Mars Needs Guitars!

Mars Needs Guitars!
Studio album by
Hoodoo Gurus
Released8 March 1985
Recorded1984
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 March 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]

  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. ^ 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. ^ a b "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.