Kids in the Kitchen
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1983 in Melbourne, Australia |
| Defunct | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Kids in the Kitchen is an Australian pop and new wave group that originated in Melbourne in 1983. They secured four singles within the top 20 of the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart, including "Change in Mood" (1983), "Bitter Desire" (1984), as well as "Something That You Said" and "Current Stand" (both 1985). Their first album, Shine (released May 1985), climbed to No. 9 on the Kent Music Report Albums Chart and ranked as the 16th highest-selling album in Australia that year. Their sophomore effort, Terrain (August 1987), reached No. 39. The band dissolved in 1988 but later supported Culture Club during their Australian tour segment in 2016.
History
The band was formed in early 1983 with an original lineup featuring Scott Carne on lead vocals, Bruce Curnow on drums, Greg Dorman handling lead guitar, Craig Harnath on bass, and Greg Woodhead playing keyboards. After approximately eight months performing live shows, they secured a contract with Mushroom Records’ White label. Australian music expert Ian McFarlane described their sound as a modern synth-pop blend with funk elements, reminiscent of acts like Duran Duran and Chic, combined with strong commercial appeal.
Their first single, "Change in Mood", produced by Ricky Fataar and Tim Kramer, reached No. 10 on Australian charts by December 1983. The band embarked on a national tour, initially opening for Models before taking the lead role. They gained significant visibility through frequent appearances on ABC’s Countdown, where Carne also served as co-host and appeared on the program’s magazine cover.
The follow-up single, "Bitter Desire", produced by David Kershenbaum, peaked at No. 17 in April 1984. Shortly after this release, Dorman and Woodhead departed and were replaced by Claude Carranza and Alistair Coia respectively. Kids in the Kitchen performed at the 1984 Countdown Music and Video Awards, earning nominations for 'Most Promising New Talent' and 'Best Debut Single'. Their first single featuring the revised lineup, "Something That You Said", also entered the Top 20 in April 1985 and was co-produced by Thom Panunzio alongside Ian "Molly" Meldrum.
Released on 20 May 1985, their debut album Shine was mainly produced by Mark S. Berry and peaked at No. 9. It achieved platinum certification for shipping over 70,000 units. Although the title track only reached No. 40 as a single, "Current Stand" became their hallmark song, reaching No. 12 domestically and gaining international attention. The group supported the album with extensive tours across Australia.
In late 1985, Carne contributed as a guest vocalist on a charity single that attained No. 10 on the charts. In 1986, Shine saw an international re-release through Sire Records. That year also marked drummer Bruce Curnow’s exit from the band; he was succeeded initially by Sterling Campbell and later by Jason Stonehouse.
The June 1986 single "Out of Control" underachieved commercially, peaking at No. 33 amid varied critical reception. Their second album Terrain, launched in August 1987 and co-produced by Richard Gottehrer among others, reached No. 39 but did not match the success of its predecessor. Critics considered it less captivating despite showcasing a more sophisticated dance style. Keyboardist Simon Kershaw joined towards the end of that year.
By November 1987, Carne voiced frustrations regarding producer selections and management decisions impacting Terrain. Although there were intentions to produce a third album, Kids in the Kitchen ultimately disbanded in 1988. Promoter Paul Dainty later commented on the difficulties faced by emerging groups like Kids in the Kitchen competing against established artists such as John Farnham within the market.
Subsequent Activities
Following the disbandment of Kids in the Kitchen, Scott Carne became a member of the rockabilly group Priscilla's Nightmare, which produced a self-titled album prior to his pursuit of a solo career. His 1990 solo release, "All I Wanna Do," achieved moderate success. Bruce Curnow established a Billy Hyde music outlet in Shepparton in 2002. Craig Harnath transitioned into music production, working with acts such as Chocolate Starfish and contributing to the soundtracks for ABC television series Frontline (1994–1997) and Funky Squad (1995). He eventually took ownership of Hothouse Studios located in St Kilda.
By 2018, Scott Carne was actively touring across Australia as a solo artist, including performances featuring Kids in the Kitchen's repertoire. The 2014 "Absolutely 80s" concert series showcased Carne alongside Brian Mannix (Uncanny X-Men), Paul Gray (Wa Wa Nee), David Sterry (Real Life), Tim Rosewarne (Big Pig), among others. A compilation album titled "Absolutely 80s – Then & Now" was released to coincide with this tour.
In June 2016, the original Kids in the Kitchen lineup—Carne, Carranza, Curnow, and Harnath—served as support for Culture Club's Australian tour. They also accompanied Culture Club during their Encore Tour in December 2016 at Hunter Valley. Around this period, they issued a remastered version of their album Shine on CD.
Towards the end of 2019, the founding members announced shows at the Spiegeltent and The Palms at Crown Casino scheduled for early 2020, marking their first joint appearance since 1984.
Current
- Scott Carne – lead vocals, acoustic guitar (1983–1988, 2016–present)
- Bruce Curnow – drums (1983–1986, 2016–present)
- Craig Harnath – bass guitar (1983–1988, 2016–present)
- Claude Carranza – guitar (1984–1988, 2016–present)
Past
- Greg Dorman – guitar (1983–1984, 2019, 2020)
- Greg Woodhead – keyboards (1983–1984; deceased 2020)
- Alistair Coia – keyboards (1984–1986)
- Jason Stonehouse – drums (1986–1988)
- Simon Kershaw – keyboards (1987–1988)
- Sterling Campbell – drums (1986)
Studio Albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Chart Position | Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | |||
| Shine |
|
9 |
|
| Terrain |
|
39 |
Remix Albums
| Album Title | Release Details |
|---|---|
| The Kids All Mixed Up |
|
| Dance Mixes 84-87 |
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | |||
| 1983 | "Change in Mood" | 10 | Shine |
| 1984 | "Bitter Desire" | 17 | |
| 1985 | "Something That You Said" | 19 | |
| "Shine" | 40 | ||
| "Current Stand" | 12 | ||
| "My Life" | 74 | ||
| 1986 | "Out of Control" | 33 | Terrain |
| 1987 | "Say It" | 31 | |
| "Revolution Love" | 44 |
Countdown Australian Music Awards
Countdown was a prominent Australian pop music television program broadcast on ABC-TV from 1974 until 1987. The show organized music awards between 1979 and 1987, initially partnering with the magazine TV Week. The awards featured categories voted on by both the public and industry peers.
|- | rowspan="2" |1983 | "Change in Mood" | Best Debut Single | |- | themselves | Most Promising New Talent | |-
External links
- "Interview with Scott Carne" conducted by Jason Grech, Countdown Memories, 5 February 2003