Moving Pictures is one of my all time favourite bands. I remember seeing them, probably in 1981/82 at the Sylvania Hotel and I was just blown away. It was one of the most memorable nights of my young life, I was 19/20. Of course after seeing them live I just had to buy their debut album, “Days of Innocence”. I can remember asking my mum to buy if for me for Easter instead of an Easter egg. It was better than chocolate… well almost. When I first got the album I loved “Bustin’ loose” but once I got to know all of the songs, off by heart, it was “What about me” that stuck in my mind the most and of course lead the band to no.1 in 1982. One of the most exciting things for me, later in life, was when my husband was working with James Blundell and I met two of James’ band members, Charlie Cole and Ian Lees… wow, two of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet and they were from Moving Pictures. Life’s alright you know. So here’s a track from the album. No not “What about me”. I think that thanks to Moving Pictures and Shannon Noll it has had it’s fair share of airplay. I’d like to play “Bustin’ Loose” for you. Please enjoy… I know I did when I heard it again for the first time in years.

Tracks

1. Nothing to Do
2. The Angel and the Madman – Moving Pictures, Cole, Charlie
3. Sweet Cherie
4. Round Again
5. Wings
6. What About Me? – Moving Pictures, Frost, Garry
7. So Tired
8. Joni and Romeo
9. Bustin’ Loose
10. Street Heart
11. Winners – Moving Pictures, Frost, Garry
12. Back to the Streets
13. Where They Belong – Moving Pictures, Frost, Garry
14. Never – Moving Pictures, Gore, M.
15. Back to the Blues and Booze
16. Saturday Love
17. Spies
18. Pleasure and Pain
19. Sisters of Mercy

General Information

Released : 1981 (Australia), 1982 (USA)
Recorded : ?
Genre : Rock

About Avion

** Updated **

Sydney band Avion (not to be confused with the L.A. act current in the 00’s or the ‘Par’ variety) came into being during 1981. Randall Waller (vocals/guitar) had already released two solo albums (‘Oasis’ in 1978 and ‘Midnight Fire’ in 1980) before forming the band Lionheart which soon evolved into Avion. Completing the original line-up were Martin Toole (guitar), Evan Murray (keyboards), along with Waller’s brothers Kendall (bass) and John (drums). Avion’s musical style was unabashedly influenced by American Adult Oriented Rock (think Journey/Boston/Night Ranger etc).

From Paul Gannell’s MySpace page

History

A recording contract with RCA led to the release of their eponymous debut album in 1983 (OZ48). RCA obviously thought the group’s sound better suited the North American market because the album was release there before it was at home in Australia. The album didn’t receive much promotion and though the first single from it ‘I Need You’ was a minor hit (OZ61 – reaching as high as 40 in NSW), Avion didn’t break through in a major way. Two more ‘Diamond Eyes’ and ‘Never Let Me Go’ were lifted from the album but neither made the charts. A stand alone single ‘Still The Night’ was released in August 1984 but again didn’t sell well. Paul Gannell came in to replace Toole on guitar for the band’s second album, 1987’s ‘White Noise’. The album included the earlier single releases ‘We’ve Got Secrets’ and ‘Celebration’ but the celebrations were non existent as none made the charts. The band had remained a solid touring outfit throughout this period though, and it was on a late 1987 tour that keyboardist Evan Murray was killed in a car accident. The loss of Murray and the failure to break through commercially finally led Waller to call an end to Avion’s tenure.
From Paul Gannell’s MySpace page

Members

• Randall Waller – Vocals & Guitar.
• Martyn Toole – Guitar
• Kendall Waller – Bass
• Evan Murray – Keyboards
• John Waller – Drums
• Paul Gannell – Guitar

Video

Recordings

• Avion – 1983
• White Noise – 1986
• Live – 1987

Technical Crew

• John McConnell – FOH Engineer

Other Resources

• Improve Your Music
• Wikipedia
• Rock Detector
• Paul Gannell’s MySpace page

About

Since the mid 80′s the Choirboys have been performing in pubs, clubs, theatres, concert halls and football grounds around the world. Along the way they’ve released some of the biggest and most influential songs of the past two decades – hits including the rock anthems “Run to Paradise”, “Boys will be Boys”, “Never Gonna Die” and “Struggletown”.

The bands original front man, Mark Gable (lead vocals/guitar) along with co-founder Ian Hulme (bass/vocals) still head up this slick rock outfit. The Choirboys are complete with the addition one of Australia’s best rock drummers Paul Wheeler.
On stage THE CHOIRBOYS are energetic, charismatic and compelling musicians. Their show highlights the bands chart topping hits along with the great new tracks from “Evolver”.
from www.choirboys.net

History

The Choirboys started on the Northern Beaches area of Sydney in 1979. The original members of the band were Mark Gable on vocals, Ian Hulme on bass, Lindsay Tebbutt on drums, and Brad Carr on guitar. They started jamming and writing songs, and playing together in venues around Sydney.

