The Triffids were formed in Perth, Western Australia, in 1978 by David McComb, who served as vocalist, guitarist, bassist and pianist; his songwriting and melodic sensibilities anchored the group’s early sound. The band’s first public breakthrough came with the 1981 single "Stand Up" on Shake Some Action, followed by a series of self‑released cassettes that established a local following. In 1983 they released their debut album Treeless Plain, a critical success that led to a contract with Mushroom Records; the next year they issued Born Sandy Devotional, which peaked at number 27 on the UK Albums Chart and earned the single "Wide Open Road" a UK Singles Chart position number 26. The Triffids signed to Island Records in 1986, releasing Calenture (1987) and The Black Swan (1989); the latter saw singles "Bury Me Deep in Love" and "Trick of the Light" chart modestly in the UK. The group disbanded in 1989 after extensive touring in the UK and Scandinavia, and David McComb died in 1999. Posthumously, the band received the ARIA Hall of Fame induction in 2008, and their catalogue has been reissued by Domino and Liberation Music, sustaining their influence in Australian rock history.
