One of the things I like best about publishing this site is when I see band members and crew find each other again after many years apart. This is one of those stories.

I’ve been meaning to get this post up here for a little while now and I apologise to Rob Manego and Christine Mullane for being slow. Anyway… over to Rob:

Hey Mark,

Through the magic of the electronic age and the AMH site I have been contacted out of the blue by Christine Mullane from Mirrored Image (I have not been in contact with her for nearly 28 years).

Her daughter had stumbled across the AMH site and was blown away to see what was there. She has since sent me some more content to add to the site.

Audio

Stranger In You

Images

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Mirrored Image was one of Sydney’s hardest working, un signed bands of the early eighties.
These guys were constantly working near seven shows a week

Fronted by sisters Christine and Tracy Mullane, the band played a mixture of covers and original material.
The girls were influenced by the likes of Pat Benetar and Heart

I joined the band as their Bass Player in early 1984 not long after Peculiar Clerk decided to call it a day.
Steve Lees, (ex Guitarist from Peculiar Clerk) met up with Lyndsay and Ray from Mirrored Image at a music convention. They had plenty of work and were looking for a Bass Player as theirs resigned. Steve told them I was available and may be interested. He took their numbers and let me know.
I auditioned and got the Gig.
They seemed to be quite a Professional outfit,
All their work was through Premier Harbour agency and there was plenty of work!!

The line up at that time was:
Christine Mullane – Vocals
Tracy Mullane – Vocals
Rob Manego – Bass Guitar/Backing Vox
Ray Lloyd Jones – Guitar/Backing Vox
Lyndsay Ladiges – Guitar
Gary Jones – Drums

This line up was awesome musically, After a period of intense rehearsals everything felt great, we played for a couple of months however it was not to last.

Gary Jones the drummer decided to leave.

Keeping musicians (I found out) seemed to be a constant battle for the band. Why? I don’t know. For some reason no sooner we would get a replacement band member rehearsed and ready to go, someone else would pull the pin. It was frustrating!

I think I was with the band for about a year. During that time the line up changed several times. I played with five different drummers and four different guitarists.

Maybe the grind of working the way we did took its toll. Who knows!
I now was finding it hard to stay. I was not enjoying constantly rehearsing new members to find they would only last five minutes.

The Agency had booked us on a two-week cruise aboard the Fairstar
We were billed with John Paul Young.

I was not going to leave before the cruise. I informed the girls that I was quitting after the cruise. We had a slight issue of needing another guitarist as yep, another one resigned. Luckily Steve Lees (ex Peculiar Clerk) and I were good mates and he new what was going on and also new most of the repertoire. I told him that the cruise was on and I was leaving the band when the cruise was over. There was a position for him as guitarist if he wanted it. He took the job.
We had a ball on the cruise with JPY and both left Mirrored Image when we returned to Australia.
I know Mirrored Image went on for a while after.
I was a shame that the band did not achieve what it could have

The last I heard was the girls formed a Cabaret style show under the name the Mullane Sisters. Not sure what they are doing now

Maybe if Mirrored Image had had proper management and direction they may have gone further. Who knows!
The girls definitely had the potential and drive.

Images

Audio

Insecurity
Miss You
Stranger In You

Members

• Christine Mullane – Vocals
• Tracy Mullane – Vocals
• Rob Manego – Bass Guitar/Backing Vox
• Ray Lloyd Jones – Guitar/Backing Vox
• Lyndsay Ladiges – Guitar
• Gary Jones – Drums
• Steve Lees – Guitar
• Bruce Fraser – Drums

Known Gigs

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Here’s another great set of classic Aussie band images from Jeff White.

In this article you’ll find Cold Chisel, Men At Work, Moving pictures and Sharon O’Neill. Enjoy!

If you, like Jeff, have some great old snaps of some classic Australian bands then scan them & send them over. We’d love to display them here.

Cold Chisel

Men At Work

Moving Pictures

Sharon O’Neill

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Moving Pictures is one of my all time favourite bands. I remember seeing them, probably in 1981/82 at the Sylvania Hotel and I was just blown away. It was one of the most memorable nights of my young life, I was 19/20. Of course after seeing them live I just had to buy their debut album, “Days of Innocence”. I can remember asking my mum to buy if for me for Easter instead of an Easter egg. It was better than chocolate… well almost. When I first got the album I loved “Bustin’ loose” but once I got to know all of the songs, off by heart, it was “What about me” that stuck in my mind the most and of course lead the band to no.1 in 1982. One of the most exciting things for me, later in life, was when my husband was working with James Blundell and I met two of James’ band members, Charlie Cole and Ian Lees… wow, two of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet and they were from Moving Pictures. Life’s alright you know. So here’s a track from the album. No not “What about me”. I think that thanks to Moving Pictures and Shannon Noll it has had it’s fair share of airplay. I’d like to play “Bustin’ Loose” for you. Please enjoy… I know I did when I heard it again for the first time in years.

Tracks

1. Nothing to Do
2. The Angel and the Madman – Moving Pictures, Cole, Charlie
3. Sweet Cherie
4. Round Again
5. Wings
6. What About Me? – Moving Pictures, Frost, Garry
7. So Tired
8. Joni and Romeo
9. Bustin’ Loose
10. Street Heart
11. Winners – Moving Pictures, Frost, Garry
12. Back to the Streets
13. Where They Belong – Moving Pictures, Frost, Garry
14. Never – Moving Pictures, Gore, M.
15. Back to the Blues and Booze
16. Saturday Love

General Information

Released : 1981 (Australia), 1982 (USA)
Recorded : ?
Genre : Rock
17. Spies
18. Pleasure and Pain
19. Sisters of Mercy

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About

Men at Work were an Australian reggae-influenced rock band which achieved international success in the 1980s. They are the only Australian artists to reach the Number 1 position in album and singles charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom with Business as Usual and “Down Under” respectively.[1] The group won the 1983 Grammy Award for Best New Artist and sold over 30 million albums worldwide. The band’s sound is distinguished by its use of woodwind and brass instruments
From Wikipedia

Land Down Under

History

[Colin] Hay met the guitarist Ron Strykert in 1978 and they started playing together and composing songs which would come the basis for their upcoming band, the MEN AT WORK.

MEN AT WORK had Hay on lead vocals and guitar, Strykert on guitar, Jerry Speiser on drums, John Rees on bass and the multi-instrumentist Greg Ham on keyboards, sax, flutes and harmonica.

By the time of 1980 they were playing in some hotels and small venues in Melbourne when recorded and released their first independent single, “Keypunch Operator”, which had as b-side an earlier version of “Down Under”.

Little later, they were hired by the CBS Records Peter McIan, to record their first album. “Business as Usual” was released later 1981 in Australia, and in 1982 at America, topping the US charts for 16 consecutive weeks, only striked out by Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. The album went multi-platinum selling more than 10 million copies.

The first single of the debut album was “Who Can It Be Now?”, which was also #1 hit just as the subsequent single, “Down Under”. The third single released was “Be Good Johnny”, which reached #3 position on US Charts. MEN AT WORK toured America to promote the album, being the opening act for Fleetwood Mac.

Later 1982 the band got back in studio for the recording of their second album, “Cargo”, released in 1983 at America, also was a #1. At this time they were receiving a Grammy as Best New Artist. “Cargo” most expressive singles were “Overkill”, “It’s a Mistake” and “Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive”.

The release of the second album was followed by an world tour, including a presentation on the US Music Festival ’83, at the same stage of bands like The Clash and Stray Cats transmitted live wordwidely. One of this tour’s shows, at Berkeley, California, was released in 1984 as homevideo named “Live in San Francisco… or Was It Berkeley?”.

In 1984 they gave a break, and members Speiser and Rees were fired from the band. Later this year, the remaining members (Hay, Strykert and Ham), joined with studio musicians for the recording of MEN AT WORK’s third album, “Two Hearts”, released in 1985. They had no longer McIan as producer, but were still under CBS label. The album went gold and got into the Top 50, and just a single got some success, “Everything I Need”, reached the Top 30.

Ron Strykert left the band during the recording of the album. Colin Hay, Greg Ham and the other musicians did a tour to promote the album and after that the band was over.
From Colin Hay’s website

Members

• Jeremy Alsop – bass, backing vocals (1985-1986)
• Colin Bayley – guitar, backing vocals (1985-1986)
• James Black – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1985-1986)
• Tony Floyd – drums (1997-2000)
• Rick Grossman – bass, backing vocals (1998-1999)
• Stephen Hadley – bass, backing vocals (1996-1997, 1999)
• Greg Ham – keyboards, vocals, saxophone, harmonica, flute (1979–1985, 1996–2000)
• Colin Hay – vocals, guitar (1978–1986, 1996–2000)
• Simon Hosford – guitar, backing vocals (1996-2000)
• John Rees – bass, backing vocals (1979–1984)
• Greg Sneddon – keyboard (1979)
• Jerry Speiser – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1979-1984)
• Ron Strykert – guitar, bass, vocals (1978–1985)
• Chad Wackerman – drums, backing vocals (1985-1986)
• John Watson – drums (1996-1997)
• Paul Williamson – saxophone, keyboards, backing vocals (1985-1986)

Recordings

Studio albums

• Business as Usual – 1981
• Cargo – 1983
• Two Hearts – 1985

Live albums

• Brazil – 1998

Compilations

• The Works – 1987
• Puttin’ in Overtime – 1995
• Contraband: The Best of Men at Work – 1996
• Simply The Best – 1998
• Definitive Collection – 2000
• Super Hits – 2000
• Essential Men at Work – 2003

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About Mad Gorilla

** Updated **
Sydney based Theatrical Rock band of the 1980′s. Well known for their “Graveyard Show”.

History

• 1978-1985.
• The core of the band still play together as Creedence and Beyond.

Update: Here is a live video of Mad Gorilla playing at the Manly Hotel in 1983. Thanks to Roger Garrod for making the video available and for his comments.

Yet another update! Thanks again to Roger Garrod who has unearthed a classic clip of Mad Gorilla doing their original song “Parramatta Road”.

The ultimate update!!! Once again roger garrod has come through with a classic video clip. This time it’s the famed “Undertaker Show” filmed at Riverstone RSL Club in 1983. Enjoy!

Update: Here is a contribution from Dave Owens, the original bass player.

“For the record, I was the bass player in the original Gorilla
line-up ( with Steve Stickney- Vox, Zac Flack- Gtr, George Grainger- Hammond organ, Geoff Hillier – Drums ). Boy were they halcyon days! – writing our own material, coming up with “show” ideas; it seemed like we were just thrown together in some mushroom growing shed up in Riverstone (in Sydney’s north western suburbs) that the keyboard players Dad owned.
God if his Dad only knew what was being developed in there!

I can tell you that the original 5 piece band did kick some considerable ass, but we guys were’nt satisfied with only playing – we wanted to entertain, and so that’s where the idea of the “Undertaker Show” emerged from. But to be fair, the concept was born in Zac Flack’s head while he was hospitalised with a huge boil on his upper thigh, and upon his healthy return to the mushroom shed rehearsal enviroment
the show was born. It was to be a “Horror Show” to rival any other “show” rival bands could stage; we had set our sights pretty high looking back on it.

I could go on and regale you and your readers with some pretty wild stories that happened “on the bus” and “off the bus” if you know what I mean, from those early years – but maybe I’ll draught a few out before I just sit and type like I have today.

A couple of things though before I depart this time:

Mark “Zac” Flack (and for a time his partner Coby)
worked tirelessly, full time on the bands P.A. gear, road crew and costumes -and if it needed doing -it was done (unbelievable committment in my observation-for little or no return)

Steve “Stix” Stickney ability as a word-smith, front-man and agent/corporate liaison was just awesome – though my fading memory seems to recall “Zac” being involved in acquiring work from time to time too, Steve was generally known around town as the Face of Mad Gorilla, which naturally he usedto great enterprise.

Big Al and Steve “Reckless” Reckley were our first two roadies, and they too deserve praise for the long hours and many miles they gave in service to Gorilla. They were times we worked 5,6,7,8 gigs a week – regularly – all with some variation on 10-20 can light show and single/double 4way PA systems!)

