This month in Australian music – August

Shirley Strachan

Australian Musicians born in August

  • 8th August 1928 – Don Burrows
  • 8th August 1981 – Vanessa Amorosi, singer-songwriter
  • 10th August 1961 – Jon Farriss – INXS –  Born Jonathon James Farriss in Perth, Western Australia
  • 15th August 1969 — Bernard Fanning – Powderfinger, Solo
  • 16th August 1957 – Tim Farriss – INXS – Born Timothy William Farriss in Perth, Western Australia
  • 20th August 1974 – Andy Strachan – Living End – Born Andrew Douglas Strachan in Adelaide, SA
  • 20 August 1956 – Matt Moffitt – Matt Finish, died 13 August 2003
  • 23rd August 1949 – Rick Springfield – The Zoot, Solo – Born Richard Lewis Springthorpe in Merrylands, NSW
  • 28th August 1960 – Steve Mulry – Black Label
  • 30th August Graham “Buzz” Bidstrup – Born in Adelaide SA

Australian Musicians passing away in August

  • 12th August 2008 – Christie Allen. Born in the UK in 1954. Popular singer of the late 1970’s.
  • 29th August 2001 – Graeme “Shirley” Strachan – Skyhooks – Died in a helicopter crash

Number One Singles in Australia in August

  • 1970 – Creedence Clearwater Revival “Up Around the Bend”/”Run Through the Jungle”, Simon & Garfunkel “El Condor Pasa (If I Could)”, Mungo Jerry “In the Summertime”
  • 1971 – Daddy Cool “Eagle Rock”
  • 1972 – Donny Osmond “Puppy Love”
  • 1973 – Col Joye “Heaven is My Woman’s Love”, Helen Reddy “Delta Dawn”
  • 1974 – Paper Lace “Billy Don’t Be a Hero”, Stevie Wright “Evie”
  • 1975 – Sweet “Fox on the Run”
  • 1976 – Sherbet “Howzat”, Fox “S-S-S-Single Bed”
  • 1977 – Dr. Hook “Walk Right In”, Peter Allen “I Go To Rio”
  • 1978 – Boney M. “Rivers of Babylon”, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John “You’re the One That I Want”
  • 1979 – Racey “Some Girls”, Two-Man Band “Up There Cazaly”
  • 1980 – Lipps Inc “Funkytown”, Genghis Khan “Moscow”
  • 1981 – Stars on 45 “Stars on 45 Medley”, Devo DEV-O Live (EP), Rick Springfield “Jessie’s Girl”
  • 1982 – A Flock of Seagulls “I Ran (So Far Away)”, Adam Ant “Goody Two-Shoes”, Ray Parker, Jr. “The Other Woman”
  • 1983 – Austen Tayshus “Australiana”, Irene Cara “Flashdance… What a Feeling”
  • 1984 – Wham! “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”, Prince “When Doves Cry”
  • 1985 – Madonna “Crazy for You”, Tina Turner “We Don’t Need Another Hero”
  • 1986 – Madonna “Papa Don’t Preach”
  • 1987 – Kylie Minogue “The Loco-Motion”
  • 1988 – John Farnham “Age of Reason”, Fairground Attraction “Perfect”
  • 1989 – Roxette “The Look”, New Kids on the Block “You Got It (The Right Stuff)”, Simply Red “If You Don’t Know Me by Now”

Gigs from August 1979

Date Artist City Venue
01/08/79 Peculiar Clerk West Ryde Local Inn
01/08/79 Midnight Oil Castle Hill Castle Hill RSL Club
02/08/79 Midnight Oil Campbellfield (VIC) Sylvania Hotel
03/08/79 Midnight Oil Newcastle Ambassador
04/08/79 Radiators Sydney Stagedoor Tavern
+ Jimmy and the Boys, Midnight Oil, The Lonely Hearts
05/08/79 Midnight Oil Canberra (ACT) ANU Refectory
11/08/79 Radiators Circular Quay Sydney Cove Tavern
+ Outlaw, The Clones
11/08/79 The Angels Caringbah Caringbah Inn
+ The Lonely Hearts

Gigs from August 1980

Date Artist City Venue
01/08/80 Mad Gorilla Gosford Gosford Hotel
01/08/80 Cold Chisel Ferntree Gully VIC Ferntree Gully Hotel
05/08/80 Matt Finish Rydalmere Family Inn
05/08/80 Jimmy And The Boys Wollongong Fraternity Club
+ The Clones
07/08/80 Mad Gorilla Wollongong Wollongong Hotel
08/08/80 Mad Gorilla Windsor Fitzroy Hotel
09/08/80 Mad Gorilla Leppington Jam Disco
15/08/80 Mad Gorilla Wilberforce Tropicana Hotel

Gigs from August 1985

Date Artist City Venue
02/08/85 Bandanna Manly Hotel Manly
02/08/85 Seraphim Pennant Hills Pennant Hills Inn
03/08/85 Bandanna Goulburn Empire Hotel
07/08/85 Bandanna Coffs Harbour Park Beach Hotel
09/08/85 Bandanna Gympie Countryclub Hotel
10/08/85 Bandanna Aratula Aratula Bike Show
11/08/85 Kids In The Kitchen Sydney, NSW The Tivoli
15/08/85 Bandanna Sefton Sefton Hotel

Videos

Vanessa Amarosi ‘Absolutely Everybody’
INXS ‘Original Sin’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxY7X11ExUI
Rick Springfield – ‘Jessie’s Girl’
Black Label ‘Big Talker’
Skyhooks ‘Women In Uniform’

1 Comment

  1. John Prior on August 18, 2011 at 2:35 pm

    Matt Moffitt born 20 August 1956, died 13 August 2003.

