But the band expected something else to happen, and broke up shortly afterwards.
The EP's original pressing was a limited release of 1000 copies. The single 'Do What You Say' was followed by an EP, 'Four Fresh Lemons', both recorded for friends on an independent label, Green. Michael Hutchence of INXS offered to produce, but they turned him down. In the beginning their music style was dominated by the ska sound popular in inner Sydney pubs at the time.Ī year into their life the band recorded its first single. One day they received a call from the Sussex Hotel asking them to fill in for a band who couldn't make it, and vSpy vSpy performed their first gig. They were able to rehearse almost every day. They took the name from a regular strip in Mad magazine. To save on rent and keep from having to find day jobs Mike and Craig moved into Cliff's squat. Cliff heard about it though mutual friends and vSpy vSpy was born. The group's token Australian, drummer Cliff Grigg arrived in Sydney from the Armidale NSW, and settled in an inner suburban squat in Glebe that didn't even have a roof when he first moved in.įrom the day they met at high school Mike and Craig had talked about music and in around 1980 started talking about forming a band together. American Craig had studied in Alaska for a time, but arrived in NSW in his teens via WA. Guitarist Mike Weiley arrived in Sydney from London and almost immediately found a soul-mate at Nelson Bay High School in would-be bassist/singer Craig Bloxom.
The original group came from separate corners of the world. They told true stories of common struggle that polite Australia didn't necessarily want to be hear. Primarily they started out as the voice of the homeless squatters of early eighties Sydney, but their songs spoke for everyone who felt under the thumb of The System. While Midnight Oil's politics were those of conscience, vSpy vSpy were outspoken representatives of The Street.
Read Full Bio See also Spy Vs SpyĪside from Midnight Oil, vSpy vSpy are arguably one of Australia's most politically-oriented rock bands.
Aside from Midnight Oil, vSpy vSpy are arguably one of Australia's most politically-oriented rock bands.