THE VIRGIL BROTHERS

Formed in 1968 along the lines of the Walker Brothers and Righteous Brothers all three Virgils had already proved themselves on the Australian 60s music scene. Both Malcolm McGee and Rob Lovett had been founding members of the Wild Cherries. McGee had also been in Python Lee Jackson and Lovett in The Loved Ones. Mick Hadley was the former lead vocalist in legendary band The Purple Hearts with Lobby Loyde. Just a few weeks into rehearsal Mick left, leaving an opening for Peter Doyle to join the group. Doyle had churned out a few hits during the 60s as a solo performer prior to joining.

The Virgil Brothers made their debut on Tuesday 4th June 1968 at the Menzies Hotel in Melbourne with radio station 3UZ on hand to tape the show for a later broadcast. The following Sunday afternoon they appeared at Melbourne's Festival Hall. They starred with Johnny Farnham and also on the bill were the Mixtures, Cam-pact, the Rondells and Marcie Jones and the Cookies. The following week their first single ''Temptation 'Bout to Get Me'', backed with ''I See Her Face'' received rave reviews in Go-Set from well-known figures on Australia's pop scene. Stan Rofe declared it the best Australian record he had heard in his 10-year career as a DJ. 

''Temptation 'Bout to Get'' me was a huge success and was quickly followed up by a second single, ''Here I Am'' which was backed by ''Shake Me, Wake Me''. This second single failed to reach the same heights but ''Temptation'' won a major network award as best record of the year and earned the group a trip to the UK under the same management as Cliff Richard. Early in 1969 the Virgil Brothers boarded the Fairstar, a ship which had carried many British emigrees to Australia and delivered much of the cream of the Australian sixties' music scene to the UK. Travelling with the Virgil Brothers that year were the Groove who had been the 1968 winners of Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds contest.

Arriving in the UK in April 1969, the Virgil Brothers faced a line-up change as Malcolm McGee decided to leave and a replacement, Danny Robinson was flown over from Australia. Danny was also a former member of the Wild Cherries, but he joined the group after Mal and Rob had left. The group's UK engagements included a weekly spot as guest artists for the summer run of the Frankie Howard Show and also an appearance on Joe Brown's TV show, Set 'Em Up, Joe! ''Temptation 'Bout to Get Me'' was re-released but this time the original B side co-written by Lovett was replaced by ''Look Away'', written by Doyle. In the UK as in Australia the single appeared on the Parlophone label whilst it came under the Tamla Motown umbrella, released on the Rare Earth label in the US and Canada. The record was also released in Brazil, Germany and the Netherlands.

The third and final single was released in the UK in September 1969. ''When You Walk Away'' was co-written by Shadows member Hank Marvin who co-wrote another song to become the title track of Peter's next solo album, 'Skin Deep', in 1976. The B side was ''Good Love''. By this time, the Walker Brothers and Righteous Brothers may have been legends, but they were also history, the pop scene had moved off in another direction and the true talents of the Virgil Brothers abroad went unnoticed. The group split and the members went their separate ways in early 1970. Peter Doyle joined The New Seekers. 

Members

Malcolm McGee, Rob Lovett, Mick Hadley, Peter Doyle, Danny Robinson

SINGLES

''Temptation 'Bout To Get Me (#30) / I See Her Face'' 1968 Parlophone
''Here I Am (#63) / Shake Me, Wake Me'' 1968 Parlophone
''When You Walk Away (#87) / Good Love'' 1969 Parlophone

References

http://www.peterdoylewebsite.net/virgilbrothers/vb01.htm

http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/