- Richard Grossman (musician)
Infobox musical artist
Name = Richard Grossman
Img_capt =
Img_size = 150
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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name =
Alias = Rick Grossman
Born =
Died =
Origin =Sydney ,Australia
Instrument = bass guitar
Voice_type =
Genre = Rock Music
Occupation = musician
Years_active = 1976–present
Label =
Associated_acts =Matt Finish Divinyls Hoodoo Gurus Ghostwriters
The Moops/Persian Rugs
URL =
Notable_instruments =Richard Grossman is an
Australia n rock musician who has played bass guitar for two iconic bandsDivinyls andHoodoo Gurus .cite web |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/g/grossmanrick.html |title=Australian Rock Database entry on Rick Grossman |publisher=Magnus Holmgren |accessdate=2008-01-25 ] Hoodoo Gurus iconic status on the Australian rock scene was acknowledged when they were inducted into the 2007ARIA Hall of Fame .cite web |url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/about-hall-of-fame.php |title=ARIA Awards 2007: About Hall of Fame |publisher=ARIA Awards |accessdate=2008-01-20 ] cite web |title="ARIA presents the 2007 ARIA Hall of Fame" |last=Pope |first=Mark |url=http://www.amcos.com.au/news/industry/news/070507_ARIA-HallofFame.pdf (PDF) |date=2007-05-07 |accessdate=2008-01-25 ] For Grossman, this was his "second" Hall of Fame induction in a row; the 2006 award was for his stint withDivinyls .cite web |url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/news-ARIAhalloffame2006.htm |title=2006 ARIA Hall of Fame Awards |publisher=ARIA |accessdate=2008-01-22 ] Often referred to as Rick Grossman, he has also performed with other Australian bands:Matt Finish ,Ghostwriters , Persian Rugs and The Kelly Gang.Biography
Matt Finish
Grossman attended
Sydney Boys High School with John Prior drummer ofMatt Finish . He became friends with their singer/songwriter Matt Moffitt and was asked to join Matt Finish in 1979.cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/09/1062902054752.html?from=storyrhs |title=Wild one with a dark angel's voice |date=2003-10-09 |last=Souter |first=Annie |publisher="The Sydney Morning Herald" |accessdate=2008-01-25 ] Grossman performed on their debut album "Short Note" (1981, #14 in the Australian charts) [3XY Music Survey, 27 March 1981] and the associated single "Short Note" went gold. He also played on "Fade Away" (live EP, 1981); but as a result of Moffitt’s declining health, the band split up at the end of 1981. Prior to that, between 1976 and 1979, Grossman had played bass for several minor bands, including Hellcats, Parachute, Bleeding Hearts, Eric Gradman's Man and Machine and The Traitors.Divinyls
Grossman then spent five years (1982-1987) as bass guitarist for
Divinyls replacing Jeremy Paul (exAir Supply ) just after they had recorded the soundtrack for the film "Monkey Grip " in 1982. Divinyls were led byChristina Amphlett (vocals) and Mark McEntee (guitars); together with Grossman they recorded two albums "Desperate" (1983, #5 ARIA album charts) and "What a Life!" (1985, #4) and their single "Pleasure and Pain" which reached #11 (ARIA singles chart) and #12 (U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks). Divinyls were honoured by being inducted into theARIA Hall of Fame in 2006.Hoodoo Gurus
In 1988 Grossman replaced Clyde Bramley in Hoodoo Gurus on bass. Their most stable line-up of Dave Faulkner (guitar, vocals, main songwriter, keyboards), Grossman, Mark Kingsmill (drums, percussion) and
Brad Shepherd (lead guitar, vocals, harmonica) saw Hoodoo Gurus from 1988 to the break-up in January 1998.cite web |url=http://guruvosity.tripod.com/theband.htm |title=Hoodoo Guruvosity |first=Gareth |last=Clarke |accessdate=2008-01-25 ]Grossman has been involved in the reformed Hoodoo Gurus (2003-present), including the release of their latest album "Mach Schau" (2004) and subsequent tours both nationally and internationally. Hoodoo Gurus co-headlined the 2004
Big Day Out festival withMetallica andThe Strokes . [cite web |url=http://www.bigdayout.com/history/pastlineups.php |title=Big Day Out - past lineups |accessdate=2008-01-25 ]Hoodoo Gurus toured during 2007 including several US dates, [cite web |url=http://www.harpmagazine.com/news/detail.cfm?article=10888 |publisher="Harp Magazine" |last=Mills |first=Fred |date=
