Little River Band (LRB) were formed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in March 1975. The original Australian group featured lead vocalist Glenn Shorrock, guitarists and vocalists Beeb Birtles and Graeham Goble, lead guitarist Ric Formosa, bassist Roger McLachlan and drummer Derek Pellicci. Since their formation, the band have been through numerous lineup changes. None of the original Australian band are members of the current American band which have legal use of the Little River Band name and trademarks. This band includes bassist and lead vocalist Wayne Nelson (from 1980 to 1996 and since 1999), keyboardist and vocalist Chris Marion (since 2004), drummer and vocalist Ryan Ricks (since 2012), guitarist and vocalist Colin Whinnery (since 2018) and guitarist and vocalist Bruce Wallace (since 2022).
LRB were formed in March 1975 by lead vocalist Glenn Shorrock, guitarist-vocalists Beeb Birtles and Graeham Goble, lead guitarist Ric Formosa, bassist Roger McLachlan and drummer Derek Pellicci. [1] [2] The previous month, before taking on its new name, the group had recorded a cover version of the Everly Brothers song "When Will I Be Loved" with lead guitarist Graham Davidge and bassist Dave Orams, however this remained unreleased until 1988 when it was featured on the compilation Too Late to Load . [3] With the original lineup, LRB recorded its self-titled 1975 debut album and follow-up After Hours , before Formosa left in August 1976; he was replaced by David Briggs, while the group also brought in George McArdle to take over from McLachlan, with whom they "weren't 100 per cent happy". [4]
With Briggs and McArdle, LRB achieved international success with the releases of Diamantina Cocktail in 1977 and Sleeper Catcher in 1978. [2] For a world tour in the summer of 1978, Pellicci was temporarily replaced by Geoff Cox, a former bandmate of Briggs in the band Cycle, after suffering burn injuries which rendered him unable to perform. [5] At the same time, Mal Logan was brought in as a touring keyboardist. [6] Following Pellicci's return, the group recorded three shows in November 1978 for its first live album, Backstage Pass . [7] At the end of January 1979, however, McArdle also left after converting to Christianity and deciding to attend Bible college full-time. [8] He was not immediately replaced, with bass on First Under the Wire performed by session musicians Clive Harrison and Mike Clarke. [9]
In July 1979, McArdle's official replacement was announced to be Barry Sullivan. [10] He remained for less than a year, however, before former Jim Messina Band bassist Wayne Nelson took over in April 1980. [11] The new lineup recorded Time Exposure in 1981, although before it was released Briggs left the group. [12] He was replaced in August 1981 by Stephen Housden, formerly of Stevie Wright's band. [13] Following a world tour which spawned the live video Live Exposure , frontman Shorrock left LRB in February 1982 to focus on his solo career. [14] In subsequent years, Shorrock has claimed that he did not leave the band voluntarily, and was instead sacked. [15] Nelson has supported the claim, suggesting that guitarist Beeb Birtles "voted to oust" the singer which led to the band subsequently "dismantling". [16]
Glenn Shorrock was replaced in February 1982 by John Farnham. [17] His first recording with LRB was "The Other Guy", which was released on the compilation Greatest Hits . [18] Following the release of The Net , the band added its first official keyboardist in David Hirschfelder, who joined in time for tour dates in September 1983. [7] Within six months of his arrival, the group had lost two more founding members – Beeb Birtles left in October 1983 and Derek Pellicci followed in February 1984, both due to stylistic differences. [19] Birtles was not replaced, while former Cold Chisel drummer Steve Prestwich took over from Pellicci ready for the recording of Playing to Win in July 1984. [20] A second album, No Reins , followed in 1986. [21]
For a short Australian tour in April 1986, Prestwich was replaced by touring drummer Malcolm Wakeford. [7] However, this would prove to be the final tour with several band members, and the band's last activity for almost two years, as Farnham left in October that year to focus on his solo career. [2] [22] The group subsequently disbanded, citing "frustration over diminishing record sales and radio airplay". [23] After months of rumours, LRB officially reformed in December 1987 with original lead singer Glenn Shorrock. [24] Stephen Housden, Graeham Goble and Wayne Nelson returned from the 1986 lineup, alongside original drummer Derek Pellicci. [25] James Roche joined as the band's touring keyboardist. [7] This lineup issued Monsoon in 1988 and Get Lucky in 1990. [2]
