Indecent Obsession

Indecent Obsession was an Australian pop band. They formed in 1987 in Brisbane.

Australian music guru Molly Meldrum signed the band to his record label Melodian. The band tasted success with the single "Say Goodbye" hitting the Australian Top 10 in August 1989. The follow-up single "Tell Me Something" landed at #17 two months later, but would be the band's last Australian Top 20 single. "Tell Me Something" was picked up by US radio in early 1990 and the song landed at #31 without the band ever setting foot in America. The "Indecent Obsession" album peaked at US #148 in 1990.

In Australia, the group was marketed as a teen pop act, which was an image the band members resented; they believed it negatively impacted their radio airplay and undercut their credibility as musicians.

"Indio" - the band's second album was more mature and featured the hit singles "Indio" (AUS#41) and "Kiss Me" (AUS#27). "Kiss Me" even landed at No.1 in South Africa for an amazing 27 weeks, where the album also hit #1. Further very successful singles in South Africa from the same album were "Rebel With A Cause", "Whispers In The Dark" and "Indio". The band was hugely popular there and had a very successful tour in South Africa in 1992.

Richard Hennassey replaced David Dixon, as the group's lead vocalist, and Graham Kearns replaced Andrew Coyne as guitarist on the 1994 album "Relativity" This album was not as big as "Indio" in South Africa, but still charted in the Top 20. Especially the singles "Lady Rain", "One Bad Dream" and "Fixing A Broken Heart" (with Japanese singer Mari Hamada) got a lot of airplay.

A hits compilation - "The Most Indecent Obsession" - was later released.

Subsequent careers

Lead singer David Dixon left the group in 1992 to pursue acting, including the role of Joseph in the Australian version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. "Joseph Mega-Mix" (for the soundtrack) was released in Australia in mid-1993 - and went to AUS#53. In 1995, David recorded a solo single called "Faith, Love & Understanding", which was a minor radio hit in South Africa. He also acted 'Marius' in Les Misérables, and performed in Smokey Joe's Cafe.

In addition to his musical career, David also played Nathan Roberts in the Australian TV soap Home & Away, worked on UK radio and television as a presenter and now works as a Helicopter Pilot. He is married with children, and flies for Air Ambulance.

Indecent Obsession's Michael Szumowski has worked as a producer for performers including Australian all-girl groups Cherry and Bardot, and Australian Idols Guy Sebastian, Shannon Noll and Kate DeAraugo, plus Disco Montego and Thirstee.

Daryl Sims went on to play with Sydney based alternative bands Vapourware, Insurge and Primary. He also had minor success with dance outfit The Webb in the late 1990s, and penned Bardot's debut single Poison

The guitarist Andrew Coyne played on Tommy Page "Under The Rainbow" and toured with Tommy in USA in 1990-91.

Lead singer Richard Hennassey appeared on the first series of "Come Dine With Me Australia" which was shown in Australia in January 2010

Members

1987-1992

• David Dixon (vocals)
• Andrew Coyne (guitars)
• Michael Szumowski (keyboards),
• Daryl Sims (drums).

1993-1995

• Richard Hennassey (vocals)
• Mark Gray (bass)
• Graham Kearns (guitars)
• Michael Szumowski (keyboards)
• Daryl Sims (drums)

Discography

Singles

• "Say Goodbye" (1989)
• "Tell Me Something" (1989)
• "Tell Me Something" (The Global Mixes) (1989)
• "Come Back To Me" (1990)
• "Never Gonna Stop" (1990)
• "Dream After Dream" (1991) - featured on the "Switch" Movie Soundtrack
• "Kiss Me" (1992)
• "Indio" (1992)
• "Rebel with a Cause" (1992)
• "Whispers In The Dark" (1992)
• "Gentleman Style" (1993)
• "Joseph Mega-Mix" (1993) - David Dixon and the Cast of Joseph And The Technicolor Dreamcoat (Australian Cast)
• "Lady Rain" (1993)
• "Fixing a Broken Heart" (1994)
• "One Bad Dream" (1994)
• "Fall From Grace" (1994)
• "Faith, Love & Understanding" (1995) - David Dixon solo
• "I Deam Of You" (1995) - Richard Hennassey solo (from the movie soundtrack Taxandria)

Albums

• "Spoken Words" (1989) - Produced by Ross Inglis and Michael Szumowski.
• "Indecent Obsession" (1990) - The US version of "Spoken Words".
• "Indio" (1992) - Produced by Peter Wolf.
• "More Kiss Me" (1993) - Japanese only remixes album
• "Relativity" (1994) - Produced by Ian Richardson and Nick Coler.
• "The Most Indecent Obsession" (1995) - Greatest Hits album (released in Japan, South East Asia and South Africa only)