Ian Rilen
Encyclopedia
Ian William Rilen was an Australian musician
, he was bass guitar
ist and songwriter with Rock N' Roll band Rose Tattoo
and led punk rock
group X
also providing lead guitar
, rhythm guitar
and vocals
. Rilen was born in Bendigo
, Victoria, started his musical career in Sydney
and later lived in Melbourne
.
Rilen was a member of 1970s progressive blues group Band of Light
and other bands including, Space, Blue Aliens, Blackfeather
, Sardine v
, Hell to Pay, Skindiver and Illustrated Men. Rilen wrote one of Rose Tattoo's biggest hits, "Bad Boy for Love", and co-wrote "Stuck on You" with his first wife Stephanie Falconer, which was covered by Hunters & Collectors
. Rilen was diagnosed with bladder cancer
early in 2006 and died on 30 October, aged 59. He had four children, Jay Jay, Gentilla, Tallulah and Romeo.
to Jean and William Rilen, he grew up in Torquay
and became a surfer. After various jobs including window dresser, screen printer and sign writer, Rilen turned to a career in music. He played in progressive rock
band, Lotus including at the Myponga
Festival in January–February 1971. He then joined Space during 1971–1972. Rilen was bass guitar
ist for Band of Light
during 1972–1974. The progressive blues group formed in Sydney but relocated to Melbourne, they released two albums Total Union (1973) and The Archer (1974) both on WEA Records
. They had a No. 18 hit single on the Go-Set
top 40 with "Destiny Song" in July 1973. Total Union peaked at No. 14 on Go-Sets top 20 albums chart in September. Rilen left in mid-1974 and the band broke up by year's end. During 1975, he teamed with former band mate, slide guitar
ist, Norm Roue (ex-Lotus, Band of Light), in the short-lived Blue Aliens with Roy Johnson. Late in 1975, he joined Blackfeather
which previously had hits with "Seasons of Change" (No. 15, 1971) and "Boppin' the Blues" (No. 1, 1972).
Rose Tattoo
was formed in Sydney in 1976 with Leigh Johnston on rhythm guitar
, Tony Lake on lead vocals and were led by Peter Wells—who had just departed as bass guitar
ist of heavy metal
band Buffalo
—drummer
Michael Vandersluys completed the line-up. Rilen joined on bass guitar to allow Wells to concentrate on his slide guitar. Rhythm guitarist Mick Cocks
, soon replaced Johnston; Lake and Vandersluys were substituted by former Buster Brown members Angry Anderson
and Dallas "Digger" Royall respectively. Rose Tattoo's hard-rocking
sound quickly earned a devoted following in the Sydney area. Members of AC/DC
were fans and recommended them to their label, Albert Productions
. The band's debut single "Bad Boy for Love" was written by Rilen, who left to form punk rock
group, X
, prior to its release in October 1977. "Bad Boy for Love" was produced by Vanda & Young
(ex-The Easybeats
, AC/DC's producers) and peaked at No. 19 on the Australian Kent Music Report
Singles Chart. Cocks switched to bass guitar to cover Rilen's departure, then Chris Turner (ex-Buffalo) was brought in.
