The Victims (Australian band)
| Company type | Independent band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1977 in Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
| Defunct | 1979 |
| Headquarters | Perth , Australia |
Key people | James Baker, Dave Flick (Dave Faulkner), Rudolph V (Dave Cardwell) |
| Products | Punk music, singles, EPs, compilation albums |
The Victims were a punk band originating from Perth, Western Australia, active between 1977 and 1979. The original lineup consisted of James Baker on drums, Dave Flick (real name Dave Faulkner) handling guitar and vocals, and Rudolph V (Dave Cardwell) on bass. Their first single, titled "Television Addict", was launched in April 1978, followed by a five-track EP named The Victims released in August of the same year. The band dissolved early in 1979. In 1989, Timberyard Records compiled their work into an album called All Loud on the Western Front. Later, in late 2014 and early 2015, Baker and Faulkner reunited with Ray Ahn from Hard-Ons under the name Television Addicts to perform The Victims' songs. Due to the strong reception, they resumed using the name The Victims for sold-out shows at the Rosemount Hotel and Mojo's Bar.
History
Established in Perth during mid-1977, The Victims featured James Baker (formerly of Beheaded/The Geeks) on drums, Dave Flick (Dave Faulkner; ex-Beagle Boys) as guitarist and vocalist, and Rudolph V (Dave Cardwell) on bass. Earlier that year, Baker and Cardwell had formed the punk group the Geeks; several original compositions from this band became central to The Victims' setlist. Their musical style drew inspiration from American proto-punk acts such as the Flamin' Groovies, Heartbreakers, New York Dolls, and Stooges. Music historian Ian McFarlane described their sound as "frantic, explosive" yet grounded by strong melodic elements, establishing them as Perth’s leading punk ensemble.
In 1977, they recorded their debut single featuring "Television Addict" (written by Faulkner and Baker) backed with "I'm Flipped Out Over You" (composed by Baker and Buncle), limited to just 1,000 copies. By August 1978, they released a five-song EP titled The Victims (also known under the alternate title No Thanks to the Human Turd), which included tracks like "I Understand", "Open Your Eyes", "TV Freak", "High School Girls", and "Disco Junkies". Baker collaborated with Buncle on writing four of these songs. Only 500 copies of this EP were produced, some featuring unique hand-drawn covers now considered rare collectibles.
A live recording from a January 1978 show at Hernando's Hideaway in Perth was eventually issued as the album Culture Shock in 2014. Although the band had disbanded by mid-1978, they briefly regrouped for a farewell performance in early 1979. Afterward, Baker went on to form The Scientists (active from 1978 to 1981), while Faulkner joined groups including Midget and The Farrellys and later Mannikins. In January 1981, Baker and Faulkner reunited again to create Hoodoo Gurus in Sydney. Meanwhile, Rudolph V became part of Love Assassins.
Timberyard Records released a compilation album titled All Loud on the Western Front in December 1989, encompassing all tracks from their single and EP along with an unreleased song called "Perth Is a Culture Shock". This compilation was reissued on CD in 2005.
The track "Television Addict" has been covered by bands such as Hoodoo Gurus (both live performances and on the 2005 reissue of Crank), You Am I, The Hellacopters, and Teengenerate. It is frequently featured on Australian punk anthologies and was performed live by the American group The Bronx during their Australian tour in 2007. The 2011 compilation Sleeping Dogs Lie, released by Japanese label 1977 Records and distributed locally by Fuse, included two demo recordings alongside earlier material.
In August 2014, Baker and Faulkner teamed up with Ray Ahn from Hard-Ons on bass under the moniker Television Addicts to perform songs by The Victims at Perth’s Rosemount Hotel. They subsequently toured Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane in early 2015. Faulkner mentioned that Cardwell was not invited to participate due to personal disagreements.
Albums
- All Loud on the Western Front Timberyard Records (compilation, 1989)
- Sleeping Dogs Lie (compilation, 2011)
- Culture Shock (live recording, 2014)
Extended plays
- The Victims (also known as No Thanks to the Human Turd) Independent release (August 1978)
Singles
- "Television Addict" Independent release (1977)
Compilation appearances
- Murder Punk, Volume 1: The Australian Years (1997)
- Murder Punk, Volume 2: The Australian Years (1997)
- Do The Pop! The Australian Garage-Rock Sound 1976-87 Shock Records (2002) (featuring "Television Addict")
- Tales from the Australian Underground: Singles 1976-1989 (2003) (including "I'm Flipped Out Over You")