Sure there were more people involved down the track when the line-up started changing, but these original band members and crew all laid down the foundation of what has become somewhat of a mini-legend ( and a great talking point when we all get together- Imagine it – when was the last timw you caught up with an old mand-mate and said ” Remeber when we blew up Black Soccer Club?, Remember when Sticko punched that idiot out at the Touramaline Hotel for stabbing oue speakers-in front of the audience? Remeber when we supported Jimmy and the boys at The Coogee Bay Hotel and THEY wombatted us? It just goes on and on and on, but any I’ll save it all up for next time.”

Members

• Steve “Stix” Stickney – Vocals
• Mark “Zack” Flack – Guitar
• Mark “Langs” Langfield – Drums
• Glen Chalice – Sax
• Frank Seckold – Keys
• George Granger – Keys
• Dave Owens – Bass
• Peter Keller – Drums
• Geoff Hillier – Drums
• Dr Chris De Beltran – Bass and Vocals
• Joe McConville – Drums
• Rod Ward – Bass
• Glenn Davis – Guitar
• Steve Keely – Guitar
• Paul Swain – Bass

Recordings

• Album – Great Gorilla – 1982
• Album – Gorilla Live – 1984

Other Resources

• Gibbos War Stories

Gigs

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About

Sydney based band 1978-present

Formed in 1978 by vocalist/guitarist Matt Moffitt and drummer John Prior, the sound owed much to Matt’s impassioned voice and lyrical songwriting and John’s dynamic musical arrangements, complete with Jeff Clayton’s melodic, economical guitar parts and Rick Grossman’s muscular bass.
from the Matt Finish website

Always Another – 1984

History

After two years of performing eight shows a week on the Australian pub circuit, Matt Finish was signed to Peter Dawkins’ The Giant Recording Company. At the finish of 1980, the band released their debut double-A-side single, “Matt Finish Plays Africa” with the songs “C.I.A.” and “Mancini Shuffle”

The following year, 1981, saw the release of the band’s first album Short Note, followed by the live EP Fade Away. Finally, as a result of Moffitt’s declining health, the band split up at the end of the year.

A year passed before Moffitt, Prior and Clayton reformed in 1983, joined later in the year by Bertie Dorset. The new line-up recommenced touring and, in November, released Matt Finish. This EP was followed in 1984 by the album Word of Mouth.

The band again broke up in 1985 when Moffitt decided to start a solo recording career.

In 1990 Matt Finish reformed with original members Moffitt and Prior joined by Jennifer Barrett (guitar), former Eurogliders members Guy Le Claire (guitar) and Lindsay Jehan (bass). In 1991 the band split.

Moffitt released a limited edition solo acoustic CD EP, “Euroka”, in April 1992.

In June 1992, Matt Finish released “One Day at a Time”, the first Matt Finish single produced in eight years.

The line-up changed once again, and in 1993 the band, comprising Moffitt, Paul Dawkins (keyboards), Rohan Cannon (guitar), Bobby Christian (bass) and Adrian Cannon (drums) recorded Matt Finish’s third album, By Heart, and released the EP Earthbound. The following year the band released the singles “Blue” and “Will I Ever Know?” recorded with Eliot Reynolds and Justin Leaf. Moffitt, Reynolds and Dawkins co-wrote many new tracks but the band split yet again. Dawkins and Moffitt continued to work together for a couple of years after, including the recording and mixing of an (at the time of writing) unreleased album that contained ten songs

In 2001, Matt Moffitt and Rick Grossman formed the band Fire Hand Ember, with Joseph Calderazzo (guitar/bv) and Wayne Gretch (drums). FHE performed about 20 times, sometimes under the names “Matt Finish” and “Matt Moffitt”, including at the launch of Just a Short Note (The Best Of) in December.

In August 2003, Matt Moffitt died suddenly.

