Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons
Encyclopedia
Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons (initially called Jo Jo Zep and His Little Helpers) were an Australian blues and rock music band which featured singer, songwriter and saxophonist, Joe Camilleri
(aka Jo Jo Zep). The band was active in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and had several Australian chart hits, including "Hit and Run", "Shape I'm In" and "All I Wanna Do". The Falcons dissolved in 1981 and the group's biggest Australian hit, 1982's "Taxi Mary", as well as the New Zealand top ten hit "Walk On By", were both credited simply to Jo Jo Zep. In 1983, Camilleri and other members of the Falcons formed The Black Sorrows
.
The late 1970s line up of Camilleri, Jeff Burstin on guitar, Tony Faehse on guitar, John Power on bass guitar, Wilbur Wilde
on saxophone and Gary Young
on drums, reunited in 2001, and again in 2003 to release a new album. In 2007, the group was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame
. For Young, it was his second induction in a row, his 2006 induction was as a member of 1970s rock group Daddy Cool
. Further reunion concerts occurred in 2008 and 2011. According to Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, the group was initially a "funky, energetic R&B band" which "infused the music with large dose of reggae rhythms" and later was a "brass-driven, latin-styled big band".
, Mighty Kong
), who was waiting out his recording contract, had turned to producing other artists for the label, Oz Records. He decided to produce a version of Chuck Berry
's "Run Rudolph Run
", as a one-off Christmas single for Mushroom Records
. Contractually, Wilson could not perform the vocals himself, so he asked his friend, Joe Camilleri
(ex-The Pelaco Brothers with Stephen Cummings) to sing and play on the recording. Camilleri's nickname was Jo Jo Zep, so the group was named Jo Jo Zep and His Little Helpers. The line-up included bass guitarist, John Power (ex-Foreday Riders).
To promote the single, Camilleri and Power formed a more permanent blues and rock music band. Power had relocated from Sydney to Melbourne to join Company Caine
for an album which Wilson was producing. However Company Caine, which also included guitarist, Jeff Burstin, and drummer, John McInerney, had soon separated. Wilson suggested that all three team up with Camilleri to perform "Run Rudolph Run" as part of a Christmas show at the Myer Music Bowl. The song also marked Camilleri's first appearance on Countdown – the Australian national TV pop music series. After the Christmas performances, they added a second guitarist and vocalist, Wayne Burt (ex-Rock Granite) and Daddy Cool's drummer Gary Young
replaced McInerney. The band renamed themselves as Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons, with the Falcons part referencing Camilleri's Maltese background
. Camilleri had wanted his former band mate, Cummings, to join as lead vocalist – Cummings declined and later formed The Sports
.
Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons signed with Oz Records and, in July 1976, released their first single, "Beating Around the Bush". The track was written and sung by Burt and peaked at No. 73 on the Australian Kent Music Report
Singles Chart. The song was also one of two tracks by the group on Wilson's soundtrack for the feature film Oz
(1976). The follow-up single was a cover of Otis Redding
's "Security" sung by Camilleri, which peaked at No. 98. In February 1977, the band released their debut album, Don't Waste It, which was produced by Wilson and contained both singles. The album featured lead vocal turns by Camilleri, Burt and Power. The songwriting was mostly by Burt, with a few cover tunes, and one song by Camilleri. Although the intent was to be a serious R&B band, the musical direction was never set in stone.
Burt left soon after the release of the debut album, and was replaced by guitarist Tony Faehse (ex-Musick Express, Alvin Stardust
). Camilleri felt "[t]hat changed the band a lot. Tony wasn't an R&B/Blues player. He'd only been in Australia a year or so and had more of that big 'rock' sound, a fiery guitar player, and was a great foil for Jeff Burstin who was from a country blues background, so they complimented each other." Burt went on to join various groups including Eternal Struggle, Rock Doctors and Hey Gringo. In June 1977, saxophonist Wilbur Wilde
(Ol' 55
) joined to complete the 'classic line-up' of Camilleri, Burstin, Faehse, Power, Wilde and Young.
