Mars Needs Guitars!

Mars Needs Guitars! is Australian rock group Hoodoo Gurus' second album, released in August 1985.[4] The title is a reference to the 1967 science fiction film, Mars Needs Women. Singles from the album were "Bittersweet", "Like Wow – Wipeout", "Death Defying" and "Poison Pen". Mars Needs Guitars! reached No. 140 on the American Billboard 200 albums chart in 1986.

Mars Needs Guitars!
Studio album by
Hoodoo Gurus
ReleasedAugust 1985
GenreRock
Length33:35
LabelBig Time, Chrysalis, Elektra
ProducerCharles Fisher, Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus chronology
Stoneage Romeos
(1984)		 Mars Needs Guitars!
(1985)		 Blow Your Cool!
(1987)
Singles from Mars Needs Guitars!
  1. "Bittersweet"
    Released: June 1985
  2. "Like Wow – Wipeout"
    Released: October 1985
  3. "Death Defying"
    Released: February 1986
  4. "Poison Pen"
    Released: September 1986
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Robert ChristgauB−[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[3]

The title track, "Mars Needs Guitars" (also the B-side of "Bittersweet" single), was written by all five Gurus[5] and lead vocals were by Brad Shepherd. All other tracks were written[5] and featured lead vocals by Dave Faulkner. Hayride to Hell (1995) is a short film written and directed by former Gurus member Kimble Rendall.

In 2000, Dave Faulkner said "When we commenced the sessions for Mars Needs Guitars! we had a brand new drummer, Mark Kingsmill who altered our lives forever with his distinctive explosive style."[6]

In October 2010, it was listed in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums, with their previous album, Stoneage Romeos at No. 28.[7]

Reception

Cash Box magazine said "Excellent dynamics and songwriting shine through on nearly every cut."[8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Dave Faulkner, except where noted[5]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Bittersweet" 3:44
2."Poison Pen" 4:09
3."In the Wild" 3:07
4."Death Defying" 3:21
5."Like Wow – Wipeout" 3:09
6."Hayride to Hell" 3:15
7."Show Some Emotion" 2:56
8."Other Side of Paradise" 3:31
9."Mars Needs Guitars"James Baker, Clyde Bramley, Faulkner, Mark Kingsmill, Brad Shepherd2:52
10."She" 3:28
2005 re-release
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Bring the Hoodoo Down" 2:54
12."Turkey Dinner" 4:14
13."Death Ship" (live)Faulkner, Roddy Radalj, Alan Sharples2:42
14."In the Wild" (live) 3:29
15."Teenage Head" (live)Cyril Jordan, Roy Loney3:02

Personnel

Credited to:[4]

Hoodoo Gurus
  • Clyde Bramley – bass, backing vocals
  • Dave Faulkner – lead vocals (except track 9), guitar, keyboards
  • Mark Kingsmill – drums, cymbals
  • Brad Shepherd – lead guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals (track 9), harmonica (mouth harp)

Technical
  • John Bee – engineer
  • Richard Allan – illustrations
  • Charles Fisher – producer (except track 11)
  • Don Bartley – mastering (remastering)
  • Hoodoo Gurus – producer (track 11)

Charts
Chart (1985/86) Peak
position
Australian (Kent Music Report)[9] 5
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[10] 18
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[11] 47
United States (Billboard 200)[12] 140

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[13][14] 3× Platinum 210,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Mars Needs Guitars! - Hoodoo Gurus | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  2. Christgau, Robert. "Mars Needs Guitars!". Robert Christgau.
  3. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 326.
  4. Holmgren, Magnus; Georgieff, Didier; Hartung, Stephan. "Hoodoo Gurus". Passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  5. "Australasian Performing Right Association". APRA. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008. Retrieved 30 November 2007.
  6. Faulkner, Dave (June 2000). "Pop and punishment". juliat. Archived from the original on 8 August 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2008.
  7. O'Donnell, John; Creswell, Toby; Mathieson, Craig (October 2010). 100 Best Australian Albums. Prahran, Vic: Hardie Grant Books. ISBN 978-1-74066-955-9.
  8. "Album Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. 9 November 1985. p. 10. Retrieved 8 December 2021 – via World Radio History.
  9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 141. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. "Charts.nz – Mars Needs Guitars! – Stoneage Romeos". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  11. "Swedishcharts.com – Mars Needs Guitars! – Stoneage Romeos". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  12. "Billboard Artist Chart History – Hoodoo Gurus". Billboard Magazine. Archived from the original on 4 July 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  13. Bell, Steve (18 May 2015). "How Hoodoo Gurus' Slump-Defying Second Album Became An Accidental Classic". theMusic.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 December 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  14. "Charles Fisher – Music Producer : Discography". Charles Fisher. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
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