Adieu to a Hoodoo Guru: Kingsy leaves the band
The Hoodoo Gurus have announced the departure of Mark Kingsmill, their drummer for the last 30 years, from the end of March.
In a Facebook post, frontman Dave Faulkner said: “I won't invade Mark's privacy by going into elaborate detail about his reasons other than to say he feels he's had enough of this vagabond rock 'n' roll lifestyle we all lead.
“Though he still enjoys playing drums, Mark has completely lost his appetite for the endless travelling and the many hours of hotel room boredom.
“The physical demands of playing the drums as energetically as he does are also exacting a higher toll on his body than ever before. Really, who can blame him for wanting a change?”
Faulkner says the band members considered breaking up rather than replacing Kingsmill who is only the second drummer in the band’s history (James Baker being the first.) Kingsmill is understood to have made his decision some months ago.
“Mark, like James Baker before him, has a unique style of drumming and no-one else will ever be able to replicate it. Inevitably our sound will change,” Faulkner said.
“It's up to Brad, Rick and I to make sure that the next person is as inspirational a player as Mark has always been, and that we don't diminish as a band.”
The band is playing the sold-out Red Hot Summer tour in Launceston on January 31and is yet to announce Kingsmill’s final gigs.
Mark Kingsmill sprung out of the thriving Sydney underground scene and joined the Gurus iun 1984 after spells with the Hellcats, Super K, the Rob Younger-fronted Other Side and New Christs, the Hitmen and (briefly) the Screaming Tribesmen.
He’s long been regarded as one of the hardest-hitting and precise hard rock drummers in Australia.
Tags: hoodoo, gurus, dave, faulkner, mark, kingsmill
Comments (3)
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Guest - Martarna Hlotharlini
PermalinkRumours are that the replacement will be ex Lime Spiders (drummer/song writer) visionary,backbone and spiritual leader- Richard Lawson, who is currently playing in the Mudgee drumming outfit 'King Congo Congo' and the post punkers "The Proctologistz". Richard also is involved with a very successful 'Punch and Judy' show, as a puppeteer that performs at country RSL clubs and shopping centres. He also has a market stall that sells home made candles,incense,healing wands and spirit stones.
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Guest - Bukko_Boomeranger
PermalinkWell they better get a drummer and perform more in Australia! I saw a few Gurus gigs the first time I immigrated to Australia in the mid-2000s, but now that I'm back, it hasn't been as easy. Wasn't keen on paying $100+ and spending a couple days in frigging Werribee for the privilege. It was great to catch Dave Faulkner and semi-Guru crew in Footscary last week doing Victims tunes, but that only served to remind me of how much more sophisticated the Gurus' sound was. Mais mes amis -- a drummer for Holy Curse would be way too aggro for the Gurus. Reading your comment makes me wonder "Whatever happened to that Backsliders disque I had?"
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