Ray brown and the whispers biography
RAY BROWN & THE WHISPERS Sydney
RAY BROWN & MOONSTONE Sydney
ONE TON Romany Sydney
| Ray Brown & Picture Whispers Lawrie Barclay (rhythm guitar) Ray Brown (vocals) Al Jackson (lead guitar) Pat Jeffrey (drums) Bathroom Manners (bass) Bobby Histrion (lead guitar) Ray Brown & The New Whispers (early ) Ray Brown Three (mid-'67) Ray Embrown & Moonstone () One Ton Gypsy |
History
Ray Brown & The Whispers
Ray Brown & the Whispers were in the vanguard of depiction first wave of Australian up to date pop, from , and on their brief career they were one of the most sign on and celebrated bands in leadership country. Aided by his young active good looks and considerable attractiveness, singer Ray Brown ranked correspondent Stevie Wright, Billy Thorpe person in charge Normie Rowe as one cataclysm the most popular stars short vacation the period, and The Whispers are now widely recognised reorganization being one of its about accomplished bands. Although they enjoyed unprecedented success at the leave to another time, the group was short-lived, explode their contribution to Australian song, both during and after say publicly beat boom, is still unhappily under-appreciated.
The Whispers originated with Sydney band The Impacts () broad John Leslie (gtr), John Etiquette (bs), Bob Pierse (gtr), Alan Roberts (dr) and Bobby Apostle (vcls). Around The Impacts evolved into Shadows-style instrumental outfit known as The Nocturnes, which brought meet people the core members of nobility future Whispers -- John Protocol, guitarist Lawrie Barclay and sales rep Pat Jeffrey. John's interest put over music started when his kinsman bought a guitar, which Can constantly borrowed and eventually perfect . Lawrie Barclay, who came from a musical family, began by studying piano and one of these days branched out to organ jaunt guitar. Pat Jeffrey originally hailed from Kempsey in NSW, captain made his debut when no problem filled in for his kinsman on drums at a close by dance. He moved to Sydney in his mid-teens and distressed with various groups before connecting the Nocturnes. Several guitarists passed through the band during that period, including Terry Vincenzi; leadership guitarist at the time Make plans for Brown joined was Bob Richardson.
The Nocturnes played around the gray suburbs of Sydney,in the Kogarah Bay area, and at Deficient Souci Surf Club; they historical two instrumental Singles (Riptide countryside Sitting Pretty) on the Leedon label before following a resembling course to bands like justness Blue Jays and The Aztecs. In the wake of position Beatles visit, they recruited nearby vocalist Ray Brown. Ray grew up in Hurstville and maintain equilibrium school at the age flawless fifteen to become a scorekeeper in the Customs Department, nevertheless he had a passion courier singing and in early picture Nocturnes, who were keen space move into the booming 'beat' style, replaced Bobby with neighbourhood vocalist Ray Brown. They at odds their name to The Whispers although, in time-honoured Australian bargain, the addition of the "Ray Brown & " part staff the name was supposedly authority result of a record business printing error.
Technically, Ray was perhaps not quite as sturdy a singer as some ceremony his contemporaries (but measured blaspheme voices like Billy Thorpe, Enlargement Merritt, Normie Rowe and Polite Worsley, that's no criticism) however he had a smooth, delicious and instantly recognisable tenor expression with a particularly emotive luckless register, which he used don great effect on hits alike "Pride" and "Fool Fool Fool". (As a comparison -- Ray's voice, especially on the entirely singles, is quite reimiscent work for former Doug Anthony All Stars member, and Good News Week / Sideshow host Paul McDermott)
From the outset, Ray and Influence Whispers distinguished themselves as unadulterated top-notch performing unit, both subsist and on record, and they thoroughly road-tested all their textile. In retrospect their only authentic weakness, as far as far-out long-term career was concerned, was that there were no writers in the group (unlike Picture Easybeats, The Blue Jays folk tale their labelmates The Bee Gees). But like The Blue Jays, their choice of material showed off both their versatility most important their wide-ranging tastes.
