{"id":569631,"date":"2025-05-08T15:28:29","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T05:28:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/musicfeeds.com.au\/?p=569631"},"modified":"2025-05-08T15:28:47","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T05:28:47","slug":"james-baker-beasts-of-bourbon-and-hoodoo-gurus-drummer-dead-at-71","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/musicfeeds.com.au\/news\/james-baker-beasts-of-bourbon-and-hoodoo-gurus-drummer-dead-at-71\/","title":{"rendered":"James Baker, Beasts Of Bourbon And Hoodoo Gurus Drummer, Dead At 71"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tributes have poured in for veteran Australian rock drummer James Baker<\/a>, following his passing earlier this week at the age of 71. The Perth-born musician had been living with cancer for several years in the lead-up to his death, which had been diagnosed as terminal. He was best known as a founding member of two beloved Australian bands: the Hoodoo Gurus<\/a>, circa 1981, and the Beasts of Bourbon<\/a> circa 1983. His 52-year career also saw him behind the kit for bands such as The Victims<\/a>, Scientists<\/a>, The Dubrovniks and The Painkillers, shaping the sound of Australian rock and punk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baker formed Hoodoo Gurus alongside frontman Dave Faulkner following the end of their previous band, The Victims, in the late 70s. They were joined by guitarists Roddy Radalj and Kimble Rendall, the latter of which also recently passed away just weeks before Baker. The band originally went by the name Le Hoodoo Gurus, but dropped the “Le” shortly after the release of their debut single ‘Leilani’ in 1982. Baker played on the band’s debut album, 1984’s Stoneage Romeos<\/em>, before exiting the fold shortly thereafter and being replaced by Mark Kingsmill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beasts Of Bourbon \u2013 ‘Psycho’<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n