RECORD TURNOVER 80s HITS #50
For our 50th post in this series I wanted to dig out a tune that has meant a lot to me. Sydney group The Hummingbirds formed in 1986, releasing a string of great singles for the Phantom label. Most of them later appeared on their debut album for INXS manager Chris Murphy’s label rooArt. Lovebuzz came out globally in 1989, marketed with the opening track “Blush”. The sound was inspired by a long line of Australian bands like The Palisades, and has become a powerpop classic. While coming across like a local counterpart to the UK’s The Primitives and The Darling Buds (who both released major label debut LPs in 1988), Lovebuzz owes a lot of its sound to the talented American producer Mitch Easter who had worked with everyone from R.E.M. to Let’s Active. Incidentally, Easter also produced the Someloves only album that came out the same year as Lovebuzz. “Tuesday” remains my favourite track on the album – a song that has everything: desperate vocals, perfect harmonies and ripping guitars.
The band managed to reform and tour a few years ago, before the tragic passing of guitarist and singer Simon Holmes in 2017.
Non-album single “Swim to Shore” (Phantom, 1987).