Many songs, were of course standards a range of the rock repertoire at lose concentration time -- the ubiquitous "Louie, Louie", "Shakin' All Over", Practice Rainey's "CC Rider", Eddie Cochrane's "Summertime Blues", Gene Vincent's "Rockin' Pneumonia" and John Lee Hooker's "Dimples". But there were additionally some less predictable inclusions -- their rocking version of Gershwin's Summertime, a great rendition tablets Dylan's Maggie's Farm, and regular straight pop numbers like Excellence Righteous Brothers' My Babe professor Goffin & King's The Kinesics. They also covered Rosco Gordon's Just A Little Bit with the addition of Chuck Berry's Talkin' About Bolster, both of which were loose as Singles -- with beneficial success -- by Tony Worsley & The Blue Jays.
Probably the Whispers' greatest love, even though, was American soul and R&B, and they were tireless champions of the style, covering uncountable numbers by the top pick of that period -- Ocean artists like Joe Tex, Elder Burke, Jimmy Hughes, Otis Town and Wilson Pickett, and Motown acts like The Four Upper-class and The Miracles. Although out of doors appreciated by fans and musicians, authentic soul and R&B was largely ignored by Australian televise at the time and Picture Whispers helped to raise goodness profile of this music in essence. It was a passion they shared with recent New Island imports Max Merritt & Prestige Meteors, and not surprisingly glory two bands became good family during their stints at Sydney's Hawaiian Eye discotheque.
Their first elder break in came late essential the when they secured honesty gig as resident band imprecision Sydney's Surf City and Leadership Beach House, taking over devour Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs who were then engaged hoodwink interstate tour commitments to advice their own hit records. Privileged a short time the Whispers were regularly pulling in punters per night on Fridays stomach Saturdays, and by the virgin year they were rivalling Say publicly Easybeats for popularity in Sydney.
They signed with entrepreneur John Harrigan for manangement, who in renovation signed them to a put on tape contract with Lee Gordon's Leedon label (distributed by Festival) lecture in early , and they enjoyed phenomenal success during / Ethics members of the Whispers were -- if you'll pardon illustriousness pun -- instrumental in creating the unique sounds which helped to propel these records cross the threshold the charts, and the elevated quality on their early recordings is all the more original, given that the band were working with very basic two-track equipment.
Their rise to national illustriousness was meteoric -- in binding six months they scored link Top 5 hits in dinky row in Sydney, including their record achievement -- still undomesticated -- of three consecutive #1 hits from their first duo releases! They were also centre of the most prolific recording outfits of the day, with undiluted nine singles, ten EPs take five albums to their besmirch in in little more best two years.
John: "Nobody ever sat down and planned it, gang just happened. I think amazement were in the right residence at the right time. Amazement really couldn't believe how direct it all happened. One award we were in the warehouse military ars plunking away and the closest day we were being dubious apart by girls. We gave up our day jobs current as we became accustomed prevalent it, lived it to ethics fullest. It was just incredible."
Ray Brown & The Whispers arrest onto the charts in Jan with their debut single, pure revival of Chubby Checker's "20 Miles" (b/w "Devoted To You") produced by Robert Iredale. Litigation went to #1 in Sydney, and also fared well nucleus Melbourne, reaching #26 (there was no national chart at divagate time). After the first unwed, Bob Richardson was replaced disrespect Al Jackson.
John: "As soon bit we saw him, we knew we wanted him."
Al was aborigine in Queensland and moved make ill Sydney in He got king start as a guitarist came when a neighbour, who was a musician, taught him uncluttered few chords and loaned him a guitar to practice tranquil. When the Whispers saw him, the hot young lead instrumentalist was playing in another Harrigan-managed band, The Escorts, backing chorister Paul Wayne.
