Fremantle & WA legend Dave Warner and the original suburbs band returns!

Doors 6 pm |Band at 7.30 pm

Duke of George presents

Dave Warner - "It's Still A Mug's Game" Tour

Dave Warner’s from the Suburbs original band reunion

In 1978 the three biggest selling Australian artists domestically were Skyhooks, Dragon and Dave Warner’s from the Suburbs who hit it big with the album Mugs Game and single Suburban Boy.  

Now for the first time since 1979 the band that recorded that album – minus the late and very great Johnny Leopard – will be getting back together to play live this July.

John Dennison (keyboards), Tony Durant (guitar) Howie Johnstone (drums) and Paul Noonan (bass) will join Dave Warner in performing all the original Mugs Game tracks plus some of the other most popular songs from the band.

Warner, whose first band Pus was punk before punk, formed the Suburbs in late 1976 after a year in Europe working out the thematic of what he termed `suburban rock’, the presentation of mundane Australian culture in an eclectic range of styles from new wave, proto-rap and hard rock. One of the most controversial take-no-prisoners bands ever,  the Suburbs hit the Australian music scene like a freight train.  After hearing early live tapes of the band Bob Dylan declared Warner one of his two favourite Australian artists. The Stranglers declared the Suburbs `the only suss band we’ve seen in Australia’ – using the term in the English context, meaning `in the know’.

In late 1979 as the members went to pursue new creative goals, the band disbanded. Warner and drummer Johnstone continued with new band members until 1982 when Warner diversified into other creative areas and stopped full time touring.  Warner teamed back up with old pal Johnny Leopard in a variety of ventures on the west coast. Warner has continued to record, and various Suburbs line-ups have regularly done short tours over the years.

`But this is the first time the five of us who recorded Mugs Game and played together during our most successful period will be back together. Howie and Paul are a sensational rhythm section, Tony and John are wonderfully creative players. There is simply no replacing Leopard of course but the Suburbs started as a five piece so it’s back to the future. If we can be half as good as we were then, it will be a sensational experience.’