Glenn Shorrock
Encyclopedia
Glenn Barrie Shorrock is an English-born Australian singer-songwriter. He was a founding member of pop groups The Twilights
, Axiom
and Little River Band
as well as being a solo performer.
The Twilights had eight consecutive national hit singles including "Needle in a Haystack" and "What's Wrong with the Way I Live". Axiom's top 10 hits were "Arkansas Grass", "Little Ray of Sunshine" and "My Baby's Gone". Little River Band had national and international chart success, including the Shorrock-penned "Emma", "Help Is on Its Way
" and "Cool Change
".
Shorrock was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) Hall of Fame
as a solo artist in 1991
and as a member of Little River Band in 2004
. In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association
(APRA), as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Cool Change" as one of the Top 30 Australian songs
of all time.
-born fitter and turner at the Weapons Research Establishment
in Salisbury
. The 1954–55 summer had days of 42 °C (108 °F) and Black Sunday
bushfires ravaged the Adelaide Hills in January 1955. His London-born mother was not impressed with Australia, she took Shorrock and his younger sister back to UK, they returned for a second attempt in 1956. The family settled in Elizabeth
20 km (12.4 mi) north of Adelaide.
Shorrock's first public performance took place in 1958 in a Lutheran church hall—he was miming
to Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up" on a gramophone
and strumming on a cardboard guitar when the player stopped—he was forced to continue singing by himself and realised he had a good voice.
In 1962, Shorrock formed his first band, The Checkmates, with Clem McCartney, Mike Sykes and Billy Volraat. They were a doo wop harmony group covering The Platters
and The Crew Cuts material. Sometimes teaming up with instrumental groups, The Vector Men or The Hurricanes, The Checkmates performed in Adelaide cafes and folk clubs. As a result of The Beatles
' popularity, members of The Checkmates and The Hurricanes merged to form The Twilights in 1964.
by merging with The Hurricanes' Frank Barnard on drums, Peter Brideoak on guitar, Terry Britten
on guitar and John Bywaters on bass guitar. Their debut single, "I'll Be Where You Are", co-written by Shorrock and Britten, was released in June 1965. The band had eight consecutive hit singles including covers of The Velvelettes
' "Needle in a Haystack" and The Hollies
' "What's Wrong with the Way I Live" (recorded at Abbey Road Studios
in London). With two lead singers, two guitarists and five vocalists, the Twilights performed note-perfect covers of pop-rock songs and were famed for their live prowess. They relocated to Melbourne late in 1965 and were popular with teenage audiences and respected by fellow musicians. In July 1966, they won Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds
with the prize including a trip to London. In 1967, shortly after returning from London, the group regularly performed the entire Sgt Pepper's album live in sequence, weeks before it was released in Australia. Shorrock married his first wife, Sue, while he was a member of The Twilights. The Twilights disbanded in January 1969 and Shorrock became band manager for Brisbane pop group, The Avengers.
, with Brian Cadd
on keyboards and vocals, Don Mudie on lead guitar (both ex-The Groop
), Doug Lavery (The Valentines
) on drums and Chris Stockley (Cam-Pact) on guitar. They recorded two highly acclaimed albums, Fool's Gold and If Only...; and had three top 10 singles, "Arkansas Grass", "Little Ray of Sunshine" and "My Baby's Gone" on the Go-Set
national charts. Axiom travelled to UK but disbanded there in March 1971, Shorrock had also parted with his first wife of four years, Sue.
Shorrock remained in the UK to pursue his solo career, he signed with MAM Records
and released the self-penned "Let's Get the Band Together" single in October 1971. This was followed by a cover of "Rock'n'Roll Lullaby" (written by Barry Mann
and Cynthia Weil
) in March 1972. As Andre L'Escargot and His Society Syncopaters, he released "Purple Umbrella" with his backing band being Quartet members Britten, Kevin Peek, Trevor Spencer and Alan Tarney. He joined the multinational progressive rock band Esperanto, which released their debut album Esperanto Rock Orchestra in 1973 with the Shorrock written track "Statue of Liberty". He left Experanto before their third album was released in 1974 and performed backing vocals for Cliff Richard
.