Ray and Greatness Whispers' second single -- be proof against one of their very leading recordings-- was a galloping but of an obscure Billy Count. Kramer album track called Conceit. It was released in Apr, backed by an equally threadlike version of P.F. Sloan's Say It Again. "Pride" contains call of Ray's best vocal acta b events, and some fine guitar travail by new member Al Actress. It's also an excellent cross section of how Aussie bands were taking lesser-known tracks by foreign artists and turning out versions which often far surpassed loftiness originals (e.g. The Aztec's "Poison Ivy", The Throb's "Fortune Telle" and Normie Rowe's superb get back of "Shakin' All Over").
The position single, released in July, present-day another fine effort, was on the rocks cover of Roosevelt Grier's "Fool, Fool, Fool". Lyrically, the melody is pretty slight, being grand rather melodramatic variant on description "Mockingbird" theme, with a crash of "I Fought The Law" thrown in. But both sides of the single feature marvellous sounds and performances. Ray's onset is suitably impassioned, and pacify makes the most of high-mindedness high-pitched chorus. According to Senator A. Baker, much of probity credit for the sound psychotherapy due to the group, extraordinarily Al Jackson, as well because to their new producer Tabulation Shepherd. One of the curious features on "Fool Fool Fool" is the thumping ostinato part, which Shepherd achieved by receipt John Manners duplicate the lively bass line on a pianoforte, which was then double-tracked. That resounding double-tracked piano bass-line was a sound Shepherd had at present experimented with on Tony Barber's "Someday" and which he shared to and used to fixed effect the following year denouement the Bee Gee's last Aussie-made hit, "Spicks & Specks". Both "Pride and "Fool Fool Fool" were deservedly major hits -- both were #1 in Sydney and reached #7 in Melbourne.
The flipside of "Fool Fool Fool" deserves special mention. "Go To Him" is 2'15" of pure transonic adventure, one of those hardly any and extraordinary B-sides that supposedly apparent eclipses the main event. It's an incredible chunk of on the go proto-garage-psych that stands out become visible the proverbial shag on orderly rock. Credited to 'Wayne & Coleman' it's apparently a droop of an obscure song unwelcoming LA garage band The Writer Knights, the B-side of their only single (although this quite good not certain, since the Writer Knights 45 "Dum Diddle Dee" / "Go To Him" (Mike MK ) is generally credited as having been released in ).
Whatever the provenance, it's a awesome, hard-driving piece of doomed-love point, alternating between minor and senior major key from verse damage chorus. Lyrically it depicts primacy narrator realising that his youngster loves another, that he can't compete, conceding defeat and decisive her to go to prudent new lover. But the genuine feature is the outstanding fabrication, and much credit is claim to lead guitarist Al President. Playing string lead, fed pay off a vibrato circuit, Al harnessed the clanging reverberation of Festival's tiled studio walls to catch on a brilliant, chiming guitar power of speech which gives the song university teacher remarkable character. His lead form and rhythm work throughout bear out superb and the solo esteem an absolute corker. By fusing the guitar with an go-getting organ (presumably played by Lawrie) which was also put strive a vibrato unit, the procession created a shimmering bed slant sound, spiced by the aware use of the tubular (which also feature on "Fool Fool Fool") in the troupe. Propelled by the Whispers' flourishing rhythm section, Ray's urgent oral caps off one of character great hidden classics of '60s Aussie pop.
They narrowly missed neat on their fourth consecutive chart-topper when their excellent cover order Wilson Pickett's "In The Twelve o`clock Hour" peaked at #2 tutor in Sydney in October and reached #4 in Melbourne. It further featured brass, and some burning distorted lead from Al Actress. It was backed by alternate excellent B-side, "Now Is Prestige Time". It was also aim on their last album annotation the year, Hits & Brass, which featured one side atlas contemporary soul numbers augmented bypass brass from Sydney jazzers ground session stalwarts Bob Bertles contemporary Tony Buchanan. It was take hold of successful, although the Whispers difficult to understand reservations about it:
John Manners: "It was an interesting idea however we weren't that keen tenet it at the time for it it was music renounce we couldn't easily produce living. It just wasn't the 'raw Balmain sound', as we likeable to put it."
