greatest australian singers...

[CRAZY-HORSE]

number 41: ADALITA



In 2000, Magic Dirt signed a recording contract with – ironically – Warner Music Australia, and began recording their third album, What Are Rockstars Doing Today with Phil Vinall (Placebo) producing. Released in October, What Are Rockstars Doing Today reached the top 40.[SUP][5][/SUP] It signalled a dramatic shift in the band's sound. Gone were the fuzzy guitars and feedback. In its place was slick production and poppy hooks. Longtime fans of the band weren't sure what to make of lead single, "Dirty Jeans", with its hand claps and sing-a-long chorus. Tracks such as "Pace It" and "City Trash" proved that the band could still rock, however they did receive some backlash, with some fans labelling them "sell-outs". Triple J put "Dirty Jeans" on high rotation and it reached No. 12 in the year's Hottest 100. The year ended with national tour supporting Powderfinger and Jebediah.
2001 and 2002 saw the band touring in the wake of What Are Rockstars Doing Today. They launched their Love Ya & Leave Ya Tour - the largest the group had done up until that point – which saw them on their first trip to New Zealand. The City Trash Tour with The Nation Blue and Girls Against Boys followed in June–July 2002. They started recording demos for a fourth album early in the year – tracks such as "Love Me" and "Sarah May" from these sessions were later released as B-sides. Later that year, the band made its second trip to the UK, where What Are Rockstars Doing Today had been released on Cargo Records. In 2002, Magic Dirt appeared on the "World of Instruments" segment of John Safran's Music Jamboree, where they played "Dirty Jeans" using Indonesian gamelans – struck instruments including metallophones and xylophones.

Studio albums

• Friends in Danger September 1996 Au Go Go Records (AU) Warner Bros. Records (US) AUS No. 25[SUP][5][/SUP]
  
• Young & Full of the Devil May 1998 Au Go Go Records, Shock Records
  
• What Are Rockstars Doing Today October 2000 Warner Music Australia AUS No. 35[SUP][5][/SUP]
  
• Tough Love August 2003 Warner Music Australia AUS No. 15[SUP][5][/SUP]
  
• Snow White September 2005 Warner Music Australia AUS No. 24[SUP][5][/SUP]
  
• Roky's Room June 2007 Emergency Music
  
• Beast July 2007 Emergency Music
  
• Girl July 2008 Emergency Music
  
• Singles
  • "Super Tear" (7") (1993)
    
  • "Heroin"/"Goofy Gumb" (7") (1993)
    
  • "Redhead" (7") (1995)
    
  • "I Was Cruel" (10") (1995)
    
  • "Goofy Gumb" (Split 7") (1996)
    
  • "Shovel"/"Heavy Business" (promo only) (1996)
    
  • "Sparrow" (1997)
    
  • "Rabbit with Fangs" (1997)
    
  • "She-Riff" (1998)
    
  • "Super Tear 98" (7") (give away only) (1998)
    
  • "Kick Out the Jams" (7") (1998)
    
  • "Expectations" (credited to Ronin System featuring Magic Dirt) (1999)
    
  • "Dirty Jeans" (2000)
    
  • "Pace It" (2001)
    
  • "Supagloo" (2001)
    
  • "Magazine"/"I Want a Dog" (fan club 7") (2001)
    
  • "City Trash" (radio promo only) (2002)
    
  • "Vulcanella" (radio promo only) (2003)
    
  • "Watch Out Boys" (promo only) (2003)
    
  • "Plastic Loveless Letter" (2003) AUS No. 34[SUP][5][/SUP]
    
  • "All My Crushes" (2004)
    
  • "Locket" (2005)
    
  • "I Love the Rain" (2005)
    
  • "Bring Me the Head Of..." (radio promo) (2007)
    
  • "Romy" (2008)
    

[video=youtube;WS-59c1LAYE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS-59c1LAYE[/video]

[CRAZY-HORSE]

i have never heard of Magic Dirt or even Adalita as a solo artist, cant recall ever seeing them on TV or anything...
she is totally new to me, dont like the track i linked neither!

[Music Head]

yea, that sucks

[SteveO]

^ I agree Crazy mate! I love Judith's voice and the Seekers sound overall! Must listen to her again also!

