Philip Gould has lived with theatre since the age of seven when he first appeared on stage for J.C.Williamsons. Success was not just related to the stage but also in television with the ever-popular Young Talent Time. Just prior to going to England in 1984, Philip's career in theatre took off again first of all with the world premiere of More Canterbury Tales and the well coveted role of Tony in West Side Story. Living in London from 1984 - 1996 where he performed in such shows as Nite-Club Confidential, Show Boat, Oklahoma, Buddy, and the famous 42nd Street.
Not only did he perform with the likes of Caroline O'Connor and Catherine Zeta-Jones, but he was one of two chosen from the English Opera cast to perform on a recorded version for Decca Records with the likes of Jerry Hadley (Opera and Music Theatre Tenor) and John Marceri (international conductor). Other credits include several Royal Command, Childrens Royal & Gala Performances for all the Royals and a special night at the Covent Garden opera house where he got to work alongside Princess Di. Philip is no stranger when it comes to Australian theatre of course. He has performed many roles in many shows here, such as Cable in South Pacific, Ralphe Rackstraw in HMS Pinafore, Gaylord Ravenal Show Boat, George in She Loves Me (opposite Lisa McCune) etc
He wowed audiences who came to see him as the pathetic small time hoodlum, 'Rooster' in Annie (for which he won a Greenroom Award) and again showed his hand as a comic actor playing 'Lord Evelyn Oakleigh' in Anything Goes (also nominated). Apart from Music Man for the Production Co. Gould played the role of the 'Tinman' for 14 months in Wizard Of Oz. Philip was made an honorary patron of the Whitehorse Musical theatre group for his special contribution. In July 2008, Philip took the lead role of 'Buddy' in The Production Company's anniversary production, Follies amongst a stellar cast, and during that same year was seen swash-buckling in The Pirates Of Penzance.
SINGLES ''Have I The Right / Holiday'' 1974 L&Y ''Centre Fold / True True Love'' 1975 Atlantics Chicago ''Stop / All I Want To Do Is Sing'' 1977 Philips
Northern Territory local Mike Foley celebrated 'international streaking' way back in 1974 by recording his song ''The International Streaker''. (This song was also released in NZ on the Polydor label). And he didn't leave it to the hands of the PR people to promote this - instead he decided to take things into his own hands by stripping off and running through several airports around Australia. It wasn't a long-term career move however - with Foley ending up behind bars (briefly) for his antics. While he gave up streaking, music has followed Foley throughout his career, and while this huge personality has shared other talents with his community (e.g. running the Mandorah Pub and working for Keep Australia Beautiful) - it's music that he'll keep doing well into his retirement.
SINGLES ''The International Streaker / Beautiful Country Air'' 1974 Pumpkin
Born on a dairy farm in the Woodford area of Queensland John McSweeney started his recording career in 1974 with the release of his debut album 'Precious Memories'. Soon after he was picked up by RCA. His first single for the label ''The Great Brisbane Flood (Australia Day '74)'' and first album 'John McSweeney' was released in 1974. A few more singles and albums followed but it was a move into the old standards from yesteryear that proved a turning point in his career. McSweeney always had a love for the great songs that were written back in the 30's, 40's & 50's so he made the decision back in the late 80's to put together medleys of all the great standards that people could sing along with either at a party or in the car travelling. So, John recorded 50 songs in medleys then another 50 and due to the success of that first recording he has now recorded four volumes with 8 CD's that contain over 450 songs. John never imagined that one day his music would be sold not only in Australia and New Zealand but also right throughout the United Kingdom and the USA.
In the late 90's John decided it was time to try to have his music released in other countries and his first trip was to the United Kingdom where the first record company he approached signed John up on the spot and as a result he has sold well in excess of 500,000 copies of his sing along music. Next stop was the U.S.A where he went to New York which John admits was a little harder to gain a contract but after a couple of visits he signed with the biggest music catalogue company in the U.S.A where his third volume was recently released and he started receiving letters from all over the U.S.A with comments that they love his voice and it was great to hear the old songs that they grew up with once again. Due to the success of his music in the American catalogue his record company have now decided to advertise his Volume1 '100 Songs You Know By Heart' on television which is not bad for a young fellow who grew up on a dairy farm in Queensland.
