Painters and Dockers

Painters and Dockers are a band from Melbourne, Australia.

Career

They formed in 1982 with five musicians and now have seven members. The unusual name was chosen early in the bands career when playing at a pub frequented by the Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union, the band had no name and chose Painters and Dockers for the event, and the name stayed with the band from then on. [http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/music/painters&dockers.htm] Several members of the band went on to form the highly successful Dili Allstars.

The Painters and Dockers released six albums between 1984 and 1994, which featured a selection of sarcastic and amusing singles, such as "Die Yuppie Die" from 1988's "Kiss My Art" and pro-queer and anti-monarchy "I Know Better Queens Than That" from 1994's "The Things That Matter". Their greatest chart success was achieved with 1985's Nude School which received air play on a number of commercial radio stations and which was marked by its controversial lyrics and video clip.

In the earlier years, they were the headline act at the Port Melbourne Festival, and in a Government initiative called Rockin' The Rails, played songs from the back of a train, as it stopped at various Melbourne stations, including Ringwood, Camberwell and Flinders St.

Singer Paul Stewart's brother Tony was a sound recordist in the group of journalists killed in East Timor known as the Balibo Five.

Line-up timeline

1982

The band was formed by Vladimir Juric (guitars/ backing vocals), Andy Marron (drums), Phil Nelson (bass), Chris O'Connor (guitars/backing vocals) and Paul Stewart (vocals/trumpet) in 1982. They would be a five-piece band for the next two years and then never again.

1984

In 1984 Andy Marron left the band. Joining that year were Mick Morris (saxophone), Colin Buckler (drums) and Dave Pace (trumpet/backing vocals). Painters and Dockers were at this point a seven-piece for the first time.

1989

In 1989 band members Vladimir Juric and Mick Morris left the band. Darren Garth (guitars/backing vocals) joined, making Painters and Dockers a six-piece band.

1993

In 1993, Darren Garth left and Colin Badger (guitars/backing vocals) joined.

1998

The year 1998 saw the biggest line-up change in the band's career, with Phil Nelson and Chris O'Connor leaving and Paul Calvert (bass), Sonja Parkinson (trombone/backing vocals) and Jenny Pineapple (saxophone/backing vocals) joining. This shift saw Painters and Dockers return to being a seven-piece band. The only original member left is Paul Stewart.

References

* [http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/p/paintersanddockers.html Australian Rock Database - Painters and Dockers]
* [http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/music/painters&dockers.htm Painters and Dockers at "Nostalgia Central"] .
* [http://www.abc.net.au/centralvic/stories/s845400.htm Rock Art]