Any of you guys heard of these Australian artists?

**Funky Dude** · October 29th, 2001, 02:38 AM

I was wondering if any of you guys on the board have heard of these Australian groups:

Dark Tan - A disco group who formed in Sydney and had some great disco songs like "Disco Lady" (not the same as Johnny Taylor's version) and "Island In The Sun".

Marcia Hines - Use to live in USA and move to Australia and was a huge success with her soul and disco from 1975 onwards and one of her biggest disco hits was "You" in 1977.

Studs - not a disco group but in 1977 released a disco 45 with these disco songs "Funky Feet" on side A and "Disco Death" on side B.

Good News - I only know they released a 12" in 1979 with "Australia" on side A and "Australia (Instrumental)" on side B.

John Paul Young - I assume most people all over the world would have heard his biggest hit "Love Is In The Air" in 1978, but have you guys heard of his other disco hits "Standing In The Rain" and "The Day That My Heart Caught Fire"? He also isn't a disco artist and sung rock songs like "I Hate The Music" and "Yesterday's Hero" but like many rockers had a go at doing some disco songs.

**Move2This** · October 29th, 2001, 05:23 AM

I have a 12" by Marcia Hines from 1980 called Let the Music Play, which is not bad.

I'm trying to think of other Australian disco artists, but didn't come up with many. I think we mentioned the group Pusseyfoot before, who we decided were Australian. There was also a singer called Samantha Sang who had a hit single and album called Emotions in about 1978. It was produced by the Bee Gees, who also sang backing vocals on the tracks. As far as I know, she never did anything else.

Isn't Olivia Newton-John Australian?? Not really a disco artist, I know, but she's done a few disco/Hi-NRG tracks mostly in the 80s, e.g. Physical, The Rumour, and also a Hi-NRG version of Van Halen's "Jump".

I'm sure others will come up with many more.

**Move2This** · October 29th, 2001, 05:35 AM

Just a couple of minutes after submitting my reply I remembered Helen Reddy - again, not a disco artist as such, but a great singer, and she did a disco oriented album in about 1978 called Ear Candy. I don't think it was much of a success in the UK, but maybe fared better elsewhere.

**Boodikka** · October 29th, 2001, 08:45 AM

John Paul Young's "Standing In The Rain" was a minor hit stateside, often confused with Don Ray's more successful song of the same name.

Helen Reddy's "Make Love To Me" was a minor hit here as well, fairly popular in girl's clubs, as I remember.

**Bernie** · October 29th, 2001, 10:50 AM

On 2001-10-29 08:45, Boodikka wrote:

Helen Reddy's "Make Love To Me" was a minor hit here as well, fairly popular in girl's clubs, as I remember.

If you like Helen's version, then listen to the original by Kelly Marie. Much better and livelier sounding..

**maarten** · October 30th, 2001, 07:09 AM

In Holland Marcia Hines scored a huge hit in 1981 "Your love still brings me to my knees" (1981, reached 8th position), followed by the gospel orientated minor hit "Many rivers to cross" (1982, reached 21st). Both were obviously remakes. Her last single "She got you" (1982) flopped.

John Paul Young scored 3 hits in Holland, "Standing in the rain" (1977, reached 6th spot), "Love is on the air" (1977, my favorite, reached 11th place) and finally "Lost in your love" (1978, reached 20th place).

Boring factoids, but there you go...

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"ON THE BEAT"

[ This Message was edited by: maarten on 2001-10-30 07:10 ]

**QUINNY** · September 1st, 2002, 06:45 PM

FunkyDude: I remeber a 12" by a band called Xanadu called When the Lights went out or something similar. It was really quite a good uptempo (c.126BPM?) record (with) lots of instrumental with searing Synth lead lines and funky slapped Bass. I was led to believe that they were Australian, but could be wrong.

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IT'S GOT TO BE REAL

[ This Message was edited by: QUINNY on 2002-09-01 20:05 ]

**discohunter** · September 1st, 2002, 08:24 PM

Hi Funky Dude,

Have more or less heard of, or have the artists you mentioned.

