SOUTH PACIFIC

Rip It Up, Issue 52, 1 November 1981, Page 12

SOUTH PACIFIC

Sunnyboys Sunnyboys by name, by nature and by music. Clean, sparkling pop music that never seems to date. It was bred in the 1960'5, and continues to surface, not just'because people want to escape reality for a moment, but because music should be fun. Sunnyboys have only been around since August 1980 when they played their first gig at Chequers nightspot, in their home town of Sydney. The band consists of brothers Jeremy and Peter Oxley, • Bill Bilson and Richard Burgman. All are in their late teens or early twenties. The Oxleys have been writing songs together since early teens and went to school with Bilson. Their single Happy Man' (featured on South Pacific) and their debut LP both went Top 20 at home. Sunnyboys play to capacity houses in Sydney and Melbourne, and look to be a major asset for the future, with their bright, catchy sound. Meo 245 MEO 245 are a four-piece with a strong English influence, and their debut single Lady Love' was a Top 40 Australian hit. The recording of their first LP, Screen Memory, actually began in May, but not without incident. Just prior to the recording, during the final leg of an eastern states tour, their road van overturned about three hours out of Hobart, destroying almost all their instruments, PA and stage equipment. To assemble the gear needed for. recording necessitated a three-day shopping spree in Sydney, thus cutting their rehearsal time to a minimum. • This only made ■ firmer the band's resolve to make the sessions work. Producer Peter Dawkins was equally determined, and after three days at Sydney's EMI . studios, it was plain that MEO 245's luck had changed for the better. They were well pleased with the backing tracks, and 'Other Places', which appears on South Pacific, was especially satisfying. The Sports The Sports have released four albums through Mushroom, two of them, Don't Throw Stones and Suddenly, going gold. Steve Cummings, Ed Bates, Jim Niven, Paul Hitchens, Rob Glover and Andrew Pendlebury got together in Melbourne in 1977. They recorded a debut EP, financed by themselves and some mates, and produced by Joe Camilleri, sold some 300 copies and received some warm reviews. - They signed with Mushroom in 1978, and the first album, Reckless, was hailed as a major work, backed up by live performances that left audiences breathless. Ed Bates was replaced by Martin Armiger in August of that year, and the following month they were signed to support Graham Parker on his Australian tour. So impressed was Parker with the Sports that he invited them to

join him on his English tour ‘ of 1979. They signed with Stiff for UK distribution and, toured the USA and the UKj^RSHpPHSS Another line-up change came in December 1979, when Jimmy Niven and Paul Hitchens quit. Niven was not replaced, but lan McLennan took over the drums. McLennan lasted till June of 1980, when he left because of ill health, to be replaced by exSkyhook Freddie Strauks. . This is the line-up that recorded their latest LP, Sondra, produced by Cameron Allen. One of Australia's ' most consistent bands, both live and in the studio, two tracks from Sondra, 'How Come' and 'Black Stockings', are on South Pacific. Russell Morris & the Rubes A household name on both sides of the Tasman since the late sixties, Russell Morris will ever be remembered for 'The Real Thing' a landmark in Australian recording with its incredibly complex production. Russell charted consistently into the seventies, with hits including Rachel', 'Mr America', .'Sweet Sweet Love' and Wings Of An Eagle'. Russell went to the States in the mid-seventies, recording two albums, but finding the climate frustrating. His most productive work was songwriting with fellow expatriates Brian Cadd and Billy Thorpe. Russell returned to Australia in 1978. He put together a band and released the single 'Thunderground', which let everyone know he was well and truly back. A round of full-house concerts and the Mushroom album Foot In The Door followed in 1979. Last year, Russell formed a new band, the Rubes (Rick Puchala, Max Chazan, James Gillard and Bruce Haymes). Their first single was a remake of 'Hush', a gold single for Russell in the 60's. Their new LP, Almost Frantic, was produced by David Briggs, going Top 10 in Melbourne and Top 30. nationally. 'Roar Of The Wild Torpedoes', the album's second single, is included on South Pacific. Russell and band toured New Zealand in 1980 and plan to (return, hopefully to coincide with the . release of their next album. . _ ■ Paul Kelly & the Dots Paul Kelly and the Dots are best known in this country for a song done by somebody else. That's the way it goes, but Jo Jo Zep certainly showed good taste in covering 'Only The Lonely Heart'. The Dots' Melbourne hometown-following is little ..short of fanatical, but the band have still • to crack the market . outside of Melbourne. . Kelly moved to Melbourne from Adelaide in 1977. His influences include mid-period Dylan, the Stones and Lou Reed. His . growing songwriting talent 'and rich, soulful voice have earned him the deep respect of his peers, such as Doc Neeson, Jimmy Barnes, Paul Hewson and Iva ’ Davies. r C The rest of the Dots are Tony Thornton, Alan Brooker, Mick

