The Cheap Nasties were one of Australia's first punk rock bands, and when they broke up in late 1977, they spawned two great bands that blended punk rock energy and classic pop melodies. One was the Scientists as led by Kim Salmon; the other was the Manikins. Formed in 1978 by singer Robert Porritt, guitarist Neil Fernandes, bassist Dan Dare, and drummer Mark Betts, the group quickly released the "Models for Mankind" single. They followed it with another single, 1979's "Premonition," which featured new guitarist Dave Flick (who later formed the Hoodoo Gurus under his non-punk real name, Dave Faulkner). After another single, 1980's "Love at Second Sight" featuring new bassist Ken Seymour, the band soon split. Mark Betts bought the rights to the band's name in the mid-'80s and formed a new group that leaned in a more new wave direction. They released a handful of singles and then a self-titled LP in 1988. Various collections of Manikins tracks were released in small runs through the years, including Live Locally and Last Gasp. In 2017 Manufactured Recordings released From Broadway to Blazes, which gathered up their three singles, unreleased studio recordings, and more. ~ Tim Sendra, Rovi