Rilen's band mates in X were initially, Steve Lucas on guitar and vocals, Ian Krahe on guitar, and Steve Cafiero on drums. During X's history the line up shifted with various splits and reformations and resulted in the albums, X-Aspirations (1980), At Home With You (1985), and And More (1989) produced by Lobby Loyde
(briefly a member of Rose Tattoo in 1979–1980). During X's first hiatus (1980–1983), he formed the post punk outfit Sardine v
, with his then wife, Stephanie Rilen (née Hancock) on keyboards
and lead vocals. According to Rilen, "I didn't know [Stephanie] played until I bought a keyboard for the kids and I was writing songs in my room at the house. She just walked by and played a line on the keyboards. I said: 'Do that again'". Sardine v's debut single, "Sabotage" (1981) was followed by "Sudan" (written by Falconer) which was shown on ABC-TV's
Countdown in 1982 with Rilen on guitar, Falconer on keyboards and lead vocals, and Johanna Pigott
(ex-XL Capris
) on bass guitar. "Stuck on You", co-written by Rilen and Falconer, was covered by Hunters & Collectors
on their 1986 album, Human Frailty
; Stephanie Rilen later married Doug Falconer from the band. Rilen reinstated X in 1983, which included drummer, Cathy Green from 1984 —they later formed a domestic partnership. During 1984–1985, Rilen also joined with ex-Rose Tattoo members, Cocks, Georgie Leach, Royall and Wells to form Illustrated Men. This was followed in 1990 with The Big Rider (with Green) then Hell to Pay (1991–1993) and a return to X thereafter. Rilen worked with Ian Moss
(Cold Chisel
) during recording of Petrolhead
(1996), playing bass and co-writing songs for the album and later, also toured for a short time with Moss. Rilen rejoined Rose Tattoo in 1998 for the All Hell Breaks Loose Tour with fellow Australian band, The Angels
.
Rilen's solo album was Love is Murder (2001), while Passion, Boots & Bruises (2004) is credited to Ian Rilen & the Love Addicts. A second album with the Love Addicts, The Family from Cuba, was recorded shortly before his death and released in 2007.
Rilen was invited to the Jack Awards
in 2006, to play in an all-star tribute band for his departed Rose Tattoo band mate Pete Wells who had died of prostate cancer
on 27 March. Rilen was diagnosed with bladder cancer
early in 2006 but left his hospital bed to attend Rose Tattoo's ARIA Hall of Fame
induction on 16 August. Two tribute concerts were held for him on 5 and 6 October—he died at the age of 59 on 30 October 2006. He was married twice, first to Stephanie Falconer and second to Sofia Fitzpatrick, his domestic partners included Cathy Green and Brigitte. Rilen had four children, Jay Jay, Gentilla, Tallulah (with Falconer) and Romeo (with Brigitte). Two further Rose Tattoo members have died of cancer, Loyde (also producer for X) in 2007 and Cocks in 2009.
Ian Rilen & the Love Addicts
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, he was bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist and songwriter with Rock N' Roll band Rose Tattoo
Rose Tattoo
Rose Tattoo is an Australian rock and roll band, now led by Angry Anderson, that was formed in Sydney in 1976. Their sound is hard rock mixed with blues rock influences, with songs including "Bad Boy for Love", "Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw", "Nice Boys", "We Can't Be Beaten" and "Scarred for Life"...
and led punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
group X
X (Australian band)
X is an Australian punk rock band, formed in Sydney in 1977 and led by the late Ian Rilen. The band has split and reformed several times.Although X has had several members, its sound has been defined by two distinctive elements: Rilen's basslines and Steve Lucas's guitar...
also providing lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
and vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
. Rilen was born in Bendigo
Bendigo, Victoria
Bendigo is a major regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia, located very close to the geographical centre of the state and approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne. It is the second largest inland city and fourth most populous city in the state. The estimated urban...
, Victoria, started his musical career in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and later lived in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Rilen was a member of 1970s progressive blues group Band of Light
Band of Light
Band of Light was an Australian heavy blues style based rock band formed in October 1972 and disbanded in late 1974. Phil Key was the founding member, bringing with him Peter Roberts, both of whom were originally with The La De Das. Ian Rilen replaced Roberts after three gigs, with Norm Roue and...
and other bands including, Space, Blue Aliens, Blackfeather
Blackfeather
Blackfeather was an Australian rock group in the 1970s. The group had many members and went through two major incarnations - the earlier heavy rock version of the group, which recorded the album At The Mountains of Madness and the hit single "Seasons of Change", and the later piano-based lineup...
, Sardine v
Sardine v
Sardine v was an Australian post-punk band, formed by Ian Rilen , and Stephanie Rilen ....
