Awesome Aussie Songs

Livin’ Lovin’ Wreck by Dig Richards & The R’Jays

In the early days of Rock 'n' Roll, Dig Richards & the R'Jays were one of the biggest bands in the land.

With his movie-star good looks, Dig was Australia's very first teenage idol, and with his band the R'Jays, they were at the forefront of the Rock 'n' Roll revolution in in Australia.

They were the first Aussie band to release a full-length album through Festival Records and as a live act, they were as popular as any local band. They even had their own television show on Channel 7 twice a week called Teen Time.

Sadly, Dig died in 1983, he was just 42-years-old. however, his musical legacy lives on and we hope this episode pays tribute to his contribution to Australian music. He went onto have a successful solo career recording as Digby Richards and we will release an episode on his solo career in the near future.

Our special guests are the R’Jays drummer Leon Issackson and Digs brother, Doug Richards.

Leon has written a fantastic book with fellow R’Jay Jon Hayton, it’s called Behind The Rock and is the most authentic history of the pioneering days of the music business in Australia.

Please share this episode if you enjoyed it - if you could give the Podcast a rating and comment, that would be greatly appreciated.

Guest suggestions are more than welcomed.

Awesome Aussie Songs is presented by Josh Ursem and written and produced by Sheldon Kidd. Intro / outro music is called Australia, So Nice by Holly Kirsten.

Hail, Hail, Australian Rock n Roll.

Howzat by Sherbet

Formed in 1969, Sherbet would go onto become one of the most successful Australian acts of all time. Led by vocalist Daryl Braithwaite, Sherbet had 20 consecutive singles make the ARIA charts. With 12 of these singles going top 10, including two No.1 hits in Howzat and Summer Love.

In this episode we take a look at Sherbets amazing career and we also focus on the band’s classic song Howzat.

Our special guest is Sherbets bass player and the co-writer of Howzat, Tony Mitchell.

 

Please share this episode if you enjoyed it - if you could give the Podcast a rating and comment, that would be greatly appreciated.

Guest suggestions are more than welcomed.

Awesome Aussie Songs is presented by Josh Ursem and written and produced by Sheldon Kidd. Intro / outro music is called Australia, So Nice by Holly Kirsten.

Hail, Hail, Australian Rock n Roll.

Touch of Paradise by John Farnham

Touch of Paradise was the third single released from John Farnham’s all-conquering album Whispering Jack.

The song was co-written by Ross Wilson of Daddy Cool and Mondo Rock fame. Episode 14 of this podcast takes a look at Daddy Cool. The other co-writer of Touch of Paradise was Gulliver Smith from cult Melbourne band Company Caine.

 

The Whispering Jack album has now sold over 2 million copies worldwide. The record is the highest selling album by an Aussie and it sits second, only behind Meat Loafs Bat Out of Hell, for the most albums sold of all time in Australia. Incredibly the album has been certified 24 x platinum.

Our special guest is Oz music legend, Ross Wilson.

Thanks for Listening to Awesome Aussie Songs

Please share this episode if you enjoyed it - if you could give the Podcast a rating and comment, that would be greatly appreciated.

Guest suggestions are more than welcomed.

Awesome Aussie Songs is presented by Josh Ursem and written and produced by Sheldon Kidd. Intro / outro music is called Australia, So Nice by Holly Kirsten.

Hail, Hail, Australian Rock n Roll.

Send Me An Angel by Real Life

When the synth pop of New Wave took off in Australia in the early 1980’s, Real Life were at the forefront of this emerging genre. The Melbourne band flew the flag for the New Romantics.

This episode is on Real Life’s worldwide smash hit, Send Me An Angel.

Our special guest is Real Life’s singer, songwriter and guitarist, David Sterry.

Thanks for Listening to Awesome Aussie Songs. Please share this episode if you enjoyed it - if you could give the Podcast a rating and comment, that would be greatly appreciated.

Guest suggestions are more than welcomed.

Awesome Aussie Songs is presented by Josh Ursem and written and produced by Sheldon Kidd. Intro / outro music is called Australia, So Nice by Holly Kirsten.

Hail, Hail, Australian Rock n Roll.

Rock On by Johnny Rebb and His Rebels

This episode is on one of Australia’s pioneer rock n roll bands Johnny Rebb and His Rebels, we take a look at their long lost classic Rock On

Our special guest is the bands piano player and co-founder, John Charter.

As a member of the first Rock n Roll band ever formed in Australia, John Charter has been there from the very beginning and is a true pioneer of music in this country. The first official Aussie rock band was Alan Dale and the House Rockers.

He then helped to form one of the biggest bands in Australia at the time, Johnny Rebb and His Rebels. They appeared regularly on television shows like 6 O'Clock Rock and Bandstand.

They were also the first Australian band to sign with Lee Gordons record label, Leedon

Thanks for Listening to Awesome Aussie Songs

Please share this episode if you enjoyed it - if could could give us a rating and comment that would be greatly appreciated - you're Guest Suggestions are more than welcomed.

