Simon Cyril Hussey (born 7 July 1960) is an Australian multi-instrumentalist, songwriter-arranger, record producer and audio engineer. In 1984 he formed Cats Under Pressure on keyboards with David Reyne (ex-Australian Crawl) on vocals and Mark Greig on guitar. On the Australian Crawl album Between a Rock and a Hard Place (August 1985), Hussey co-wrote four tracks with the band's lead singer, James Reyne (David's older brother). In 1987 when James undertook his solo career, Hussey joined his backing band on keyboards, and co-wrote six tracks for James' debut self-titled album including top10 hit singles, "Hammerhead" (October) and "Motor's Too Fast" (June 1988). In May 1988 Hussey was the producer, and provided keyboards and song writing, for Edge (November), the comeback album by Daryl Braithwaite (ex-Sherbet), which peaked at No.1 on the ARIA Albums Chart for three weeks in mid-1989.
Simon Cyril Hussey,[2] was born on 7 July 1960 in Lismore – a town 170 kilometres (106mi) west of Melbourne and grew up in Mount Eliza. During the 1980s and 1990s Hussey was a Supreme Courtlegal reporter recording and transcribing criminal and civil court cases when not working in the music industry on a full-time basis.[3] In the early 1980s he was the record producer on a single for Lisa Bade, which included Mark Greig (ex-Runners) on guitar.[4]
Cats Under Pressure were a pop band formed in Melbourne in 1984 with Hussey on guitar, keyboards and backing vocals; Greig on guitar and David Reyne (ex-Australian Crawl) on drums and lead vocals.[4] In that year they issued a self-titled extended play on Freestyle Records – the label owned by Reyne's former bandmates from Australian Crawl.[4] It was produced by David Reyne's older brother, James, Australian Crawl's lead singer.[4][5] Cats Under Pressure followed with a single, "Let Me Be", which was co-written by Hussey with David.[6]
In 1985, Greig joined the Australian Crawl demo and recording sessions for their fourth studio album, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, and Hussey co-wrote four of the album's tracks with lead singer, James Reyne. Meanwhile, Cats Under Pressure recorded another single, "On Again Off Again", in September, which was issued later that year.[7] Greig remained with Australian Crawl until they disbanded in 1986.[5]
James Reyne and Daryl Braithwaite projects
Hussey joined the James Reyne Band and worked on Reyne's self-titled debut solo album (September 1987), co-writing six tracks with the artist. Four of these were issued as singles, "Hammerhead" (October), "Heaven on a Stick" (February 1988), "Motor's Too Fast" (June) and "Always the Way" (November).[8] James later told Debbie Kruger that "['Hammerhead'] was not necessarily about me, but let's say I thought I knew what I was talking about. I wrote it with Simon Hussey; the music Simon and I wrote together and I wrote the lyrics. From memory it seemed to come quite easily".[9] The album peaked at No.4 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart, while "Hammerhead" reached No.8 and "Motor's Too Fast" at No.4 on the related Kent Music Report Singles Chart.[10] "Motor's Too Fast" also reached No.6 on the ARIA Singles Chart.[11]
During May 1988 Hussey was the record producer and arranger on Daryl Braithwaite's comeback solo album, Edge, which was issued in November.[12][13] He also played keyboards, programmed the drum machine and wrote or co-wrote four tracks: "You Could Be Wrong" (by Hussey), "Let Me Be" (from Cats Under Pressure, by Hussey and David Reyne), "All the Same" (by Hussey, Bade and Greig) and "Edge" (by Hussey and Jef Scott).[6]Edge peaked at No.1 on the ARIA Albums Chart for three weeks in mid-1989.[14] Kathryn Whitfield of The Canberra Times felt the album was "Verging on noddy-land, this piece of plastic is soft-sell. Easy listening, inoffensive, palatable, commercial pop music."[15] She explained that "Hussey (keyboards) appears to have been the one to roll up his sleeves and get to work on material for this offering."[15] Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, opined that the album and singles had "captured a wonderful summer-filled mood, and a sense of freedom and happiness".[12] Four tracks on Edge had John Farnham on backing vocals.