BTW, was there ever a 12" to Dark Tan's "Disco Lady"? I have the 12" single to "Island In The Sun".

Otherwise, can't think of any other disco artists from Australia.

[ This Message was edited by: discohunter on 2002-09-01 21:19 ]

**Nano** · September 2nd, 2002, 07:47 PM

Funky Dude, I know only John Paul Young's biggest hit from those you mentioned.
Other Australian artists I remember:

-The Bee Gees
-Olivia Neutron-Bomb
-Air Supply
-Flash and the Pan (previously The Easybeats)
-AC/DC
-INXS
-Midnight Oil
-Crowded House (previously Split Enz)
-Silverchair
-Nicole Kidman (hey! she sang with Robbie Williams didn't she?)

Where are Flash and The Pan now? I was a big fan in the early days. Also liked Crowded House. Saw AC/DC live in Argentina, also Midnight Oil and INXS (this band sucked big time!).

**markydefad** · September 2nd, 2002, 07:59 PM

Nano,

You are saying you liked or hated INXS???!!!!

I LOVED this band. I saw them live...and had tinnitus (ringing in the ears) for a couple days afterward.

They put out an astounding number of great singles and dance remixes.

My faves:

"What You Need"
"Don't Change"
"The One Thing"
"Original Sin"
"Melting In The Sun"
"Black And White"
"Burn For You"
"Listen Like Thieves"
"Need you Tonight/Mediate"
"Devil Inside"
"New Sensation"
"Never Tear Us Apart"
"Disappear"
"Suicide Blonde"
and "Not Enough Time"

Those are just my 12" singles!!!!

Another Aussie band I loved was Icehouse:

Pulling my 12" stuff:

"Can't Help Myself"
"Uniform"
"Hey Little Girl"
"Street Cafe"
"No Promises"
"Cross The Border"
"Crazy"
and "Electric Blue"

Whatever happened to them????

**Nano** · September 2nd, 2002, 08:10 PM

Marky, I liked INXS... at least in record, which is the usual way I get in contact with them. They had come to play in Buenos Aires around 1990, everybody said what a good rock and roll they were playin', this of course was good news. Then, in 1994, they returned. I went. Sucked big time, believe I would have wanted otherwise. Michael's voice went off about 5 songs into the show, and the others (so cool and tight on record) sounded just tired and dissembled. That night was a big bore for me.
Maybe it was a bad day for the band, and I planned to see it again on another tour, but then Mr. Hutchence started to play with choking himself... you know the rest.
BTW, I think "What you need?" is one of the tightest, juiciest recordings of the 80's. Same for "Suicide blonde".

**Jeff H** · September 4th, 2002, 01:40 PM

Isn't Olivia Newton-John Australian?? Not really a disco artist, I know, but she's done a few disco/Hi-NRG tracks mostly in the 80s, e.g. Physical, The Rumour, and also a Hi-NRG version of Van Halen's "Jump".

Olivia covered "Jump"?! Are you sure?! More info, please!

**california mike** · September 4th, 2002, 07:38 PM

was going to mention icehouse and split enz, but someone beat me to it. what about the woodentops and hoo doo gurus. and of course little river band.

and back to helen reddy, i think "ear candy" was the more new wave sounding album, involving kim fowley...some great songs. the disco ones "make love to me" over 7 minutes, and "ready or not"(i think the same song as deborah washington's version) came later.

**nrgbeat** · September 4th, 2002, 09:51 PM

If memory serves "Ear Candy" came out in 1977 and featured the hit song "You're My World".

**pflext** · March 27th, 2009, 05:49 AM

I just love dredging up old threads but hey.......info is POWER!!

I personally know Alston Koch who actually formed Dark Tan.

I have a rough profile on them here.

Disco-Disco.com • View topic - Australian artists who had disco/club success

There are other Australian artist I've posted info on as well.

It's a work in progress........have a look if you get time.