In 2006, Prior and Clayton were joined by Luke Dixon (vocals/guitar), Matt Cornell (vocals/bass) in a new line-up of Matt Finish for the “Matt Moffitt Memorial Tour”. In April 2007, Prior, Steve Edmonds (guitar/vocals), Harry Brus (bass/vocals) and David Adams (vocals/guitar) embarked on an Australian tour, joined by guests Kevin Borich (guitar/vocals), Tim Gaze (guitar), Eliot Reynolds (guitar), Russ Nelson (guitar/vocals, Barry Leef (vocals/guitar), Al Slavik (bass/vocals), Seven Hawkes (guitar/vocals) and Tom Ruki (bass/vocals). Edmonds was replaced by Le Claire, who was replaced by Les Rankin (guitar/vocals).
from Wikipedia

interview with Donnie Sutherland – 1984

Members

• Matt Moffitt – Vocals, Guitar
• John Prior – Drums
• Jeff Clayton – Guitar
• Rick Grossman – Bass
• Tony Georgeson – Drums
• Brian Alcorn – Bass
• Chris Raggett – Guitar
• Ken Francis – Guitar
• Jeff Clayton – Bass, Guitar
• Glen White – Guitar
• Rob Riley – Guitar
• Harry Brus – Bass
• Steve Edmonds – Guitar, Vocals
• Guy Le Claire – Guitar
• Matt Cornell – Vocals, Bass
• Kevin Borich – Guitar
• Tim Gaze – Guitar
• Al Slavick – Bass

Recordings

• Matt Finish Play Africa – Single 1980
• Short Note – Album 1981
• Short Note – Single 1981
• Fade Away – EP 1981
• Matt Finish (self titled) – EP 1983
• Word of Mouth – Album 1984
• Words and Wars – Single 1984
• Always Another – Single 1984
• Come on Over – Single 1984
• One Day At A Time – Single 1992
• Earthbound – EP 1993
• By Heart – Album 1993
• Blue – Single 1993
• Will I Ever Know – Single 1994
• Just A Short Note – Album 2001
• Don’t Fade Away – Single 2006

Other Resources

• Matt Finish Website
• Matt Finish on Wikipedia
• Matt Finish MySpace page

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About

Sydney based rock band.

Mandrake consists of brothers Conrad & George Passas on guitars & vocals, and Harry on the Drums. Known for their “Stadium Rock in a Pub” shows, they have recently been touring with Deep Purple & Status Quo.
from Mandrakes MySpace page

Members

• Conrad Passas – Guitar, Vocals
• George Passas – Bass, Vocals
• Harry Harris – Drums

Recordings

• Visceral – 2001
• Mandrake – 2006

Other Resources

• Mandrakes website
• Mandrakes MySpace page

Hear Mandrake on All Australian Internet Radio

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About

Sydney-based rock/pop group of the 1980′s

The group was comprised of Alex Smith (vocals), Garry Frost (guitar), Andrew Thompson (saxophone), Charlie Cole (keyboards), Ian Lees (bass) and Paul Freeland (drums).

The band had several hit singles and albums in their native Australia, including the single “What About Me”, which remained at number one for two months in 1982. Its success led them to America where it also became a hit, reaching #29 on the Billboard singles chart. In fact, “What About Me” stayed in the Hot 100 for such a long time that it managed to make Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 list for 1983, at #88 – a rare feat for a single with such a low peak position.
from Wikipedia

History

Despite the song most people remember Moving Pictures for, the stirring Australian classic “What About Me” from 1983, the band formed in Sydney in 1978 as a rock and roll, R & B band. The group included singer Alex Smith, formerly of Bilgola Bop Band and This Side Up, guitarist/keyboardist Garry Frost from The Harps, keyboardist Charlie Cole, saxophonist Andrew Thompson, also of Bilgola Bop Band, another This Side Up former member Ian Lees on bass, and drummer Paul Freeland.

The bands live show was all about their rock leanings but, after signing to super manager Glenn Wheatleys label, they their first album, 1981s “Days Of Innocence”, which featured strong ballads that belied that live act. The albums biggest single “What About Me”. The single had been written by Garry Frost who, at the time, was working with autistic children in his day job. He’d literally gone out to get lunch at his local shop in the Sydney suburb of Annandale and seen a small boy not being noticed waiting at the counter. He was moved by the vision sufficiently to pen the tune. It was rarely played live by the band, when it was it was in a modern country style, and it was destined to never be recorded had their debut albums producer Charles Fisher not heard Frost and Smith tinkling around with the tune on the studio piano during a break in recording. Fisher had Moving Pictures record the song and the rest is history.