    Matt Moffitt was an Australian singer-songwriter/guitarist, best known as the vocalist with rock band Matt Finish.

    On Sunday 19th August, Matt Finish performed at the Terry Hills Community Centre in NSW with INXS, it was their first gig after changing their name from The Farriss Brothers.

    Other Matt Finish shows in August:

    1979:

    Wed 29 August 1979 – Strata Motor Inn, Cremorne NSW
    Thu 30 August 1979 – Civic Hotel, Sydney NSW
    Fri 31 August 1979 – Stagedoor Tavern, Sydney NSW

    1980:
    Fri 1 August – Ambassador, Newcastle
    Sat 2 August – Selina’s, Coogee Bay NSW
    Sun 3 August – Brighton Hotel NSW
    Tue 5 August – Family Inn, Rydalmere NSW
    Wed 6 August- Manzil Room, Kings Cross NSW
    Thu 7 August – College of Advanced Education, Goulburn NSW
    Fri 8 August – Kingston Rock Hotel, Canberra ACT
    Sat 9 August – Ganmain Bowling Club NSW
    Sun 10 August – Melbourne University VIC [Radio 3RRR broadcast]
    Tue 12 August – Macy’s, Toorak VIC
    Wed 13 August – Waurn Ponds Hotel, Geelong VIC
    Thu 14 August – Carnaby Inn, North Melbourne VIC
    Fri 15 August – Festival Hall, Melbourne VIC [early show]
    Fri 15 August – Hearts, Polaris Inn, Carlton VIC [late show]
    Sat 16 August – Palais Theatre, St Kilda VIC [with Cold Chisel and Australian Crawl, attendance 2600 (sold out)]
    Sun 17 August – Albury NSW
    Mon 19 August – Valley Inn, Perisher Valley VIC
    Tue 20 August – Valley Inn, Perisher Valley VIC
    Wed 21 August – Valley Inn, Perisher Valley VIC
    Thu 22 August – Valley Inn, Perisher Valley VIC [Rob Hirst from Midnight Oil jammed with band]
    Sun 24 August – Bondi Lifesaver, Bondi Junction NSW

    1981:
    Sat 1 August – Crystal Ballroom, St Kilda VIC
    Sun 2 August – Prospect Hill Hotel, Melbourne VIC
    Thu 27 August – Tivoli Hotel, Adelaide SA [support Dial-X]
    Fri 28 August – Stage Door, Shandon Hotel, Adelaide SA
    Sat 29 August – Top Room, Arkaba Hotel, Adelaide SA [support The Dukes]

    1983:
    Thu 4 August – San Miguel Inn, Cammeray NSW [party]
    Fri 5 August – Tivoli, Sydney NSW
    Sat 6 August – Tivoli, Sydney NSW [broadcast by 2JJJ radio]
    Tue 16 August – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide SA [with Midnight Oil]
    Tue 23 August – Bluegum Hotel, Waitara NSW
    Wed 24 August – Greenfields Tavern NSW
    Thu 25 August – Caringbah Inn, NSW
    Fri 26 August – Bel-Air Hotel, Newcastle NSW
    Sat 27 August – Sydney Cove Tavern, Circular Quay, Sydney NSW

    1984:
    Wed 1 August – Jindabyne Bowling Club NSW
    Thu 2 August – Ingleburn RSL NSW
    Fri 3 August – Wentworthville Leagues Club NSW?
    Fri 3 August – Canberra Royals Football Club ACT?
    Sat 4 August – Balmain RSL NSW
    Sun 5 August – St George Budapest Soccer Club, Mortdale NSW
    Mon 6 August – Hornsby RSL Club NSW
    Tue 7 August – Sweethearts NSW
    Wed 8 August – Taree RSL NSW
    Thu 9 August – Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education, Toowoomba NSW
    Fri 10 August – Jet Club, Coolangatta QLD
    Sat 11 August – Jet Club, Coolangatta QLD
    Sun 12 August – Easts Leagues Club, Brisbane QLD
    Mon 13 August – Byron Bay Entertainment Centre NSW
    Tue 14 August – Byron Bay Services Club NSW?
    Tue 14 August – Lismore Workers Club Club NSW?
    Tue 14 August – Tamworth Leagues Club NSW?
    Thu 15 August – Park Beach Hotel, Coffs Harbour NSW
    Thu 16 August – Newcastle Workers Club NSW
    Fri 17 August – Caringbah Inn NSW?
    Fri 17 August – Royal Antler Hotel, Narrabeen NSW?
    Sat 18 August – Selinas, Coogee Bay NSW
    Sun 19 August – Rooty Hill RSL NSW

    2007:
    Fri 3 August – The Espy, St Kilda VIC
    Sat 4 August – Southern Cross Club, Canberra ACT [with Kevin Borich]
    Fri 10 August – The Attic Niteclub, The Entrance NSW

    2010:
    Thu 19 August – Vanguard, Newtown NSW
    Sat 21 August – Coast Hotel, Budgewoi NSW

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