Goble – now the sole constant member of LRB – performed his last shows with the band in April 1989. [7] It was officially announced in March the next year that he would no longer tour with the group, in order to focus primarily on his side project Broken Voices. [26] He was replaced by former Player frontman Peter Beckett, while Tony Sciuto joined as the group's new keyboardist. [27] This lineup issued Worldwide Love in 1991, a compilation on which the title track was a new recording. [28] By summer 1992, Goble had left permanently and Sciuto had been temporarily replaced by Richard Bryant. [29] After a tour which spawned the live album Live Classics , Sciuto returned. [28]
In 1996, both lead vocalists Shorrock and Nelson left LRB, replaced by Steve Wade and Hal Tupaea, respectively. [30] After a touring cycle which ran until late 1997, Beckett left the band to return to Player, to which he also brought Sciuto. [28] Pellicci also left for a second time, leaving the group with no founding members for the first time in its history. [31] At this point, Stephen Housden acquired the rights to the LRB band name, after Shorrock reportedly declined an offer to rejoin the outfit. [16] [32]
Retaining Steve Wade as frontman, Stephen Housden rebuilt LRB in early 1998 with the addition of Icehouse guitarist Paul Gildea, original LRB bassist Roger McLachlan, drummer Kevin Murphy and former Air Supply keyboardist Adrian Scott. [33] McLachlan and Scott remained only for a year, before they were replaced in early 1999 by returning Wayne Nelson and new member Glenn Reither. [34] One year later, Gildea was replaced by Greg Hind. [35] Wade also left the group at the same time, at which point Nelson took over as the band's lead vocalist. [36] This lineup issued the group's first studio album in 11 years, Where We Started From. [2]
Shortly after the release of Test of Time in 2004, Reither was replaced by Chris Marion. [37] Murphy was also briefly replaced by Kip Raines, although he was unable to commit to the band full-time and was himself replaced early the next year by Billy Thomas. [38] In March 2006, LRB's longest-running continuous member Stephen Housden stepped down from touring, with Rich Herring brought in to take his place. [39] This lineup released studio album Re-arranged and live collection Standing Room Only, before Thomas was replaced by Mel Watts in early 2007. [40] Watts remained until early 2012, recording two Christmas albums with the group, before he was replaced by Ryan Ricks. [41] During 2017, Hind was briefly unable to tour due to a carpal tunnel injury, with Colin Whinnery temporarily taking his place; Whinnery returned on a permanent basis early the next year, after Hind chose to leave following a series of family issues. [42] In 2022, Bruce Wallace replaced Rich Herring on guitar and vocals. [43]
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wayne Nelson |
|
| all Little River Band (LRB) releases from Time Exposure (1981) onwards | |
Chris Marion | 2004–present |
| all LRB releases from Re-arranged (2006) onwards | |
Ryan Ricks | 2012–present |
|
| |
Colin Whinnery | 2018–present |
| Black Tie (2020) | |
Bruce Wallace | 2022–present | none to date |
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Graeham Goble |
|
| all LRB releases from Little River Band (1975) to Get Lucky (1990) | |
Derek Pellicci |
|
| all LRB releases from Little River Band (1975) to The Net (1983), and from Monsoon (1988) to Live Classics (1992) | |
Beeb Birtles (Gerard Bertelkamp) | 1975–1983 |
| all LRB releases from Little River Band (1975) to The Net (1983) | |
Glenn Shorrock |
|
| all LRB releases from Little River Band (1975) to Live Exposure (1982), and from Monsoon (1988) to Live Classics (1992) | |
Roger McLachlan |
|
|
| |
Ric Formosa | 1975–1976 |
| ||
David Briggs | 1976–1981 | lead and slide guitars | all LRB releases from Diamantina Cocktail (1977) to Time Exposure (1981) | |
George McArdle | 1976–1979 | bass |
| |
Barry Sullivan | 1979–1980 (died 2003) | Live in America (1980) | ||
Stephen Housden | 1981–2006 |
| all LRB releases from Live Exposure (1982) onwards | |
