Mars Needs Guitars! Explained

Mars Needs Guitars!
Type:Studio
Artist:Hoodoo Gurus
Cover:Mars Needs Guitars.jpg
Released:8 March 1985
Recorded:1984
Genre:Rock
Length:33:35
Label:Big Time, Chrysalis, Elektra
Producer:Charles Fisher, Hoodoo Gurus
Prev Title:Stoneage Romeos
Prev Year:1984
Next Title:Blow Your Cool!
Next Year:1987

Mars Needs Guitars! is Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' second album, released in March 1985.[1] The title is a reference to the 1967 science fiction film, Mars Needs Women. Singles from the album were "Bittersweet", "Like Wow – Wipeout", "Death Defying" and "Poison Pen". Mars Needs Guitars! reached No. 140 on the American Billboard 200 albums chart in 1986.

The title track, "Mars Needs Guitars" (also the B-side of "Bittersweet" single), was written by all five Gurus[2] 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.

In 2000, Dave Faulkner said "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."[3]

In October 2010, it was listed in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums, with their previous album, Stoneage Romeos at No. 28.[4]

Reception

Cash Box magazine said "Excellent dynamics and songwriting shine through on nearly every cut."[5]

Personnel

Credited to:[1]

Hoodoo Gurus

Technical

Charts

Chart (1985/86)Peak
position
Australian (Kent Music Report)[6] 5
United States (Billboard 200)[7] 140

Notes and References

  1. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20131022063218/http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/h/hoodoogurus.html . Hoodoo Gurus . Passagen.se . Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren) . Holmgren . Magnus . Didier . Georgieff . Stephan . Hartung . 22 October 2013 . 24 March 2014 .
  2. Web site: Australasian Performing Right Association . 30 November 2007 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080505235657/http://www.apra.com.au/cms/worksearch/worksearch.srvlt?action=workSearch&switchDet=Y . 5 May 2008 .
  3. Web site: June 2000 . Faulkner . Dave . Pop and punishment . juliat . 27 January 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070808085453/http://www-personal.umich.edu/~juliat/hg/popandpunishment.html . 8 August 2007 . dead .
  4. Book: . O'Donnell . John . John O'Donnell (music journalist) . Creswell . Toby . Toby Creswell . Mathieson . Craig . Craig Mathieson . Hardie Grant Books . October 2010 . . 978-1-74066-955-9 .
  5. Album Releases. Cash Box. World Radio History. 10. 9 November 1985. 8 December 2021.
  6. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 141.
  7. Billboard Artist Chart History – Hoodoo Gurus . https://web.archive.org/web/20130704043657/http://www.billboard.com/artist/303589/hoodoo%2Bgurus/chart . . 4 July 2013 . 6 March 2016 . dead . dmy-all .