was an Australian rock band which was working in UK with Beeb Birtles
on vocals and guitar, Graham Goble (later Graeham Goble
) on guitar and vocals and Derek Pellicci
on drums. They contacted Glenn Wheatley
(former bass guitarist for The Masters Apprentices
) to become their manager. Birtles, previously in Adelaide band Zoot
, called Shorrock to take part in the line up. Shorrock returned to Australia in October 1974 and joined Mississippi in January 1975 in Melbourne. They were soon renamed as Little River Band
with the original line up of Birtles, Goble, Pellicci, Shorrock and lead guitarist Ric Formosa
and bassist Roger McLachlan. While recording their first single, "Curiosity Killed the Cat" in June, Shorrock met Jo his future second wife—they married in 1980. The group went on to become one of the most successful bands ever to come out of Australia, and the first to achieve major commercial success in the United States. For Little River Band, Shorrock wrote the hits "Emma", "Help Is on Its Way
" (Australian No. 1) and "Cool Change
".
While still a member of Little River Band, Shorrock released a solo single, a cover of Bobby Darin
's 1959 hit "Dream Lover
" in April 1979 on EMI
, which peaked at No. 8 on the Kent Music Report
Singles Chart. In February 1982, Shorrock left Little River Band and was replaced by former 1960s pop singer, John Farnham
who was managed by Wheatley. Shorrock returned to Little River Band in 1988 but, despite several quality albums, they did not regain the earlier stellar recognition. He left again in 1991 leaving the naming rights with guitarist Stephen Housden. In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association
(APRA), as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Cool Change", as one of the Top 30 Australian songs
of all time.
recorded in Los Angeles with John Boylan (Charlie Daniels
, Little River Band) producing. "Rock and Roll Soldier" reached the Australian top 40 in November but he did not achieve the international success attained with Little River Band. Late in 1982 he toured Australia and then teamed with Renée Geyer
to release a duet, "Goin' Back" on Mushroom Records
in February 1983. One of his backing singers was Wendy Matthews
who had been a session singer in Los Angeles. "We're Coming to Get You", which peaked at No. 6 in October, was recorded with folk group
, The Bushwackers it was the theme for the film, We're Coming to Get You. He released "Don't Girls Get Lonely?" in November. In 1984, he recorded "Restless" for the documentary World Safari II: The Final Adventure
.
In 1985, Shorrock released The First Twenty Years, which was a double-LP album
compilation of his career work with tracks by The Twilights, Axiom, Little River Band and solo work. He was compere of Australian Broadcasting Corporation
(ABC) TV music series, Rock Arena in 1986 and as a breakfast announcer for radio station Magic 11 in Sydney. His solo single, "American Flyer" appeared in July. He performed on the tour of stage show
One for the Money in 1986–87. He appeared in other stage shows including his own showcase productions Go Cat Go (1990–91) and Two Up (1996).
On 25 March 1991
, Shorrock was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) Hall of Fame
, alongside contemporary rocker Billy Thorpe
, bass-baritone Peter Dawson and jazz musician Don Burrows
. In 1993, he re-joined with Axiom band mate, Brian Cadd, to record Blazing Salads and three singles for Blue Martin Records, and a subsequent two year tour. On tour Shorrock played his hit songs, along with those of Axiom accompanied by Cadd and a backing band of Rex Goh
on guitar (ex-Air Supply
), Kirk Lorange on guitar (Richard Clapton Band
) and Mark Kennedy on drums (Spectrum
, Ayers Rock
, Marcia Hines Band
).
Long Way to the Top
was a 2001 ABC TV six-part documentary on the history of Australian rock and roll from 1956 to the modern era. Shorrock provided interviews, "In Awe of The Beatles", "Being Pop Stars" and "Coming from the UK", on his early years with The Twilights. Long Way to the Top Tour followed in August–September 2002 with Shorrock appearing with The Twilights in the first set performing "What's Wrong with the Way I Live?" and "Needle in a Haystack"; he returned in the second set with Axiom to perform "Arkansas Grass" and "Little Ray of Sunshine".
