Harman Patil (Editor)

Mars Needs Guitars!

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Length
  
33:35

Artist
  
Hoodoo Gurus

Label
  
Big Time Records

Mars Needs Guitars! (1985)
  
Blow Your Cool! (1987)

Release date
  
May 1985

Genre
  
Rock music

Mars Needs Guitars! httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaendd8Mar

Released
  
May 1985 1985 7 July 1987 22 February 2005

Producer
  
Charles Fisher, Hoodoo Gurus

Similar
  
Hoodoo Gurus albums, Rock music albums

Mars Needs Guitars! is Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' second album, released in 1985. The title is a reference to the 1967 science fiction film, Mars Needs Women. Singles from the album were "Bittersweet" (1985) (reached #10 on Melbourne record charts), "Like Wow – Wipeout" (1985, #28), "Death Defying" (1986) and "Poison Pen" (1986). Mars Needs Guitars! reached No. 140 on the American Billboard 200 albums chart in 1986.

Contents

The title track, "Mars Needs Guitars" (also the B-side of "Bittersweet" single), was written by all five Gurus and lead vocals were by Brad Shepherd. All other tracks were written and featured lead vocals by Dave Faulkner. Hayride to Hell (1995) is a short film written and directed by former Gurus member Kimble Rendall.

"When we commenced the sessions for Mars Needs Guitars! we had a brand new drummer, Mark Kingsmill who altered our lives forever with his distinctive explosive style." - Dave Faulkner.

The song "Bittersweet" was used in the video game MVP Baseball 2004.

The album was re-released by EMI on the 22 February 2005 with five bonus tracks, a fold out poster and liner tracks by Wally Kempton (Even/The Meanies). Three of the bonus tracks (13 to 15) were recorded live at Selina's, Sydney, in 1986. In October 2010, it was listed in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums, with their previous album, Stoneage Romeos at No. 28.

Hoodoo gurus bittersweet


Original release

All written tracks by Dave Faulkner unless otherwise indicated.

  1. "Bittersweet" – 3:44
  2. "Poison Pen" – 4:09
  3. "In the Wild" – 3:07
  4. "Death Defying" – 3:21
  5. "Like Wow – Wipeout" – 3:09
  6. "Hayride to Hell" – 3:15
  7. "Show Some Emotion" – 2:56
  8. "Other Side of Paradise" – 3:31
  9. "Mars Needs Guitars" (James Baker, Clyde Bramley, Faulkner, Mark Kingsmill, Brad Shepherd) – 2:52
  10. "She" – 3:28

2005 re-release

Songwriters same as above, with additional tracks by Faulkner unless indicated.

  1. "Bittersweet" – 3:44
  2. "Poison Pen" – 4:09
  3. "In the Wild" – 3:07
  4. "Death Defying" – 3:21
  5. "Like Wow – Wipeout" – 3:09
  6. "Hayride to Hell" – 3:15
  7. "Show Some Emotion" – 2:56
  8. "Other Side of Paradise" – 3:31
  9. "Mars Needs Guitars" – 2:52
  10. "She" – 3:28
  11. "Bring the Hoodoo Down" – 2:54
  12. "Turkey Dinner" – 4:14
  13. "Death Ship" (live) (Faulkner, Roddy Radalj, Alan Sharples) – 2:42
  14. "In the Wild" (live) – 3:29
  15. "Teenage Head" (live) (Cyril Jordan, Roy Loney) – 3:02

Personnel

Credited to:

Hoodoo Gurus

  • Clyde Bramley — bass, backing vocals
  • Dave Faulkner — lead vocals (except track 9), guitar, keyboards
  • Mark Kingsmill — drums, cymbals
  • Brad Shepherd — lead guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals (track 9), harmonica (mouth harp)

    • Technical

  • John Bee — engineer
  • Richard Allan — illustrations
  • Charles Fisher — producer (except track 11)
  • Don Bartley — mastering (remastering)
  • Hoodoo Gurus — producer (track 11)

    • Songs

    1Bittersweet3:48
    2Poison Pen4:12
    3In the Wild3:09

    References

    Mars Needs Guitars! Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA