The Rosemary Beads were a legendary Perth band, formed in the thriving early ’90s alternative music scene with Tim Underwood on guitar, vocals, Gretta Little on bass, vocals, Cam Munachen on drums and Cathi Smith on viola. Their first recording release was on a low budget four song cassette. Smith left the band soon after and now as a three piece they recorded the EP 'Dog' in 1993. Citadel Records took notice and signed them in 1994 and they released two EPs 'Breath' and 'I'll Come When I'm Good And Ready' in 1994. The broke up in 1995 amidst the tragic death of drummer Cam Munachen from an overdose. A compilation album 'Shine' was released in 2016. The band reformed in 2017.
Members
Tim Underwood (guitar), Gretta Little (vocals bass), Cam Munachen (drums), Cathi Smith (viola)
EPs 'The Rosemary Beads' 1992 'Dog' 1993 'Breath' 1994 Citadel 'I'll Come When I'm Good And Ready' 1994 Citadel
Porcelain Bus actually began in 1980 when Rob McKiernan (guitar), Ian James (vocals) and Paul Patrick (bass) got together while still in school. They began stumbling about trying to play, influenced both by their local favourites and also by overseas groups ranging from straight rock bands like the Who and the Flaming Groovies, to more off centre groups like Pere Ubu, Wire, the Soft Boys, Velvet Underground and the Feelies, to country-edged pop/rock like the Long Ryders and early REM. An eclectic mix, and one that contributed heavily to the unique sound that Porcelain Bus came to have. John Nolan would join soon after on drums.
The debut single ''Indignation / My Family (And Other Stories)'' produced by Radio Birdman's Rob Younger in 1986 launched Porcelain Bus into the midst of a heady time in Australian rock. Overseas recognition of the Australian underground (especially in Europe) was beginning to happen in a significant way, and having a single in the first 25 ever released by the prestigious Sydney label Citadel put Porcelain Bus in the company of labelmates like the New Christs, the Stems, Died Pretty, New Race, the Lime Spiders, the Screaming Tribesmen, the Lipstick Killers, the Bamboos, and the Moffs, assuring that many fans would buy their record just because of the company it kept. When they got it home, they’d invariably find that their trust had been well placed. The single was quickly licensed for release in France by Teenage Records, a spinoff of the excellent French indie label Closer. In those days releasing a single was a big deal, and many indie bands came along slowly where recording was concerned.
So, for Porcelain Bus, their next recording wasn’t for another year when they released the 1987 single pairing ''The Well Is Dry'' with ''The Hands Have Control''. Recorded in February, the A side of this single is a subdued ballad that could almost be called a folk record if it wasn’t for a strong electric middle eight. Ian’s deep baritone vocal dominates the track. The flip is another story altogether. Beginning with a roar of feedback from Rob and a barbaric scream from Ian, the song is one of the killer Porcelain Bus rockers. The verse by itself powers, but there’s a guitar bit that leads into the chorus that makes the entire song soar into another dimension. All in all, a wonderful single with two very different tracks that each work magnificently. Porcelain Bus were back in the studio in July of 1987 to record the six songs that would become the 'Steel Bros'. mini-LP.
A strong record at this point probably would have locked Porcelain Bus into the same level of critical and commercial regard as bands like Died Pretty, but although it’s a pleasant enough record, 'Steel Bros'. just isn’t the best that Porcelain Bus had in them. A couple years later a German Citadel release handled by the Normal label would combine the six tracks from 'Steel Bros'. with both sides of the first two singles to make a very solid full-length CD called 'Sacred Relics'. This CD is well worth having since it also includes a lyric sheet… indispensable for decrypting those early tracks. Overall, 'Steel Bros'. is a record that would satisfy those who were already fans but be less convincing to the uninitiated. To those hoping for another Australian masterwork, it came as a bit of a disappointment. But those who kept their allegiance to the band were rewarded, because it turned out that Porcelain Bus did indeed have a classic record in them, and that record was the brilliant 1988 album 'Talking To God'. The ten songs on this LP fit together perfectly, with a great mix of strong rockers and softer tracks.
It was their fourth time in the studio and third working with Died Pretty guitarist Brett Myers as producer (Rob Younger had done the first single), and it seemed that everyone had learned their role well by this point. The songs have a great sense of dynamics, something that hadn’t always been there before. After 'Talking To God' Porcelain Bus made a heavy commitment to making things happen, touring heavily in Australia. But as often happens, the big push to break things open created fissures in the band, and out of one crack popped John Nolan, who quit as drummer. Adam Toole was recruited to replace him, and the band went to record their second album in February 1990. The resulting eight song collection, prophetically entitled 'Fragile', sounded like another strong record to these ears but apparently not to the band. Shortly after releasing 'Fragile', Porcelain Bus toured Europe to enthusiastic crowds. Their records were released in Germany, and superficially things were looking good. But on returning to Australia, the band folded. Ten years is far more than the lifetime of most bands, and all eventually come unglued. But the legacy that Porcelain Bus left is too good to be forgotten as easily as it seems to have been.
Members
Rob McKiernan (guitar), Ian James (vocals), Paul Patrick (bass), John Nolan (drums), Adam Toole (drums)
SINGLES ''Indignation / My Family (And Other Stories)'' 1986 Citadel ''The Well Is Dry / The Hands Have Control'' 1987 Citadel ''Own Little World / Clockwork'' 1988 Citadel ''Rats / Old Soldiers / Hanging's Back'' 1989 Citadel ''Blue On Blue / Vertigo Man'' 1990 Blue Mosque
ALBUMS 'Steel Bros.' 1987 Citadel 'Talking To God' 1988 Citadel 'Fragile' 1990 Blue Mosque
Bam Balams were formed in Sydney in April 1984 with the line-up of Brendan "Wig" Kibble (ex-Vampire Lovers) on lead vocals and guitar; Dave Stead on guitar and backing vocals; Steve Cole on bass guitar and backing vocals; and Matt Manchester on drums, backing vocals. Dave Stead left the band in 1985 and was replaced by Brad Fitzpatrick. The group got their name from a track on 'Supersnazz' (1969) by the Flamin' Groovies, and were referred to as Bambas by fans. Their influences included Gene Vincent, Johnny Burnette, Tony Joe White, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Byrds, Buck Owens and The Standells.
The band released their first two singles, "Deliver My Love / Mean Thang" (December 1985) and "No-One Else / Gettin' Over You" (June 1986), on Citadel Records with Rob Younger (ex-member of Radio Birdman) producing. Also, in 1986 they released "Same Old Tune", as a split single with September Gurls' "Precious" on Guiding Light Records as a give-away with Adventure #2 magazine in Denmark. All the songs on those singles were all written by Kibble. In 1987, the original line up split up (Fitzpatrick, Cole and Manchester went on to form The Hexbreakers, who cut a single ''Faraway Years / Lonely'' for Green Fez Records). Kibble formed a second line-up in 1987 with Amr Z. Abdallah (later of ARIA #1 chart toppers Ratcat) on bass guitar and Hammond organ, Steve Carlin on guitar, and Warren Elford on drums, which recorded a single, "Surfin' in the Swamp / Fire In My Soul" recorded in June 87, for Citadel Record's Green Fez label.