Awesome Aussie Songs is presented by Josh Ursem and written and produced by Sheldon Kidd.
Intro / outro music is Australia, So Nice by Holly Kirsten

Hail, Hail, Australian Rock n Roll.

Bad Habits by Billy Field

This episode is on thought provoking chart topper Billy Field and his classic hit song, Bad Habits.

Our special guest is the man himself, Billy Field.

Billy Field was one of the most popular musicians in Australian in the early 1980’s

Fusing Jazz and Pop, Billy's distinctive husky vocals and piano playing saw him top both the singles and album charts and his songs have been recorded by International superstars such as Mick Fleetwood and David Lee Roth.

While he is best know as the piano thumping and jumping scat man, Billy first came to the attention of music fans as the bass player in schoolboy psychedelic rock band King Fox

King Fox were like the Silverchair of their day – while all the bands members where still at school, they won a Sydney radio competition in 1970.

Thanks for Listening to Awesome Aussie Songs

Please share this episode if you enjoyed it - if could could give us a rating and comment that would be greatly appreciated - you're Guest Suggestions are more than welcomed.

Awesome Aussie Songs is presented by Josh Ursem and written and produced by Sheldon Kidd.
Intro / outro music is Australia, So Nice by Holly Kirsten

Hail, Hail, Australian Rock n Roll.

Crying Shame by Johnny Diesel and The Injectors

This episode is on Johnny Diesel and The Injectors and their hit song, Crying Shame.

Our special guest was the bands front man, guitarist and songwriter, Diesel.

 

When Johnny Diesel and The Injectors first burst onto the Australian music scene, they took the country by storm.

 Their hard rocking self-titled debut album would go onto become the highest selling album in 1989. On the back of this album, the band would also win 2 Aria awards.

At the time, the album became the highest selling debut album ever released by an Australian band. The record included 4 hit singles with 3 of these songs reaching the top 10 on the charts.

Thanks for Listening to Awesome Aussie Songs

Please share this episode if you enjoyed it - if could could give us a rating and comment that would be greatly appreciated - you're Guest Suggestions are more than welcomed.

Awesome Aussie Songs is presented by Josh Ursem and written and produced by Sheldon Kidd.
Intro / outro music is Australia, So Nice by Holly Kirsten

Hail, Hail, Australian Rock n Roll.

Love and Other Bruises by Air Supply

This episode is on one of the highest selling Australian acts of all time, Air Supply.

We take a look at their debut hit single Love and Other Bruises. Our special guest is Air Supply's lead singer Russell Hitchcock.

When it comes to international ground breaking chart success, Air Supply are one of the most popular bands to ever come out of Australia.

They stand alongside acts like AC/DC, The Bee Gees and INXS, when it comes to worldwide acclaim of their music.

Air Supply have conquered both North and South America, Europe, Asia and of course, the country were it all kicked off, Australia.

In the USA, they have had 8 top 10 hit singles, including a number 1 on the billboard charts, with Air Supply declared the biggest selling pop group of the 1980’s.

On the Billboard Charts they even equalled the Beatles record of having 7 consecutive singles reach the top 5.

They have sold over 50 million singles, albums and DVD's worldwide.

Thanks for Listening to Awesome Aussie Songs

Please share this episode if you enjoyed it - if could could give us a rating and comment that would be greatly appreciated - you're Guest Suggestions are more than welcomed.

Awesome Aussie Songs is presented by Josh Ursem and written and produced by Sheldon Kidd.
Intro / outro music is Australia, So Nice by Holly Kirsten

Hail, Hail, Australian Rock n Roll.

Eagle Rock by Daddy Cool

The continued success of Eagle Rock has been phenomenal – the debut single by Daddy Cool  became the highest selling song in Australia in 1971 and it also reached No.1 in New Zealand. 

In 2001 APRA released a list of the most successful songs in Australian music history and Eagle Rock came in at number 2, only behind Friday on My Mind by the Easybeats.

The song is a true Aussie classic and as the lyrics say – The Good Old Eagle Rock Is Here to Stay.

Our special guest is Daddy Cool's front man and the songwriter of Eagle Rock, Ross Wilson.

Thanks for Listening to Awesome Aussie Songs

Guest Suggestions are more than welcomed.

Awesome Aussie Songs is presented by Josh Ursem and written and produced by Sheldon Kidd.
Intro / outro music is Australia, So Nice by Holly Kirsten

Hail, Hail, Australian Rock n Roll.

Satellite by One Dollar Short

This episode is on Aussie punk pop band One Dollar Short and their song Satellite.

Satellite comes from their debut album Eight Days Away. The album reached No.7 on the Aria Charts in 2002.

Our special guest is One Dollar Short's guitarist and songwriter Trent Crawford.

Awesome Aussie Songs is presented by Josh Ursem and written and produced by Sheldon Kidd.
Intro / outro music is Australia, So Nice by Holly Kirsten