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]

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.

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. 1 2 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. 1 2 3 "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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