John Farnham | 1982–1986 | lead vocals |
| |
David Hirschfelder | 1983–1986 |
|
| |
Steve Prestwich | 1984–1986 (died 2011) |
|
| |
Peter Beckett | 1990–1997 |
|
| |
Tony Sciuto |
|
| "Worldwide Love" (1991) | |
Richard Bryant | 1992–1993 |
| Live Classics (1992) | |
Hal Tupaea |
|
| none – live performances only | |
Steve Wade | 1996–2000 |
| ||
Kevin Murphy | 1998–2004 |
|
| |
Paul Gildea | 1998–2000 |
| Where We Started From (2001) – one track only | |
Adrian Scott | 1998–1999 |
| none – live performances only | |
Glenn Reither | 1999–2004 |
|
| |
Greg Hind | 2000–2018 |
| all LRB releases from Where We Started From (2001) to Cuts Like a Diamond (2013) | |
Kip Raines | 2004–2005 |
| all LRB releases from Re-arranged (2006) to A Little River Band Christmas (2011) | |
Billy Thomas | 2005–2007 |
| ||
Rich Herring | 2006–present |
| all LRB releases from Re-arranged (2006) onwards | |
Mel Watts | 2007–2012 |
|
|
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mal Logan | 1978–1982 |
| Logan served as LRB's touring keyboardist between 1978 and 1982. [6] He also performed on Sleeper Catcher. [44] | |
Geoff Cox | 1978 (substitute) | drums | Cox temporarily replaced Derek Pellicci, who had suffered injury, for tour dates between June and October 1978. [5] | |
Malcolm Wakeford | 1986 | Wakeford took over from Steve Prestwich for a short Australian tour in April 1986, before the band went on hiatus. [7] | ||
James Roche | 1988–1990 |
| Roche joined as touring keyboardist when the band reformed in 1988, performing with the group for two years. [7] [45] |
Album | Lead vocals | Lead guitar | Guitar, vocals | Bass | Drums | Keyboards |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Little River Band (1975) | Glenn Shorrock | Ric Formosa | Graeham Goble, Beeb Birtles | Roger McLachlan | Derek Pellicci | session musicians |
After Hours (1976) | ||||||
Diamantina Cocktail (1977) | David Briggs | George McArdle | ||||
Sleeper Catcher (1978) | ||||||
First Under the Wire (1979) | session musicians | |||||
Time Exposure (1981) | Wayne Nelson | |||||
The Net (1983) | John Farnham | Stephen Housden | David Hirschfelder | |||
Playing to Win (1984) | Graeham Goble | Steve Prestwich | ||||
No Reins (1986) | ||||||
Monsoon (1988) | Glenn Shorrock | Derek Pellicci | session musicians | |||
Get Lucky (1990) | ||||||
Where We Started From (2001) | Wayne Nelson | Greg Hind | Kevin Murphy | Glenn Reither | ||
Test of Time (2005) | ||||||
Re-arranged (2006) | Rich Herring | Billy Thomas | Chris Marion | |||
We Call It Christmas (2008) | Mel Watts | |||||
A Little River Band Christmas (2011) | ||||||
Cuts Like a Diamond (2013) | Ryan Ricks | |||||
The Hits... Revisited (2016) | ||||||
Black Tie (2020) | Colin Whinnery |
Period | Members | Releases |
---|---|---|
February – March 1975 (rehearsals and initial shows as Mississippi) |
|
|
March 1975 – August 1976 |
|
|
August 1976 – January 1979 |
|
|
February – July 1979 |
|
|
July 1979 – April 1980 |
|
|
April 1980 – August 1981 |
|
|
August 1981 – February 1982 |
|
|
February 1982 – September 1983 |
|
|
September – October 1983 |
| none |
October 1983 – February 1984 |
| |
July 1984 – April 1986 |
|
|
April – October 1986 |
| none |
Band inactive October 1986 – December 1987 | ||
December 1987 – April 1989 |
| |
Late 1989 – early 1990 |
| none |
Early 1990 – summer 1992 |
|
|
1992–1993 |
|
|
1993–1996 |
| none |
Spring 1996 – late 1997 |
| |
Spring 1998 – early 1999 |
| |
Early 1999 – early 2000 (No longer any original members in the lineup) |
|
|
Early 2000 – late 2004 |
|
|
Late 2004 – early 2005 |
| none |
Early 2005 – March 2006 |
| |
March 2006 – early 2007 |
|
|
Early 2007 – early 2012 |
|
|
Early 2012 – early 2018 |
|
|
Early 2018 – early 2022 (No longer any Australians in the lineup) |
|
|
Early 2022 – present |
| none |
Little River Band (LRB) are a rock band formed in Melbourne, Australia, in March 1975. The band achieved commercial success in both Australia and the United States. They have sold more than 30 million records; six studio albums reached the top 10 on the Australian Kent Music Report albums chart including Diamantina Cocktail and First Under the Wire, which both peaked at No. 2. Nine singles appeared in the top 20 on the related singles chart, with "Help Is on Its Way" (1977) as their only number-one hit. Ten singles reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Reminiscing" their highest, peaking at No. 3.
