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The Triffids

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The Triffids
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1978 in Perth, Western Australia, Australia
FounderDavid McComb
Headquarters
Perth
,
Australia
Area served
Australia, United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Europe
ProductsAlternative rock and pop music

The Triffids were an alternative rock and pop ensemble originating from Perth, Western Australia, formed in 1978, with singer-songwriter David McComb at the helm. Their sound was a fusion of indie rock, alternative rock, folk rock, and country elements. Although they experienced moderate popularity within Australia, their acclaim was more pronounced in the UK and Scandinavian countries throughout the 1980s until their breakup in 1989. Among their well-known songs are Wide Open Road (1986) and Bury Me Deep in Love (1987).

Their 1986 release, Born Sandy Devotional, was showcased on SBS's Great Australian Albums series in 2007 and secured the fifth position in the 2010 publication The 100 Best Australian Albums. Music historian Ian McFarlane regards The Triffids as one of Australia's cherished post-punk acts, highlighting McComb’s songwriting for its evocative portrayal of Australia's isolation and melancholy through striking imagery.

Origins and formative period (1976–1981)

In 1976, in Perth, high school classmates David McComb (vocals, acoustic guitar, bass) and Alan "Alsy" MacDonald (vocals, drums) established Dalsy, a multimedia venture encompassing music, literature, and photography. The group featured Phil Kakulas on guitar and vocals—all future members of the Blackeyed Susans—and briefly operated under the names Blök Musik and Logic. In May 1978, they adopted the name the Triffids,[1][2] inspired by John Wyndham's dystopian novel The Day of the Triffids. The lineup expanded with Andrew McGowan on guitar and Julian Douglas-Smith on piano; subsequently Byron Sinclair joined as bassist, prompting McComb to move to rhythm guitar.

The Triffids partly arose as a reaction to the punk rock scene. McComb’s diary recounts their early progression:

On 27 November 1976, Alsy MacDonald recorded himself playing a toy drum alongside Dave McComb on acoustic guitar, forming Dalsy. They produced several original recordings including The Loft Tapes and the punk-influenced Pale Horse Have a Fit. Beyond music, Dalsy created paintings, sculptures, poetry, and authored a book titled "Lunch". Despite their creative output, they were not well-received and developed a disdain for their audience—a feeling that became central to their music. Dalsy dissolved in late 1977 before briefly transforming into Blok Musik and Logic, ultimately settling on the Triffids in 1978.[3]

From 1978 through 1981, McComb composed more than 100 original pieces. The band self-issued six cassette tapes: 1st (1978), 2nd (1978), 3rd (1979), 4th (1979), Tape 5 (1980), and Sixth (1981). By 1979, Kakulas and Sinclair had exited; David’s brother Robert McComb joined playing violin and guitar, Will Akers took over bass duties, and Margaret Gillard contributed keyboards from 1980 onward.[1][4][5] Toward the end of 1980, they won a songwriting contest organized by Western Australian Institute of Technology’s student radio program. Their debut single "Stand Up" was released in July 1981 via Shake Some Action label.[1] During this time MacDonald briefly left for two months; Mark Peters performed drums on that single.[1]

Initial recordings (1982–1984)

In February 1982, Gillard and Akers departed, with Jill Yates taking over keyboards and Sinclair rejoining the lineup. By April, the group issued the four-track Reverie EP through Resonant Records. Given Perth's limited audience, the band frequently journeyed to Sydney and Melbourne to perform, record, and reside for extended durations, often under demanding circumstances. Sinclair exited once more by mid-1982, and in September, Martyn P. Casey came on board as bassist. The Triffids supported acts such as The Reels, The Sunnyboys, The Church, Hunters & Collectors, and Uncanny X-Men for $150 per night.

Operating as a quartet—Casey, David and Robert McComb, and MacDonald—they secured a contract with Mushroom Records' White Label in Melbourne, releasing the single "Spanish Blue" in October 1982 followed by the Bad Timing and Other Stories EP in March 1983. Back in Sydney, Jill Birt joined on piano, organ, and vocals. After being dropped by Mushroom Records, they signed with the independent Hot Records label, which aimed for international growth partly inspired by The Triffids. Their debut album, Treeless Plain, launched in November 1983 to critical praise as one of the era's finest indie rock releases but featured no singles. The album was self-produced during overnight sessions at Sydney’s Emerald City Studios.