Wilson also produced the band's second album, Whip It Out, which was released in October 1977, but the album failed to chart, and the associated single, "(I'm in a) Dancing Mood", peaked at No. 90. To capture the energy and spontaneity of a live performance, their next release was a five-track 12" extended play, Loud and Clear, which reached No. 53 on the Singles Chart in August 1978. Its lead track "The Honeydripper" receiving most of the airplay. Fellow musician, Paul Kelly
, recalled their early performances, "[t]hey did house-rocking, roof-raising versions of classic and obscure soul, R'n'B and reggae songs... They waved their guitars and saxophones in the air, did everything they could to get over to the crowd." Loud and Clear was followed by a mini-LP
, So Young, which reached No. 29 in November. The band started to pick up a number of international supporters, including Graham Parker
and The Rumour and Elvis Costello
and The Attractions. Costello recorded a cover version of "So Young" which appears on Out of Our Idiot
(1987).
In 1978, Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons signed with Mushroom Records
after Oz Records had folded. By that time the group had included another musical direction: reggae
. Mushroom was eager to connect with the 'new wave' in England and brought over Peter Solley, an English producer and latter-day Procol Harum
member, to produce another Mushroom artist, The Sports. One night Solley saw Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons perform, and on the strength of their new song, "Shape I'm In", asked to produce the group. The first single, "Hit and Run", from the album, Screaming Targets, was pop reggae and reached No. 12 on the charts in August 1979.Camilleri said he "never thought 'Hit and Run' would do anything but maybe the lick was infectious enough – though as a song it was a bit stupid – but it got us a deal all over the world. It was a wacky thing and all of a sudden we were away in a different arena".
The band toured the United States, the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe, including performances in The Bottom Line
club in New York
, and at the Montreux Jazz & Blues Festival
. With Burt having left the band, the songwriting was now being looked after by Burstin, Camilleri, and Faehse working together as a trio, and Camilleri was the group's lone front man. The singles continued with "Shape I'm In", "Puppet on a String", "I Will Return" and another album Hats Off Step Lively (August 1980). In July 1980, the band had been the opening act at the Oakland Coliseum, in San Francisco, supporting Journey
, Black Sabbath
and Cheap Trick
. Camilleri told a hostile audience, which was throwing objects (including eggs) at the group, "Is it any wonder your parents lost the Vietnam War – you can't even shoot straight!" After the international experience the band started to lose some of its impetus. In June 1981, Camilleri pulled the band off the road. Young and Power joined Rock Doctors, and Wilde formed his own band, Big Kombi.
Camilleri, Burstin and Faehse gathered a new rhythm section featuring bassist Simon Gyllies (Mondo Rock
), and drummer Freddie Strauks (Skyhooks) and started exploring Latin American rhythms, particularly salsa
. The 'Falcons' moniker was dropped, and they were known simply as Jo Jo Zep. The line-up had expanded to Camilleri, Burstin, Gyllies, Bill Canty on keyboards, Jane Clifton
on vocals, Steven Ewart on brass, Des McKenna on drums, Keith Pereira on percussion, Ray Pereira on percussion, James Valentine on saxophone and Paul Williamson on brass.
The Jo Jo Zep album, Cha, was released in October 1982 with the single "Taxi Mary" reaching No. 11 on the Australian singles chart. While their cover version of "Walk On By" peaked at No. 6 in New Zealand in June 1983. The only credited band members on Cha were Camilleri, Burstin and Gyllies. Another Jo Jo Zep single, "Losing Game", was issued in 1983, together with ex-Split Enz
member, Eddie Rayner, Camilleri produced the single. "Losing Game" was released in the US but was the last single by that version of the group. In March 1984, Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons line-up of Burstin, Camilleri, Power, Wilde and Young reunited for an Australian tour to promoted the compilation album, Sound of Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons which had been issued in December 1983. This line-up issued a single, "Shape I'm In – Live" in 1984. Since 1983, Camilleri has led various musicians in The Black Sorrows
, which has included Falcons' alumni: Burstin, Burt and Young as official members; and Faehse and Wilde as session musicians on recordings. According to Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, Jo Jo and the Falcons were initially a "funky, energetic R&B band" which "infused the music with large dose of reggae rhythms" and later was a "brass-driven, latin-styled big band".
