biography
The “No Hit Wonders From Down Under” started their careers in Tasmania as Beathoven; however, after a couple of years, sanity prevailed and they became The Innocents. The name change occurred in 1978 and here in 2003 The Innocents remain as not only reminders, but an active band continuing to create pop masterpieces. The Zip Records 32 track two CD set contains almost the complete works of the band under both names, starting with their first, somewhat Beatle-ish single “Darlin” from 1976 and extending all the way up to a recording from 2000. The CD package contains an interesting gallery of band photos, copies of some of the fan letters the band received in its heyday, reviews and articles from the eighties, a variety of Quicktime clips and perhaps most impressive, clips from their early days in Hobart, Tasmania and two of their more recent appearances on Australian T.V. program “Countdown”. The title “No Hit Wonders from Down Under” contains a bit of irony. The Innocents classic “Sooner or Later” WAS a hit, a real chartbuster. “Rock and Roll Tonight” and “Absence” were both co-written with U.S. legend Kim Fowley – the story behind these collaborations is incredible and can be discovered in the cook booklet. The band signed to EMI in the mid 70s and almost immediately such label overrode the group’s choice of song for the first single. The company’s own choice failed to make a dent in the charts, perhaps due to less than stellar promotional work. Released from EMI but not willing to give in, the band regrouped in Sydney under future Hoodoo Gurus manager Michael McMartin, changed their name to The Innocents, signed to RCA and released the song EMI had rejected (“Sooner or Later”). It reached the Top ten around Australia. Now, in the 21st century, the band is sounding better than ever. They appeared in L.A. during the summer of 2000 and they were one of the highlights at the 2001 Lost Weekend festival in Sydney. Involved in innumerable other musical adventures, the members of the Innocents are in the midst of new recordings, including a very likely new one for 2003. Zip Records has been the most fortunate of labels to be in position to release the one and only anthology of The Innocents – “sooner or later” to be recognized worldwide for their pop prowess. -
