The Eastern Dark

Formed in 1984 by guitarist and vocalist James Darroch, the Australian punk-pop outfit Eastern Dark drew inspiration from the Ramones. Drummer Geoff Milne and bassist Bill Gibson, who had previously served as MC for Lime Spiders, completed the lineup. Their sound fused the Ramones’ straightforward three-chord melodies with the aggressive guitar approach of local acts such as the Celibate Rifles—where Darroch had briefly played bass—and the New Christs. After nearly a year of live shows, the trio entered the studio with producer Rob Younger, noted for his work with Radio Birdman and the New Christs, to record the single “Julie Is a Junkie”/“Johnny and Dee Dee,” issued by Waterfront Records in 1985. Further touring followed, prompting another session under Younger’s guidance. Before those tracks could appear, however, a van accident claimed Darroch’s life and left his bandmates seriously injured. The EP Long Live the New Flesh! received a posthumous release later that year. Reissues have appeared steadily since, beginning in 1989 with Girls on the Beach (With Cars), a collection of demos and live recordings. In 2000 the Australian label Half a Cow released the CD compilation Where Are All the Single Girls?, which gathered the band’s complete output and was reissued with new packaging in 2010.