In May 1991 Braithwaite told The Canberra Times' Bevan Hannan that he had met Hussey about two years before they worked on Edge.[3] Braithwaite had heard some demos of Hussey's work and "in 1987 I approached him to produce the album and after quite a lot of hassling he said yes".[3] In the following year Clinton Porteous of Rolling Stone described how "Braithwaite was trying to make a comeback... [and] record companies urged [him] to use a name producer... he insisted on the untried Hussey. 'I saw someone who was a little bit hesitant... a little shy but who was really talented ... he really did seem to care about the music... he doesn't do things half heartedly.' Braithwaite's instincts paid off: Edge went to Number One, relaunching his career."[16]
By February 1989 Hussey was in London working on James' second solo album, Hard Reyne, he co-produced the album with John Hudson.[4][17] By April that year Hussey was married to Elisabeth Reyne, younger sister of the Reyne brothers.[18] Besides song writing Hussey also provided keyboards and programming.[19] Whitfield described how "[the] lyrics (once you can understand them) are not exactly brilliant and lack much of the depth which Reyne displayed in his Crawl days" nevertheless Hussey made a "big contribution" to the album.[19] The album peaked at No.7 in June while Braithwaite's Edge was still at No.1.[11][20] Whilst in London, Hussey received his first ARIA Award nomination, in the category of Producer of the Year, at the ARIA Music Awards of 1989 for Edge.[21]
Hussey produced Braithwaite's next album, Rise (November 1990),[4][12] and provided a range of instrumentation: keyboards, electric piano, acoustic guitar, drum machine, synthesiser bass and Hammond organ.[22] Hussey wrote or co-wrote three tracks including "Higher Than Hope" which was issued as the album's third single in June 1991.[12][6]Rise peaked at No.3 in May that year, while "Higher Than Hope" reached the top30.[14] John Farnham was a backing vocalist on that track. In June 1991, for United States and European markets, Braithwaite issued a compilation album, Higher Than Hope, which included tracks from Edge and Rise.[4][23] Hussey was credited as a multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer. "Higher Than Hope" was reissued as a single for the US market and peaked at No.47 on the Billboard Hot 100.[24]
In June 1991 the Billboard magazine's singles reviewer of "Higher Than Hope" declared that "this pop/rock gem is so catchy that it should be an immediate top 40 add... slick production and offers an inspirational message of salvation."[25] Fellow music journalist Glenn A. Baker described how "Hussey's man-of-all-trades reputation has soared over the past year with two major albums... Again, and in both cases, his involvement was almost equal to that of the artist... Braithwaite's recent U.S. charting single (Billboard top 40), "Higher than Hope", featured Hussey as producer, writer, and musician."[26]
Also in that month Reyne released his next solo album, Electric Digger Dandy, with Hussey on keyboards; Hussey co-produced it with Jim Scott, Tony Joe White and Chris Lord-Alge; and co-wrote two tracks, "Take a Giant Step" and "Company of Strangers", with Reyne.[4][18][8] In that year Hussey co-produced an album, Hands Free (March 1992), for actor-musician, Craig McLachlan.[4][27][28] Hussey co-wrote six of its tracks with McLachlan including the lead single, "On My Own" (November 1991).[29]
At the ARIA Music Awards of 1992 Hussey won his first award as Producer of the Year for his work on various tracks: McLachlan's "On My Own"; Braithwaite's "The Horses", "Higher than Hope" and "Don't Hold Back Your Love"; and Reyne's "Slave".[30][21] The trophy was presented by visiting English artist, Julian Lennon. Hussey and Braithwaite won Most Performed Australian Work at the APRA Awards of 1992 for "Higher Than Hope".[31]
Company of Strangers
Late in 1991 Hussey started a studio album project, Company of Strangers,[32] with American Jef Scott (backing musician and songwriter for both Braithwaite and Reyne), which developed into a group with Braithwaite and Reyne joining.[33] In December that year they recorded their debut studio album (November 1992) with Hussey on keyboards, drums and backing vocals, Braithwaite on lead vocals, Reyne on lead vocals and lead guitar, Scott on lead vocals, guitar, drums and bass guitar.[4][33] It was produced by Hussey for Columbia Records and he shared song writing duties with Scott on almost all the tracks.[4][33] McFarlane felt the album was "commercial rock pop" which provided three singles, "Sweet Love" (June 1992), "Motor City (I Get Lost)" (September) and "Daddy's Gonna Make You a Star" (January 1993).[33][34]
