Business as Usual is the debut studio album by Australian new wave band Men at Work, which was released in November 1981 in Australia, and April 1982 in the United States. It spent nine weeks at the top of the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart from December 1981 through to March 1982. The Australian version had a black and white cover design; overseas releases had a similar design, but in a black and yellow colour scheme. Business as Usual was one of the most successful albums internationally by an Australian group. It spent an unprecedented 15 weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 from late 1982 to early 1983; and five weeks at No. 1 in the United Kingdom Albums Chart in early 1983. Business as Usual was also one of the highest selling Australian albums in the early 1980s, with 6 million copies shipped in the US, Surprisingly, the disc also made it to No. 31 on Billboard's Black Albums chart.
Listen Like Thieves is the fifth studio album by the Australian rock band INXS. It was released on 14 October 1985. It spent two weeks at number one on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. Considered an international breakthrough album for the band, it peaked at No. 11 on the United States Billboard 200, No. 24 on the Canadian RPM 100 Albums and top 50 in the United Kingdom.
Shabooh Shoobah is Australian rock group INXS's third studio album and was released on 16 October 1982. It peaked at No. 5 on the ARIA Albums Chart and remained on the chart for 94 weeks. It was the band's first album to be released worldwide and appeared on the United States Billboard 200 and on the Hot Pop Albums Chart. The album spawned four singles, "The One Thing", "Don't Change" (October), "To Look at You" and "Black and White" (June). It was produced by Mark Opitz for WEA Australia with most tracks written by band members Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence.
INXS is Australian rock band INXS's first album. It was released on Deluxe Records in Australia on 13 October 1980. The band recorded the album in midnight to dawn sessions during 1979 to 1980 after performing, on average, two gigs a day at local pubs around Sydney. All tracks were credited to band members, Garry Gary Beers ; brothers Andrew, Jon and Tim Farriss ; Michael Hutchence ; and Kirk Pengilly. The album was co-produced by the band and Duncan McGuire. It spawned the single, "Just Keep Walking", which became their first Australian Top 40 hit. INXS peaked in the Top 30 of the related Kent Music Report Albums Chart. The album did not appear internationally until 1984.
Kids in the Kitchen were an Australian pop, funk and new wave band which formed in 1983. They enjoyed chart success with four top-20 hits on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart, "Change in Mood" (1983), "Bitter Desire" (1984), "Something That You Said" and "Current Stand". The related album, Shine, reached No. 9 on the Kent Music Report Albums Chart and was the 16th-biggest-selling album of 1985 in Australia. A second album, Terrain, followed in August 1987 but did not chart and the group disbanded in 1988. Kids in the Kitchen supported the Australian leg of Culture Club's 2016 world tour.
Mondo Rock was an Australian rock band formed in November 1976 by singer-songwriter, Ross Wilson. They're best known for their second album, Chemistry which was released in July 1981 and peaked at number 2 on the Australian Kent Music Report. Their song "Come Said the Boy" peaked at number 2 in Australia in 1983. The group disbanded in 1991, although they have periodically undertaken reunion concerts. According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, "by way of ceaseless touring and the release of a series of sophisticated pop rock albums, [the band was] one of the most popular acts in Australia during the early 1980s". The band had a national tour in 2019.
"Don't Wake Me" is a song by Australian pop-rock group Uncanny X-Men. The song was released in September 1986 as the second single from the band's second studio album, What You Give Is What You Get. The song peaked at number 31 on the Kent Music Report.
Uncanny X-Men were an Australian pop rock band which formed in late 1980. Their founding mainstay was lead singer Brian Mannix. Originally with Nick Matandos on drums and Ron Thiessen on guitar, they were soon joined by Chuck Hargreaves on guitar and Steve Harrison on bass guitar. John Kirk replaced Harrison and Craig Waugh replaced Matandos by 1984. The band's debut album, 'Cos Life Hurts, peaked at No. 3 on the Australian Kent Music Report, and provided their highest charting single "50 Years" which reached No. 4 on the related singles chart. Thiessen left to be eventually replaced by Brett Kingman. Their second album, What You Give is What You Get, reached No. 19, and included a top 20 single, "I Am" (April). The group disbanded in 1987 and have occasionally reunited to play live concerts. Mannix has had a solo career as a singer, TV personality and actor.
