Fun Things
In the late 1970s, while most of Brisbane was still shaking off its conservative hangover, a group of teenagers were wiring their guitars into something loud enough to wake the whole city. That band became The Fun Things—a short-lived, wild burst of punk and Detroit rock energy that burned fast and bright between 1979 and 1980. They released only one EP, but it’s become one of the most sought-after pieces of Australian punk history. The Fun Things captured the raw edge of youth, the rebellion of suburban boredom, and the sound of Brisbane finding its teeth.
How The Band Got Started
The Fun Things formed from the ashes of an earlier band called The Aliens, not to be confused with the new wave group from Adelaide using the same name. The Brisbane version was all punk grit. Guitarist and vocalist Brad Shepherd, bassist John Hartley, and drummer Murray Shepherd were still teenagers when they started out. The trio began jamming together in the mid-’70s, long before punk reached Queensland. Back then, they were kids covering Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath in suburban rumpus rooms. According to Brad, “We were 14, our moms would drive us to each other’s houses to play on Sunday afternoons.”
Everything changed when Shepherd discovered Radio Birdman in RAM magazine. The Sydney band’s underground defiance hit like lightning. Soon, Brad and Murray (who were brothers) rebranded The Aliens into a new project. After a short stint performing as The Phantom Agents without Hartley, the original lineup reunited with the addition of guitarist Graeme Beavis. By 1979, The Fun Things were born. Their inspiration was clear: the speed and danger of the Stooges, the grit of the Sex Pistols, and the swagger of Radio Birdman, all pushed through Brisbane’s pressure-cooker atmosphere.
Brisbane Punk and the EP That Changed Everything
Brisbane’s punk scene was never big, but it was fearless. The Fun Things arrived just as the second wave of punk was exploding across Australia, and their shows quickly became legend for their energy and precision. They were teenagers but played like seasoned veterans, building a following on tight performances that felt ready to detonate. In 1980, they finally scraped together the money to record their self-titled EP. Brad borrowed $400 from his parents to make it happen. The result was a four-track blast that’s now considered one of the holy grails of Australian punk vinyl.
The songs—“When The Birdmen Fly,” “Lipstick,” “(I Ain’t Got) Time Enough for Love,” and “Savage”—were pure momentum. Ian McFarlane later wrote that the EP “mixed gutsy guitar riffs, breakneck tempos, punk attitude, and youthful exuberance in equal measure.” Only 500 copies were pressed, which made it instantly collectible, and years later, bootleggers kept its reputation alive around the world. In 2000, Spain’s Pennimann Records reissued it officially, giving a new generation access to what had once been an underground secret.
After The Breakup
By the time their EP came out, the band was already starting to splinter. In 1980, The Fun Things called it quits. But every member went on to make serious noise elsewhere. Brad Shepherd joined The 31st, then moved on to The Hitmen before finding national success with The Hoodoo Gurus. Murray Shepherd teamed up with Mick Medew and Ronnie Peno of The 31st to form The Screaming Tribesmen, bringing along bassist John Hartley. Graeme Beavis later joined The Apartments, adding to the legacy of Brisbane musicians who turned punk into something lasting.
Why They Mattered
The Fun Things might have been young, but their sound was anything but amateur. They helped ignite Brisbane’s second wave of punk—a scene that grew in direct opposition to the city’s stiff, conservative politics at the time. Their EP proved that punk in Australia didn’t need to imitate London or New York; it could grow straight from suburban garages and still shake walls. It was loud, sharp, and fast enough to bother anyone who wasn’t listening. That was the point.
Legacy and Revival
Over the years, The Fun Things’ short run became part of Australian punk mythology. “Savage” and “When The Birdmen Fly” were later included in multiple compilations, including the ABC’s Stranded: The Chronicles of Australian Punk in 2015. In the early 2000s, Brad and Murray Shepherd revisited their roots with a new project, The Monarchs, channeling that same teenage fire into a new shape. Their 2001 album Make Yer Own Fun even tipped its hat to the old band name, a full-circle nod to the era that started it all.
Members
- Brad Shepherd – Guitar, Lead Vocals
- Graeme Beavis – Guitar, Vocals
- John Hartley – Bass, Vocals
- Murray Shepherd – Drums, Vocals
Discography
- Fun Things – 7-inch EP (1980)
- Tracklist: “When The Birdmen Fly,” “Lipstick,” “(I Ain’t Got) Time Enough for Love,” “Savage”
- Fun Things – 7-inch EP reissue (2000, Pennimann Records, PENN-EP005)
The Story After The Noise
The Fun Things only existed for about a year, but what they left behind has lasted for decades. Their one EP captured the restless pulse of Australian punk, pressed into 500 records that still get hunted down today. They proved that even a small, short-lived band from a conservative city could make something raw and lasting. They didn’t just play punk. They lived it, and they did it before anyone thought it could work in Brisbane.