In 1983, George Young (formerly of The Easybeats, and older brother of Angus and Malcolm Young of AC/DC) heard a demo from the Choirboys. He recorded their self-titled debut album with his partner Harry Vanda of the famous Vanda & Young production team at the same studio where the early AC/DC and Rose Tattoo albums were recorded.

The first single, “Never Gonna Die,” reached #21 in the Australian single charts in 1983. Australian TV musical personality Ian “Molly” Meldrum said the album was “destined to become an Aussie classic.” Cold Chisel invited the Choirboys to support them on their “Last Stand”, their last tour for 15 years.
from Wikipedia

Members

• Mark Gable – Vocals and Guitar
• Ian Hulme – Bass and vocals
• Paul Wheeler – Drums and vocals
• Lindsay Tebbutt – Drums (1979-1992)
• Brett Williams – Guitar (1988-1992)
• Brad Carr – Guitar (1979-1987)
• Richard Lara – Guitar (1995-1999)
• Barton Price – Drums (1994-1996)
• Richard Coleman – Drums (1997-2001)
• Johnny Ghiselli – Guitar (2000-2003)
• Tony Le Rhodes – Drums (1996-1997)

Images

Videos

Recordings

• Choirboys – 1983
• Big Bad Noise – 1988
• Midnight Sun – 1991
• Dead Drunk Live Hangovers – 1991
• Decade, Best of 1983-1993 – 1993
• Dancin on the Grave of Rock n’ Roll – 1996
• Yo-Yo – 1996
• Evolver – 2004

Other Resources

• Choirboys Website
• Choirboys on Wikipedia
• The Choirboys page of Our Online Store

Known Gigs

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About

Dee Minor and the Dischords has delivered Raw Energy to the stage of Australian Pubs and Clubs since 1978. Heavy touring around the country in the early 80′s with Midnight Oil, Radiators, Cold Chisel, The Angels, MiSex, Swanee, Choirboys, Divinyls, INXS, Matt Finish, Mental As Anything, IceHouse, Rose Tattoo and others. They brought a unique brand of entertainment to the pub scene.

Based in Sydney, and headlining their own shows from 1981 to 1987, Dee Minor and The Dischords ripped up stages with their wild brand of rock and live on stage energy! After returning to the stage from a ten year absence they fired back in “The Boys Are Back In Town” shows from 1997 – 1999.
from deeminorandthedischords.com

Members

• Dee Minor(John Stuart) – Vocals
• Neal MacDonald – Sax and Vocals
• Craig Wachholtz – Guitar
• Spole – Bass
• Ray – Drums
• Brenton Dehn – Guitar
• Greg Dawes
• Scott Leese
• Paul Arnott

Recordings

• Single – “Money” – 1982
• Album – “Dee Minor and The Dischords” – 1982

Images

Videos

Known Gigs

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Other Resources

• www.deeminorandthedischords.com
• Dee Minor and The Dischords MySpace site

About

Sydney based Blues/Boogie/Rock band of the 80′s

History

Started in 1986 by Larry Macmillan, Terry Duffy, Graeme Newtown and Rick Doolan. Disbanded in 1990

Images

Members

• Larry Macmillan -Guitar and Vocals
• Terry Duffy – Bass
• Graeme Newton – Guitar
• Rick Doolan – Drums
• Mark Johnson – Guitar
• Mark Langfield – Drums
• Leo Auciello – Vocals
• Mark Flack – Guitar
• Mark Wells – Bass
• Steve Edmonds – Guitar
• Bob Montgomery – Bass and Vocals
• Mark Blanchard – Guitar
• Steve Levidicus – Guitar
• Barry Gathercole – Guitar
• Jerry Hughes – Vocals
• Peter Nicoli – Bass

Recordings

• Bag Fulla Boogie – 1986
• Boogie Down Under – 1988
• Let the party begin

Technical Crew

• Mark Gibson – F.O.H.
• Brett Gibson – Monitors
• Brian Lawrence – Lights

Other Resources

• Gibbos War Stories – Goin On Tour

Known Gigs

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About

Entertaining Sydney band based around smutty cabaret-theatre comedy. Played a mix of r&b, blues and rock with some school boy type humour (ie nose picking, flatulence). Obviously light-hearted but the music was substantial.
from Who’s who of Australian Rock.