.
The album was recorded at Camilleri's Woodstock Studios in Melbourne and released in September 2003. It was performed by the 'classic' 1977–1981 line-up: Camilleri on vocals and saxophone, Burstin on guitar, Faehse on guitar, Power on bass guitar, Wilde on saxophone, and Young on drums. Early Falcons' member, Burt, also contributed by writing two new compositions. After their appearance at Narooma they supported the album's release with a brief national tour into early 2004.
They reunited again for a single gig in December 2008, with Camilleri, Burstin, Faehse, Wilde and Young, and Joe Creighton (of The Black Sorrows) replaced Power on bass guitar. In September 2011, another reformation occurred, for a one-off performance to celebrate their 35th anniversary, with the line-up of Camilleri, Burstin, Faehse, Power, Wilde and Young.
(ARIA) inducted Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons into its Hall of Fame
. Also inducted that year were Hoodoo Gurus
, Marcia Hines
, Frank Ifield
, Radio Birdman
and Brian Cadd
. According to Camilleri, "I always thought that I was the weak link in the band, that I wasn't good enough to be in it. I had some great moments, moments that I didn't deserve, and was just happy to tag along". Prior to the induction, Camilleri said "I'm chuffed. I think the Falcons did play a part in the Australian music explosion ... I'm happy it's been acknowledged. The Falcons were a band out of time. What we played wasn't what was being played. It was an R&B/reggae sound in the time of flares and funk and pop music. Somehow we slotted in." At the induction ceremony, Mark Seymour
declared that Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons were an inspiration for the formation of his band, Hunters & Collectors
. For Young, it was his second induction in a row, his 2006 entry was as a member of Daddy Cool.
Joe Camilleri
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Camilleri, aka Jo Jo Zep or Joey Vincent, is an Australian vocalist, songwriter and saxophonist. Camilleri has recorded as a solo artist and as a member of Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons and The Black Sorrows...
(aka Jo Jo Zep). The band was active in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and had several Australian chart hits, including "Hit and Run", "Shape I'm In" and "All I Wanna Do". The Falcons dissolved in 1981 and the group's biggest Australian hit, 1982's "Taxi Mary", as well as the New Zealand top ten hit "Walk On By", were both credited simply to Jo Jo Zep. In 1983, Camilleri and other members of the Falcons formed The Black Sorrows
The Black Sorrows
The Black Sorrows are an Australian band founded by Joe Camilleri, the group's only constant member. Founded in 1983, The Black Sorrows are still active today, and are best remembered for their top 40 Australian hits of the late 1980s and early 1990s, including "Hold On To Me", "Chained To The...
.
The late 1970s line up of Camilleri, Jeff Burstin on guitar, Tony Faehse on guitar, John Power on bass guitar, Wilbur Wilde
Wilbur Wilde
Wilbur Wilde is an Australian saxophonist. He rose to prominence with the bands Ol' 55, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons...
on saxophone and Gary Young
Gary Young (Australian musician)
Gary Young was a founding member of Australian rock band Daddy Cool in which he played the drums and sang backing vocals. He also played drums with Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons amongst other bands...
on drums, reunited in 2001, and again in 2003 to release a new album. In 2007, the group was inducted into the 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...
. For Young, it was his second induction in a row, his 2006 induction was as a member of 1970s rock group Daddy Cool
Daddy Cool (band)
Daddy Cool is an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1970 with the original line-up of Wayne Duncan , Ross Hannaford , Ross Wilson and Gary Young . Their debut single "Eagle Rock" was released in May 1971 and stayed at number 1 on the Australian singles chart for ten weeks...
