Bam Balams

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 Burnette, Tony Joe White, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Byrds and Buck Owens. Playing a mix of swampy r&b, rockabilly, country, and jangle pop, their style was somewhat at odds with the '60s Garage and Detroit rock styles favoured by the Sydney indie rock scene of the time. However, all their records did well in the independent charts.

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 lineup recording the "Extended Play 45 RPM" 12"EP, featuring the track "10,000 Miles". In 1990, the lineup changed again with Terry Stanley on Bass, and Tim Denny on Drums. This lineup remained until the band split in 1992.

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 a similar 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

ingles

*"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)
*"Same Old Tune" / split single with September Gurls (Guiding Light Records) 1986
*"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

* [http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=67 The Bam Balams] (Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop by Ian McFarlane)