SINGLES ''Daisy A Day / Jody And The Kid'' 1973 Rev
''The Great Brisbane Flood (Australia Day '74) / One Way Or Another'' 1974 RCA ''Saturday Dance / Make My Coffee Black Won't You Mister'' 1979 Opal
''I Want To Sing A Country Song / Pieces'' 1982 MAC
''Women Of The Outback / A Long Line Of Love'' 1988 MAC ''Pretty Woman / Some Hearts Have All The Fun'' 1988 MAC ''A Heart That's Turned To Stone / Dark Side Of Town'' MAC ''Let's Turn Back The Hands On The Clock / Walkin On My Way'' MAC ''Women Of The Outback / A Long Line Of Love'' MAC ''A Single Yellow Rose'' MAC
EPs
'The Golden Voice Of John McSweeney' Rev
ALBUMS
'Precious Memories' 1974 Rev 'John McSweeney' 1974 RCA 'My Diesel Friend' 1975 RCA 'Mister Country Entertainer' 1979 Opal 'Nobody's Darling But Mine' 1980 MAC 'Sings Something Old Something New' 1983 MAC 'A Long Line Of Love' 1988 MAC '100 Songs You Know By Heart' 1990 Prism Leisure '100 Songs You Know By Heart Vol. 2' 1995 Prism Leisure '20 All Time Christmas Favourites' 1996 Prism Leisure '22 All-Time Gospel Favourites' 1998 Massive 'Songs My Mother Sang To Me' 1999 Massive '100 Songs You Know By Heart Vol. 4' 1999 Prism Leisure '100 Songs You Know By Heart' MAC 'Just For You' MAC 'Especially For You' MAC 'Those Were The Days (48 Singalong Favourites) J & B Records 'Until You Have Walked In My Shoes' MAC 'If I Didn't Have You In My World' '21 Christmas Favourites' Dino Music
Cool Bananas and its successor Aunty Jack & The Gong were offshoots from the ABC's cult TV comedy program The Aunty Jack Show, which ran from 1972-73. Both bands featured Rory O'Donoghue, the friend and partner of Grahame Bond. Both men were accomplished performers, composers, musicians and writers who co-composed all of the original music for the series as well as writing much of the material for the various sketches and playing most of the parts. Prior to Aunty Jack, Grahame wrote for, produced and performed in the famous Sydney University architecture faculty revues of the late '60s.
It was here that he and Rory first met, when Rory was brought in via a mutual friend, to provide musical backing for one of the revues. It was here that Grahame also met young film-maker Peter Weir, and Bond went on to perform in and provide music for an ABC-TV special Man On A Green Bike which Weir wrote and directed, wrote soundtrack music for the award-winning feature Three To Go and had a leading part in Weir's first feature film Homesdale in 1971. Rory had been a member of the '60s Sydney bands The Pogs and Oakapple Day and he had also released a solo single on the Image label in the early '70s. He formed Cool Bananas sometime in 1973 (possibly just after the series had been axed). Original drummer Robbie Dearlove was replaced by Russell Dunlop (ex-Aesop's Fable, Levi Smith's Clefs) in time for their first single, "Been And Gone", which was released on the Albert Productions label.
The band performed on the ABC-TV special Aunty Jack Rox On which was broadcast in June 1973, playing a four-song live-in-the-studio set comprising "Gypsy", "Drug", "Hard Road" and "The Other Side". On this occasion Cool Bananas was fronted by former Easybeats lead singer Stevie Wright, who had just finished a very successful stint playing Simon Zealotes in Jesus Christ Superstar (of which O'Donoghue had also been a cast member). This was shortly before the release of Steve's hit single "Evie" and his solo album 'Hard Road'. Although the ABC cancelled the Aunty Jack series abruptly in 1973, it became something of a pop culture phenomenon and led to the release of a single version of the show's theme song "Farewell Aunty Jack".
It was one of the first picture discs released in Australia (although apparently not the first, as has been claimed), and it was enormously successful -- according to indigenous label historian Hank Facer it was the first Australian single ever to enter the Australian charts at #1 (on 3 February 1974), and it stayed at #1 for ten weeks, charted for 22 weeks and sold over 100,000 copies by June 1974. As a result of the combined success of the series and the single, Grahame and Rory put together a touring band called The 'Gong (an abbreviation of Wollongong, the industrial city south of Sydney which was the butt of many AJ jokes). They hit the road in June 1974 for the "Aunty Jack & The Gong In Bloody Concert" tour.
The core members of The 'Gong were drawn from Sydney funk outfit The Johnny Rocco Band -- Tony Buchanan (sax), Mark Punch (guitar), Tim Partridge (bass) with ex-Cool Banana Russell Dunlop (drums), former Loved One Ian Clyne on keyboards and Deni Gordon (ex- Hair) on backing vocals. Bond, O'Donoghue and McDonald then recorded the album 'Aunty Jack Sings Wollongong' which was released on Polydor in April 1975. It featured Bond, O'Donoghue, Garry McDonald (Kid Eager/Norman Gunston) and leading Australian session musicians including Jamie McKinley (keyboards), Jim Penson (drums) and Shauna Jensen (ex- Superstar, vocals).
The LP included ''Farewell Aunty Jack'' and the theme from their follow-up series Wollongong The Brave, a number of original songs and audio sketches, and audio adaptations of some of the best sketches, songs and characters from the series, including their hilarious parodies of ''Superstar'' (Tarzan Superape), Banjo Patterson's "The Man From Snowy River" (Snowy Aloha) and The Farrelly Brothers' unique version of Lucky Starr's "I've Been Everywhere" -- 'everywhere' in their case being Wollongong (... and Dapto). The album was re-released by Shock in 1996 with bonus tracks, as part of the compilation CD 'Auntyology'. Rory O'Donaghue died in hospital in 2017. Ian Clyne died in 2024.