In 2002 Shorrock reunited with other Little River Band founders Beeb Birtles and Graeham Goble to form Birtles Shorrock Goble
. On 17 October 2004, the 1970s members of Little River Band: Birtles, David Briggs
, Goble, George McArdle, Derek Pellicci and Shorrock, were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. The later members including fellow Australian, John Farnham, and US-based musicians, were not included in this induction. Due to a 2002 legal ruling on their right to use the band's name—two US-based members held the trademark
—they performed "Help Is on the Way" as Classic Lineup of the Little River Band or Little River Band – Classic Lineup (sources vary). Birtles Shorrock Goble recorded a successful DVD and CD, Full Circle (2005) and toured until 2007. In August–September, the trio played a medley of Little River Band hits at the Countdown Spectacular
2 concert series.
In 2005 Shorrock also undertook his career-spanning The Reminiscing Tour - Glenn Shorrock & Friends with invited guest singers including Doug Parkinson
and Wendy Matthews. In May–June 2006, he partnered actress Judy Nunn
on the first season of reality TV singing competition, It Takes Two, they were voted off after week three. His first solo CD for seven years, Meanwhile, which contains acoustic versions of his career hits was released in 2007 on the Liberation Blue label. He performed The Beatles tribute show Let It Be with Parkinson, Sharon O'Neill
and Mark Williams
.
In 2008 Shorrock toured with the musical Shout! The Legend of the Wild One, based on the life of Australian rocker Johnny O'Keefe
. In July 2010, Shorrock performed a retrospective of his 45 years in the music industry.As of 2011, Glenn Shorrock continues to tour smaller venues in Australia and promotes new local music artists.
The Twilights (band)
The Twilights were an Australian rock music group of the mid to late 1960s. Alongside their own career successes, The Twilights are also notable for the inclusion of vocalist Glenn Shorrock, who later fronted Axiom, Esperanto and Little River Band, and guitarist Terry Britten who went on to become...
, Axiom
Axiom (Australian band)
Axiom were a rock band formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1969 and included musicians Glenn Shorrock and Brian Cadd.-Biography:Axiom's formation was a by-product of the annual Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds in which the top Australian bands of the day performed in front of judges for the prize of a...
and Little River Band
Little River Band
Little River Band is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in early 1975.The group chose the name after passing a road sign leading to the Victorian township of Little River, near Geelong, on the way to a performance. Little River Band enjoyed sustained commercial success in not only...
as well as being a solo performer.
The Twilights had eight consecutive national hit singles including "Needle in a Haystack" and "What's Wrong with the Way I Live". Axiom's top 10 hits were "Arkansas Grass", "Little Ray of Sunshine" and "My Baby's Gone". Little River Band had national and international chart success, including the Shorrock-penned "Emma", "Help Is on Its Way
Help Is on Its Way
"Help Is on Its Way" was written by Glenn Shorrock and was a hit single by the Australian group Little River Band in 1977. It was featured on the album Diamantina Cocktail. The song went to number one in Australia on the Kent Music Report singles chart. The song was the fourth highest selling...
" and "Cool Change
Cool Change (song)
"Cool Change" is a song by Australian rock group Little River Band, which was the second single from their sixth album, First Under the Wire. Released in August 1979, "Cool Change", did not reach the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart top 50...
".
Shorrock was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) Hall of Fame
ARIA Hall of Fame
Since 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association has inducted artists into its ARIA Hall of Fame. While most have been recognised at the annual ARIA Music Awards, in 2005 ARIA sought to create a separate standalone "ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame" event as only one or two acts could be inducted...
as a solo artist in 1991
ARIA Music Awards of 1991
The Fifth Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 25 March 1991 at the Darling Harbour Convention Centre in Sydney. International host Bob Geldof was assisted by presenters to distribute 24 awards...
and as a member of Little River Band in 2004
ARIA Music Awards of 2004
The 18th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 17 October 2004 at the Sydney Superdome within the Sydney Olympic Complex...
. In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association
Australasian Performing Right Association
The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth...
(APRA), as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Cool Change" as one of the Top 30 Australian songs
APRA Top 30 Australian songs
APRA's Top 30 Australian songs between 1926 and 2001 was a list created by the Australasian Performing Right Association to celebrate its 75th anniversary...
of all time.
