Jimmy and the Boys

Jimmy and the Boys were an Australian New Wave band, active from 1975 to 1982, best known for their incredibly violent stage shows. The act revolved around vocalist Ignatius Jones and keyboard player Joylene Hairmouth - a couple of friends from Cranbrook and Riverview, exclusive private schools. Since 1976 the duo had been surrounded by various combinations of backing musicians, the constant guts and gore probably accounting for at least some of the member turnover. Their performance, their visual image, their on and offstage behaviour were all carefully designed to elicit the maximum level of shocked outrage from a public long since bored with the standard media fare of moral decadence. Sadomasochism, transvestitism, self-mutilation, drug abuse, inebriation, simulated sex and mock rape all took starring roles in Jimmy And The Boys' blisteringly paced tribute to cultural degeneracy. The band was known for often causing audience riots in the more homophobic venues they played.

Though the group only recorded two studio albums, "Not Like Everybody Else" from 1980 and 1981's "Teddy Boys' Picnic", they were one of the most popular live acts in Australia. In 1981 they scored their only top 10 single with "They Won't Let My Girlfriend Talk to Me", written by Split Enz leader, Tim Finn. According to the Split Enz radio documenary Enzology, Finn was initially not very happy with the bands' version of the song. The original demo by Tim Finn himself resides on the album The Other Enz.

The double-jointed, bisexual Jones was born of Spanish parents in Manila. It was obvious even in the 70s that if he were not fronting a band he would certainly be a celebrated figure in another avenue of the performing arts (he went on to starring roles in musical theatre, cabaret and on national television as well as being actively involved in areas of fine art and dance).

Jimmy and the Boys disbanded in January 1982 and, shortly after, Jones moved to the theatre stage, playing the dual roles of Eddie and Dr. Scott in the Australian revival of "The Rocky Horror Show". At the end of 1982 the band temporarily reformed for a national tour, which resulted in a live album, "In Hell with Your Mother". Following the second and final break up of the band, Warner Bros. Records signed Jones to a six-album record deal, of which little actually materialised, although Jones had a near-hit with his 1982 single "Like a Ghost".

Following his shortlived solo career, Jones wrote a novel, and organised the opening ceremony for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Discography

*"I'm Not Like Everybody Else / Wild Boys" (7", 1979)
*"Not Like Everybody Else" (LP, 1979)
*"Products of Your Mind / Komputer Song" (7", 1979)
*"Teddy Boys' Picnic" (LP, 1981)
*"They Won't Let My Girlfriend Talk to Me / Brave New World" (7", 1981)
*"Mirror Mirror" (7", 1981)
*"In Hell with Your Mother" (Live LP, 1982)

Members

*Ignatius Jones - Vocals
*Joylene Hairmouth - Keyboards
*Scott Johnson - Drums
*Michael Vidale
*Stephen Hall - Lead Guitar (who was on the cover of Jimmy and the Boys' best-selling album)
*Joe P. Rick
*Paul Radcliffe

External links

* [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/09/1052280438807.html "Punk Maestro" - Article from The Age, 10th May 2003]
* [http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/music/jimmyboys.htm Jimmy And The Boys at Nostalgia Central]
* [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:ufjv7i33g7dr Jimmy And The Boys at Allmusic ]