Dave Gleeson is a rock legend whose powerful vocals and charismatic stage presence have left an indelible mark on the Australian music scene. Born with an innate passion for rock and roll,
Gleeson rose to prominence as a founding member of the renowned band The Screaming Jets.
With their energetic performances and hard-hitting sound, The Screaming Jets became a force to be reckoned with, delivering hit after hit that resonated with fans across the country.
In addition to his success with The Screaming Jets, Gleeson later stepped into the role of frontman for another iconic Australian band, The Angels. With his distinctive voice
and boundless stage presence, he brought a fresh energy to The Angels' already legendary catalogue of songs, captivating audiences with his electrifying performances.
Gleeson's tenure with The Angels solidified his reputation as one of Australia's s most dynamic
and versatile rock vocalists.
Beyond his contributions to the stage, Gleeson has also made his mark in the broadcasting world.
Hosting the popular radio show 'Dave Gleeson Nights' on the Triple M Network, he has become a
familiar voice to rock enthusiasts across the country. With his extensive knowledge of music,
engaging personality, and infectious enthusiasm, Gleeson has forged a special connection with his listeners, sharing stories, interviews, and, of course, playing great rock tracks.
Throughout his career, Dave Gleeson has remained a beloved figure in the Australian rock landscape, inspiring generations of fans with his raw talent and unwavering dedication to the music he loves. Whether belting out anthems on stage or entertaining listeners through the airwaves, Gleeson continues to leave an indelible impression as a true rock icon.
As an artist Wendy Matthews has an expressive voice that never fails to move those who hear it. Her music is an unhurried journey of clean melodies, infectious energy and simple grace. In an age where uber-production techniques are thought to be hip and cynicism an attribute, Wendy has proven that commitment to beauty is still not only valid but applauded by the public ear.
This is exemplified by the reality that Wendy’s music is now in more than 1 million homes in Australia and all her albums to date have multi-platinum status.
Wendy has an immense talent and capacity to capture and define a diverse range of styles in her music. She takes songs from every genre and makes them her own; from jazz to blues, from rock to gospel, from soul to outright infectious pop and then of course, there are the beautiful ballads.
Wendy is adept at reaching both frenetic youth and mature audiences alike, if older ears are captured by her soul and unfazed class, a more cynical youth is convinced by her disarming ease of delivery, wooed by a voice of stunning emotive capacity yet void of sentimentality.
Born in Montreal Canada, Wendy joined her first band and left home as a teenager, busking her way across the USA to Los Angeles where she met Glenn Shorrock who invited her to tour with him in Australia in 1982.
Wendy immediately became an in-demand session singer, appearing on many commercial jingles and backing vocals for the likes of The Models Out Of Mind Out Of Sight and became a semi-permanent member of the band. She also sang on albums by Jimmy Barnes, Tim Finn, Richard Clapton and Icehouse.
In 1987, Wendy collaborated with Kate Ceberano on the ABC-TV soundtrack for the series Stringer. You’ve Always Got the Blues was released the next year reaching the Top 5 national charts, she then contributed to the Rockmelons and Peter Blakeley’s respective albums. She helped form Absent Friends and sang on the number one hit I Don’t Want To Be With Nobody But You and the album Here’s Looking Up Your Address.
After touring with Absent Friends, Wendy went into the studio to record her solo debut. The album Émigré (Double Platinum) spawned the hits Token Angels, Lets Kiss and Woman’s Gotta Have It and earned Wendy the Best Female Artist and Best Debut Single (for Token Angels) at the 1990 ARIA Awards. Wendy was also voted Best Female Singer in the 1990 Rolling Stone Reader’s Poll.
This was followed up by the multi-Platinum album Lily (over 500,000 albums) with the mega hit The Day You Went Away (over 300,000 singles), plus If Only I Could and Friday’s Child. In 1992 Wendy picked up the ARIA for Best Female Artist and Best Single and again in 1993 Best Female Artist. The Day You Went Away was the ‘highest selling single’ of 1993 and the ‘single of the year’.
Wendy then followed up with another two studio albums The Witness Tree and Ghosts including the hits Love Will Keep Me Alive, Standing Strong and Then I Walked Away.
Not resting on her laurels, in 2001 Wendy released Beautiful View featuring the hauntingly beautiful title track and club favourite Like the Sun.
Any examination of The Black Sorrows comes down to one person, Joe Camilleri front-man and the brains behind the band. Awarded “living legend” status by Rolling Stone, Joe’s career spans an astonishing 50+ years. As a singer, songwriter, saxophonist and producer Joe Camilleri is considered one of the most genuinely talented figures in Australian music still at the top of his game.
Songs such as So Young, Hit And Run, Shape I’m In, Hold On To Me, Harley and Rose, Chained To The Wheel , Never Let Me Go and the Chosen Ones have become radio staples. As leader of two of Australia’s most successful bands, Jo Jo Zep and The Falcons and The Black Sorrows, Joe’s music has become part of Australian music culture. Joe was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 2007. Over the years other greats have admired Camilleri’s songwriting. Elvis Costello and John Denver are just two who have recorded cover versions of Joe’s music.
Camilleri launched The Black Sorrows, a loose band of like-minded musicians, in 1984 following the demise of his seminal band Jo Jo Zep and The Falcons the year before. From humble beginnings playing inner-city cafes around Melbourne and selling albums from the boot of a car, Camilleri transformed The Black Sorrows into one of the most sophisticated ensembles in the country. The independently released album Dear Children, represented a turning point once CBS/Sony stepped in with a world-wide deal. When radio picked up the classic track, Mystified, The Black Sorrows really took flight releasing multi-platinum sellers Hold On To Me, Harley & Rose and The Chosen Ones. The Black Sorrows have won the ARIA for Best Band, played sell-out shows across Europe and sold more than two million albums worldwide.
The Black Sorrows still average 150 shows a year and since 2014 have included Europe on their touring schedule. In keeping with Joe’s penchant for continually moving forward, the newest version of The Black Sorrows is a formidable one – Claude Carranza (guitar/vocals), Mark Gray (bass/vocals), James Black (keyboards/vocals) and Tony Floyd (drums)
Rai grew up in Sydney, Australia. His mother was a classical piano teacher, and his father was a language teacher who played bass and guitar in local rock bands. Influenced by his parents, Rai developed an appreciation for a wide variety of music, including classical, rock, pop and jazz.
After high school, Rai was awarded a scholarship to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where he studied jazz piano. But before he could finish the program, Rai came to the attention of Columbia Records in the US, and signed his first record deal.
Before his first album was released, however, Columbia Records experienced a management shake-up, and Rai was released from his contract. He returned to Australia and started Thirsty Merc, a rock band which over the next ten years would release three successful albums (one platinum, one double-platinum in Australia).
After the third album with his band, Rai decided to take a break to focus on writing music that incorporated jazz and his other early influences. In 2012, Rai came to Los Angeles and started writing and performing extensively, landing opening slots on tours with Bernhoft and Oh Land. His music soon attracted the attention of the LA music community including tastemakers like Chris Douridas of KCRW.Rai released three EPs under the moniker “Sun Rai,” as well as an album of live- in-the-studio recordings. But to avoid confusion with the artist Sun Ra, Rai began using his given name.
Rai continues to work with Thirsty Merc, and splits his time between Sydney and overseas touring with legendary guitarist Joe Satriani. Look for Rai to be releasing new music in the coming months! www.raithis.com/raithis/RaiThisMusic