The album reached No.9 and all three singles peaked in the top40.[35] The album included a cover version of the Beatles track, "Baby, You're a Rich Man".[33] According to Hannan "The first two singles from the release, 'Motor City' and 'Sweet Love', would go close to earning the 'most played' title during silly season rotation. And prepare to hear more of the squeaky clean 'made for FM' music because there is plenty more on offer on the album – but that isn't so bad."[36]
Hussey, April 1993
At the ARIA Music Awards of 1993 Hussey won his second Producer of the Year trophy for his work on Braithwaite's "Nothing to Lose" and Company of Strangers' "Daddy's Gonna Make You a Star", "Motor City (I Get Lost)", and "Sweet Love".[21][37] At the ceremony Company of Strangers were nominated for Breakthrough Artist – Album and "Motor City (I Get Lost)" for Breakthrough Artist – Single.[21][37] "Daddy's Gonna Make You a Star" won Most Performed Australian Work at the APRA Awards of 1993 for its songwriters Hussey, Reyne and Scott.[38] Also in that year Hussey produced Braithwaite's album, Taste the Salt (November), he provided keyboards and drum machine.[4][12] It reached No.13 on the Australian Albums Chart.[14] At the ARIA Music Awards of 1994 Hussey won Engineer of the Year for Braithwaite's "Barren Ground" and "The World as It Is"; and Company of Strangers' "Baby, You're a Rich Man" and "Daddy's Gonna Make You a Star".[39]
In early 1996 Hussey reunited with Reyne to write and record a new album. Hussey used his purpose-built studio for the project, however it was abandoned due to Reyne's record company, RooArt, cancelling funding for all of its artists months into recording without warning. For The Spirit of Christmas 1996, a Christmas-themed album by various artists for charities, Hussey played on and produced Reyne's version of "Silent Night".[4]
In 1998 Hussey co-produced a debut single for a new artist and writer, Danielle Greenwood, "If I Am Cruel", which also appears on her four-track EP of the same name.[40] He also recorded and mixed it, at Dan & Si-Fi's Recital Room, Melbourne.[40] Hussey had been reluctant to produce again but, after recording some demo tracks, he was encouraged to become involved. The single received positive reviews with TV and radio airplay.
Hussey acknowledged his anxiety over public appearances and absence from industry functions in published interviews during the height of his career. Juke Magazine featured a front-page article, "Simon Hussey – The Invisible Man Steps Out", where he provided an extensive interview about his career. He made some TV appearances in interviews and performed as a keyboard player for James Reyne, Company of Strangers and Greenwood.
Legacy
Daryl Braithwaite's cover version of Rickie Lee Jones' album track, "The Horses", remained popular after 25 years.[1] In May 2016 Braithwaite recalled "I rang Simon Hussey, who was producing Rise, and said, 'Simon, you've gotta listen to this. I'll bring it in tomorrow and I reckon we could do a version in the vein of 'As the Days Go By' from the first album, Edge. Anyway, I brought it in and they had a listen to it."[1] He acknowledged that "you have to give credit to [Hussey], who then took [the original] version and turned it into more accessible pop, maybe. There's no doubt: I love it. I will fight for it, I will stick up for it. I know at the end of the day it's not mine."[1]
These awards were established by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) in 1982 to honour the achievements of songwriters and music composers, and to recognise their song writing skills, sales and airplay performance, by its members annually.[42] Simon Hussey has won two APRA Music Awards.[43]
Daryl Braithwaite is an Australian singer. He was the lead vocalist of Sherbet. Braithwaite also has a solo career, placing 15 singles in the Australian top 40, including two number-one hits: "You're My World" and "The Horses". His second studio album, Edge, peaked at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, No. 14 in Norway and No. 24 in Sweden.
James Michael Nugent Reyne OAM is an Australian musician. He achieved fame as the lead singer of Australian Crawl, and subsequently went on to a successful solo career.