Early years
Glenn Barrie Shorrock was born on 30 June 1944 in Chatham, Kent, United Kingdom. His family migrated to Adelaide, South Australia in August 1954 when he was ten. His father was a YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
-born fitter and turner at the Weapons Research Establishment
Defence Science and Technology Organisation
The Defence Science and Technology Organisation is a branch of the Australian Department of Defence which researches and develops technologies for use in the Australian defence industry....
in Salisbury
Salisbury, South Australia
Salisbury is a northern suburb in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the seat of the City of Salisbury, and in the South Australian Legislative Assembly electoral district of Ramsay and the Australian House of Representatives divisions of Wakefield and Port Adelaide...
. The 1954–55 summer had days of 42 °C (108 °F) and Black Sunday
Black Sunday (1955)
The Black Sunday Bushfires of 1955 were a series of bushfires that broke out across South Australia on 2 January, 1955. Extreme morning temperatures coupled with strong north-westerly winds contributed to the breakout of numerous fires in the Adelaide Hills, Jamestown, Waterloo, Kingston and...
bushfires ravaged the Adelaide Hills in January 1955. His London-born mother was not impressed with Australia, she took Shorrock and his younger sister back to UK, they returned for a second attempt in 1956. The family settled in Elizabeth
Elizabeth, South Australia
Elizabeth is a northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Playford.-History:Elizabeth was established in 1955 as part of a planned satellite town by the South Australian Housing Trust on rural land between the older towns of Salisbury and...
20 km (12.4 mi) north of Adelaide.
Shorrock's first public performance took place in 1958 in a Lutheran church hall—he was miming
Lip sync
Lip sync, lip-sync, lip-synch is a technical term for matching lip movements with sung or spoken vocals...
to Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up" on a gramophone
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
and strumming on a cardboard guitar when the player stopped—he was forced to continue singing by himself and realised he had a good voice.
In 1962, Shorrock formed his first band, The Checkmates, with Clem McCartney, Mike Sykes and Billy Volraat. They were a doo wop harmony group covering The Platters
The Platters
The Platters were a vocal group of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre...
and The Crew Cuts material. Sometimes teaming up with instrumental groups, The Vector Men or The Hurricanes, The Checkmates performed in Adelaide cafes and folk clubs. As a result of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' popularity, members of The Checkmates and The Hurricanes merged to form The Twilights in 1964.
The Twilights
In 1964 Shorrock, with McCartney as co-lead vocalist, formed The TwilightsThe Twilights (band)
The Twilights were an Australian rock music group of the mid to late 1960s. Alongside their own career successes, The Twilights are also notable for the inclusion of vocalist Glenn Shorrock, who later fronted Axiom, Esperanto and Little River Band, and guitarist Terry Britten who went on to become...
by merging with The Hurricanes' Frank Barnard on drums, Peter Brideoak on guitar, Terry Britten
Terry Britten
Terry Britten is a prolific English singer-songwriter, who has written songs for Tina Turner and Sir Cliff Richard, Olivia Newton-John, Status Quo, Michael Jackson and many others.-Career:...
on guitar and John Bywaters on bass guitar. Their debut single, "I'll Be Where You Are", co-written by Shorrock and Britten, was released in June 1965. The band had eight consecutive hit singles including covers of The Velvelettes
The Velvelettes
The Velvelettes was an American singing girl group, signed to Motown in the 1960s.-Early years and establishment:The group was founded in 1961 by Bertha Barbee McNeal and Mildred Gill Arbor, students at Western Michigan University. Mildred recruited her younger sister Carolyn , who was in 9th...
' "Needle in a Haystack" and The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
' "What's Wrong with the Way I Live" (recorded at Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
in London). With two lead singers, two guitarists and five vocalists, the Twilights performed note-perfect covers of pop-rock songs and were famed for their live prowess. They relocated to Melbourne late in 1965 and were popular with teenage audiences and respected by fellow musicians. In July 1966, they won Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds
Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds
Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds was an annual national rock/pop band competition held in Australia from 1966 to 1972.-History:Australia's Battle of the Sounds was originally established by Australian tabloid magazine Everybody’s in 1965 as a talent quest for new unsigned bands in Sydney, Melbourne...
with the prize including a trip to London. In 1967, shortly after returning from London, the group regularly performed the entire Sgt Pepper's album live in sequence, weeks before it was released in Australia. Shorrock married his first wife, Sue, while he was a member of The Twilights. The Twilights disbanded in January 1969 and Shorrock became band manager for Brisbane pop group, The Avengers.
