Fire (Australian band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | Lindsay Brunsdon, Andrew Flossos, Kerrie Hickin, Neil D Schneider |
| Defunct | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Music albums, EPs |
Fire was an Australian band blending gothic and acid rock genres, initially established in 1983 under the name Ku Klux Frankenstein. The founding members were Lindsay Brunsdon (also known as Lindsay Storm) handling guitar and vocals, Andrew Flossos (Andrew Frank) on drums, Kerrie Hickin (Kerrie Van Lewin) playing bass guitar, and Neil D Schneider (Neild Stein) providing vocals and saxophone. They issued an extended play titled Love for Sale in 1985 before adopting the name Fire in 1986. Their only studio album, A Frame of Purple Roses, was released in early 1987, with the band dissolving later that same year.
1983–1986: Ku Klux Frankenstein
Originating from Melbourne, Ku Klux Frankenstein was a gothic acid rock ensemble featuring Brunsdon (formerly of Hear Hear), Flossos, Hickin (previously with Lynching Party), and Schneider. According to Australian music historian Ian McFarlane, their live shows were "inspirational and wildly erratic," characterized by Brunsdon's harsh acid-rock guitar riffs and Schneider's gritty vocal style set against a dark gothic backdrop. They produced a demo titled "Baby You Light Up My Cigarette" for radio station 3PBS and released a four-track EP, Love for Sale, through Crash Records in 1985. Despite their efforts, the EP's obscure production hindered its reach beyond their local audience. The title song was collaboratively written by Brunsdon, Flossos, Hickin, and Schneider. In pursuit of greater recognition outside Melbourne's inner-city venues, the group rebranded as Fire in 1986.
1986–1987: A Frame of Purple Roses
Under the new name Fire, the band recorded their debut album A Frame of Purple Roses, with production handled by Kaj Dahlstrom and Trevor Reading. Released in early 1987 on Cleopatra Records, songs such as "Lion of Love" and "Make It Through the Night" reflected a band confident in their artistic direction. The publication Tharunka praised it as "one of the most exotic records floating around," highlighting the band's stylistic range from gentle vocals to vigorous thrash elements. After bassist Kerrie Hickin was succeeded by Rodney Kuna, Fire disbanded by the close of 1987.
Following the breakup, Lindsay Brunsdon became involved with Wet Ones, Dirty Strangers, and Charles Marshall and the Body Electric; Kerrie Hickin joined Sunset Strip, Autohaze, and Holocene; Neil D Schneider transitioned into acting; while Andrew Flossos returned to his medical education.
Members
- Lindsay Brunsdon (Lindsay Storm) – guitar, vocals, piano
- Andrew Flossos (Andrew Frank) – drums
- Kerrie Hickin (Kerrie Van Lewin) – bass guitar, trumpet
- Neil D Schneider (Neild Stein) – vocals, saxophone
- Rodney Kuna – bass guitar
Albums
- A Frame of Purple Roses (1987) – Cleopatra
Extended plays
- Love for Sale – Crash