:: The Baby Animals set to return

By: Carmine Pascuzzi

The rumours are true! After a long silence of thirteen years, the BABY ANIMALS have reformed.

We'd heard a few months ago that the reformation was going to happen and it is terrific to see the band resume their career.

The Australian band‘s self-titled debut album was released in September 1991, and it debuted at number six on the ARIA Charts and spent six weeks at number one, eventually going eight times platinum and becoming the highest-selling debut Australian rock album of all time (until the release of Jet 's album twelve years later). The Baby Animals earnt plaudits for their rock 'n’ roll attitude and relentless live performances. The band received three awards at the 1992 ARIA AWARDS: ‘Best Debut Album’, ‘Best Single’, and ‘Best Album’.

They followed up with the critically acclaimed “Shaved & Dangerous” in 1993 and toured the USA with Robert Plant before returning home to headline their own Australian tour. In 1995 on the verge of their first major US tour, their US-based record company Imago Records folded after losing its distributor, BMG. The band tried unsuccessfully to be released from the Imago label and, soon afterwards, in early 1996 the band took this long break as Suze got married and started a family.

Now, move forward to 2007. After initially feeling a little nervous about getting together again, Suze DeMarchi, Dave Leslie (guitar), Eddie Parise (bass) and Frank Celenza (drums) hit the rehearsal studios and clicked straight back into that rocking place that made us all love them. So good in fact that plans are now under way to record a new record in 2008.

The Baby Animals have recorded an album for the now legendary Liberation Blue Acoustic series. The album IL GRANDE SILENZIO, has been produced by Justin Stanley and is due for release early 2008.

Liberation Music is also going to re-release the band's two studio albums “Baby Animals” & “Shaved & Dangerous” - both of which will be digitally remastered. A release date will be confirmed soon.

I remember Michael Gudinski telling me that one band he wished he had in those early 1990s was the Baby Animals. Well, it's been a wait but he has finally got his band.

While the album news is pretty exciting, things are only going to get better with the news that a national tour announcement is just weeks away. Stay tuned.