The subsequent single, "Beautiful Waste", was released in February 1984, followed by the Raining Pleasure 12" EP in July—the title track showcased Birt on lead vocals and was co-written by David McComb and Sydney-based musician James Paterson (JFK & the Cuban Crisis). Another track, "St. James Infirmary", a traditional blues folk song, earned particular admiration from Australian music journalist Toby Creswell.

Without Birt’s involvement, The Triffids recorded Lawson Square Infirmary at the Sydney Opera House, collaborating with Paterson on vocals and instruments; Graham Lee contributed vocals and pedal steel guitar; and Daubney Carshott (Martyn Casey) played bass. This six-track country-inspired EP was released in October by Hot Records under the name Lawson Square Infirmary. Lee recalled meeting David McComb through Paterson and described him as eccentric, driven, perfectionistic, and intelligent.

By mid-1984, having made approximately 12 to 16 trips between Perth and Sydney according to David McComb, The Triffids opted to broaden their horizons by moving to Europe.

UK and European period (1984–1989)

In late August 1984, the band relocated to London where Treeless Plain and Raining Pleasure had been issued by Rough Trade Records, receiving critical acclaim. With limited funds and five return tickets expiring at Christmas, they set a three-month goal to establish themselves in the UK market. Their London debut involved supporting Rough Trade labelmates The Monochrome Set. Their rising prominence was highlighted by featuring on the January 1985 cover of NME, which heralded it as 'The Year of The Triffids'.

November 1984 saw them record Field of Glass, a three-track 12" EP mostly performed live at BBC Studio 5 in London; it was released in February 1985. The master tape of the title track was initially lost but later recovered. At the start of 1985, Lee joined permanently, completing a six-member lineup. They recorded the 12" EP You Don’t Miss Your Water, including a country-infused cover of William Bell's song; this was released in August by Hot Records while they were back in London.

Throughout 1985, The Triffids toured across Europe, earning acclaim and performing stadium shows supporting Echo & the Bunnymen. They cultivated dedicated fan bases in countries such as the Netherlands, Greece, Scandinavia, Ireland, and Belgium. Their festival appearances included major events like Glastonbury, Pinkpop, Waterpop, Seinäjoki, Roskilde, T&W Belgium, and Parkpop.

Despite financial challenges and lacking a major label contract, they recorded Born Sandy Devotional in London during August 1985 with producer Gil Norton. Released in March 1986, this album featured some of their most expansive compositions and is regarded as one of Australia's standout albums from the 1980s. Two versions of the single "Wide Open Road" were released; the album reached #27 on UK charts while "Wide Open Road" peaked at No. 26 UK and No. 64 Australia. APRA recognized this song among its Top 30 Australian compositions.

Their success in the UK elevated their profile back home where they recorded In the Pines early in 1986 while awaiting the release of Born Sandy Devotional. Made using basic eight-track equipment at their family property in Ravensthorpe, Western Australia, it came out in January 1987 embracing a more folk-leaning country style with lo-fi elements reminiscent of Bob Dylan's Basement Tapes. Additionally, they supported Scottish artist Bill Drummond on his solo album The Man and toured Britain later that year.

From December 1986 through January 1987, The Triffids participated in the Australian Made tour—the largest Australian music festival at that time—headlined by Jimmy Barnes and INXS. This tour showcased prominent Australian performers and resulted in a concert film directed by Richard Lowenstein. Inclusion of The Triffids was reportedly insisted upon by INXS frontman Michael Hutchence.

In 1987 they released The Peel Sessions, containing tracks recorded for John Peel’s show in May 1985.

Following Born Sandy Devotional, The Triffids attracted attention from major UK labels and signed a three-album deal with Island Records in November 1986. Between April and August 1987 they recorded their Island debut Calenture with producer Norton; released February 1988, it explored themes such as madness and displacement. Initial sessions with US producer Craig Leon were abandoned due to creative disagreements. Singles included "Bury Me Deep in Love" (October 1987) and "Trick of the Light" (January 1988).

After Born Sandy Devotional, their festival appearances expanded to include sharing stages with artists like Iggy Pop, Ramones, Anthrax, and Echo & the Bunnymen. By 1988 their growing reputation led them to contribute a Beatles cover for an NME tribute compilation.

Although The Triffids preferred recording their next album in Australia, Island Records insisted on keeping them nearby following Calenture. Consequently,The Black Swan was recorded between September and October 1988 in Somerset, UK with Stephen Street producing. Despite favorable reviews from critics, commercial success eluded it—disappointing the band. Combined with exhaustion from relentless touring and travel demands, this culminated in their breakup.

In 1989 they performed two shows in New York before entering an indefinite hiatus:

We didn't realize those would be our last performances. Dave intended to work on a solo album with plans to regroup afterward. Unfortunately for him his solo project took longer than expected as he kept writing songs reminiscent of The Triffids’ style. Domestic life caught up with most members; poor health affected Dave... – Graham Lee

Their final Australian concert took place at Australian National University in Canberra on August 14th, 1989. In 1990 Island Records released the live album Stockholm fulfilling contractual obligations.

Breakup and aftermath

Following the dissolution of the band, Alsy MacDonald, Jill Birt, and Robert McComb each embarked on distinct professional paths: MacDonald pursued law and currently works with the Equal Opportunity Commission, Birt became an architect, and Robert McComb took up teaching at Melbourne High School. MacDonald and Birt later married. David McComb and Graham Lee continued their musical endeavors with The Blackeyed Susans, a side project initiated by McComb during a Triffids tour. Martyn Casey had a brief stint with The Blackeyed Susans before joining Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds permanently in April 1990.

In 1990, David McComb moved to London aiming to establish a solo career. Since suffering crushed vertebrae in 1986, he endured persistent back pain. After encountering limited success overseas, he returned to Australia in 1992 to record solo works under Mushroom Records, culminating in the release of his solo album Love of Will (1994), which featured contributions from Casey and Lee. Additionally, he engaged in various collaborations, including founding the Red Ponies for a European tour. In June 1993, former Triffids members McComb, Robert McComb, and Lee joined Charlie Owen and Chris Wilson on Acuff's Rose's debut album Never Comin' Down. Later on, McComb formed costar in Melbourne; however, due to health challenges, live performances were infrequent despite ongoing recording activities.

After completing the Red Ponies tour, McComb encountered serious health complications related to substance abuse that necessitated a heart transplant in 1996. Although his back condition worsened due to these complications, he enrolled at university and maintained a prolific output of songwriting. He recorded seven demo tracks with long-time collaborator Julian Wu along with musicians such as Martin Casey, Mick Harvey, Warren Ellis, Kiernan Box, and Stuart Solar. The band costar comprised Graham Lee (guitar), Kiernan Box (piano), Stuart Soler (drums), Will Akers (bass), and Matt Habbin (saxophone). Despite health constraints limiting live appearances, McComb continued intensive songwriting and literary work. Following a car accident in Melbourne that led to hospitalization, he passed away at home on 2 February 1999, just shy of his 37th birthday.

In February 2000, after the State Coroner of Victoria's investigation concluded, The West Australian reported that McComb’s death resulted from heroin toxicity combined with mild acute rejection of his 1996 heart transplant.

2006 onwards

Starting in 2006, The Triffids’ back catalogue began to be reissued under the stewardship of Graham Lee as custodian of David McComb’s legacy. European releases are managed by Domino Records while Liberation Music oversees distribution in Australia and New Zealand. The reissue campaign opened with an expanded edition of Born Sandy Devotional in mid-2006, followed by a combined release of In the Pines and Calenture in February 2007. The album In the Pines was fully remixed by original engineer Bruce Callaway and augmented with tracks initially reserved for Calenture, reflecting McComb’s approach to “hold back quality material for future use.” The Calenture reissue included B-sides as well as a second disc featuring demos. This series concluded with an expanded version of The Black Swan, which incorporated rarities and demo recordings. In 2010, a best-of compilation titled Come Ride With Me... Wide Open Road was issued; its deluxe nine-disc edition provided extensive bonus content. Planned future releases include rarities collections, remastered albums with detailed liner notes, DVDs, live recordings, and curated free downloads overseen by Lee.

