Kids in the Kitchen

Australian band Kids in the Kitchen exemplified the ’80s sound: well-packaged funk and dance-pop characterized by synth sounds and smooth production.

Mushroom’s White label signed up the fledgling band after they had been together for only eight months. Their first two singles were an immediate success: “Change in Mood”/”Far From Where” (October 1983) and “Bitter Desire”/”Hunting and Haunting” (April 1984) both hit the national Top Ten. In 1984, the Kids in the Kitchen lineup was reshuffled extensively and Alistair Coia (keyboards) replaced Greg Woodhead, and Claude Carranza (guitar) replaced Greg Dorman.

The band’s debut album, Shine, released in June 1985, produced three more singles: “Something that You Said”/”Cruel Time” (number 16 in May), “Shine”/”Hard,” and “Current Stand” (number 14 in August). The album went platinum, selling over 70,000 copies, and peaked at number six. The band toured the country and then released a further two singles: “My Life” (November 1985) and “Out of Control”/”Stop” (June 1986).

Jason Stonehouse replaced drummer Bruce Curnow in late 1986 before the release of their second album, Terrain. It produced two singles: “Say It”/”White Love” (August 1987), which peaked at number 20, and “Revolution Love”/”Cry” (November 1987). At the end of 1987, keyboardist Simon Kershaw joined the band, but Kids in the Kitchen had run out of steam and disbanded in 1988. ~ Brendan Swift