. Further reunion concerts occurred in 2008 and 2011. According to Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, the group was initially a "funky, energetic R&B band" which "infused the music with large dose of reggae rhythms" and later was a "brass-driven, latin-styled big band".
Formation (1975–76)
In late 1975, Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons (initially as Jo Jo Zep and His Little Helpers) were formed in Melbourne after Ross Wilson (ex-Daddy CoolDaddy Cool (band)
Daddy Cool is an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1970 with the original line-up of Wayne Duncan , Ross Hannaford , Ross Wilson and Gary Young . Their debut single "Eagle Rock" was released in May 1971 and stayed at number 1 on the Australian singles chart for ten weeks...
, Mighty Kong
Mighty Kong (band)
Mighty Kong were an Australian 'supergroup' successor to Daddy Cool, which broke up in August 1972. It was also the fifth in the line of groups that featured singer-songwriter Ross Wilson and guitarist Ross Hannaford, which began with Pink Finks in 1965...
), who was waiting out his recording contract, had turned to producing other artists for the label, Oz Records. He decided to produce a version of Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
's "Run Rudolph Run
Run Rudolph Run
"Run, Rudolph, Run" is a Christmas song popularized by Chuck Berry and written by Johnny Marks and Marvin Brodie and published by St. Nicholas Music . The song was first recorded by Berry in 1958 and released as Chess Records 1714...
", as a one-off Christmas single for 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...
. Contractually, Wilson could not perform the vocals himself, so he asked his friend, Joe Camilleri
Joe Camilleri
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Camilleri, aka Jo Jo Zep or Joey Vincent, is an Australian vocalist, songwriter and saxophonist. Camilleri has recorded as a solo artist and as a member of Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons and The Black Sorrows...
(ex-The Pelaco Brothers with Stephen Cummings) to sing and play on the recording. Camilleri's nickname was Jo Jo Zep, so the group was named Jo Jo Zep and His Little Helpers. The line-up included bass guitarist, John Power (ex-Foreday Riders).
To promote the single, Camilleri and Power formed a more permanent blues and rock music band. Power had relocated from Sydney to Melbourne to join Company Caine
Company Caine
Company Caine, also known as Co. Caine and Company Kane, is an Australian progressive rock band of the 1970s. The band was formed in Melbourne in 1970 with member as follows:* Gulliver Smith * Russell Smith * Jeremy Noone 1970-71, 1975...
for an album which Wilson was producing. However Company Caine, which also included guitarist, Jeff Burstin, and drummer, John McInerney, had soon separated. Wilson suggested that all three team up with Camilleri to perform "Run Rudolph Run" as part of a Christmas show at the Myer Music Bowl. The song also marked Camilleri's first appearance on Countdown – the Australian national TV pop music series. After the Christmas performances, they added a second guitarist and vocalist, Wayne Burt (ex-Rock Granite) and Daddy Cool's drummer Gary Young
Gary Young (Australian musician)
Gary Young was a founding member of Australian rock band Daddy Cool in which he played the drums and sang backing vocals. He also played drums with Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons amongst other bands...
replaced McInerney. The band renamed themselves as Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons, with the Falcons part referencing Camilleri's Maltese background
Maltese people
The Maltese are an ethnic group indigenous to the Southern European nation of Malta, and identified with the Maltese language. Malta is an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Camilleri had wanted his former band mate, Cummings, to join as lead vocalist – Cummings declined and later formed The Sports
The Sports
The Sports were a popular Australian rock group that performed and recorded between 1976 and 1981.Based in Melbourne, Victoria, the group released a number of successful singles and albums. Their sound fitted well with both 1970s British pub rock bands and British New Wave...
.
I wasn't meant to be the lead singer of the band. My whole idea was to play the 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...
and I really wanted Stephen Cummings to be the singer, 'cause we were really great mates but for whatever reason he bowed out after just a couple of rehearsals. We had a full list of songs by Wayne Burt and that really made the difference for us. I wasn't writing any songs really and I thought Wayne was a much better singer than me as well but he didn't want to be the lead singer, so we sort of shared it around for a little while. – Joe Camilleri.
