The Manikins
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | August 1, 1976 in Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
| Founder | Mark Betts |
| Defunct | December 31, 1990 |
| Headquarters | Perth, Western Australia , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Mark Betts, Robert Porritt, Christine Bodey, Christine Anne Trent |
| Products | Punk and new wave music |
The Manikins were a punk and new wave group originating from Perth, Western Australia. Drummer and founding member Mark Betts collaborated with several lead singers over time, including Robert Porritt, Christine Bodey, and Christine Anne Trent. Their discography includes a self-titled album released in 1988, after which the band dissolved in the early 1990s.
History
Established in August 1976 in Perth under the name Cheap Nasties, the band featured Mark Betts on drums, Dan Dare handling bass and vocals, Neil Fernandes on guitar and vocals, Robert Porritt as vocalist, and Kim Salmon on guitar and vocals. Their first performance took place at The Rivervale Hotel around mid-1977. The Cheap Nasties are acknowledged as Perth’s pioneering punk outfit. In December 1977, Salmon departed to join the Invaders and subsequently founded the Scientists.
Following Salmon's exit, the group continued as Manikins with Ken Seymour stepping in for Dare on bass. Their musical style evolved from aggressive punk roots to a more melodic new wave sound infused with post-punk power pop elements. They released two singles: "I Never Thought I'd Find Someone Who Would Be So Kind" in November 1978 and "Premonition" in August 1979. Despite touring across Australia's eastern regions, they achieved only modest commercial recognition. Late in 1979, keyboardist Dave Faulkner (also known as Dave Flick and formerly of the Victims) joined the lineup, contributing to the single "Love at Second Sight" released in October 1980 before leaving to join Sydney-based Hoodoo Gurus in 1981. Around this time, Seymour left and Dan Dare returned on bass.
Manikins maintained regular performances at Perth venues such as the Broadway Tavern and Hernando's Hideaway before moving their base to Melbourne in early 1980. The band ultimately disbanded by late 1981. In 1986, Mark Betts secured the rights to the Manikins name and reassembled the group alongside Porritt, adding Paul Blackbee (formerly of Screaming Fits) and Bradley Clark (ex-Billy Orphan's Tears). Lead vocals transitioned from Porritt to Christine Bodey and later to Christine Anne Trent, with Alexander Nettelbeck joining on keyboards. This incarnation adopted a new romantic synth-driven approach, culminating in their self-titled album release in February 1988 before disbanding during the early 1990s.
Acknowledging their influence, Kim Salmon was inducted into the West Australian Music Industry Association Hall of Fame in 2004 as well as the Music Victoria Awards Hall of Fame in 2007. A compilation album titled From Broadway to Blazes was issued in February 2017; it earned a four-star review from Tim Sendra of AllMusic, who highlighted the progression from their spirited early singles to more polished later works.
Members
- Mark Betts – drums, percussion
- Dan Dare – bass guitar, vocals
- Neil Fernandes – guitar, vocals
- Robert Porritt – lead vocals
- Kim Salmon – guitar, vocals
- Ken Seymour – bass guitar
- Dave Faulkner (also known as Dave Flick) – keyboards
- Paul Blackbee – guitar, keyboards
- Bradley Clark – guitar, bass guitar
- Christine Bodey – lead vocals
- Alexander Nettelbeck – keyboards
- Christine Anne Trent – lead vocals
Albums
- Live Locally - Inner City Sound (live cassette) (1979)
- Last Gasp - Inner City Sound (cassette release) (1981)
- Manikins (released February 1988)
- The Manikins - Two Tribes Records (compilation CD) (2004)
- From Broadway to Blazes (compilation album, February 2017)
Singles
- "I Never Thought I'd Find Someone Who Would Be So Kind"/"Radio World" - Independent label (7-inch) (November 1978)
- "Premonition"/"Laugh Too Loud" - Independent label (7-inch) (August 1979)
- "Love at Second Sight"/"Nuisance"/"All I Care About" - Independent label (7-inch) (October 1980)
- "What Are You On?"/"Dictator's Dream" (July 1986)
- "Cruel World"/"Dracula's Slut" (November 1987), reached #52 on charts
- "Scent"/"Life Underground" (May 1988)