Dave Graney and Clare Moore Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and
Pop / Ian McFarlane 1999
Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd
Extended encyclopedia entry for
the dave graney and the mistLY.
Constant members Dave Graney and Clare Moore.
Began their trip in 1978, still travelling .
Style : Tricked up Country-flavoured R&B? Stuart Perera, who
has played guitar since joining in 1998 and Stu Thomas who joined
in 2004 on bass.
Original line-up of Dave Graney 'n' the Coral Snakes (Formed London 1988)
: David Graney vocals, guitar; ex-Moodists), Clare Moore (drums; ex-Moodists),
Malcolm Ross (guitar; ex-Orange Juice), Gordy Blair (bass), Louis Vause
(keyboards). From 1990 to their last show in 1997 the Coral Snakes
consisted of David Graney, Clare Moore, Gordy Blair (bass) , Rod Hayward
(guitar) and Robin Casinader (piano).
NB Previously Moore and Graney had been
in the Moodists with Steve Miller, Chris Walsh, Mick Turner and
(latterly) David McClymont who released three albums (Engine shudder,
thirstys calling and double life) and several EP's.
History
At the 1996 Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Awards
ceremony, Dave Graney was named Best Australian Male Artist.
With characteristic
style, Dave's wardrobe for the occasion consisted of a pink,
crushed velvet suit and a wig that would have made any self-respecting
1970s porno star
jealous. By announcing tongue-in-cheek "the King is dead, long live
the King", Graney accepted his rightful place alongside
John Paul Young, John Farnham and Daryl Braithwaite in the
King of Pop
pantheon.
Of course, it had only taken the local music industry 16 years
to acknowledge one of the most enigmatic and genuinely talented
rock
showmen this
country
has ever known. If paying one's dues is the way to stardom,
then Graney's time was well overdue.
Graney started out in The Slunks, a punk band he put together in 1978 with a few friends in his hometown of Mount Gambier, South Australia.
He moved to Adelaide and formed Sputniks with Clare Moore (drums), Steve
Miller (guitar), Phil Costello (guitar) and Liz Dealey (bass). Graney,
Moore and Miller moved to Melbourne as The Moodists in 1980. The
Moodists , now consistng of Steve Miller, Clare Moore, Dave Graney, Chris
Walsh (bass) and Mick Turner guitar, relocated to London in October 1983,
and broke up in 1986.
At the end of 1987, Graney and Moore unveiled their new band, Dave
Graney with the Coral Snakes. The rest of the band comprised British musicians
Louis Vause, Gordy Blair and Malcolm Ross. The Coral Snakes replaced the
unsettling thump'n'grind of The Moodists with a more refined, lyrical
style of rock with a noticeable Gram Parsons flavour. Graney and his band
recorded their debut 12-inch EP, Dave Graney with the Coral Snakes
at His Stone Beach, with producer Barry Adamson in August 1988.
Just as the EP came out in the UK on the Fire label, Graney and Moore
had to leave the country at the behest of the Immigration Department.
Once settled back in Australia, Graney and Moore formed The White Buffaloes with
Rod Hayward (guitar; ex-Little Murders), Chris Walsh (bass;
ex-Moodists) and Conway Savage (from Boy Kings) on keyboards.
Martin Lubran
(ex-Hunters & Collectors)
augmented the line-up on pedal steel guitar. "My
Life on the Plains" (March 1990) revealed Graney's
love of romantic, country-flavoured R&B, and included covers
of Gram Parson's `Brass Buttons' and Fred Neil's `Dolphins'
(as covered by Tim Buckley).
The album title was derived from the autobiography of Lt. Col.
George Custer. Graney also developed his Buffalo Bill Cody
persona around
that
time, replete with waxed goatee and ostrich-skin jacket. By
the time the album appeared, Graham Lee (ex-Triffids) had replaced
Lubran
on
pedal
steel, and Savage had departed to tour with Nick Cave and the
Bad Seeds.
