Tactics (band)

Tactics were a post-punk (or ‘art-punk’) band based in Sydney. They were formed in Canberra and moved to Sydney in late 1978. Tactics became known for running against the grain musically, lyrically, and stylistically. The lineup changed year by year, with songwriter and vocalist David Studdert the only constant member throughout the band's history.

Tactics released a series of critically acclaimed recordings and were respected for the quality of their live performances. However, the band has never received commercial success and remains largely unrecognised in Australia. Their music has been described as “frenetic, discordant, [and] full of unusual rhythms”.

History

Tactics were formed in 1977 in Canberra. Dave Studdert is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and main songwriter for the band; the other members were Angus Douglas (guitar), Steve Kilbey (bass) and Robert Whittle (drums). The band’s “quirky, embryonic sound met with virtual indifference in Canberra”. During 1978 Steve Ball became the bass-player. In September 1978 Tactics moved to Sydney (at the invitation of members of the punk-band Thought Criminals, who were pioneering alternative performance and recording opportunities there).

Tactics performed at inner-city venues in Sydney and began to build up a following. During 1979 Steve Ball left and Geoff Marsh became the band's bass-player (Kilbey having been asked to leave). A couple of early recordings – the Long Weekend EP (June 1979) and a single on the Thought Criminals’ Doublethink label (July 1980) – “suffered from poor sound quality and really only hinted at the band’s potential”.

My Houdini album

In February 1980 Tactics released their first album, My Houdini. The album has been described as being “full of frantic energy, scratchy guitars, uneasy melodies, challenging songs and astute lyrical observations” and is recognised as a landmark recording from that period of Australian music.

My Houdini featured a wider range of instrumentation than the band’s live sound, with Ingrid Spielman playing piano on the recording and saxophones and flutes used for several of the songs. The album included a re-worked “Buried Country” from their earlier Long Weekend EP, as well as some slower, more reflective songs such as “The Usual”, “Frozen Park” and “A Settler's Complaint”, which were not usually played in the band’s live set.

My Houdini was a landmark Australian indy. It may hardly be remembered today, but that’s probably because the sheer originality of Dave Studdert’s vision – and the shrillness of his voice – still asks too much of an audience.

1981 to 1983

In 1981 the band changed their bass-player, with Garry Manley taking over the role. Tactics' second album, Glebe, was released in November 1981. This album featured a stronger reggae/dub influence than earlier recordings by the band.

There were more line-up changes in 1982 with Michael Farmer on drums and the addition of Duncan McKenzie on keyboards. The next album, The Bones of Barry Harrison (released in August 1982), was a compilation of live recordings from the period 1979 to 1982. However, the sound quality was considered to be sub-standard; “the overall effect was lessened due to the low-fi sound on offer”.

During 1983 Dave Studdert broke up the band.

1984 to 1989

A year after the band had been broken up Tactics was re-formed by original members Dave Studdert and Angus Douglas. The new band-members were Nicky Baruch (vocals, percussion and flute), David 'Snajik' Miller (bass), and Tony Donohue (drums). A single was released in July 1985 on Waterfront Records.

An album, Blue and White Future Whale, was released in November 1986. This album was considered a departure from Tactics’ earlier recordings, lacking “the frantic staccato rhythm that drives the band's earlier work”.

In 1989 Tactics entered the studio to record their fourth studio album. The line-up comprised Studdert, Snajik, Garry Manley (guitar and piano) and Malcolm MacCallum (drums and keyboards). Added instrumental colour was provided by trumpeter Robert Weaver and Amanda Brown from the Go Betweens on violin. The Great Gusto was released in November 1989. It was an ambitious release and closer to the mainstream than their previous albums, but once again sales were disappointing.

Tactics was disbanded in late 1989 when Dave Studdert departed for the United Kingdom.

Post-Tactics & retrospective releases

In late 1989, three days after The Great Gusto was mixed, Studdert left Australia for the UK at the invitation of English independent label Red Flame. He played with a number of bands in London before forming the eight-member band Mumbo Jumbo, which released recordings in the mid-1990s. In late 1996 Mumbo Jumbo undertook a brief tour in Australia which coincided with the release of a Tactics anthology The History of the Sky.

In 1999 Dave Studdert, Garry Manley and Lex Robertson formed the nucleus of a band called The Inside Up which toured Australia in 2000-1. The members of The Inside Up dispersed in 2003.

In late 2006 Memorandum Recordings released a double-CD anthology of Tactics’ first two albums (My Houdini and Glebe) as well as some live recordings and unreleased songs from that period. All the tracks were re-mastered for the release, and the Glebe album was completely remixed from the original multi-track masters. Just prior to CD release Tactics reformed for two gigs; the line-up was Dave Studdert, Garry Manley and Ingrid Spielman, with the addition of Matt Galvin (guitar), Nic Cecire (drums), Lex Robertson (keyboards) and Pete Kelly (trumpet).

