JANICE'S BLUES ALLEY
PRESENTS
LITTLE RIVER BAND
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One of the first Australian bands to find widespread commercial success in America, Little River Band brought a polished, vocal-heavy pop sound to the late-'70s airwaves, melding the rich harmonies of the Eagles and Crosby, Stills & Nash with a bit of AOR drive and soft rock melodicism. Staffed by a crew of previously distinguished veterans of Melbourne's vibrant rock scene, the group's sights were already set on American shores by the time of their 1975 formation, and within two years, they had achieved their breakthrough with 1977's gold-selling Diamantina Cocktail, followed quickly by Sleeper Catcher and its Top Ten hits "Lady" and "Reminiscing." Their acceptance in the U.S. was mirrored and subsequently exceeded by their prominence back home, and they headed confidently into the '80s with a string of hit albums and an international reputation. Things began to splinter, though, with the departure of key founding members, singer Glenn Shorrock and guitarist Beeb Birtles, and by 1985, their profile in the U.S. began to dip with a change in both sound and membership. After a series of albums with singer John Farnham at the helm, Shorrock reentered the picture and Little River Band managed to retain their popularity in Australia through the end of the decade. However, the group continued to bleed personnel and by 1998, no original members remained involved in the band and the legal rights to the name were claimed by '80s members Stephen Housden and Wayne Nelson. Backed by a frequently rotating staff, Housden and Nelson toured a version of Little River Band throughout the 2000s despite numerous legal battles with the group's founding members, who had authored all of their best-known material. The contentious legal entanglements persisted well into the next decade with continued strife between both parties resulting in the cancellation of several major anniversary appearances by the touring version of the group, now led solely by Nelson, who in 2016 released an album of re-recorded versions of the band's earlier hits. In spite of this ongoing drama, Little River Band's status as one of Australia's most prominent bands of the late 20th century has remained strong, and they entered their fifth decade with 2020's live orchestral album Black Tie. When Little River Band initially formed in Melbourne in 1975, the group's key bandmembers were already well-known to many Australians. Lead singer Shorrock had made his name first in the mid-'60s group the Twilights, and later with Axiom, whose 1970 single "A Little Ray of Sunshine" eventually became an Australian classic rock staple. Guitarist Beeb Birtles had initially been the bass player for a group called Zoot (Rick Springfield was a later member) then later joined guitarist Graham Goble and drummer Derek Pellicci in the popular country-rock group and LRB precursor Mississippi. Even the band's manager, Glenn Wheatley, carried a significant rock pedigree as the former bassist for the Masters Apprentices. From the start, they had the status of something of a supergroup aimed at conquering the world, from Australia to America. With that in mind, they almost immediately went into the studio, even before the rest of the band had been consolidated. Although the early lineup shuffled around a bit, by the time Little River Band released their self-titled debut in late 1975, the band consisted of mainstays Shorrock (vocals), Birtles (vocals, guitar), Goble (vocals, guitar), and Pellicci (drums), with lead guitarist Ric Formosa and bassist Roger McLachlan. Their follow-up, After Hours, was released in Australia mere months later in April 1976, though the band's American record company considered it to too dark and sent them straight back into the studio to record the next album, resolving to use some of the After Hours tracks and the best of what was being recorded for the group's third Australian album. The result was called Diamantina Cocktail, produced by John Boylan. Preceded by late 1976 European tour dates with Queen and American dates supporting Average White Band, Diamantina Cocktail finally appeared in both countries in the front half of 1977 and proved to be the breakthrough Little River Band were hoping for. Buoyed by the