Words and chat by Azza Bok
When it comes to the raw, unadulterated history of Australian rock and roll, some bands merely ride the wave of nostalgic pub-rock folklore, while others actively fuel the furnace. Sydney legends the Hoodoo Gurus firmly belong to the latter category. For over four decades, this monumental outfit has been brewing a lethal, hyper-energetic cocktail of garage grit, power-pop hooks, and visual attitude that completely resets your sonic compass. From their legendary, feedback-drenched early days right through to their current stadium-sized anthems, the Gurus have consistently left an agonizingly high standard on the global touring map.
Now, ahead of major retrospective milestone years, frontman and chief songwriter Dave Faulkner is pulling back the curtain on a brand-new live album project that captures the band in their absolute natural element: raw, loud, and utterly uncompromised. It is a document of a band that still treats the stage like a battleground, proving that forty-five years into the game, their collective live energy hasn’t waned a single bit.
The new live record isn’t just a slick, polished cash-in; it’s a sweaty, visceral reminder of why the Hoodoo Gurus became a powerhouse live act in the first place. It captures the razor-sharp riffs and blistering chemistry between Faulkner and his long-time creative foil, guitarist Brad Shepherd, alongside the thunderous rhythm section that has kept the Gurus sound monolithic for generations.
Being an interview best served by a fan of the Gurus, HEAVY asked Frankenbok guitarist Azza Bok to fill the interview chair and it proved a masterstroke as the two musicians hit it off from the start. Azza sat down for a massive, in-depth chat with Dave to get the real deal behind the release. We dove headfirst into the chaotic process of curating their extensive live archives, the sheer exhaustion of delivering a flawless “all killer, no filler” set night after night, and why the band actively rejects the limiting “pub rock” label that critics so desperately try to pin on them. In fact, the two unravelled so many interesting layers that we have had to split the chat into two parts, with Part 1 ready for your enjoyment now.
