Here's a few rather obscure ones (in the North American charts) that I enjoyed ...


BIG PIG

7 piece combo who had a hit song in 1988 called (I Can't) Breakaway.  It wasn't a big hit in the UK (UK #89) or the US (US #60), but it was a Top 10 hit in both Australia and Canada. 

(I Can't) Breakaway

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/160/398619.jpg


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THE OTHER ONES

Comprised of Australians, but based in Germany.  They had a world-wide smash in 1987 with 'Holiday' which was their lone Top 40 hit in America.  They had a 2nd Top 40 hit in Canada with 'We Are What We Are', which also made a minor impact in America

Holiday
We Are What We Are

http://leafandlime.hobix.com/pic/otherones.jpg



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WA WA NEE

Best known for the 1987 hit 'Sugar Free' which was their lone charting single in North America.  They did much better in their homeland with several Top 40s between 1985-1989

Sugar Free

http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/3645/a2046841175974573oi3.jpg



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NOISEWORKS

Their 1987 debut was a smash hit in Australia with the singles 'No Lies', 'Take Me Back' and 'Welcome to the World'.  It's still IMO one of the greatest debut albums of the 80s.  They had further hit albums and singles in Australia into the 90s, but they never had big success in North America.  I have 'Take Me Back' on 45, and CD and Cassette copies of their debut

Take Me Back
Welcome to the World
No Lies

http://www.gocontinental.com/photos3/noisew7.jpg



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MACHINATIONS

Australian new wave.  They went almost unknown in North America.  Their hit 'No Say In It' is a song that I have always loved.  It was included on the soundtrack to the 1986 film 'Ruthless People'

No Say In It

I don't think they're obscure, but I love the Church.  Particularly their "Heydey" album.

I don't think they're obscure, but I love the Church.  Particularly their "Heydey" album.


The Church are awesome.  'Heyday' was a great album.  I have it on cassette. 
I love their self-titled 1982 album the best, with the awesome song 'The Unguarded Moment'

A few from the 80's

Mondo Rock  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ovWA-bfd1I

Hunters and Collectors  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H2Dl4bfySM


Hoodoo Gurus  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugA5bLqivkY

Divinyls  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuLHHplYRHw

Australian Crawl  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avw1ddNHKmE   (noone could understand half of what he was singing)

1927  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed6xnOcI-SM&feature=related

Icehouse  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjvx7G4zr_I

^ Excellent choices 8) 

Wanna hear a real shocker?  'That's When I Think of You' by 1927 peaked at US #100 in 1989, where it spent only 1 week, making it the least successful song to appear in the US Hot 100 during the 1980s

Not a band, not even a singer... but you can't leave out Austen Tayshus - Australiana

The biggest hit of 1983 in Australia, if I'm correct, but due to the inside jokes and word play it never made it abroad.

^ Excellent choices 8) 

Wanna hear a real shocker?  'That's When I Think of You' by 1927 peaked at US #100 in 1989, where it spent only 1 week, making it the least successful song to appear in the US Hot 100 during the 1980s


Not really a surprise. The US radio really didn't give anything that wasn't American too much of a chance. That's probably why huge UK acts like Elton John, David Bowie (and even Cliff Richard) never got a foothold back then. Most Aussie bands failed in the US market also. There must be something too Australian about them (I have no idea why). 1927 were a good band with a good lead singer. They were less Aussie sounding then most of the other bands I listed... and still failed.

It appears that Canada gave some of these bands  abetter go.....

Not a band, not even a singer... but you can't leave out Austen Tayshus - Australiana

The biggest hit of 1983 in Australia, if I'm correct, but due to the inside jokes and word play it never made it abroad.


A great novelty song....You would probably need to know some Aussie terms etc to get all of it....

It appears that Canada gave some of these bands  abetter go.....


In most cases, Australian bands and singers have done better in Canada than the USA
The best example is NZ's Crowded House, who had 13 hit singles in Canada (7 which made the Top 40).  In America, they had 5 hits, only 2 which saw the Top 40

In the early 90s, Crowded House became honourary VJ's at Much Music (Canada's version of MTV) because they were so popular in Canada, they had made more appearances at Much Music than any other band

The Church are awesome.  'Heyday' was a great album.  I have it on cassette. 
I love their self-titled 1982 album the best, with the awesome song 'The Unguarded Moment'
8)

The Church are awesome.  'Heyday' was a great album.  I have it on cassette. 
I love their self-titled 1982 album the best, with the awesome song 'The Unguarded Moment'


Unguarded Moment is one of the all-time great Aussie songs........

^ Excellent choices 8) 

Wanna hear a real shocker?  'That's When I Think of You' by 1927 peaked at US #100 in 1989, where it spent only 1 week, making it the least successful song to appear in the US Hot 100 during the 1980s


'That's when I think of you' by 1927 hit no. 46 in the UK and, surprisingly, I have a copy of it on my HITS compilation CD from 1989.

