Wild Pumpkins at Midnight
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1984 in Tasmania, Australia |
| Founder | Debra Manskey, Dan Tuffy, Michael Turner |
| Defunct | 1998 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne (later London and Wageningen) , Australia, United Kingdom, Netherlands |
Area served | Australia, Europe |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Wild Pumpkins at Midnight was an Australian ensemble specializing in blues and roots rock, established in Tasmania in 1984. The founding lineup included Debra Manskey (vocals, guitar), Dan Tuffy (bass, vocals), and Michael Turner (guitar, vocals).
The group moved to Melbourne in 1987; prior to their 1990 relocation to London, Manskey exited the band. In London, Ashley Davies joined as drummer. By 1993, the band had shifted base to the Netherlands; Davies returned to Australia and was succeeded by Greg Hynes on drums, with Nick Larkins added as a guitarist. Although their main base was Europe, they conducted extensive tours throughout Europe and Australia, notably performing at the 1996 Big Day Out. Over their career, they released nine albums under various labels before disbanding in 1998.
They earned the ARIA Award for Best Independent Release at the ARIA Music Awards of 1990.
Formation and early years
In 1984, Tasmanian musicians Debra Manskey (vocals, guitar) and Michael Turner (vocals, guitar) teamed up with New South Wales-born Dan Tuffy (bass guitar, vocals) to create Wild Pumpkins at Midnight. Their musical style combined blues and roots rock. Early in 1987, they issued their first single, "Birth of a Nation," through WPAM, followed by a 10-track cassette titled Scenesville released on Dex in March. After relocating to Melbourne, they signed with Major Records in 1987 and launched a five-track EP named Wild Pumpkins at Midnight in 1988. Later, under Sydney's Mighty Boy label, they released the single "Watermelon Patch" in March 1989 and subsequently issued the albums Living (April 1989) and This Machine Is Made of People (August 1989).
At the ARIA Music Awards of 1990, the band received recognition for 'Best Independent Release' for This Machine Is Made of People. Their album Little Victories followed in 1990. After this release, Manskey departed and the band relocated to London in June with Ashley Davies joining on drums.
London and Amsterdam
By mid-1990, Wild Pumpkins at Midnight had settled first in London and then moved to Amsterdam, ultimately basing themselves in Wageningen. Their initial European release was a four-track CD EP entitled Sending a Vampire, issued by MDS in October 1992. This was followed by two albums: Strangeways (April 1993) and Going Sick (April 1994). In 1993, Davies returned to Australia and was replaced by Greg Hynes on drums; guitarist Nick Larkins also became part of the lineup. Operating from Wageningen, the band embarked on extensive tours throughout Europe, including visits to former Eastern Bloc nations and conflict-affected areas such as Yugoslavia.
Later years
After returning to Melbourne in 1995, Wild Pumpkins at Midnight released Low-Fi Lucy's Mobile Temple in November via Way Over There. They toured across Australia during this period, including an appearance at Big Day Out in 1996. July saw the release of Sad Trees, which combined studio recordings with live performances. In February 1997, Hot Records issued a compilation titled The Secret of the Sad Tree before the band embarked on another European tour starting in June. The group dissolved following the conclusion of this tour in 1998.
Members
- Debra Manskey – vocals, guitar (1984–1990)
- Dan Tuffy – bass guitar, vocals (1984–1998)
- Michael Turner – vocals, guitar (1984–1998)
- Ashley Davies – drums (1990–1993)
- Greg Hynes – drums (1993–1998)
- Nick Larkins – guitar (1993–1998)
Albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Scenesville |
|
| Wild Pumpkins At Midnight |
|
| Living |
|
| This Machine Is Made of People |
|
| Little Victories |
|
| Strangeways |
|
| Going Sick |
|
| Lo-Fi Lucy's Mobile Temple |
|
| Sad Tree |
|
| The Secret of the Sad Tree |
|
| Instant Ocean |
|
ARIA Music Awards
Since their inception in 1987, the ARIA Music Awards have been held annually by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) to honor outstanding achievements and innovation within the Australian music industry.
!
|-
| 1990
| This Machine Is Made of People
| Best Independent Release
|