Soon after a third line-up formed, with Kibble and Abdallah joined by Ian "The Reverend" Little (ex-Grooveyard) on guitar and Joe Breen (ex-Coupe DeVille) on drums, which recorded the group's debut album, 'Genuine Rock & Roll Medicine Show' (December 1988) and its lead single, "Wheel of Fortune" (November). Greg Marchant replaced Abdallah on bass guitar in 1989 (Abdallah left the band to join Ratcat),and this line-up recorded the single, "Hellfire /Hold On Me" (November 1989). Dave Castellari replaced Marchant later that year, and they recorded a 12" extended play, '45 RPM Extended Play', with the track "10,000 Miles (A España)" on Pink Flamingo Records. The group provided the lead track, "Munster Rock'n'Roller", for the 1990 Munster Records compilation, 'Munster Dance Hall Favourites Vol III'. In 1990, the line-up changed again with Terry Stanley on bass guitar, and Tim Denny on drums and they remained until the band split in 1992, as the grunge scene took hold in the early 1990s. Bam Balams had gained popularity overseas including Spain, France and Italy; but they had never toured outside Australia.
According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, "while many of their Sydney-based contemporaries exploited Detroit-inspired hard rock, ... 1960s acid-punk ... or 1960s psychedelia", Bam Balams played a mix of garage rock, swamp rock-swamp pop, R&B, rockabilly, jangle pop and 1950s-1960s style country music''. Their records did well on the Australian independent charts, but they did not appear on the ARIA Charts. Kibble formed the Navahodads in 1995, which played swampy R&B, Country, and Rock n Roll, they released two albums and toured overseas.
Members
Brendan "Wig" Kibble (vocals guitar), Dave Stead (guitar), Steve Cole (bass), Matt Manchester (drums), Amr Z. Abdallah (bass), Greg Marchant (bass), Steve Carlin (guitar), Warren Elford (drums), Ian "The Reverend" Little (guitar), Joe Breen (drums), Terry Stanley (bass), Tim Denny (drums)
SINGLES ''Deliver My Love / Mean Thang'' 1986 Citadel ''No-One Else / Gettin' Over You'' 1986 Citadel ''Surfin' In The Swamp / Fire In My Soul'' 1987 Green Fez ''Wheel Of Fortune / Rock It To The Moon'' 1988 Green Fez ''Hellfire / Hold On Me'' 1989 Green Fez
EPs '45 Rpm Extended Play' 1990 Pink Flamingo
ALBUMS
'Genuine Rock & Roll Medicine Show' 1988 Green Fez
This excellent Aussie band was formed in 1973 by guitarist Julian Browning with Ferg McKinnon on bass and Graeme Carter on the drums. They would add keyboard player Mathew Cozens and Steve Nash on sax, clarinet and congas, being followed by Frank Graham on trumpet and Don Santin trombone plus Keith Hoban as new vocalist. What started as a three-man rock band went out of their hands and ended being an absolutely complex symphonic project of eight members and if you add the fact that for the recording of their debut album 'The Armada' in 1975 they hired The Victorian Opera Company Choir. This was probably the most ambitious Australian band ever.
The next year (1976) they released the even more ambitious 'Fantasy of Horses' with the addition of Keith Hoban (organ). (He was only vocalist in the debut), Ian Relf on trombone, Tricia Shevenan on flute, Chris Stock on oboe, - Karin McGechie, Stephen Daunt and Nya Murray on violins, Rowan Thomas on sax and Sara Glenie on cello, it was almost an orchestra, and the album had a really high musical quality. After this second release they decided to take a short sabbatical but for unknown reasons they never joined again, in the meanwhile Julian Browning got interested in classical music and decided to write a symphony, so he studied composition and conduction in Latrobe University fulfilling his dream and composing eight symphonies. Both Rainbow Theatre albums have been reissued on Aztec Music.
Members
Julian Browning (guitar/mellotron/keyboards), Ferg McKinnon (bass), Graeme Carter (drums), Mathew Cozens (keyboards), Steve Nash (sax/clarinet/congas), Frank Graham (trumpet), Don Santin (trombone), Keith Hoban (vocals/organ) Ian Relf (trombone), Tricia Shevenan (flute), Chris Stock (oboe), Karin McGechie (violin), Stephen Daunt (violin), Nya Murray (violin), Rowan Thomas (sax), Sara Glenie (cello)
SINGLES ''The Darkness Overture / Petworth House'' 1975 Clear Light Of Jupiter Australia
ALBUMS
'The Armada' 1975 Clear Light Of Jupiter 'Fantasy of Horses' 1976 Clear Light Of Jupiter
The original line-up of Brother Brick was formed following the demise of The Proton Energy Pills from Wollongong and The Horny Toads from Sydney and featured former Protons guitarist Stewart Cunningham and former Horny Toads bass player Kurt Anderson and drummer, Mikey J Stephenson. The Horny Toads were originally formed in Brisbane but moved to Sydney in 1988 and over the next two years they played many gigs with The Proton Energy Pills at venues such as The Lansdowne Hotel, The Journos Club and The Hopetoun Hotel. Both bands were five piece 'rock' bands and had much in common musically being inspired by many of the same seminal acts Radio Birdman, Blue Öyster Cult and The MC5. Other members of these two bands also went on to play in The Dubrovniks, Tumblweed and Leadfinger.
After previously playing in classic five piece 'Detroit' style rock bands the three founding members| of Brother Brick made a conscious decision to play a different style of music to their previous bands. Keeping to the stripped back line up and inspired by bands such as X, The Eastern Dark, The Saints, Motörhead, The Wipers and Husker-Du all three members shared vocal duties and contributed to the songwriting. They sought out an edgier and more original style of rock that also took in elements of punk and 60's blues rock such as Cream and Hendrix. They played live regularly in Sydney mostly at smaller pub venues like The Evil Star, The Lansdowne Hotel, The Vic on the Park Hotel and the Manly Vale Hotel but were ignored by the bigger venues and booking agents.
Brother Brick made the long trips to Melbourne and Brisbane many times playing with likeminded bands such as The Powder Monkeys, Freeloaders, The Splatterheads and Asteroid B-612 and scoring support spots with the likes of Nomeansno, Deniz Tek, The Hitmen and The Celibate Rifles. This line up of Brother Brick had built up a solid live reputation and a reputation for no holds barred attitude but split up in 1994 following the release of a EP and two singles, most notably the 'Chokito Bar' on Dog Meat Records.
The following year Cunningham resumed Brother Brick with a new lineup that included Scott Nash Asteroid B-612 on bass and Craig Jackson on drums. Continuing with the 3-piece format but with Cunningham taking over all vocal duties, this line-up of the band did not play live very often and instead focused on preparing to record what would become Brother Brick's only album, the prophetically titled 'A Portable Altamont'. The album was recorded on a shoestring budget at Powerhouse Studio in Waterloo, Sydney but the release delayed whilst Nash and Cunningham focused on their duties with Asteroid B-612 - Cunningham having officially joined that band following the demise of the original Brother Brick.
Further delays were caused when first Nash and then Jackson both left the band and the subsequent loss of the master CD of the album stalled the existence of the band completely in 1997. It wasn't until almost two years later when Cunningham found a cassette copy of the master CD that the band reconvened with Jay Curley (ex-Tumbleweed, The Proton Energy Pills) on bass and Ashley Thomson (ex-The Kelpies, The Panadolls) on drums. There had been considerable interest in the band from Europe and US during the unfortunate hiatus and this gave the band new life and enabled the release of the album and a bunch of singles in the US and Europe.