Members
Cool Bananas (1973)
Stein Boddington (bass, vocals), Robbie Dearlove (drums), Wayne Finley (keyboards, vocals), Rory O'Donoghue (guitar, vocals), Mark Punch (guitar), Don Reid (reeds), Stevie Wright (vocals) - June 1973 TV appearance only
Aunty Jack & The Gong (1974)
Grahame Bond (guitar, vocals) Tony Buchanan (sax) Ian Clyne (keyboards) Russell Dunlop (drums) Deni Gordon (backing vocals) Rory O'Donoghue (guitar, vocals) Tim Partridge (bass) Mark Punch (guitar)
SINGLES ''Been And Gone (And Come Back Again) / Cool Bananas'' [as Cool Bananas] 1973 Alberts
''Farewell Aunty Jack (#1) / Doin' The Aunty Jack'' 1975 Polydor ''Teenage Butcher / Doin' The Kev'' 1975 Polydor ''Your Ugly / Queen Of The Gong'' 1976 Polydor
By 1972, piano player extraordinaire Warren ‘Pig’ Morgan had performed a key role in the careers of two of Australia’s most legendary blues-rock bands, Chain and Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs. He’d been a founding member of Chain in 1968 and had been instrumental in helping Thorpie establish his reputation as one of the wildest and heaviest blues-rockers of the day. Initially a solo project, it soon became a collaborative effort after Warren asked Billy Thorpe to join in. Christening themselves “Thump’n Pig & Puff’n Billy”, they then enlisted the talents of another Aztec (Gil Matthews) and two members of Chain (Phil Manning and Barry Sullivan) to record the LP they called 'Downunda'. The single ''Captain Straightman'' became a much-loved song and charted nationally. Billy Thorpe died in 2007.
SINGLES ''Captain Straight Man (#36) / Bow My Head'' 1973 Havoc
Star Spangled Banger was a short-lived studio project that resulted in a sole, self-titled album and single ''Star Spangled Banger / Sailing'' on Havoc Records label in 1973. With Havoc closing soon after its release, the album was quickly deleted and, over the years, has grown in stature, becoming one of the rarest Australian records ever. The album was an enjoyable mix of English-flavored progressive rock (Family, Cressida), reflective piano ballads, with a hint of Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band like lunacy. Principal songwriter John Brownrigg (vocals, guitar), Ron Walters (vocals, piano, organ) and drummer Paul Doo formed Star Spangled Banger in 1972 from the ashes of their former band, The Sect.
Brownrigg originally hailed from Liverpool and had played in several bands during the Merseybeat boom of the early '60s (his own brick on the Cavern Club wall of fame attests). Signed to Havoc in late 1972, the band were put into the studio with engineer/producer Gil Matthews. Armed with a stack of sound effects records, the album was recorded at odd hours (in between Matthew's day job at Havoc and his night-time one as new drummer for the Aztecs) and resulted in an eclectic mix of progressive rock, protest songs and ballads with a healthy dose of humor (witness: 'Fancy Underpants!'). Added to this mix are: explosions, backwards tapes, crazy keyboards, nuclear explosions, crashing aeroplanes and fuzzed-out psych guitar.
Members
John Brownrigg (vocals, guitar, bass), Ron Walters (vocals, piano, Hammond organ, guitar), Paul Doo (drums, percussion),
Band of Talabene began its short career in April 1972 under the name Willy and The Philtones, consisting of Phil Manning on guitar (ex-Chain), Tony Buettel on drums (ex-Bay City Union, Fraternity), guitarist Tony Naylor and bassist Phil Gaunt (both ex Ida May Mack). The original name was inspired by Eric Clapton's group of the time, Derek and The Dominos. There was no "Willy" in Manning's band, but the "Philtones" of course combined the names of the two Phils and the two Tonys. A few months later, Phil's young daughter Kim had a dream in which she saw a band called Talabene that featured pumpkins playing guitars. Taking this as a good omen, Phil renamed the group accordingly. In July '72 bassist Gus Fenwick (ex-Pleazers) replaced Gaunt. They recorded one single, the rocky "Herbert's Boogie / Tell It Like It Is" (Nov. 1972) produced by Brian Cadd which was released on Ron Tudor's new Bootleg label. This lineup split in December 1972 when Manning left to join Mighty Mouse, which in turn led to him rejoin Chain during 1973.
Tony Naylor kept the Talabene name, however, and put together a new lineup featuring Peter Roberts (ex-Freshwater, La De Das, Band of Light) on guitar, Geoff Prime (ex-The Kelly) on bass, and former Party Machine drummer Peter Curtain. They released one single, "Oh Darlin / Blind Man" (April 1973) again produced by Brian Cadd. By June '73 the lineup had changed again -- Kelly and Curtain were replaced by the great Paul "Sheepdog" Wheeler and Dallas Royal, although Royal was soon replaced by Steve Webb (ex Blackfeather, Duck). This last incarnation of Band of Talabene dissolved at the end of 1973, with Naylor joining the Bootleg Family Band, which included Gus Fenwick, former Cycle drummer Geoff Cox and ex-Ram Jam Big Band trumpeter Russell Smith.
