[1][2] In late 1980, with the assistance of radio station Triple J, the band recorded tracks at Trafalgar Studios for the new music program.
Their debut self-titled, four-track extended play followed on 20 November; both appeared on the independent Phantom Records label.
Dempsey declared that lead singer "Loneragan gives a high-powered performance which is probably rivalled only by Midnight Oil's Peter Garrett".
[9] Henry Downes provided percussion at live shows with the band and created the artwork for "Jumping the Gap".
Following the album's release, and an Australian tour supporting Joe Jackson,[3] Machinations added Warren McLean on drums.
The band recorded their second album, Big Music, at Rhinoceros Studios using Julian Mendelsohn as producer.
[1][2] Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, declared that the group "[emerged] with the smoothest and most fully realised album of [their] career".
[7] Naomi Star provided backing vocals on most of the album,[3] although Inez Lawson and Anne Redmond were featured on "No Say in It".
[1][14] On 13 July 1985, Machinations performed three tracks, "Pressure Sway", "My Heart's On Fire" and "No Say in It", for the Oz for Africa concert (part of the global Live Aid program).
[16] In May 1986, White Label released The Big Beat, a collection of dance remixes of previous singles which reached No.
[1][2] He was replaced on drums, briefly by Downes and more permanently, by John MacKay (ex-Sea Monsters) in early 1987.
[1][2] The band were back in the studios soon after with US producer, Andy Wallace (Prince, Run DMC), recording a new album.
[3] Their activities were curtailed in April 1989 when a hit-and-run car accident left Loneragan with a broken neck, multiple cuts, bruises and concussion.
In September 2006, US label Almacantar Records reissued the band's original 1981 EP with one additional track, "Average Inadequacy".
[18] In February 2012, Machinations reformed and performed two shows at The Bridge Hotel in Rozelle and have continued infrequently since.