David Nicholas Reyne is an Australian actor, musician, television and radio presenter. Reyne was born in Lagos, Nigeria to an Australian mother and English diplomat father. The family moved to Victoria, Australia in the early 1960s. Reyne lives in Mount Eliza, Victoria. He was educated at The Peninsula School, Mount Eliza.
Sons of Beaches is the third studio album from Australian rock band Australian Crawl, released in July 1982. It became the band's second #1 in the Australian albums charts. The album was recorded in Hawaii with ex-pat Mike Chapman, who had also produced Blondie and The Knack.
The Boys Light Up is the debut album from Australian pub rock band Australian Crawl, which was released in 1980 and contains the title track, "The Boys Light Up", "Indisposed", "Downhearted" and their previously released debut single "Beautiful People". The album reached #4 on the Australian album charts and remained in the charts for an unbroken 101 weeks, eventually selling over 280 000 copies.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place was the final studio album from Australian rock band Australian Crawl. It was produced by English producer Adam Kidron.
Karma County are an Australian country, pop music trio which formed in 1995. They comprise Stuart Eadie on drums, percussion and backing vocals; Michael Galeazzi on bass guitar, double bass and backing vocals; and Brendan Gallagher on lead guitar, lead vocals, keyboards, bouzouki, percussion, drums and bass guitar. They have released five studio albums, Last Stop Heavenly Heights (1996), Olana, Into the Land of Promise, Happy Birthday Dear Customer and Pacifico. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2000, Into the Land of Promise won the ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album.
Semantics was a 1983 EP by Australian surf rock band Australian Crawl. The album marked a change in the line-up of the band as Bill McDonough (drums) was replaced first by Graham Bidstrup to record the EP. The more permanent replacement, after the EP, was John Watson.
"Higher Than Hope" is the third single released by Daryl Braithwaite from his third studio album, Rise. The single was released in May 1991 and peaked at number 28 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart. The song also peaked at number 47 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 73 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart, his only single to chart in these countries. Braithwaite promoted the single in US from 18 June to 31 July 1990 and the music video was filmed in Los Angeles. It is also one of the few songs in Braithwaite's repertoire to feature him playing an instrument in addition to singing.
The Black Sorrows are an Australian blues rock band formed in 1983 by mainstay vocalist Joe Camilleri, who also plays saxophone and guitar. Camilleri has used various line-ups to record 17 albums, with five reaching the top 20 on the ARIA Albums Charts: Hold on to Me, Harley and Rose, Better Times, The Chosen Ones - Greatest Hits and Lucky Charm. Their top 40 singles are "Chained to the Wheel", "Harley + Rose" and "Snake Skin Shoes".
Edge is an album by Daryl Braithwaite. It was recorded between April–September 1988 and released in November 1988. It reached No.1 on the Australian ARIA Charts for 3 weeks in 1989.
Phalanx is the first live album released by Australian surf rock band Australian Crawl. It was recorded live at concerts at Bombay Rock Gold Coast, Queensland and at the Sydney Entertainment Centre in October, 1983, during the 'Semantics' tour. The album was initially released on vinyl in December 1983 and was re-released on CD in May 1995. The album reached #4 on the National Album Charts being released by EMI.
The Final Wave is the second live album released by Australian rock band Australian Crawl. It is a recording of the band's final Melbourne concert on 27 January 1986. The album reached #16 on the Australian album charts upon its release.
More Wharf: Greatest Hits is a compilation album of songs by Australian rock band Australian Crawl taken from their four studio albums and their EP, Semantics.
"Errol" is the second single by Australian surf rock band Australian Crawl taken from their 1981 album Sirocco. The song was written by James Reyne and Guy McDonough and sung by McDonough instead of Reyne, and is a lyrical biography about Australian-born actor Errol Flynn. It was produced by Peter Dawkins.
Company of Strangers is the first and only studio album by Australian supergroup Company of Strangers. The album was recorded in 1992, and first released in Australia in December 1992. It peaked at number 9 on the ARIA Charts and was certified gold.
Rise is an album by Daryl Braithwaite released in November 1990. The album reached No. 3 on the Australian ARIA Charts. It was the best-selling album in Australia in 1991. The album sold over 300,000 copies in Australia.