Oz Records (1977–78)
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. The song was also one of two tracks by the group on Wilson's soundtrack for the feature film Oz
Oz (1976 film)
Oz is a 1976 Australian film written, directed and co-produced by Chris Löfvén. It stars Joy Dunstan, Graham Matters, Bruce Spence, Gary Waddell, and Robin Ramsay; and received four nominations at the 1977 AFI Awards...
(1976). The follow-up single was a cover of Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
's "Security" sung by Camilleri, which peaked at No. 98. In February 1977, the band released their debut album, Don't Waste It, which was produced by Wilson and contained both singles. The album featured lead vocal turns by Camilleri, Burt and Power. The songwriting was mostly by Burt, with a few cover tunes, and one song by Camilleri. Although the intent was to be a serious R&B band, the musical direction was never set in stone.
We started off with no idea at all. We pretty much threw all the stuff in the pot and went on playing. It was a case of demand driving it. It took off like a rocket. We got more work than we could travel away, but the thing took on a life of its own. The thing with the Falcons, we never actually changed our style that much. We just accumulated new ones. It turned into a stratified thing 'cause we were mixing everything together all the way through. There was no plan. – John Power.
Alvin Stardust
Alvin Stardust is an English pop singer and stage actor.-Career:...
). Camilleri felt "[t]hat changed the band a lot. Tony wasn't an R&B/Blues player. He'd only been in Australia a year or so and had more of that big 'rock' sound, a fiery guitar player, and was a great foil for Jeff Burstin who was from a country blues background, so they complimented each other." Burt went on to join various groups including Eternal Struggle, Rock Doctors and Hey Gringo. In June 1977, saxophonist Wilbur Wilde
Wilbur Wilde
Wilbur Wilde is an Australian saxophonist. He rose to prominence with the bands Ol' 55, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons...
(Ol' 55
Ol' 55
Ol' 55 was an Australian band specialising in retro, 1950s-era Rock 'n' Roll. They formed as Fanis in 1972 in Sutherland, Sydney, New South Wales . Drummer Geoff Plummer was working with Glenn A. Baker at the NSW Department of Media and invited Baker to hear his part-time band, including Pat...
) joined to complete the 'classic line-up' of Camilleri, Burstin, Faehse, Power, Wilde and Young.
Wilson also produced the band's second album, Whip It Out, which was released in October 1977, but the album failed to chart, and the associated single, "(I'm in a) Dancing Mood", peaked at No. 90. To capture the energy and spontaneity of a live performance, their next release was a five-track 12" extended play, Loud and Clear, which reached No. 53 on the Singles Chart in August 1978. Its lead track "The Honeydripper" receiving most of the airplay. Fellow musician, Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly (musician)
Paul Maurice Kelly is an Australian rock music singer-songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player. He has performed solo, and has led numerous groups, including the Dots, the Coloured Girls, and the Messengers. He has worked with other artists and groups, including associated projects Professor...
, recalled their early performances, "[t]hey did house-rocking, roof-raising versions of classic and obscure soul, R'n'B and reggae songs... They waved their guitars and saxophones in the air, did everything they could to get over to the crowd." Loud and Clear was followed by a mini-LP
Mini-LP
A Mini-LP or Mini-album is a short album, usually retailing at a lower price than an album that would be considered "full-length".-History:...
, So Young, which reached No. 29 in November. The band started to pick up a number of international supporters, including Graham Parker
Graham Parker
Graham Parker is a British rock singer and songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the popular British band Graham Parker & the Rumour.-Early career :...
and The Rumour and Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
and The Attractions. Costello recorded a cover version of "So Young" which appears on Out of Our Idiot
Out of Our Idiot
Out of Our Idiot is a 1987 compilation album of then rare and unreleased recordings dating back to 1979 by Elvis Costello, which was released in the U.K. on Demon Records. It was only available as an import in the U.S. and other markets...