“What we are about”, says Izzy, “is being the catalyst for a good time, with an irreverent approach to the whole idea of rock & roll as an industry. To the punters, we are just a bunch of looneys who happen to be able to play music, and who would be just as comfortable beside them at the bar. We have no intention of deconstructing that image, not even for [name removed because of possibility of legal action].”

Izzy admits the band’s onstage skullduggery may be part of the problem with bookers such as [name removed because of possibility of legal action] , though “They need to see that we’ve grown up a bit. Sure, we’ll never be Top 30 pinups, and we’ll always be mainly an adults-only product – but we still pull heads at rock venues, and the days of the infamous “Dance of the Flaming Arsehole” are in the past.”
from www.zarsoffbros.com

History

Three members of The Zarsoff Bros (Izzy, Bernie and Terry) were playing as The Robin Lee Sinclair Band in 1979, backing a singer (Robin Lee Sinclair)doing disco versions of every kind of song that moved. The band was very popular in the club circuit, but Izzy started to yearn for an outlet for his comedy material. The three future Zarsoffs started doing some low key gigs away from Robin Lee Sinclair, as The Likker Act. When Robin found out, he demanded exclusive loyalty. Izzy, Bernie and Terry got pissed at the Royal Sheaf Hotel in Double Bay one afternoon, and went to visit Robin. Izzy Told him where to stick his exclusive loyalty, and the 1979 version of The Zarsoff Bros was born.

After a few gigs, the boys decided they needed a fourth member. There was a Bluey who rehearsed a lot with the band and did maybe one gig, but he proved to be too serious a musician and wasn’t too fond of the bizarre onstage antics of the other members. He soon departed and the real Bluey Zarsoff joined, just before the band headed to Cairns for a six week stint at Caesars Palace. In fact, this Bluey only did one gig before Cairns, at The Bondi Tram, then feel headfirst into the mayhem.

This was the 1979 version of The Zarsoff Bros because, unknown to Izzy Foreal, there was a band with this name who recorded a single some time in the early 1970s. This band consisted of members from popular bands of the time, who got together to release a record under the name The Zarsoff Bros. This band never performed live as far as is known, and the whole thing was meant to be a one-off joke.

The Zarsoff name, of course, has been around as a joke for ages. Many of Izzy’s road crew members had Zarsoff names in previous bands. In fact, Dave Ovenden, drummer with The 69ERS when Izzy was known as Peter Knox and that band’s bass player, used to often call out over the microphone: A message for Mister Bluey Zarsoff, please refrain from leaving skid marks in the car park.

Anyway, it was the 1979 Zarsoff Bros who went on to carve themselves a reputation as a rude, crude, offensive, irreverent and extremely funny band throughout the 1980s. The 1979 line up came to an end when Izzy went to Tweed Heads to play bass with The Bullamakankas. After about eight months and one Bullamakankas album, he returned to Sydney and formed the next version of The Zarsoff Bros. This version featured Rocky on drums, Smokey on lead guitar, Izzy on bass and Bernie on keyboards. Bluey returned after a few months, and Rudi joined on saxophone not long after. This classic line up carved its way through the Sydney live scene for some time, creating the legend that still lives on in many drug addled minds.

Frontman and bassist Izzy Foreal put the band to sleep some time in the early 1990s. He was asked to put a lineup together for “The Boys Are Back In Town” tours towards the end of the 1990s, which he did using various combinations of past band members. The vibe was so good that the version of the band in the photo above decided to write an album of new material and continue the mayhem. So, The Legendary Zarsoff Bros were back on the road with a new second guitarist, recording a new album and touring to promote it. Stay tuned to this site for updates on live shows, album release dates and other Zarsoffian insanity.
from www.zarsoffbros.com

Members

• Izzy Foreal – Vocals and Bass
• Smokey Zarsoff – Guitar
• Shaggy Zarsoff – Guitar, Mandolin and Vocals
• Bologne Zarsoff – Drums
• Bernie Zarsoff – Keys
• Bluey Zarsoff – Guitar and Sax
• Rory Zarsoff – Guitar
• Lefty Zarsoff – Drums
• Rocky Zarsoff – Drums
• Rudi Zarsoff – Sax
• Terry Zarsoff

Recordings

• EP – Bumsweat and Other Popular Filth (Pirana Bros. label, 1981)
• EP – Nose Picking Boogie (Pirana Bros, 1981)
• Single – Handy Man/Workin’ It Out (Pirana Bros, 1983)
• Album – Rude Awakening – 1984
• Album – Mixed Business – 2007

Images

Other Resources

• Zarsoff Bros website
• Gibbos War Stories
• Frank Bennett – Biography

Known Gigs

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