hit singles "Help Is on Its Way" and "Happy Anniversary," the album peaked at number 49 in the U.S. and number two in Australia, eventually going gold in both countries. Just two years into their career, however, cracks in the lineup began to show, with Formosa and McLachlan replaced by David Briggs and George McArdle, respectively. Sleeper Catcher, again produced by Boylan, arrived in 1978 and became a major success in America, with the single "Reminiscing" hitting number three. By this point, Little River Band were on a roll and 1979's First Under the Wire was no exception, launching another pair of hits with "Cool Change" and "Lonesome Loser." Over the next few years, the group straddled the two continents, renowned for their impeccable live performances and polished presence. Internally, relationships weren't so good. From their first album on, front-liners Shorrock, Birtles, and Goble recorded separately. On the road they traveled separately. Only on-stage were they together. The regular changes in the backline -- especially on bass -- only contributed to tensions. During one break between American tours, Goble started writing and producing an album for Australian pop legend John Farnham. After 1981's George Martin-produced Time Exposure, Shorrock was replaced on vocals by Farnham. Australia pricked up its ears, but America was in shock, as this still-successful band moved toward replacing the singer of all its big hits with someone who to them was an unknown. Nevertheless, the change was made and Farnham walked straight into the recording studio to make The Net. More lineup changes followed, including the departure of Birtles. In all, John Farnham recorded three albums with Little River Band over four years: The Net (1983), Playing to Win (1985), and No Reins (1986). Newcomers Stephen Housden (guitar, vocals) and Wayne Nelson (bass, vocals) became mainstays of this era, with only Goble left from the original frontline. Although the albums were a moderate success at home, America never quite took to Farnham, who soon took the initiative and started working on another solo release, 1986's Whispering Jack, an album that completely rehabilitated him as the biggest-selling artist in Australia. Little River Band regrouped in 1988 with new management and a new record label. Glenn Shorrock and Derek Pellicci rejoined Goble, Nelson, and Housden to record the Monsoon album, which went some way in returning the group's luster. This lineup issued one more release, 1990's Get Lucky, after which Goble departed. By 1996, Shorrock was also gone, and with Pellicci's 1998 departure went the group's last original member as well as the Little River Band trademark rights, which fell to Housden. Although the band as fans had known it called it day, Housden and Nelson picked up the torch and carried on as perennial touring act under the Little River Band name, coming under fire in 2002 from Birtles, Shorrock, and Goble, who were attempting a reunion tour playing the band's early hits and hoping to use some version of the group's name. The remainder of the 2000s was marred by a knotty confusion of lawsuits between the two parties, with Nelson ultimately retaining the trademark rights and continuing to tour his version of Little River Band into the next decade while the original members played the hits under their own names. A handful of new releases under the Little River Band banner appeared in the 2010 including the all-original Cuts Like a Diamond (2013) and The Hits: Revisited, a collection of their prime early material re-recorded by Nelson and his current lineup. The animosity remained, with the original members doing their best to sabotage major appearances and anniversary celebrations undertaken by the touring version. Although the dramas and infighting of the group's latter years have taken their toll, the Little River Band legacy as a whole has fared well, and the group's induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame and the lasting power of now-classic hits like "Cool Change," "Reminiscing," and "Help Is on Its Way" continued to cement their reputation as one of Australia's most significant bands. As Nelson shepherded the group, they headed into another decade and continued to celebrate the breadth of their legacy. 2020's live album Black Tie featured Little River Band accompanied on-stage by an orchestra, playing early hits as well as some of their contemporary offerings like the record's patriotic single "The Lost and the Lonely," which originally appeared on 2013's Cuts Like a Diamond. by Timothy Monger All Music Guide. |
