TONY BARBER

Anthony Arthur Barber, known as Tony Barber (born 3 December 1942, Norwich, Norfolk) is an English-born author, singer-songwriter, artist and designer who emigrated to Australia in 1963. In 1964 he replaced Valentine Jones on guitar when he joined the hugely popular band Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs. Guitarist Vince Melouney recalls: When Valentine Jones left he was replaced by Tony Barber. Tony is an Englishman who had recently arrived from England and was living in a hotel opposite Surf City. Billy met Tony and, learning he was a guitar player and wrote songs, brought him along to rehearsals, He got the job. Tony didn't have a guitar and he was left handed. Billy had a Gretsch Country Gentleman so we turned it upside down and changed the strings around and Tony had a guitar. 

Barber played on their hits ''Poison Ivy'' (#3), ''Mashed Potato '' (#9), ''Sick and Tired '' (#11), ''Over the Rainbow'' (#2) and ''I Told the Brook '' (#1). Leaving the band to go solo in late 1965, he released a number of singles and EPs and his biggest hit was "Someday" (#13) in 1966. In the same year he supported the Rolling Stones, The Searchers, Herman's Hermits and Tom Jones tours of Australia. After his music career he wrote 35 children's books in the 1980s under the names A. A. Barber and Tony Barber, including The Puggle Tales. He appeared on the children's television show The Music Shop as Tony the Toymaker. Many of his books feature a fantasy character he created and named "Puggle", for which he also designed a stuffed toy of the same name that gained popularity and that was then used to name a baby echidna. Barber founded The Lost Forests chain of toy stores, which sold soft toys that he designed.

SINGLES

''Someday (#13) / Is It Raining'' Spin 1966
''Wait By The Water (#81) / What Now'' 1966 Spin
''Wondrous Place / No, No, No'' (#41) 1966 Spin
''Lookin' For A Better Day (#61) / I Don't Want You Like That'' 1966 Spin
''Birds Eye View (#98) / Women Of Stone'' 1966 Spin
'' If You Need Somebody To Love / Sunshine Shadows (Ombres Du Soleil)'' 1967 Phono Vox

EPs

'Someday' 1966 Spin
'Wait By The Water' 1966 Spin
'Lookin' For A Better Day' 1967 Spin

ALBUMS

'Someday...Now!' 1966 Spin

References

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