“What About Me?” stayed at the top of the Australian music charts for seven weeks & won the Best Single Award at the 1982 Count Down Awards. It also reached #19 in the American Top 20.
from the Harbour Agency

Members

• Alex Smith – Vocals
• Garry Frost – Guitar
• Ian Lees – Bass
• Charlie Cole – Keyboards
• Paul Freeland – Drums
• Andy Thompson – Sax
• Kevin Bennett – Guitar
• Joey Amanta – Guitar
• Craig Foster – Guitar
• Mark Meyer – Drums

Images

Recordings

• Days of Innocence – 1982
• Matinee – 1983
• Last Picture Show

Other Resources

• Wikipedia
• The Harbour Agency
• Sydney Morning Herald
• Moving Pictures page of Our Online Store

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The Wombat Switch.

I don’t even know if it is a term that is still used. Back about 20 years ago “Wombatting” was something you did to the support band to sabotage them. You know, turn the amps down a bit or pull down the master volume on the EQ or something. Sometimes it was because they were a threat to the main act, sometimes just because it was fun to watch their crew try to work out why the PA system is suddenly a lot quieter than it should be. A test if you will. A bit like sending the apprentice to the shop for a can of striped paint. I can honestly say that I have never done it and never been asked to do it by a band but I have been the victim once or twice when I was first starting out.

The first time was a beauty. We (Bandanna) had picked up a gig supporting Mad Gorilla at the Greenfield Tavern.

The Gorilla’s in full flight.

This was big for us as the Gorilla’s had been around for a while and were a bit of a name in those days. They had “show” which involved dressing up in whacky costumes, fancy lights, smoke machines, pyrotechnics, intro tapes etc.

The lads in costume in Sticko’s loungeroom.

It was a band I had been to see as a punter on quite a few occasions and they were always great. This was the first time I’d ever actually met the band and as it turns out, I made a couple of friendships that have lasted since that time. Langs the drummer is a great mate as is Sticko & Zack Flack, not to mention the amazing Jimmy Bourke, their lighting guy who I had the pleasure of working with many times since. Jimmy is a topic that deserves a web site all of its’ own! What a character. He can drink his own weight in bourbon and still work like a trojan. I’ve seen him do it many times. Jimmy’s classic line was “who wants to chuck in for a bottle of boubon for the load in? No-one? Oh well, I’ll get it”.

Anyways… the production itself was quite impressive for those days too. It was a double or triple three way system with lots of foldback & heaps of lights. Myself and the other crew couldn’t wait to get our hands on the system. Does anyone remember the JANDS JM8 mixing console? It was an impressive looking bit of gear and I couldn’t wait to get behind it.

The Gorillas didn’t do a soundcheck so it was up to us. It took me a little while to get my head around this massive system but with a bit of help from the ever helpful Gary, their sound guy, I got things sounding ok.

Well show time came around and off we went. Things did’t go quite according to plan though. The venue had a noise meter installed that would cut the power to the PA system if you went beyond a “reasonable” level of volume and the thing was cutting out on a fairly regular basis. This involved running backstage to turn all the amps down before the power came back on a few seconds later so the thump didn’t blow any speakers then running back through the crowd to the mixing desk. I was not having fun. The band was not having fun. We seemed to be very quiet yet were still tripping the sound meter.

Eventually we reached the end of our set and it was all over. I was in a bit of a lather and was hanging around the desk trying to figure out what had gone wrong since sound check. I felt like a bloody goose. Gary the Gorillas sound man was standing with his back to me when the publican came up and said words to the effect of “I’ve turned that meter back to where it was for your band OK?” The bastard had wombatted me!

Mad Gorilla came on and the sound was enormous. They played brilliantly as well which combined nicely to blow us off the stage completely. And guess what? The sound meter never tripped once during their set. I can laugh about it now but on the night I wanted to kill someone.

Big thanks to Sticko for the Mad Gorilla pictures.

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