2007-02-09 |title=Hoodoo Gurus tour U.S. for first time since ‘94 | accessdate=2008-01-25] kicking off at theSouth By Southwest Music Festival inAustin, TX , [cite web |url=http://2007.sxsw.com/music/showcases/band/30508.html |title=2007 SXSW Official website - bands |publisher=south by southwest, inc |accessdate=2008-01-25 ] , performances in Europe, including the Azkena Festival (Spain ) [cite web |url=http://www.azkenarockfestival.com/ |title=2007 Azekena Festival lineup |accessdate=2008-01-21 ] followed by a national tour of Australia called 'Clash of the Titans', withThe Stems andRadio Birdman . [cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22405140-5003421,00.html |title=Rockin' Dinosaurs |last= Mccabe| first=Kathy|publisher="The Courier-Mail"|date=2007-09-12 |accessdate=2008-01-21] Another solo Hoodoo Gurus tour started late in 2007 (including performances at theApollo Bay Music Festival, [cite web |url=http://www.apollobaymusicfestival.com/media.htm |title=Appollo Bay Music Festival lineup |last=Pemberton |first=Rob |date=2007-05-09 |accessdate=2008-01-22 ]Splendour in the Grass , [cite web |url=http://w3.splendourinthegrass.com/Line-Up/Main-Stages/The-Hoodoo-Gurus.html |title=2007 Splendour in the Grass - Hoodoo Gurus |publisher=splendourinthegrass.com |accessdate=2008-01-25 ]Meredith Music Festival , [cite web |url=http://www.mmf.com.au/mmf07/ |title=Meredith Music Festival 2007 lineup |publisher=Meredith Music Festival |accessdate=2008-01-25 ] and theSt Kilda Festival [cite web |url=http://www.stkildafestival.com.au/max-beach |title=2008 St Kilda Festival lineup |publisher=St Kilda Festival |accessdate=2008-01-25 ] ) and continued into 2008. [cite web |url=http://www.hoodoogurus.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=16&Itemid=28 |title=Official website - Tour dates |accessdate=2008-01-25 ]Hoodoo Gurus were inducted into the 2007 ARIA Hall of Fame,cite web |url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/about-hall-of-fame.php |title=ARIA Awards 2007: About Hall of Fame |publisher=
ARIA Awards |accessdate=2008-01-20 ] cite web |title="ARIA presents the 2007 ARIA Hall of Fame" |last=Pope |first=Mark |url=http://www.amcos.com.au/news/industry/news/070507_ARIA-HallofFame.pdf (PDF) |date=2007-05-07 |accessdate=2008-01-25 ] this was the "second" time for Grossman who had already been inducted as a member of Divinyls in 2006.Ghostwriters
From 1990 onwards, Grossman has been involved in a side project,
Ghostwriters , withRob Hirst fromMidnight Oil . Ghostwriters have released four albums "Ghostwriters" (1991), "Second Skin" (1996), "Fibromoon" (1999, by Rob Hirst and The Ghostwriters) and their latest release "Political Animal" (2007Sony BMG ). Fellow Guru, Shepherd played as a session musician with Ghostwriters on their albums "Ghostwriters" and "Fibromoon". In 1996, Hirst also teamed up with Australian Olympian turned musician, Paul Greene, to form Hirst and Greene: they produced a single "Best Impression" / "When God's Not Busy" (1996) with Grossman on bass. [cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/release/804884 |title=Hirst & Greene - "Best Impression" |publisher=discogs.com |accessdate=2008-02-07 ] Ghostwriters (i.e. Hirst and Grossman) were producers and session musicians for Various Artists album "Olympic Record" (2000), other performers included Greene. [cite web |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/comp/olympicrecord.html |title=Australian Rock Database entry on "Olympic Record" |accessdate-2008-02-03] Hirst and Greene, with Grossman playing bass, released "In the Stealth of Summer" (2005) together with other musicians that would be used on Ghostwriters' "Political Animal". [cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/release/854169 |title=Discogs entry on "In the Stealth of Summer" |accessdate=2008-01-27 ]Matt Moffitt
During 2001, Grossman performed 20 concerts with long time friend Matt Moffitt (1956-2003) singer-songwriter and founder of
Matt Finish . Grossman had been an early member (1980-1981) and returned to compile and promote "Just a Short Note (Best of)" (December, 2001). [cite web |url=http://mattfinish.com.au/about.php |title=Matt Finish Official website |publisher=mattfinish.com |accessdate=2008-01-23 ] When Moffitt passed away in September 2003, Grossman delivered one of the eulogies.Persian Rugs
In September 2001, the four ex-Gurus (Faulkner, Grossman, Kingsmill & Shepherd) performed as The Moops (later called Persian Rugs). [cite web |url=http://www.i94bar.com/gigreviews/persianrugs.html |last=McPharlin |first=John |date=2001-09-06 |title="The Moops aka Persian Rugs at the Hoey" |publisher=I-94 Bar |accessdate=2008-01-20 ] cite web |url=http://www.homebake.com.au/2001/bands.html |title="Homebake 2001 band profiles" |accessdate=2008-01-21 ] At
Homebake 2001, (December 8) both Hoodoo Gurus and Persian Rugs performed separate sets. Just after Persian Rugs recorded a five-track EP "Mr. Tripper" (June, 2002), Grossman left, they recruited bassist Kendall James (ex Thurston Howlers, Crusaders) and recorded an album "Turkish Delight" (August, 2003). [cite web |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/p/persianrugs.html |title=Australian Rock Database entry on Persian Rugs |publisher=Magnus Holmgren |accessdate=2008-01-20 ]"We recorded an EP about 18 months [ago] with all ex-Hoodoo Gurus members, Rick Grossman played bass on that as well but he has other things going on [in] his life which is always the way of the musician. We had a bass player vacancy going on in the band. I had seen Kendall playing in a band called the Crusaders which were very much in the same realm." - Brad Shepherd, 2003. [cite web |url=http://www.undercover.com.au/news/2003/20030819_persianrugs.html |title="What is with the Hoodoo Gurus reformation rumours?" |last=Cashmere |first=Paul |publisher=Undercover Music News |date=
2003-08-19 |accessdate=2008-02-07 ]The Kelly Gang
The Kelly Gang was a 2004 project Grossman formed with Jack Nolan, they brought in Hirst and Scott Aplin (Waikiki) to record "Looking for the Sun" (July, 2004) which has one of Sidney Nolan's iconic "Ned Kelly" series as its album cover. Brad Shepherd (
Hoodoo Gurus ) also performed on the album as a session musician. [cite web |url=http://www.amo.org.au/artist.asp?id=3734 |title=Australian Music Online entry on The Kelly Gang |last=Piggot |first=Stacey |accessdate=2008-01-24 ] On their tour debut guitarist Martin Rotsey (Midnight Oil) and session drummer Pete Skelton (Move Trees)joined the band.Grossman is married and lives in Sydney and, when not touring or recording, is a Trainer at JMC Academy Australia, providing instruction in Creative Industries Course: Popular Music and Performance. [cite web |url=http://www.jmcacademy.net.au/news_detail.cfm?id=9 |title=JMC Academy Australia news |publisher=JMC Academy |accessdate=2008-01-25 ] He also developed 'Flight Deck', a studio for aspiring songwriters, in 2000. [cite web |url=http://www.apra.com.au/publications/APRAP_Au/2000/00_December.pdf |title=APRAP |year=2000 |month=November |format=pdf |accessdate=2008-01-27 ]
Discography
*
Matt Finish (1979-1981, 2001)
** "Matt Finish Play Africa" / "CIA" / "Mancini Shuffle" (1980)
**"Short Note" / "Layman's Day" (1981)
**"Short Note" (LP) (1981)
**"Fade Away" (EP) (1981)
**"Just a Short Note (Best of)" (2001)*
Divinyls (1982-1987)SeeDivinyls discography for full list. Studio albums with Grossman:
**"Desperate" (1983)
**"What a Life!" (1985)*
Hoodoo Gurus (1988-1998), (2003-present)SeeHoodoo Gurus discography for full list or for a quick link to albums and singles use infobox below. Studio albums with Grossman:
** 1989 "Magnum Cum Louder "
** 1991 "Kinky"
** 1996 "Blue Cave"
** 2004 "Mach Schau"*
Ghostwriters (1990-present)
**"Ghostwriters" (1991)
**"Second Skin" (1996)
**"Fibromoon" (credited to Rob Hirst and The Ghostwriters) (1999)
**produced & session musician on "Olympic Record" by Various Artists (2000)
**"Political Animal" (2007)*Persian Rugs (aka Moops) (2001-2002)
** "Mr. Tripper" (EP) (2001)*The Kelly Gang (2004)
**"Looking for the Sun" (2004)References
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