[SteveO]

I heard All out of Love the other day by Air Supply! Gorgeous song and I'm wondering if Russell Hitchcock, the vocalist, will be in the Aussie Top 50?...we'll wait and see eh!

[CRAZY-HORSE]

number 40: BERNARD FANNING



Fanning was born in Brisbane on 15 August 1969. He was raised, alongside two brothers and a sister, in the inner Brisbane suburb of Toowong.[SUP][1][/SUP] The death of one of Fanning's brothers to cancer would be the inspiration for Vulture Street's "Since You've Been Gone".[SUP][2][/SUP] Fanning's mother began teaching him to play piano as a young child, although his siblings were not interested in music.[SUP][3][/SUP]
Fanning attended St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace and began writing his own music at the age of 15. Fanning has described these early works as "terrible",[SUP][1][/SUP] but notes that he enjoyed writing and arranging them.[SUP][1][/SUP] After graduating from St Joseph's, Fanning entered the University of Queensland to study journalism, however he was equally interested in pursuing a music career. He left university at the age of 19 to pursue a music career



Powderfinger were an Australian rockband who released some seven or eight albums between 1992 and 2003,
Fanning left to pursue a solo career in 2003,his debut album "tea and sympathy" is a very good collection of folky type songs...
Powderfinger then resumed in 2007 and have released a further two studio albums
Fanning finally disbanded the group in 2011 and by all accounts has a second solo album due out in either may or june of 2013(looking foreward to hearing it!)

All of Powderfinger's albums have reached "platinum' status on the Aussie charts, and he has one of the most recognisable voices on radio...
a great vocalist from a very good band...just a shame he hasnt achieved international success,which he would thoroughly deserve...

a couple of links below, the first would have to be my favourite Powderfinger single, the second, my favourite off his solo set from a few years ago:

[video=youtube;8fBbKtq_Li8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fBbKtq_Li8[/video]

[CRAZY-HORSE]

[video=youtube;JYlyghmTSIU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYlyghmTSIU[/video]

[CRAZY-HORSE]

my thoughts on Bernard fanning:

i dont own any Powderfinger album(but i should!), love their singles immensely,
also love Bernard's solo album(which i own)...
a great vocalist IMO,shame he/they never made it internationally as im sure they would have if given the chance to do so

[CRAZY-HORSE]

