Melbourne-based Bachelors From Prague formed in 1985 and played an infectious blend of 1940s jazz, 1950s R&B, 1970s funk and salsa.
The group became the band to see while cruising the cafes and clubs of Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, in inner-city Melbourne (where vocalist Henry Maas was also the proprietor of the Black Cat Cafe).
The band issued its debut album, The Energetic Cool, in August 1988, which contained two excellent singles – Go (July 1988) and Tightrope (February 1989).
Second album Birth Of The Fool (March 1990) was preceded by the single Get Smart.
The next album, The Essentials, yielded the double-A-sided single Trouble b/w The Irvin Rockman Affair (a surf-rock pastiche on 60s musical themes like Peter Gunn and Batman).
Thierry Fossemalle replaced Frimil on bass in 1991, and at the end of the year, the band issued the 12-inch single Great!
The Bachelors From Prague never achieved widespread commercial success but for a few years, they guaranteed cool Melbourne audiences a hectic, fun and enjoyable way to dance themselves silly.
Henry Maas
Vocals
Bruce Haymes
Keyboards
Chris Minko
Trumpet
Andrew Philipp
Saxophone
Jeff Raglus
Trumpet
Tom Roberts
Guitar
Justin Stanford
Percussion
George Frimil
Bass
Russell Cook
Drums
Thierry Fossemalle
Bass
