Australian Rock by Memorable Music

The Saints was one of Australia's first significant punk bands. Well before the band gained any recognition in Australia, it was acclaimed overseas. The Saints' debut single '(I'm) Stranded' (September, 1976) was voted Single Of The Week by British rock music paper Sounds.
In July, 1977 The Saints scored a Top 40 hit in Britain with 'This Perfect Day'. The band did not make the Top 40 in Australia until April, 1986 with 'Just Like Fire Would'.
In 1977 The Saints recorded cover versions of Connie Francis' 'Lipstick On Your Collar', and Ike And Tina Turner's 'River Deep, Mountain High' for the One, Two, Three, Four E.P. (October, 1977).
In 1978 the press reported The Saints' derogatory comments about the Australian pop scene, and in particular television music show Countdown. As a result, the group was banned from appearing on Countdown.
The cover of The Saints' album Prehistoric Sounds (October, 1978) featured a still from the classic 1951 B-grade science fiction film When Worlds Collide.
The only constant factor in The Saints' tortuous 12 year history was lead singer Chris Bailey.

Seekers

When the Seekers left Australia for the U.K. in April, 1964 they were unable to afford the fares and were forced to perform on board ship to finance their passage.
The Seekers were the first Australian group to make the British charts with 'I'll Never Find Another You' which reached number one in January, 1965. They were also the first Australian group to make the U.S. charts with the same song which reached number four in March, 1965.
In March, 1967 the Seekers made a triumphant return to their hometown of Melbourne where they appeared at the Myer Music Bowl in front of an estimated 200,000 people. This amazing attendance figure constituted about one in 10 of the total population of Melbourne at the time.
In 1973 vocalist and bass player for the Seekers, Athol Guy, was elected to Victorian State Parliament as a Liberal Party member.
Tom Springfield (one time member of successful British trio the Springfields, which also included Dusty Springfield) was the composer or co-writer of the Seekers' five biggest hits — 'I'll Never Find Another You', 'World Of Our Own', 'The Carnival Is Over', 'Georgy Girl' and 'Walk With Me'.

Sherbet

In early 1970, Sherbet released a dreadful debut single, 'Crimson Ships'/'Everything', which so embarrassed the band that it was struck off their official biography.
In 1973 Sherbet's lead singer Daryl Braithwaite took time out from the band to play the lead role in the stage production of Tommy. ^
Sherbet's 'Summer Love' (March, 1975) was the biggest selling Australian single in 1975.
Sherbet's only record to chart overseas was 'Howzat' which made number four on the U.K. charts in September, 1976 and number 61 in America. As The Sherbs, they again reached 61 on Billboard with 'I Have the Skill'.
In May, 1977 it was announced that guitarist Harvey James (who had been with Sherbet since January, 1976) was being replaced by Jim Gannon (ex English group, Fox). However, the move never eventuated and Harvey remained with the band until late in 1981.
Sherbet's American record company, RSO, felt the band's name did not effectively convey the heavier image that was to be promoted in the U.S. In March, 1979 Sherbet became Highway for American release. Between 1980 and 1984 the band performed in Australia as The Sherbs.
Between August, 1971 ('Can You Feel It Baby') and August, 1978 ('Another Night On The Road') Sherbet had 20 national Top 40 hit singles (including two No. Is).
Sherbet was the first Australian band to top the $1 million mark in album sales.

