (and continues to play regualrly) in various blues, jazz and pop bands of his own, teaching, playing, improvising, recording, and running a corner shop to boot!
   Garry Manley continues to play with dave Studdert in various incarnations and bands (spec. Tactics and their alter-ego The Inside Up) until this day.
   Gary Dodd disappear from (my) view.
   Though brief, this is solidly true.
   I was there, knowing them all. I wish to remain anon.
   Thanks.

6. ruadhri Says:
   February 11th, 2008 at 8:30 pm

   That should read “north-east NSW” - up Lismore etc way

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