Australian indie rock band. Originally instrumental, they later recruited vocalist Tex Perkins (also of Beasts of Bourbon). The band was intially formed at the Harold Park Hotel in the Sydney suburb of Glebe, playing a residency there.
Their instrumental track 'Reckless Eyeballin'' was the theme of police drama, Blue Heelers.
The band functionally ceased in 2003, but did briefly reform in 2008 and in 2010 (both for tours), and supported Powderfinger's Bernard Fanning during his Day on the Green tour in 2013.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cruel_Sea_(band)
MacFarlane, 116.
https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/arts-and-culture/tex-perkins-on-how-to-get-into-live-music-the-meaning-of-music-and-blood-20170802-gxnxd6
https://web.archive.org/web/20010221212758/http://www.howlspace.com.au/en/cruelsea/cruelsea.htm