The Affair | |
---|---|
Also known as | The Gino Affair |
Genres | Pop |
Years active | 1966 | –1970
Labels | Festival |
Past members | Tony Bolton Tony Bowman Gino Cunico Bob Daisley James Kelly Derek Fitton Bruce Maddon Paul Wheeler Derek Fitton Kerrie Biddell Mike Howlett Rory Thomas |
The Affair were a pop music group formed in 1966 as The Gino Affair. Although only moderately successful during their short career, the band is notable for the fact that several members went on to national and international success.
They were initially led by lead singer and former child actor, Gino Cunico, and included Tony Bolton and Keith Jackman (UK) on drums, Jim Kelly on guitar and Paul Wheeler on bass. In 1967 the group's name was shortened to The Affair when Cunico left; he was replaced by Derek Fitton as lead vocalist and then by Kerrie Biddell in 1968.
In early 1968 Mike Howlett replaced Wheeler on bass guitar The following month, Rory Thomas on Hammond organ replaced Maddon. [1] In 1969 the group entered the Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds national band competition and in August won the Vocal Group grand final. [1] [2] They issued their second single, "Money Can't Buy Me Love", in October. [1] Their prize for winning Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds was a trip to London, so the group relocated there in mid-1970, some months later they disbanded and most of the members returned to Australia. [2]
Following the breakup of The Affair, Kerrie Biddell launched a long and successful career as a solo vocalist and teacher. Jim Kelly became a sought-after session guitarist and in the late 1970s he founded the noted Australian jazz-rock-fusion band Crossfire. Paul "Sheepdog" Wheeler went on to play bass for Billy Thorpe in the very successful heavy-rock incarnation of The Aztecs from 1969 to 1973. Mike Howlett remained in the UK after the Affair broke up; he was a member of progressive rock band Gong from 1973 to 1977, followed by the short-lived group Strontium 90, which included all three future members of The Police. In the 1980s, Howlett became a sought-after record producer, with a string of notable credits for leading new wave music acts including A Flock of Seagulls (Grammy winner), Martha & The Muffins, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Stephen Tin Tin Duffy, Gang of Four and Comsat Angels, and the album Secret Secrets for Joan Armatrading in 1985.
Gong are a psychedelic rock band that incorporates elements of jazz and space rock into their musical style. The group was formed in Paris in 1967 by Australian musician Daevid Allen and English vocalist Gilli Smyth. Band members have included Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Steve Hillage, Mike Howlett, Tim Blake, Pierre Moerlen, Bill Laswell and Theo Travis. Others who have played on stage with Gong include Don Cherry, Chris Cutler, Bill Bruford, Brian Davison, Dave Stewart and Tatsuya Yoshida.
Michael John Gilmour Howlett is a bass guitar player, record producer and teacher based in the United Kingdom and Australia.
Gob is a Canadian punk rock band from Langley, British Columbia, formed in 1993. The band consists of Tom Thacker, Theo Goutzinakis, Gabe Mantle and Steven Fairweather. They were nominated for a Juno Award for best new group in 2000, and received another Juno nomination for best video in 2002. Gob's most successful album is World According to Gob. Their best-selling songs to date are "I Hear You Calling", "Soda", and "Banshee Song". They have been featured in movies, TV shows, and many sporting video games such as NHL 2002, NHL 2003, NHL 2004 and Madden NFL 2003 with songs such as "Oh! Ellin", "I've Been Up These Steps", "Sick With You", "I Hear You Calling" and "Give Up The Grudge". The band has appeared at several music festivals, the most well-known being the Vans Warped Tour. Thacker is also a lead and rhythm guitarist for fellow Canadian rock band Sum 41.
The Spektors were an Australian beat, pop and rock 'n' roll band active in Perth from 1964 to mid-1966. Their co-drummer and part-time lead singer, a then-unknown Bon Scott, was later lead vocalist with hard rock band AC/DC, from 1974 until his death in 1980.
Zoot were a pop rock band formed in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1964 as Down the Line. They changed their name to Zoot in 1967 and by 1968 had relocated to Melbourne. They had a top-five hit on the Go-Set national singles chart with a heavy rock cover of The Beatles' ballad "Eleanor Rigby" released in 1970, but they disbanded in May 1971.
Douglas John Parkinson was an Australian pop and rock singer. He led the bands Strings and Things/A Sound (1965), the Questions (1966–1968), Doug Parkinson in Focus, Fanny Adams (1970–1971), the Life Organisation (1973), Southern Star Band (1978–1980) and Doug Parkinson Band (1981–1983). Doug Parkinson in Focus's cover version of the Beatles' track "Dear Prudence" peaked at No. 5 on the Go-Set National Top 40. The follow-up single, "Without You" / "Hair" (October), also reached No. 5. Parkinson released solo material and performed in musical theatre productions.
Linda George is an Australian pop, jazz fusion and soul singer from the 1970s. In 1973, George performed the role of Acid Queen for the Australian stage performance of The Who's rock opera, Tommy. She won the TV Week King of Pop award for "Best New Female Artist". Her cover version of "Neither One of Us", peaked at No. 12 on the Australian Singles Chart and her 1974 single "Mama's Little Girl" reached the Top Ten. From 1972 to 1998, George also worked as a session singer and later became a music teacher. Her last CD recorded in the late 1990s would be available in 2012.
