Custard (band)

Custard are an Australian indie rock band formed in 1990 in Brisbane, Australia. The band is colloquially known as "Custaro" due to frequent misreadings of its name.^[1]

History

Formation

The band was originally known as "Custard Gun" and featured David McCormack on vocals and guitar, Paul Medew on bass, James Straker (later in The Melniks) on guitar and Shane Brunn (who later formed Hugbubble and Vanlustbader) on drums. After a few shows and line up changes (namely Straker being replaced by Matthew Strong) Custard Gun morphed into Custard.

Early 1990's: Buttercup/Bedford

Custard's first release was the four track vinyl EP Rockfish Anna, which was issued in November 1990.^[2] A fire breathing Elvis impersonator was part of the EP's launch festivities.^[3]

Custard's debut album, Buttercup/Bedford, was recorded in 1991. It was meant to be released on CD in March 1992, but things went awry. Unfortunately, the CDs never turned up on time for the album launch - forcing them to give away copies of the album away on cassettes to keep the punters happy.^[3] It wasn't until the end of 1992 that the band finally got their hands on the elusive CDs. By this time Custard had signed to Ra Records and had released their first "major label" CD - an EP called Gastanked.

Gastanked did very well for the band, peaking at #41 on the ARIA singles chart. It was followed in 1993 by another EP, Brisbane, and two singles - Casanova and the double A-side Singlette/Flanelette. By this time the band was onto its third drummer - Shane Brunn had been replaced by Gavin Herrenberg, who had subsequently been replaced by Danny Plant.

1994-1995: Wahooti Fandango and Wisenheimer

Custard's debut major label album Wahooti Fandango was issued in 1994.^[4] The video for the album's first single, 'Aloha Tambourinist', was the only Custard video to ever get played on Video Hits. The video, set on a beach, featured male models pretending to be Custard, while scantily clad women roll around in the sand.

Wahooti Fandango was critically acclaimed, being nominated for 'Best Alternative Release' at the 1995 ARIA awards.^[5] However, the band's "breakthrough hit" didn't come until October 1995, when they released Apartment, the first single lifted from Wisenheimer. 'Apartment' received a high rotation airplay on triple j, and was voted in at number 7 in the 1995 Hottest 100.^[6] At the time, it was the highest ever placing by an Australian band. Wisenheimer was recorded in San Francisco, being produced by Eric Drew Feldman (Captain Beefheart, PJ Harvey, Pere Ubu et al.). The album also spawned the singles 'Sunset Strip', 'Lucky Star' and 'Leisuremaster'. After Wisenheimer, Danny Plant was replaced by Glenn Thompson. From around 1995, Custard music video director Andrew Lancaster would sometimes play keyboard with the band at their live shows.

1996-1999: We Have The Technology and Loverama

On 24 November 1996, Custard performed on the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House as part of Crowded House's Farewell To The World concert, alongside You Am I and Powderfinger.^[7] Estimates of the audience in attendance range from 100,000 to 250,000 people.^[8]

1996 and 1997 were big years for the band, touring Australia with Weezer, Frank Black, Beck and the Presidents of the USA, and venturing back to America (where Wisenheimer had been recorded) to play more shows with the Presidents. While in the USA the band also recorded album number 4, We Have the Technology.^[9]

'Nice Bird' was the first single to be lifted from We Have the Technology, followed by 'Anatomically Correct'. However, it was the final single, 'Music is Crap', that captured the public's attention. The song was written and sung by Thompson, and reinvigorated public interest in Custard.

The next single, Girls Like That (Don't Go For Guys Like Us), became the band's biggest hit. It peaked at #52 on the ARIA singles chart,^[10] and came in at an impressive number 3 in the 1998 triple j Hottest 100.^[11] The song's film clip won the 1999 ARIA Award for Best Video.^[12] The album that it was featured on, Loverama, went on to become the band's most commercially successful.

