Brad Shepherd

Infobox musical artist
Name = Brad Shepherd

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Img_capt =
Img_size = 150
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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Bradley Mark Shepherd
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1961|02|2|df=yes
flagicon|AUS Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died =
Origin =
Instrument =
Voice_type =
Genre = rock
Occupation = musician, singer, songwriter
Years_active = 1978–present
Label = A&M
Elektra
RCA
Zoo/Volcano (Mushroom)
Evageline
EMI
Associated_acts = The Fun Things, The Hitmen, Super K, Beasts of Bourbon, Hoodoo Gurus, Monarchs, Persian Rugs
URL =
Notable_instruments =

Brad Shepherd (born Bradley Mark Shepherdcite web |title=Australasian Performing Right Association |url=http://www.apra.com.au/cms/worksearch/worksearch.srvlt?action=workSearch&switchDet=Y |publisher=APRA |accessdate=2008-02-26 ] 2 February 1961 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian rock musician. Shepherd is a guitarist, singer-songwriter and harmonica player; he has performed with several bands,cite web |title=Australian Rock Database |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/h/hoodoogurus.html |publisher=Magnus Holmgren |accessdate=2007-11-22 ] especially the iconic Hoodoo Gurus.cite web |url=http://pdftohtml.markoer.org/pdf2html.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ariaawards.com.au%2Farchives%2Fmedia-centre%2F2007%2FHOFHoodooGurusBio.pdf&
] Best known Guru's single, is their 1987 hit "What's My Scene?" written by bandmate Dave Faulkner.

Biography

Early career

Shepherd was born in Sydney but his parents relocated to Brisbane when he was six years old and describes himself as "a frustrated drummer": his parents had bought a drum kit but after moving on to guitar he left the kit for his younger brother Murray Shepherd.cite web |url=http://www.nkvdrecords.com/monarchs.htm |title=Monarchs Rock muscle cars on fossil fuels |last=Gardner |first=Steve |accessdate=2008-02-26 ] Shepherd attended Brisbane Grammar School in the mid-1970s. His first band was Brisbane punk rock act, The Aliens, which formed in 1978 with Shepherd as their lead guitarist/singer, John Hartley on bass and Murray Shepherd on drums.cite web |title=Australian Rock Database entry on Brad Shepherd |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/s/shepherdbrad.html |publisher=Magnus Holmgren |accessdate=2008-02-26 ] With the addition of second guitarist, Graeme Beavis, The Aliens eventually became The Fun Things by 1979 and released a self-titled EP, "The Fun Things" (1980).cite web |title=Hoodoo Gurus discography |publisher= Julia Thiel |url=http://www-personal.umich.edu/~juliat/hg/discography.html |accessdate=2008-02-26 ]

In late 1980 Shepherd joined The 31st, which at that stage consisted of Mick Medew, Tony Robertson, Chris Welch and Ron Peno (Died Pretty). Early in 1981 Peno and Shepherd travelled to Sydney, where Shepherd was invited to join The Hitmen, replacing Tony Vidale. At that time they included Johnny Kannis (lead vocals), Mark Kingsmill (drums, backing vocals), Warwick Gilbert (bass, backing vocals) and Chris Masuak (guitar, backing vocals). Upon joining, Shepherd had to re-record the lead guitar parts for their debut self-titled album, "The Hitmen" (1981), and then toured the east coast of Australia to promote it. The band changed record labels (switching from WEA to RCA Records), with fellow 31st member Tony Robertson replacing Gilbert, and entered studios to record their second album, "It is What it is!" (1982), with Shepherd also writing the band's 1982 single, "Bwana Devil".

As a side project, Shepherd had joined former The Hitmen member and fellow flatmate, Clyde Bramley (bass guitar), in bubble gum pop group Super K to record a single "Go Go" / "Recurring Nightmare" (1982) (co-written by Shepherd). Hassles with The Hitmen producers and Masuak led Shepherd to quit, he followed Bramley into Hoodoo Gurus.

Hoodoo Gurus

In 1981, Faulkner had founded Le Hoodoo Gurus in Sydney with James Baker, Roddy Radalj and Kimble Rendall but after their first single, "Leilani" (1982), Rendall and Radalj both left being replaced by Bramley and Shepherd.cite web |title=Discogs: Hoodoo Gurus |url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Hoodoo+Gurus |accessdate=2008-02-27 ] As Hoodoo Gurus, with Shepherd on lead guitar, backing vocals (sometimes lead vocals) and harmonica the band released eight studio albums starting with "Stoneage Romeos" (1984).

Shepherd was briefly involved with James Baker's side project Beasts of Bourbon, and recorded their four-track CD, "From the Belly of the Beasts" (1984) live at the Trade Union Club, Sydney. [cite web |title=Hoodoo Gurus discography |publisher= Julia Thiel |url=http://www-personal.umich.edu/~juliat/hg/discography.html |accessdate=2008-02-27 ] Shepherd's tenure with Beasts ended after Baker was sacked from the Gurus in 1984. [cite web |url=http://www.i94bar.com/ints/bradshepherd3.html |title="Doing the regal rock" |publisher=I-94 Bar |accessdate=2008-02-27 ] Baker's replacement was fellow The Hitmen drummer Mark Kingsmill who joined in time for Hoodoo Gurus first US tour starting in late 1984. Bramley left in 1988 to be replaced by Richard Grossman (ex-Divinyls, Matt Finish). Shepherd had joined another ex-Guru, Roddy Radalj, in Roddy Ray'Da and the Surfin' Caesars during 1989.