(1987).
Mushroom Records (1978–1984)
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...
after Oz Records had folded. By that time the group had included another musical direction: reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
. Mushroom was eager to connect with the 'new wave' in England and brought over Peter Solley, an English producer and latter-day Procol Harum
Procol Harum
Procol Harum are a British rock band, formed in 1967, which contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock. Their best-known recording is their 1967 single "A Whiter Shade of Pale"...
member, to produce another Mushroom artist, The Sports. One night Solley saw Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons perform, and on the strength of their new song, "Shape I'm In", asked to produce the group. The first single, "Hit and Run", from the album, Screaming Targets, was pop reggae and reached No. 12 on the charts in August 1979.Camilleri said he "never thought 'Hit and Run' would do anything but maybe the lick was infectious enough – though as a song it was a bit stupid – but it got us a deal all over the world. It was a wacky thing and all of a sudden we were away in a different arena".
The band toured the United States, the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe, including performances in The Bottom Line
Bottom Line
The Bottom Line was a music venue at 15 West Fourth Street between Mercer Street and Greene Street in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City...
club in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and at the Montreux Jazz & Blues Festival
Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe; it is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva...
. With Burt having left the band, the songwriting was now being looked after by Burstin, Camilleri, and Faehse working together as a trio, and Camilleri was the group's lone front man. The singles continued with "Shape I'm In", "Puppet on a String", "I Will Return" and another album Hats Off Step Lively (August 1980). In July 1980, the band had been the opening act at the Oakland Coliseum, in San Francisco, supporting Journey
Journey
Journey may refer to:* Travel* Road trip* Dodge Journey, a 2009 mid-sized "crossover" vehicle, the brand's first* Journeys, a shoe store brand owned by Genesco- Literature :* Journey , a 1989 historical novel by James Michener...
, Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
and Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
. Camilleri told a hostile audience, which was throwing objects (including eggs) at the group, "Is it any wonder your parents lost the Vietnam War – you can't even shoot straight!" After the international experience the band started to lose some of its impetus. In June 1981, Camilleri pulled the band off the road. Young and Power joined Rock Doctors, and Wilde formed his own band, Big Kombi.
We could have done it if we'd kept punching, but the band actually disintegrated, basically, looking back, because we were too tired. We should have just taken a year off. But what happened was we were right at the end of the period when, in order to flog a record in the States, you were virtually out promoting the one you had out the year before. So it was a totally asynchronous situation. We were having to dig into what we viewed as archives when we went out of the country. So we were having to promote Screaming Targets when we already had Hats Off Step Lively out here. It was at a time of the most intense development of original material in the band's life so the result was extremely disruptive. – Camilleri
Camilleri, Burstin and Faehse gathered a new rhythm section featuring bassist Simon Gyllies (Mondo Rock
Mondo Rock
Mondo Rock is a rock band from Melbourne, Australia, most prominent in the early 1980s. The band was formed in late 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Ross Wilson.-Early years: 1976–1979:...
), and drummer Freddie Strauks (Skyhooks) and started exploring Latin American rhythms, particularly salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
. The 'Falcons' moniker was dropped, and they were known simply as Jo Jo Zep. The line-up had expanded to Camilleri, Burstin, Gyllies, Bill Canty on keyboards, Jane Clifton
Jane Clifton
Jane Clifton is a Gibraltar-born actress and singer who lived as a child in Cardiff, Wales. In 1961 she emigrated to Perth, Australia. Her best known acting role is probably that of tough prison bookie Margo Gaffney in Prisoner...
on vocals, Steven Ewart on brass, Des McKenna on drums, Keith Pereira on percussion, Ray Pereira on percussion, James Valentine on saxophone and Paul Williamson on brass.
