February 18th, 2022 
Stuart H&C Raw Material – The Desk Tapes
In late 1983, there was major upheaval in Hunters and Collectors. The Fireman’s Curse album was released to mixed reviews and the band subsequently fell apart. The band that reappeared in 1984 with The Jaws of Life was a different beast: drum and bass driven pub rock replaced earlier experimental leanings. Songs from before Jaws disappeared from live set lists.
This recording is pre-implosion late 1983 Hunters and Collectors. It is arguably the most fascinating and unexpected of recordings we will be sharing in this series. This is an adventure of a recording.
A major revelation is that the transition from The Fireman’s Curse to The Jaws of Life was not as sudden as it seemed. In this recording musical and lyrical elements that come to the forefront in Jaws are forming.
Australiana themes are edging in via the unreleased Whelan’s Gantry and the band even appear to be having fun in the also unreleased Long Walk Home and Cat Fence. Two Jaws tracks – Hayley’s Doorstep and the irrepressible Little Chalkie – appear here in early experimental forms. Boo Boo Kiss from the debut album is included while Mouthtrap, Lumps of Lead and the epic Towtruck feature from the Payload EP. In between are choice cuts from The Fireman’s Curse – are they better live than on the album-?
Turn it up.
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Dam good brass!
Thank you for publishing this. I was there! It was a brilliant gig and I loved that era of H&C.
Fantastic….would have loved to have experienced this era of H&C live. Is there a way to purchase/download this and other earlier recordings?
Great gig- I was at the Floreat, the 3rd time I’d seen H+C live (the first was the legendary 1982 Sydney Uni gig with The Birthday Party and Pel Mel. Then seen in Perth 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986 twice. Always AWESOME. Will these VAULT recordings be available for download, even at a cost?