Members
Tony Buettel (drums), Phil Gaunt (bass), Gus Fenwick (bass), Phil Manning (guitar, vocals), Tony Naylor (guitar, vocals), Peter Roberts (guitar), Geoff Prime (bass), Peter Curtain (drums), Paul "Sheepdog" Wheeler (bass), Dallas Royal (drums), Steve Webb (drums)
SINGLES ''Herbert's Boogie / Tell It Like It Is'' 1972 Bootleg ''Oh Darling / A Blind Man'' 1973 Bootleg
After leaving Tasmanian band The Viceroys in 1968, vocalist and guitarist Paul Musson formed Sons of Bacchus with Mark Pierce on bass, Neville Sice on drums and John Chester on lead guitar which shot to Top Ten success on the local charts with its first single, ''Universal''. Pierce and Chester left the band and were replaced by John Heron and Lyn Thomas. In 1971 the band, then just known as Bacchus, entered the national Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds. They won the state round and found themselves in the Melbourne finals up against the likes of Sherbet and Adelaide band Fraternity, which was led by a young Bon Scott, before his AC/DC days. "Fraternity won the battle of the sounds but we came fourth out of the whole country, which was terrific," Paul said. The band recorded the single ''Hey Mista'' which did OK. Musson left the band and moved west to Perth where he formed another version of Bacchus, but his stay was short-lived. During that time the band soldiered on with a few lineup changes adding Allen Reeves on vocals, Donny Gad on guitar and later Brian Stevens on guitar.
Members
Paul Musson (guitar, vocals), John Heron (bass), Lyn Thomas (guitar), Neville Sice (drums), Ray McCall (vocals), Gary Rosen (bass), Mark Pearce (bass), John Chester (guitar), Allen Reeves (vocals), Donny Gad (guitar), Brian Stevens (guitar)
SINGLES (as Sons Of Bacchus) ''Universal / I Don't Know Why'' 1970 Van Diemen
SINGLES (as Bacchus) ''Hey Mista (#84) / E. J. Hamilton [with Jim Cox] 1971 Van Diemen
Keith Michell born 1 December 1926 was an Australian actor, particularly noted for his television and film performances as King Henry VIII of England. He was born in Adelaide, South Australia and brought up in Warnertown, near Port Pirie. The theatre in Port Pirie is named after him. Michell taught art until he made his theatre debut in Adelaide in 1947 and he first appeared in London in 1951. He starred in several musicals, including the first London production of Man of La Mancha, in which he played the dual role of Miguel de Cervantes and his fictional creation, Don Quixote. (An album set was also made of this performance.)
In 1964 he starred as Robert Browning in the musical Robert And Elizabeth, opposite Australian soprano June Bronhill. Michell acted with the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Company, as well as appearing extensively in film and television, notably as King Henry VIII in The Six Wives of Henry VIII in 1970, and as Heathcliff in BBC Television's 1962 adaptation of Wuthering Heights. He was the artistic director of the Chichester Festival Theatre from 1974 to 1977. On American television, Michell made appearances on the mystery series Murder, She Wrote, playing Dennis Stanton, a former jewel thief turned insurance claims investigator who always solved his cases with unusual methods and sent a copy of the story to his friend Jessica Fletcher afterwards.
As well as acting, Michell was prolific in the recording studio. He appeared on over 20 albums (most of them weren't released in Australia) whether as a solo artist or as part of ensemble. He also recorded many singles with "Captain Beaky", being the most successful peaking at #5 in the UK Singles Chart in 1980 and #36 here in Australia.
He pursued other interests: he wrote the musical Pete McGynty and the Dreamtime, an Australian rendering of Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt, the performance of which used Michell's own paintings as backdrops. As a painter he illustrated a limited edition run of William Shakespeare's sonnets, for which he also did the calligraphy; and he had written and illustrated a number of macrobiotic cookbooks. Michell himself was a proponent of the macrobiotic diet and philosophy. Michell was also the illustrator of Captain Beaky, a collection of Jeremy Lloyd's poems. The Captain Beaky character enjoyed success in the UK in the early 1980s, among both children and adults. Michell died in Hampstead, London in 2015, aged 88
SINGLES ''I'll Give You The Earth (Tous Les Bateaux, Tous Les Oiseaux) / I'm Surprised'' 1971 Interfusion ''Moments / Space Legend'' 1975 Interfusion ''Captain Beaky (#36) / Wilfred The Weasel / Blanche'' 1980 Polydor ''The Trial Of Hissing Sid / Looking For Hissing Sid'' 1980 Polydor
ALBUMS 'Sings Ancient & Modern' 1970 Interfusion 'At The Shows' 1972 Interfusion 'Love Sonnets & The Prophet' 1976 Interfusion
Terry Hannagan, whose varied musical undertakings encompassed writing TV jingles, providing the incidental music for a surfing film 'Morning of the Earth', MC-ing and playing at the Folk Centre, PACT and elsewhere, teaching at youth clubs and Arts centres, initially spent a couple of years hitch-hiking throughout northern NSW and Queensland with fellow-performer Peter Woodward, eking out an existence labouring and performing.
“In those days my enthusiasm outweighed my technique by about 9 to 1, and I never thought about making a living out of music”, he later confessed. Remembered as a “loveable rogue”, Hannagan released a well-received album on EMI, 'Tired from the Trip', in 1971. Despite critical acclaim, the respect of his peers and being issued on the now collectable prog label Harvest (Pink Floyd/Spectrum etc), Terry only recorded two singles, ''It's All Over Now, Baby Blue / A Song For Alex''(also on Harvest) and ''Ballad Of Bundemar / 14 Million People'' for WEA in 1980 that didn't make the cut and was never released; however, he did provide several songs as well as harmonies to Doug Parkinson's debut solo album 'No Regrets'.