David McComb was posthumously honored by induction into the West Australian Music Industry Awards Hall of Fame as a composer in February 2006.

Coinciding with the Born Sandy Devotional reissue in June 2006, The Triffids reunited for three concerts across Belgium and the Netherlands. Guest vocalists performed in place of McComb during these events that also featured memorabilia exhibitions and Q&A sessions celebrating the band’s musical heritage. In January 2008, the remaining five members appeared at the Sydney Festival paying tribute to McComb’s legacy; they were joined by notable Australian musicians including Mark and Rob Snarski (The Blackeyed Susans), Toby Martin (Youth Group), Steve Kilbey (The Church), Mick Harvey (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds), J.P. Shilo, Chris Abrahams (The Necks), and Melanie Oxley. Youth Group opened these performances with renditions of early Triffids songs. A documentary capturing these concerts titled It's Raining Pleasure was scheduled for release in early 2009.

Liberation Music continued issuing re-releases in May 2008 with an expanded edition of The Black Swan, adding five previously excluded tracks plus a bonus disc containing demos and unreleased material; McComb had originally intended it as a double album. They also reissued a remixed version of Treeless Plain, handled by original engineer Nick Mansbridge, alongside compiling EP tracks into Beautiful Waste and Other Songs (Mini-Masterpieces 1983–1985) which included significant songs such as "Beautiful Waste" and "Dear Miss Lonelyhearts."

The Triffids reprised their Sydney Festival tribute performances at Melbourne’s Arts Centre in January 2009 and at the Perth International Arts Festival in February 2009. These concerts featured guest appearances from Mick Harvey, J.P. Shilo, Melanie Oxley, Mark and Rob Snarski, Steve Kilbey, Alex Archer, Brendon Humphries (The Kill Devil Hills), Ricky Maymi (The Brian Jonestown Massacre), and Toby Martin alongside surviving band members. Visual artist VJzoo showcased David McComb’s personal photographs during the Perth shows accompanied by soundtracks drawn from his mixtape collection. The collective known as 'The Triffids and Friends' includes these musicians collaborating with remaining members; Youth Group once again performed early Triffids covers at these events. Additional shows featuring The Church and Ed Kuepper were planned for late 2011 in Perth.

ARIA Awards

The ARIA Music Awards serve as an annual celebration of outstanding achievement and creativity within the Australian music scene. Since their inception in 1987, these awards have highlighted significant contributions to the industry. In 2008, The Triffids were honored with induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame. Graham Lee reflected that David McComb might have regarded this recognition with some irony due to the band's relatively limited success on the home front, yet he would likely have valued the acknowledgment.

|- | 2008 || The Triffids || ARIA Hall of Fame || |-

West Australian Music Industry Awards

Since 1985, the West Australian Music Industry Awards have acknowledged accomplishments in Western Australia's music community. The Triffids earned a place in their Hall of Fame in 2016.

|- | 2016 || The Triffids || Hall of Fame || |-

Legacy

The Triffids left a lasting impact on other artists, including Greece's Raining Pleasure, a band named after their track "Raining Pleasure," as well as Melbourne's acoustic rock ensemble The Paradise Motel, who have performed covers of their songs.

In 2009, Fremantle Press released Vagabond Holes: David McComb and the Triffids, a rock biography featuring insights from Mick Harvey, Nick Cave, John Kinsella, DBC Pierre, and Judith Lucy. This was followed by Bleddyn Butcher's 2011 biography titled Save What You Can: The Day of The Triffids. In December 2020, Rolling Stone Australia placed The Triffids at number 43 on its list of the "50 Greatest Australian Artists of All Time."

