BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Description: Band, Australia
Known For: Western Union (Hit Song)
Music Styles: Rock , Easy listening
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
CONTACT DETAILS
Web Site:Happy Without You (1968) video at YouTube. (the song reached #8 nationally)
Other Links: See below:
YOUTUBE VIDEO
BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE
The Strangers
An Australian band formed in Melbourne, Victoria. 1961.
All members were from Melbourne.
Members included.
Peter Robinson (Bass)
Graeme (Garth) Thompson (Drums)
Laurie Arthur (Lead Guitar)
Fred Weiland (Rhythm Guitar)
John Farrar – (Vocals, Lead Guitar)
The Strangers was a Melbourne based Australian band that existed from 1961 to 1975. The band started out playing instrumental songs in a style similar to The Shadows with influences from Cliff Richard. The original lineup included Peter Robinson (bass), Graeme (‘Garth’) Thompson (drums), Laurie Arthur (lead guitar) and Fred Weiland (rhythm guitar). Robinson had previously played with The Thunderbirds, and went on to replace Athol Guy in The Seekers from the late 70s.
In 1966 The Strangers became the resident backing band on the Melbourne based teenage television pop show The Go!! Show in which they appeared each week from 1964 to 1967. After The Go!! Show ended, they became the resident vocal group on HSV-7’s Sunnyside Up program. In all, the band appeared on television at least once a week for nine years straight.
At the end of 1962 they signed with Ron Tudor’s W&G Records after working as studio band for artists including The Seekers, Frankie Davidson, and Johnny Chester Merv Benton Little Gulliver Pat Farrar Joy Lemmon] .
In 1964 they supported Colin Cook and released an LP called Colin Cook and the Strangers. Charting songs in the Stranger’s own name included their first single Cry of the Wild Goose (an instrumental by Terry Gilkyson) / Leavin’ Town which was released in January 1963 and reached number 12 on the Melbourne charts. This was followed by three original instrumentals in Torlido / The Outcast and Undertow, which were released in 1963, and two of which reached the Top 40. Other singles included Happy Without You (Kenny Laguna, Shelley Pinz. 1968), Melanie Makes Me Smile (Tony Macaulay, Barry Mason. 1970), Looking Through the Eyes of a Beautiful Girl (1970), If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody (Rudy Clark, 1965) and Western Union (Mike Rabon, Norman Ezell, John Durrill. 1967).
During the mid-1960s, the band changed labels from W&G Records to Go Records and then to Philips and finally in 1970 onto Fable.
Arthur left the band in early 1964, and was replaced on lead guitar by John Farrar who later married Pat Carroll. Carroll and Olivia Newton-John appeared on The Go!! Show as singers.
Also in 1964, the band supported Roy Orbison and Paul and Paula on an Australian tour which featured The Surfaris and The Beach Boys. These support gigs influenced some early vocal recordings in Poppa Oom Mow Mow, Sunday Kind of Love, If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody and later In My Room, a Beach Boys ballad.
In February 1967 Terry Walker (ex Glen Ingram & The Hi-Five) replaced Fred Weiland, who left to join The Mixtures.
During 1969 Melanie Makes Me Smile made #16 in Sydney, #9 in Melbourne and #7 in Brisbane.
The band broke up in mid 1970 with Farrar moving to the UK and joining Shadows Hank Marvin & Bruce Welch in Marvin, Welch & Farrar and then the re-formed Shadows.
Later in the year Robinson and Thompson reformed The Strangers (sometimes billed as The New Strangers) with guitarists John Cosgrove (ex Fendermen) and Bill Pyman, Cosgrove left in early 1973 and was replaced by Jim Sifonious (ex Dove) before finally breaking up in 1975.
Later singles included Mr. President (Trevor ‘Dozy’ Davies, John ‘Beaky’ Dymond, Ian ‘Tich’ Amey. 1970) and Sweet Water ((Fletcher/Flett) a cover by obscure British band Brass Monkey) in 1971
Throughout the band’s 14 years, The Strangers provided backing for many local and overseas acts. These included: Johnny Farnham, Russell Morris, Johnny Young, Neil Sedaka, Johnny O’Keefe, The Seekers, Merv Benton, Ted Mulry, Lynne Randell, Ross D. Wylie, Yvonne Barrett, Grantley Dee, Pat Carroll, Little Gulliver, Barry Crocker, Buddy England, Ronnie Burns, Town Criers, Masters Apprentices, Axiom, Hans Poulsen, Lionel Rose
The Strangers set an exceptional standard for live sound, using the best and ‘cleanest’ equipment they could procure: German Dynacord microphones and public address systems, multiple guitar effects units, an exponential horn for the bass guitar, and carefully selected and matching guitars (e.g. Rickenbacker 6 and 12 string, Maton El Toro) and amplifiers.
Farrar later moved to USA and wrote a number of hits including ‘Hopelessly devoted to you’ sung by Olivia Newton-John.
Albums
The Strangers CDs
Best of The Strangers
Bobby & Laurie
Colin Cook & The Strangers
The Stangers LP/EPs on vinyl
The Strangers
Best of The (original) Strangers
Let’s go with The Strangers
Colin Cook and The Strangers
The Strangers cuts on vinyl (with JF)
Poppa oom mow mow
Sunday kind of love
If you gotta make a fool of somebody
Let’s go Let’s go Let’s go
In my room
Never on a Sunday
Put yourself in my place
Fever
Western union
Cool jerk
Happy without you
Take the time
Lady Scorpio
California soul
Sweet September
Paper cup
Melanie makes me smile
If you think you’re groovy
Walkin’
Fun fun fun
Stagecoach
Matchbox
I call your name
Blues by five
Bend me shape me
Eleanor
I say a little prayer
Will you still love me tomorrow
I can hear music
Paperback writer
Little deuce coupe
Little St Nick
Standing in the shadows of love
I’ve got you under my skin
Proud Mary
Sandy
Do it again
Good vibrations
Windows in your eyes
LINKS:Happy Without You (1968) video at YouTube. (the song reached #8 nationally)
- The Strangers
- a 2000 biography of The Strangers by Geoff Jermy with Peter Robinson archived at PopArchives.com.au
- “John Farrar biography”. Archived from the original on 2010-08-14. (Discography)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia