Die Dancing Bears

Die Dancing Bears' beginnings were in Adelaide, South Australia, formed in October 1980 with Lynton Cox (ex-Recoil/Cracked Actors) on vocals, Daryl Champion (ex-Void/Art Vandals) on bass, Liz Neat on drums, Kathryn O'Neil on keyboards, and Kym Tonkes on guitar. The band released a self-titled cassette the following year, before upping stumps and moving to Sydney where, in May 1982, Drug Dance/New York Valentine was recorded with a slightly altered lineup: Neat (who found the band's music too depressing) was initially replaced by Iva Malone (who also found the band's music too depressing), then by Michael Waniarcha for the recording. Waniarcha found the band's behaviour depressing and was replaced by John Burgess after the single was recorded. Drug Dance/New York Valentine was released in October, around the same time as Madroom's Cruelty of Beauty 12", making it among the first Australian records to veer self-consciously into UK-influenced goth-punk territory (along with Box of Fish, Club of Rome, Dorian Gray, and perhaps Marble Soldiers). The band continued into 1983 with additional line-up changes, but no further records would emerge. Tonkes later joined Madroom, vastly improving their sound on 1984's I Am For An Art... LP. Cox eventually returned to Adelaide, becoming a morning DJ on community station Three D. Kym Tonkes passed away in 2004. Lynton Cox passed away in 2005. This profile is an edited version of one written and published by Wallaby Beat.