Bam Balams
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The Bam Balams were a Sydney, Australia indie rock band. They formed in 1984 and disbanded in 1992. The band was led by singer/songwriter/guitarist Brendan Kibble aka "Wig".
The "Bambas", as their fans called them, got their name from a track on Supersnazz by the Flamin' Groovies. Their influences included Gene Vincent, Johnny Burnett, Tony Joe White, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Byrds and Buck Owens. Their style was somewhat at odds with the '60s and Detroit rock styles favoured by the Sydney indie rock scene of the time. However, all their records did well in the independent charts.
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History
The first lineup was Kibble (vocals, guitar), Brad Fitzpatrick (guitar), Steve Cole (bass) and Matt Manchester (drums), and recorded the first two singles, "Deliver My Love" (1985) and "No-One Else" (1986) on Citadel Records.
Kibble formed a second lineup in 1987, in which he was backed by Steve Carlin (guitar), Amr Z. Abdallah (bass) and Warren Elford (drums), which recorded "Surfin' In The Swamp" (1987) for Citadel's Green Fez label.
This lineup split and a third formed, with Kibble backed by Abdallah (bass), Ian "The Reverend" Little (guitar, ex-Grooveyard) and Joe Breen (drums), and recorded the album Genuine Rock & Roll Medicine Show (1988) and its single "Wheel Of Fortune" (1988).
Greg Marchant replaced Abdallah on bass in 1989 and this lineup recorded the single "Hellfire" (1989) and "Munster Rock'n'Roller" for the Munster Records compilation Munster Dance Hall Favourites Vol 3. Dave Castellari replaced Marchant in 1989, this final lineup recording the Extended Play 45 RPM 12"EP, featuring the track "10,000 Miles".
Like many Australian independent acts of the 1980s, the Bam Balams gained far more popularity overseas than in their own backyard. In their case, Spain, France and Italy took to the band. Unfortunately, the band never toured outside of Australia, and as the Grunge scene took hold of the early 1990s, the band split up in 1992.
Kibble went on to form the Navahodads in the mid-1990s, who played the same style of swampy R&B as the Bam Balams. The Navahodads released two albums, Mumbo Gumbo and Madame Mojo's. Unlike the Bam Balams, the Navahodads toured outside of Australia.
Discography
LP
- Genuine Rock & Roll Medicine Show (Green Fez) 1988
Singles
- "Deliver My Love/Mean Thang" (Citadel) 1985 (produced by Rob Younger, engineered by Alan Thorne)
- "No-One Else/Gettin' Over You" (Citadel) 1986 (produced by Rob Younger, engineered by Alan Thorne)
- "Surfin' In The Swamp/Fire In My Soul" (Green Fez) 1987
- "Wheel Of Fortune/Rock It To The Moon" (Green Fez) 1988
- "Hellfire/Hold On Me" (Green Fez) 1989
12"EP
- Extended Play 45 RPM ("10,000 Miles") (Pink Flamingo Records) 1989
Compilation track
- "Munster Rock n Roller" — Munster Dance Hall Favourites Vol 3 (Munster) 1989
External links
- The Bam Balams (http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=67) (Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop by Ian McFarlane)