The Teddysexuals

 

ORIGINS: Sydney, NSW

GENRE: Indie

YEARS ACTIVE: 1997-2007* (band still together but slowed down at this point)

 

MEMBERS:

• Hamish Macarthur (Vocals, Guitar)
• Anatole 'Tolly' Day (Drums)
• Nik Talty (Bass) [1997-2004, 2007]
• Johnny Fahey (Bass) [2005-2007]
• Grant Gerathy (Drums) [2006-2008] [Live fill-in]
  

RELEASES: 

 

• The Bear Essentials (1999) - Download Here.
  
• 1. You're Such a Pervert
• 2. Self-Fellating Rabbit
• 3. Something You're Not Telling Me
• 4. Eight
• 5. I Wanna Have Sex With Your Girlfriend
  

 

• Hovercraft (2001) - Download Here.
  
• 1. Nature's Own
• 2. Easter Present
• 3. Daisy Chains
• 4. Chopper
• 5. Spy Speed Chase
• 6. Top Deck Head
• 7. Try To Say
• 8. Everything I Could Find (Reprise)

 

• Eponymous (2004) [as Red10] - Download Here.
  
• 1. Block Rock
• 2. Main Event
• 3. Turn
• 4. Try to Say

 

• Devil Horses (2007) - Download Here.
  
• 1. Prototype
• 2. Devil Horses
• 3. Cool Summer
• 4. Drunk and Wired
• 5. Drugs
• 6. Hovercraft
• 7. Push
• 8. Budget Seven
• 9. Bus Ride
• 10. Dear Eda
  

SUMMARY: The Teddysexuals began as a humorous idea from Macarthur and Day that soon developed into a fully-fledged band. They played regularly around Sydney and had a little bit of Triple J and Triple M airplay, as well as airplay on lots of smaller radio stations, as well as some airplay in Denmark/Northern Europe. The band briefly became known as Red10 in 2004 and then took a hiatus from Teddysexuals music. They soon reverted back to The Teddysexuals when the band decided to create their Devil Horses album, which led to a return to playing live again. They ceased to regularly gig in 2008 when Day began touring overseas more as a sound engineer.

 

SHOWS: 

• The City 2 Surf, Rooftop, Dover Heights - 10th August, 1997
• The Excelsior, Surry Hills - unknown date, 1997
• Vic on the Park, Enmore - 22nd September, 2001
  
• SJs on Beaumont, Newcastle - 28th February, 2002
• The Excelsior, Surry Hills - 19th December, 2010

 

ORAL HISTORY:

ANATOLE: The Teddysexuals started one drunken evening when Hamish and I were up a tree and started to think about how messed up kids' nursery rhymes are with all the innuendo surrounding them. This became a loose performance for The City 2 Surf on a mate's rooftop on Military Road in Dover Heights around 1997. The name 'Teddysexuals' came into play when we thought about what the Teddy Bears wanted to do to the Bananas in the nursery rhyme Bananas in Pyjamas... obviously the Teddy Bears were trying to have their way with the Bananas who wanted nothing to do with it!

Anatole Day (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

HAMISH: We never copped any flak for our lyrical content but someone did once have it in for us and accused us of being coke dealers. They used to ring venues we were playing at and tell them. The venues would then mention this to us; I think they were more disappointed that we weren't! 

Hamish Macarthur (Vocals, Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

HAMISH: I always liked the out of town gigs the most as they were always an adventure. We played many gigs in weird little rooms to not many people, and bigger rooms to lots of people. Sydney is such a tough place for bands as there isn't a culture of going out to see who might be playing at some place, just out of curiosity. We talked and played with some well-known bands who also had plenty of nights playing to hardly anyone. Regardless, you always gave it your best and some of these shows could be the most fun as you end up playing to each individual in the room; wandering off the stage and so on. One bill that was fun was being included on a big night of metal and hardcore bands in Newcastle. We aren't either of those genres but no one seemed too put out. Playing shows in the '90s could be a lot of fun. Sydney wasn't so hectic then so it was a good time. Sharehouses were common and we often played gigs at them or went back to people's houses after pub gigs.  

Hamish Macarthur (Vocals, Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

ANATOLE: One show that stands out in my memory was a 3 set performance at the Townie in Newtown. Not really because of any wacky stage antics but purely due to the fact that a band like The Teddysexuals could do 3 x 40 minute sets of all original songs and still have some left over... not too bad! Our fan base were always up for a good time and often joined in on the action!

Anatole Day (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

 

REVIEW: You could be forgiven for mistaking an album by The Teddysexuals as the soundtrack to a porn film. With its blend of pop, heavy blues and funk instruments, the band has developed a distinct sound. For the past four years, The Teddysexuals have been a favourite on the live scene in Sydney and the group have earned a reputation as an energetic and imaginative band. 

Review by Jade Lazerevic, TE Liftout, February 2002 

 

HAMISH: We were mad indie musos with little time for anything else for many years. Writing, jamming, recording, releasing, touring, playing all sorts of crazy places - wherever we were asked to play - like our lives depended on it... playing in the Teddys is like playing with family. There is so much shared history that we don't always need to talk; we can communicate very well with looks and expressions. We can also tell each other to fuck off quite sincerely and there will be no grudges. It's very comfortable on a personal level. I like being able to tell my friends to fuck off. And they like telling me when I'm being a cunt. 

Hamish Macarthur (Vocals, Guitar), The Cud, 2007

 

REVIEW: The three piece came out wearing all the same black clothes and matching dark glasses... they were tops players, and the sound was absolutely flawless. They have a sort of funk/rock type of thing happening that would be quiet at home on the radio. 

Dave S., Review of Vic on the Park show, October 2001

 

HAMISH: We saw some nasty fights. One guy got glassed at the Hornsby Inn. Another time we were in Newcastle and went out for some food and came across two poor buggers who had been bashed senseless. When we went back to play in Newcastle again, we saw the guy and his skull was clearly sunken in one place and the poor fella didn't look right at all. Another time we were playing at the Maroubra Hotel once in the downstairs room and a big all-in brawl broke out that spilled onto the stage. We played through the whole thing, we thought it was very entertaining. I remember a couple of people holding onto the speakers to keep themselves from getting knocked over. 

Hamish Macarthur (Vocals, Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

HAMISH: Grant is our official 2nd drummer who fills in for Tolly when he's off touring on his sound-mixing gigs. Also Johnny, who played bass for Red10, ended up playing on several tracks on Devil Horses.

Hamish Macarthur (Vocals, Guitar), The Cud, 2007

HAMISH: We still haven't technically broken up. We just don't gig anymore and only manage to jam every couple of years now.

Hamish Macarthur (Vocals, Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2024

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