, Hell to Pay, Skindiver and Illustrated Men. Rilen wrote one of Rose Tattoo's biggest hits, "Bad Boy for Love", and co-wrote "Stuck on You" with his first wife Stephanie Falconer, which was covered by Hunters & Collectors
Hunters & Collectors
Hunters & Collectors were an Australian rock music band formed in Melbourne in 1981, fronted by singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Seymour, they developed a blend of pub rock and art-funk...
. Rilen was diagnosed with bladder cancer
Bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is any of several types of malignant growths of the urinary bladder. It is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply without control in the bladder. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine; it is located in the pelvis...
early in 2006 and died on 30 October, aged 59. He had four children, Jay Jay, Gentilla, Tallulah and Romeo.
Biography
Ian William Rilen was born on 12 August 1947 in Bendigo, VictoriaBendigo, Victoria
Bendigo is a major regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia, located very close to the geographical centre of the state and approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne. It is the second largest inland city and fourth most populous city in the state. The estimated urban...
to Jean and William Rilen, he grew up in Torquay
Torquay, Victoria
Torquay is a township in Victoria, Australia, which faces Bass Strait, 21 km. south of Geelong and is the gateway to the Great Ocean Road. It is bordered on the west by Spring Creek and its coastal features include Point Danger and Zeally Bay...
and became a surfer. After various jobs including window dresser, screen printer and sign writer, Rilen turned to a career in music. He played in progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band, Lotus including at the Myponga
Myponga, South Australia
Myponga is a settlement in South Australia. At the 2006 census, Myponga had a population of 540.-References:One of the first Pioneer Families to Settle the area, was the Family of CON POLDEN & MARY WINDSOR along with their children from Wiltshire SOUTH/WEST ENGLAND.-See also:*Myponga Reservoir...
Festival in January–February 1971. He then joined Space during 1971–1972. Rilen was bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist for Band of Light
Band of Light
Band of Light was an Australian heavy blues style based rock band formed in October 1972 and disbanded in late 1974. Phil Key was the founding member, bringing with him Peter Roberts, both of whom were originally with The La De Das. Ian Rilen replaced Roberts after three gigs, with Norm Roue and...
during 1972–1974. The progressive blues group formed in Sydney but relocated to Melbourne, they released two albums Total Union (1973) and The Archer (1974) both on WEA Records
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
. They had a No. 18 hit single 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...
top 40 with "Destiny Song" in July 1973. Total Union peaked at No. 14 on Go-Sets top 20 albums chart in September. Rilen left in mid-1974 and the band broke up by year's end. During 1975, he teamed with former band mate, slide guitar
Slide guitar
Slide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
ist, Norm Roue (ex-Lotus, Band of Light), in the short-lived Blue Aliens with Roy Johnson. Late in 1975, he joined Blackfeather
Blackfeather
Blackfeather was an Australian rock group in the 1970s. The group had many members and went through two major incarnations - the earlier heavy rock version of the group, which recorded the album At The Mountains of Madness and the hit single "Seasons of Change", and the later piano-based lineup...
which previously had hits with "Seasons of Change" (No. 15, 1971) and "Boppin' the Blues" (No. 1, 1972).
Rose Tattoo
Rose Tattoo
Rose Tattoo is an Australian rock and roll band, now led by Angry Anderson, that was formed in Sydney in 1976. Their sound is hard rock mixed with blues rock influences, with songs including "Bad Boy for Love", "Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw", "Nice Boys", "We Can't Be Beaten" and "Scarred for Life"...
was formed in Sydney in 1976 with Leigh Johnston on rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, Tony Lake on lead vocals and were led by Peter Wells—who had just departed as bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist of heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Buffalo
Buffalo (band)
Buffalo was an early heavy metal band formed in Sydney, Australia in 1971. The band left a legacy with Australia's heavy metal, pub rock and alternative rock movements. The band had evolved from the Brisbane blues-rock outfit Head, which was originally formed in 1968 by Dave Tice and Peter Wells...
—drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Michael Vandersluys completed the line-up. Rilen joined on bass guitar to allow Wells to concentrate on his slide guitar. Rhythm guitarist Mick Cocks
Mick Cocks
Michael Thomas "Mick" Cocks was an Australian musician, most noted for his guitar work with Rose Tattoo. His original sound and style heavily influenced Guns N' Roses, who recorded a cover of the Rose Tattoo song ‘Nice Boys’. He was also a member of Heaven, Doomfoxx, Pete Wells Heart Attack and...
, soon replaced Johnston; Lake and Vandersluys were substituted by former Buster Brown members Angry Anderson
Angry Anderson
Gary Stephen "Angry" Anderson AM is an Australian rock singer, television presenter/reporter, actor and conservative political activist. He is best known as the vocalist with the hard rock band Rose Tattoo since 1976 but he is also recognised for his acting roles and his charity work...
and Dallas "Digger" Royall respectively. Rose Tattoo's hard-rocking
Pub rock (Australia)
Pub rock is a style of Australian rock and roll popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and still influencing contemporary Australian music today....
sound quickly earned a devoted following in the Sydney area. Members of AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
were fans and recommended them to their label, Albert Productions
Albert Productions
Albert Productions, a division of music publishing and recording company Albert Music, is one of Australia's longest established independent Australian record label to specialise in rock and roll music. The label was founded in 1964 by Ted Albert, whose family owned and operated the Australian...
. The band's debut single "Bad Boy for Love" was written by Rilen, who left to form punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
group, X
X (Australian band)
X is an Australian punk rock band, formed in Sydney in 1977 and led by the late Ian Rilen. The band has split and reformed several times.Although X has had several members, its sound has been defined by two distinctive elements: Rilen's basslines and Steve Lucas's guitar...
, prior to its release in October 1977. "Bad Boy for Love" was produced by Vanda & Young
Vanda & Young
Vanda & Young are Harry Vanda , and George Young...
(ex-The Easybeats
The Easybeats
The Easybeats were an Australian rock and roll band. They formed in Sydney in late 1964 and broke up at the end of 1969. They are regarded as the greatest Australian pop band of the 1960s, and were the first Australian rock and roll act to score an international pop hit with their 1966 single...
, AC/DC's producers) and peaked at No. 19 on the Australian 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. Cocks switched to bass guitar to cover Rilen's departure, then Chris Turner (ex-Buffalo) was brought in.
Rilen's band mates in X were initially, Steve Lucas on guitar and vocals, Ian Krahe on guitar, and Steve Cafiero on drums. During X's history the line up shifted with various splits and reformations and resulted in the albums, X-Aspirations (1980), At Home With You (1985), and And More (1989) produced by Lobby Loyde
Lobby Loyde
Lobby Loyde , also known as John Barrie Lyde or Barry Lyde, was an Australian rock music guitarist, songwriter and producer....
(briefly a member of Rose Tattoo in 1979–1980). During X's first hiatus (1980–1983), he formed the post punk outfit Sardine v
Sardine v
Sardine v was an Australian post-punk band, formed by Ian Rilen , and Stephanie Rilen ....
, with his then wife, Stephanie Rilen (née Hancock) 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...
and lead vocals. According to Rilen, "I didn't know [Stephanie] played until I bought a keyboard for the kids and I was writing songs in my room at the house. She just walked by and played a line on the keyboards. I said: 'Do that again'". Sardine v's debut single, "Sabotage" (1981) was followed by "Sudan" (written by Falconer) which was shown on ABC-TV's
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
Countdown in 1982 with Rilen on guitar, Falconer on keyboards and lead vocals, and Johanna Pigott
Johanna Pigott
Johanna Paton Pigott is an Australian musician, singer/songwriter and screenwriter. Her best known hit songs are Dragon's "Rain" which peaked at #2 on the Australia singles charts in 1983 and John Farnham's "Age of Reason". "Rain" was co-written with partner Dragon's Todd Hunter and his brother...
