BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Description: Band, Australia
Known For: “Howzat” was also a top 5 hit in the United Kingdom.
Music Styles: Rock, soul, pop, new wave
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
CONTACT DETAILS
Web Site:Sherbet Today (2006)
Other Links: See below:
YOUTUBE VIDEO
BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE
Sherbet
Sherbet (aka Highway or The Sherbs) are one of the most prominent and successful Australian rock bands of the 1970s.
The ‘classic line-up’ of Daryl Braithwaite on vocals, Tony Mitchell on bass guitar, Garth Porter on keyboards, Alan Sandow on drums, and Clive Shakespeare on guitar provided their teen-orientated pop style. In 1976 Shakespeare left and was soon replaced by Harvey James. Sherbet’s biggest singles were “Summer Love” (1975) and “Howzat” (1976), both reaching number one in Australia.
“Howzat” was also a top 5 hit in the United Kingdom. The band was less successful in the United States, where “Howzat” peaked at No. 61. As The Sherbs they also reached No. 61 in 1981 with “I Have the Skill”. The group disbanded in 1984. Subsequent re-unions have occurred since 1998.
According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, “[a]longside Skyhooks, Sherbet was the most successful Australian pop band of the 1970s. With a run of 20 consecutive hit singles to its credit, and 17 albums that yielded ten platinum and 40 gold disc awards, Sherbet was the first domestic act to sell a million dollars worth of records in Australia”.
In 1990 Sherbet were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame alongside classical composer and pianist, Percy Grainger. On 15 January 2011 Harvey James died of lung cancer. On 15 February 2012 Clive Shakespeare died of prostate cancer.
From 1970 until 1984 Sherbet scored 20 hit singles in Australia (including two number ones) and released ten platinum status albums.
The single “Howzat” which was a number-one hit in 1976, also reached number four on the UK Singles Chart. They were the first Australian band to reach $1 million in record sales in Australia; the first Australian band to turn their merchandising into a huge industry; and they pioneered the concept of massive regional tours.
In December 1976, the book Sherbet on Tour, by Christie Eliezer, sold 30,000 copies in its first week.
Formation and early years:(1969–1972)
Sherbet were formed in Sydney in April 1969 by Dennis Laughlin on vocals (ex-Sebastian Hardie Blues Band, Clapham Junction), Doug Rea on bass guitar (Downtown Roll Band), Sammy See on organ, guitar and vocals (Clapham Junction), Clive Shakespeare on lead guitar and vocals (Downtown Roll Band), and Danny Taylor on drums (Downtown Roll Band).
Initially they were a soul band playing Motown covers and rock-based material. Alan Sandow (ex-Daisy Roots) replaced Taylor on drums by July.
Sherbet signed to the Infinity Records label – a subsidiary of Festival Records. The band’s debut single was issued in March 1970 as a cover version of Badfinger’s “Crimson Ships” – from that band’s January 1970 album Magic Christian Music.
During 1970 the band played a residency at Jonathon’s Disco, playing seven hours a night, four days a week for eight months. They were spotted by their future manager, Roger Davies. By March Daryl Braithwaite (Bright Lights, House of Bricks, Samael Lilith) had joined, initially sharing lead vocals with Laughlin who left the band a few months later.
Braithwaite’s former band mate Bruce Worrall (Bright Lights, House of Bricks, Samael Lilith) took over from Rea on bass guitar. By year’s end the group undertook their first national tour. See had left in October to join The Flying Circus and was replaced by New Zealand-born Garth Porter (Samael Lilith, Toby Jugg) who provided Hammond organ and electric piano
In 1971, Sherbet entered Australia’s prestigious national rock band contest, Hoadley’s Battle of the Sounds, and won the New South Wales final but lost the national final to Adeliade-based band Fraternity (led by Bon Scott later in AC/DC).[8] They entered again in 1972 and won the national final, previous winners include The Twilights (1966) and The Groove (1968), which went on to achieve major commercial success.
Sherbet’s first chart hits on the Go-Set National Top 40 were covers of Blue Mink’s “Can You Feel It Baby?” (September 1971), Delaney and Bonnie’s “Free the People” (February 1972) and Ted Mulry’s “You’re All Woman” (September 1972).
Most of their early recordings were produced by Festival’s in-house producer Richard Batchens, who later produced albums and singles for another Infinity label mate, Richard Clapton.
The band increased its profile with prestigious support slots on major tours by visiting international acts including Gary Glitter and The Jackson 5.
In January 1972, Sherbet’s ‘classic line-up’ was in place when Tony Mitchell replaced Worrall on bass guitar: with lead vocalist Braithwaite, keyboardist Porter, drummer Sandow and guitarist Shakespeare.
The band had evolved from a soul-based covers band into a teen-oriented pop, rock outfit that relied mostly on original material. Nevertheless they released occasional covers throughout the 1970s: Leiber and Stoller’s “Hound Dog”, The Beatles’ “Nowhere Man” and Free’s “Wishing Well”. From 1972 to 1976, Sherbet’s chief songwriting team of Porter and Shakespeare were responsible for co-writing the lion’s share of the band’s material, which combined British pop and American soul influences.