number 39: ROSS WILSON



Ross Andrew Wilson[SUP][1][/SUP] (born 18 November 1947, Melbourne, Victoria) is an Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer who fronted the groups Daddy Cool and Mondo Rock, and produced albums by Australian band Skyhooks.[SUP][2][/SUP] He has also performed solo, and as a judge on celebrity singing TV series It Takes Two from 2005.[SUP][3][/SUP] Wilson was individually inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 1989 and again as a member of Daddy Cool in 2006
Wilson’s father was an amateur jazz musician and his mother would play classical music on the piano at their home in Hampton, Victoria a suburb of Melbourne.[SUP][2][/SUP] Wilson learnt to sing harmonies with the local Anglican church choir and was selected as a wedding singer.[SUP][2][/SUP] In 1958, at ten and a half years old, he and his brother Bruce Wilson attended their first Rock & Roll show featuring Johnny O’Keefe, Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly and the Crickets.[SUP][2][/SUP] A car accident in 1963 caused severe injuries. During recovery over subsequent months, Wilson took up harmonica playing and would copy from records to develop his playing style.[SUP][2][/SUP]
Wilson began his musical career in 1964 and formed his first band The Pink Finks with thirteen-year-old Ross Hannaford (guitar and vocals), who would become his long-time musical partner, whilst both were still at school.[SUP][6][/SUP][SUP][7][/SUP] They released a cover version of "Louie Louie" as a single in 1965[SUP][7][/SUP] and followed with three more singles.[SUP][8][/SUP] At about this time he met Patricia Higgins (future Pat Wilson) whilst working at the Department of Supply.[SUP][2][/SUP] The Pink Finks was followed by the more progressively oriented The Party Machine (1967–69) still with Hannaford, but included Mike Rudd on bass (later in Spectrum).[SUP][7][/SUP] Compensation for his earlier car accident was received by 1969, which enabled Wilson to travel to England with Pat. He had been invited by friend Brian Peacock (bass guitar) to join his band Procession.[SUP][6][/SUP] Whilst there, Wilson married Pat, recorded an album Procession with the band and wrote the song "Eagle Rock".[SUP][2][/SUP] Wilson returned to Australia later that year and formed Sons of the Vegetal Mother (1969–70), again including Hannaford and Rudd.[SUP][
[/SUP]
[SUP]In 1970 Sons of the Vegetal Mother formed a side-project called Daddy Cool.[SUP][6][/SUP][SUP][7][/SUP] The original members were Wilson, Hannaford (vocals and guitars), Gary Young (drums, vocals) and Wayne Duncan (bass, vocals), other members that joined, included saxophonist Jeremy Noone and guitarist Ian Winter.[SUP][7][/SUP]
Known for their "good time" image, Daddy Cool's repertoire mixed covers of 1950s R&B and doo-wop classics with original compositions mostly written by Wilson and influenced by the work of Frank Zappa.[SUP][6][/SUP] The band signed to the independent Sparmac label, co-owned by producer and former child prodigy guitarist Robie Porter.[SUP][6][/SUP] Daddy Cool became very popular in Australia and their records also gained a following in the USA and Canada in the early 1970s. They scored a nationwide #1 hit in Australia in mid-1970 with the single "Eagle Rock" and their debut LP, Daddy Who? Daddy Cool, also reached #1 to set a record as the biggest selling Australian album to that time.[SUP][6][/SUP][SUP][9][/SUP] The "Eagle Rock" promo was directed by Chris Löfvén who had earlier that year directed the video for Spectrum's single "I'll Be Gone".[SUP][6][/SUP]
Around this time Ross and wife Pat both appeared naked in a short film directed by Chris Löfvén titled "The Beginning" which is an extra on the DVD release of Oz.
After Daddy Cool broke up late in 1972, Wilson and Hannaford formed the short-lived Mighty Kong which included former Spectrum drummer Ray Arnott and Company Caine guitarist Russell Smith.[SUP][7][/SUP] They recorded only one LP, All I Wanna Do Is Rock released on Porter's new label Wizard Records, but the band broke up soon after.[SUP][6][/SUP] Whilst performing with Mighty Kong, Wilson was impressed by a fledgling Melbourne band called Skyhooks and signed their main songwriter Greg Macainsh to his publishing company.[SUP][2][/SUP]
Daddy Cool made a surprise reformation for the January 1974 Sunbury Pop Festival and remained together until late 1975.[SUP][6][/SUP] Also performing at Sunbury in 1974 were Skyhooks and, despite being booed off stage, Wilson recommended the band to Mushroom Records boss Michael Gudinski. In June / July 1974 Wilson took time off from Daddy Cool and produced Skyhook's breakthrough debut album Living in the Seventies, which overtook Daddy Cool's first album to become the biggest-selling Australian LP.[SUP][6][/SUP] He went on to produce their next two albums, Ego is not a Dirty Word (1975) and Straight in a Gay Gay World (1976), both of which were also successes in Australia