SINGLES ''Tired From The Trip / You Took The Best'' 1971 Harvest ''It's All Over Now, Baby Blue / A Song For Alex'' 1971 Harvest ''Ballad Of Bundemar / 14 Million People'' 1980 WEA ''Who Killed Juanita / Ballad Of Arthur King / Victoria Street / Hard Times''
Chook were a local Melbourne band and only managed to release one single in 1971 ''Cold Feet / Tables Turn'' on the Havoc label before splitting up soon after. However, a promo video was made, which you can see below. The sound is crunchy and heavy with top lead guitar from Alex O’ Hara. Not quite reaching the depths of pure bonehead, but worthy in its riff-led heaviness all the same. They played a commercial brand of heavy progressive rock. Their sound was rather primitive when compared with The Aztecs, Chain and Carson but were still respected by their followers. When they disbanded, Ian Ryan went on to become the first bass player for Buster Brown in 1973, while O'Hara later played with the Keith Lamb Band.
Members
Mick Sampson (vocals), Alex O'Hara (guitar), Ian Ryan (bass) Jeff Lowe (drums)
In May 1970 members of Carson and Genesis got together in a one-off recording project called The Meating. The single they recorded together; ''Bad Luck Feeling / Back Home'' was released on Rebel in August 1970. The single did quite well considering there was no band which actually performed it. Music journalist Ed Nimmervol gave it an enthusiastic review.
Members
Greg Lawrie (guitar), John Capek (piano), Matt Taylor (vocals harmonica), Yuk Harrison (bass), Laurie Pryor (drums)
SINGLES ''Bad Luck Feeling / Back Home'' 1970 Rebel
References
I Remember when I was Young: The Matt Taylor Story
Maggie Joddrell performed regularly on Brian Henderson's Bandstand during the 60s. Her first single ''Come On Down'' released on HMV reached #1 on the New Zealand charts and remained in the top ten for twelve weeks. She then signed with Festival and released a number of singles on that label. Later Maggie signed to the major U.S. film and recording company; United Artists to record in the USA. Along with the contract came a name change and from there on she was Maggie Britton. On this label she released two singles ''Reuben James / Hushabye Boy'' and ''Apple On A See-Saw / God Made His Children'' in 1970. Since her Bandstand days she has performed with The Bee Gees, Robin Gibb, Peter Sellers, Kenny Rogers, Glen Campbell, The Mama's and Papa's, The Temptations and the Three Degrees. Among the highlights of Maggie Britton's many international appearances is a Royal Command Performance at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London before members of the Royal family.
From 1995 until 2000, Maggie was Co-Director of the South Pacific International Song Contest Pty Ltd. The company was responsible for staging the prestigious South Pacific International Music Awards, a pre-release awards event and hit predictor show casing the best young talent from the world’s music industry. Taking place annually and involving a variety of events presented over a five- day period. The South Pacific International Music Awards Gala Concert was a televised presentation hosted by Maggie Britton, broadcast in Australia on the NBN network and internationally in twelve Countries.
Maggie is recognised as a music producer, who skilfully and patiently guides both the artist and the project. The resulting product is commercially viable and achieved within the budget. Production credits include awards for Best Producer 2002 and Best Album 2002 presented by the Recording Industry Association, Queensland.
SINGLES
''Come On Down / It's Not Unusual'' 1967 HMV ''Morning Dew / Broken Blossoms'' 1968 Festival ''Love's The Only Answer / I'm Into Looking For Someone To Love Me'' 1968 Festival ''The Boy I Left Behind Me / Stop'' 1969 Festival
''Reuben James / Hushabye Boy'' 1970 United Artists ''Apple On A See-Saw / God Made His Children'' 1970 United Artists
John Meillon, OBE (1 May 1934 – 10 August 1989) was an Australian character actor, known for many straight as well as comedy roles, he became most widely known internationally however as Walter Reilly in the films Crocodile Dundee and Crocodile Dundee II. He also voiced Victoria Bitter beer adverts. Meillon was born in Mosman, Sydney. His younger brother was director Bob Meillon (1943–2012). He began his acting career at the age of eleven in the ABC's radio serial "Stumpy" and made his first stage appearance the following year.
He joined the Shakespeare Touring Company when he was sixteen. Like many actors of his generation from 1959 to 1965 he worked in England. He had a recurring role in the TV series My Name's McGooley, What's Yours? He featured in two episodes of Skippy in 1968 and 1969 appearing as "Nimble Norris". In 1976, he won the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his role of 'Casey' in the film The Fourth Wish (1976). With his rich baritone, Meillon was used extensively in voice over work- the most famous being his work as the "you can get it any old how" Victoria Bitter narrator. He married Australian actress June Salter in 1958. They were divorced in 1971. They had one son, John Meillon, Jr. He then married actress Bunny Gibson ("Rita the Eta Eater") on 5 April 1972: they also had a son.
