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
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Moving Pictures were one of my favourite Aussie bands having had the opportunity to see them live at their peek is a very memorable experience. I was working with Mad Gorilla and we did a support with them at The Sundowner Hotel Sydney back in 1982. Not only were the guys great song writers and musos but were great to talk to after the gig i’m sure all the guys from Mad Gorilla will remember this night.
I was fortunate enought to record there concert they performed at The Hordern Pavillion Mothers Day 1982 and was broadcast on Channel 10 and 2MMM FM 105 Sydney soon after. I have re-enhanced the video and audio so it now sounds and looks good. I will split of the songs and post them to youtube over the next week but for now enjoy “This Must Be Love”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifrX6Woft2U
Moving Pictures at The Hordern Pavillion Mothers Day 1982 this concert was broadcast on Channel 10 and 2MMM FM 105 Sydney soon after. I have re-enhanced the video and audio so it now looks and sounds much better…. enjoy “Sisters of Mercy”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpfXCAHPMi8
Moving Pictures at The Hordern Pavillion Mothers Day 1982 this concert was broadcast on Channel 10 and 2MMM FM 105 Sydney soon after. I have re-enhanced the video and audio so it now looks and sounds much better…. enjoy “Nothing To Do
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at5ZHxJykdc
Moving Pictures at The Hordern Pavillion Mothers Day 1982 this concert was broadcast on Channel 10 and 2MMM FM 105 Sydney soon after. I have re-enhanced the video and audio so it now looks and sounds much better. enjoy ” WINGS ”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqU7mg9pxO8
Hi Roger
Yes, they were one of the best ever Aussie groups -saw them many times, incl that concert at Hordern Pav ( with its bad accoustics ). Think they had Mark Meyer with them by that stage – a really top drummer, from Leon Berger’s band.
They were brilliant live but was much regret that the energy wasn’t captured on their first album -D.O.I. – overproduced for the American market. And did they ever record Pay the Piper in the studio ?
That song – largely written by Garry Frost ( genius songwriter and top guitarist ) is actually a rock classic. They opened at the Hordern Pav with it – but unfortunately Alex talked in the intro too much. Anyway…could you please put that one on You-tube ??!! Would be really glad. Email me about it if you like bob@bobberesford.com
Pay the Piper was so powerful that sometimes an audience would be stunned by it…why they stopped closing with it – because people would get too overwhelmed to clap.
( One of their best songs was Alex’s ‘Chinese Nightlife’ never recorded. )
Hi Bob – just to clarify your memory – the drummer at the Hordern Pavillion concert was actually Paul Freeland. The drummer in the pic in the article is Mark Meyer. Given this is the “Australian Music History’ site, it’s a bit odd they used that pic as Paul was founding drummer and with the band longest.
Heard this on BBC radio 2 17 Feb 2009(yesterday)and brought back so many memories of the eighties. Living in the Uk we were 1st intro to Australian Rock with Men at Work in early 80s but the BBC did a documentary which I thought was entitled Australia Now in 82/83/84 and I videoed it, watched it a thousand times etc. This vid formed part of that doc.which also featured Spilt Endz of course, Australian Crawl, Midnight Oil and Mental as Anything as well as several others – I managed to get a Australian Crawl LP and Midnight Oil CDs but these guys I couldn’t. I lost the video when the betamax machine gave up if only I could get another copy!?!?! Or a complimantion album, Absolutely fantastic. Thank you for posting this.
I was the resident DJ at the Ambassoador Night Club in Newcastle NSW when Alex and the”Moving Picture Show” were braining it. Many the nights spent downing bourbons and talking …. with the boys after their concerts at the ‘Bass’. The band were influenced by Bruce Springsteen, Hall and Oates and harmonies by The Supremes and would ask me to play songs from these artists to vibe them before performing. I have worked with Chisel, The Oils, Misex etc and have to say, Moving Pictures were the best of the best. Miss them on stage but their music remains.. Rock On.
Moving Pictures were not the best of the best…they didn’t even come close to the performances of Cold Chisel or the Angels which were universally regarded as the best Australian rock acts of that period…Alex was a cocky little shit, and I dont know a lot of people that knew him that liked him.
I was at that gig at the Hordern – there were 2 on the one day I think and I went to both. I still have the ticket stub. It was a weird line-up: Moving Pictures, The Church and Matt Finish…
I grew up across the road from Mark Meyer and his family I can always remember hearing Mark (before he joined Moving Pictures) and the guys playing in his parents back yard it gave me my love of aussie music and music in general which I still have to this day.Mark’s Dad & Mum were great neighbours and the boys never distured anybody in the neighbourhood with there playing and I can remember his his dad being so proud of him and how he loved to tell me how Mark was doing when he joined Moving Pictures. Ahh great memories
Managed to get hold of a live Cold Chisel album and inc this and others on i pod. Just great.
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