This final line up of Brother Brick failed to record but played live regularly in support of the new releases. They supported touring bands like Dead Moon, Zeke, Jad Fair and played with local acts like The Powder Monkeys, The Onyas and The Bloodsucking Freaks. The Brother Brick album 'A Portable Altamont' was well received by critics and fans, with a few of the songs that were written back in the first lineup of the band finally seeing a proper recorded release. Brother Brick played their final gig in June 2000 at the Zetland Hotel in Sydney.
In 2006, Melbourne-based Record Label, Off the Hip released a double CD retrospective on the band that included all of their studio recordings and many unreleased demo's, live recordings and extensive liner notes. The release was titled 'Stranded in the Nineties', a phrase taken from the game of Cricket that refers to a player almost making a century but running out of time and batting partners, it was chosen to reflect the bands status as terminal underachievers, a virtually unknown group playing a distinctly Australian style of high energy rock'n'roll that failed to register a blip in Australia during a decade that was overrun by imported grunge, slacker rock and Nirvana wannabes. Jay Curley died in 2014 aged 42.
Members
Stewart Cunningham (guitar, vocals), Kurt Anderson (bass), Mikey J Stephenson (drums), Scott Nash (bass), Craig Jackson (drums), Jay Curley (bass), Ashley Thomson (drums), Nick Reith (drums)
SINGLES ''Rock Action'' 1995 Brain Salad Surgery ''Chokito Bar / Feel Strung Out'' 1995 Dog Meat ''See You Tonight" 2000 Broken Records
EPs ''Getting Beyond a Shit'' '1993 Space Beer Records
ALBUMS 'A Portable Altamont' 1999 Hellfire Club Records
The Freeloaders were a Melbourne based group who played intense, passionate and melodic rock and roll with a strong debt to classic 60's garage punk, psychedelia, folk rock and the great rockers of the 70s like The Flamin' Groovies, Real Kids, New York Dolls, the Saints and Television. The group formed in Melbourne some time in mid '91. Three of the four original members - singer/guitarist Guy Lucas, Drummer Stewart Tabert and bassist/singer Ian Wettenhall had previously been three quarters of Australia's original rock'n'roll nomads, the Philistines, an internationally acclaimed garage/psych band who relocated from Hobart to Adelaide to Sydney to Melbourne in a brief life span that produced two classic mini LPs and one fine album.
The fourth original member singer/guitarist Sean Greenway, was previously in Melbourne teen-punk band God, a seminal group that also gave members to Hoss and The Powder Monkeys. This original lineup recorded the ''Something for Nothing'' single, a couple of compilation cuts and the bulk of the 'Sqalifacations' album, which was completed after Ian's departure in early 1994.
Shortly after the LPs release in late '94, Sean quit, forcing Guy and Stewie to regroup with bassist Dave Gray from numerous Adelaide bands, and guitarist Damien Smith from defunct Sydney band Beard. It was this superior lineup that cut the killer EP 'Dead Before My Time'. It featured five tracks ranging from the bona fide punk rock classic that is the title track, to the closing stooges style workout , ''Get Some Sin''. The EP highlights the killer dual guitars of Guy and Damien, the great songwriting of Guy and Dave and the despair ridden lyrics - of which Guy is the chief source.
Since the EPs release in February 1996, the band has toured extensively in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. They've had the honour of supporting spiritual forefather Fred Coles's band Dead Moon , opened for You Am I and supported Radio Birdman legend Deniz Tek as well as being stalwarts in the ever-healthy Melbourne rock 'n' roll scene. In 2000 their second album 'Through The Sound Barrier' was released. On March 1st of 1998, Guy Lucas the singer, songwriter and guitarist for band died aged 31. Sean Greenway died of a heroin overdose on 21 January 2001. Stewart Tabert died in 2023.
Members
Guy Lucas (vocals guitar), Stewart Tabert (drums) Ian Wettenhall (bass), Sean Greenway (guitar), Dave Gray (bass) Damien Smith (guitar)
SINGLES ''Small Problem / Something For Nothing'' 1993 Dog Meat ''Dead Before My Time / Tripmaker'' 2000 Full Toss
EPs
'Dead Before My Time' 1996
ALBUMS 'Squalorfications' 1994 Dog Meat 'Through The Sound Barrier' 2000 Full Toss
The Philisteins formed in Hobart in 1985 as a garage punk band with a line-up of Scott Harrison on bass guitar; Aydn Hibberd on guitar, vocals and harmonica; Guy Lucas on guitar, vocals and organ; and Charlie Shackloth on drums. Originally, they performed as The Cheesemongers until Shackloth was replaced on drums by Konrad Park in 1986. Their influences were 1960s R&B bands from the United Kingdom and American garage punk groups.
The new name was supplied by a friend, Stewart Tabert, who recalled "I was listening to The Damned's The Black Album and my mother came in and said 'Will you shut up, you Philistine!' ... and I thought that's not a bad moniker for the band". Early in 1987 the group issued their debut album, 'Reverberations', as a cassette. According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, their "raucous blend of punk/ R&B/psychedelia was soundly despised outside a small cult following". Lucas described 'Reverberations', "I don't like it at all...it sucks. Me and Stewart drank much of the proceeds before we left the state".
In June 1987 they relocated to Adelaide and signed with local label, Greasy Pop Records. By that time Mark Coombes had replaced Park on drums. Soon after Harrison was replaced on bass guitar by Ian Wettenhall and Coombes left with Nick Bruer joining on drums. From April to June 1988, they recorded an eight-track mini album, 'Bloody Convicts', with Doug Thomas producing, which was issued in December. The album provided a cover version of US band The Lollipop Shoppe's "You Must Be a Witch". McFarlane described 'Bloody Convict 's' sound as "neatly between 1970s punk and 1960s psychedelia, with plenty of guitar riffs to the fore". By the time of its release Bruer had been replaced by Stewart Tabert on drums. It appeared in the US market on the Sympathy for the Record Industry label.
In May 1989 they recorded another EP with Thomas producing, 'Some Kind of Philisteins'. A month later they returned to Hobart and by November they were based in Sydney. The six-track EP had appeared in that month, which McFarlane found to have a "more punkish edge". A four-track version, 'Some Kind', was issued by Sympathy for the Record Industry into the US market. Three of its tracks came from the Australian EP and a new track, "Trains to Disaster", had been recorded in Melbourne in June. After staying in Sydney for a year the group moved to Melbourne where they signed to the local Dog Meat label. In November 1990 they recorded their full-length album, 'Lifestyles of the Wretched and Forgettable', with Colin Freeman producing. It was released in November of the next year.
In 1992 The Philisteins disbanded, with Lucas, Tabert and Wettenhall forming a garage rock group, The Freeloaders. That same year Hibberd was a founding member of Powder Monkeys. In December 2007 Off the Hip label issued a 2× CD compilation album 'The Philisteins, A Savage Affection: 1986–1992'. The first disc contains all tracks from 'Bloody Convicts', 'Some Kind' and various cover versions; the second disc contains all tracks from 'Lifestyles of the Wretched and Forgettable' and additional tracks from a 1989 demo/rehearsal tape. I-94 Bar music website's reviewer described their work as "stellar brand of psychedelic garage punk" and felt the first disc to be better with "songs that are rock solid and Guy Lucas' talent as a vocalist and distinctive guitar player is well evident". Guy Lewis died of a drug overdose in 1989. Stewart Tabert died in 2023.
