LITTLE MURDERS
Formed in 1979,
Rob Griffiths named his band Little Murders after a 1971 film directed by Alan
Arkin and starring Elliot Gould. As an English expatriate, Griffiths
embraced 1960's English pop culture (The Who, The Troggs, The Kinks, Union Jacks draped over amplifiers) and accordingly Little Murders became the premier Mod
band on the late 1970's/early 1980's Melbourne independent scene. The band’s debut single, ‘Things will be different’/‘Take
me I’m yours’, on Au-go-go Records (December ‘79) was actually recorded by
Rob’s old band Fiction, prior to the formation of the first Little Murders
line-up. Fiction comprised Rob Griffiths - Vocals/Guitar, Ken Hamilton - Bass, Rob Wellington - Guitar, and Vic Bolgarow - Drums. Fiction split up in 1978 and Wellington moved onto International Exiles and Wild Dog Rodeo.
‘Things will be different’ was an excellent debut single, a blast of punchy,
danceable pop, and it rapidly sold out its pressing of 1000 copies. ‘Things
will be different’ ranks alongside The Riptides’ ‘Sunset Strip’ and Young
Modern’s ‘She’s got the money’ as one of the classics of Australian new wave
power pop. By May 1980 the band had again changed line-ups and two furthers singles for Au-go-go
followed: ‘High School'/'Trouble With Love’ (which featured Clint Small) and ‘She Lets Me Know'/'It’s Over’. Line-up changes plagued Little Murders for the next couple of years however, and unable to secure a major record deal for his efforts, Griffiths eventually broke up Little Murders in December 1983. In 1997 a compilation CD titled '... and stuff like that' was released through Cannon Music, in 1998 a CD titled '10,000 Guitars' was released through Swerve Records and in 2009 a retrospective album titled 'Stop! Plus Singles: 1978-1986' was released through Off The Hip Records.
The original line-up included: Rob Griffiths - Vocals/Guitar, Clint Small - Guitar/Vocals, Ken Hamilton - Bass, Rob Wellington - Guitar, and Rod Flegg - Drums. Other members included: Stuart Beatty - Guitar, Steve Fusezi - Bass, Kim Holmberg - Guitar/vocals, Paul Holmberg - Drums Alan Brooker - Bass, Rod Hatward - Guitar , Chris Hunter - Bass, Michael Barclay - Drums


Little Murders - Take me I'm Yours.mp3

Little Murders poster 1980




- Main Image - Little Murders 1979 - Courtesy of Rob Griffiths
- Background Image - Little Murders collage - Courtesy of Rob Griffiths
- Little Murders 1978/79 - Courtesy of Rob Griffiths
- 'Things Will Be Different' single sleeve 1979 - Courtesy of Rob Griffiths
- Little Murders Poster - Courtesy Rob Griffiths
- Rob Griffiths, Steve Fusezi, Rod Flegg & Stuart Beatty - Photos courtesy of Rob Griffiths
- MP3 Track - 'Take Me I'm Yours' 1979 - Au Go GO Records (Griffiths/Wellington)
- Video - 'Things Will Be Different' 1979 footage of Mods
- McFarlane, Ian (1999). The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock & Pop, p.369-370: Allen & Unwin
- http://littlemurders.wikifoundry.com/
- http://www.messandnoise.com/releases/2000375
- http://www.myspace.com/littlemurders
- http://www.i94bar.com/reviews/littlemurders.php
- http://www.innercitysound.com.au/LittleMurders.html
- http://www.discogs.com/artist/Little+Murders