THE IDLERS FIVE

The Idlers Five were based in Melbourne and performed during the mid-1960s. Like their Sydney contemporaries The Tolmen, there was evidently a comedic/satirical edge to their performance and repertoire. They were a popular act in their hometown and did more than 100 TV performances, including a large number of IMTs (In Melbourne Tonight) and resident group appointments on the Dianna Trask and Bert Newton shows. Their first known recording was an LP, 'The Idlers Five Sing Folk and Gospel Song's, released in 1964 on the independent Tyr label. It is known to have included a cover of Dylan's "Blowin' In The Wind", making it one of the very first covers of a Dylan song by an Australian act. By 1966 they had signed to EMI's HMV label for whom they recorded several singles.

The Idler's Five were selected by our national universities to represent Australia on a World Universities Album. They played to 33,000 people live at the Myer Music Bowl in a nationally televised event and presented six songs on an ABC special Boomeride made for release in the US (which featured also a 16 year old Olivia Newton-John). 

The band were offered a European tour by the Hilton Hotel Group but did not take it up because of careers. Their only major chart success came in early 1968, by which time they had moved to the CBS label, which gave considerable support to Australian folk music. The Idlers Five single "Melborn and Sideny" (the misspelling was deliberate) was a light-hearted take on the perennial rivalry between the two state capitals, name checking figures like AFL footballer Ron Barassi and Victorian Premier Henry Bolte. The single became a significant local hit in Melbourne -- in fact it reached #1 on the 3UZ Top 40 in the week of 24 March 1968 -- and its popularity helped to get it into the lower end of the Go-Set Top 40 the same month, where it charted for seven weeks, peaking at #30. The B-side was a cover of the Jagger-Richards classic "As Tears Go By", a choice which would no doubt have been scorned by folk purists.

Their follow-up single "If Pigs Could Fly" evidently did not chart and the band apparently split up around the end of 1968, but not before releasing an EP and a second LP, both titled 'Melborn and Sydeny'. Group member John Tickell (second from left, above) worked his way through his medical studies by performing with the band; he graduated as a physician, and later became a noted motivational speaker and a successful entrepreneur.

Members

John Tickell (vocals), Chris Bence (vocals), Graeme Denholm (vocals/guitar), Rowan McClean (vocals), Paul Nisselle (vocals/guitar)

SINGLES

''God Raised Up This Man'' 1965 Lombard
''The Times They Are A'Changin' / What Is There Left In Life For Me'' 1965 Segue
''If You Don't Look Around / Faith, Hope And Charity'' 1966 HMV
''Kind Of A Girl / Lands Of Yesteryear'' 1966 HMV
''Stay With Me / Green Valley'' 1966 HMV
''Melborn And Sideny (#21) / As Tears Go By'' 1968 CBS
''If Pigs Could Fly / Colour My World'' 1968 CBS

EPs

'Melborn And Sideny' 1968 CBS

ALBUMS

'The Idlers Five Sing Folk and Gospel Songs' 1964 Tyr

'Melborn And Sideny' 1968 CBS

References

http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melborn-and-sideny#.VPehlvmUdAg

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