Members
Scott Harrison (bass), Aydn Hibberd (guitar, vocals, harmonica), Guy Lucas (guitar, vocals, organ), Charlie Shackloth (drums), Konrad Park (drums), Mark Coombes (drums), Nick Bruer (drums), Ian Wettenhall (bass), Stewart Tabert (drums)
ALBUMS
'Reverberation' 1986 'Bloody Convicts' 1988 Greasy Pop Records 'Some Kind Of Philisteins' 1989 'Lifestyles Of The Wretched And Forgettable' 1991 Dog Meat
The Red Planet Rocketts were a Sydney psycho-billy band formed in Sydney during the 80s. The band signed up to Dog Meat Records and recorded an album 'Hard Corn' (1990) and a single, ''Heaven Express / It's Gonna Be Allright'' (1992). In 1993 they released an EP 'Red Planet Rocketts' on their own label. US label Sympathy For The Record Industry released an EP 'Tick Tock' in 1991.
Members
Sly T [Simon Faulkner] (drums vocals) Nat Slinky (guitar) George Boulevard (guitar vocals) Paul Kitten [Paul Dunne] (bass)
SINGLES ''Heaven Express / It's Gonna Be Allright'' 1992 Dog Meat
Formed in the early 70s by guitarist Gary Lothian (ex Elliot Gordon Union, Galadriel), bassist Jimmy Bee and drummer Rosscoe Clarke, The Cyril B Bunter Band truly were a rite of passage for countless Sydney fans that signified good times. Adding Maybelline Broadbent on keyboards and Des Perado on sax they were renowned for putting on the best blues and boogie shows in town. The Bunters would pack out venues to the brim before hitting the road on frequent national tours with John Mayall’s Blues Breakers, Canned Heat and good mates George Thorogood and The Destroyers (which later saw George recording The Bunters “Boogie People” on his 1991 album 'Boogie People'. Between 1977 and 1985, the band did roadshows all over the east coast of Australia. Cyril B Bunter’s name came from the combination of a joke about the name Cyril; the B was chosen because most of their favourite blues artists had the letter in their name; Billy Bunter was the name of the British doughnut- eating character and they wanted the band to sound fat.
In 2013, Cyril B Bunter were invited to reunite for the Thredbo Blues Festival. Audience responses were so overwhelmingly positive that the band re-released their 70s-80s vinyl recordings on CD for the first time, and embarked on their 41st Anniversary Reunion Tour, thrilling fans old and new on a string of festival and club dates. The band launched a live CD 'The Good Boogie Live! to a throbbing full-house crowd at Sydney’s Basement and in 2018, The Bunters, their powers undiminished released the album 'Locomotive'. Des Perado died in 2021.
Members
Maybelline Broadbent (keyboards), Des Perado (sax), Gary Lothian (guitar), Bruce Stephens (drums), James Miller (bass), Jimmy Bee (vocals/bass), Rosscoe Clark (drums), Ali Penney (keyboards)
EPs
'The Cyril B. Bunter Band' 1981 Porksword
ALBUMS 'Mad Money In High Places' 1985 CBB Records
Vyt (Vyt Zvirzdinas ) was signed up by CBS in the mid-60s. Managed by Nat Kipner he recorded his first single ''Why Do I Cry'' (a cover of the great garage rock song by Boston band The Remains) at Ossie Byrne's studio in Hurstville backed by The Bee Gees and Steve and The Board in 1966. His follow up single was ''Only Me / Act Of Innocence''(1967). Vyt then decided to form a group to write and record original music. Calling on close friend Chris Eggleton they put together a band which the members named The World. They recorded two singles under this moniker, ''Dapper Dan / Flower Children'' (1967) and ''Tiny Timothy / Silhouette Of A Shapely Miss''(1968). Due to unforeseen circumstances, they disbanded in 1968. Guitarist Chris Eggleton became a composer of soundtrack music; his credits include the early Nicole Kidman classic BMX Bandits. Vyt formed Advance Entertainment Pty Ltd promoting and producing rock events. Drummer Arthur Watson died in 2009.
Members
Vyt (vocals) Brian Lee (guitar), Chris Eggleton (guitar), George Galas (bass), Arthur Watson (drums).
SINGLES
''Dapper Dan / Flower Children'' 1967 CBS ''Tiny Timothy / Silhouette Of A Shapely Miss'' 1968 CBS
The Why Four were another of the highly accomplished British migrant beat groups to come out of the Elizabeth area in South Australia. They began life in 1964 as instrumental band The Vikings, but by year's end had added Colin Byford on vocals and renamed themselves Colin Ford and the Vikings. Other members of the band at that time were Roy Clayton on rhythm guitar, Bob Harris on bass, Jonquil Phillipson drums, and John Walstrom on lead guitar. They changed their name to The Why Four in 1966, and recruited a new lead guitarist, Ricky Coburn, who had been a member of Liverpool band The Coins and had played at The Cavern Club. The Why Four released their only two singles in 1966, ''Ability / Evergreen Tree'' and ''Keep A Hold Of What You've Got / Honey And Wine'' on Columbia Records. Roy Clayton and Bob Harris left the band in March 1967, so with Ian Ferguson, (ex-The Moods), on bass, they continued as a four-piece band, but by December 1967 it was all over. The Why Four's demise was announced with the news that Colin Ford was joining the Raymond Parker Occupation. They were noted for their excellent harmony work.
Members
Colin Byford (vocals), Rick Coburn (guitar), Bob Harris (bass), Jon Phillips (drums), Roy Clayton (guitar), Ian Ferguson (bass)
SINGLES
''Ability / Evergreen Tree'' 1966 Columbia ''Keep A Hold Of What You've Got / Honey And Wine'' 1966 Columbia
References
"A history of Recorded Pop Music in Adelaide in the 1960s" by Peter Millen
Col Elliott has been pushing our belly-laugh buttons for over 40 years. He is one of Australia's most loved and in demand performers. Col takes his audience on an incredible ride with his stand-up, his zany characters and his unique brand of storytelling and music ......He does it all. His many album and DVD releases have not only given him gold and platinum status but have generated a huge fan base which manages to cross all generational boundaries.
His first taste of the business was in his Navy days, moonlighting in the bars of Singapore and Hong Kong for drinks and tips. He left the Navy in 1972 and as Col puts it, he wasn’t quite prepared for civilian life. He joined the Navy as a boy of 16. Col said “I left the Navy with a basic knowledge of Bingo, I could ask for a beer in five different languages, and track a submarine, that didn’t exactly give me many options in the middle of Melbourne in 1972". He stumbled into show business in 1973. On the way to a gig, he knew that he needed tyres for his clapped-out old car and the coppers had put it off the road - “they didn’t like my Angry Anderson tyres"! He subsequently won the finals of Kevin Dennis New Faces a then, Melbourne TV talent show.
Over 50 years later Col says he’s got a garage full of tyres!!!! Col has created many memorable characters over the years and has featured them on his videos, DVD’s, CD’s and television shows. Col released his first album in 1982 'Hey You Bloody Mug' on Sundown Records. Since that time, he has recorded a dozen albums and a dozen or so singles.