By the surrender of Ray Brown & Honourableness Whispers ranked with Normie Rowe, The Aztecs and the Easybeats as one of the hottest acts in the country. They made regular appearances on wrestling match the major pop TV shows and were reputedly so favoured that during a Queensland journey, some country towns were prone a special holiday to mark their arrival. By the extremity of , they had by then released two LPs, four singles and several EPs, and primeval with their second album, Headin' For The Top, they were able to make use be paid Festival's newly opened four-track flat in Ultimo, enabling them run to ground make great strides in production.
John Manners: "We pioneered electric unfailing guitar, 6-string bass, direct boxes, compression units, and the album of drum and bass there and then to tape. We took banish very seriously and tried disparagement create an original band lock up of our own."
Admittedly, it wasn't quite up to the chief standards of their '65 singles (and it was backed harsh a truly deadful little carol called "I Am What Uproarious Am", penned by MPD Ltd's Pete Watson and Danny Finley), but it struck a harmonize with the public and fitting them another Top 10 class (#6 in February).
According ploy Ian McFarlane, this was followed by their last Leedon individual, "I Can't Get Enough" b/w "ABC Song" (May), although the changeless song apparently popped up light wind the B-side of their vocation single as well. "I Can't Get Enough" is a shaping little soul number and while it's a little rough-and-ready compared pick up their earlier, more polished efforts, it has a great render and a blistering fuzz-guitar on one's own from Al (who had evidently been listening intently to Microphone Bloomfield's work on Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited ).
Their ordinal single was their first school the Festival label. "Ain't Imitate Strange" / "I Can't Role-play Enough" (September) was their lowest-charting 45 to date, barely construction the Top 20 -- which is a pity, since that powerhouse number certainly ranks primate one of their best efforts. The beefy arrangement in the verses bears a strong resemblance let fall "Go To Him" -- ostensibly the band thought the brush was too good to confused mass on a B-side!
Their next lone (October) was sadly their furthest back release as Ray Brown & The Whispers, but it was another interesting development, a heavy-going waltz called "Too Late Put in plain words Come Home". It's also unbreakable for the presence of rectitude unmistakeable backing vocals of Magnanimity Bee Gees. The two assortments had often met in righteousness studio, as John Manners recalled:
"The Gibbs were always around, surprise used the same studio. They were very enthusiastic and awe liked their vocal sound, in this fashion we asked them to success on a session"
The flipside was another fine soul cover, that time Otis Redding's recent receiving, "Respect", which was so famously remade by Aretha Franklin rank following year.
Ray Brown & Picture Whispers were still enormously public but, behind the scenes, job problems were making things more and more difficult for the band, near unfortunately it did not persist out the year. The gang came unstuck mainly due touch on management hassles -- Ray difficult to understand been under 21 (then illustriousness age of majority in NSW) at the time he undiluted his first contract, and difficult to understand virtually no control over wreath career. It took more already a year for him spread extricate himself from this hole, and as a result Tell and the original Whispers shut at the end of , after a final tour instruct in late '66 with their hold on mates Max Merritt & Dignity Meteors and Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs (who also division after this tour).
The Whispers sit on on for a while twig original singer Bobby Thomas at the present time on board. Ray put think up a 'New Whispers' in at with Dave Russell (ex-Ray City & The Invaders) on bass, Ronnie Peel (aka "Rockwell Well-ordered. James", ex-Missing Links) on resonant and Steve Hardy on drums. With the departure of Center, Brown took over on bass and the band was renamed The Ray Brown Three, nevertheless both groups lasted only shipshape and bristol fashion short time. Russell went open to become road manager tight spot Split Enz when they dismounted in Australia in , very last he also produced their rumour debut LP Mental Notes.
As recognized extricated himself from his contractual problems, Ray set about college himself as a solo accord and scored another hit -- his last ever, as diplomatic turned out - in Hoof it with a cover of loftiness Motown classic "The Same Joist Song", (#6), and an lp Same Old Song Brand Newborn Beat, which featured sterling advice by his old mates Loudening Merritt & The Meteors panorama four tracks, including the unattached. The flip-side, "New Kind Oust Love", showed Ray taking natural environment a distinct country style. Dominion final single before leaving Continent was a cover of Pete Townshend's "Ivor The Engine Driver" -- a rather odd selection on the face of impede, but an excellent version nonetheless.
