TED MULRY GANG

Ted Mulry, on lead vocals and, initially, on rhythm guitar, formed his own backing group in Sydney, in September 1972. Other founders were Les Hall on lead guitar, Steve Hart on bass guitar and Herman Kovacs on drums. Hall and Kovacs had been members of popular suburban dance band, the Velvet Underground (not the US band of the same name), which had formed in Newcastle in 1967 and had relocated to Sydney in 1969. They had previously included Malcolm Young (later of AC/DC) on rhythm guitar. One of the first performances was in September 1972 at the Waitara Festival, Newcastle. Hall, Hart and Kovacs backed Mulry on ABC-TV's popular music series, GTK, in 1973 to promote his own version of "You're All Woman".

During a 1974 gig Hart stormed out leaving his bass guitar behind, Mulry picked up the instrument and finished the show on vocals and bass guitar. Now known as the Ted Mulry Gang they signed with Albert Productions in that year and released their first album, 'Here We Are' (November 1974). After the recording of the album, they recruited Gary Dixon on rhythm guitar (ex-Fat Henry). It reached the Kent Music Report top 100 albums chart. The first single, "Sunday Evenings" (March 1975), appeared in the lower reaches of the singles chart top 100. Albert Productions labeled the single as Ted Mulry only. Due to low sales the record company wanted Mulry to go back to his solo career, however, with his band's support he adopted a harder rocking style.

Their first major hit, and the biggest of their career, was the next single, "Jump in My Car" (September 1975), which spent six weeks at #1. According to musicologist Ian McFarlane, "it set the tone for subsequent releases with its simplistic, 12-bar boogie guitar riffs, thumping beat, Mulry's gravelly, gregarious vocals and tongue-in-cheek lyrics." Over the next two years they achieved a string of top ten singles including a rocked-up version of an old jazz song, "Darktown Strutters' Ball" (February 1976); followed by "Jamaica Rum" (January 1977) and "My Little Girl" (May). Many of TMG's songs, including "Jump in My Car", were co-written by Mulry and Hall. By late in 1980 their chart success had ended but they remained popular performers on the Australian pub circuit until they disbanded in 1986. 

With his music career side-lined Mulry started a business with his mechanic. In 1989 Ted Mulry Gang briefly reformed, with Mulry, Hall and Kovacs joined by sometime Rose Tattoo guitarist Mick Cocks. They released an album, 'Re-Union' for Albert, on Sony. In 1998 Mulry, as a solo artist issued a CD, 'This Time', featuring songs co-written by himself and his brother, Steve. Mulry died of brain cancer on 1 September 2001 in Sydney, a day before his 54th birthday.

Members

Ted Mulry (vocals, bass), Steve Hart (bass), Gary Dixon (guitar), Les Hall (guitar), Herman Kovac (drums)

SINGLES 

''Jump In My Car (#1) / I'm On Fire'' 1975 Albert Productions 
''The Darktown Strutters Ball (#3) / She's For Me'' 1976 Albert Productions 
''Crazy (#11) / Help Me Out'' 1976 Albert Productions 
''Steppin' Out (#42) / It's All Over Now'' 1976 Albert Productions 
''Jamaica Rum (#10) / Wanted Man'' 1976 Albert Productions 
 ''My Little Girl (#8) / You've Got It'' 1977 Mushroom 
''Naturally (Edited Version) (#37) / Sha La La La Lee'' 1977 Mushroom 
''Lazy Eyes / Set Me Free'' 1978 Mushroom 
''Heart Of Stone (#37) / I Miss You'' 1978 Mushroom 
''(You've Got The) Devil In You (#69) / Disturbing The Peace'' 1978 Mushroom 
''Can't Take It All / Home To You'' 1980 Mushroom 
''Save Me / How Long'' 1980 Mushroom 
''Captured / I'm Down'' 1980 Mushroom 
''Old Habits / Rock 'N' Roll'' 1990 Albert Productions 

EPs 

'Live On Tour' 1976 Albert Productions

ALBUMS 
'Here We Are' (#69) 1975 Albert Productions
'Struttin' (#8) 1976 Albert Productions 
'Steppin' Out' (#23) 1976 Albert Productions 
'The T.M.G. Album' (#24) 1977 Mushroom
'Disturbing the Peace' (#72) 1978 Mushroom 
'Locked In' 1980 Mushroom 

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Mulry

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