SINGLES
''Gotta Give The Grog Away (#29) / Hey You Bloody Mug'' 1983 Sundown ''Born Loser / Move Over Rover'' 1984 Col Elliott Enterprises ''Merry Xmas / Don't Whinge And Scream'' 1984 Col Elliott Enterprises ''What's A Pommie? / Don't Winge And Scream'' 1985 Col Elliott Enterprises ''Hey Bondy! (Give It Up) / Maggie's Drawers Col Elliott Enterprises ''Country Music Feeling / Dedicated Drinker'' 1986 Colstal Music ''It's A Feeling / Dedicated Drinker'' 1986 Colstal Music ''Hey You Bloody Mug (Video Version) / It's A Quid Mate'' 1987 Colstal Music ''Here's To Arthur Phillips / It's A Quid Mate'' 1988 Colstal Music ''Ain't Nobody's Business / The Tax Man'' 1989 Colstal Music ''Home Made Brew (How I Could Change The World) / Chooka (Roadie To The Stars)'' 1989 Colstal Music ''Hankies From Nanna / (Max) His Country's Pride And Joy'' 1989 Colstal Music ''I'll Bet You A Kangaroo / I Call My Hound Dog 'Herpes' ('Cause He Just Won't Heel)'' 1991 Colstal Music
ALBUMS 'Hey You Bloody Mug' 1982 Sundown 'You Can't Help Laughing With Col Vol.2' Col Elliott Enterprises 'You Can't Help Laughing With Col Vol.3' Col Elliott Enterprises 'You Can't Help Laughing With Col Vol.1' 1983 EMI 'Move Over Rover I'm Back' 1984 Col Elliott Enterprises 'You Can't Help Laughing With Col Vol.4 1984 Col Elliott Enterprises 'A Bit Below The Belt (You Can't Help Laughing With Col Volume 5' 1985 Colstal Music 'It's A Quid Mate - Don't Knock It' 1986 Colstal Music 'Elliot On The Border'' 1988 Colstal Music 'Can't Help Laughing Vol. 6' 1988 Colstal Music 'R Rated - Can't Help Laughing Vol. 6' 1988 Colstal Music, 'Serves It Up' 1994 BMG 'See How Things Have Changed' 2000 Belly Laugh Records 'Something Different' Col Elliott Enterprises
Chris Bailey was the co-founder and singer of rock band The Saints. He was born in Nanyuki, Kenya in 1957 to Irish parents. Bailey grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland until the age of seven, when his family emigrated to Australia. The Saints were formed in Australia in 1974. Their first hit was in the UK with the classic punk anthem "(I'm) Stranded". The band slowly evolved toward a more sophisticated sound on their next few albums.
After quitting The Saints, he released his first album 'Casablanca' on the New Rose label in 1983 followed by 'What We Did On Our Holidays' in 1984. These albums were released in France and not Australia. A cover of The Easybeats' "The Music Goes Round My Head" was issued as a single in December 1988 and featured on the soundtrack to the film Young Einstein. In 1991, Bailey formed the Chris Bailey Combo which included Paul Hester, Nick Seymour and Dror Erez, as well as a revolving cast of guest players. 'Demons' was Bailey's third solo album, recorded in Memphis, Tennessee, where he had been sent by TVT Records. 'Savage Entertainment' was released in October 1992, and in 1993 Bailey wrote and recorded together with Concrete Blonde's Johnette Napolitano, which included a rework of the song "All Fools' Day".
Bailey's fifth solo album '54 Days At Sea' was recorded in Malmö, Sweden and was released in 1994 on the Mushroom label. It featured Bolivian folk musicians Mundo Folk, whom Bailey had seen busking when visiting friends in Sweden the previous year. Swedish musicians Eddie Nyström (guitar), Magnus Börjeson (bass) and Stellan Colt (drums) provided the rock base for the album. 'For the Earth Music' compilation, issued in June 1994, Bailey contributed a cover of Tim Finn's "Not Even Close".
Bailey revived The Saints to record 'Howling' in 1996. This album was followed by 'Everybody Knows the Monkey' (1998), 'Spit the Blues Out' (2002), 'Nothing is Straight in My House' (2005), 'Imperious Delirium' (2006) and 'King of the Sun' (2012-Australia, 2013-Europe) which were all recorded under the name of The Saints. When Mushroom Music celebrated their 25th anniversary in 1998, Bailey was one of the invited artists to perform on a stage at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in front of an audience of about 100,000 people. He performed two of his most famous songs, "Ghost Ships" and "Just Like Fire Would", solo and also a duet with Paul Kelly: "Wide Open Road", a tribute to the late David McComb of The Triffids.
2003 saw Bailey make a guest appearance, singing the chorus vocals on "Bring It On", on Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album 'Nocturama'. Bailey then toured America with the group and performed with them on the Late Show with David Letterman. At the 2005 Queensland Poetry festival in Brisbane, at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, Chris Bailey headlined the event. Chris Bailey and the General Dog is another one of Bailey's constellations, their latest record being 'Bone Box' in 2005. During the spring of 2007, Bailey undertook a solo tour of France, on occasion as a double act with French rock artist Mickaël Furnon, alias Mickey, from rock group Mickey 3D. Chris Bailey died in 2022 aged 65.
Bruce William Woodley, AO (born 25 July 1942), is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. He was a founding member of the successful pop-folk group the Seekers, and co-composer of the song "I Am Australian". Woodley attended Melbourne High School with fellow Seekers, Athol Guy and Keith Potger.
Bruce Woodley had a 'residency' performing at the Treble Clef restaurant in Prahran. With former schoolmates, Athol Guy and Keith Potger, he formed a folk music trio, The Escorts, in the early 1960s. With the arrival of vocalist Judith Durham in 1962 they became The Seekers, and had some success in Australia before travelling to London in 1964 and recording four international hit singles written and produced by Tom Springfield. Woodley played guitar, banjo, and mandolin, as well as one of the four-part vocal harmony, and was the chief songwriter. While Durham sang the majority of lead vocals for the group, Woodley usually handled the male lead vocals, including a number of album tracks. The Seekers first disbanded in 1968.
During 1965, while in London, Woodley met Paul Simon, following the poor performance of 'Wednesday Morning 3 A.M'. and just prior to the success of Simon and Garfunkel. Simon and Woodley co-wrote the million-selling "Red Rubber Ball"—later a #1 hit for US group The Cyrkle. The Simon and Woodley collaboration also provided "I Wish You Could Be Here" and "Cloudy". The Seekers later recorded these three songs, and "Cloudy" became an album track on Simon and Garfunkel's hit 1966 LP 'Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme'—the only Simon and Woodley song to appear on both groups' album. However, Woodley's relationship with Simon had deteriorated and Woodley later struggled to get his share of the royalties—his songwriting credit on "Cloudy" was omitted from the release of 'Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme'.
Bruce's first solo venture was a production company called Pennywheel, which saw him release a number of products for children, including a "Build an Alphabet" set of blocks and the 1969 EP and board book, "Friday St. Fantasy". In 1969 Bruce headed off to America to sell the songs he'd been writing, and was to remain there for several years. During this period he collaborated with a number of writers including John Farrar and Australian folk singer Hans Poulsen. Their composition "Boom-Sha-La-La-Lo" became a hit for Poulsen.
In 1971, Bruce released his first solo album, entitled 'Just Good Friends'. In a reaction to the folk stereotype of the Seekers, the original album cover featured two naked models having sex. This was deemed too raunchy for Australia and the cover was replaced by a photo of Woodley. The original cover, however, was allowed in New Zealand, and this version of the album is a collector's item today. Three years later, Bruce contributed to an Australian-themed album put out by Viscount cigarettes, called 'The Roaring Days Vol. 1' (after a Henry Lawson poem). A second volume never eventuated. He also had a hit song called "Love Me Tonight Baby". The album featured Bruce performing the traditional folk song "Eumerella Shore" and some of his own compositions, including "The Bush Girl", which he would later re-record for a double album in 1987, with the Seekers in 1997 and 2000, and with daughter Claire Woodley in 2001.
