Artists Who Have Defined the Aussie Music Scene: 50s, 60s & 70s
Australia Day: amongst an infinite number of sunburnt bodies, charcoaled steaks and empty beer bottles, lies a poor, neglected yet overheating iPod. Deplorably, each year musical devices across the nation are forced to blast the cringe-worthy sounds of American pop stars. But not this Australia day!
We at AAA feel it’s our duty to help put an end this unpatriotic convention, by enlightening you to the unconventional pasts of artists that defined Australian generations since the 50s. Seems a tad more profound than anything Nicki Minaj could achieve don’t you think?
The 50s
So, assuming you’ve seen “Happy Days,” your perception of the 50s would consist of: full skirts, slicked back hair and a mother who appears to be ‘where she belongs’.... stuck in the kitchen. But picture this instead; you’re the son of Waverly’s mayor, an economics student at Sydney University and also the fantasy of teenage girls across the globe. Those were the real happy days of Johnny O’Keefe.
Nicknamed “The Wild One,” the iconic rock ‘n’ roll singer was the first Aussie artist to not only tour the US, but also enter the Top 40 charts internationally. Singles like She’s My Baby and Shout, generated so much interest in O’Keefe and the Australian rock ‘n’ scene in general, that weekly television shows were produced just to showcase unsigned talent. Bet you thought that Idol and X Factor were innovative ideas huh?
Despite being the host of a number of programs from 1959 – 1967, O’Keefe also had ties to the television industry due to his nephew: Deal or No Deal’s Andrew O’Keefe; although maybe this is not one of Johnny’s finest achievements.
The 60s
Fast forward a few years and, whilst I’m sure Marion Ross hadn’t yet made it out of the kitchen, female singers in Australia were achieving unfathomable success both here and overseas. Remember that awfully sweet, petite lady who always performs at Carols in the Domain? She was actually the leading lady of The Seekers: the only musical act to ever receive an “Australian of the Year award.” Which figures since their debt single was a rendition of Waltzing Matilda.
Like all inspiring tales of rags to riches, a chance meeting and habitual jam sesh at the local coffee shop laid the foundations for their inevitable success. Yet it was their folk sounding ballads and clean cut image that truly thrust them into the international limelight.
Most notably the compilation album ‘Best of the Seekers’ reached No.1 during 1968, knocking the Beatles from the top with their 'The White Room.’ Incredibly, the album stayed on the charts for 125 weeks. Making it very clear that in a coffee shop can pay off for some, just not Phoebe Buffay.
The 70s
Another decade later and it appears that pants were flared, chests were hairy and male singers sounded like their balls hadn’t dropped. We owe it all to the Bee Gees. The three Gibb brothers were disco’s answer to Hanson by not only being singers, song writers and performers, but also writers and producers for a number of other artists.
Having a core following both here and overseas, they topped charts internationally throughout the 70s with songs like How Deep is Your Love, Stayin' Alive,Night Fever or Tragedy. However, being the soundtrack to John Travolta struttin’ his stuff may not have been what they envisioned when first started out.
Rachel Barrett- AAA Backstage