Members

  • Will Akers – bass (1980–1982)
  • Jill Birt – keyboards, vocals (1983–1989)
  • Martyn Casey – bass (1982–1989)
  • Simon Cromack – percussion (1982–1983)
  • Margaret Gillard – keyboards (1979–1982)
  • Phil Kakulas – guitar, vocals (1978–1979)
  • Graham Lee – guitar, pedal steel, lap steel, vocals (1985–1989)
  • Allan MacDonald – drums, percussion, vocals (1978–1980, 1982–1989)
  • David McComb – vocals, guitar, piano, bass (1978–1989; died 1999)
  • Robert McComb – violin, guitar, keyboards, percussion, vocals (1979–1989)
  • Mark Peters – drums (1980–1981)
  • Byron Sinclair – bass (1978–1979, 1982)
  • Jill Yates – keyboards (1982)

Timeline

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id:Vocals       value:red        legend:Vocals
id:Guitar       value:green      legend:Guitar
id:Bass         value:blue       legend:Bass
id:Drums        value:orange     legend:Drums
id:Piano        value:purple     legend:Piano,_keyboards
id:Perc         value:claret     legend:Percussion
id:Violin       value:yellowgreen       legend:Violin
id:lines        value:black      legend:Studio_albums
id:lines2       value:gray(0.7)  legend:Cassettes

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  bar:David    text:David McComb
  bar:Robert   text:Robert McComb
  bar:Phil     text:Phil Krkulas
  bar:Graham   text:Graham Lee
  bar:Byron    text:Byron Sinclair
  bar:Will     text:Will Akers
  bar:Martyn   text:Martyn Casey
  bar:Margaret text:Margaret Gillard
  bar:Jill2    text:Jill Yates
  bar:Jill     text:Jill Birt
  bar:Allan    text:Allan MacDonald
  bar:Mark     text:Mark Peters
  bar:Simon    text:Simon Cromack

PlotData= 

 width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)

bar:David from:start till:end color:vocals
bar:David from:start till:end color:guitar width:3

bar:Phil  from:start till:01/04/1979 color:guitar
bar:Phil  from:start till:01/04/1979 color:vocals width:3
bar:Allan from:start till:01/01/1981 color:drums
bar:Allan from:start till:01/01/1981 color:vocals width:3

bar:Jill   from:01/01/1983 till:end color:piano
bar:Jill   from:01/01/1983 till:end color:vocals width:3
bar:Martyn from:01/09/1982 till:end color:bass
bar:Graham from:01/01/1985 till:end color:guitar
bar:Graham from:01/01/1985 till:end color:vocals width:3
bar:Robert from:01/08/1979 till:end color:violin
bar:Robert from:01/08/1979 till:end color:guitar width:7
bar:Robert from:01/08/1979 till:end color:vocals width:3
bar:Allan  from:01/01/1982 till:end color:drums
bar:Allan  from:01/01/1982 till:end color:vocals width:3

bar:Will from:01/06/1980 till:01/01/1982 color:bass
bar:Simon from:01/01/1982 till31/08/1982 color:perc
barMargaret from04/1980 till01/1982 color:piano 
barMark from01/81 till01/82 colordrums 
barByron from01/82 till31/08 /82 color:bass 
barJill2 from01 /82 till31 /08 /82 color:piano 
barByron from07 /78 till05 /80 color:bass

LineData = 

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at :10 /78 color :lines2 layer :back 
at :03 /79 color :lines2 layer :back 
at :09 /79 color :lines2 layer :back 
at :05 /80 color :lines2 layer :back 
at :01 /81 color :lines2 layer :back 
at :01 /88 color :lines2 layer :back 
at :12 /88 color :lines2 layer :back 
at :11 /83 color:black layer :back 
at :03 /86 color:black layer :back 
at :11 /86 color:black layer :back 
at :02 /87 color:black layer :back 
at :04 /89 color:black layer :back

</timeline>

Discography

Main article: The Triffids discography

Studio albums

External links

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named McF
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Howl
  3. ↑ Diary 1 - Thetriffids.com
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named SpencerTriffids
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Holmgren
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