Adelaide music legend Mark ‘Ockerbozo’ Fenech remembered by bandmates after sadly losing cancer battle

A larger-than-life character of SA’s music scene has died. Now his bandmates share what he was like behind closed doors.

Legendary Adelaide punk band Clowns of Decadence.

Bandmates are remembering Mark Fenech as a talented showman who transformed Adelaide’s live music scene, after the former Clowns of Decadence vocalist last week lost a 14-month battle with bone cancer.

A legend of the city’s punk scene in the 1980s and 1990s, Mr Fenech was a founding member of The Mutants, which became the Festered Vestoons and eventually Clowns of Decadence, where he took on the larger-than-life persona of “Ockerbozo” for which he became best known.

Clowns of Decadence frontman Mark Fenech. Picture: Supplied

Clowns of Decadence frontman Mark Fenech. Picture: Supplied

The band grew infamous for dressing in clown costumes and staging high-energy shows at Adelaide pubs, complete with fire-breathing and sword-swallowing.

Clowns of Decadence drummer Matt Jonsson, whose clown name was Snatcha Razoo, said Mr Fenech nailed the onstage performance of his Ockerbozo character – a decadent business tycoon with an overly bloated ego.

“He was one hell of a showman, full of energy,” he said. “Constantly bouncing around, dodging three other members who were breathing fire.

“He was a selfless, very fun-loving, very approachable, very real type of person in real life.

“After shows we would always continue with the crowd rather than being the rock stars and walk off stage.

“We always had our costumes and makeup still left on. It was pretty hard to get off, so we would just leave it on. And by doing so, we became a permanent night-time fixture of Adelaide because we would descend onto the streets and go to nightclubs.”

Clowns of Decadence frontman Mark Fenech. Picture: Supplied

Clowns of Decadence frontman Mark Fenech. Picture: Supplied

Mr Jonsson said the news of Mr Fenech’s battle with cancer came as a shock to him and fellow bandmates because he had kept it as a “private affair with his family”.

Clowns of Decadence disbanded in 1998 and came together again in a 2014 reboot.

Chris Lambert joined as a new bass player, taking on the clown name of Doc Boom, for the reunion after touring and performing alongside the band in the 1990s.

He said Mr Fenech was the same person onstage and offstage – “it was just magnified on stage”.

“He was just an amazing performer; he was animated, he was lively,” Mr Lambert said. “He actually cared about people onstage and offstage, and he was genuine.

“I think everybody in the audience just felt like that he was one of them despite the costume and the makeup.”

He said Mr Fenech inspired other bands to mash up different genres, enhance their live performances and “not get so hung up about being something different”.

Mr Lambert remembered being “absolutely destroyed” after a sold-out reboot show despite being 10 years younger than other band members.

He crashed at the frontman’s house and woke up at 7.30am to find him “flying through the back door with a big grin on his face, still awake”.

Clowns of Decadence frontman Mark Fenech. Picture: Supplied

“He was so wired from the feeling of being on stage, that he was still firing,” Mr Lambert said.

Mr Fenech’s wife Lisa shared the news of his passing on Facebook, saying he had fought a long and brave battle against a rare type of bone cancer, which had sadly spread throughout his body.

Fans and other Adelaide bands have flooded social media with tributes for the legend.

He passed away last Tuesday, aged 61, and will be remembered at a Flinders Park funeral on Friday, followed by a celebration of his life at The Gov.

Originally published as Adelaide music legend Mark ‘Ockerbozo’ Fenech remembered by bandmates after sadly losing cancer battle