Skyhooks

Skyhooks' debut album Living In The 70's (October, 1974) created Australian music history by selling an unprecedented 225,000 copies. This record remained unchallenged until Men At Work's Business As Usual (December, 1981) and Midnight Oil's 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 (December, 1982).
The Federation Of Australian Commercial Broadcasters (FACE) placed an 'A' classification on six of the ten tracks on Living In The 70's, Banned from radio airplay were 'Whatever Happened To The Revolution?', 'You Just Like Me 'Cos I'm Good In Bed', 'Toorak Cowboy', 'Smut', 'Hey, What's The Matter' and 'Motorcycle
Bitch'.
When Sydney ABC FM radio station 2JJ (now 2JJJ) began transmission on January 19th, 1975 the first song played was Skyhooks' 'You Just Like Me 'Cos I'm Good In Bed'.
Skyhooks had the two biggest selling Australian albums for 1975: Living In The 70's and Ego Is Not A Dirty Word.
In November, 1975 Dingo Books published the book Skyhooks — Million Dollar Riff which was written by journalist Jenny Brown.
In April, 1976 Shirley Strachan, Red Symons and Bongo Starr appeared nude in Cleo magazine's centrefold.
Skyhooks' single 'Women In Uniform' (February, 1978) was one of the first Australian singles to be issued in both 17.7 cm (7") and 30 cm (12") form, with the 12" sporting a full-colour picture sleeve.
Skyhooks' single 'Over The Border' (April, 1979) attacked the policies of Queensland's Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen. Joh described the song as 'a cheap little gimmick aimed at attracting free publicity'. Ironically, the single reached the Queensland
Top 10, but only managed No. 32 nationally.
In 1980, British heavy metal band Iron Maiden had a British Top 40 hit with an inferior cover of Skyhooks' 'Women In Uniform'. Skyhooks' original version reached No. 73 on the British charts in 1979.
Skyhooks officially disbanded in June, 1980. The final performance was in the Western Australian mining town of Kalgoorlie. Since then the band has re-formed on a temporary basis on two occasions: a national tour in April, 1983 and for Melbourne radio station 3XY's Rocktober Revolution concert in October, 1984.
Two years after the band's break-up, Mushroom Records issued Skyhooks' 'Hooked' On Hooks' single. This was a medley of re-mixed versions of Skyhooks' hits ('Horror Movie', 'Ego Is Not A Dirty Word', 'This Is My City', 'Living In The 70's', 'You Just
Like Me 'Cos I'm Good In Bed', 'Women In Uniform' and 'Million Dollar Riff). It proved to be very popular with a new legion of radio listeners and reached the national Top 20.
The release of 'Hooked On Hooks' prompted a suit for damages. The back cover of the 30 cm version featured a 1976 photograph of a screaming fan, with the song title 'Smut' emblazoned across her face. The girl claimed the photo defamed her and the case was settled out of court.
The cover of Skyhooks' album Live In The 80's (November, 1983 — recorded during the reunion tour of April, 1983) recreated the original Living In The 70's cover in exact detail with a photograph of the band at Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport.
The Skyhooks' Boxed Set (February, 1983) was the first boxed set released by an Australian rock artist. The set contained nine albums (including two bonus albums) and the 30 cm 'Hooked On Hooks' single.
Skyhooks' guitarist Red Symons was born in England and emigrated to Australia in 1958 on the same ship as the Bee Gees.
Red Symons has a Degree in Computer Science.
Skyhooks' drummer Freddy Strauks celebrates his birthday on the same day as Sherbet's Tony Mitchell: October 21st.

Spectrum

Spectrum's No. 1 hit single 'I'll Be Gone' (February, 1971) was the final rock song to be played on the once-hip Melbourne radio station 3AK before it took up its format of 'Beautiful Music' on June 1st, 1973.
Spectrum's 'I'll Be Gone' was accompanied by one of the first Australian promotional film clips.
Since the break-up of Spectrum in 1973, leader/guitarist Mike Rudd has fronted the bands Ariel, Instant Replay, The Heaters, W.H.Y. and Number 9.
In February, 1984 Spectrum re-formed for a successful national tour.

Split Enz

Original Split Enz member Phil Judd painted the cover of the band's debut album Mental Notes (September, 1975). For the overseas version of the album (released in 1976), the painting was slightly modified after Phil shaved his head.
Split Enz's second album, Second Thoughts (July, 1976), was produced by Roxy Music's guitarist Phil Manzanera, and recorded in London.
The title of Split Enz's third album, Dizrhythmia (August, 1977), was derived from the medical term for jet-lag, Circadian Disrhythmia (meaning upset body rhythms).
Split Enz's album Beginning Of The Enz (November, 1979) featured recordings the band had made in New Zealand prior to coming to Australia in 1975.
Split Enz's 'I Got You' (March, 1980) was the biggest selling Australian single for 1980, and True Colours was the top selling Australian album that same year.
In August, 1980 Split Enz scored its only British hit when 'I Got You' reached No. 12 on the U.K. charts. One of the band's follow-up singles 'Six Months In A Leaky Boat', caused controversy in Britain. Radio stations, sensitive to the Falkland
Island's situation at the time, misinterpreted the song as an indirect reference to the war. Consequently it received no airplay.
Split Enz's single 'Six Months In A Leaky Boat' (June, 1982) reached No. 2 on the Australian national charts. Some of the lyrics in the chorus were sung in the Maori language.
Split Enz's Corroboree album (March, 1981) was released outside of Australia under the title of Waiata. (Both words — the first Aboriginal, the second Maori — translate to mean a gathering for a tribal dance.)
By 1983 Split Enz had sold a total of one million units (albums and singles) in Australia alone.
Split Enz officially broke up at the end of 1984, and to celebrate the occasion the band undertook the Enz With A Bang national tour. Following the tour a live album, The Living Enz (November, 1985), was issued, and featured songs drawn from all stages of the band's career.
Following the break-up of Split Enz, keyboardist Eddie Rayner recorded with Paul McCartney in London, and Neil Finn and Paul Hester found further international success with Crowded House.
Split Enz's percussionist Noel Crombie designed all of the band's colourful and outrageous stage costumes.
One-time Split Enz drummer Malcolm Green celebrates his birthday on the same day as Dragon's keyboards player, the late Paul Hewson, January 25th.

