All Flight Crew Are Dead

All Flight Crew Are Dead (AFCAD) began as the brainchild of ex-Sydney punk rock fan, Michael Lardner (aka Captain AFCAD). After deciding to enter the Goodwood Football Club talent night of May 1990, aspiring front man Lardner enlisted the services of James Fox (guitar), Darren Stephenson (bass), and Phil Pippet (drums) and AFCAD was born. For their next gig, James' friend from his days at Daws Road High School, Mark 'Maxie' Parker (guitar), was drafted into the line-up. After what was another inauspicious exhibition, the rhythm section collectively departed overseas.
In mid 1991, Lardners workmate and fellow veteran of numerous Exploding White Mice and Mad Turks from Istanbul gigs, Richard Watts (drums) joined, along with Maxie's younger brother, Nick Parker (bass). Early in 1992, after a couple of poorly recorded demos, "They're Gone" and "Living Lie", which both received sporadic airplay on the then 5MMM-FM (now 3D-FM), Lardner departed for the UK. Undeterred, the remaining four members decided to carry on, with AFCAD mark 4 making its debut in Jan 1993. The highlight of the year was seeing their third demo, “You Know I”, reaching Nos. 3 in the 5MMM-FM Top 20 + 1 chart. The lowlight was probably a bizarre drunken performance in front of a small group of primary school children at the Come Out '93 festival.
Over the next few years AFCAD gigged regularly in Adelaide, playing on bills with the likes of the Exploding White Mice, Batteries Not Included, Mark of Cain, Numbskulls, Grudge and Blood Sucking Freaks, amongst others. Undoubtedly, AFCAD’s finest (half) hour was supporting their idols, Buzzcocks, at Heaven in Jun 1994. That year also saw the release of the Jeff Stephens produced "Dum Dum" mini-album (Greasy Pop Records), recorded with the help of a SA Government grant and containing live favourites "Supersonic" and "70s Hit". In 1997, the band decided to take a short break lasting four and a half years.
Re-convening rehearsals in 1999, AFCADs attempts at a long awaited comeback were frustrated with a number of gigs having to be cancelled at the last minute due to a series of malicious events including a venue break-in and a flooding. Finally in late 2001, AFCAD was able to make it on stage for a couple of shows at the Proscenium Nightclub. A further period of five years dormancy ensued, ending with the offer of another chance to support Buzzcocks, this time at Fowlers Live in Sep 2006. With a swag of new tunes written for this gig, the band later announced its reformation as an ongoing (albeit part-time) concern.
Probably the best way to describe AFCAD’s sound is melodic guitar based rock with elements of punk, pop and 60’s garage. Lyrics are mostly a take on familiar pop themes such as boy meets girl (and particularly girl leaves boy) etc. More Mills & Boon than say the social commentary of a George Orwell for example. With a new double A-side single released in Oct 2007, "On The Radio" / "Teenage Love Affair" (on the bands own label, Black Box Records), reaching Nos. 5 in the 3D-FM Top 20 + 1 chart, AFCAD are re-birthed once again!
Post-script: in Dec 2007, drummer Watts mysteriously vanished. Unverified reports last place him somewhere in the vicinity of the Islands of Bermuda. Descending into the maelstrom is new skinsman, Davey Sharpe, set to bring in the dawning of AFCAD mark 5 in early 2008.
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