The Godfather of Perth Punk, James Baker, Dead at 71

James Baker, drummer for Australian bands like The Scientists, Hoodoo Gurus, The Dubrovniks, and Beasts of Bourbon, has died at 71. Baker had been battling liver cancer since 2014, and passed away at home on May 5.

The drummer’s death was announced to the public with a media statement on May 6. In the statement, Baker was described as “the King of the Perth Big Beat, the godfather of Perth Punk and Australia’s Garage Guru.”

The statement continued, “It was no secret that James had been suffering from terminal cancer for some time, but he did his best to hold it at bay which enabled a final go round from the Victims—the band he formed with fellow Hoodoo Guru Dave Faulkner in ’77—and a couple of last tours as well as a new album from the Beasts, the band he co-founded in ’83.”

Baker was contemporaries with some of Australia’s biggest rockers, and was influential in his own right. “James was also a genuine tastemaker and style influencer,” the statement continued. “He was a man who LOVED rock’n’roll, and who shared that love with everybody. And he was loved. He was so loved.”

Prolific Drummer James Baker Made His Mark On Australian Rock and Roll

James Baker started his music career at age 17 in a Beatles cover band. He spent time drumming in local Perth bands before traveling to the U.S. and the U.K. When he returned to Australia—after allegedly turning down an opportunity to audition as drummer for the Clash—Baker formed the Victims with Dave Flick and Rudolph V.

The Victims gained attention with their single “Television Addict.” They eventually grew to be one of Australia’s beloved punk acts, paving the way for James Baker’s influential career.

Baker was also the drummer for the Scientists, who also gained status as one of Australia’s formative grunge acts. In 1981, after the split of both the Scientists and the Victims, Baker and Flick joined up as the Hoodoo Gurus, performing together until 1984.

The Beasts of Bourbon formed in 1983, with Baker on drums for just about every incarnation of the band. It also included Spencer P. Jones, Tex Perkins, Kim Salmon, and Boris Sujdovic. The Beasts were featured on Rolling Stone Australia‘s “50 Greatest Australian Artists of All Time” list in 2020.

Featured Image by Martin Philbey