Tag: death

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Vale Jim Keays

It’s not a good time to be an Australian music lover right now. It seems like we were all still mourning the loss of Doc Neeson, and now we have to deal with the loss of another of our greats. Today Jim Keays succumbed to multiple myeloma after seven years battling the disease. He was just 67.

It was pretty easy to forget Jim was sick. He seemed permanently on the road with Darryl Cotton and Russell Morris, and he was still putting out albums right to the end. It might be some consolation to fans that there’s another on the way which Jim was apparently really excited for us all to hear.

But it’s no doubt be the music he made with the Masters Apprentices that is his greatest legacy. This song’s not just my favourite Masters Apprentices song, but also one of my favourite songs of all time. We’ll miss you Jim.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Vale Doc Neeson

I didn’t intend to touch my blog today. I’d queued up enough posts on the weekend to allow me to focus on the frantic pace of my other freelance work at the moment. But sometimes things happen that force you to reevaluate your plans and make time that you’re not sure that you have. Sometimes you just have to stop and reflect for a moment. So here I am, writing when I didn’t intend to write because Doc Neeson’s lost his battle with cancer.

Doc was diagnosed with a brain tumour 17 months ago, and he’s been fighting ever since. The end was forecast time and time again and Doc got back up. I remember marvelling at his performance at the RocKwiz Vanda and Young show over the Christmas break, which was televised earlier this year, being so impressed that he still had more fight in him. He wasn’t looking good, but he was still standing. I guess a man can only do that for so long.

And so we take a moment and remember his contributions to the music industry. He split with the Brewster Brothers in 1999, but continued to defiantly sing The Angels hits like “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again,” “Take a Long Line,” and “No Secrets” with his new outfit. When my American husband arrived in this country around a decade ago, he declared The Angels his favourite Aussie act. Even international artists Pearl Jam and Nirvana cited his music as major influences.

He might have been born in Northern Ireland, but he was one of us, and he will be missed. Whatever you’re doing, however busy you are I urge you to stop, take a moment, watch this video, and remember him.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

R.I.P. Chrissy Amphlett

Australia has lost one of its most unique female voices with the passing of Chrissy Amphlett. The Divinyls frontwoman passed away in New York City following battles with breast cancer and multiple sclerosis. She was just 53 years old.

They broke the mould when they made Chrissy. As a young girl I remember being fascinated by her sexy schoolgirl outfits, fishnet stockings, and husky rasping voice. I couldn’t believe she could get away with singing “I Touch Myself”, and I still think “Boys in Town” is one of the greatest rock songs ever penned.

With her band The Divinyls she earned four top 10 albums locally and one in America. Funnily enough, that shocking “I Touch Myself” song was their biggest-selling single. It reached number one here and cracked the top 10 in the United States and Great Britain. Fittingly the band took their place in the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2006.

Those facts are impressive, but it’s Chrissy’s sass that I’ll remember most. She was fierce, so different, so charismatic. She will be missed.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

R.I.P. Jimmy Little

I was saddened to hear the news this evening that Jimmy Little has passed away after a long battle with illness. At the age of 75 he slipped away in his sleep.

Like many music lovers of my generation I became aware of his music in 1999, when artists like Paul Kelly, The Church, and Nick Cave covered his songs on the Messenger album. After that I was impressed when he took on the songs of U2, PJ Harvey, and other modern musicians on his Life’s What You Make It record.

However Jimmy had hits from the 1950s, including songs like “Royal Telephone,” “El Paso,” and the Barry Gibb penned “One Road.”

The music is just one part of the Jimmy Little story though. He founded The Jimmy Little Foundation in 2006 and campaigned tirelessly to increase the life expectancy of indigenous Aussies. He’s got an Order of Australia, a NSW Senior Australian of the Year title, and he’s in the ARIA Hall of Fame.

For all these things and more, he will be missed.

Image source: Jimmy Little website

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

R.I.P. Steve Prestwich

While we were still reeling from the untimely death of Sherbet’s Harvey James, we learned that we’d also lost Steve Prestwich. The Cold Chisel drummer died from a brain tumour on Sunday at the age of 56.

Steve began to play with Jimmy Barnes, Ian Moss, and Don Walker in the early 70s outfit Orange. They changed their name to Cold Chisel in 1974, and the rest is history. He helped Don Walker write one of the band’s greatest songs, “Flame Trees,” and also put pen to paper for “When the War is Over” and “Forever Now.”

Following Chisel’s demise in 1983, Steve joined Little River Band and helped “When the War is Over” become a hit all over again. But he was back for Chisel’s reunion shows.

I remember attending the Last Wave of Summer gig at Newcastle Entertainment Centre back in 1998. This was a band I never expected to see live, and I lapped it up. I am so thrilled that I got to see Steve Prestwich doing his thing, and so sad to see him taken from us all too soon. Here’s the music video of Cold Chisel doing “When the War is Over” to remember him by.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

R.I.P. Harvey James

The Australian music industry has lost another of its own, with the passing of Harvey James. The Sherbet guitarist died last night in Melbourne aged 58 following a battle with lung cancer.

“Dad passed away peacefully at 8.15 pm tonight,” his daughter Alexandra wrote on the Send Your Love To Harvey James’ Facebook page. “We would like to thank everybody for all the wonderful support over the past 6 months. The love has been overwhelming. Rest in peace my gorgeous, funny, amazing father. We will miss you every day forever.”

Harvey joined Sherbet after stints with Mississippi alongside Little River Band’s Beeb Birtles and Graham Goble and Ariel, with Spectrum’s Mike Rudd. He replaced Sherbet’s founding member Clive Shakespeare, and was with the band for their biggest hit, “Howzat.” He left Sherbet in 1982, two years before they eventually disbanded.

Sherbet planned to reform for the Gimme That Guitar benefit concert to raise funds for Harvey next month. At this stage it’s unclear whether that sold-out show will go ahead, but we’ll keep your posted. Until then, here’s the video for that mammoth hit.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

R.I.P. James Freud

Like so many of you out there, I was shocked and saddened to hear of the death of The Models front man James Freud.

It appears that he committed suicide after a long battle with alcohol. His struggles were well documented in his memoirs, but it’s still shocking to hear that he’s gone.

“It is with much sorrow that we share the news of the passing of James Freud,” a statement from Mushroom Music read. “James Freud passed away this morning. James’ battle with alcoholism has been well chronicled. His two books on his recovery and five years sobriety were bestsellers and gave a lot of people who were suffering the same affliction comfort and hope. Unfortunately, James has succumbed to his disease and taken his own life this morning.”

I remember feeling his absence while watching The Models being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame last weekend. What a shame he wasn’t there to take that final bow.

The Models back catalogue was exhaustive, but “Out of Mind, Out of Sight” was always my favourite track. It’s a predictable choice I suppose, but there’s a reason why radio flogs these songs. Sometimes they’re just that good.

So I wanted to post it and remember James in better times. If you’ve got any fond memories of The Models or James, please share them.