Hoodoo Gurus' best performed single written by Shepherd was "You Open My Eyes" (1994) which reached #43 on the ARIA Singles Charts. [cite web |url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?key=277785&cat=s |title=Australian Singles Charts "You Open My Eyes" |publisher=australian-charts.com |accessdate=2008-02-27 ] Hoodoo Gurus line-up was unchanged from 1988 until they disbanded in 1998, they reformed in 2003 with same members: Faulkner, Shepherd, Kingsmill and Grossman.

In 1999, following Gurus break-up, Shepherd recorded "Alex Chilton" for The Replacements tribute album, "I'm In Love... With That Song" (Antfarm Records). [cite web |url=http://www.amazon.com/Im-Love-That-Song-Various/dp/B00000K00B |title=I'm In Love...With That Song|publisher=Amazon.com |accessdate=2008-01-24] He also produced Shutterspeed's debut EP, "Up Go The Shutters" (1999) and co-produced their second EP, "Well Ain't That Something A Good Thing's Comin' " (November, 1999) on Laughing Outlaw Records.

The Monarchs

Shepherd then went onto to form a new band, The Monarchs (initially known as The Honkies), together with Andy Kelly on bass (Glide), Greg Hitchcock on guitar (The Neptunes, The Kryptonics, New Christs, The Verys, Challenger 7, You Am I, The Dearhunters) [cite web |title=Australian Rock Database - Greg Hitchcock|url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/h/hitchcockgreg.html |publisher=Magnus Holmgren |accessdate=2008-02-26 ] and his brother Murray Shepherd (Harpoon, The Fun Things, Screaming Tribesmen) on drums. The Monarchs played with The Meanies, Even, You Am I, Joe Strummer and The Hellacopters. [cite web |url=http://www.ozmusicproject.net/band/artist.asp?ID=724 |title=Oz Music Project|publisher=Jasper Lee |accessdate=2008-01-24] In August, 1999 The Monarchs recorded a self-financed album with Wayne Connolly and in 2000 they released their first single, "2001" b/w "This Is All I Can Do" (Ivy League Records) which was followed by their debut album, "Make Yer Own Fun", in October, 2001 (Shock Records).

From 1990 onwards, fellow Hoodoo Gurus member Grossman has been involved in a side project, Ghostwriters, with Rob Hirst from Midnight Oil.cite web |title=Australian Rock Database entry on Rick Grossman |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/g/grossmanrick.html |publisher=Magnus Holmgren |accessdate=2008-02-27 ] Shepherd played with Ghostwriters on their albums "Ghostwriters" (1991) and "Fibromoon" (1999). The Kelly Gang was a 2004 project Grossman formed with Jack Nolan to record "Looking for the Sun" (July, 2004); Shepherd performed 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=2008-02-27 ]

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 the band, with Shepherd then recommending bassist Kendall James as his replacement [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=2008-02-17] (ex Thurston Howlers, Crusaders). With the addition of James the Persian Rugs recorded their debut album "Turkish Delight", which was released in 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 ]

Hoodoo Gurus reformed

Persian Rugs provided the track "Be My Guru" for the Hoodoo Gurus' tribute album "Stoneage Cameos" (2005) [cite web |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/comp/stoneagecameos.html |title=Australian Rock Database entry on "Stoneage Cameos" |publisher=Magnus Holmgren |accessdate=2008-01-20 ] (see "Stoneage Romeos") but by that time Hoodoo Gurus had already reformed. They had released their come-back album, "Mach Schau" (2004), then undertook a national tour followed by an international tour. Hoodoo Gurus iconic status on the Australian rock scene was acknowledged when they 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=2007-11-20 ] 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=2008-01-22 ]

Personal life

Shepherd is married to Sahara, the event coordinator for the Big Day Out [cite web |url=http://www.themusic.com.au/im_m/archive/2006/060606-509_eliezer.php |title=The Music website (Issue #509 - 6th June 2006) |accessdate=2008-02-28 ] , and has a daughter, Penelope (born February 18, 2002). [cite web |url=http://members.aol.com/TheMonarchs/main.html |title=The Monarchs fansite |accessdate=2008-02-28 ]

Discography

*The Fun Things (1978-1980)
** "The Fun Things" (EP) - Independent (1980) re-release (2000)

*The 31st (1980-1981)::no recorded output known

*The Hitmen (1981-1982)
** "The Hitmen" - WEA (1981)
** "Everybody Knows (I Didn't Like Love)" b/w "Dancin' Time" - RCA (7" Single) (1982)
** "Bwana Devil" b/w "Didn't Wanna Love You" - WEA (7" Single) (1982)
** "It Is What It Is!" - RCA (1982)

*Super K (1982)
** "Go Go" b/w "Recurring Nightmare" - Green (7" Single) (1982) Citadel Records re-release (1985)

*Hoodoo Gurus (1981-1998) (2003-present)

*Beasts of Bourbon
** "From the Belly of the Beasts" - WEA (1984)

*The Monarchs (1998-1999)
** "2001" b/w "This Is All I Can Do" - Ivy League Records (2000)
** "Make Yer Own Fun" - Shock Records (2001)

*Persian Rugs (2001-2004)
** "Mr Tripper" - SOS/Shock ( [Extended Play|EP) (2002)
**"Turkish Delight" - Shock (2003)
**"Be My Guru" (recorded 2004) on "Stoneage Cameos" (2005) see "Stoneage Romeos"

References

External links

* [http://www.hoodoogurus.net/ Hoodoo Gurus' Official Homepage]

Persondata
NAME=Shepherd, Brad
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Australian musician
DATE OF BIRTH=2 February 1961
PLACE OF BIRTH=Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=