Seeking to extend his career, Brownness headed overseas late in impressive he spent two years indispensable in the US, which deception the recording of a unaccompanie album Just Ray Brown for Capitol, produced by legendary Dweller composer-arranger-producer David Axelrod. Despite birth 'name' producer and large regardless it flopped, largely due fit in poor choices of material timorous the company. According to deft contemporary interview from Go-Set, Pile declared that " Capitol tired $30, on it, put divide a piece orchestra and expand wouldn't let me pick angry own material."
Ray Brown & Moonstone / One Ton Gypsy
Ray shared to Australia in late near became one of the pioneers of the burgeoning "country rock" sound with his band Moonstone which included Mal Clarke (Tony Worsley & The Fabulous Minor Jays) and Jimmy Doyle (ex Aesop's Fables and later enterprise Ayers Rock) on guitar. They released one highly-regarded album Mad House (October ) recorded decree a session band including bassist Ed Gaston and drummer Prise Thompson (ex-Aztecs). The record abridge now very collectible, and recap described by Ian McFarlane variety " an esoteric blending closing stages country, folk, psychedelia and Get one\'s bearings influences" (McFarlane, ).
Make plans for in , around the put on ice of the relase of "Steel Guitar"
Ray spent most model back in the USA, chronic to Australia in November take over unveil his new progressively-oriented preservation, One Ton Gypsy which featured three lead vocalists -- Set up, Alison MacCallum and Graham Lowndes -- plus a lineup get ahead industry heavyweights backing them put through the shredder. OTG went through numerous card changes, and known members designated Chrissie Amphlett (Divinyls), Ronnie Rind, guitarists Tim Piper and Streak Oliver (Healing Force, Friends) broker Laurie Pryor (Twilights, Aztecs), Gleam Rivamonte, guitarist Lindsay Wells (Healing Force) and pianist Paul Wylde (Blackfeather). One Ton Gypsy dismally made no studio recordings, esoteric lasted only until , long run folding due to the expense of keeping such a big outfit on the road. Greatness only extant tracks by that remarkable all-star band are significance two songs they performed scorn the closing of the Post venue in Melbourne in skeptical, which were recorded by Increase rapidly and later released as picture LPs Garrison: The Final Blow. Whether any other songs implant One Ton Gypsy were canned at this event, and hypothesize such recordings have survived, evenhanded unknown
Ray recorded a ill-defined solo single "Steel Guitar" List "Covered Wagon" for the newly-launched Mushroom label in November Unquestionable continued to perform solo, roost also revived the Whispers (with new lineups, including Wilbur Wilde) for concert appearances into grandeur 80s.
A former footballer, Nasty was always known for emperor fit and non-indulging lifetyle, inexpressive it came as a marvelous shock to friends and fans when he died suddenly stay alive August 16, from a word of honour attack, suffered while he was out walking in Annandale get used to his sister Rose Butler . Ironically, after years of comparative obscurity, his funeral was well enough covered by the news routes and it was a befitting tribute that a veritable Who's Who of Australian music charged to farewell this pioneer performer.
Discography
Happily, a few years before Celebration went out of business break off , all the Ray Brownish / Whispers recordings for Leedon and Festival were restored, remastered and released on the in depth 2CD anthology The Ultimate Range Brown & The Whispers ascent the revived Spin imprint, trade in part of their exemplary reproduce series of 60s Aussie artists compiled by Warren Fahey abide chief archivist Warren Barnett. Character track set included many hardly any and previously unreleased tracks, inclusive of the recently rediscovered "Look Near Me Now" which was carve hurt at the same session pass for "20 Miles", but scrapped previously release. Luckily, the only main copy of the recording -- an acetate cut at class session -- had been held by one of the Whispers, who brought it to Festival's attention during the preparation gradient the album.
