Aussie rock icons Hoodoo Gurus left heartbroken as founding member dies – just days after their former manager: ‘We’re reeling from shock’
A founding member of Aussie rock icons Hoodoo Gurus has died – just days after the death of their former manager.
The ARIA Hall of Fame recipients confirmed on Facebook that their original guitarist Kimble Rendall died on Saturday aged 71.
‘RIP Kimble. Very sad news. Just announced overnight,’ the band wrote alongside a throwback picture of him playing the guitar in a studio.
‘Two losses we have had in the Gurus family this past week. We’re still reeling from the shock.’
The Sydney-born musician was the band’s original guitarist in 1981 – 1982 and played on their breakout song Leilani, but left just as they were rising to fame in order to become a filmmaker.
He went on to make movies such as the 2000 horror movie Cut, starring Kylie Minogue and Molly Ringwald.
Aussie rock icons Hoodoo Gurus have been left heartbroken after founding member Kimble Rendall died – just days after the death of their former manager
Kimble also directed Julian McMahon and Lincoln Lewis in the 2012 shark horror movie Bait.
His final directing credit was the 2018 Australian-Chinese co-production Guardians of the Tomb, starring Kelsey Grammer and Li Bingbing.
Kimble also directed music videos for his former band, as well as for several Aussie rock icons, including Cold Chisel, Mental As Anything and Diesel.
He was also second-unit director for many acclaimed Hollywood productions filmed in Australia, including The Matrix Reloaded, Ghost Rider and I, Robot.
His death was announced by media personality Melissa Hoyer on social media.
‘Vale Kimble Rendall… Musician, advertising guru, film director, husband, devoted dad and a very good friend to many,’ she began.
‘Thank you for being in our lives. You were compassionate, constantly creative, funny, clever and perennially entertaining.’
He was married to veteran Australian TV presenter Basia Bonkowski from 1982 until her passing in 2022 from lymphoma.
The ARIA Hall of Fame recipients took to Facebook to confirm the passing of their original guitarist Kimble, who died on Saturday aged 71. Pictured front left with the band, opposite lead singer Dave Faulkner.
The Sydney-born musician was the band’s original guitarist from 1981 – 1982 but left them as they were just breaking out, in order to become a filmmaker
Kimble is survived by their children William and Camille.
His death comes just days after the band’s former manager Dominic ‘Mick’ Mazzone died after battling an illness.
The band took to social media last week remembering the industry veteran as a ‘dear friend’.
‘We in the Hoodoo Gurus are utterly devastated at the sudden loss of our dear friend, Mick (Dominic) Mazzone,’ they wrote in a statement.
‘It is impossible to convey the shock and grief we are feeling right now. We have already shed many tears, and there will be many more to come.
‘Our loss is nothing compared to the one that has been dealt to Mick’s close family and friends and, in particular, to his beloved kids, Frank, Antonia and Alex.
‘Our hearts go out to them at this dreadful time. Love, Brad, Dave, Rick & Nik.’
