Allniters
Encyclopedia
The Allniters were an Australian ska
pop
band based in Sydney during 1980–1987. Original line-up was Ted Ayers on sax
, Dave Bebb on drums
, Stuart Crysell on guitar
, Martin Fabok on guitar, Peter Hill-Travis on vocals, Graham Hood on bass guitar
, Brett Pattinson on vocals and Mark Taylor on keyboards
. Numerous changes occurred in band members with Fabok, Hill-Travis and Pattinson common to almost all line-ups.
In 1983, The Allniters performed a ska-style cover
of Bobby Bloom
's hit "Montego Bay
", which peaked at #16 on the Australian singles charts
. They followed with an album D-D-D-Dance, which contained the slower and more mainstream "Love and Affection" single, both album and single received wide airplay on radio stations around Australia and were top 40 hits. More singles followed but Allniters separated for six months during 1985 and then continued on until July 1987 before disbanding more permanently. They briefly reformed in 1999 to tour and then record, Another Fine Mess was released before they disbanded once more, they reformed yet again during 2004 but no new material was released.
ist Martin Fabok in 1980 in Sydney, New South Wales, the other original members were Ted Ayers on sax
, Dave Bebb on drums
, Stuart Crysell on guitar
, Peter Hill-Travis on vocals, Graham Hood on bass guitar
, Brett Pattinson on vocals and Mark Taylor on keyboards
. The band's first performance was at the Sussex Hotel in September, 1980. They were an ill-defined line-up with not all members performing at early gigs. They released "She Made a Monkey Out of Me" for the independent Green Records in August 1981 and followed with "You Shouldn't Stay Out Late" in 1982.
Ayers, Betts, Crysell, Fabok, Taylor of The Allniters together with other musicians, Dave Pye on trumpet
(Fast Cars), Kirk Pengilly
on saxophone (INXS
) and Graham on trombone
recorded as studio-based band, The Igniters, at Sydney's 2JJJ radio studio, and released a dub reggae EP
Igniters in 1982 on Green Records.
The Allniters signed with Midnight Oil
's label Powderworks and with RCA
in 1983. First single for Powderworks was "Hold On" in May, followed by a cover
of Bobby Bloom
's "Montego Bay
" in September, which peaked at #16 on the Australian singles charts
. Their debut album, D-D-D-Dance was released in October and a third single, "Love and Affection" followed in November. The album and all three singles had reached the Top 40 on the Australian charts. The line-up were Ayers, Crysell, Fabok, Hill-Travis, Pattinson and Taylor, and new members, Perry Andronos on bass guitar, Julie Conway on vocals, Dave Lennon on drums and Stephen Luke on trombone
.
In 1984, a new line-up of studio band, The Igniters, containing Crysell, Fabok, Luke and Taylor, together with Toni Allaylis on vocals, Simone Dee on vocals, Cliff Griggs on drums (Spy vs Spy), Patou Powell on vocals (Carribe), Martin Stuart on brass
, Kate Swadling on vocals and Mike Weiley on guitars (Spy vs Spy) was formed to record a second EP. The Allniters also released two more singles in 1984, "Screaming Dreaming" in August and "I Saw You First" in December. The band separated in January 1985 as Ayers, Crysell and Taylor formed Castles in Spain.
By July 1985, Conway, Fabok, Hill-Travis, Luke and Pattinson reformed The Allniters with Peter Bolke on bass guitar, Ralph Franke on saxophone, Mark Fuccilli on saxophone, Dale Pandit on drums and Mark Tanner on guitar. February 1986 saw another line-up change where Conway, Franke, Hill-Travis and Pattinson, teamed with new crew of Michael Allen on keyboards, Troy Duncombe on bass guitar, Simon Knapman on drums and Mickey Mahoney on guitar. This line-up recorded "All That Easy", which was released by Mushroom Records
in July 1987 with Mental As Anything
's Martin Plaza
producing. The single had no chart success and The Allniters disbanded. A compilation album
, The Very Best of... was released in 1997. The Allniters reformed with a new lead singer, Miss Velvet Vass (aka Juliana Vasilkov), and released "Nowhere Fast" on the Sound System Record label, with Another Fine Mess following in early 2000. In 1998 they teamed up with The Porkers
for the east coast 'Skafari' tour. Vass joined up with The Louisville Sluggers
as The Allniters disbanded again in 2001. They reformed in 2004 to support reggae band, UB40
's Australian tour, but they did not record new material.
This is incomplete...they also played a number of gigs from 1989-1990 as well...they did a tenth anniversary tour...
("Frustration")
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
band based in Sydney during 1980–1987. Original line-up was Ted Ayers on sax
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, Dave Bebb on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, Stuart Crysell on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, Martin Fabok on guitar, Peter Hill-Travis on vocals, Graham Hood on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Brett Pattinson on vocals and Mark Taylor on keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
. Numerous changes occurred in band members with Fabok, Hill-Travis and Pattinson common to almost all line-ups.