Meillon also had a sporadic recording career. Signed to RCA he recorded ''Hot Pie And Tomato Sauce / We're A Weird Mob'' in 1967. In 1977 he recorded ''Tap Tap'' for the movie The Picture Show Man on Albert Productions and in 1987 he recorded ''The One That Got Away'' for the TV show Go Fish Australia on ABC Records
Meillon was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1979 Queen's Birthday Honours, for service to theatre. At 16 Meillon had been junior diving champion of New South Wales. He continued to enjoy swimming, as well as fishing, golf and pub culture. Survived by his wife and his son from his first marriage, he died of cirrhosis on 10 August 1989 at his home at Neutral Bay and was cremated. He was awarded the Raymond Longford lifetime achievement award posthumously.
SINGLES
''Hot Pie And Tomato Sauce / We're A Weird Mob'' 1967 RCA
''Picture Show Man / Tap Tap'' (#80) [with John Ewart] 1977 Albert Productions ''Under Your Spell'' 1987 ABC
Brian Weir "Hendo" Henderson AM born 15 September 1931 was a Gold Logie winning New Zealand born Australian television personality and pioneer known for his long association with the Nine Network in Australia as a television news anchor and variety show presenter. Henderson hosted the Australian version of Bandstand from 1958 until 1972. He recorded his only single in 1966, ''What Is A Square / Mama Sang A Song'' on the ATA label. Henderson also holds the record for the longest serving television news presenter, having read either the weekend or the weeknight news on Sydney station TCN-9 from January 1957 until his retirement in late November 2002. He died from cancer in 2021.
The Statesmen were formed in Sydney in 1962. They became one of Sydney's leading bands and had Little Pattie (before she went solo) and Roland Storm performing as lead vocalists at places like the Bronte Surf Club. The Statesmen backed Little Pattie on her first big hit "He's My Blonde-Headed, Stompie Wompie, Real Gone Surfer Boy / Stompin' at Marourbra" released in November 1963.
They recorded two singles, with Roland Storm on vocals, "Heaven Only Knows / It's the Stomp" (1963) and "The Swingaroo / Girls" (1964) for HMV Records. Without Roland Storm, The Statesmen also recorded two of their own singles for HMV, "Beach Comber / Windswept" (1963) and "Hey Little Girl / Slow Stompin'" (1964). The band morphed into The Epics when Billy Green joined in 1964 and recorded a single, "Zip a Dee Doo Dah" (1964) with Roland Storm on vocals. They became simply known as The Epics when Storm departed. Duncan McGuire died in 1989 from lung cancer. Peter Maxworthy died in 2007 in a fishing accident.
Members
Mike Allen (drums), Peter Walker (guitar), Neville Jade (vocals, bass), Peter Maxworthy (guitar), Duncan McGuire (bass), Mark Rigney (drums), Roland Storm (vocals), Little Pattie [Patricia Amphlett] (vocals)
Dusty Rankin was born Roger Hogan February 8th February 1924, a few miles out of Birchip, Victoria. At 16 he began writing songs. His first song was “Little Log Cabin in the Plains.” At 19 Dusty learnt to play guitar and his technique came from a combination of studying chord charts on music sheets and watching Gene Autry movies. The old movies had close ups of Gene playing guitar which Dusty studied then copied. In 1946 Dusty decided definitely on a music career. He began with an appearance on Australia’s Amateur Hour and sang ''Where the Murrumbidgee Wends its Way''. He topped the poll and gained the foothold he needed in showbiz as a result, but before EMI would record him, he was told to gain more experience and become a little more widely known. He did so with a year performing with Skuthorpes Rodeo.
His voice won praise of no less a person than Dame Nellie Melba when she heard him sing in Melbourne. In 1948 EMI recorded Dusty in which cuts six sides with the Regal Zonophone label. His recordings are a success. One of the highest selling discs on Regal was ''Tell Me Tonight that You Still Love Me''.
Over the next 13 years he only cut four more sessions. His touring took him around Australia several times and he appeared on the Athol McCoy Show. His last EMI session included perhaps one of the best songs of its type ever written in Australia by Eddie Tapp – ''Come in Spinner''. In 1965 Dusty was persuaded to record twelve songs for Hadley Records that were to make up his first three extended play 45 vinyl records and subsequently a long play vinyl album. In 1970 he recorded 24 songs with just his own dobro guitar accompaniment in his own home for Hadley.
The recordings were returned to Tamworth, where backing was added in 1971 & 1973. These recordings were released on Hadley albums, 'The Country That I Love' in 1971 and 'A Portrait Of Dusty Rankin' in 1974. In 1980 Dusty recorded an album 'Sunset Valley Calling' on the Selection label and he was inducted into the Hands of Fame in Tamworth. In 1988 Dusty was presented with an "Australiana Golden Acoustic Guitar Bi-Centenary Award" acknowledging his contribution to Country Music, and he also appears in the "Avenue of Honour" in Berri, South Australia. In 1996 he was inducted into ‘The Roll of Renown’, Tamworth. The citizens of Birchip recognised Dusty's musical contribution to the town by erecting a plaque in Birchip's main street, Cumming Avenue. Dusty died in his hometown of Birchip on 24 Sep 2015. He was 91.
