The Loved Ones (Australian band): Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 12:08, 12 April 2010
The Loved Ones |
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The Loved Ones were an Australian rock group of the 1960s, formed in the wake of the British Invasion. Although the band's career lasted only two years, the group is now regarded as one of the most significant Australian bands of the 1960s.
Biography
The Loved Ones were formed in Melbourne in 1965 by Gerry Humphreys, Ian Clyne and Kim Lynch. They had previously been members of a youthful "Trad Jazz" band, the Red Onions Jazz Band, in which Humphreys and Lynch had played clarinet and tuba respectively. They then recruited drummer Gavin Anderson and ex-Wild Cherries guitarist Rob Lovett. The band were renowned as an exciting, if erratic, live act in a Stones/Animals mould and quickly rose to prominence in the local club and dance scene.
The group's visual impact was heightened by their striking mod stage attire and the band had a strong focal point thanks to the charismatic stage presence, saturnine good looks and growling, blues-influenced baritone voice of Humphreys, who is widely acknowledged as one of Australia's finest male pop-rock vocalists. The Loved Ones were also one of the first Australian pop bands to use electric piano as part of their regular stage set-up and their distinctive keyboard-based sound set them apart from most of their contemporaries.
They signed to the In Records label (a subsidiary of W&G Records) and shot to national prominence, scoring a major Australian hit with "The Loved One", which reached #2 on the Australian Top 40 singles charts in 1966.[1] (The song was an Australian hit again in 1981 when covered by INXS.) Their second single, "Everlovin' Man", reached No. 9 on the Australian Top 40 singles charts, also in 1966.[1] This was followed by "Sad Dark Eyes" and a reworking of Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill". Each of these captured an emotional intensity and musical inventiveness which marked them out from their peers.
After some personal crises, pianist and musical director Ian Clyne left the group and moved to Sydney. He was replaced by Treva Richards. In the mid 1970s Clyne played in Aunty Jack's backing group 'The Gong'.
They released an album in 1967 titled Magic Box, a collection of their singles. The Loved Ones split later that year in October, just two years after they were formed . Magic Box is considered a classic recording and to this day in Australia it enjoys cult status and has reportedly never been out-of-print since it was released.
Gerry Humphreys tried management, formed Gerry & The Joy Boys in 1971, compered the first Sunbury Pop Festival in 1972 and in 1977 returned to London in an unsuccessful attempt to save a failing marriage, giving up music for the life of a hospital orderly. Rob Lovett joined vocal trio The Virgil Brothers in 1968. Gavin Anderson moved to London and then New York where he subsequently established a public relations firm.
The band reformed for one live tour in 1987 with Melbourne session drummer Peter Luscombe (Rebecca's Empire, The Black Sorrows, Paul Kelly) sitting in for Gavin Anderson. The album Live at Blueberry Hill followed, on Mushroom Records.
Humphreys died of a heart attack in December 2005 in London.[2]
Band members
Original members
- Gerry Humphreys (b. 19 July, 1944) London - (d. 2 December, 2005) London - vocals
- Ian Clyne - piano
- Rob Lovett (b. 11 November, 1944) Melbourne - guitar
- Kim Lynch (b. 18 May, 1945) Sydney - bass
- Gavin Anderson (b. 12 September, 1945) Melbourne - drums
Other members
- Treva Richards (b. 3 December, 1945) Hamilton, Victoria - piano
- Danny Delacy (b. 5 August, 1943) USA - guitar
- Peter Luscombe - drums
- Terry Nott - drums
Discography
Albums
- Magic Box - W&G WG 5127 (1967) - Raven Records RVCD-02 (1973) - Karussell 551 130-2 (1995)
- Live at Blueberry Hill - Mushroom Records L 38882 (1987)
EPs
- Blueberry Hill (W&G GE 2712) (1966)
Singles
- "The Loved One"/"This Is Love" – In Records S-2610 (1966)
- "Ever Lovin’ Man"/"More Than Love" – In Records S-8007 (1966)
- "Sad Dark Eyes"/"The Woman I Love" – In Records S-8041 (1966)
- "A Love Like Ours"/"The Loverly Car" – In Records S-8066 (1967)
- "Love Song"/"The Magic Box" – In Records S-8093 (1967)
Legacy and influence
- In 2001 "The Loved One" was selected as No. 6 on the APRA's list of ten best Australian songs.[3]
- "The Loved One" has been covered by INXS three times: on their 1982 album Inxsive; on 1987's international hit album Kick; and again on Live Baby Live.
- "Sad Dark Eyes" has been covered by Ed Kuepper, Die Haut with Mick Harvey, Die Haut with Nick Cave, and by Mick Harvey 'solo'.
- "Everlovin' Man" has been covered by Jet as the B-side for the single "Cold Hard Bitch", and also by Tex Perkins for the soundtrack of series three of Love My Way[4]
References
- ^ a b Long Way To The Top
- ^ Donovan, Patrick (2005-12-06). "Loved Ones singer dies". The Age. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
- ^ APRA Top 10 (May 28, 2001)
- ^ Australian Television: Love My Way: music credits
External links
- Howlspace website - The Loved Ones
- Age Obituary Barry Dickins (December 10, 2005)
- The Age Newspaper - "Loved Ones singer dies" Patrick Donovan (December 6, 2006)
- The Loved Ones on Milesago
- 1966 Clip of The Loved Ones performing More Than Love
- 1966 The Loved Ones music video for The Loved One
- 1986 Clip of Gerry Humphries performing The Loved One