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1975 Little River Band | |||
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01. It's A Long Way There 02. Curiosity (Killed The Cat) 03. Meanwhile 04. My Lady And Me 05. I'll Always Call Your Name |
06. Emma 07. The Man In Black 08. Statue Of Liberty 09. I Know It | ||
1976 After Hours | |||
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01. Days On The Road 02. Every Day Of My Life 03. Broke Again 04. Seine City 05. Another Runway |
06. Bourbon Street 07. Sweet Old Fashioned Man 08. Take Me Home 09. Country Girls | ||
1977 Diamantina Cocktail | |||
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01. Days On The Road 02. Every Day Of My Life 03. Broke Again 04. Seine City 05. Another Runway |
06. Bourbon Street 07. Sweet Old Fashioned Man 08. Take Me Home 09. Country Girls | ||
1978 Sleeper Catcher | |||
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01. Fall From Paradise 02. Lady 03. Red-Headed Wildflower 04. Light Of Day 05. So Many Paths |
06. Reminiscing 07. Sanity's Side 08. Shut Down, Turn Off 09. One For The Road | ||
1979 Backstage Pass Live | |||
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01. It's A Long Way There 02. So Many Paths 03. Statue Of Liberty 04. Fall From Paradise |
05. Light Of Day 06. Reminiscing 07. Man In Black 08. Help Is On Its Way | ||
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1979 First Under The Wire | |||
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01. Lonesome Loser 02. The Rumour 03. By My Side 04. Cool Change 05. It's Not A Wonder |
06. Hard Life (Prelude) 07. Hard Life 08. Middle Man 09. Man On The Run 10. Mistress Of Mine | ||
1980 Live In America | |||
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01. Hard Life 02. The Rumour 03. Mistress Of Mine 04. Too Lonely Too Long 05. Red Shoes |
06. I Don't Worry No More 07. Let's Dance 08. Man On The Run 09. It's Not A Wonder 10. Sweet Old Fashioned Man | ||
1980 Backstage Pass | |||
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01. It's A Long Way There 02. So Many Paths 03. Statue Of Liberty 04. Fall From Paradise 05. Light Of Day 06. Reminiscing ("Night And Day" Intro) 07. The Man In Black 08. Help Is On Its Way 09. Hard Life |
10. The Rumor 11. Mistress Of Mine 12. Too Lonely Too Long 13. Red Shoes 14. I Don't Worry No More 15. Let's Dance 16. Man On The Run 17. It's Not A Wonder 18. Sweet Old Fashioned Man | ||
1981 Time Exposure | |||
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01. The Night Owls 02. Man On Your Mind 03. Take It Easy On Me 04. Ballerina 05. Love Will Survive 06. Full Circle |
07. Just Say That You Love Me 08. Suicide Boulevard 09. Orbit Zero 10. Don't Let The Needle Win 11. Guiding Light | ||
1982 In Concert-269 | |||
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01. It's A Long Way There 02. Man On Your Mind 03. The Rumour 04. Mistress Of Mine 05. Red Shoes 06. Don't Let The Needle Win |
07. Reminiscing 08. Cool Change 09. The Night Owls 10. Lady 11. Just Say That You Love Me | ||
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1983 The Net | |||
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01. You're Driving Me Out Of My Mind 02. We Two 03. No More Tears 04. Mr. Socialite 05. Down On The Border |
06. The Danger Sign 07. Falling 08. Sleepless Nights 09. Easy Money 10. The Net | ||
1985 Playing To Win | |||
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01. Playing To Win 02. Reappear 03. Blind Eyes 04. Through Her Eyes 05. When Cathedrals Were White |
06. Relentless 07. Piece Of The Dream 08. Don't Blame Me 09. One Shot In The Dark 10. Count Me In | ||
1986 No Reins | |||
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01. Face In The Crowd 02. It's Just A Matter Of Time 03. Time For Us 04. No Reins On Me 05. When The War Is Over |
06. Thin Ice 07. How Many Nights? 08. Forever Blue 09. Paper Paradise 10. It Was The Night | ||
1988 Too Late To Load | |||
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01. When Will I Be Loved? 02. D 03. Gunslinger 04. Please Don't Ask Me 05. The Shut Out 06. One Day |