The new line-up recorded the live in the studio mini-album "Codine",
which came out in late 1990. Graney and Moore returned to the UK
in June 1990 to reconnect with the original Coral Snakes ( with the addition
of Rod Hayward on guitar) to record a second album "I
Was the Hunter . . . And I Was the Prey". The album was held up for over
a year due to business problems with the band's English label, Fire. By
the time it came out in May 1992, the band had transformed into Dave Graney
with the Coral Snakes and had returned to Australia. The new line-up of
Graney, Moore, Hayward, Gordy Blair and Robin Casinader (keyboards; ex-Wreckery)
came together in mid-1991. That line-up recorded the live album "Lure of the Tropics", issued by the Torn & Frayed
label (July 1992). (Casinader also issued a solo album in August
1991, All This will Be Yours).
At the end of 1992, Graney scored
a publishing deal with PolyGram Publishing, and the Coral Snakes entered
the studio with engineer/producer Tony Cohen to record their breakthrough
album "Night of the Wolverine". Helping out were Andrew
Picouleau (bass; ex-Sacred Cowboys), Amanda Mitchell (backing vocals) and
Tex Perkins who guested on one track. Night of the Wolverine (April 1993)
was a certified Australian rock classic. It captured Graney at the peak
of his songwriting powers. Tracks like `You're Just Too Hip Baby', `Night
of the Wolverine', `I'm Just Havin' One O' Those Lives' and `Three Dead
Passengers' were full of elegant and eccentric detail. The album was issued
in the UK during July 1996.
With Gordy Blair back in the bass seat, Dave Graney with the Coral Snakes
consolidated their new-found success with the album "You Wanna Be
There But You Don't Wanna Travel" (June 1994) which made
its debut at #10 on the national mainstream chart. It included the CD singles
`I'm Gonna Release Your Soul' (April) and `You Wanna Be Loved' (August).
Initial copies of the album came packaged with a limited edition bonus disc,
Unbuttoned, which featured seven previously unissued tracks.
The Dave Graney `n' the Coral Snakes' album "The Soft 'n' Sexy Sound" (#15 in July 1995) included the singles `I'm Not Afraid to Be
Heavy' (June), `Rock'n'Roll is Where I Hide' (August) and `I'm Gonna Live
in My Own Big World' (February 1996). The album also contained one of the
sharpest observations on the machinations of rock music in `Morrison Floor
Show'. The limited edition bonus disc that time was titled Music for Colourful
Racing Identities. `Rock'n'Roll is Where I Hide' registered #16 on the 1995
Triple J Hottest 100 list.
The White Buffaloes/Coral Snakes' albums were remastered and repackaged
for CD release in November 1996. The reissued Soft 'n' Sexy Sound included
a different bonus disc, Simply the Best `El Supremo'.
The Coral Snakes first single for 1997 was `Feelin' Kinda Sporty'
(April) from the album "The Devil Drives" (May). The album
reached #18 in June, and produced a second CD single, `A Man on the Make',
in September. "Feelin' Kinda Sporty" logged the #84 placement
on the 1997 Triple J Hottest 100 lst.
Dave Graney broke up the
Coral Snakes in December 1997. Having
formed a new 4-piece band, and discarded the two-gig try-out moniker of
Love Me Love My Balls, he settled on the new band name of The Dave
Graney Show. In the meantime, Graney and Clare Moore, backed by the
Dirty Three, had contributed a cover of the Hal David/Burt Bacharach song
What the World Needs Now (Is Love), to the all-Australian
To Hal and Bacharach tribute album on WEA (April 1998). Graney also made
a two-episode acting appearance in television soapie Neighbours (late
1997).