Axiom
In May 1969 in Melbourne, Shorrock formed an early Australian 'supergroup', AxiomAxiom (Australian band)
Axiom were a rock band formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1969 and included musicians Glenn Shorrock and Brian Cadd.-Biography:Axiom's formation was a by-product of the annual Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds in which the top Australian bands of the day performed in front of judges for the prize of a...
, with Brian Cadd
Brian Cadd
Brian George Cadd is an Australian singer-songwriter, keyboardist and producer who has performed as a member of The Groop, Axiom, Flying Burrito Brothers and solo...
on keyboards and vocals, Don Mudie on lead guitar (both ex-The Groop
The Groop
The Groop were an Australian folk, R&B and rock band formed in 1964 in Melbourne, Australia and had their greatest chart success with their second line-up of Max Ross on bass, Richard Wright on drums and vocals, Don Mudie on lead guitar, Brian Cadd on keyboards and vocals, and Ronnie Charles on...
), Doug Lavery (The Valentines
The Valentines
The Valentines may refer to:* The Valentines , an Australian rock 'n' roll band active from 1966-1970, chiefly noted for their lead singer, Bon Scott...
) on drums and Chris Stockley (Cam-Pact) on guitar. They recorded two highly acclaimed albums, Fool's Gold and If Only...; and had three top 10 singles, "Arkansas Grass", "Little Ray of Sunshine" and "My Baby's Gone" on the Go-Set
Go-Set
Go-Set was the first Australian pop music newspaper, published weekly from 2 February 1966 to 24 August 1974, and was founded in Melbourne by Phillip Frazer, Peter Raphael and Tony Schauble...
national charts. Axiom travelled to UK but disbanded there in March 1971, Shorrock had also parted with his first wife of four years, Sue.
Shorrock remained in the UK to pursue his solo career, he signed with MAM Records
MAM Records
MAM Records was a British record label launched in 1970 by the management company Management Agency & Music Ltd. . It was founded by Gordon Mills and Tom Jones and distributed by London Records...
and released the self-penned "Let's Get the Band Together" single in October 1971. This was followed by a cover of "Rock'n'Roll Lullaby" (written by Barry Mann
Barry Mann
Barry Mann is an American songwriter, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil.-Career:...
and Cynthia Weil
Cynthia Weil
Cynthia Weil is a prominent American songwriter. She is famous for having written many songs together with her husband Barry Mann....
) in March 1972. As Andre L'Escargot and His Society Syncopaters, he released "Purple Umbrella" with his backing band being Quartet members Britten, Kevin Peek, Trevor Spencer and Alan Tarney. He joined the multinational progressive rock band Esperanto, which released their debut album Esperanto Rock Orchestra in 1973 with the Shorrock written track "Statue of Liberty". He left Experanto before their third album was released in 1974 and performed backing vocals for Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
.
Little River Band
MississippiMississippi (band)
Mississippi was an Australian band , which featured some big names in Australian rock music, Graeham Goble, Beeb Birtles and Kerryn Tolhurst...
was an Australian rock band which was working in UK with Beeb Birtles
Beeb Birtles
Beeb Birtles , is a Dutch / Australian musician, one of the founding members of the Little River Band....
on vocals and guitar, Graham Goble (later Graeham Goble
Graeham Goble
Graeham George Goble is a musician, singer/songwriter and record producer, best known as a founding member of rock performers Little River Band ....
) on guitar and vocals and Derek Pellicci
Derek Pellicci
Derek Allan Pellicci is an Australian pop music drummer. He is best known as a founding member of Little River Band...
on drums. They contacted Glenn Wheatley
Glenn Wheatley
Glenn Dawson Wheatley is an Australian artist manager and entertainment industry executive.Wheatley began his career as a musician in Brisbane in the mid-1960s and in the late 1960s became nationally famous as a member of leading pop-rock band The Masters Apprentices...
(former bass guitarist for The Masters Apprentices
The Masters Apprentices
The Masters Apprentices were an Australian rock band fronted by mainstay Jim Keays on lead vocals, which formed in 1965 in Adelaide, South Australia, relocated to Melbourne in February 1967 and attempted to break into the United Kingdom market from 1970, before disbanding in 1972...
