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Rhett Walker was a Sydney based disc jockey on station 2UW who brought out a single on Rex records, "I Don't Know How It Is/I'll Never Be The Same Again" backed by the RJ's. A hit on 2UW only, of course. Remember Walker's fictitious Purple Mist Club?
The Delltones had numerous hits in the 1960's, but only one with the original 50's lineup, "Get A Little Dirt On Your Hands"
Scott Turnball was an American guitarist connected with Tommy Sands. He had local success with a song called "Margot", promoted at the time as having been inspired by an air hostess he met on the trip to Australia. Trouble is, the song was written by somebody else. As a singer, I hope he kept his day job.
Patsy Ann Noble had television and overseas successes, but only "Good Lookin' Boy" sold locally.
Paul Wayne, Sydney based, had small win with "Movin' Day" and a version of Chis Kenners "I Like It Like That."
Lucky Starr and The Hepparays. O.K, went big time in Country music, but this lineup had only one real rocker, albeit a classic, Buddy Knox's "Somebody Touched Me/When You Come Back To Me. One of the best early Oz rockers.
Lee Gordon, promoter and businessman, brought out a weird single "Get The Message/She's The Ginchiest" I bought a copy, so who's weird? Listen to this if you think rap music is new.
The Dee Jays, Johnny O'Keefe's backing group, had an instrumental hit with "Straight Flush", originally recorded by The Frantics, of "Werewolf/No Werewolf" infamy.
The RJ's, Dig Richards band, had one themselves with "Midnight Stage", an original composition by (I think) Paul Baker, the band's reedman. They later mutated into the beatlesesque Rajahs.
The Leemen, Lonnie Lees band, got somewhere with "Johnny Guitar", and a long lost album. They were very good.
The Joyboys, Col joys outfit, did well with "Southern 'Rora" but mainly did surfing instrumentals a little later on.
The Devils, Johnny Devlin's band, gave it a go with "Autumn Leaves/Brown Jug Beat". By then I believe the late, great, musician Claude Papesche (forgive the misspelling if present) had moved on. Nice try boys.
John Laws, disc jockey and sometime Country Singer, tried a couple of singles in the 50's, "Something New/Be Kind To Each Other" and "Run Boy Run/Made To Be Loved" without feeling the need for a career path change.
Warren Williams and The Squares hit with "What's A Happenin' Baby/Kathaleen" before Warren immediately moved into MOR Robert Goulet style ballads such as "A Star Fell From Heaven" and "Girls Were Made To Love And Kiss". 'Nuff said?
The Graduates had a little hit with "Sweet Chile/Summertime" on Pacific Records before finding plenty of work on television and as a backing vocal group.
Candy and Mandy had themselves success with "Clicketty Clack" before fading away. For a short time they rivalled Annette Funicello as every schoolboy's fantasy.
Barry Stanton had a hit with "Beggin' on My Knees". He was promoted as an 'Elvis" lookalike but faded from the picture rather quickly. He later resurfaced on some of the oldies tours. A good performer.
Noelene Batley had a monster hit with "Barefoot Boy", one of the best hits of the era (the original version, that is, not the horrible re-recording with the flutes)
The Thunderbirds were a great Melbourne based band, who had great success with "Wild Weekend". This song was covered by an American band, unusual for the time.
Betty McQuade had a big hit with "Midnight Bus", a cover of a song by, I think, Bonnie Guitar
Warren Carr, a sometime member of Johnny O'Keefe's backing bands, had an instrumental hit with "Li'l Old Me" before working the club circuit.
The Dave Bridge Quartet had a biggie, "Skip To My Lou/Sunday Morning". Dave Bridge was the original lead guitarist with the Joy Boys. He later had solo successes and a lengthy club circuit career. Sunday Morning was supposedly later recorded by The Shadows.
Grade Wicker had success in the 60,s with a nightclub style version of :Wild Colonial Boy", but earlier recordings with The Gradiens or The Frank Cristaffi Quintet really rocked without denting the charts. He was a class act. Check out "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" or "Pretty Babe" if you can find them.
The Allen Brothers were popular without chart success, but deserve a mention here because of the international success that Peter Allen went on to gain. Watching them perform at the time, you would never have dreamt it in a million years
The same must be said for the Bee Gees, getting their start on the Desmond Tester TV Show (Called The Channel NinePins?) around 1959. Talk about adenoids.
Swimmer John Konrads tried a career with a band, the K-dets. Can't recall if they actually recorded. He had a short lived show on Channel Nine, I think. Perhaps he was a non playing band leader in the Bob Crosby tradition?
The Thin Men were a Melbourne based vocal group very popular in that region. I know nothing of their recording career.
Same for The Penny Rockets, from Adelaide I think. I know they recorded. Perhaps they had a regional hit?
Johnny Chester must have had regional success in Melbourne before the 60's, when he went national. He did some very good rock and roll then. Did he do a version of Johnny Olen's "Teeny" in his early days?
I know that Melbourne based guitarist and jazzman, Bruce Clarke, did some early rock and roll. I have one of his 45s, but damned if I can find it. Original sound, trebly guitar and muted trumpet. Went on to do some interesting jazz fusion stuff.
There were a number of vocal groups around at the time, The Foreshores, The Sapphires (pre folk group incarnation), The New Notes, The Taylor Sisters etc. Did they record?
I also remember Alan Dale and The Casuals. Can anyone recall the record/s they made? Same with Ray Hoff in his early days?
Jimmy Little had a big one with the gospel song "Royal Telephone". Never went on with it on disc but to this day a popular Country performer.
Oops, forgot the vocal trio, The Crescents. A great bluesy group that did a cover of "Mr. Blue." The lead singer went on to join The Deltones as lead singer, turning up years later in Ayers Rock as a very competent reedman.
Melbourne DJ Grantley Dee did a version of "Let The Little Girl Dance". Not as good as the Bill Bland original but it was nice to hear a local recording done without a pseudo yank accent. A rarity on that score alone.
Slim Dusty hardly qualifies as a one shot with his country music successes, but could be called a rock and roll one shot. After his hits "Pub With No Beer", "Answer To The Pub With No Beer" and "Sequel To The Pub With No Beer", he recorded "Pub Rock" backed, I believe, by The Joy Boys.
"the bells, the bells"
I approve of the management style of this web site. It inspired the Brittas Method.
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"and she said uh-uh, that wouldn't be right. Turn the lights out Johnny"
Copyright © 2001 Brian Brett