In 1983, The Allniters performed a ska-style cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Bobby Bloom
Bobby Bloom
Robert "Bobby" Bloom was an American singer-songwriter. He is known best for being a one-hit wonder with the 1970 song, "Montego Bay," which was co-written with and produced by Jeff Barry.-Biography:...
's hit "Montego Bay
Montego Bay (song)
"Montego Bay" is a song by Bobby Bloom about the city in Jamaica. The song was a Top 10 hit for Bloom in September 1970 on both sides of the Atlantic. It reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart, #5 on the Canadian RPM 100 Singles Chart, #7 on the Australian Go-Set Singles Chart and #8 on the US...
", which peaked at #16 on the Australian singles charts
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
. They followed with an album D-D-D-Dance, which contained the slower and more mainstream "Love and Affection" single, both album and single received wide airplay on radio stations around Australia and were top 40 hits. More singles followed but Allniters separated for six months during 1985 and then continued on until July 1987 before disbanding more permanently. They briefly reformed in 1999 to tour and then record, Another Fine Mess was released before they disbanded once more, they reformed yet again during 2004 but no new material was released.
Biography
The Allniters were centred on founding guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Martin Fabok in 1980 in Sydney, New South Wales, the other original members were Ted Ayers on sax
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, Dave Bebb on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, Stuart Crysell on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, Peter Hill-Travis on vocals, Graham Hood on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Brett Pattinson on vocals and Mark Taylor on keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
. The band's first performance was at the Sussex Hotel in September, 1980. They were an ill-defined line-up with not all members performing at early gigs. They released "She Made a Monkey Out of Me" for the independent Green Records in August 1981 and followed with "You Shouldn't Stay Out Late" in 1982.
Ayers, Betts, Crysell, Fabok, Taylor of The Allniters together with other musicians, Dave Pye on trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
(Fast Cars), Kirk Pengilly
Kirk Pengilly
Kirk Pengilly is an Australian musician, best known as a member of the rock group :INXS.-Early career:...
on saxophone (INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
) and Graham on trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
recorded as studio-based band, The Igniters, at Sydney's 2JJJ radio studio, and released a dub reggae EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Igniters in 1982 on Green Records.
The Allniters signed with Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
's label Powderworks and with RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
in 1983. First single for Powderworks was "Hold On" in May, followed by a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Bobby Bloom
Bobby Bloom
Robert "Bobby" Bloom was an American singer-songwriter. He is known best for being a one-hit wonder with the 1970 song, "Montego Bay," which was co-written with and produced by Jeff Barry.-Biography:...
's "Montego Bay
Montego Bay (song)
"Montego Bay" is a song by Bobby Bloom about the city in Jamaica. The song was a Top 10 hit for Bloom in September 1970 on both sides of the Atlantic. It reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart, #5 on the Canadian RPM 100 Singles Chart, #7 on the Australian Go-Set Singles Chart and #8 on the US...
" in September, which peaked at #16 on the Australian singles charts
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
. Their debut album, D-D-D-Dance was released in October and a third single, "Love and Affection" followed in November. The album and all three singles had reached the Top 40 on the Australian charts. The line-up were Ayers, Crysell, Fabok, Hill-Travis, Pattinson and Taylor, and new members, Perry Andronos on bass guitar, Julie Conway on vocals, Dave Lennon on drums and Stephen Luke on trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
.
In 1984, a new line-up of studio band, The Igniters, containing Crysell, Fabok, Luke and Taylor, together with Toni Allaylis on vocals, Simone Dee on vocals, Cliff Griggs on drums (Spy vs Spy), Patou Powell on vocals (Carribe), Martin Stuart on brass
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
, Kate Swadling on vocals and Mike Weiley on guitars (Spy vs Spy) was formed to record a second EP. The Allniters also released two more singles in 1984, "Screaming Dreaming" in August and "I Saw You First" in December. The band separated in January 1985 as Ayers, Crysell and Taylor formed Castles in Spain.
By July 1985, Conway, Fabok, Hill-Travis, Luke and Pattinson reformed The Allniters with Peter Bolke on bass guitar, Ralph Franke on saxophone, Mark Fuccilli on saxophone, Dale Pandit on drums and Mark Tanner on guitar. February 1986 saw another line-up change where Conway, Franke, Hill-Travis and Pattinson, teamed with new crew of Michael Allen on keyboards, Troy Duncombe on bass guitar, Simon Knapman on drums and Mickey Mahoney on guitar. This line-up recorded "All That Easy", which was released by Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
in July 1987 with Mental As Anything
Mental As Anything
Mental As Anything are an Australian New Wave–rock music band formed at an art school in Sydney in 1976. Their most popular line-up was Martin Plaza on vocals and guitar; Reg Mombassa on lead guitar and vocals; his brother Peter "Yoga Dog" O'Doherty on bass guitar and vocals; Wayne "Bird"...