Woodley reunited with the Seekers, composed of fellow original members Athol Guy and Keith Potger, and 23-year-old Dutch-born Louisa Wisseling (a semi-professional folk singer formerly with Melbourne band The Settlers). In a February 1975 newspaper article about the group's reunion, Louisa revealed that Bruce had approached her at a 1974 Settlers concert at Ferntree Gully's Swagman Restaurant with an offer to join the group, and she originally turned him down. The new group recorded two albums and a number of singles, some of which, like "The Nimble Song" and "I Saw It All With Trans Tours" (both written by Woodley) reflected the boys' other careers in advertising. Woodley's composition "The Sparrow Song" became the group's biggest hit and remains to this day the highest-charting Seekers single written by a member of the group. Other tracks he contributed to this line-up included "Giving and Takin'" (the title track of their second album), "Can We Learn to Get Along" (which began life as a solo recording for the TV documentary series Shell's Australia, and was released by Bruce on flexi-disc), "Reunion", "Country Ros", "Standing on Shaky Ground" (featuring Bruce on vocals which he felt were too low for him, but were impossible for Louisa to sing for the same reason), and "The Rose and the Briar".
In 1977, Bruce left the group and was replaced by Buddy England. He continued to focus on song-writing and advertising, producing many TV jingles including one for Courage beer. A solo (advertising) single was called "The ANZ Bank Travelling Man", and was given out free to employees of that institution as part of the promotion.
The year 1987 saw Bruce involved in the preparations for the Australian Bicentenary, and the release of an Australian-themed double album, songbook and cassette tape, featuring covers of traditional songs and some of Bruce's own compositions. The set was called I Am Australian, after a jingle that he wrote to tie together the various threads of the project, tapping into the need he perceived for a national song in which people could take pride. One of his colleagues on the project was Dobe Newton of The Bushwackers, who helped compose the words of the title song; another was noted folk singer Rose Bygrave. The recordings also featured a children's choir including Claire Woodley.
The following year he reunited with The Seekers, this time featuring Julie Anthony as the lead vocalist, to perform "The Carnival is Over" at Expo '88 and a musical about the Seekers' journey. This line-up released an album in 1989; "Live On", the title track, was composed by Bruce, as were many of the other new tracks like "The Streets of Serenade" (which charted the story of the Seekers rather more blatantly than his '70s composition "Reunion"), "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back", "How Can a Love So Wrong Be So Right" and "Taking My Chances With You". When Julie left to have a baby (daughter Tamara), former Young Talent Time singer Karen Knowles joined the group. The only studio recordings by this line-up are the Bruce Woodley written songs "Fools Tonight" and "Bright Star", sold as a cassingle at concerts. "Bright Star", originally written for Julie's voice, was also performed by both the Julie- and Karen-led Seekers at Carols by Candlelight.
When original vocalist Judith Durham returned to the Seekers fold in late 1992 for the group's 25 Year Silver Jubilee, the theme song and CD-Single of the reunion was Bruce's composition "Keep A Dream In Your Pocket". A 1993 live album and DVD followed, featuring many of the group's hits and a song which would become one of their best known, Woodley's "I Am Australian".
The success of "I Am Australian" took Woodley completely by surprise. In 1991 he performed it with Karen and the Australian Children's Choir on a televised drought appeal, featuring a new, drought themed verse which has not appeared on other recordings. "I Am Australian" has featured in all Woodley's solo tours and all Seekers tours since the reunion with Judith Durham; in 2000 the Seekers performed a condensed version at the televised Australia Day concert. Many artists have covered the song; in 1997 Judith Durham released a version with Russell Hitchcock and Mandawuy Yunupingu which entered the Australian charts. For many, it has become the unofficial anthem, and is a staple performed at many national events, by such artists as Jon Stevens, Delta Goodrem and naturally Bruce and the Seekers. At the 2001 celebrations for the Centenary of Federation Woodley performed the song with daughter Claire (now known for performing the song solo at many events herself) and co-writer Dobe Newton.
Bruce divorced in the '80s after a 14-year marriage, and he and former wife Sally have two children, Claire and a son, Dan. With Claire, a burgeoning singer-songwriter in her own right who has performed on the cabaret and conference circuit, he recorded a CD in 2001 called, once again, "I am Australian". He has since recorded an ANZAC themed version of "I am Australian", titled "The Anzac Song", and appeared on Melbourne radio advertising the release of a CD-Single several weeks before Anzac Day in 2005. Apparently due to production difficulties, it never eventuated. In 2005 Bruce was interviewed by music journalist Debbie Kruger for a new book entitled Songwriters Speak, focusing on influential and successful Australian singer-songwriters. At the National Day of Mourning on 22 February 2009 for the victims of the Victoria bushfires Woodley unveiled two new verses for "I am Australian".
SINGLES
''Friday Man / Captain Grumblepeg'' 1969 Parlophone ''Friends / Rattler'' 1971 RCA ''Flying New Mexico / Anything You Might Say'' 1971 RCA 'I Am Australian' (#56) [with Claire Woodley And Carter & Carter –
EPs 'Friday Street Fantasy' 1969 Paul Hamlyn
ALBUMS 'Just Good Friends' 1971 RCA 'I Am Australian' 1987 'The Roaring Days'
Albert Watson "Bert" Newton, AM, MBE (born 23 July 1938), was an Australian entertainer and radio, theatre and television personality/presenter, known for hosting television series such as In Melbourne Tonight, Good Morning Australia, and 20 to 1. Newton hosted the Logie Awards on numerous occasions throughout his career and was a four-time recipient of the Gold Logie and a Hall of Fame inductee. He was known for his collaborations with Graham Kennedy and Don Lane. He started in radio broadcasting, before becoming a star and fixture of Australian television since its inception in 1956, and is considered an industry pioneer, along with his wife Australian singer Patti Newton, the duo was generally considered to be showbiz royalty. Newton also cut some records in the narrative style on the W&G and Fable labels with his ''Bring Back the Spirit of Christmas'' being the most successful. He died in 2021 after a long illness.
SINGLES ''Letter To Virginia / Deck Of Cards'' 1962 W&G ''To A Sleeping Beauty / The White Magnolia Tree'' 1962 W&G ''The Donkey's Dream / Befana And TheThree Kings'' 1968 W&G ''Bring Back The Spirit Of Christmas (#25) / See The Light'' [with The Debney Park High School Band] 1981 Fable
ALBUMS 'The Bert & Patti Family Album' [with Patti Newton] 1977 Pisces
The Barrow Creek Boys was a country band formed in the early eighties which went on to record original songs by two of its members Barry Carozzi and Phil McGuire. Barry Carozzi remembers 'We met Phil McGuire in Exmouth, and our families travelled together. Phil and I start writing songs. In Darwin I debut as a busker and earn $4.20 in a night. The next day Phil joins me, and we earn a few dollars. By the time we reach Alice Springs Phil and I have developed quite a repertoire – both of our own songs, Australian ballads and folk songs, and popular rock songs. Phil persuades the manager of the Stuart Arms Hotel to give us a gig in the main bar on Friday night. It’s so successful that we’re invited back to sing for 3 hours or so on Sunday afternoons.' They recorded ''Life Wasn't Meant To Be Easy'' on Outback Records in 1981. Picked up by the Astor label ''Life Wasn't Meant To Be Easy'' made the charts in 1981. They recorded an album which was never released due to the recession at the time. They made the finals at the Tamworth Country Music Awards in 1982.
