Aus Musician Justin Frew Farewelled

Australian musician Justin Frew has passed away, his former bandmate Dave Faulkner (of Hoodoo Gurus fame) revealed on social media. According to posts from his family, he’d been fighting illness over the last year.

The Wollongong-based artist passed away peacefully on Friday, 4 July, at the age of 54. He was the father of Mia and Finn. His funeral took place last Friday (18 July) at the H.Parsons Funeral Home in Wollongong.

Frew was best known for being a member of numerous local bands, particularly in the 1990s. He formed the group Antenna with The Scientists’ Kim Salmon, Dave Faulkner, and Southend bandmate Stuart McCarthy.

Their indie rock tune, Come On Spring, landed at #64 on the triple j Hottest 100 of 1998 and toured on the Big Day Out in 1999.

Meanwhile, Southend also found success, reaching #9 on the ARIA Singles Chart in 1994 after remixing the Olympic Committee Chief Juan Antonio Samaranch announcing Sydney’s winning bid for the 2000 Olympic Games.

Frew also released a string of albums and singles as Justin Frew’s Loose Intentions, his project that was home to “rough, hillbilly gutter blues.”

In a tribute to his former bandmate, Dave Faulkner wrote that he missed Frew’s funeral as he was flying from Perth to Melbourne. In his post, he recalled Frew’s “many great qualities,” including his sense of humour, taste in music, and generosity.

“I first met Justin when he and his Southend bandmate, Stuart McCarthy, remixed a few songs from our 'In Blue Cave' album for an electro/dance EP,” Faulkner wrote.

“It was a rather strange mash-up that not many people ever got to hear, but, more importantly, it introduced me to a couple of great people in Jus and Stu. When the Hoodoo Gurus broke up a couple of years later (I thought it was gonna be forever), Jus, Stu and I got together with Kim Salmon (who I've known since 1975) and we formed a group called Antenna.”

Faulkner continued, “I wouldn't trade that experience for the world because, apart from making a great album together, I gained a life-changing insight into how strong the bonds of musical communication can become, something that has informed my work ever since. Justin played a pivotal role in that shared bond and the music we created together. It was truly magical.

“Justin had so many great qualities: a wicked sense of humour, impeccable taste in music, and he was a generous collaborator; ‘plays well with others’ is a very apt and powerful description of Jus' beautiful spirit.

“The world will miss you, mate.”