Sports
In 1979 The Sports played Australia's first ever national radio and television hook-up. The band played at Bombay Rock in Melbourne and the performance was broadcast live through radio stations 3XY (Melbourne), 2SM (Sydney), 2NX (Newcastle) and 4IP (Brisbane).
D In 1979 The Sports' single 'Who Listens To The Radio' reached No. 44 on the U.S. charts.
In early 1979 The Sports toured Britain as support act to Graham Parker and The Rumour. Parker had seen Sports in Australia during his 1978 tour, and asked the band to tour with him overseas. Whilst in Britain The Sports recorded for the Stiff
label.
In 1980 The Sports embarked on a national tour with fellow Mushroom label band Split Enz. The tour was called Sporting True Colours.
The Sports' single 'Strangers On A Train' (March, 1980) bears the same title as a 1951 Alfred Hitchcock film.
The Sports' album Sondra (July, 1981) was named after actress Sondra Locke, who has appeared in a number of Clint Eastwood movies. The album also featured two bonus tracks called 'Clint 1' and 'Clint 2' (an instrumental).

Billy Thorpe (& The Aztecs)

By the age of eleven Billy Thorpe was already working adult venues and in order to overcome child labour protection regulations he was billed as 'Little Alien Rock'.
Billy Thorpe's association with backing band the Aztecs began in January, 1964 when he did an audition at Sydney's Surf City dance. During the audition Billy was accompanied by the Aztecs (who had recorded instrumentals under the name of the Vibrators) and they liked his style so much that they asked him to join as
permanent lead vocalist.
As a follow up to Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs' first single, 'Blue Day', he'd chosen another of rhythm guitarist Tony Barber's compositions. However, two days before the session Tony received an advance copy of a Rolling Stones' E.P. from his brother in England. One track on the disc, 'Poison Ivy', appealed to the boys although they were sure they could record a better rendition. The result was not only their first national hit, but also their first and only number one record.
By 1971, after several line-up changes, Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs had become known as simply the Aztecs with Billy on lead guitar. Their music was now hard rock and they were becoming increasingly controversial for their volume and their boisterous, beer-swilling sometimes rough-house following.
The Aztecs' June, 1974 album More Arse Than Class featured an inner-gate fold sleeve photograph of the band members' bare backsides.
The Aztecs' Aztecs ... Live album (December, 1971) was the biggest selling Australian album for 1972.
In 1972, Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs, along with Gerry Humphreys, Friends and the La De Das, drew 200,000 people to Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl for 3XY's free concert. This was one of the largest concert audiences ever assembled in the country.

TMG

Not only is TMG (Ted Mulry Gang) one of Australia's longest running bands, but it is the only big name group to have survived for thirteen years without any line up changes.
Ted Mulry originally started out as TMG's vocalist and his role as the group's bass player came about quite by accident. At one of their early gigs in late 1972 the original bass player stormed off the stage and Ted simply picked up the instrument and started playing.
Ted Mulry Gang's biggest seller and only number one hit, 'Jump In My Car' (October, 1975), was never intended to be released as a single. The song was a track on their first album Here We Are and radio personality Barry Chapman (2SM in Sydney) began playing 'Jump In My Car' and suggested it be released as a single. The record company (Albert) disagreed and it was several months before they finally relented.

Twilights

Of the Twilights' nine national chart entries (spanning March, 1966 to June, 1968) three were double-sided hit singles: 'What's Wrong With The Way I Live / '9.50' (March, 1967), 'The Way They Played'/'Cathy Come Home' (November, 1967) and 'Always'/'What A Silly Thing To Do' (June, 1968).
The Twilights were the first winners of Hoadley's National Battle Of The Sounds in 1966.
Three of The Twilights' biggest hits were recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London: 'What's Wrong With The Way I Live', '9.50' and 'Young Girl'.
Early in 1968 the Twilights produced a pilot film for a television series similar to the Monkees' Show which was popular at the time. However, the concept was too expensive and attempts to find a sponsor were unsuccessful, so the project was scrapped.
Twilights lead vocalist, Glen Shorrock, was also frontman for Axiom and the Little River Band.
Twilights lead guitarist, Terry Britten, was the composer of Cliff Richard's 'Devil Woman' and Tina Turner's 'What's Love Got To Do With It'.
Well before groups in the eighties such as Redgum, Goanna and Midnight Oil recorded anti-nuclear songs the Twilights released 'Comin' On Down' in August, 1968. The lyrics expressed their concern for nuclear experiments and wars and the resultant fall-out problem.

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