In October 1977, former Rabbit members bassist Jim Porteus, guitarist Mark Tinson, and drummer Phil Screen recruited guitarist Peter De Jong, who had first gained attention in 1971 with Armageddon and had won the Newcastle heat of Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds in consecutive years. The group renamed itself Heroes. Based in Newcastle, Heroes signed with the Sydney-based Albert Productions. The band's self-titled debut album, 'Heroes', was released in October 1980 and spawned the singles "Baby's Had a Taste" and "The Star and the Slaughter", the latter released in January 1981. Heroes became Newcastle's leading rock attraction, with both singles reaching the local Top 10. The album performed even better, reaching #1 on the Newcastle charts and #67 nationally.
The band's other claim to fame is that it was the last act to perform at Newcastle's Star Hotel before its controversial closure, which sparked street violence and rioting later that night. The event was later immortalised in a song by Cold Chisel. Heroes’ appearance on Countdown was particularly significant for a Newcastle group. At a time when national television exposure could dramatically expand an artist’s audience, the band’s performances placed De Jong and his bandmates in front of viewers well beyond the Hunter. Heroes disbanded in 1982. In January 2015, the band released its second studio album, 'So Far', which included a bonus disc containing its 1980 debut album. Peter De Jong died in 2026.
Members
Jim Porteus (bass, vocals), Peter De Jong (guitar, vocals), Mark Tinson (guitar, vocals), Phil Screen (drums)
''Baby's Had A Taste (#76) / Waiting For You'' 1980 Albert Productions
''The Star And The Slaughter (#91) / End Of The Road'' 1981 Albert Productions
'Heroes' (#67) 1980 Albert Productions
'So Far' 2015
References
http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/
