Last updated: 7 hours ago
By bringing together two very different influences, almost like adding oil to water, The Cruel Sea created a style of rock which extended Australian rock & roll culture and, at the same time, made them one of the most successful Australian groups of the '90s.
The instrumentals-only Cruel Sea played its first gigs in 1988, setting up behind the pool table at a hotel in Sydney. Operating the lighting at some of those performances was moonlighting <a href="spotify:artist:602nksrzSSXE16wRC7QuhD" data-name="Beasts Of Bourbon">Beasts Of Bourbon</a> singer <a href="spotify:artist:2HCCxaQnVHsPZLLSKqpERa" data-name="Tex Perkins">Tex Perkins</a>.
It wasn't until a party a few months later that the Cruel Sea and Perkins were formally introduced. Already an Australian music legend for his rock & roll swagger, the Cruel Sea couldn't have wished for anyone more qualified or interesting than Perkins.
Their first union was only a casual one. An initial 12"EP was expanded into the full-length debut Cruel Sea album, called <a href="spotify:album:47lVUaCVNVbYqUqVxCseQN" data-name="Down Below">Down Below</a>.
More comfortable with the bringing together of their two halves, clean instrumentals, and rough-edged rock vocals, with the second album <a href="spotify:album:2nGOyiW9uddpY1nZA8sAhA" data-name="This Is Not The Way Home">This Is Not The Way Home</a>, the band expanded their musical influences.
A tour with <a href="spotify:artist:4UXJsSlnKd7ltsrHebV79Q" data-name="Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds">Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds</a> through Europe helped the band work its style into place. With Perkins able to devote himself to being a permanent member of the Cruel Sea in 1993. The result of that concerted effort was the album, <a href="spotify:album:34EpNqm350jVI69Ehxg2w2" data-name="The Honeymoon Is Over">The Honeymoon Is Over</a> It reached number four nationally and was awarded with four ARIA Awards.
The instrumentals-only Cruel Sea played its first gigs in 1988, setting up behind the pool table at a hotel in Sydney. Operating the lighting at some of those performances was moonlighting <a href="spotify:artist:602nksrzSSXE16wRC7QuhD" data-name="Beasts Of Bourbon">Beasts Of Bourbon</a> singer <a href="spotify:artist:2HCCxaQnVHsPZLLSKqpERa" data-name="Tex Perkins">Tex Perkins</a>.
It wasn't until a party a few months later that the Cruel Sea and Perkins were formally introduced. Already an Australian music legend for his rock & roll swagger, the Cruel Sea couldn't have wished for anyone more qualified or interesting than Perkins.
Their first union was only a casual one. An initial 12"EP was expanded into the full-length debut Cruel Sea album, called <a href="spotify:album:47lVUaCVNVbYqUqVxCseQN" data-name="Down Below">Down Below</a>.
More comfortable with the bringing together of their two halves, clean instrumentals, and rough-edged rock vocals, with the second album <a href="spotify:album:2nGOyiW9uddpY1nZA8sAhA" data-name="This Is Not The Way Home">This Is Not The Way Home</a>, the band expanded their musical influences.
A tour with <a href="spotify:artist:4UXJsSlnKd7ltsrHebV79Q" data-name="Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds">Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds</a> through Europe helped the band work its style into place. With Perkins able to devote himself to being a permanent member of the Cruel Sea in 1993. The result of that concerted effort was the album, <a href="spotify:album:34EpNqm350jVI69Ehxg2w2" data-name="The Honeymoon Is Over">The Honeymoon Is Over</a> It reached number four nationally and was awarded with four ARIA Awards.
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