Awesome Aussie Songs

Johnny Cash is Still in the Air

This mini ep takes a look at music royalty Col Joye and the Joy Boys and the time they had to hold the attention of an 8000 strong crowd waiting for Johnny Cash to arrive at the stadium.

The band was at the very start of rock n roll in Australia and they are true pioneers. In this era, Col Joy and the Joye Boys popularity and chart success is only rivalled by that of Johnny O’Keefe and the Dee Jays. They also hold the distinction being the first Australian act to have a Number 1 record with Bye Bye Baby.

You can hear more from Col in our episode on Bye Bye Baby which is episode 5 – there is also another mini ep on the time Col was playing for our troops at the Vietnam War, when suddenly he found himself at the Battle of Long Tan.

Blueys Dad is a Rock Star

As Blueys father, he is perhaps the most beloved heeler dog dad in the history of animation – Bandit is voiced by Custards’s Dave McCormack.

Custard where part of Oz music history when they played at the Crowded House farewell to the world concert, staged at the Sydney Opera House – via their first hit song Apartment, Custard had already had history with the iconic building.

Here's Dave talking about Apartment and how they came to shoot the songs film clip.

 

For more on Custard, check out episode 48 where we take a look their song Girls Like that.

Is That Me at the MCG?

This mini episode comes from 90’s band Fini Scad – they were band that shone brightly, if only briefly and are best known for their song Coppertone.

We spoke with Fini Scads drummer Jono McPhee and he was brutally honest about the highs and lows of the music business. While it wasn’t always sunshine and lollipops for Fini Scad, they still had plenty of ‘rock star’ moments. They toured with Midnight Oil and they were selected by Micheal Gudinski to play at Mushrooms 25^th Anniversary at the MCG.

Death of a Pop Star

In this mini episode we take a look at the tragic death of one of Australia’s early pop stars, the lead singer of The Delltones, Noel Widerberg.

 

The singers death came as a huge shock to teenager all around Australia.  The excitement that came with this new craze of rock n roll, was suddenly shattered with the death of one of their teen idols.

We speak with The Delltones legend Pee Wee Wilson

You Shot Me You Bastard!

This mini ep is about the time Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs toured with way-out English performer Screaming Lord Sutch.

 

We speak with member of the Aztecs Tony Barber, no, not the Sale of the Century host but the bands guitarist. Tony emigrated to Australia in 1964 and he became a driving force on the beat pop scene.

You can hear more about Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs in episode 28 were we take a look at their first No.1 hit record Poison Ivy

Kidnapped at the Battle of Long Tan

This mini episode is on Aria Hall of famer, Col Joye and the time he found his himself in Vietnam during the war and right smack in the middle of the Battle of Long Tan.

For the full story of Col’s experiences performing during the Vietnam War period check out episode 34.

Order Me a Gudinski Burger Please

This mini ep takes a look at ground breaking Australian rock band, Ayers Rock.

Formed in 1973, Ayers Rock were the first Australian act signed with Mushroom Records to break internationally.

When Ayers Rock recorded their debut album, Big Red Rock, they recorded it live-in-the-studio and it was a ground breaking album.

Rockin’ the Viet Cong

In the world of music, The Rajahs are not a household name, however, they’ve had some extraordinary moments in their career.

 

Before they renamed themselves The Rajahs, the band were previously known as The R’Jays and they were one of the most popular acts in Australia. As Dig Richards and the R’Jays, they spread the gospel of rock n roll across the country and their success was only rivalled by the likes of Johnny O’Keefe and Col Joye.

 

Here’s Drummer Leon Isaccson telling us about how the band became the first Australian band to tour Vietnam during the war, performing for the Australian and American troops.

Not Tonight Mr Sinatra

Diana Trask is a music trail blazer – following World War 2, she was the first Australian female to break into the big time in the USA. She was the first to star on Prime Time American television, she was nominated for a Grammy and her diversity saw her cross-over from Jazz to pop and then go onto have a successful career in Country Music.

18 of her singles made the Billboard Country Charts. As a songwriter, she wrote a US top 10 hit for the Osmond Brothers and throughout her career Diana’s friends have included Johnny Cash and Glen Campbell.

Here’s Diana talking about her experience meeting Frank Sinatra and what it was like being around one of the most famous entertainers at the height of his fame.

To Love Somebody by The Bee Gees

Without doubt, The Bee Gees are the most successful act to come from Australia. In this episode of Awesome Aussie Songs, we take a look at one of their early international smash hits To Love Somebody.

Rather than just the Gibb Brothers performing as a trio, the 1967 to 69 incarnation of The Bee Gees was a 5 piece band capable of heart felt ballads, as well as equally being at home with some ‘four to the floor’ Rock n Roll.

We speak with The Bee Gees original lead guitarist Vince Melouney and he shares some fascinating insights into the early years of group and how they came to take on the world and win!

There are also historical interview excerpts from Barry, Robin and Maurice, as well as plenty of information and facts to keep even the most fanatical Bee Gees fan satisfied. This episode is a celebration of the band and their contribution to popular music.