The Screaming Tribesmen

The Screaming Tribesmen
Background information
Origin	Brisbane, Australia
Genres	Punk rock, indie rock, garage rock, hard rock
Years active	1981–93, 2011–present
Labels	Citadel Records Rattlesnake Records Survival Records Grown Up Wrong
Associated acts	The New Christs Feather The Hitmen Radio Luxembourg Radio Birdman Died Pretty Mick Medew & The Rumours Klondike's North 40 Mick Medew & The Mesmerisers
Members	Mick Medew Chris Masuak Bob Wackley Warwick Fraser
Past members	John Hartley Murray Shepherd Jeff Silver Ritchie Hine Glenn Morris Paul Larsen Tony Cardinal Ash Geary Chris Dixon Brian Mann Tony Robertson Brad Shepherd Mark Kingsmill Michael Charles Marc Lee De Hugar Peter Cann Ron Peno Chris Welch

The Screaming Tribesmen was a rock band formed in Brisbane by Mick Medew, John Hartley & Murray Shepherd. After their I Don't Wanna Know EP and a string of successful singles, including "A Stand Alone" and their first hit, "Igloo" which was penned by Medew and Died Pretty frontman Ron Peno, the band moved base to Sydney, home of their label Citadel Records.

After relocation to Sydney, and a number of line-up changes the band settled on its most successful lineup of Medew, ex-Radio Birdman & The Hitmen guitarist Chris Masuak, bass player Bob Wackley & drummer Warwick Fraser (ex-Feather & Hoi Polloi) who replaced Michael Charles after the recording of the Date With A Vampyre EP.

The Vampyre EP reigned at the top of the Australian independent charts for over 40 weeks, while the band toured constantly in support. The follow-up Top of the Town EP released on the boutique Rattlesnake Records label saw a change in direction for the band as it morphed into the sound of their first full-length release Bones and Flowers.

The band toured the US on the strength of the album and at home they enjoyed a run of Australian Alternative No. 1 hits as well as gaining Stateside attention with regular airplay on the US College Radio circuit. Their 1988 single "I've Got a Feeling" featured heavily on US MTV's 120 Minutes, hitting No. 1 on the KROQ charts in LA and No. 7 on Billboard's modern rock chart.

Internal disputes after their US successful tour saw the lineup dissolve after a performance in front of 200,000 people at Sydney's Bondi Beach at a protest concert, 'Stop the Ocean Pollution'. Medew formed a new lineup featuring members of Melbourne band Radio Luxembourg, Jeff Silver and Ritchie Hine and former Kings of the Sun guitarist Glenn Morris.

This line-up released two albums, a collection of covers "Take Cover" and "Blood Lust". Morris departed and was replaced by Brian Mann, while Ritchie Hine was replaced by Celibate Rifles sticksman Paul Larsen.

Mick Medew continued to tour, write and record with various line-ups until 1992, when he retired the name, re-emerging after a decade long hiatus as Mick Medew and the Rumours featuring ex-Screaming Tribesmen and Lost Boys Chris Dixon and Ash Geary, with bass player Paul Hawker.

In January 2011 Medew performed a set of Screaming Tribesmen songs in Sydney with former guitarist and songwriting partner Chris Masuak.

In June 2011 it was announced the "Bones and Flowers" era line-up of Medew, Masuak, Wackley and Fraser would reform for a series of shows on the east coast of Australia beginning with The Gathering Festival in Brisbane on 17 September.

The band subsequently announced shows in Melbourne (23 September) and Sydney (24 and 25 September) on the back of CD re-issues of "Date With a Vampyre"/"Top of the Town" and "Bones And Flowers" through Australian label Grown Up Wrong.

The band played at the Azkena Rock Festival in Spain and toured France throughout June 2012.

Discography

Albums

• Bones and Flowers - Survival (460120 1) (1988)
• Blood Lust - Survival/Rattlesnake (RAT 512 CD) (1990)
• High Time: A Collection - Rattlesnake (SUR507 CD) (1990)
• Formaldehyde - Survival (SUR527 CD) (1993)
• Anthology 1982-1993: All Hail the Tribesmen - Raven (RVCD-169) (2003)
• The Savage Beat of the Screaming Tribesmen - Savage (Savage002) (December 2003)
• Bones And Flowers - Grown Up Wrong

EPs

• Screaming Tribesmen - (1982)
• I Don't Wanna Know - EMI Custom (1983)
• Date With A Vampyre - Citadel (CITEP902) (1985)
• Move a Little Closer - What Goes On (WHAT GOES 2T) (1985)
• Top of the Town - Rattlesnake (RAT1202) (1986)
• Take Cover - Survival (655147-6) (1989)
• Got You on My Mind - Survival (SUR 710 CD) (1992)
• Date With A Vampyre/Top Of The Town - Grown Up Wrong (2011)

Singles

External links

• Screaming Tribesmen Official Website
• The Screaming Tribesmen discography at MusicBrainz
• Essay including MP3 on "Igloo" at Webcuts
• Allmusic biography