Also known as Dave Flick Role Musician Name Dave Faulkner | Years active 1977–present Genres Rock | |
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Birth name David Jonathan Faulkner Born 2 October 1957 (age 66)
Perth, Western Australia, Australia ( 1957-10-02 ) Occupation(s) musician, singer, songwriter Labels A&M
Elektra
RCA
Zoo/Volcano (Mushroom)
Evageline
EMI Music groups Hoodoo Gurus, The Victims, The Manikins Parents Martin Faulkner, Ruth Faulkner Albums Purity of Essence, Magnum Cum Louder, Mars Needs Guitars!, Mach Schau, Stoneage Romeos | ||
David Jonathan "Dave" Faulkner (born 2 October 1957 in Perth, Western Australia) is an Australian rock musician who also performed as Dave Flick. Faulkner is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist; he has performed with several bands, but is best known as a member of Hoodoo Gurus. He wrote the band's best known single, 1987 hit "What's My Scene?", which reached No. 3 on the National charts.
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As the mainstay member of Hoodoo Gurus, Faulkner gave the acceptance speech when they were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame on 18 July 2007 at the Plaza Ballroom, Melbourne. Faulkner was one of the new entries in the 2007 edition of Who's Who in Australia.
Early career
Faulkner's father, Martin Faulkner was a World War II veteran who served in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and survived the sinking of HMAS Canberra I during the Battle of Savo Island. Faulkner's mother Ruth was a tireless community worker and the library in Dave Faulkner's old home town of Belmont in Western Australia is named after her. Faulkner was educated at Perth's Trinity College.
Faulkner, aka Dave Flick, along with James Baker and Dave Cardwell (aka Rudolph V) were founding members of punk band The Victims in 1977. Baker and Faulkner co-wrote the band's first single "Television Addict", which is regarded as one of Australia's great punk rock songs and has featured on several punk compilations.
After The Victims split in 1979, Faulkner played keyboards with another Perth band The Manikins, who also performed some of his songs.
Hoodoo Gurus
In 1981, Baker and Faulkner founded Hoodoo Gurus in Sydney with Roddy Radalj and Kimble Rendall: their first single was "Leilani" (1982). As Hoodoo Gurus, the band enjoyed success in many countries without having a major international hit. They released eight original albums and several compilations, and officially split in 1998, but reformed in 2003.
Faulkner also wrote original music for films Broken Highway (1993) and The Sum of Us (1994). His song for Hoodoo Gurus "Come Anytime" (June 1989) is the theme song to the Australian television show Thank God You're Here (2006). The Gurus reworked their hit, "What's My Scene?" as "That's My Team" also by Faulkner, the 2003–2007 promotional theme for the National Rugby League (NRL). Faulkner is a well-known, long-time supporter of NRL team the Cronulla Sharks and appeared in one of their jerseys for the "That's My Team" promotional song video (a lyrics rewrite of "What's My Scene?"). Faulkner had also written "1000 Miles Away" (1991) which was adopted as the 'anthem' for RAN frigate HMAS Canberra II, Hoodoo Gurus played a concert including "1000 Miles Away" on-board (in front of both Canberra I and II veterans including Faulkner's father) during their last voyage out of Fremantle to Fleet Base West, prior to its decommissioning in 2005.
In September 2001, Faulkner, together with fellow Hoodoo Gurus members Rick Grossman, Mark Kingsmill and Brad Shepherd, performed as The Moops (later called Persian Rugs). At Homebake 2001, (8 December) 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 (ex Thurston Howlers, Crusaders). With the addition of James, Persian Rugs recorded their debut album Turkish Delight, which was released in August 2003.
Persian Rugs provided the track "Be My Guru" for the Hoodoo Gurus' tribute album Stoneage Cameos (2005) (see Stoneage Romeos) but by that time Hoodoo Gurus, with Grossman on bass, had already reformed and released Mach Schau (2004).
As the mainstay member of Hoodoo Gurus, Faulkner gave the acceptance speech when they were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame on 18 July 2007 at the Plaza Ballroom, Melbourne. Faulkner was one of the new entries in the 2007 edition of Who's Who in Australia.
On 6 May 2009, Faulkner was inducted into the Western Australian Music Industry (WAM) Hall of Fame.
Antenna
In 1998, following Hoodoo Gurus' split, Faulkner formed a new band Antenna, collaborating with long-time friend Kim Salmon (The Cheap Nasties, The Manikins, The Scientists, Beasts of Bourbon); Justin Frew and Stuart McCarthy (both of Southend) were the band's other members. Antenna recorded an album (between April and August 1998), and then made their live debut at the Telstra Concert of the Century/Mushroom 25th anniversary in November 1998. The concert coincided with the release of the band's debut single "Come on Spring" and album Installation. Guest performers on the album included Matt Thomas (The Mavis's) on "All Rise", and Christina Amphlett (Divinyls), on "Divine". "Come on Spring" reached No. 64 on the 1998 Triple J Hottest 100 list. Antenna appeared on the 1999 Big Day Out tour but disbanded soon after.
Other activities
A National Office for Live Music was launched by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in July 2013 and, as of August 2013, Faulkner is the state co-ambassador for New South Wales, alongside Stavros Yiannoukas from Bluejuice.
Faulkner is also an occasional contributor to The Saturday Paper.
Faulkner is a fan of the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the National Rugby League, and the Fremantle Dockers in the Australian Football League.