Australian Music Stars of the 60's (3/4)

Until the late 1970s, many Australian performers found it hard to become established and to maintain their profile, because of the difficulty in getting airplay on radio. Until 1975, Australian pop radio was dominated by a clique of commercial broadcasters who virtually had the field to themselves and their influence over government was such that, incredibly, no new radio licences had been issued in any Australian capital city since the prevailing industry structure had been consolidated in the early 1930s. All commercial pop radio was broadcast on the AM band, in mono, and the commercial sector strenuously resisted calls to grant new licences, introduce community broadcasting and open up the FM band (then only used for TV broadcasts in Australia) even though FM rock radio was already well-established in the United States.
Many of the more progressively-oriented artists found themselves locked out of Australian commercial radio, which concentrated on high-rotation 3-minute pop single programming. This was a result of the widespread adoption of the American-inspired "More Music" format, which had been pioneered in Los Angeles with great success by the Drake-Chenault programming consultancy.
There was a great deal of innovative and exciting music produced; although few Australians got to hear more than a fraction of it at the time, this music is undergoing a major resurgence both locally and internationally, since Australia is one of the last untapped resources of 20th-century popular music.
Landmark acts of this period include Spectrum and its successor Ariel, Daddy Cool, Blackfeather, The Flying Circus, Tully (band), Tamam Shud, Russell Morris, Jeff St John & Copperwine, Chain, Billy Thorpe & The (new) Aztecs, Headband, Company Caine, Kahvas Jute, Country Radio, Max Merritt & The Meteors, The La De Das, Madder Lake, former Easybeats lead singer Stevie Wright, Wendy Saddington, The 69'ers, The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band and country-rock pioneers The Dingoes.
Guitarist-songwriter-producer Lobby Loyde (ex Wild Cherries, Purple Hearts) was another key figure in this period, most notably with his '70s band Coloured Balls, who gained a considerable following, despite media allegations that their music promoted skinhead violence. Lloyde had also played an important part in the re-emergence of Billy Thorpe and the 'new' hard-rock incarnation of the Aztecs, and his solo and band recordings in this period had a significant impact in Australia and internationally; Henry Rollins and Nirvana's Kurt Cobain are among those who have reportedly cited Lobby as an influence.
(extract from Wikipedia 2011)

[@allanblack1645]

In 1963 I worked at Natec Sound Studios at 29 Bligh St. Sydney and we used to record the music for TCN9s Sat night 30 minute tv Bandstand program. All the Australian rock stars used to come in to record and we met Olivier Newton John, Helen Reddy etc. Great days working in the studio.

[@alanlane3670]

All the go go girls are grandmothers now !!!!

[@lookedgood8466]

The Easybeats were an Australian rock band. They formed in Sydney in late 1964 and disbanded at the end of 1969. They are regarded as the greatest Australian pop band of the 1960's.

[@yowodup6094]

Tbh they were also hard rock.

[@cliffkilpatrick7430]

Also, their guitarist was George Young, older brother to the AC/DC Young siblings.

[@warialdasue]

love the Easybeats music still today

[@russellcampbell9198]

The Easybeats and The Loved Ones - two originals.

[@neilforbes416]

1:30 It wasn't John, Paul, George & Ringo touching down in Sydney, it was John, Paul, George & Jimmy! Jimmy Nichol stood in for Ringo Starr until the Adelaide leg of the Beatles' Australian tour when Ringo, held back by illness, finally joined the tour.

[@dianebrewer8730]

really enjoyed watching these today

[@crocodilepeter]

Aussie rock of the 60's Part 3

[@leonstone4738]

To be frank personally never warmed to the Stones. Preferred our own as they had a raw sense about them. Funny many of them were Immigrants. Norm had straight levelled approach. A great guy and solid Aussie and stood tall when asked to do so. Way above many others. The easy beats were very underrated, still popular today.

[@laminage]

The McCoys did the "Original" Version of Hang On Sloopy and Blood Sweat & Tears did the "original" version of "You've Made Me So Very Happy".

[@laminage]

When I look at the Dancers they remind me of The Ones from Hullabaloo in the 1960's. Also how many of the kids knew that many of these Songs were from The US.

[@ausbri2906]

Aussie Music Aussie Music Aussie Music Oi Oi Oi Watching from Australia

[@phillipcox516]

Was the DJ interviewing Normie Rowe, a young, Ward Pally Austin.

[@laminage]

You've Made Me So Very Happy that was originally done by Blood Sweat And Tears that was co Written By Brenda Holloway and Motown Founder Berry Gordy Jr.

