Tumbleweed

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Tumbleweed
OriginWollongong, NSW
GenresHard rock, stoner metal, grunge, punk
Years active1990 - 2003, 2009 - present
LabelsWaterfront, Polydor, Universal, Shock
Associated actsProton Energy Pills, Radio Birdman, Fridge, Cape Tribulation, Hot Rollers, Immolate, Richie and the Creeps, Leadfinger, The Pink Fits, The Unheard
MembersLuke Armstrong, Lenny Curley, Paul Hausmeister, Richie Lewis, Steve O'Brien
Past membersJay Curley, Nik Reith, Phil Lally, Dave Achille, Dave Curley

Band Members

  • Line-Up
    • Luke Armstrong (bass)
    • Lenny Curley (guitar)
    • Paul Hausmeister (guitar)
    • Richie Lewis (vocals)
    • Steve O'Brien (drums)
  • Former Members
    • Jay Curley (bass) 1990 - 2000, 2009 - 2014 (d. 26/8/14)
    • Nik Reith (drums) (1996 - 2003)
    • Phil Lally (bass) (2000 - 2003)
    • Dave Achille (guitar) (2000 - 2003)

Band Information

Formed out of the remnants of Proton Energy Pills and The Unheard in Wollongong in 1990, Tumbleweed was one of the first modern stoner rock/metal bands to emerge. Their first couple of singles predate early formal releases by bands like Sleep and Kyuss and their sound, a mixture of psychedelic melody, monotonal vocals and heavy, fuzzy riffing, is definitive of the genre. The band's first line-up featured Jay and Lenny Curley, Richie Lewis on drums and Dave Curley on vocals. After the "Captain's Log" release, the 'classic' line-up came together when Lewis moved to vocals and Hausmeister and O'Brien joined.

Following the independent success of their early singles led to a signing to Festival. The resultant debut album charted and the "Sundial" single won considerable radio support. In the meantime, the band toured nationally with Nirvana and appeared at the first Big Day Out festival. During the year they went on to tour the US and the UK with Mudhoney and Lemonheads and featured at Metalfest '92 in Sydney. Tumbleweed continued to tour extensively over the next two years, appearing regularly on the festival circuit including consecutive Sydney Big Day Out shows in 1993 and 1994 and in 1995 the second album Galactophonic entered the national chart at #5.

Nik Reith and Dave Achille joined in 1996 as Tumbleweed prepared for the release of Return to Earth. The "Lava Bread" and "Silver Lizard" singles were moderate hits. Late that year the group opened for the Hoodoo Gurus farewell tour and in early 1998 played at the Homebake festival. During much of the year Tumbleweed was off the road while Lewis played in The Hot Rollers with Kram from Spiderbait, but the band reconvened for a late tour with You Am I, after which Jay Curley departed.

Tumbleweed was again quiet for most of 1999 as they worked on a new album and sought a replacement for Curley. Ex-Fridge drummer Phil Lally joined as bass player and in mid-2000 the album Mumbo Jumbo appeared, peaking on the ARIA alternative chart at #18 and gaining an ARIA Award nomination for Best Alternative Album. Support for the band was flagging however as the musical climate that had spawned them shifted and internal issues eventually ended the band in 2003. Former guitarist Dave Achille joined Immolate in 2010.

In mid-2009 the classic line-up of Tumbleweed reformed and was immediately added to the bill for the Homebake festival. The band also appeared at the Sydney Big Day Out on January 23, 2010 and toured sporadically. They opened for Kyuss Lives! in Sydney in May 2011. An album of new material was expected in 2012 but was delayed. In April 2013 Tumbleweed opened the Sydney leg of the Dig it Up! Festival alongside Blue Öyster Cult, Hoodoo Gurus, Buzzcocks and others before completing work on Sounds from the Other Side, released on September 27. A short time later they embarked on a national tour. Following the announcement of festival dates for late 2014, Jay Curley died suddenly on August 28, 2014. Tumbleweed played some shows in Jay's memory late in the year, with Dave Curley on bass with a view to disbanding afterwards; however, the band returned to live performance at Brisbane's Dead of Winter festival on July 27, 2015 and then played a small-scale tour.

Discography

Albums:

1992 Tumbleweed Polydor
1995 Galactaphonic Polydor
1996 Return to Earth Polydor
2000 Mumbo Jumbo Universal
2010 The Waterfront Years: 1990 - 1993 Aztec
2013 Sounds From the Other Side Shock

EPs:

1990 Theatre of Gnomes Waterfront
1991 Weedseed Waterfront
1992 Sundial Polydor

Singles:

1990 Captain's Log Waterfront
1991 Stoned Waterfront
1991 Carousel Waterfront
1992 Acid Rain Polydor
1993 Daddy Long Legs Polydor
1994 Gyroscope Polydor
1994 Hang Around Polydor
1995 Armchair Ride Polydor
1996 Lavabread Polydor
1996 I Remember Polydor
1996 Silver Lizard Polydor
1998 Fang It! Universal
1999 Glow in the Dark Universal
2013 Like a Night Owl Shock