When I think about Australian bands from the 80s, I think about Men at work, INXS and Mental as anything.

'That's when I think of you' by 1927 hit no. 46 in the UK and, surprisingly, I have a copy of it on my HITS compilation CD from 1989.

When I think about Australian bands from the 80s, I think about Men at work, INXS and Mental as anything.


I was just listening to Mrntal As Anything's "If You Leave Me..Can I Come Too"

I was just listening to Mrntal As Anything's "If You Leave Me..Can I Come Too"


Nice one. I have only heard 'Live it up' (Crocodile Dundee soundtrack) but I think it's absolutely brilliant so I will try to download more of their stuff.  8)

Nice one. I have only heard 'Live it up' (Crocodile Dundee soundtrack) but I think it's absolutely brilliant so I will try to download more of their stuff.  8)


They were always a comical, quirky band..but had good musicianship and singing.

Mental As Anything are awesome.  They were one hit wonders here in Canada with 'Too Many Times', which reached the Top 40 in 1982

To my knowledge, they had no chart singles in America :(



'That's when I think of you' by 1927 hit no. 46 in the UK and, surprisingly, I have a copy of it on my HITS compilation CD from 1989.

When I think about Australian bands from the 80s, I think about Men at work, INXS and Mental as anything.


They probably put it on that album as it was just released, thinking it would be a BIG hit in the UK.  I know alot of those 'Now That's What I Call Music' comps did that with songs that hadn't charted in the UK yet

Unguarded Moment is one of the all-time great Aussie songs........
I forgot that one. And 'Under The Milky Way'

Noiseworks did ok in the U.K. and I do remember 1927 too.

My favourite Aussie band in the late 80's was Kings of the Sun. I will never forget seeing them live at The Marquee Club in London. The very, very foolish singer stage dived into what he obviously thought was a standard rock gig audience but was infact made up of rather a lot of women. the security had to fight to get him out and when the did he literally was left in his boxers everything else had been torn off him!  ;D

http://www.kingsofthesun.com/

Serpentine is an awesome track, infact the whole first album is brilliant.

I forgot that one. And 'Under The Milky Way'


I was gonig to put that one up next........ :)

Noiseworks did ok in the U.K. and I do remember 1927 too.

My favourite Aussie band in the late 80's was Kings of the Sun. I will never forget seeing them live at The Marquee Club in London. The very, very foolish singer stage dived into what he obviously thought was a standard rock gig audience but was infact made up of rather a lot of women. the security had to fight to get him out and when the did he literally was left in his boxers everything else had been torn off him!  ;D

http://www.kingsofthesun.com/

Serpentine is an awesome track, infact the whole first album is brilliant.


Interesting....I've never heard of them..... :o

Mental As Anything are awesome.  They were one hit wonders here in Canada with 'Too Many Times', which reached the Top 40 in 1982

To my knowledge, they had no chart singles in America :(

The US really do miss out when it comes to old international music IMO.

They probably put it on that album as it was just released, thinking it would be a BIG hit in the UK.  I know alot of those 'Now That's What I Call Music' comps did that with songs that hadn't charted in the UK yet


Yes, it's quite possible but I'm glad they did otherwise I wouldn't know the songs existed otherwise. I think 'Now' released a few rarities amongst the obvious like 'Gonna get you home with me tonight' by Eugene Wilde, the novelty record "N-N-Nineteen Not Out" by The Commentators (Impressionist Rory Bremner) and 'Suzanna' by The Art Company.

I forgot that one. And 'Under The Milky Way'
...or Reptile, one of my all-time favorites.  :)

Icehouse, INXS, Split Enz

Interesting....I've never heard of them..... :o
Maybe they were one of those bands that did better overseas?

Noiseworks did ok in the U.K. and I do remember 1927 too.

My favourite Aussie band in the late 80's was Kings of the Sun. I will never forget seeing them live at The Marquee Club in London. The very, very foolish singer stage dived into what he obviously thought was a standard rock gig audience but was infact made up of rather a lot of women. the security had to fight to get him out and when the did he literally was left in his boxers everything else had been torn off him!  ;D

http://www.kingsofthesun.com/

Serpentine is an awesome track, infact the whole first album is brilliant.


Somewhere I have a video clip of them on Countdown. They were dreadful LOL. I remember all us Uncanny X-Men fans being devestated when Ronnie left our band to join the Kings.

This is a pop rock band from neighbouring New Zealand called The Fan Club. They had 2 albums out in 88 and 90 which did well in New Zealand and South-east Asia where lead singer Aishah was from. They also managed #99 on the Billboard 100 with "Don't Let Me Fall Alone" in 1990.

http://a689.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/43/m_fdf7bee031c2faea834efb17cb0a51d8.jpg

Check out this myspace for some truly poptastic gems...

http://www.myspace.com/aishahfanclub

...or Reptile, one of my all-time favorites.  :)


Recently, I have been loving "Metropolis" by the Church.