[@patwebb4112]

I was in row 6 in the arvo show at the Palais (St Kilda) in 1966. I was a Brian fan. Held my Brian photo out and Mick ignd!

[@patwebb4112]

+Pat Webb Rolling Stones

[@laminage]

These Dancers who danced with The Easybeats could have given the US Dancers a run for their Money. They would have been perfect on The T.A.M.I. Show aka Teenager Music International.

[@rozdarley4790]

He was so handsome go Normie greatest Australian singers

[@laminage]

Normie was very brave. In the US Alot of Young Men didn't want to go. Carl Wilson all but bought his way out when he got his notice in 1965 at 19 when the Beach Boys were still hot, then Alan Osmond didn't go because of his religion being a Mormon. Jan of Jan & Dean got drafted but because of a Motorcycle Accident he suffered brain damage, then Rick James escaped to Canada came back to The US and did time for being a Draft Dodger. Flowers On The Wall was originally done by the Statler Brothers.

[@johnd8892]

It was rigged to get him in the army. No one else with his birthday was drafted. He found out decades later when a policeman with the same birthday looked at his licence. A reflection of the honesty of government at the time. Virtually destroyed his career

[@laminage]

Que Sera Sera was originally done by Doris Day. Berry Gordy of Motown Records wanted her to sing a song he wrote but it never came into fruition. they met over 30 years later and she admitted she loved motown music. Sadly her son Terry Melcher died of a drug overdose and her name was mentioned in Grease. When they did the Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee it was filmed on August 16th which was the day Elvis died.

[@blueycarlton]

​@johnd8892 Rowe would have known if his birthdate had been drawn out. Every one in the ballot either watched the draw on TV or saw the result in the newspapers. My friends and I met at the pub the night before and met up again that night. Only one of 6 of us was called up. Even if Rowe was too busy his manager or family would have told him.

[@mauriceupton1474]

Allison Durban is a New Zealanders, not an Aussie!

[@callithowiseeit5806]

"many Australian performers found it hard to become established and to maintain their profile, because of the difficulty in getting airplay on radio"?... erm maybe writing a hit would've changed that?

[@OldiesMomma]

No because the easybeats wrote their music and it was better than the beatles . And nothing came of them here in the usa and the UK. Very poor management. They could have been very famous here in the usa . They should have been on the Ed Sullivan show and American bandstand with Dick Clark sponsoring them.

[@blueycarlton]

​The Easybeats made the mistake of going to the UK instead of the USA.

[@CC3193]

6:37 I'm instantly transported to Butch driving along in Pulp Fiction

[@suezyq14]

Stevie wright and the easy beats were great..so wasnormie rowe

[@thomaselms5461]

Jagger always tried but he never learned to dance.

[@michaelpuxty8388]

Rick a pal a do lee its ward pale working on ya radio,

[@markgriffin4888]

Normie Rowe's management tried doing a Elvis Presley, but it backfired on them and him , I wouldn't be surprised if Rowe was in on it

[@rotkatzeredcat4284]

But the Stones and the Who aren't Australians. ???

[@1948DESMOND]

this kind of music was considererd progressive in those days. the stones music is now very, very middle of the road, don't you think? AND THESE SINGERS/MUSICIANS ARE NOT AUSSIES. THEY ARE FROM ELSEWHERE.

[@cathycastleton]

Normie Rowe returned to Australia and got. Pulled up some years later by traffic cop near Yass Cop notes the same birthday Normie notes same birthdate, says where you see service, cop says Never ! Normie was falsely sent,to ruin his career, this actually happened to a lot of raunchy artists then

[@frankmachin5438]

Jesus wept - Normie Rowe was considered raunchy?

[@cathycastleton]

@@frankmachin5438 you obviously weren’t a young girl then

[@rotkatzeredcat4284]

Yep this was talked about at the time, we knew it then.

[@anEyePhil]

Vietnam conscription: Old men sending young men off to keep LBJ happy. What for? They all left in 1975.

[@alanlane3670]

Conscription was a disgrace......

[@blueycarlton]

Odd, but Normie was not called up. He got stopped by the police when driving for a licence check, the policeman said you and I have the same birthday. The copper had not been called up. I was in the draft and I knew when the numbers were drawn as it was on TV and in the newspapers. Why didn't Normie know this?

[@ianmontgomery7534]

The odds were not in his favour - Normie was Shanghaied rather than drafted and anyone who shared his birthdate got the same - it was a disgusting abuse.

[@OldiesMomma]

The girls should have been in the background. No some one Thought that it would be a good idea to have them all right in Front of the easybeats . . the performers that we all wanted to see. Good going camera person. Should have been fried.