Reckless: 1979–1995 is a compilation album of songs by Australian rock band Australian Crawl and the band's lead singer, James Reyne, from his solo career. It was released in May 2000 by Raven Records, and included a twelve-page colour booklet with extensive liner notes and various images.
"Even When I'm Sleeping" is a song by Australian band Leonardo's Bride that was the second single from their first studio album, Angel Blood. Released on 13 April 1997, "Even When I'm Sleeping" peaked at No. 4 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Singles Chart in July 1997 and was certified gold.
Company of Strangers were a short-lived rock, pop music studio project formed by Simon Hussey in late 1991. The album featured performances by Daryl Braithwaite (ex-Sherbet) on vocals, Simon Hussey on keyboards, drums, engineering and production, Jef Scott on guitar and vocals, and James Reyne on vocals and guitar. Their debut self-titled album appeared in December 1992 via Sony Music Australia with Hussey producing. It peaked at No. 9 on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified gold in 1993 for shipment of 35000 copies.
Simon Hussey: Holmgren, Magnus. "Simon Hussey". Australian Rock Database. Passagen (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 20 October 2003. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
Mark Greig: Holmgren, Magnus. "Mark Greig". Australian Rock Database. Passagen (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 26 August 2003. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
Cats Under Pressure: Holmgren, Magnus. "Cats Under Pressure". Australian Rock Database. Passagen (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 24 October 2003. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
James Reyne: Holmgren, Magnus; Baird, Paul; Warnqvist, Stefan; McDonough, Bill. "James Reyne". Australian Rock Database. Passagen (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 19 October 2003. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
Craig McLachlan: Holmgren, Magnus. "Craig McLachlan". Australian Rock Database. Passagen (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 1 November 2003. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
Company of Strangers: Holmgren, Magnus. "Company of Strangers". Australian Rock Database. Passagen (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 20 October 2003. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
Earth Music: Holmgren, Magnus. "Earth Music". Australian Rock Database. Passagen (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 6 October 2003. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
The Spirit of Christmas 1996: Holmgren, Magnus; Field, Lindsay. "The Spirit of Christmas 1996". Australian Rock Database. Passagen (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 20 October 2003. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
1 2 3 "'Let Me Be' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 4 June 2016. Note: User may have to click "Search again" and provide details at "Enter a title:" e.g. Let Me Be; or at "Performer:" Daryl Braithwaite
↑ Cats Under Pressure (1985). "On Again Off Again". Freestyle Records. Retrieved 11 December 2013– via National Library of Australia.
1 2 "'Hammerhead' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 4 June 2016. Note: User may have to click "Search again" and provide details at "Enter a title:" e.g. Hammerhead; or at "Performer:" James Reyne
1 2 Whitfield, Kathryn (1 December 1988). "Good Times: Music Record Reviews: Albums". The Canberra Times. Vol.63, no.19, 414. p.35. Retrieved 4 June 2016– via National Library of Australia.
↑ Porteous, Clinton (1 September 1992). "[unknown]". Rolling Stone.
↑ "'On My Own' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 12 December 2013.
↑ "Winners by Year 1992". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
1 2 "Winners by Year 1993". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 14 December 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
↑ "APRA Music Awards – Winners 1993". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Archived from the original on 21 March 2005. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
1 2 If I Am Cruel (liner notes). Danielle Greenwood (performer, co-producer), Simon Hussey (co-producer, engineer, mixer). Melbourne: Sony Music Australia. 1998. 666298.2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ "What We Do". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 12 December 2018.
1992 winners:– "APRA Music Awards – Winners 1992". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Archived from the original on 21 March 2005. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
1993 winners:– "APRA Music Awards – Winners 1993". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Archived from the original on 21 March 2005. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
1989 winners and nominees:– "Winners by Year 1989". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 December 2018.
Producer of the Year:– "17th Annual ARIA Awards". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 22 February 2004. Retrieved 12 December 2018. Note: User may be required to access archived information by selecting 'The History', then 'By Award', 'Producer of the Year' and 'Option Show Nominations'.
1992 winners and nominees: "Winners by Year 1992". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 14 May 2009. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
1993 winners and nominees: "Winners by Year 1993". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 14 December 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
1994 winners and nominees: "Winners by Year 1994". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 December 2018.
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