As well as Graney and Moore, The Dave Graney Show comprised 21-year old
jazz/funk guitarist Stuart Perera and Adele Pickvance (bass; Pickvance
had also worked with the Robert Forster Band and Grant McLennans
Far Out Corporation). The bands new album, The Dave Graney Show,
came out in November 1998. It was a strong album, and featured
guest players like Sean Kelly (backing vocals), Andrew Duffield (keyboards)
and Billy Miller (guitar, vocals). The album spawned a single, Your
Masters Must be Pleased with You, in February 1999, by which
time Miller had joined The Dave Graney Show as a permanent member.
At the end of 1999, the Grudge label issued the Dave Graney n
The Coral Snakes compilation "The Baddest" (September).
It was released simultaneously with a batch of Best Of collections,
comprising Clouds Favourites, The Cruel Seas The Most and
Beasts of Bourbons Beyond Good and Evil.
The Dave Graney show single, Drugs are Wasted on the Young
(February 2000), was the first release on Graneys own label, Cockaigne. It was also the first single lifted from the album "Kiss
Tomorrow Goodbye" (April 2000). Graney took the album title from
the Horace McCoy book (1948) and the James Cagney film (1950). It was
also released through out the UK and Europe on the Cooking Vinyl label.
Another classy release, the album included the masterful pastiche Have
You Heard About the Melbourne Mafia?. By that stage, Billy Miller
had issued his new, solo CD Elsternwick 69 (March 2000), which featured
contributions from Graney and Moore. 2001 began with Graney and Moore extending their field of endeavour
outside the shores of Australia, completing showcase shows in New York
and London , a tour of Vietnam and and a two month stint opening for Nick
Cave and the Bad Seeds throughout Europe.
In July 2001 Clare Moore released her highly acclaimed debut solo cd,
"the Third Woman" on the Melbourne based Chapter Music
label.
2002 saw the release of Heroic Blues (COCK005) on Cockaigne The single release was "are we goin' too fast for love?". 2003 saw the release of "two fisted art", a double
CD compilation of material by the Moodists. Shows were played in
Melbourne and Sydney.
The CD was released and distributed by Hot in Europe.
There was also the release of "the
soundtrack to the motion picture Bad Eggs by David Graney and Clare
Moore" This was a 20 track instrumental collection which was composed
for Tony Martins debut feature.
The Brother Who Lived (COCK008) was released in October 2003.
"Night of the Wolverine" (COCK010) was re-released, along
with six extra tracks in July 2004).
This was followed by the first non Graney release on Cockaigne,
Spike Priggens "stars after stars after stars" (Cock011)
in October 2004. 2005 saw the release of Hashish and
Liquor on Sydney label Reverberation. A double set with Graney
taking one disc and Moore the other.
Late 2006 saw the release of "Keepin' it unreal".
An album credited to Dave Graney and Clare Moore...featuring Stu D
aka le comte d'alucard. Again released on Reverberation.
2008 saw the release of the album " We Wuz Curious"
which was credited to the collective "Lurid Yellow Mist...featuring
Dave Graney and Clare Moore".This being very much a collective
effort in composition and execution.
2009 saw the first album billed as a Dave
Graney SOLO release coming out. "Knock
yourself out" , released on Cockaigne through Fuse,
hasdmost instruments payed by Dave Graney but has several tracks with
the music created and recorded by Clare Moore as well as guest turns from
Stu Perera and Stuart Thomas.
2010 release
-"remix compilation" -SUPERMODIFIED. 18
tracks, all remixed , re-sung,re-strung and replayed and remastered
by Dave Graney from March to June 2010.
2011"rock'n'roll is where
I hide" electric
re-recordings of a dozen graney classics for LIBERATION.Also,
the release of "1001 australian nights", a memoir
by Dave Graney on Affirm Press. 2012 dave
graney and the mistLY" release an album "you've
been in my mind" on
COCKAIGNE. 2012 also saw the release of the first Harry Howard and the NDE album, "near death experience".
