Bam Balams


Bam Balams were an Australian rock band which formed in 1984 and disbanded in 1992. They were led by singer-songwriter and guitarist, Brendan "Wig" Kibble. The group issued one album, Genuine Rock & Roll Medicine Show, an EP and six singles. Their records did well in the Australian independent charts but they did not appear on the ARIA Charts. They toured nationally but did not perform overseas.

History

Bam Balams were formed in Sydney in April 1984 with the line-up of Brendan "Wig" Kibble on lead vocals and guitar; Dave Stead on guitar and backing vocals; Steve Cole on bass guitar and backing vocals; and Matt Manchester on drums, backing vocals. Dave Stead left the band in 1985, and was replaced by Brad Fitzpatrick. The group got their name from a track on Supersnazz by the Flamin' Groovies, and are referred to as Bambas by fans. Their influences included Gene Vincent, Johnny Burnette, Tony Joe White, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Byrds, Buck Owens and The Standells.
The band released their first two singles, "Deliver My Love" and "No-One Else", on Citadel Records with Rob Younger producing. Also in 1986 they released "Same Old Tune", as a split single with September Gurls' "Precious" on Guiding Light Records as a give-away with Adventure #2 magazine in Denmark. In 1987, the original line up split up.Kibble formed a second line-up in 1987 with Amr Z. Abdallah on bass guitar, Steve Carlin on guitar, and Warren Elford on drums, which recorded a single, "Surfin' in the Swamp", for Citadel Record's Green Fez label.
Soon after a third line-up formed, with Kibble and Abdallah joined by Ian "The Reverend" Little on guitar and Joe Breen on drums, they recorded the group's one album, Genuine Rock & Roll Medicine Show and its lead single, "Wheel of Fortune". Greg Marchant replaced Abdallah on bass guitar in 1989, and this line-up recorded the single, "Hellfire". Dave Castellari replaced Marchant later that year, and they recorded a 12" extended play, 45 RPM Extended Play, with the track "10,000 Miles " on Pink Flamingo Records. The group provided the lead track, "Munster Rock'n'Roller", for the 1990 Munster Records compilation, Munster Dance Hall Favourites Vol III. In 1990, the line-up changed again with Terry Stanley on bass guitar, and Tim Denny on drums, they remained until the band split in 1992. The gained popularity overseas including Spain, France and Italy; but they had never toured outside Australia.
According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, "hile many of their Sydney-based contemporaries exploited Detroit-inspired hard rock,... 1960s acid-punk... or 1960s psychedelia", Bam Balams played a mix of garage rock, swamp rock-swamp pop, R&B, rockabilly, jangle pop and 1950s-1960s style country music. Their records did well on the Australian independent charts but they did not appear on the ARIA Charts. Kibble formed the Navahodads in 1995, which played swampy R&B, Country, and Rock n Roll, they released two albums and toured overseas.

Discography

Releases:

Albums