The Victims (Australian band)

The Victims were formed in Perth in mid-1977 with James Baker on drums (ex-Beheaded/The Geeks), Dave Flick (real name Dave Faulkner) on guitar and vocals (ex-Beagle Boys) and Rudolph V (real name Dave Cardwell) on bass guitar.[1][2] Earlier in that year Baker and Cardwell had founded another punk band, the Geeks, with Ross Buncle on guitar and a vocalist, Lloyd. That group folded in May and their original songs formed the core of the Victims' initial repertoire.[3] The group's sound was based on United States punk pioneers, the Flamin' Groovies, the Heartbreakers, New York Dolls, and the Stooges.[1] Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, felt that "with their frantic, explosive sound backed by a solid melodic bent, The Victims became the premier punk band on the Perth scene."[1]

In 1977 the Victims recorded their debut single, "Television Addict" (Faulkner/Baker) / "I'm Flipped Out Over You" (Baker/Buncle),[1][4] of which only 1,000 copies were pressed. In August 1978 they released a five-track extended play, The Victims (also known as No Thanks to the Human Turd), with: "I Understand", "Open Your Eyes", "TV Freak", "High School Girls" and "Disco Junkies".[1][2] Baker was one of the writers of the latter four tracks; the identity of his co-composer was disputed – some sources attributing Faulkner and others citing Buncle – the situation was later resolved, with Buncle acknowledged as co-writer.[4][5] Only 500 copies of the EP were released. Some versions had hand-drawn sleeves, which McFarlane described as "ultra-rare and highly prized collector's items."[1]

Their performance at Hernando's Hideaway in Perth in January 1978 was recorded: it was issued on the live album, Culture Shock, in 2014.[6] By mid-1978 the Victims had disbanded, they briefly reunited in early 1979 to provide a farewell gig.[1] Baker was a founder of The Scientists (1978–81).[2][7] Flick reverted to using his surname, Faulkner, and briefly joined Midget and The Farrellys.[1][2] In late 1979, he joined Mannikins.[1][2] Baker and Faulkner reunited in January 1981 and founded Hoodoo Gurus in Sydney.[1][2][8] Rudolph V became a member of Love Assassins with Mark Hutchinson on guitar, John Rowlings on vocals and Marc Siddall on drums.[1][2]

In December 1989 the Victims material was issued as a compilation album, All Loud on the Western Front, on Timberyard Records.[1] This included all the tracks from their first single and EP, as well as a previously unreleased track, "Perth Is a Culture Shock".[1][2] It was re-issued on CD in 2005.

"Television Addict" has been covered by Hoodoo Gurus (both live when Baker was still a member and on record for Crank, 2005 re-issue) and recorded by You Am I, The Hellacopters and Teengenerate. It is also a mainstay of Australian punk compilations. The song was also played live by United States band The Bronx on their 2007 Australian tour. The 2011 compilation, Sleeping Dogs Lie, was issued by Japanese label 1977 Records and distributed in Australia by the Fuse label.[9][10] In addition to the tracks on All Loud on the Western Front it added two demo songs.[10]

In August 2014 Baker and Faulkner were joined by Ray Ahn (of Hard-Ons) on bass guitar as the Television Addicts at the Rosemount Hotel in North Perth. They performed the Victims material and in February of the following year gigged in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.[11][12] According to Faulkner, Cardwell was not asked to join as "we ended up not liking the third Victim very much and didn't want to have anything to do with him."[12]