Contractual problems with Porter's Wizard label, to whom Wilson was signed at the time, forced him to wait out the end of his recording contract. He turned to producing records for Skyhooks on Mushroom Records and Company Caine on his own label Oz Records. When his contractual obligations ended, Wilson also scored Chris Löfvén's 1976 film, Oz, inspired by The Wizard of Oz but set in Australia.[SUP][10][/SUP] Wilson performed "Livin' in the Land of Oz" (also released as a single), "The Mood", "Greaseball", "Who's Gonna Love You Tonight" and "Atmospherics", with fellow ex-Daddy Cool members Gary Young and Wayne Burt; he produced the soundtrack which also featured the film's stars Joy Dunstan and Graham Matters singing a track each and two tracks by Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons.[SUP][11][/SUP] Jo Jo Zep, containing Young and Burt, were also signed to Oz Records and released the single "Beating Around the Bush" from the soundtrack.[SUP][11][/SUP]
In order to promote his single, Wilson formed Mondo Rock:
[INDENT]My longest lasting project, Mondo Rock (76–90) started as an occasional thing to help promote my 1st solo single "Living In The Land Of Oz" & it wasn't until 1978 that we issued our debut single[SUP][12][/SUP]
—Ross Wilson, 2001
[/INDENT]Mondo Rock went through several incarnations but the best known line-up included bassist Paul Christie (ex-Kevin Borich Express, later in The Party Boys), guitarist and songwriter Eric McCusker, (ex-The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band), drummer John Hackett (ex-Stars) and James Black on keyboards and guitar. Wilson also produced the band's first single in 1978 "Fugitive Kind" and first album, 1979's Primal Park for his own Oz Records label. Greatest singles success was with 1980's "State of the Heart", 1981's "Chemistry" and "Cool World" all from their award-winning second album Chemistry released in 1981 on Avenue Records. 1980s teen-idol Rick Springfield recorded "State of the Heart" in 1985, making the U.S Top 40. McCusker had written "State of the Heart",[SUP][13][/SUP] co-written "Chemistry" with Christie,[SUP][14][/SUP] and Wilson had written "Cool World".[SUP][15][/SUP] Mondo Rock released Nuovo Mondo in 1982 which included their track "Touch of Paradise" written by Wilson and Gulliver Smith[SUP][16][/SUP] (aka Kevin Smith, ex-Company Caine) this became a 1986 hit when covered by Australian pop singer John Farnham (ex-Little River Band).
In 1983, Wilson wrote a song, "Bop Girl"[SUP][17][/SUP] for his then wife Pat Wilson aka "Mummy Cool" when writing for Go-Set magazine back in 1971–1972. As a single, it featured Ross on backing vocals, and became an Australian #2 hit[SUP][9][/SUP] and even gained recognition internationally. It also had a video directed by Gillian Armstrong, which featured not only Ross, but the actual screen debut of Nicole Kidman.
Mondo Rock released further albums including The Modern Bop in 1984, which had their best charting single "Come Said the Boy" (#2 on National singles chart)[SUP][9][/SUP] and "The Modern Bop"; and Boom Baby Boom in 1986, Aliens (EP) in 1987 and Why Fight it? in 1990. The later albums and singles had little chart success. Wilson's most successful solo release was 1989's "Bed of Nails" which reached #25 on the National singles charts.[SUP][18][/SUP] It was released from his July 1989 solo album Dark Side of the Man on WEA.

Wilson returned to performing in the late 1990s and he has released two albums of new material plus a two-CD retrospective covering his entire career, including many rare tracks.) He has also collaborated with children's group The Wiggles, singing on their re-recording of "Eagle Rock" and playing the part of "King Mondo" in the video "Space Dancing". Wilson also appeared as "King Mondo" on the 2004 video "Santa's Rockin'!" singing This Little Baby Is Born Again.
In 1996 Wilson was part of the pre-game entertainment at the ARL Grand Final which also included The Del Tones, Glenn Shorrock, Christine Anu and Kate Ceberano. Wilson sang "Eagle Rock", which would ironically later be adopted by the winners of the Grand Final, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, as one of their team anthems.
Wilson was approached in early 2006 by St Kilda Football Club president Rod Butterss to re-write the St Kilda theme song When The Saints Go Marching In
Ross Wilson has appeared as a judge on the Seven Network celebrity reality singing competition It Takes Two in both 2006 and 2007 series, and was featured in the ABC interview series Talking Heads with Peter Thompson on 9 July 2007.[SUP][2][/SUP]
In 2008, Wilson was invited to Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, California to perform the song "Eagle Rock" at the Eagle Rock Music Festival.[SUP][19][/SUP]
In August 2009 Wilson will celebrate 45 years in music with the commemorative "5 Decades of Cool" concert at the Palais Theatre, St Kilda, Melbourne
[/SUP]

[CRAZY-HORSE]

my thoughts on Ross Wilson....

not surprised he made the list,but not what i'd call a fan of any of his incarnations as an artist...that said, i respect the way he has reinvented himself over the decades, from the blues rock of Daddy Cool,through the light pop/blue eyed soul of Mondo rock, to the straight pop of his solo career...
below are three links,one each from each incarnation of his career...

DADDY COOL "come back again"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIG9osPPILM live

MONDO ROCK "come said the boy"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWtQuelFELY live

SOLO "bed of nails"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G-iIvtF1AQ video