The Doug Anthony All Stars (or Doug Anthony Allstars, DAAS, D.A.A.S. or stylised as D⋆A†A☭S) were an Australian musical comedy group who initially performed together between 1984 and 1994. The group were an acoustic trio, originally comprising Robert Piper and Tim Ferguson on main vocals and Richard Fidler on guitar and backing vocals. In 1985, Piper left the All Stars to study acting at the Cours Florent in Paris, and was replaced by Paul McDermott. The group reformed in 2014, with Paul Livingston (aka "Flacco") replacing Fidler on guitar.
DAAS were known for their aggressive, provocative style, their habit of involving audience members and their tendency to attack topical and sometimes controversial issues in their comedy.
DAAS began performing as buskers on the streets of Canberra in 1984, while they were attending university. After winning the Pick of the Fringe award at the 1986 Adelaide Fringe Festival, the group relocated from Canberra to Melbourne. After performing at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1987 they gained popularity in the United Kingdom, where they made numerous television appearances and performed several times on the UK's Channel 4 late-night alternative comedy show Viva Cabaret. In 1989 they were made regular performers on the Australian comedy show The Big Gig. They remained a popular feature of the show until 1991 when they left to create their own ABC comedy series, DAAS Kapital.
The group released four live recordings and one studio album, DAAS Icon, which was briefly banned in Britain and achieved some independent success in Australia. They also released a collection of dark short stories in 1989, titled Book, which took a markedly different tone from their comedic stage performances. They also made two live concert videos and one film, The Edinburgh Years. The group split up in 1994, following a final farewell tour of Australia. Although they reunited in 2003 to perform together at a benefit concert, were interviewed together in 2008 in support of their DVD, and reunited for a one-off show to launch the DAAS Kapital DVD in 2013, the three ruled out the suggestion of a reunion tour at the time.
After an hiatus, McDermott, Ferguson and Paul Livingston (performing the role of Fidler) performed "as DAAS" for their 30th anniversary at the Canberra Comedy Festival, held in March 2014.
The group have been inactive since the end of 2017.
Style
thumb|DAAS frequently involved the audience in their act. In this scene, the group mock-threaten to shoot an audience member.
DAAS employ an aggressive, confrontational style, which author and journalist Geoff Bartlett describes as "[pushing] the boundaries of humour and good taste to their absolute limits". They frequently delve into topical and taboo subject matter with songs such as "Commies for Christ" and "I Fuck Dogs". "Long before anyone knew the term, one of our greatest driving forces was to be politically incorrect," said Ferguson. Each band member developed distinctive onstage characters, with McDermott adopting a nasty, mean persona, while Ferguson played a narcissistic character who was "gorgeous but stupid". "Sometimes we have to do really ugly or horrendous things to get people's attention, and we're not afraid to do that. We'll hit someone if it gets a bit of discourse going," said McDermott.
Neil Pigot, who did some work with the group, describes their style as "a sort of extension of the Python tradition, but very much in an Australian context." He says that DAAS were "crucially important" in the development of Australian comedy, directly contributing to the styles of successful comedy shows such as The D-Generation, Fast Forward and Wogs Out of Work.
Following their Edinburgh Fringe shows, the group enjoyed considerable success in the United Kingdom, making appearances on numerous BBC comedy shows. In 1988, the group was nominated for the Perrier Comedy Award for their performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Fidler says that the British people were more receptive to their act at the time than Australians had been. "The whole thing exploded for us when we got there, it was quite incredible. Within a very short time we were doing national television appearances in front of millions of people and playing these enormous shows," he says. However, despite the acclaim they were receiving overseas, when they returned to Australia at the end of 1988 they remained unknown. Upon arriving in Melbourne, they struggled to gain a following and went back to busking on the streets.
DAAS released their first official album, DAAS Icon (1990). Two of the featured songs, "I Want to Spill the Blood of a Hippy" and "Bottle", were also released as singles. Icon went on to become the highest selling independent album in Australia, but was banned in the United Kingdom due to a reference to the IRA in the song "KRSNA". This was later overturned by a British court. From 1992, they became UK-based, returning to Australia for a short time in 1993 to promote Dead & Alive, a live recording of one of their London shows which was released on CD and VHS. and appeared regularly on Britain's Channel 4 variety show Viva Cabaret. Their show at the Pleasance in Edinburgh was chosen by Steve Bennett, editor of Chortle.co.uk, as the second most memorable comedy gig of 2016.