In March 2008 Memorandum Recordings released the second volume of The Sound of the Sound. The double CD anthology includes a re-mastered Blue and White Future Whale. The subsequent album, The Great Gusto, is represented in this collection by live versions and studio outtakes (an indication of Studdert’s dissatisfaction with the album). The band briefly reformed to publicise the CD release, and recorded five new songs in April 2008.

Members

• David Studdert - Lead vocals & rhythm guitar (all albums) - 1977-2008.
• Angus Douglas - Lead guitar (My Houdini, Glebe, The Bones...) - 1977-84.
• Robert Whittle - Drums, vocals (My Houdini, Glebe, The Bones...) - 1977-82.
• Geoff Marsh - Bass, vocals (My Houdini, The Bones...) - 1979-81.
• Ingrid Spielman - Piano (My Houdini, Glebe, The Bones...) - 1980-81 (recording sessions); Sept 2006 & March 2008 (live band).
• Garry Manley - Bass & guitar (Glebe, The Bones..., The Great Gusto) - 1981-83 (bass); 1989-90 (guitar); Sept 2006 & March 2008 (bass in live band).
• Duncan MacKenzie - organ - 1982.
• Michael Farmer - drums - 1982.
• Nicky Baruch - Vocals, keyboards, percussion, flute (Glebe, Blue & White Future Whale) - 1984-86.
• David 'Snajik' Miller - Bass (Blue & White Future Whale, The Great Gusto) - 1984-86; 1989-90.
• Tony Donohoe - Drums (Blue & White Future Whale) - 1984-86.
• Michael Sherman - Trumpet (Fatman, Committee of Love singles) - 1986.
• Lex Robertson - Keyboard - 1989-90; Sept 2006 & March 2008 (live band).
• Pete Kelly - Trumpet - 1989-90; Sept 2006 & March 2008 (live band).
• Adam 'Sloth' Burrell - Trumpet - 1989-90.
• Robbie Weaver - Trumpet (The Great Gusto) - 1988-1989.
• Nic Cecire - Drums - Sept 2006 & March 2008 (live band).
• Matt Galvin - Guitar - Sept 2006 & March 2008 (live band).
• others along the way: Hamish Reid (bass) & Errol Gooding (sax).

Discography

Albums

• My Houdini (Green / Larrikin LRG-064; February 1980) - “No More Talking” / “Outdoors” / “Buried Country” / “A Long Story” / “My Line” / “A Settler's Complaint” / “The New York Reel” / “National Health” / “Come to My Senses” / “Frozen Park” / “Second Language” / “The Usual”
• Glebe (Green / Larrikin LRG-094; November 1981) - “Running Downhill” / “Centrepoint” / “The Difficult Dream of Roger Forest” / “Robbe-Grillet” / “Pulling in the Reins” / “Better than Mermaids” / “Mr Rollo (Back and Forth)” / / “Arthur Lee at Houston Airport” / “The Noise Upstairs” / “Warning Number One (Gold Watch)” / “Domino Theory” / “Further West” /
• The Bones of Barry Harrison (live 1979-81) (LRF-113; August 1982)
• Blue and White Future Whale (Red Flame RF-58; November 1986) - “Birthday Girl” / “Edge of My Seat” / “Absolutely” / “Should Be, Will Be” / “Binoculars” / “Bone” / “Blue And White Future Whale” / “Football Cards” / “Hard Hat Nine Iron” / “Body In The Field” / “Long Shadow” / “Know It All” / “Moonfrog”
• Holden Interview (singles, extras) (1986)
• The Great Gusto (D-30161; November 1989) - “Coalface” / “Cleaning a Gun” / “Red, Red Heart” / “World of Men” / “Continental” / “Turn” / “The Magician” / “Better” / “Cool Night Air

Compilations

• History of the Sky (1996)
• The Sound of the Sound Vol. 1: My Houdini, Glebe & More (Memorandum Recordings MEM-02; October 2006)
• The Sound of the Sound Vol. 2: 1984 - 1988 (Memorandum Recordings MEM-04; March 2008)

Singles & EPs

• Long Weekend EP (Folding Chair PRS-2653; June 1979) - “Standing By the Window” / “Buried Country” / “Watch My Hands”
• "Hole in My Life" / "Outdoors" (Doublethink DTDT-9; July 1980)
• "Second Language" / "A Long Story" (Green / Larrikin LRS-072; March 1981)
• "Gold Watch" / "Standing By the Window" (Green / Larrikin LRS-619; November 1981)
• "Fat Man" / "Shark Bed Rally" (Waterfront DAMP-19; July 1985)
• "Coat Tails" / "Committee of Love" (1986)
• "Coalface" / "Birthday Girl" / "Know It All" (Regular Records K-956; October 1989)
• "Turn" / "Arthur Lee at Houston Airport" (K-1119; March 1990)

References

• McFarlane, Ian. The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Allen & Unwin, 1999. ISBN 1-86508-072-1.
• Walker, Clinton. Stranded: the secret history of Australian independent music, 1977-1991. Pan Macmillan, 1996. ISBN 0-7329-0883-3.