Awesome Aussie Songs

Come A Little Bit Closer is the comeback record released by The Delltones following the death of their lead singer Noel Widerberg. With the support of Noels family, The Dellies recruited former Crescents member Col Loughnan and they hit the studio with Johnny O'Keefe as producer. Together they created a classic version of Come A Little Bit Closer. The song was the highest selling Australian single for 1963, as well as winning Song of the Year at the Australian Radio Awards. Our specials guests are Pee Wee Wilson and Col Loughnan.

What's Love Got to Do With It by Tina Turner has become an all time classic song. In this episode we speak with the songs co-writer and producer Terry Britten. Not only did What's Love Got to Do With It win Terry a Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1985, the song has also gone onto be inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame and has sold over 2 million copies worldwide. The former Twilights guitarist sums it up perfectly in this episode "Can you believe it, this Adelaide boy from Tea Tree Gully going all the way to the Grammys". Yes, we do realise Tina's not an Aussie but her links with Australia are many and in this episode we pay tribute to Tina and her Australian connection.

This episode is on the Little River Band and their debut single Curiosity Killed the Cat The Little River Band are one of the most successful acts in the history of Australian music. On the US Billboard charts, they’ve had 10 singles reach the Top 20 and they’ve sold more than 30 million records worldwide. The band were renowned for their tight harmonies and brilliant live performances.  Our specials guests are LRB legends, Beeb Birtles and Glenn Shorrock.

This episode is on Tony Worsley and the Fabulous Blue Jays and their hit song Velvet Waters The group came together when leading promoter Ivan Dayman teamed up Brisbane singer Tony Worsley with well known Melbourne band The Blue Jays. Before teaming up with Tony, The Blue Jays were one of Melbourne’s most popular bands, having formed in 1959. The band went through various line up changes and included musicians Frankie Brent, Chris Lawson, Doug Stirling, Bob Johnson, Laurie Allen, Johnny Cosgrove, Alan Easterbrook, Ray Houston, Dennis Tucker, and Doug Flower. By the time the Blue Jays had teamed up with Tony the band consisted of drummer Bob Johnson, guitarist Mal Clarke, Ray Eames on lead guitar, Paul Shannon playing sax and Royce Nicholls on Bass. Jimmy Cerezo  would replace Ray Eames. Originally Velvet Waters was an instrumental song by American band The Megatrons before Australian songwriter Dorothy Dodds added lyrics to the tune. The first version with lyrics was recorded by Bruce Gillespie. Our special guest is Tony Worsley

This mini episode comes from episode 16, Crying Shame by Johnny Diesel and the Injectors. Since their self-title debut album was released in 1989, Mark Lizotte aka Diesel has become a mainstay of the Australian music scene. Diesel emigrated to Australia in 1971 with the Lizotte family settling in Perth. After his first band Innocent Bystanders broke up, together with a few bandmates they formed a new group – a then unnamed band – here’s Diesel telling the story of how Mark Lizotte morphed into Johnny Diesel.

This mini ep takes a look at music royalty Col Joye and the Joy Boys and the time they had to hold the attention of an 8000 strong crowd waiting for Johnny Cash to arrive at the stadium. The band was at the very start of rock n roll in Australia and they are true pioneers. In this era, Col Joy and the Joye Boys popularity and chart success is only rivalled by that of Johnny O’Keefe and the Dee Jays. They also hold the distinction being the first Australian act to have a Number 1 record with Bye Bye Baby. You can hear more from Col in our episode on Bye Bye Baby which is episode 5 – there is also another mini ep on the time Col was playing for our troops at the Vietnam War, when suddenly he found himself at the Battle of Long Tan.

As Blueys father, he is perhaps the most beloved heeler dog dad in the history of animation – Bandit is voiced by Custards’s Dave McCormack. Custard where part of Oz music history when they played at the Crowded House farewell to the world concert, staged at the Sydney Opera House – via their first hit song Apartment, Custard had already had history with the iconic building. Here's Dave talking about Apartment and how they came to shoot the songs film clip.   For more on Custard, check out episode 48 where we take a look their song Girls Like that.

This mini episode comes from 90’s band Fini Scad – they were band that shone brightly, if only briefly and are best known for their song Coppertone. We spoke with Fini Scads drummer Jono McPhee and he was brutally honest about the highs and lows of the music business. While it wasn’t always sunshine and lollipops for Fini Scad, they still had plenty of ‘rock star’ moments. They toured with Midnight Oil and they were selected by Micheal Gudinski to play at Mushrooms 25th Anniversary at the MCG.

