DO-RE-MI

Deborah Conway and Dorland Bray were both in Melbourne-based band The Benders with Neville Aresca, Les Barker, John Campbell, Daniel Solowiej and Greg Thomas. Before joining The Benders, Bray had been in punk rock group the News. Vocalist Conway joined The Benders in 1979 whilst still at Melbourne University. The Benders performed mostly in Melbourne and gigged around pubs playing original material (mostly written by Conway and Thomas) and Blondie and Devo covers.

Conway and Bray also wrote songs together. In Sydney, Stephen Philip had been a guitarist for Thought Criminals and was also a session musician. Helen Carter was a member of punk band Friction. Carter had been living with punk rocker Roger Grierson of Thought Criminals (later an executive of Festival Mushroom Records). Bray and Conway left Melbourne for Sydney in 1981, forming Do-Ré-Mi with Carter. In July 1982 Do-Ré-Mi recorded some tracks for a self-titled 12" EP using Philip as a session musician. Philip formally joined the band by the time of the EP's release in August 1982 on independent label Green Records. Conway had lived with Paul Hester drummer in Deckchairs Overboard (later in Split Enz and Crowded House). Hester guested on timbales for "(Just Like) Hercules", a track on their second 12" EP, 'The Waiting Room' released by Green Records in January 1983.

Do-Ré-Mi was signed by Virgin Records after being spotted by the management of Cold Chisel and The Angels. Do-Ré-Mi recorded two LP albums: 'Domestic Harmony' (1985) and 'The Happiest Place in Town' (1988) and eight singles for Virgin Records. Both albums were recorded in London, 'Domestic Harmony' had Gavin McKillip producing and peaked at #16 on the Australian album charts. Martin Rushent produced 'The Happiest Place in Town'. Their best-known hit "Man Overboard" originally appeared on their 1983 EP 'The Waiting Room'. They re-recorded "Man Overboard" for 'Domestic Harmony' and the track was released as a single in June 1985. It peaked at #5 on the Australian singles chart. "Man Overboard" became the 8th highest positioned Australian song for 1985 End of Year Chart.

In the Australian Broadcasting Corporation 2001 TV series Long Way to the Top, Carter described the delight Do-Ré-Mi had in the success of this single, which came despite the concerns of their record company: There was a real hit-maker mentality people would say ''It can't be a hit – it doesn't have a chorus You're talking about pubic hair, oh my God!''—Helen Carter. In 1985 Do-Ré-Mi performed three songs for the Oz for Africa concert as part of the global Live Aid program – "Man Overboard", "Warnings Moving Clockwise" and "1000 Mouths".

It was broadcast in Australia (on both Seven Network and Nine Network) and on MTV in the US. Not long after their second album was released in February 1988, Do-Ré-Mi travelled to the United Kingdom to begin recording a third album. Before this was finished Virgin Records offered Conway a solo deal and Do-Ré-Mi disbanded. In 2018, Carter, Conway and Philip reformed Do Re Mi to perform at the inaugural Australian Women in Music Awards ceremony in Brisbane. Carter and Conway decided to continue with the reunion after being approached to be a part of the By The C concert series. The group, alongside new members Bridie O’Brien (guitar), Julia Day (drums) and Clio Renner (keyboards), would go on to announce a run of headlining shows for 2019.

Members

Deborah Conway (vocals), Stephen Philip (guitar), Helen Carter (bass), Dorland Bray (drums),

Bridie O’Brien (guitar), Julia Day (drums), Clio Renner (keyboards),

 

SINGLES

Man Overboard

17 JUN '85

#5

Idiot Grin

2 SEP '85

#43

Warnings Moving Clockwise

2 DEC '85

#72

Guns and Butter

17 NOV '86

#48

Adultery

26 OCT '87

#27

King of Moomba

8 FEB '88

#52

Haunt You

9 MAY '88

#91

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do-Re-Mi_%28band%29

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