Do-Ré-Mi were an Australian pop rock band formed in Sydney in 1981 by Deborah Conway, Dorland Bray, Helen Carter and Stephen Philip (guitar). They were one of Australia's most respected and successful post-punk groups. Do-Ré-Mi recorded self-titled EP and The Waiting Room for independent label Green Records before signing to Virgin Records and recording their first LP, Domestic Harmony in 1985 with Gavin MacKillop producing. Domestic Harmony achieved gold sales and contained their most played song, "Man Overboard", which was a top 5 hit single in 1985. This song was notable for its lyrical references to penis envy and pubic hair. Do-Ré-Mi's follow-up singles Idiot Grin and Warnings Moving Clockwise reached the Top 100.
Chantoozies are an Australian pop group, formed in 1986. The group featured four female vocalists: Eve von Bibra, Angie La Bozzetta, Ally Fowler and Tottie Goldsmith, and four male musicians: Brett Goldsmith, Scott Griffiths, Frank McCoy and David Reyne. Their name is an intentional mispronunciation of the French word for a female singer, "chanteuse".
"Man Overboard" is a song by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi recorded in 1982 for the EP The Waiting Room. The song was re-recorded in 1985 and released in May 1985 as the lead single from the group's debut studio album, Domestic Harmony. The 7" vinyl version has three tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip.
The Incredible Penguins were an Australian supergroup formed in 1985, which reached the top ten on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart with their cover of "Happy Xmas " in December. Contributors included Angry Anderson, Bob Geldof, Brian Mannix, Scott Carne, Colleen Hewett, and John Farnham. The charity project, for research on little penguins, was organized and produced by Countdown host, Ian Meldrum.
"Out Of Mind Out Of Sight" is the title single by Australian new wave rock band Models from their album of the same name. It was released in June 1985 and was their most successful single, which peaked at No. 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart. The album followed in August on Mushroom Records with Nick Launay, Reggie Lucas and Mark Opitz producing and reached No. 3 on the related albums chart.
'Cos Life Hurts is the debut studio album by Australian pop-rock group Uncanny X-Men. 'Cos Life Hurts was released in June 1985 and sold over 100,000 copies in Australia. The album peaked at No. 3 in Australia and was certified platinum.
'Beach Party is an extended play by Australian pop-rock group Uncanny X-Men. 'Beach Party was released in August 1984 and peaked at No. 32 in Australia. The song "Everybody Wants to Work" was played on radio to promote the EP.
'SaliveOne! is the debut extended play by Australian pop-rock group, Uncanny X-Men. It was released in November 1982 and peaked at No. 40 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart. The EP was recorded live-in-the-studio in one day, two days after signing with Mushroom Records.
"How Do You Get Your Kicks" is a song by Australian pop-rock group Uncanny X-Men. The song was released in April 1983 as the group's debut single. It peaked at number 51 on the Kent Music Report.
"The Party" is a song by Australian pop-rock group Uncanny X-Men. The song was released in February 1985 as the lead single from the band's debut studio album, 'Cos Life Hurts. It peaked at number 18 on the Kent Music Report, becoming the group's first top 20 single.
"50 Years" is a song by Australian Rock-pop group Uncanny X-Men. The song was released in May 1985 as the second single from the band's debut studio album, 'Cos Life Hurts. It peaked at number 4 on the Kent Music Report, becoming the group's first top 5 single.
"I Am" is a song by Australian pop-rock group Uncanny X-Men. The song was released in April 1986 as the lead single from the band's second studio album, What You Give Is What You Get. The song as the first single released by the band on CBS Records. It peaked at number 18 on the Kent Music Report.