's Martin Plaza
Martin Plaza
Martin Plaza is the pseudonym of Martin Edward Murphy , who is a vocalist/guitarist/songwriter with Australian pop/R&B band Mental As Anything. Plaza also has a solo music career and in 1986 had a #2 hit in Australia with his cover of the 1960s Unit 4+2 song "Concrete and Clay"...
producing. The single had no chart success and The Allniters disbanded. A compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, The Very Best of... was released in 1997. The Allniters reformed with a new lead singer, Miss Velvet Vass (aka Juliana Vasilkov), and released "Nowhere Fast" on the Sound System Record label, with Another Fine Mess following in early 2000. In 1998 they teamed up with The Porkers
The Porkers
The Porkers are a ska punk band from Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.Formed in 1987 as The Pork Hunts, the band was eventually forced to change its name to the less offensive-sounding Porkers in 1990 after their regular Newcastle venue refused to present them with their old name...
for the east coast 'Skafari' tour. Vass joined up with The Louisville Sluggers
The Louisville Sluggers
The Louisville Sluggers, also known as The Sluggers, were an Australian Swing Revival band from Sydney formed in the late '90s by Glenn 'Nugget' Scott and his sister, 'The Boss'....
as The Allniters disbanded again in 2001. They reformed in 2004 to support reggae band, UB40
UB40
UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.Their hit singles...
's Australian tour, but they did not record new material.
Members
Listed alphabetically:- Michael Allen — keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(1986–1987) - Perry Andronos — bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1983–1985, 1999–2000) - Ted (Phil) Ayers — saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
(1980–1985) - David Bebb — drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(1980–1983) - Peter Bolke — bass guitar (1985)
- Julie Conway — vocals (1983–1985, 1985–1987, 1999–2000)
- Stuart Crysell — guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1980–1985) - Troy Duncombe — bass guitar (1985–1988)
- Martin Fabok — guitar (1980–1985, 1985–1986, 1999–2000)
- Ralph Franke — saxophone (1985–1987)
- Mark Fuccilli — saxophone (1985–1986)
- Peter Hill-Travis — vocals (1980–1985, 1985–1987, 1999–2000)
- Graham Hood — bass (1980–1983)
- Simon Knapman — drums (1986–1987)
- Dave Lennon — drums (1983–1985)
- Stephan Luke — tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
(1983–1985, 1985–1986) - Mickey Mahoney — guitar (1986–1988)
- Dale Pandit — drums (1985–1986)
- Brett Pattinson — vocals, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(1980–1985, 1985–1987, 1999–2000) - Mark Tanner — guitar (1985–1986)
- Mark Taylor — keyboards (1980–1985)
- Juliana Vasilkov (aka Miss Velvet Vass) — vocals (1999–2000)
This is incomplete...they also played a number of gigs from 1989-1990 as well...they did a tenth anniversary tour...
Albums
- D-D-D-Dance — Powderworks (October, 1983)
- The Very Best of... — (1997)
- Another Fine Mess — Sound System (2000)
Singles
- "She Made a Monkey Out of Me" — Green/Larrikin (August, 1981)
- "You Shouldn't Stay Out Late" — Green/Larrikin (1982)
- "Jingle Bells" — (December, 1982)
- "Hold On" — Powderworks (May, 1983)
- "Montego BayMontego Bay (song)"Montego Bay" is a song by Bobby Bloom about the city in Jamaica. The song was a Top 10 hit for Bloom in September 1970 on both sides of the Atlantic. It reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart, #5 on the Canadian RPM 100 Singles Chart, #7 on the Australian Go-Set Singles Chart and #8 on the US...
" — Powderworks (September, 1983) - "Love and Affection" — Powderworks (November, 1983)
- "Screaming Dreaming" — Powderworks (August, 1984)
- "I Saw You First" — Powderworks (December, 1984)
- "Wake up Sydney" — Independent (1985)
- "All That Easy" — MushroomMushroom RecordsMushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
(July, 1987) - "Nowhere Fast" — Sound System (1999)
Compilations and collaborations
- Sound of Sydney - Volume 1 — Method Records (1983) ("She Made A Monkey Out of Me")
- Shake & Shout — (1983) (Soloman Gundie)
- Ska Skank Down Under - Volume 1 — Sound System Records (1988) ("She Made A Monkey Out of Me")
- Ska Skank Down Under - Volume 2 — Sound System Records (2001)
("Frustration")
- Spare Shells - a tribute to the Specials — Sound System Records (2000) ("Rudy, a message to you")
- United Colours of Ska - Volume 3 — Pork Pie (2000) ("Nowhere Fast")
- Version Excursion — Sound System Records (2002) (Who's that Man? remix)