07. Love Letters 08. Stormy Surrender 09. What Ya Thinka Me 10. Tender Betrayal 11. The Butterfly 12. Chip Off The Old Block | ||
1988 Monsoon | |||
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01. It's Cold Out Tonight 02. Parallel Lines 03. Love Is A Bridge 04. The Rhythm King 05. Shadow In The Rain 06. A Cruel Madness |
07. Inside Story 08. Son Of A Famous Man 09. Soul Searching 10. Great Unknown 11. Face In The Crowd | ||
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1990 Get Lucky | |||
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01. If I Get Lucky 02. There's Not Another You 03. Second Wind 04. Every Time I Turn Around 05. I Dream Alone |
06. Time & Eternity 07. Two Emotions 08. As Long As I'm Alive 09. The One That Got Away 10. Listen To Your Heart | ||
1993 Live Classics | |||
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01. Happy Anniversary 02. It's A Long Way There 03. I Dream Alone 04. Skyboat 05. Man On Your Mind 06. Lonesome Loser 07. Take It Easy On Me 08. Reminiscing 09. Baby Come Back |
10. Walk Together 11. The Night Owls 12. Help Is On Its Way 13. Cool Change 14. Lady 15. Summertime Blues 16. Walk Together (Studio) 17. My Own Way Home (Studio) | ||
2001 Where We Started From | |||
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01. Where We Started From 02. This Place 03. Magazine Girl 04. Just You And I 05. Night Owls 06. I Think I Left My Heart With You |
07. Who Made The Moon 08. Look In Your Eyes 09. American Way 10. Lead Me To Water 11. Cool Change | ||
2003 Streams Of Success | |||
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Disc One Studio Album 01. Where We Started From 02. This Place 03. Magazine Girl 04. Just You And I 05. Night Owls 06. I Think I Left My Heart With You 07. Who Made The Moon 08. Look In Your Eyes 09. American Way 10. Lead Me To The Water 11. Cool Change |
Disc Two Live Album 01. Man On Your Mind 02. This Place 03. Take It Easy On Me 04. Lonesome Loser 05. Where We Started From 06. Reminiscing 07. Happy Anniversary 08. Who Made The Moon 09. The Night Owls 10. Help Is On It's Way 11. It's Not A Wonder 12. I Think I Left My Heart With You 13. Cool Change 14. Lady | ||
2004 Test Of Time | |||
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01. The Long Goodbye 02. Should I Go 03. Back In Your Arms 04. Old Money 05. Hold On 06. Enlighten Me |
07. Forever Now 08. Can't Get You Outta My Heart 09. I've Met Love Before 10. I'm Waiting 11. There's A Bus Leaving | ||
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2005 One Night In Mississippi | |||
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01. Man On Your Mind 02. This Place 03. Take It Easy On Me 04. Lonesome Loser 05. Where We Started From 06. Reminiscing 07. Happy Anniversary |
08. Who Made The Moon 09. The Night Owls 10. Help Is On Its Way 11. It's Not A Wonder 12. I Think I Left My Heart With You 13. Cool Change 14. Lady | ||
2007 Standing Room Only | |||
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01. Reminiscing 02. Man On Your Mind 03. Happy Anniversary 04. Take It Easy On Me 05. The Other Guy |
06. Help Is On Its Way 07. The Night Owls 08. Cool Change 09. Lonesome Loser 10. Lady | ||
2007 We Call It Christmas | |||
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01. We Call It Christmas 02. The Season Of Love 03. Mary's Christmas 04. Do They Know It's Christmas 05. My Grownup Christmas List 06. You Make It Feel Like Christmas |
07. A Joyful Noise 08. Jesus, Oh What A Wonderful Child 09. Celebrate Me Home 10. Silent Night 11. 'Til The Seasons Come 'Round Again | ||
2011 Little River Band [Sonoma Entertainment] | |||
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01. Reminiscing 02. Lonesome Loser 03. Cool Change 04. Help Is On The Way 05. Happy Anniversary 06. Lady |
07. The Night Owls 08. Man On Your Mind 09. Take It Easy On Me 10. Where We Started From 11. Lead Me To The Water 12. It's Not A Wonder | ||
2013 Cuts Like A Diamond | |||
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01. The Lost And The Lonely 02. Forever You Forever Me 03. Cuts Like A Diamond 04. You Dream I'll Drive 05. I'm An Island 06. Way Too Good |
07. What If You're Wrong 08. Where Do I Run 09. Someone 10. Who Speaks For Me 11. Love Is | ||
