HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN MUSIC FROM 1960 UNTIL 2000: TROY NEWMAN

Monday 28 October 2013

TROY NEWMAN

Troy Adrian Newman was born in Perth, Western Australia. He began writing songs while attending Hollywood Senior High School and in his earlier years fronted The Exdreamists. At age seventeen he joined popular local Perth band Boys as a vocalist, when they reformed in 1987 with Camillo Del Roio and Lino Del Roio on guitar, Eddie Parise on bass guitar, drummer Frank Celenza and Tony Celiberti as keyboardist. A year later the band changed their name to Boyschool but split soon after, with Parise and Celenza moving to form Bamboo Curtain, before joining Baby Animals.

Following the break-up of Boys, Newman moved from Perth to Sydney, where he signed a deal with Warner Music. In September 1989 Newman appeared in the controversial stage musical, Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom alongside Daniel Abineri, Wendy Stapleton, Gary Olsen, Steve Bastoni and Nadine Garner – he took over the lead role from Russell Crowe. The musical spawned a cast album on WEA Records and a top ten single, "Enemy the Sun", (November 1989) performed by Newman.

The label flew Newman to Los Angeles where he recorded his debut solo album, 'Gypsy Moon', with session musicians, Craig Fall, Luis Conte, Bob Glaub, Jerry Goodman, Russ Kunkel, C. J. Vanston and Waddy Wachtel, and guest appearances from Rick Vito and Billy Burnette. The album was produced by Greg Ladanyi (Jackson Browne, Toto, Fleetwood Mac, Don Henley), except "Raining" by Richard Clapton and "Drive My Car" by Ladanyi and Kunkel. It was released 14 May 1991 in Australia by Warner and also in the United States through Atlantic imprint East West Records. The album spent five weeks in the Australian album charts, peaking at #42. The first single released, "Love Gets Rough", reached #22 on the Australian Singles charts and charted at #92 on the Billboard Top 100. Other singles from the album, "Whisper" and "God Only Knows" released later that year failed to chart. His song, "Raining", was used on television series, Heartbreak High (Season 1, 1994, episode 10).

Warner Music offered Troy a second album deal, but stipulated he had to return to Australia to record the album with a different Producer (which he declined). A battle ensued and East/West & Warner Music dropped him from the label just as he was gaining momentum. Warner Music placed the cost of producing the 'Gypsy Moon' album onto any future recording contracts and labels which, in turn, made it virtually impossible for Newman to get a second record deal.

After a lengthy legal battle and change of Management, Newman issued 'It's Like This' on 18 July 1995 on the Curb Records/Edel Records labels. Newman had recorded the album in Los Angeles again, with Wachtel, Glaub, Kunkel, Conte and Vanston. It was produced by Ladanyi and Wachtel but failed to emulate the success of his debut album and didn't chart. Linda Ronstadt later covered Newman & Wachtel's track "I Go To Pieces" on her 'We Ran' album. Newman's track "Don't Make Me Ask" also appeared in the film Two If by Sea (also known in the United Kingdom as Stolen Hearts), a 1996 American romantic comedy film directed by Bill Bennett, and starring Sandra Bullock and Denis Leary.

In August 1996, Ladanyi and Newman teamed up again - This time at 301 Studios, Sydney Australia to record a 10 track demo entitled 'Velvet Hammer.' After recording Ladanyi returned to Los Angeles to remaster the demos personally. Troy Newman died in Sydney in March 1997. As his body was found with a toxic combination of prescription drugs, there was speculation that he committed suicide however the autopsy was inconclusive. Newman had also contracted Hepatitis A which may have contributed to his death. Being devastated after Newman's death, Ladanyi shelved the 'Velvet Hammer' project.Troy Newman left a legacy of published and unpublished songs - many of which have never been heard. Newman's last album finally surfaced in 2018 called Postcards from L.A containing 10 tracks.