Huxton Creepers

The Huxton Creepers were an Australian rock band from Melbourne. They formed in 1984, three years after they left high school, and split in 1989. Their notable Australian hits were "My Cherie Amour", "I Will Persuade You" and their version of Manfred Mann's "Pretty Flamingo".

The lineup was Rob Craw (lead vocals and guitar), Paul Thomas (guitar and vocals), Matthew Eddy (bass) and Archie Law (drums). All four members attended Scotch College, Melbourne, completing their HSC year in 1981.

Recording history

Their first released recording was the track "King Of The Road" (an original, not the Roger Miller song) on the Au Go Go Records Melbourne compilation "Asleep At The Wheel" in 1984. This and their two tracks on the Triple J compilation "Cooking With George" brought them to the attention of Big Time Records, their label throughout their career. Their first album was "12 Days To Paris" in 1986 and their second was "So This Is Paris" in 1988 (titled "Keep To The Beat" on the Canadian release).

After the Huxton Creepers

Paul Thomas went on to be a major part of the final line up of Weddings Parties Anything and later Custard. He has also played in local Melbourne bands such as Four Door Shitbox, Son of John and skiffle group The Rock Island Linesmen. He did the album "Rob Knows Paul", an acoustic album of left over songs he and Rob Craw had written for the Creepers, covers of Screaming Jay Hawkins, Johnny Thunders and NRBQ, as well as acoustic versions of "This Day Is Mine" and "Better Days" from "So This Is Paris". He has also played with Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter and Nick Barker.

Rob Craw works as a high school drama teacher. He plays in his own bands such as Rob Craw's Acoustic Dilemma and The Craw and recorded the "Rob Knows Paul" album with Paul Thomas. He has also written for and played with David Bridie and Monique Brumby.

Archie Law returned to university after the band split, coming to prominence again in 2000 as director of the British mine clearance charity Mine Action Group (MAG), running a team of 400 people clearing land mines in Cambodia. He is now employed by the United Nations, first in New York and, as of 2005, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Matthew Eddy recorded a solo album in 2000 called "Egg", released by Corduroy Records. He works as a high school Indonesian teacher.

The band reformed in June 2002 to play the Melbourne radio station 3RRR "Sex Pistols Celebration" at the Esplanade Hotel in St. Kilda.

Discography

"Australian releases except as noted"

* King Of The Road (track on "Asleep At The Wheel", Au Go Go ANDA-33, 1984)
* Slow Attack/Happy Days (2 tracks on "Cooking With George", ABC L-80201/2, 1984)
*The Murderess/Happy Days (7", Big Time, 1985)
* "12 Days To Paris" (album, Big Time, 1986)
*#I Will Persuade You
*#Guilty
*#Life Fit for a King
*#Part the Seas
*#I've Been Around
*#Autumn Leaves
*#Long Hot Summer
*#Don't Even Think About It
*#King of the Road
*#True Love Baby
*My Cherie Amour/True Love Baby (7", Big Time BTS-1706, 1986)
*I Will Persuade You/I've Been Around (7" BTS-1774, 12", Big Time, 1986)
*Pretty Flamingo/25 Words Or Less (7", Big Time, 1987)
*Skin Of My Teeth/Come Another Day (7", Big Time, 1987)
* "So This Is Paris" (album, Big Time, 1988)
*#Skin of My Teeth
*#Rack My Brains
*#Edge of Darkness
*#When You Sleep
*#Visually
*#This Day Is Mine
*#Better Days
*#Nights Become Your Days
*#Keep to the Beat
*#Slow Attack
*#Time Heals All Wounds
*#Pretty Flamingo
*Rack My Brains/When You Leave (7", Big Time, 1988)
*"Keep To The Beat" (album, Big Time/Polydor, 1988) — Canadian release of "So This Is Paris"
**same track listing minus "Pretty Flamingo"
*Small mercies EP Side A: 1."Small Mercies", 2."Everyday Things", 3."Anytime Of Day".Side B: 1."Ghost Town", 2."Little Secrets", 3."Going To The Dogs". 1990.

References

* [http://www.bmusic.com.au/links/whatsnew/newsletters/archives/newsno69.html#where Where Are They Now - Huxton Creepers] (bmusic Newsletter #69, May 25-May 31, 2003)
* [http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=huxton_creepers Huxton Creepers] (Ira Robbins and Doug Brod, Trouser Press)
* [http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/stories/s227783.htm Different drummer hunts for landmines] (transcript) (Maxine McKew, "The 7.30 Report", December 26, 2000)
* [http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/huxton_creepers Huxton Creepers] (Rate Your Music)