PETER HISCOCK

Peter Hiscock began his career as a radio announcer on Adelaide's 5AD. After moving to 5SE in Mount Gambier Hiscock started to dabble in songwriting. He linked up with Johnny Mac who recorded his ''Pink Champagne And A Room Full Of Roses'' in 1964. The song was backed by The Seekers and was released in America making Johnny Mac the first South Australian to hit the American charts. Hiscock continued to write songs for Johnny Mac but decided to get in front of the microphone himself. He was first heard on record with ''Hooray For The Kind Of Luck / I'd Rather Have It There Than Anywhere'' backed by Johnny Mac's band The Starliners. The single was released on the Bluebird label in 1965. Continuing his songwriting duties a few of his songs were covered by other artists including Judy Stone, Little Pattie, Bill Mullins, James Pegler and the famous Canadian American country music artist Hank Snow.

In a lovely example of life imitating art, on the 26th of May 1971, Australia was under the spell of an exciting event that gripped the nation. At about noon that morning, the Australian Federal Police received a phone call from a mysterious man calling himself “Mr Brown”. There was, he said, a bomb on board Qantas flight 755 from Sydney to Hong Kong. Once the airplane would dip under 6,500 meters, it would trigger the altitude sensor and the jet would explode. If the authorities wanted to save the 128 people on board, they had to pay half a million dollars in cash, in unmarked and used $20 notes, within hours. Soon, the nation held its breath. The “Great Plane Robbery” was in full swing, and it looked like Mr Brown was winning. A few months later the cops had caught their man. Peter Hiscock seized the moment and whipped up a rush release set of lyrics to the tune of ''Click Go The Shears''. The song charted in Sydney, reaching #16 on the 2SM chart and #30 nationally. The nonexclusive world rights for the song were purchased for $400 from Festival. This was his only hit and I have no idea what happened to him after this.

SINGLES
''Hooray For The Kind Of Luck / I'd Rather Have It There Than Anywhere'' [with The Starliners] 1965 Bluebird
''A Certain Mr. Brown (#30) / The Battle Of Daffodil Hill'' 1971 Festival
''An Unfamiliar Kind Of Man / McGuthrie Town'' 1971 Festival

EPs

'A Certain Mr. Brown' 1971 Festival

References

https://www.top100singles.net