MEO 245 | |
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Origin | Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
Genres | |
Years active | 1978 | –1983
Labels | Mushroom/Festival |
Past members |
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MEO 245 were an Australian new wave band which formed in 1978 in Hobart, Tasmania with Paul Brickhill on keyboards, guitar and vocals; Campbell Laird on drums; Paul Northam on guitar and vocals; and Mick Wilson on bass guitar. Wilson was replaced on bass guitar by Mark Kellett, who in turn was replaced by Anthony Moore. The group issued a sole studio album, Screen Memory (August 1981), which reached the top 100 of the Kent Music Report Albums Chart.
MEO 245 were a pop rock band formed as Guided Tour in Tasmania by Paul Brickhill on keyboards, guitar and vocals; Campbell Laird on drums; Paul Northam on guitar and vocals; and Mick Wilson on bass guitar. [1] The group's name, MEO 245, refers to a catalogue number of a German Import extended play released by the Beatles. In February 1979 they relocated to Melbourne where Wilson was replaced on bass guitar by Mark Kellet. [1]
The band signed with Mushroom Records and in October 1980 they issued their debut single, "Lady Love". [1] The singles, "Lady Love" and "Other Places" (July 1981), made the mainstream charts in Australia. The group appeared on ABC TV's pop show, Countdown , performing "Lady Love" and "Jewels" (October 1981).
From May to July 1981 they recorded their first album, Screen Memory (August 1981), with Peter Dawkins (Air Supply, Dragon, Mi-Sex) producing at Studios 301, Sydney. [2] It reached No. 69 on the Kent Music Report Albums Chart. [3] According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, "[the] title was taken from A Critical Dictionary of Psychoanalysis and the record itself was full of English-influenced pop rock." [1]
During April and May 1982 they recorded a six-track EP, Rites of Passage (September 1982), at Richmond Recorders with co-production by the group and John French (he also worked as its audio engineer). [1] [4] It provided two singles, "Sin City" (also September) and "Summer Girl" (November). [1] It was a marked shift from the new wave pop of Screen Memory with a more guitar-orientated sound coming to the fore.
Ahead of the EP's release Kellet left and was replaced on bass guitar by Anthony Moore. [1] In January of the following year Brickhill left to join Little Heroes and the group disbanded by March with Laird joining Soldier of Fortune and Northam going to Luxury Device. [1]
Screen Memory, Rites of Passage and the non-album single, 'Lady Love", were released on CD as Screen Memory / Rites of Passage, for a compilation album in 1997 by Mushroom Records.
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
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AUS [3] | ||
Screen Memory |
| 69 |
Title | EP details |
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Rites of Passage |
|
Year | Single | Album | Peak chart position |
---|---|---|---|
AUS [3] | |||
1980 | "Lady Love" | non-album single | 43 |
1981 | "Marching Feet" | - | |
"Other Places" | Screen Memory | 55 | |
"Jewels (For Your Love)" | - | ||
1982 | "Sin City" | Rites of Passage | - |
"Summer Girl" | - | ||
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