Sherbet issued their debut album, Time Change… A Natural Progression, in December 1972 on Infinity Records. Also that month the band were voted ‘Most Popular Australian Group’ by readers of Go-Set in their annual pop poll. The album’s accompanying single “You’ve Got the Gun”, written by Shakespeare, Porter and Braithwaite, was Sherbet’s first self-penned A-side, and peaked at No. 29 in January 1973.
In December 1973, the band hit the Go-Set Top 10 for the first time with the Porter and Shakespeare original, “Cassandra”.
It was issued in October ahead of their second album, On with the Show released in November, which peaked at No. 6 on the Go-Set Top 20 Australian Albums Chart in February 1974.
It was followed by “Slipstream” which reached No. 7 on Go-Set’s National Top 40 in August. A string of hits followed on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart (replaced Go-Set charts after August), with Sherbet releasing original Top 10 hits such as “Silvery Moon” (1974) and their first number-one hit “Summer Love” (1975).
A total of 11 Sherbet songs reached the Australian top 10.
The band were the darlings of Australia’s teenyboppers: for six years in a row they were voted ‘Most Popular Australian Group’ by readers of TV Week for their King of Pop Awards from 1973 to 1978.
International success (1976–1979)In January 1976, Shakespeare left Sherbet citing ‘personal reasons’.
“Howzat” (1976), the band’s only international hit, which was inspired by the sport of cricket.
The song’s success lead to an extensive international tour in 1976-77. “Howzat” went to number one in Australia, and in New Zealand, it was a Top 10 hit in several European countries – including number four on the UK Singles Chart, number six in The Netherlands,[18] and number eight in Norway.
It reached the top 10 in South Africa, South-East Asia, and Israel.
The single had less chart success in the United States where it reached No. 61 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album of the same name also made No. 1 in Australia, No. 12 in New Zealand, but failed to chart in the US.
With their Australian success on the wane, and either as Sherbet or as Highway, the group were unable to come up with a follow-up international hit to “Howzat”. Frustrated by the career downturn, after issuing a final single in Australia as Highway – “Heart Get Ready” – which flopped at No. 89, the band broke up in mid-1979.
The group briefly reunited for the Concert of the Decade held on 4 November 1979 at the Sydney Opera House and sponsored by radio station 2SM.
The Sherbs era (1980–1984)The breakup did not last long, in 1980, Sherbet reconvened as The Sherbs with exactly the same personnel: Braithwaite, Harvey, Mitchell, Porter and Sandow; but with a somewhat modified progressive new wave sound.[23] This version had some minor success in America, but their almost complete lack of chart action in Australia was in stark contrast to their 1970s heyday.
Following the group’s break-up, Braithwaite continued his solo career in Australia, and Porter and Shakespeare each became successful record producers.
In 1990 Sherbet were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame alongside classical composer and pianist, Percy Grainger.
At the May 2006 Logie Awards Sherbet reunited as a six-piece: Braithwaite, James, Mitchell, Porter, Sandow and Shakespeare, where they performed “Howzat”.
Their song “Howzat” is played at Twenty20 cricket matches.
On 15 January 2011 Harvey James died of lung cancer – the remaining members except Shakespeare, who was too ill, performed at Gimme that Guitar, a tribute concert for James on 17 February. On 15 February 2012 Clive Shakespeare died of prostate cancer.
Band members
Arranged chronologically:
Dennis Laughlin – lead vocals (1969–1970)
Doug Rea – bass guitar (1969)
Sam See – keyboards,organ, guitar, vocals (1969–1970)
Clive Shakespeare – guitar, vocals (1969–1976, 1984, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007) (died 15 February 2012)
Danny Taylor – drums (1969)
Alan Sandow – drums, percussion, bongoes, chimes (1969–1984, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2011)
Daryl Braithwaite – lead vocals, tambourine, tabla (1970–1976, 1984, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2011)
Bruce Worrall – bass guitar (1970–1972)
Garth Porter – keyboards, clavinet, piano, lead vocals, backing vocals, Hammond organ, electric piano, synthesiser (1970–1984, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2011)
Tony Mitchell – bass guitar, ukelele, backing vocals (1972–1984, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2011)
Gunther Gorman – guitar (1976)
Harvey James – guitar, backing vocals, slide guitar (1976–1982, 1984, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007) (died 15 January 2011)
Tony Leigh – guitar (1982–1984)
John Watson – drums (1998)
Members include
DARYL BRAITHEWAITE – Vocals – 1969 – 1984
DENNIS LAUGHLIN – Lead Vocals – 1969
BRUCE WORREALL – Bass – 1969 – 1972
DANNY TAYLOR – Drums – 1969
ALAN SANDOW – Drums – 1969 – 1984
CLIVE SHAKESPEARE – Guitarist, Vocals – 1969 – 1976
GUNTHER GORMAN – Guitarist – 1976
HARVEY JAMES – Guitarist – 1976 – 1984
TONY MITCHELL – Bass – 1972 -1984
GARTH PORTER – Keyboards, Vocals – 1970 – 1984
LINKS:
- Webcuts On-line essay celebrating “Magazine Madonna”
- Sherbet Slips into Something Comfortable photographed by Lewis Morley for POL October/November 1974. Exhibited at National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, 15 March – 18 May 2003.
- Sherbet Today (2006)
- Sherbet scrapbooks at the National Library of Australia