Custard went on a six-month "hiatus" at the end of 1999, before eventually disbanding.^[13]

Dissolution of the Band, Other Projects

After the split, lead singer and guitarist, McCormack, formed The Titanics with drummer, Thompson, also on guitar.^[14] Joining them were McCormack's then-wife, Emma Tom, on bass and Tina Havelock-Stevens on drums. The Titanics did not last long, releasing two albums, Size Isn't Everything and Love is the Devil, before the group disbanded.

McCormack released a series of solo albums with The Polaroids, featuring his brother Dylan (Gentle Ben and his Sensitive Side) on bass, Shane Melder (ex-Sidewinder) on drums and Cameron Bruce (Paul Kelly). Releases include "Candy" (2002), "Save Dave" DVD (2003), "The Truth About Love" (2004) and "Little Murders" (2009).

In 2004, Strong joined The Lost Gospel, alongside Phil Jamieson of Grinspoon.^[15] The group released one album.

Thompson joined The Go-Betweens in 2001,^[16] having previously played with Robert Forster and Grant McLennan in 1995.^[17] In addition to appearing on many of Forster's solo albums, Thompson played on The Go-Betweens' final two albums, Bright Yellow Bright Orange^[18] and Oceans Apart;^[19] and toured with the band until McLennan's death in 2006.^[20] Thompson then released his first solo album, Brighton Bothways, under the name "Beachfield" in 2007.^[21][22] In 2010, Thompson formed a duo with Adele Pickvance from The Go-Betweens, called Adele & Glenn, and launched a debut album in April 2012.^[23]

In 2008, Medew was a member of The Purple Hearts.

Reformation and new album: Come Back, All Is Forgiven

Custard reformed for an event on 10 December 2009 to celebrate Queensland's 150th birthday, appearing alongside Powderfinger and a number of other local acts.^[24][25]

Since reforming, the band have played one or two gigs per year.^[26] In 2010 they appeared at the Meredith Music Festival. They also performed as a headliner act for Float On: A Brisbane Flood Relief Benefit in February 2011, a show to raise money for the victims of the floods in Queensland. In 2011 Custard were featured as part of the Brisbane Festival.^[27]

Custard released their first album of new material since 1999’s Loverama, on 6 November 2015. The band have lost none of their sense of humour: it’s called Come Back, All Is Forgiven. The album was released through ABC Music on CD, vinyl, and digitally.^[28]

Discography

Albums

• Buttercup/Bedford (1991)
• Wahooti Fandango (1994) – AUS #89^[10]
• Wisenheimer (1995) – AUS #55^[10]
• We Have the Technology (1997) – AUS #36^[10]
• Loverama (1999) – AUS #19^[10]
• Come Back, All Is Forgiven (2015) – AUS #71^[10][29]

Compilations

• Quarantine (1994) – Soundtrack to the video game
• Wacked Not Wacky (1996) – Compilation of rare songs and Buttercup album
• Goodbye Cruel World (2000) – Greatest Hits compilation – AUS #64^[10]
• Brisbane 1990-1993 (2001) – Compilation of first 2 EPs (Gastanked and Brisbane).
• Spaces by the Side of the Road DVD (2007)
• The Essential (2010) – Greatest Hits compilation

EPs

• Gastanked (1992)
• Brisbane (1993)

Singles

• "Rockfish Anna" [7" vinyl] (1991)
• "Casanova" (1993)
• "Singlette/Flannelette" [Double A-side single] (1993)
• "Aloha Tambourinist" (1994)
• "Pack Yr Suitcases" (1994)
• "Alone" (1995)
• "Apartment" (1995)
• "Lucky Star" (1996)
• "Sunset Strip" (1996)
• "Leisuremaster" (1996)
• ”Nice Bird" (1997)
• ”Anatomically Correct" (1997)
• ”Music is Crap" (1998) – AUS #73^[10]
• ”Girls Like That (Don't Go For Guys Like Us)" (1998) – AUS #52^[10]
• ”Hit Song" (1999) – AUS #60^[10]
• ”Ringo (I Feel Like)" (1999)
• "The New Matthew" (1999) – AUS #98^[10]
• "We Are The Parents (Our Parents Warned Us About)" (2015)
• "Rice & Beans" (2016)

References

External links

• Official website
• Old official website at the Wayback Machine (archived 7 April 2002)