(ex-XL Capris
XL Capris
XL Capris were an Australian indie-punk band formed in Sydney in 1978 by Julie Anderson, Tim Gooding, Johanna Pigott and Kimble Rendall.Their best known single was a punk version of Tommy Leonetti's "My City of Sydney"...
) on bass guitar. "Stuck on You", co-written by Rilen and Falconer, was covered by Hunters & Collectors
Hunters & Collectors
Hunters & Collectors were an Australian rock music band formed in Melbourne in 1981, fronted by singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Seymour, they developed a blend of pub rock and art-funk...
on their 1986 album, Human Frailty
Human Frailty
Human Frailty is an album released by Australian band Hunters & Collectors in 1986. It was their commercial breakthrough album in Australia, and a commercial and critical success...
; Stephanie Rilen later married Doug Falconer from the band. Rilen reinstated X in 1983, which included drummer, Cathy Green from 1984 —they later formed a domestic partnership. During 1984–1985, Rilen also joined with ex-Rose Tattoo members, Cocks, Georgie Leach, Royall and Wells to form Illustrated Men. This was followed in 1990 with The Big Rider (with Green) then Hell to Pay (1991–1993) and a return to X thereafter. Rilen worked with Ian Moss
Ian Moss
Ian Moss is an Australian rock musician, best known as the guitarist and occasional singer of Cold Chisel. In that group's initial ten year career, Moss recorded eight albums, three of which were No. 1 national hits. His solo career began with a No. 1 album and single and five ARIA Awards...
(Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel is a rock band that originated in Adelaide, Australia. It is one of the most acclaimed Australian rock bands of all time, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s and huge sales that continue to this day, although its success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to...
) during recording of Petrolhead
Petrolhead
Petrolhead is the third studio album by ex-Cold Chisel guitarist / vocalist Ian Moss. The songs on the album are written by Don Walker, Ian Rilen, Spencer Jones and Andy Heggen. This album was a departure from Ian's previous albums as it has more of a Hard Rock sound to it. Moss said that "it was a...
(1996), playing bass and co-writing songs for the album and later, also toured for a short time with Moss. Rilen rejoined Rose Tattoo in 1998 for the All Hell Breaks Loose Tour with fellow Australian band, The Angels
The Angels (Australian band)
The Angels are a hard rock band that formed in Adelaide, Australia in 1970. The band later relocated from Adelaide to Sydney and enjoyed huge local success until well into the 1990s. For the purposes of international release, their records were released under the names Angel City and later The...
.
Rilen's solo album was Love is Murder (2001), while Passion, Boots & Bruises (2004) is credited to Ian Rilen & the Love Addicts. A second album with the Love Addicts, The Family from Cuba, was recorded shortly before his death and released in 2007.
Rilen was invited to the Jack Awards
Jack Awards
The Jack Awards are a set of popularly-voted Australian music awards, sponsored by Tennessee whiskey company Jack Daniel's. The awards were conceived by Damien Wilson, former creative director of Peer Group Media to create a national platform that rewarded all areas of Australian live music, from...
in 2006, to play in an all-star tribute band for his departed Rose Tattoo band mate Pete Wells who had died of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
on 27 March. Rilen was diagnosed with bladder cancer
Bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is any of several types of malignant growths of the urinary bladder. It is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply without control in the bladder. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine; it is located in the pelvis...
early in 2006 but left his hospital bed to attend Rose Tattoo's 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...
induction on 16 August. Two tribute concerts were held for him on 5 and 6 October—he died at the age of 59 on 30 October 2006. He was married twice, first to Stephanie Falconer and second to Sofia Fitzpatrick, his domestic partners included Cathy Green and Brigitte. Rilen had four children, Jay Jay, Gentilla, Tallulah (with Falconer) and Romeo (with Brigitte). Two further Rose Tattoo members have died of cancer, Loyde (also producer for X) in 2007 and Cocks in 2009.
Discography
Albums
Ian Rilen- Love is Murder (2001)
Ian Rilen & the Love Addicts
- Passion Boots & Bruises (2004)
- The Family from Cuba (2007)