In this mini episode we take a look at the tragic death of one of Australia’s early pop stars, the lead singer of The Delltones, Noel Widerberg.   The singers death came as a huge shock to teenager all around Australia.  The excitement that came with this new craze of rock n roll, was suddenly shattered with the death of one of their teen idols. We speak with The Delltones legend Pee Wee Wilson

This mini ep is about the time Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs toured with way-out English performer Screaming Lord Sutch.   We speak with member of the Aztecs Tony Barber, no, not the Sale of the Century host but the bands guitarist. Tony emigrated to Australia in 1964 and he became a driving force on the beat pop scene. You can hear more about Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs in episode 28 were we take a look at their first No.1 hit record Poison Ivy

This mini episode is on Aria Hall of famer, Col Joye and the time he found his himself in Vietnam during the war and right smack in the middle of the Battle of Long Tan. For the full story of Col’s experiences performing during the Vietnam War period check out episode 34.

This mini ep takes a look at ground breaking Australian rock band, Ayers Rock. Formed in 1973, Ayers Rock were the first Australian act signed with Mushroom Records to break internationally. When Ayers Rock recorded their debut album, Big Red Rock, they recorded it live-in-the-studio and it was a ground breaking album.

In the world of music, The Rajahs are not a household name, however, they’ve had some extraordinary moments in their career.   Before they renamed themselves The Rajahs, the band were previously known as The R’Jays and they were one of the most popular acts in Australia. As Dig Richards and the R’Jays, they spread the gospel of rock n roll across the country and their success was only rivalled by the likes of Johnny O’Keefe and Col Joye.   Here’s Drummer Leon Isaccson telling us about how the band became the first Australian band to tour Vietnam during the war, performing for the Australian and American troops.

Diana Trask is a music trail blazer – following World War 2, she was the first Australian female to break into the big time in the USA. She was the first to star on Prime Time American television, she was nominated for a Grammy and her diversity saw her cross-over from Jazz to pop and then go onto have a successful career in Country Music. 18 of her singles made the Billboard Country Charts. As a songwriter, she wrote a US top 10 hit for the Osmond Brothers and throughout her career Diana’s friends have included Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell. Here’s Diana talking about her experience meeting Frank Sinatra and what it was like being around one of the most famous entertainers at the height of his fame.

Without doubt, The Bee Gees are the most successful act to come from Australia. In this episode of Awesome Aussie Songs, we take a look at one of their early international smash hits To Love Somebody. Rather than just the Gibb Brothers performing as a trio, the 1967 to 69 incarnation of The Bee Gees was a 5 piece band capable of heart felt ballads, as well as equally being at home with some ‘four to the floor’ Rock n Roll. We speak with The Bee Gees original lead guitarist Vince Melouney and he shares some fascinating insights into the early years of group and how they came to take on the world and win! There are also historical interview excerpts from Barry, Robin and Maurice, as well as plenty of information and facts to keep even the most fanatical Bee Gees fan satisfied. This episode is a celebration of the band and their contribution to popular music.

It's with a heavy heart we release this episode on the Queen of Australian music, Olivia Newton-John. Around 6 months ago we spoke to Olivia's friend and band leader Chong Lim about Olivia.  I Honestly Love You won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year 1974. The song was co-written by Jeff Barry and fellow Australian icon Peter Allen.

Kevin Johnson is one of the countries finest singer / songwriters. While he has had plenty of success in Australia, it is on international scene where his thought provoking music has been truly appreciated. Kevin has made the charts in the US, UK and across Europe and his songs have been covered by the likes of Tom Jones and Mac Davis. Rock & Roll (I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life) is one of the most covered songs ever written by an Australian, in this episode we speak with Kevin about his career and how he came to write a classic song.

The episode is on The Groop and their song Woman You’re Breaking Me. As a recording act, The Groop had two distinct periods featuring various different members. The Groop Mark 1 was a folk band and spanned 1964 to 66, while The Groop Mark 2 1966 to 69, had a pop rock sound. Our Special guest is former member of The Groop and one of Australia’s greatest songwriters, Brian Cadd.

When looking back at the biggest bands of the mid to late 1960’s in Australia, The Easybeats and The Masters Apprentices immediately spring to mind and rightly so, both these bands were absolutely massive, however, ranking right alongside them in the popularity stakes was Adelaide band, The Twilights. The Twilights had 9 singles make the charts over a 2 year period including a No.1 hit with Needle in a Haystack. As well as a No.1 hit record, they also had another 4 singles make it into the Top 5 on the National Charts. It wasn’t just on the charts that the Twilights excelled either, they quickly gained a reputation for being one of finest live bands in Australia. This is further highlighted by the fact they would go onto become the national winners of the prestigious Hoadley Battle of the Sounds competition in 1966. The winners prize included a trip to London for the band and a recording session at Abbey Road Studios - and as luck would have it, The Beatles just happened to be down the hallway recording Penny Lane. Our special guests are former Twilights, Australian music icon Glenn Shorrock and Grammy Award winner, Terry Britten.   

Without doubt, John Farnham is an Australian music icon. In this episode we take a look at the highest selling Australian single of all time, You're the Voice. Our special guest is Farnsie's musical director, keyboardists and right-hand man, Chong Lim.