[1] The band was founded in Adelaide, South Australia by Peter Flierl in 1980, who had just returned from a trip to the UK with an incredibly strong impression, having been left by the sounds of Dexys Midnight Runners and the very recently formed splinter group from that ensemble, The Bureau.
[2] Peter Flierl (bass guitar, backing vocals, song-writing) started with an advertisement in the local newspaper "want ads" seeking like-minded musicians to form an 8 piece soul/pop band to play a mix of original and cover songs.
Although still unsigned, the band decided to foray into the studio a second time to record the Mankyboddle penned "Gardening as Finer Art" backed with Flierl's "Too Late The Hero".
Funds were tighter this time around for the band which resulted in a 'live' rendition of "Too Late The Hero" (recorded some weeks earlier at an Adelaide Uni Bar gig) becoming the B-side.
The final break up in the end was due to a lack of commitment to go "professional", i.e. interstate, even though the actual band personalities and individual musicianship were much better matched.
[citation needed] Flierl, Stein and Burton quickly re-grouped to form Plan B which re-commenced gigging virtually the same week as the 'new' Del Webb Explosion.
Following the second and final implosion of Del Webb Explosion, Mankyboddle joined forces with Steve Z to form The Sweets of Sin, an experimental crossover pop-band with strong modern classical and jazz influences.