THE PELACO BROTHERS

The Pelaco Brothers formed in 1974 in Melbourne with Joe Camilleri (ex-King Bees, Lipp and the Double Dekker Brothers, Sharks) on saxophone and vocals, Stephen Cummings (ex-Ewe and the Merinos) on lead vocals, Peter Lillie on guitar and vocals, Johnny Topper on bass guitar, Karl Wolfe on drums and Chris Worrall on guitar. The group were named after the Pelaco sign which advertised a local shirt manufacturer. According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, they played "rockabilly, country swing and R&B that recalled American outfits like Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen and Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks. Yet, the band's delivery presented a fiercely Australian outlook". Only existing for 18 months, they later included Ed Bates on guitar and Peter Martin on slide guitar.

Their posthumous release was 'The Notorious Pelaco Brothers Show' a live six-track EP (also seen as The Pelaco Bros) on the Ralph imprint in 1976. The Pelaco Brothers disbanded in late 1975, Camilleri went on to form a blues and rock music band, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons; meanwhile Cummings and Bates formed a new wave group, The Sports in 1976. In 1982 The Pelaco Brothers music was used for a suburban horror film, This Woman Is Not a Car. On 13 September 2012 Peter Lillie died of liver disease, aged 61. Chris Worrall died in 2024.

Members

Joe Camilleri (saxophone vocals), Stephen Cummings (vocals), Peter Lillie (guitar), Johnny Topper (bass), Karl Wolfe (drums) Chris Worrall (guitar), Ed Bates (guitar) Peter Martin (slide guitar).

EPs

'The Notorious Pelaco Bros Show' 1976 Ralph

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pelaco_Brothers