Xero (band)
| Xero | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1978–1983 |
| Labels | M Squared |
| Associated acts | |
| Past members | see Members below |
Xero (also styled as Zero, Ziro or Xiro) were an Australian punk rock and new wave band formed in 1978 in Brisbane. They were fronted by mainstay member, Irena Luckus on lead vocals, keyboards and guitar before disbanding in 1983.
History
Xero as Zero were formed in Brisbane in 1978 with the initial line-up of Peter Adams on guitar and vocals; Chris Anderson on guitar and vocals; Jude Clarkin on Bongos; Barbara Hart on saxophone and flute; John Hunt on bass guitar; Irena Luckus on vocals, keyboard and guitar; and Debbie Penny on drums. In 1979 the band across New South Wales by train, they played gigs in Canberra (in a large, very cold hall) and Newcastle (in a local pub). In the following year they opened for the Cure in support of that group's second album, Seventeen Seconds (April 1980).
Xiro issued two different four-track extended plays, Half the Profits and Religious Wars, on audio cassette in mid-1980.[1]
In 1982 Xero recorded a six-track extended play, Lust in the Dust, at Basement Studios, Brisbane with the line-up of Luckus, Tony Childs on bass guitar; John Willsteed on bass guitar, guitar, casio keyboards and vocals; and Steven Pritchard on drums.[2]
Xero split in 1983 when Luckus left Brisbane to relocate to France. Other members included Robert Forster on guitar, Lindy Morrison on drums and Michael O'Connell on guitar and vocals. Later Foster, Morrison and Willsteed were all members of fellow Brisbane group, the Go-Betweens.[3] O'Connell and Willsteed were both members of the Apartments.[4] They have reformed for gigs since then, initially in 1986.
Members
- Irena Luckus – vocals, keyboard, guitar (1978–84)
- Chris Anderson – guitar, vocals (1978)
- Peter Adams – guitar, vocals (1978)
- Debbie Penny – drums (1978)
- John Hunt – bass guitar (1978)
- Barbara Hart – saxophone, flute (1978)
- Jude Clarkin – bongos (1978)
- Vic Allen (aka Nicki Nought) – guitar (1979)
- Deborah Thomas (aka Debbie Zero) – guitar (1979)
- John Willsteed (aka John e) – bass guitar (1979–84), vocals (1980–84), guitar and keyboards (1981–84)
- Lindy Morrison – drums (1979–80)
- Robert Forster – guitar, vocals (1979)
- Michael O'Connell – guitar, vocals (1979-1980)
- Clare McKenna – drums, bass guitar, vocals (1980-1981)
- Mal Skewis – vocals (auxiliary live musician, 1980-1981)
- Gary Warner – vocals, soprano saxophone (auxiliary live musician, 1980-1981)
- Colin Bloxsom – guitar (auxiliary live musician, 1980-1981)
- Steven Pritchard – drums (1981-1982)
- Tony Childs – bass guitar (1982)
- Tony Milner – guitar (1983)
Timeline
Discography
- Half the Profits (by Xiro) cassette EP (independent, July 1980)
- Religious Wars (by Xiro) cassette EP (independent, July 1980)
- Lust in the Dust 12" EP (M-Squared, 1982)
- Xiro Live at the Cement Box Theatre CD (Ten of Cups, 1998)
References
- General
- McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Whammo Homepage". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 5 April 2004. Retrieved 29 June 2016. Note: Archived [on-line] copy has limited functionality.
- ↑ Pemberton, Joanne (October 1981). "Cassettes spinning up a wildly different market". The Financial Review. Retrieved 29 June 2016 – via OCR Fun.
- ↑ Xero (1982), Lust in the Dust, M Squared, retrieved 29 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia
- ↑ McFarlane, 'The Go-Betweens' entry. Archived from the original on 29 August 2004. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
- ↑ McFarlane, 'The Apartments' entry. Archived from the original on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
External links
- Contributors to Project BNE - a book and music archive of Brisbane independent electronic music production 1979-2014
- Band entry on Inner City Sound
- Playlist for 15 December 2005 on local Brisbane radio station 4ZZZ