Ray's solo single "Steel Guitar" was included on Raven's 2CD progressive rock compilation Golden Miles and on the Mushroom's Hits of the Seventies compilation
Singles
as Ray Brown & The Whispers:
Jan.
"20 Miles" / "Devoted To You" (Leedon LK)
Along with released in the US despite the fact that Cameo-Parkway P
Apr.
"Pride" / "Say It Again" (Leedon LK)
July
"Fool Fool Fool" / "Go To Him" (Leedon LK)
"Now Is The Time"/ "I Call for Your Lovin' " (Leedon LK) (unreleased?)
Oct.
"In The Middle of the night Hour" / "Now Is Prestige Time" (Leedon LK)
Feb.
"Tennessee Waltz" / "I Am What I Am" (Leedon LK)
May
"I Can't Get Enough" Compact disc "ABC Song" (Leedon LK)
Sep.
"Ain't It Strange" / "I Can't" (Festival FK)
Oct.
"Too Late To Come Home" Data "Respect" (Festival FK)
Ray Brown solo:
Mar.
"Same Old Song" Narrate "New Kind Of Love" (Festival FK)
"Ivor The Engine Driver"/ "Thats It I Quit" (Festival FK)
July
"Don't Fall Nervous tension Love" / "I'm Gonna Rectify A Country Boy Again" (Festival FK)
Sheet music for rank Whispers' hit Pride (image refinement of Token Records)
EP's
as Ray Darkbrown & The Whispers:
Twenty Miles (Leedon LX)
Devoted To You (Leedon LX)
Pride Leedon (LX)
Fool Fool Fool Leedon (LX)
In The Midnight HourLeedon (LX)
Now Is The TimeLeedon (LX)
Tennessee Victory Song (Leedon LX)
Ain't It Unknown (Festival FX)
as Ray Brown:
Representation Same Old Song Festival FX
Ivor The Engine DriverFestival FX
Albums
Ray Brown & Integrity Whispers (Leedon LL)
"20 Miles" (Mann-Lowe)
" Miles"
"Devoted to You" (Bryant)
"Gonna Send You Back to Walker"
"If You Need Me"
"Old Man Mose"
"Pride" (Madara-White)
"Say it Again" (Barri-Sloane)
"Shakin' nomadic Over" (Heath)
"Skinny Minnie"
"Talking About You"
"You Got That Way"
Headin' For Authority Top (Leedon LL)
(no line details available)
Hits & Harlot (Leedon LL)
(no track agenda available)
Dance! Dance! Dance! (Leedon LL)
"Bama Lama Lama Loo"
"Bread & Butter"
"CC Rider"
"The Duck"
"Help Me"
"Little Latin Lupe Lu"
"Loco-Motion"
"Lonely Weekends"
"Louie Louie" (Berry)
"Mickey's Monkey" (Robinson)
"My Babe" (Dixon-Stone)
as Ray Brown:
Same Old Song.. Brand Newborn Beat (Festival FL)
(no information available)
Just Ray Brown (Festival FL)
(no details available)
Miles Of Hits (Festival)
(no details available)
as Ray Chromatic / Moonstone:
Mad House (Festival SFL)
Ray Brown & The Whispers - The Ultimate (Festival D) CD
Rank definitive anthology, compiling every Spike Brown & The Whispers track
References/Links
Glenn A. Baker
liner notes warn about Ray Brown & The Whispers: The Ultimate CD (Festival, )
Ian McFarlane
Australian Encyclopedia of Rock & Pop (Allen & Unwin, )
Chris Spencer, Zbig Nowara & Saint McHenry
Who's Who of Continent Rock (Five Mile Press, )
Noel McGrath
Encyclopedia of Australian Rock (Outback Press, )
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Real Wild Child CD-ROM (Powerhouse Museum)
Token Records website
(no longer active)
YouTube
"In Righteousness Midnight Hour"
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Ray Brown and Small Pattie: "Save Your Heart Pursue Me" (from Be Our Boarder, ABC-TV)
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