The Groove was an Australian R&B, pop group which formed in early 1967 with the lineup of Geoff Bridgford on drums, Jamie Byrne on bass guitar, Tweed Harris on keyboards, Rod Stone on guitar and Peter Williams on lead vocals and guitar. In December 1967 their single, "Simon Says", peaked at No. 17 on the Go-Set National Top 40 Singles Chart. They followed with "Soothe Me", which peaked at No. 14 in April 1968. Also in April they released their self-titled debut album. In July that year they won the national final of the Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds competition with the prize including a trip to London. They relocated there in March 1969, and early the following year they changed their name to Eureka Stockade, they disbanded in 1971. On 13 October 2004 Tweed Harris died of throat cancer, aged 63.
Chain are an Australian blues band formed as The Chain in late 1968 with a line-up including guitarist and vocalist Phil Manning and lead vocalist Wendy Saddington. Saddington left in May 1969 and in September 1970 Matt Taylor joined on lead vocals and harmonica. During the 1990s they were referred to as Matt Taylor's Chain. Their single, "Black and Blue", is their only top twenty hit. It was written and recorded by the line-up of Manning, Taylor, Barry Harvey on drums and Barry Sullivan on bass guitar. The related album, Toward the Blues, followed in September and peaked in the top ten. Manfred Mann's Earth Band covered "Black and Blue" on their 1973 album Messin'.
Russell James Dunlop was an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and record producer-engineer. From the late 1970s he collaborated with Bruce Brown in a production company for albums and singles by Australian performers including Mental As Anything, The Reels and Machinations. As a musician he was a member of various groups such as Aesop's Fables (1968–70), Levi Smith's Clefs (1971), Southern Contemporary Rock Assembly (SCRA) (1971–72) and Ayers Rock (1976).
The Masters Apprentices are an Australian rock band fronted by Jim Keays on lead vocals, which originally formed as The Mustangs in 1964 in Adelaide, South Australia, relocated to Melbourne, Victoria, in February 1967 and attempted to break into the United Kingdom market from 1970 before disbanding in 1972. Their popular Australian singles are "Undecided", "Living in a Child's Dream", "5:10 Man", "Think About Tomorrow Today", "Turn Up Your Radio" and "Because I Love You". The band launched the career of bass guitarist Glenn Wheatley, who later became a music industry entrepreneur and an artist talent manager for both Little River Band and John Farnham.
Levi Smith's Clefs, originally The Clefs, were an Australian R&B, pop rock group, which formed in Adelaide in 1963. Lead vocalist, Barrie "The Bear" McAskill, joined in 1965. In 1967 he took over and renamed the group after founding keyboardist, Winston "Tweed" Harris, left. They released a sole studio album, Empty Monkey, in March 1970 and underwent numerous line-up changes until they disbanded in 1972. After their time in the band various members formed the groups: Tully, Fraternity and Southern Contemporary Rock Assembly (SCRA). Winston Harris (1941–2004) died of throat cancer, aged 63. A drummer from 1970 to 1971, Russell Dunlop (1945–2009), died after a seizure, aged 63. Richard Lockwood, flautist and saxophonist in 1968, died in 2012 of bowel cancer.
Headband were a progressive, blues rock band formed in Adelaide in February 1971 by bass guitarist Chris Bailey; drummer Joff Bateman; singer-songwriter and keyboardist Peter Beagley ; and singer-songwriter and guitarist Mauri Berg. The group supported Elton John, The Rolling Stones at their Sydney performances. The band finished third in the 1972 Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds – a national performance competition between the best groups representing each state. Headband released an album, A Song for Tooley and four singles before disbanding in 1974. Bailey later joined The Angels and then GANGgajang, Berg joined Fraternity and Head formed Mount Lofty Rangers and later went solo.
Travis Wellington Hedge was an Australian pop rock band, based in Adelaide, that existed from 1968 to 1969. It was an early band of noted musician and composer Graeham Goble, who subsequently achieved success with Mississippi, Little River Band and Birtles Shorrock Goble.
The Valentines were an Australian pop band active from 1966–1970, chiefly noted for their lead singers, Bon Scott, who later went on to success as lead vocalist with AC/DC; and Vince Lovegrove, who subsequently became a successful music journalist and manager of Divinyls.
The Executives were an Australian pop music band, formed in 1966 and reformed in 1974, consisting of band members Ray Burton, Rhys Clark, Gino Cunico, Brian King, Carol King, Gary King, Keith Leslie and Brian Patterson. They are arguably best known for their top 40 singles "My Aim Is To Please You" (1967), "Sit Down, I Think I Love You" (1967) and "Windy Day" (1968) reaching No. 18, No. 20 and No. 24 respectively on the Australian charts.
James Taylor Move was a short-lived Australian/British psychedelic pop, progressive rock group from Adelaide. It was formed by Kevin Peek on guitar, Trevor Spencer on drums, Alan Tarney on organ, and Robert John Taylor on lead vocals and bass guitar.
Kerrie Agnes Biddell was an Australian jazz and session singer, as well as a pianist and vocal teacher.
The Daly-Wilson Big Band was an Australian jazz group formed in 1968 by Warren Daly on drums and Ed Wilson on trombone. The business manager and silent partner was Don Raverty. The line-up, at times, was an eighteen-piece ensemble, that played popular jazz cover versions and originals. Lead singers that fronted the band include Kerrie Biddell, Marcia Hines and Ricky May. They released seven albums and toured Australia and internationally before disbanding in September 1983.
A rock band or pop band is a small musical ensemble that performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre. A four-piece band is the most common configuration in rock and pop music. In the early years, the configuration was typically two guitarists, a bassist, and a drummer. Another common formation is a vocalist who does not play an instrument, electric guitarist, bass guitarist, and a drummer. Instrumentally, these bands can be considered as trios. Sometimes, in addition to electric guitars, electric bass, and drums, also a keyboardist plays.