Members
Barry Carozzi (vocals/guitar), Phil McGuire (vocals/guitar), Dave McCombe (bass), Kevin Townsend (drums), Johnny Byrnes (drums), Peter Fearn (drums)
SINGLES ''Life Wasn't Meant To Be Easy (#72) / Sunday Best'' 1981 Astor
Andrew Scott Pendlebury born in Melbourne in 1952 is a guitarist-songwriter. From the age of four Pendlebury studied classical violin learning Bach and Vivaldi. After completing secondary education, Pendlebury followed his parents into visual arts and exhibited art works, which were "mainly impressionistic-style landscapes". Inspired by Django Reinhardt and Jimi Hendrix, Pendlebury taught himself guitar and began a career in music. In the mid-1970s Pendlebury was a member of The Sharks with Peter Crosbie on keyboards. In 1976 he joined an R&B, country outfit, The Myriad Band, with Carrl Myriad on guitar and vocals, Mark Ferrie on bass guitar, Phil Smith on drums, and Chris Wilson on organ. This line-up provided three live tracks, "Ballad of the Station Hotel", "Rock 'n' Roll Highway" and "Glenrowan", for the various artists album, 'Live at the Station' (1977).
In August 1977 Andrew Pendlebury left Myriad to join The Sports. The Sports had formed a year earlier with Stephen Cummings on lead vocals, Ed Bates on guitar, Paul Hitchins on drums, Robert Glover (ex-Myriad) on bass guitar and Jim Niven on piano. Upon joining Pendlebury also assisted Cummings with songwriting. The band released their first album, 'Reckless', in 1978 on Mushroom Records, which peaked at #43 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. It provided four charting singles, "Boys! (What Did the Detective Say)" (#55), "When You Walk in the Room" (#42), "Who Listens to the Radio?" (#35) and "Reckless". "Who Listens to the Radio?", co-written by Cummings and Pendlebury, was their only hit on the United States Billboard Pop Singles chart, peaking at #45 in November 1979.
The band toured the United Kingdom in 1979 as support to Graham Parker & the Rumour, signing a deal with UK label Stiff Records. In the US they were released via Arista Records, and the Ariola Label in continental Europe. Their second album, 'Don’t Throw Stones', consolidated their Australian chart success, peaking at #9, and yielding two singles, "Don't Throw Stones" (#26) and "Suspicious Minds" (#74). Their third album, 'Suddenly', featured a slicker, more pop sound, and charted at #74. It provided two more singles, "Strangers on a Train" (#22) and "Perhaps". During his time with The Sports, Pendlebury worked on side projects, including The Gentlemen with Bates, Wayne Duncan (Daddy Cool) on bass guitar, and Freddie Strauks (Skyhooks) on drums. The Sports fourth album, 'Sondra' (#20), was released in 1981. It yielded three singles "Stop the Baby Talking", "How Come?" (#21) and "When We Go Out Tonight". By the end of the year The Sports had disbanded.
Pendlebury spent a year with The Dugites alongside The Sharks' band mate, Peter Crosbie on keyboards and backing vocals, and Lynda Nutter on lead vocals. During his brief tenure they issued a single, "No Money" (July 1982), and the related mini album, 'No Money' (August). In 1983 he joined the Stephen Cummings Band reuniting with Cummings and Ferrie. Pendlebury played on Cummings' first solo album 'Senso' (released August 1984) and subsequent three albums, 'This Wonderful Life' (September 1986),'Lovetown' (January 1988) and 'A New Kind of Blue' (March 1989). Pendlebury also toured Australia with Stephen Cummings' Lovetown. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1990 'A New Kind of Blue' won 'Best Adult Contemporary Album' for Cummings.
In July 1987 Pendlebury released his debut solo album, 'Between the Horizon and the Dockyard', on Cleopatra Records which was co-produced by Pendlebury with Mark Woods. For the album he was backed by Ferrie and drummer Peter Jones, with Cummings guesting on lead vocals for "She Set Fire to the House", which was issued as a single in September. According to Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, the album showcased "an eclectic mix of styles from country swing, Spanish, Bluegrass, jazz and rock".
From 1986 Andrew Pendlebury joined a post-punk, Southern gospel group, Slaughtermen, with Ferrie, Ian Stephen on vocals, piano and organ; and Des Hefner on drums. The group released two albums, 'Still Lovin' You' (1986) and 'Melbourne, Memphis and a Mansion in the Sky' (1988), before Pendlebury re-focused on his solo career. In 1988 Pendlebury released his second solo album, 'Tigerland', which was followed in 1990 by 'Zing went the Strings' on WEA Records. On both albums Pendlebury worked with Pete Linden (pedal steel), Paul Grabowsky (piano), Stephen Hadley (bass), J. J. Hacket (drums), Shane O’Mara, Nick Smith, Cummings, Doug De Vries and Michael Williams. For his fourth solo album, 'Don’t Hold Back that Feeling' (May 1993), Pendlebury enlisted guest vocalists including Chris Wilson, Deborah Conway, Kate Ceberano and Dave Steel. The album was critically acclaimed and, the following year, won the ARIA Award for 'Best Adult Contemporary Album'. In 1993 he collaborated with De Vries on an album 'Karate' and again in 1995 to record 'Trouble and Desire' for ABC Music.
In 2002 Pendlebury reunited with Ferrie and formed a twin guitar duo; the following year they released an album, 'Late Night' at the Nicholas Building. When they added a third member, Adi Sappir, an Israeli cellist, they were named, The Mercurials. Their first performance was at the Ian Potter Gallery in the National Gallery of Victoria in December 2003. In March the next year they appeared at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, which was followed by appearances at the 2006 Port Fairy Folk Festival and Mt Beauty Music Muster. In July 2005 The Mercurials released their debut self-titled album. This was followed by a second one, 'Tangents' in 2008, and a third album, 'Silver and Gold' in 2009. In 1999 McFarlane had described Pendlebury as having "pursued a career that garnered him much critical acclaim, but little in the way of mainstream success. Although occasionally compared with Tommy Emmanuel, Pendlebury has preferred to follow a more low-key, highly specialised path away from the limelight".
SINGLES ''She Set Fire To The House / Country Joy'' [with Stephen Cummings] 1987 Cleopatra ''Calling You (#97) / Think About It / Melancholy Serenade'' [with Kate Ceberano] 1992 Regular
ALBUMS 'Between The Horizon And The Dockyard 1987 Cleopatra 'Tigerland' 1988 Cleopatra 'Zing... Went The Strings 1990 WEA 'Don't Hold Back That Feeling' 1992 EastWest 'Karate' [with Doug De Vries] 1993 ABC 'Trouble And Desire' [with Doug De Vries] 1995 ABC Late Night At The Nicholas Building [with Mark Ferrie] 2003 Greasy Pole
Adam Brand (born 27 January 1970 in Perth) first began playing drums at age ten, and followed his father, a travelling salesman, in his teens. Brand moved to Sydney in 1997 and released his first album, a self-titled effort, on Festival Records the following year. The album reached #44 on the Australian ARIA album charts and was certified platinum. Brand was awarded three CMAA awards in 1999, Song of the Year for "Last Man Standing", New Talent of the Year, and Video Track of the Year after being nominated in five categories. Brand was nominated for Best Country Album (Adam Brand) at the 1999 ARIA Music Awards. He also won the Johnny O’Keefe Encouragement Award at the 1999 Mo Awards.
