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6 unusual facts about Stevie Plunder


Anthony Hayes

Stevie Plunder (1963–1996), born Anthony Hayes, Australian guitarist, singer and songwriter

Introducing The Whitlams

The album features a mix of original and cover songs, including songs written by Whopping Big Naughty frontman Stanley Claret (born Justin Hayes, and credited as Justin Credible in the liner notes), brother of The Whitlams guitarist Stevie Plunder, and Everything but the Girl, among others.

Stevie Plunder

In 1992, while outside the Hordern Pavilion where Nirvana were playing the first Big Day Out, Stevie and Tim Freedman decided to form a band to go against the current local music scene, which neither were happy with.

Born in Canberra, ACT in 1963, Stevie played in bands from his late teens, most notably forming The Plunderers with Nic Dalton, as well as playing with other acts such as The Shouties, No Concept and Hippy Dribble.

On 26 January (Australia Day), 1996, exactly four years since The Whitlams were formed, and as their single I Make Hamburgers was breaking into the Triple J Hottest 100 chart, Stevie Plunder was found dead at the bottom of Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains, apparently a suicide.

Stupor Ego

Due to its discontinued status, extreme rarity and nostalgia value (it features The Whitlams in the initial trio of Tim Freedman, Stevie Plunder and Andy Lewis), copies of this CD have been known to sell for hundreds of dollars.


Falling Joys

Miles and Merrilees left the band in late 1985 and Robertson and Higgie who worked at ABC TV Canberra, continued the band with Hayes, a member of a well-known Canberran musical family (including Bernie Hayes and Anthony Hayes aka Stevie Plunder) and Peter Velzen, who was playing at the time with the Plunderers alongside Nic Dalton and Plunder.


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