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TISM - History

TISM - History: Encyclopedia II - TISM - History

TISM (an acronym of This Is Serious Mum) are an Australian alternative rock band. An anonymous seven piece band from Melbourne, TISM first gained radio airplay with the single "Defecate On My Face". The single is typical of much of TISM's entire career. It was distributed in an LP sized cover, sealed on all 4 sides. TISM songs often appear to be offensive tunes of no redeeming value, they also have witty, sometimes dry humour that appeals to their fans. Their first and last performance was the 'Get Fucked' concert at the Duncan McKinnon Athletics Reserve in Springvale in late 1983, each subsequent gi ...

TISM: Encyclopedia II - TISM - History

TISM - History

TISM (an acronym of This Is Serious Mum) are an Australian alternative rock band.

An anonymous seven piece band from Melbourne, TISM first gained radio airplay with the single "Defecate On My Face". The single is typical of much of TISM's entire career. It was distributed in an LP sized cover, sealed on all 4 sides. TISM songs often appear to be offensive tunes of no redeeming value, they also have witty, sometimes dry humour that appeals to their fans. Their first and last performance was the 'Get Fucked' concert at the Duncan McKinnon Athletics Reserve in Springvale in late 1983, each subsequent gig having been a reunion concert.

The true identities of the members of TISM have been kept secret. For this reason, the band often appear in balaclavas when they play concerts, although they have also been known to indulge in ridiculously complex costumery to the same end. There has always been a great amount of speculation as to why the band do not want their identity to be known. One of the more popular theories is that TISM are actually members of other bands who don't want their fans to know, prime suspects being 'Painters and Dockers' (though another suspected group is, rather outlandishly, The Wiggles). Another theory (based on the fact they seem to tour in the school holidays) is that they are school teachers, and don't want the students to find out. It has been said that one of the members could even be a teacher from the elite Melbourne Grammar School. Another theory popularly disseminated is that the members of TISM are AFL players, though Humphrey B Flaubert famously stated 'We're not AFL, we're actually more violent and crappy...so you're looking at the VFL there." The band maintains that the reason they wear balaclavas is because they are actually incredibly ugly.

The band has been known to create alter-egos, often with the same sense of humour used in their songs. Member lists have included Ron Hitler Barassi (a reference to Australian Rules great Ron Barassi), Humphrey B Flaubert (a play on popular Australian children's TV host Humphrey B Bear), John St Peenis, Jock Cheese, Tokin' Blackman, Les Miserables, Leek Vlan Vlallen and John Coitus (though it should be noted there have only ever been seven members of the band; clearly, names have been switched). The mysterious eighth member of TISM, known only as Genre B Goode, dropped out of the band after "increasing bouts of sanity" early in the bands career, and was honoured by TISM's record label being named after him (Genre makes a brief appearance in TISM: A Docunentary). The band is also famous for asking Paul Keating, Philip Roth and Eddie Van Halen to join the band as lead tambourine player, as well as Peter Reith to take up the triangle.

Ron Hitler Barassi: Vocals (The angry one; Ron does the verses on Ol' Man River, for example)
Humphrey B Flaubert: Vocals (The not-so-angry one; Humphrey sings Whatareya, for example)
Les Miserables: Dancing and occasional boy-buggering (most notable on Death Death Death Amway Amway Amway)
Leek Vlan Vlallen: Guitarist (He's identified in TISM: A Docunentary as pushing Ron offstage while playing the aforementioned instrument). Later replaced by Tokin' Blackman.
Eugene de la Hot-Croix Bun: Keyboards, samples and vocals (Let's Form A Company, Fourteen Years in Rowville, etc.)
Jon St Peenis: dancing, vocals
Jock Cheese: bass, vocals (Let's Club It To Death)

The height of TISM's popularity and success came in the mid 1990s with the release of Machiavelli and the Four Seasons/New York, London, Paris, Springvale, three songs from which performed very well in [Triple J]'s hottest 100. In 1996, (He'll Never Be An) Ol' Man River came in at #2, and the following year, Greg! The Stop Sign!! and All Homeboys Are Dickheads came in at #9 and #10 respectively. Their next few albums flopped, however, being labelled by the critics "The usual shit."

Although TISM seemed to have officially broken up after the release of their best of compilation in 2002, they continued to perform a small number of gigs, and in early 2004 announced that they were making a comeback. Such rumours of breakups are perhaps only to be expected from the band, as mentioned above each performance has technically been a reunion concert. Their current status is perhaps best described as retirement; in an interview with Jay and The Doctor on JJJ Ron Hitler described TISM as 'too tired' to continue their wild pranks, and as most estimates put their ages in the 40s it is understandable that they have given up the go.

The official film clip for one of their songs, "Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me," was decided by means of a competition.

Some of TISM's more famous songs: