- Helicopters (band)
Infobox musical artist
Name = Helicopters
Img_capt =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Flagicon|AUSPerth, Western Australia ,Australia
Genre = New Wave/Ska
Years_active = 1980 - 1985
Label =
URL =
Cuurent_Members = Deidre Baud
Kevin Rooney
Phil Bennett
Vic Renolds
Past_members = Peter Stafford
Tony Thewlis
George O'BrienHelicopters were an
Australia n new wave,ska -influenced pop band who formed inPerth, Western Australia in 1980. They released two albums, a self titled album and a career retrospective, "Great Moments In Aviation". The original lineup was Deidre Baud (vocals, bass, songwriter), Kevin Rooney (drums) and Peter Stafford (guitar).Peter Stafford was replaced by Phil Bennett (vocals, keyboards, songwriter) and Tony Thewlis in April 1981. A track was included on West Australian compilation album "West". At the end of the year, Thewlis left to join
the Scientists and was replaced by George O'Brien (guitar). This lineup recorded the band's debut self-titled album.In August 1982, O'Brien left the band and the remaining members took the year off, forming a side project, the glam rock outfit
Lazer Blades . 1983 saw Vic Renolds (guitar, vocals) join and the band reformed with a harder, though still pop-oriented sound.One of Perth's most successful new wave bands, they managed to pull huge crowds at their own venues, despite Perth's reputation as "cover city" as well as support acts such as
Stray Cats ,Elvis Costello andDuran Duran .Splitting in 1985, Baude and Rooney moved to the UK, Renolds went on to record solo work while Bennett continued to release albums of his own material with
Love bites andPillbox .
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