Holmes and Tim Brossnan. Their first album, Talk, was recorded in the middle of last year, and was one of the most played on Australia's FM stations. It was produced by both Martin Armiger of the Sports and Joe Camilleri of Jo Jo Zep. Their new album, Manila, was recorded in that city, and produced by the Dots themselves. On South Pacific is 'Billy Baxter' from Talk.

Wendy & the Rocketts Since their formation . ,’in September 1980, Wendy -and the Rocketts have built a strong following in their home town of Melbourne, with a - mixture of gutsy, original songs and a few golden oldies thrown in for good measure. ' Wendy Stapleton has been a session singer for over five years,

Renee Geyer For Renee Geyer the waiting is over. Based in Los Angeles for the past two years, much of. that time has been spent waiting. "L.A. is a very 'waiting' place," Renee say sffiafflßß&BrißMßl "You wait for deal, you wait for a gig. It's a very procrastinating place. I waited a lot. 1 went to; meetings, but nothing much came out of it." But now things are happening for her. Working with Renee on the album is Ricky Fataar, who drummed for the Beach Boys in the early seventies. He has given what Renee calls "a calypso feel" to her music - notably on the hit - single 'Say T Love You', an Eddy Grant song. ■ ', ' . Co-producing with Fataar is Bob Fabroni, who has worked with Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton and The Band. The musicians are Fataar (drums), lan McLagan . (keyboards), Johnny Lee Schell (guitar) and Ray O'Hara (bass). During the. recording . Joe Cocker wandered into the studio and wound up recording a duet with Renee (a song-called 'Good Loving'). "It was • totally spontaneous," Renee says. "He came in . one night to say 'hi' and liked what he

and has also been a prominent theatrical performer since her teens. Her backup credits include Jon English, Jo Jo Zep and Russell Morris. She and Mark Chew worked together several years ago in the Southern Transit Band, and today they write most of the Rocketts' material. The other Rocketts are Vic Crump, Wayne Sullivan and Steve Donald. Their track on South Pacific, 'Reputation', was

heard. He came back next night and asked if he could sing. I never cease to be amazed by that sort of attitude. He's a lovely guy, a gentleman." Pausing to consider the pressures that drive musicians to the edge from which not all return, she says: "It's mainly the touring. The whole thing is such a party atmosphere. It's very hard not to have a drink when there's always a party going on ... Geyer feels a new maturity. "America has been very good for me. 1 did really well early in Australia and I got a swelled head. America has been very good in humbling me. To go somewhere where you are not known from a bar of soap can be really good. "I would like to base myself in Australia and commute when I have to. I'll base myself in America until the record is done." Once the album (So Lucky) is finished she will be looking for a record company to handle worldwide distribution. "I need a label that really wants to get behind me and put 10 years into it." Renee Geyer is on the road again. The L.A. waiting is over. To paraphrase one of her bestknown songs —. She's heading in the right direction. Ken Williams The Sports

their first Mushroom single, which went Top 20 in Melbourne, and Top 50 nationally in Australia. As Wendy is still involved with sessions, as well as performing four nights a week, the Rocketts have only just begun to tour, but they're already drawing good crowds. The second single, Tonite', has just been released and they start work on their first album early in the new year.