Biography
Named after the 1971 Alan Arkin film, Rob Griffiths launched Little Murders in 1979, quickly establishing the group as Melbourne, Australia’s leading mod outfit through the close of the 1970s and into the early 1980s.
Their opening single, “Things Will Be Different” backed with “Take Me I’m Yours,” appeared in December 1979, exhausted its first pressing of one thousand copies almost immediately, and has since been regarded as an enduring Australian pop artifact of the era. Two further Au-go-go releases followed: “High School” paired with “Trouble With Love,” then “She Lets Me Know” backed by “It’s Over.” Under the Dance Set alias, Griffiths himself issued the 1981 single “Melody”/“Waiting.”
The 1982 configuration consisted of Griffiths, guitarist Rod Hayward, bassist Chris Hunter, and drummer Michael Barclay. When no fresh contract materialized, Griffiths dissolved the band in December 1983. Polyester Records revived interest two years later by releasing the 1985 single “100 Drugs”/“The Beat Goes On,” whose sides had been tracked in 1983 and 1979 respectively. In 1986 Au-go-go assembled the archival collection Stop!, drawing together singles and previously unheard recordings.
A more substantial reactivation began in late 1995, when Griffiths tracked the album …And Stuff Like That alongside Rod Hayward, guitarists Phil Wales and Craig Pilkington, bassist Tony Ennis, and drummer Dave Foley. Issued in June 1997 on the Swerve label, the set mixed fresh songs with older material. Griffiths then assembled a touring edition featuring Ennis, guitarist Paul Thomas, and Barclay—on loan from Weddings, Parties, Anything—for live dates supporting the record. Their follow-up album, First Light, surfaced in September 1998 and yielded the singles “10,000 Guitars” and “Andy Warhol Retrospective.”
Their opening single, “Things Will Be Different” backed with “Take Me I’m Yours,” appeared in December 1979, exhausted its first pressing of one thousand copies almost immediately, and has since been regarded as an enduring Australian pop artifact of the era. Two further Au-go-go releases followed: “High School” paired with “Trouble With Love,” then “She Lets Me Know” backed by “It’s Over.” Under the Dance Set alias, Griffiths himself issued the 1981 single “Melody”/“Waiting.”
The 1982 configuration consisted of Griffiths, guitarist Rod Hayward, bassist Chris Hunter, and drummer Michael Barclay. When no fresh contract materialized, Griffiths dissolved the band in December 1983. Polyester Records revived interest two years later by releasing the 1985 single “100 Drugs”/“The Beat Goes On,” whose sides had been tracked in 1983 and 1979 respectively. In 1986 Au-go-go assembled the archival collection Stop!, drawing together singles and previously unheard recordings.
A more substantial reactivation began in late 1995, when Griffiths tracked the album …And Stuff Like That alongside Rod Hayward, guitarists Phil Wales and Craig Pilkington, bassist Tony Ennis, and drummer Dave Foley. Issued in June 1997 on the Swerve label, the set mixed fresh songs with older material. Griffiths then assembled a touring edition featuring Ennis, guitarist Paul Thomas, and Barclay—on loan from Weddings, Parties, Anything—for live dates supporting the record. Their follow-up album, First Light, surfaced in September 1998 and yielded the singles “10,000 Guitars” and “Andy Warhol Retrospective.”
Albums