) to become their manager. Birtles, previously in Adelaide band Zoot
Zoot (band)
Zoot are a pop/rock band formed in Adelaide, South Australia in 1965 as Down the Line. They changed their name to Zoot in 1967 and by 1968 had relocated to Melbourne...
, called Shorrock to take part in the line up. Shorrock returned to Australia in October 1974 and joined Mississippi in January 1975 in Melbourne. They were soon renamed as Little River Band
Little River Band
Little River Band is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in early 1975.The group chose the name after passing a road sign leading to the Victorian township of Little River, near Geelong, on the way to a performance. Little River Band enjoyed sustained commercial success in not only...
with the original line up of Birtles, Goble, Pellicci, Shorrock and lead guitarist Ric Formosa
Ric Formosa
-External links:...
and bassist Roger McLachlan. While recording their first single, "Curiosity Killed the Cat" in June, Shorrock met Jo his future second wife—they married in 1980. The group went on to become one of the most successful bands ever to come out of Australia, and the first to achieve major commercial success in the United States. For Little River Band, Shorrock wrote the hits "Emma", "Help Is on Its Way
Help Is on Its Way
"Help Is on Its Way" was written by Glenn Shorrock and was a hit single by the Australian group Little River Band in 1977. It was featured on the album Diamantina Cocktail. The song went to number one in Australia on the Kent Music Report singles chart. The song was the fourth highest selling...
" (Australian No. 1) and "Cool Change
Cool Change (song)
"Cool Change" is a song by Australian rock group Little River Band, which was the second single from their sixth album, First Under the Wire. Released in August 1979, "Cool Change", did not reach the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart top 50...
".
While still a member of Little River Band, Shorrock released a solo single, a cover of Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin , born Walden Robert Cassotto, was an American singer, actor and musician.Darin performed in a range of music genres, including pop, rock, jazz, folk and country...
's 1959 hit "Dream Lover
Dream Lover
"Dream Lover" is a song written and recorded by Bobby Darin on March 5, 1959. It was produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler and engineered by Tom Dowd. It is considered a soulful rock song. The song became a multi-million seller, reaching #2 in US charts and was #1 in UK for three weeks during...
" in April 1979 on EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, which peaked at No. 8 on the Kent Music Report
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...
Singles Chart. In February 1982, Shorrock left Little River Band and was replaced by former 1960s pop singer, John Farnham
John Farnham
John Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as...
who was managed by Wheatley. Shorrock returned to Little River Band in 1988 but, despite several quality albums, they did not regain the earlier stellar recognition. He left again in 1991 leaving the naming rights with guitarist Stephen Housden. In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association
Australasian Performing Right Association
The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth...
(APRA), as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Cool Change", as one of the Top 30 Australian songs
APRA Top 30 Australian songs
APRA's Top 30 Australian songs between 1926 and 2001 was a list created by the Australasian Performing Right Association to celebrate its 75th anniversary...
of all time.
Later solo career
In 1982 Shorrock released a solo album Villain of the Peace and a single, "Rock and Roll Soldier" on Capitol RecordsCapitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
recorded in Los Angeles with John Boylan (Charlie Daniels
Charlie Daniels
Charles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer...
, Little River Band) producing. "Rock and Roll Soldier" reached the Australian top 40 in November but he did not achieve the international success attained with Little River Band. Late in 1982 he toured Australia and then teamed with Renée Geyer
Renée Geyer
Renée Rebecca Geyer is an Australian singer who has long been regarded as one of the finest exponents of jazz, soul and R&B idioms. She had commercial success as a solo artist in Australia, with "It's a Man's Man's World", "Heading in the Right Direction" and "Stares and Whispers" in the 1970s and...
to release a duet, "Goin' Back" on 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 February 1983. One of his backing singers was Wendy Matthews
Wendy Matthews
Wendy Joan Matthews is an Australian adult alternative pop singer originally from Canada who has been a member of Models and Absent Friends and is a solo artist...
who had been a session singer in Los Angeles. "We're Coming to Get You", which peaked at No. 6 in October, was recorded with folk group
Bush band
A bush band is a group of musicians that play traditional Australian folk music or contemporary folk music played in a traditional Australian style...