On SPOOKY. 2013 - THE DAMES - self titled album
from a band comprised of songwriters Clare Moore and Kaye Louise Patterson
and a cast of stellar guests. Mixed by Barry Adamson in the UK. On
Cockaigne. 2013 - second album from Harry Howard
and the NDE- a band which include Dave Graney on bass and Clare Moore
on drums. The album is "Pretty" and is on SPOOKY. 2013 "the soundtrack
to the movie JOHNNY GHOST (digital only release) 2013 -
two live "narrative show" albums released via bandcamp. "Point
Blank" from 2006 and "Live in Hell" from
2009.
"THE MERCURY YEARS" 4 disc set of albums
recorded for Universal 1994-97. Includes the disc of rarities and unreleased
tracks "Lobster palace
royalty"
2014 - FEARFUL
WIGGINGS- the second only release
to be credited as a "solo" set. Vocals recorded with Lisa Gerard
(Dead Can Dance), contributions from UK guitar demon Nick Harper
and , of course, Clare Moore on vocals, vibes, keys and percussion.
2015 play
mistLY for me - 14 track digital
only live collection out on Cockaigne
The Devil Drives (Dave Graney 'n' the Coral Snakes, Universal 1997) The Soft'n'Sexy Sound (Dave Graney 'n' the Coral Snakes, Universal 1995) You wanna be there (Dave Graney 'n' the Coral Snakes, Universal 1994) Night of the wolverine (Dave Graney 'n' the Coral Snakes, Universal 1993) Lure of the tropics (Dave Graney 'n' the Coral Snakes, Torn and Frayed 1992) I Was the Hunter and I Was the Prey (Dave Graney 'n' the Coral Snakes, Fire 1992) My life on the plains (Dave Graney 'n' the White Buffaloes, Fire, 1990) With the Coral Snakes At His Stone Beach (4 Track EP on Fire Records 1988) Hey Little Gary 4 track EP (TIM Records 1987) Take The Red Carpet Out Of Town ( 12"EP TIM Records 1986) Double Life (the Moodists, Red Flame 1985) Justice and Money Too (EP on Creation 1985) Thirstys Calling (the Moodists, Red Flame 1984) Engine Shudder (the Moodists, Au Go Go / Red Flame 1982) Gone Dead / Chads Car 7" single AuGoGo 1981 Where The Trees Walk Downhill 7" single AuGoGo 1980
"This is music that is neither folk, nor blues, nor country, but it's all Graney, somewhere out to the left field beyond Lee Hazlewood's raised eyebrow. It's astringent on the tongue but sweetens in the telling". Noel Mengel – Brisbane Courier Mail
Dave Graney and Clare Moore 2017 CD Let's Get Tight available at iTunes and Bandcamp now.
Or perhaps a TWO HOUR podcast interview by David Cox in Sydney late 2015. Thanks David!
"* #EzRepost @coiledsprings with @repostigapp
I can’t forget the bill that hot night at the Palace in St. Kilda many years ago…The show opened with a guy called Dave Graney, the song and dance man, the loveable rogue, ‘the love rustler’ with his Coral Snakes, and the serene Clare Moore keeping everything together in the back. Then the Cruel Sea shambled onstage with Tex Perkins, tearing a hole in the night, a bellowing, rancid Lizard King in a ripped Jaws t-shirt. Finally, the Bad Seeds, with Cave mounting the fold-back, capes flowing in an impossible wind, like some perverse southern gothic evangelist, braying to the raptured who were already certain to be damned, and didn’t care. The Palace heaved that night with sweat and obscenity. And we were right there, in Melbourne, at the molten core of the rock world, drinking in the magma. Not even a thousand beers as we poured out of there, and drifted over the tram tracks to the Esplanade, could calm us down and quell the charge. But it was the unstoppable Graney, in his natty jumpsuit, with his wit, and his ways, dipping into the slow chords of ‘Night of the Wolverine’, that we knew we’d found a poet, whose lines were etched like the statue of Carlo Catarni outside and had announced himself, that night, there and then, as a put-down-your-glassss superstar. xo
HandSolo