SINGLES
''Where The Murrumbridgee Wends Its Way / Going Back To Wyoming'' Regal Zonophone
''My Little Old Log Cabin on the Plains / Out on the Queensland Ranges'' 1950 Regal Zonophone ''The Auburn Station Outlaw / The Wanderer'' 1950 Regal Zonophone ''I'll Never Fall In Love Anymore / Going Back To My Little Western Home'' 1951 Regal Zonophone
''Roll Along Silv'ry Moon / Springtime In The Valley'' 1951 Regal Zonophone ''Come In, Spinner / Little Blue Eyes'' 1961 Columbia ''The Drifting Stockman / Redwing'' 1961 Columbia
The original Velvet Underground formed in Newcastle (NSW) during 1967. The band claimed complete ignorance of any American usage of their moniker, having lifted it (like Lou Reed, John Cale and company) from the book of the same name which was essential `head' reading in 1967. The original line-up comprised Steve Phillipson (vocals), Russell Bayne (guitar), David Schofield (bass), Mark Priest (keyboards) and Herman Kovac (drums). Russell Bayne left in 1968 being replaced by future Ted Mulry Gang guitarist Les Hall. The band become one of hardest working bands in the Newcastle scene playing regularly at all the local haunts. In October the band ventured north to Brisbane and did a number of gigs at Prinz Alfreds in Adelaide Street before returning home.
In March 1969 Mark Priest was replaced by Tony Heads. The band moved to Sydney where they had a six-month residency at the Down Under Disco in Kings Cross. As Newcastle's premier rock act of the day, The Velvet Underground offered quality versions of material by Love, Jefferson Airplane and The Doors. Phillipson was also a pioneer in the use of `lighter fluid theatrics' (combustible fluid applied to the sleeves of his leather jacket and set alight). The band issued one single on Festival, a cover of Jefferson Airplane's ''Somebody to Love'' (Feb 1970). Future AC/DC guitarist Malcolm Young joined the band in Jan 1971 and a couple of days later they played at the Odyssey Music Festival in Wallacia NSW. A couple of lineup changes followed.
The final Velvet Underground line-up of Kovac, Hall, future AC/DC front man Dave Evans (vocals), and Michael Szefcyk (bass) were still an in-demand suburban dance band. It was during the latter half of 1972 that Ted Mulry began to use The Velvet Underground as his regular backing outfit until they morphed into The Ted Mulry Gang. Guitarist Malcolm Young died on 18 November 2017 at the age of 64 from dementia.
Members
Steve Phillipson (vocals), Russell Bayne (guitar), David Schofield (organ), Mark Priest (bass), Herman Kovac (drums), Les Hall (guitar), Steve Crothers (bass), Tony Heads (organ), Andy Imlah (vocals), Malcolm Young (guitar), Michael Szefcyk (bass), Brian Johnson (vocals), Dave Evans (vocals)
SINGLES
''Somebody To Love / She Comes In Colours'' 1970 Festival
Peter Joshua Sculthorpe AO OBE was born on 29 April 1929 and raised in Launceston, Tasmania. His mother, Edna, was passionate about English literature and his father, Joshua, loved fishing and nature. He was educated at the Launceston Church Grammar School. He began writing music at the age of seven or eight, after having his first piano lesson, continuing in secret when his piano teacher punished him for this activity. By the age of 14, he had decided to make a career of music, despite many (especially his father) encouraging him to enter different fields, because he felt the music, he wrote was the only thing that was his own. In his early teens he attempted to learn composition through studying Ernst Krenek's Studies in Counterpoint – "a pretty dreadful book" as he later described it.
He studied at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music from 1946 to 1950, then returned to Tasmania. Unable to make any money as a composer, he went into business, running a hunting, shooting and fishing store in Launceston (Sculthorpe's) with his brother Roger. His Piano Sonatina was performed at the ISCM Festival in Baden-Baden, Germany in 1955 (the piece had been rejected for an ABC competition because it was "too modern"). He won a scholarship to study at Wadham College, Oxford, studying under Egon Wellesz, but left before completing his doctorate because his father was gravely ill. He wrote his first mature composition, ''Irkanda IV'', in his father's memory. He was distantly related to Fanny Cochrane Smith, a Tasmanian Aboriginal whose wax cylinder recordings of songs are the only audio recordings of any of Tasmania's indigenous languages. Her daughter Gladys married Sculthorpe's great-grandfather's nephew.
In 1963 he became a lecturer at the University of Sydney, and remained there more or less ever after, where he was an emeritus professor. In the mid-1960s he was composer in residence at Yale University. In 1965 he wrote ''Sun Music I'' for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's first overseas tour, on a commission from Sir Bernard Heinze, who asked for "something without rhythm, harmony or melody". Neville Cardus, after the premiere of ''Sun Music I'', wrote that Sculthorpe was set to "lay the foundations of an original and characteristic Australian music". In 1968 the Sun Music series was used for the ballet Sun Music, choreographed by Sir Robert Helpmann, which gained wide international attention. In the late 1960s, Sculthorpe worked with Patrick White on an opera about Eliza Fraser, but White chose to terminate the artistic relationship.