, The Bushwackers it was the theme for the film, We're Coming to Get You. He released "Don't Girls Get Lonely?" in November. In 1984, he recorded "Restless" for the documentary World Safari II: The Final Adventure
World Safari
World Safari is a documentary film released in 1977 made from footage of Alby Mangels and John Field's six year journey around 56 countries and four continents in the 1970s...
.
In 1985, Shorrock released The First Twenty Years, which was a double-LP album
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
compilation of his career work with tracks by The Twilights, Axiom, Little River Band and solo work. He was compere of Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
(ABC) TV music series, Rock Arena in 1986 and as a breakfast announcer for radio station Magic 11 in Sydney. His solo single, "American Flyer" appeared in July. He performed on the tour of stage show
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
One for the Money in 1986–87. He appeared in other stage shows including his own showcase productions Go Cat Go (1990–91) and Two Up (1996).
On 25 March 1991
ARIA Music Awards of 1991
The Fifth Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 25 March 1991 at the Darling Harbour Convention Centre in Sydney. International host Bob Geldof was assisted by presenters to distribute 24 awards...
, Shorrock was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) Hall of Fame
ARIA Hall of Fame
Since 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association has inducted artists into its ARIA Hall of Fame. While most have been recognised at the annual ARIA Music Awards, in 2005 ARIA sought to create a separate standalone "ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame" event as only one or two acts could be inducted...
, alongside contemporary rocker Billy Thorpe
Billy Thorpe
William Richard "Billy" Thorpe, AM was a renowned English-born Australian pop / rock singer-songwriter and musician...
, bass-baritone Peter Dawson and jazz musician Don Burrows
Don Burrows
Donald Vernon Burrows, AO, MBE is an Australian jazz and swing musician, playing the clarinet, saxophone, and flute....
. In 1993, he re-joined with Axiom band mate, Brian Cadd, to record Blazing Salads and three singles for Blue Martin Records, and a subsequent two year tour. On tour Shorrock played his hit songs, along with those of Axiom accompanied by Cadd and a backing band of Rex Goh
Rex Goh
Rex Goh is a rock guitarist. In 1972, he moved to Australia, settling down in Sydney. He has toured and recorded with many famous artists including Air Supply, Savage Garden, Randy Crawford, Tom Jones and Daryl Braithwaite...
on guitar (ex-Air Supply
Air Supply
Air Supply is an Australian soft rock duo, consisting of Graham Russell as guitarist and singer-songwriter and Russell Hitchcock as lead vocalist. They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s...
), Kirk Lorange on guitar (Richard Clapton Band
Richard Clapton
Richard Clapton is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist from Sydney, New South Wales. His solo top 20 hits on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart are "Girls on the Avenue" and "I Am an Island"...
) and Mark Kennedy on drums (Spectrum
Spectrum (band)
Spectrum is an Australian progressive rock band that formed in Melbourne in 1969 and, in its original period, remained in existence until 1973. Its members also performed under the alter-ego Indelible Murtceps...
, Ayers Rock
Ayers Rock (band)
Ayers Rock was a jazz fusion/progressive rock band from Melbourne, Australia. The group formed in 1973, and included many well-travelled rock performers; drummer Mark Kennedy had previously played in Spectrum, and played on sessions for King Harvest and Friends...
, Marcia Hines Band
Marcia Hines
Marcia Elaine Hines, AM is a vocalist, actress and TV personality who achieved success in her adopted homeland of Australia. Hines made her debut, at the age of sixteen, in the Australian version of the stage musical Hair and followed with the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar...
).
Long Way to the Top
Long Way To The Top
Long Way To The Top was an Australian Broadcasting Corporation documentary on the history of Australian rock and roll from 1956 to the modern era.-Production:...
was a 2001 ABC TV six-part documentary on the history of Australian rock and roll from 1956 to the modern era. Shorrock provided interviews, "In Awe of The Beatles", "Being Pop Stars" and "Coming from the UK", on his early years with The Twilights. Long Way to the Top Tour followed in August–September 2002 with Shorrock appearing with The Twilights in the first set performing "What's Wrong with the Way I Live?" and "Needle in a Haystack"; he returned in the second set with Axiom to perform "Arkansas Grass" and "Little Ray of Sunshine".