Glenn Barrie Shorrock is an English-born Australian singer-songwriter. He was a founding member of rock bands the Twilights, Axiom, Little River Band and post LRB spin-off trio Birtles Shorrock Goble, as well as being a solo performer.
Beeb Birtles is an Australian musician, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He has been a member of various Australian groups including Zoot (1967–71), Mississippi (1972–74), Little River Band (1975–83) and Birtles Shorrock Goble (2002–07). He has also worked as a solo artist, including releasing an album, Driven by Dreams (2000). In 2004, Birtles and other members of the classic line-up of Little River Band were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.
The Net is the seventh studio album by Australian group Little River Band. The Net was released in May 1983 and peaked at No. 11 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart and No. 61 on the Billboard 200.
Graeham George Goble, is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and record producer, best known as a founding member of Australian rock group Little River Band and Birtles Shorrock Goble.
Birtles Shorrock Goble are an Australian pop/rock group composed of the three original singers and songwriters of Little River Band, namely Beeb Birtles, Glenn Shorrock and Graeham Goble. The members are known for their extensive writing and performance of hit songs and distinctive vocal harmonies. They are sometimes referred to by the initials BSG.
Monsoon is the tenth studio album by Australian group, Little River Band, with Glenn Shorrock returning as lead singer after John Farnham left the group to release his solo album Whispering Jack. The album was released in May 1988 and peaked at number nine on the Kent Music Report albums chart.
Time Exposure is the sixth studio album by Little River Band (LRB), which was recorded with producer George Martin at Associated Independent Recording (AIR) in Montserrat and released in September 1981. It peaked at No. 9 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. In the United States, it reached No. 21 on the Billboard 200.
Uncovered is the eleventh solo studio album by British-born Australian singer John Farnham, produced by Little River Band's Graeham Goble, and released on 3 July 1980, which peaked at No. 20 on the Australian Kent Music Report album chart and was certified gold in 1981.
Backstage Pass is a first live album by Australian group Little River Band. The album was recorded by the Australian Broadcasting Commission at the Adelaide Festival Theatre in November 1978 and released in October 1979. It peaked at No. 18 on the Australian Kent Music Report
Derek Allan Pellicci is an English-born Australian drummer. He is best known as a founding member of Little River Band. Pellicci lives in Melbourne with his wife, Anne and a son.
Birtles & Goble were an Australian pop music duo composed of Beeb Birtles and Graeham Goble. Although they were both full-time members of Little River Band during the late 1970s and early '80s, they also released an album and three singles as a duo between 1978 and 1980.
Live Classics is a live album by Australian band, Little River Band. It was recorded during their 1992 world tour. The album also included two new studio songs, "Walk Together" and "My Own Way Home". It was the last Little River Band album with founder, Glenn Shorrock as lead vocalist.
Live Exposure is a video by Little River Band, filmed at a live concert at The Summit in Houston, Texas on 7 October 1981.
The Definitive Collection is a greatest hits compilation by Australian rock group Little River Band, released in 2002. The album debuted and peaked on the ARIA chart in April 2015 at number 32 and was certified double platinum.
We Two Pty Ltd v Shorrock (2002) was presided by Justice Raymond Finkelstein of the Federal Court of Australia, Melbourne to determine the ownership of the name, Little River Band, its trademarks, logos and associated assets. We Two Pty Ltd, the applicant, was established in 1987 and had been solely owned by Stephen Housden of the music group, Little River Band since 1998. The respondents, Glenn Shorrock, Gerard Bertelkamp and Graeham Goble, were all founding members of the same group, in 1975. Housden had joined them in 1981.
It's a Long Way There (Greatest Hits) is the first compilation album by the Australian group Little River Band, released in Australia and New Zealand in September 1978. The album peaked at No. 4 on the Australian Kent Music Report albums chart and No. 12 in New Zealand. The album sold over 200,000 copies in Australia. Retitled It's a Long Way There (1975–1979) it was re-issued in Germany for the European market in 1979.
Stephen Frank Housden is an English-born Australian musician. He joined the rock group Little River Band (LRB) in 1981 on lead guitar and vocals and ceased performing with them in 2006. Previously, Housden had worked as a session musician for various Australian artists. During the 1970s he was a member of Stevie Wright's band and Marcia Hines' touring and session bands. Housden released his debut solo album, New World Groove, in 1993.
George McArdle is an Australian bass guitarist. He came from a violent and abusive background and was drawn to alcohol, fighting, theft and rock music.