In 2000, he released his next album, 'Good Friends', which reached #26 on the album charts. Brand received a further CMAA Award for Vocal Collaboration of the Year with Melinda Schneider for "Love Away the Night". He was also nominated again for Best Country Album (Good Friends) at the 2000 ARIA Awards. In 2001 Brand won three CMAA Awards for Album of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year. He also won a Mo Award this time for Male Country Performer of the Year.
In 2001, he began recording for Compass Brothers Records releasing 'Built for Speed'. The album was released in January 2002 reaching #24 on the album charts and was certified platinum in Australia. He won a further Mo Award for Male Country Performer of the Year that year. In 2003, Brand also won a CMAA Award, Heritage Song of the Year, for "The Anzac". Brand's next album, 'Get Loud', was released in 2004, debuted at #2 on the Australian Country charts and #16 on the National Album charts in 2004 and was certified Gold. 'Get Loud' was also nominated as Best Country Album at that year's ARIA Awards. On 10 October 2005 he released a Christmas themed album, 'Christmas in Australia'.
2006 saw the release of Brand's fifth studio album, 'What a Life'. The album reached #28 on the national album charts and was certified Gold. Brand received another ARIA nomination for Best Country Album (What a Life) in 2006. His next album, 'Blame it on Eve' was released in July 2008, peaking at #1 on the Australian Country charts and #10 on the National Album charts (his highest charting solo album to date). He also won three CMAA Awards, Single of the Year, Vocal Collaboration of the Year and Video Clip of the Year with Lee Kernaghan and Steve Forde for "Spirit of the Bush", in 2008.
In 2009 he released 'Hell of a Ride', which peaking at #2 on the Australian Country charts and #19 on the National Album charts. Brand also won the Best Independent Country Album award at the Australian Independent Record (AIR) Awards and the CMAA Award Male Artist of the Year. In September 2009 Brand signed a recording contract with the Nashville-based division of Sony Music Entertainment for the distribution of his recordings in the United States.
In January 2010 Brand wins his fourth consecutive CMC Oz Artist of the Year Award. In August 2010, Brand released his ninth studio album 'It's Gonna Be OK' which peaked at #11 on the ARIA charts. The Track "Ready for Loving" is released in the United States and reaches Top 40 in the US Country charts. In January 2011, Brand wins CMC Oz Artist of the Year Award for the fifth consecutive year. In May 2011, Brand released a compilation album titled 'You're a Revhead' before supporting Taylor Swift on her North American tour.
In August 2012, Brand released his tenth studio album 'There Will Be Love' on Arista Nashville/Sony Music Australia, which pealed at #4 on the ARIA charts; Brand's highest charting album. This was followed by 'My Acoustic Diary' which was the first album recorded by Brand's own label. It was distributed by ABC Music. The album saw Brand re-record 13 of his own tracks in an acoustic setting. Brand's twelfth studio album 'My Side of the Street' was released in August 2014, became his second top 5 album. It was nominated for an ARIA Award and two CMA Awards. In January 2015, Brand won CMC Oz Artist of the Year Award for a fifth year.
In January 2016, Brand released his thirteenth studio album 'Adam Brand and the Outlaws', featuring fellow Australian country musicians Travis Collins, Drew McAlister, Matt Cornell and Mike Carr. The album peaked at #6 on the ARIA charts and was nominated for an ARIA Award. The album won a CMC Award for Highest Selling Album. In February 2017, Brand released 'Get On Your Feet' which peaked at #7 on the ARIA charts.
In July 2018, Brand celebrated 20 years since the release of his debut album releasing a compilation album titled 'Milestones... 20 Years'. The album debuted at #6 on the ARIA charts, becoming his highest charting compilation album. In September 2018 Brand joined Scott Darlow, Sarah McLeod, Jack Jones and Todd Hunter to re-record the Dragon song "Rain" with all net proceeds from the sale to go towards to the Buy-a-bale program in support of Australian farmers suffering from the Australian drought. In late 2019, Brand appeared in the first season of The Masked Singer Australia as the 'Dragon' and was the sixth contestant voted out.
In August 2019 Brand released a new single "Life's Been Good to Me" after taking 12 months off to start a family with the birth of his first child, a baby girl named Pepper. Adam will be hitting the road with his Speed of Life Tour March 2020 when he will release his new album. Special guests on the tour will be new country duo "Cornell & Carr". Matt Cornell and Mike Carr were previously members of Adam Brand and the Outlaws.
SINGLES "Last Man Standing" 1998 Festival "Dirt Track Cowboys" 1999 Festival "Last Man Standing" [with Melinda Schneider] 1999 Festival "Beating Around the Bush" 2000 Compass Brothers "Good Friends" 2000 Compass Brothers "Good Things in Life" 2001 Compass Brothers "I Did What?" 2001 Compass Brothers "Get Loud" 2004 Compass Brothers "She's Country" 2005 Compass Brothers "Open Ended Heartache" 2006 Compass Brothers "Can't Live Without Your Love" 2007 Compass Brothers "Cigarettes & Whiskey" 2007 Compass Brothers "That Changes Everything" 2007 Compass Brothers "Blame It on Eve" 2008 Compass Brothers "Comin' from / Khe Sanh" 2008 Compass Brothers "Get On Down the Road" 2008 Compass Brothers "Hell of a Ride" 2009 Compass Brothers "Ready for Love" (#46) 2009 Compass Brothers "It's Gonna Be OK" 2010 Compass Brothers "Some Just Live" 2011 Compass Brothers "There Will Be Love" 2012 Sony "She Got Away" 2013 ABC "Freedom Rebels" 2013 ABC "Hearts I Leave Behind" 2014 ABC "Good Year for the Outlaw" [featuring The Outlaws] 2015 ABC "I Fought the Law" [featuring The Outlaws] 2016 ABC "Get On Your Feet" 2016 ABC "Drunk" 2017 ABC "Milestones" 2018 ABC "Life's Been Good to Me" 2019 ABC "Speed of Life" 2019 ABC "Freakin' Weekend" 2020 ABC "You Are Not Alone" [with Casey Donovan] 2020 ABC "I'm Coming Home" 2021 ABC "Still the One" 2021 ABC "All Or Nothing" 2022 ABC "When God Walks In The Room" 2020 ABC
ALBUMS 'Adam Brand' (#44) 1998 Festival 'Good Friends' (#26) 2000 Compass Brothers 'Built for Speed' (#24) 2002 Compass Brothers 'Get Loud' (#16) 2004 Compass Brothers 'Christmas in Australia' 2005 Compass Brothers 'What a Life' (#28) 2006 Compass Brothers 'Blame It on Eve' (#10) 2008 Compass Brothers 'Hell of a Ride' (#19) 2009 Compass Brothers 'It's Gonna Be OK' (#11) 2010 Compass Brothers 'There Will Be Love' (#4) 2012 Sony 'My Acoustic Diary' (#31) 2013 ABC 'My Side of the Street' (#5) 2014 ABC 'Adam Brand and the Outlaws' (#6)[as Adam Brand and the Outlaws] 2016 ABC 'Get On Your Feet' (#7) 2017 ABC 'Speed of Life' (#6) 2020 ABC 'All or Nothing' (#6) 2022 ABC