In 2002 Shorrock reunited with other Little River Band founders Beeb Birtles and Graeham Goble to form Birtles Shorrock Goble
Birtles Shorrock Goble
Birtles Shorrock Goble are an Australian pop/rock group composed of the three original singers and songwriters of Little River Band, namely Beeb Birtles, Glenn Shorrock, and Graeham Goble. The members are known for their extensive writing and performance of hit songs and distinctive vocal harmonies...
. On 17 October 2004, the 1970s members of Little River Band: Birtles, David Briggs
David Briggs (Australian musician)
David Briggs is an Australian musician and record producer, educated at Wesley College, Melbourne best known for his time as a guitarist in the rock band, Little River Band between 1976 and 1981.In 1976 he joined Little River Band. He wrote their hit single "Lonesome Loser", as well as "Happy...
, Goble, George McArdle, Derek Pellicci and Shorrock, were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. The later members including fellow Australian, John Farnham, and US-based musicians, were not included in this induction. Due to a 2002 legal ruling on their right to use the band's name—two US-based members held the trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
—they performed "Help Is on the Way" as Classic Lineup of the Little River Band or Little River Band – Classic Lineup (sources vary). Birtles Shorrock Goble recorded a successful DVD and CD, Full Circle (2005) and toured until 2007. In August–September, the trio played a medley of Little River Band hits at the Countdown Spectacular
Countdown Spectacular
The Countdown Spectacular is a series of concerts reviving the nostalgia of the Australian music television series Countdown.-Countdown Spectacular:...
2 concert series.
In 2005 Shorrock also undertook his career-spanning The Reminiscing Tour - Glenn Shorrock & Friends with invited guest singers including Doug Parkinson
Doug Parkinson
Douglas "Doug" Parkinson is an Australian singer who first came to fame with his band, Doug Parkinson In Focus, in 1969. He has had numerous hits on the Australian Top 40 charts.-Career:...
and Wendy Matthews. In May–June 2006, he partnered actress Judy Nunn
Judy Nunn
Judy Nunn is an Australian actress and author.-Acting career:Her breakout role was as the scheming bisexual reporter Vicky Stafford in the risque soap opera The Box. Her character became a popular cult figure in the series. Nunn continued in the role for the show's entire 1974–1977 run...
on the first season of reality TV singing competition, It Takes Two, they were voted off after week three. His first solo CD for seven years, Meanwhile, which contains acoustic versions of his career hits was released in 2007 on the Liberation Blue label. He performed The Beatles tribute show Let It Be with Parkinson, Sharon O'Neill
Sharon O'Neill
-Albums:*1979 - This Heart This Song*1980 - Sharon O'Neill*1980 - Words*1981 - Maybe*1983 - Foreign Affairs*1983 - Smash Palace *1984 - So Far - The Best 14...
and Mark Williams
Mark Williams (singer)
Mark Williams is a New Zealand-born pop/soul singer with Recording Industry Association of New Zealand number one hit singles, "Yesterday Was Just the Beginning of My Life" and a cover of Buddy Holly's "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" before he relocated to Australia later that year. His single,...
.
In 2008 Shorrock toured with the musical Shout! The Legend of the Wild One, based on the life of Australian rocker Johnny O'Keefe
Johnny O'Keefe
John Michael O'Keefe, known as Johnny O'Keefe was an Australian rock and roll singer whose career began in the 1950s. Some of his hits include "Wild One" , "Shout!" and "She's My Baby"...
. In July 2010, Shorrock performed a retrospective of his 45 years in the music industry.As of 2011, Glenn Shorrock continues to tour smaller venues in Australia and promotes new local music artists.
Discography
Singles
Albums
- Villain of the Peace, 1982, Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
AUSKent Music ReportThe 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...
No. 32 USA #207 - The First Twenty Years, 1985, EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
AUS No. 63 - Blazing Salads, 1993, Blue Martin Records (with Brian CaddBrian CaddBrian George Cadd is an Australian singer-songwriter, keyboardist and producer who has performed as a member of The Groop, Axiom, Flying Burrito Brothers and solo...
) - Spin Me 'Round, 2000, Streetwise Records
- Meanwhile, 2007, Liberation Blue