Sculthorpe subsequently wrote an opera Rites of Passage (1972–73), to his own libretto, using texts in Latin and the Australian indigenous language Arrernte. Another opera Quiros followed in 1982. The orchestral work Kakadu was written in 1988. In 2003, the SBS Radio and Television Youth Orchestra gave the premiere of Sydney Singing, a composition by Sculthorpe for clarinet solo (Joanne Sharp), harp solo (Tamara Spigelman), percussion solo (Peter Hayward) and string orchestra. This performance was released on SBS DVD in July 2005. His Requiem was premiered in March 2004 in Adelaide by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Adelaide Chamber Singers conducted by Richard Mills, with didgeridoo soloist William Barton. Sculthorpe was a represented composer of the Australian Music Centre and was published by Faber Music Ltd.
He was only the second composer to be contracted by Faber, after Benjamin Britten. His autobiography Sun Music: Journeys and Reflections From a Composer's Life was published in 1999. Much of Sculthorpe's early work demonstrates the influence of Asian music, but he said that these influences dwindled through the 1970s as indigenous music became more important. He said that he had been interested in indigenous culture since his teens, mainly because of his father "who told me many stories of past wrongs in Tasmania. I think he was quite extraordinary for that time, as was my mother". However, it was only with the advent of recordings and books on the subject around the 1970s that he started to incorporate indigenous motifs in his work. Sculthorpe said he was political in his work – and that his work had also always been about "the preservation of the environment and more recently, climate change". His 16th String Quartet was inspired by extracts from letters written by asylum seekers in Australian detention centres. Sculthorpe died on 8 August 2014 at the age of 85.
Minimum Chips was formed in Brisbane in 1993 by Alison Bolger on bass guitar; Julian Patterson (a.k.a. Wendell) on guitars, drums and glockenspiel; Nicole "Nik" Thibault on vocals, organ and trombone; and Ian Wadley on drums, guitar, trumpet and synthesiser. Bolger, Patterson and Thibault had been band mates in Clag. Wadley had been a member of Bird Blobs. During their Brisbane years Minimum Chips supported international acts: Stereolab, Bikini Kill and Pavement.
Minimum Chips' first release was a split 7" five-track EP on Chapter Records in September 1995. Two tracks were supplied by Perth-based band, Molasses. The Brisbane group's three tracks were recorded in June of that year at Fortitude Valley. Guy Blackman, the label's co-owner, eventually joined them on bass guitar in 1998. In 1996 the group followed with a four-track EP, 'Blip', and then a split single, with "Postal" by Minimum Chips, and Alastair Galbraith providing the other side. Their next EP, 'Swish', appeared in 1997 via Varispeed Records, with five tracks, which featured their signature song, ''Furniture''.
Matt Thrower of Rave Magazine caught their gig at The Capitol in October 1998, he opined, "A mantra-like effect was conjured by simple guitar and keyboard melodies. The vocals melded well with the heady surrounds and the overall atmosphere was warm and inviting... this was the Minimum Chips sound I like to hear, as opposed to their more peculiar work supporting Tortoise earlier in the week."
The group relocated to Melbourne in the late 1990s, where they signed to a local label, Trifekta. Their first release there was an eight-track EP, 'Freckles', in September 1999, which featured the vocals of Pat Ridgewell of cult Brisbane band, Small World Experience. In 2002 Chapter Records released a CD compilation album, 'Portfolio', of Minimum Chips' early material. Also, in that year Patterson and Thibault undertook a side-project, Letraset, which issued an album, 'Snowy Room'. By August 2003 Blackman (also in Sleepy Township) had relocated to Tokyo and was replaced in Minimum Chips by Ellen Turner on bass guitar. Blackman returned to the group after Turner relocated to China.
Their influences were varied and include 1960s film soundtracks – "Sunny Spot" from ''Gardenesque'' (21 July 2003) contains portions of "Les Caids" from French composer Francois de Roubaix – and French pop, indie rock and krautrock. Using a small but effective palette of instruments from guitar, bass and drums to Yamaha Electone organ, trombone and glockenspiel, Minimum Chips managed to achieve a cult following in Australia. Australian Music Online's Andrew White felt that 'Gardenesque' was "22-minutes worth of musical ambiguity seems to me the best way to describe this short record. Ambiguity I say, because when you first listen it's all oh so vague to you, moreover it struggles to define itself between any two tracks, but I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong." Releases such as ''Gardenesque'' and ''Sound Asleep'' showed further musical progression and exploration into more complicated structures while still retaining their evocative, intimate and eclectic sound.
On 14 November 2005 Minimum Chips issued their debut studio album, 'Kitchen Tea Thankyou', via Trifekta. Sophie Best of The Age felt it was "a surprising, intoxicating work evoking the exotic and faraway, rather than the local and familiar." It was co-produced by Patterson with Greg Walker, who Best observed had "created fluorescent textures and shimmering surfaces that don't entirely disguise the home-made charm suggested in the title." Minimum Chips released a second compilation album, 'Lady Grey', in 2006 via Moteer Records. They disbanded in early 2007. They briefly reunited in November 2012 to play a gig to celebrate Chapter Music's 20th anniversary.
Members
Nicole Thibault (vocals, organ, trombone), Julian Patterson (guitar, drums, glockenspiel), Ian Wadley (drums, guitar, trumpet, synthesizer), Guy Blackman (bass), Ellen Turner (bass), Alison Bolger (bass),
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