Then I had a big hit with "Taxi Mary" but that was without the band, and "Walk On By", but it was too late really. I couldn't see myself playing in an 11 piece salsa band. It was only a minute in my life. I enjoyed the band and enjoyed the tour but I realised I didn't have my friends behind me anymore. I had to start again. Then I reunited with half the band at the start of what became The Black Sorrows. – Camilleri
The Jo Jo Zep album, Cha, was released in October 1982 with the single "Taxi Mary" reaching No. 11 on the Australian singles chart. While their cover version of "Walk On By" peaked at No. 6 in New Zealand in June 1983. The only credited band members on Cha were Camilleri, Burstin and Gyllies. Another Jo Jo Zep single, "Losing Game", was issued in 1983, together with ex-Split Enz
Split Enz
Split Enz were a New Zealand band of the 1970s and early 1980s featuring Phil Judd and brothers Tim Finn and Neil Finn. They achieved chart success in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada during the early 1980s ‒ most notably with the single "I Got You", and built a cult following elsewhere...
member, Eddie Rayner, Camilleri produced the single. "Losing Game" was released in the US but was the last single by that version of the group. In March 1984, Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons line-up of Burstin, Camilleri, Power, Wilde and Young reunited for an Australian tour to promoted the compilation album, Sound of Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons which had been issued in December 1983. This line-up issued a single, "Shape I'm In – Live" in 1984. Since 1983, Camilleri has led various musicians in The Black Sorrows
The Black Sorrows
The Black Sorrows are an Australian band founded by Joe Camilleri, the group's only constant member. Founded in 1983, The Black Sorrows are still active today, and are best remembered for their top 40 Australian hits of the late 1980s and early 1990s, including "Hold On To Me", "Chained To The...
, which has included Falcons' alumni: Burstin, Burt and Young as official members; and Faehse and Wilde as session musicians on recordings. According to Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, Jo Jo and the Falcons were initially a "funky, energetic R&B band" which "infused the music with large dose of reggae rhythms" and later was a "brass-driven, latin-styled big band".
Reformations
In 2003, Jo Jo Zep and The Falcons released a new studio album, Ricochet – it was instigated by Neil Mumme, organiser of the annual Great Southern Blues & Rockabilly Festival held annually in NaroomaNarooma, New South Wales
Narooma is a town in the Australian state of New South Wales on the far south coast. The town is on the Princes Highway. The name is said to be derived from the Aboriginal word meaning ‘clear blue waters’. At the 2006 census, Narooma had a population of 3,100 people.Montague Island, a National...
.
In '97 Joe came and blew the horn on the Johnnie Johnson tour, and because (bass player) John Power was also on tour (with his band The Hippos as the late Johnson's regular Australian backing band), I said to Joe "What about we get the Falcons back for a show?" and it was like the Joe Walsh line, "When Hell freezes over" but I chipped away at it for four years and they finally did it in 2001, the first show (Jo Jo Zep) had done in twenty years, and there was such a buzz out of that I said to them, "Why don't you make a record?" - Neil Mumme
The album was recorded at Camilleri's Woodstock Studios in Melbourne and released in September 2003. It was performed by the 'classic' 1977–1981 line-up: Camilleri on vocals and saxophone, Burstin on guitar, Faehse on guitar, Power on bass guitar, Wilde on saxophone, and Young on drums. Early Falcons' member, Burt, also contributed by writing two new compositions. After their appearance at Narooma they supported the album's release with a brief national tour into early 2004.
Hall of Fame
On 18 July 2007, Australian Recording Industry AssociationAustralian 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) inducted Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons into its 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...
. Also inducted that year were Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band, formed in Sydney in 1981, by the mainstay Dave Faulkner and later joined by Richard Grossman , Mark Kingsmill , and Brad Shepherd...
, Marcia Hines
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...
, Frank Ifield
Frank Ifield
Francis Edward Ifield is an early Australian-English easy listening and country music singer. He achieved considerable success in the early 1960s, especially in the UK Singles Chart, where he had four Number 1 hits between 1962 and 1963....
, Radio Birdman
Radio Birdman
Radio Birdman was one of the first punk bands in Australia along with The Saints. Deniz Tek and Rob Younger formed the group in Sydney, Australia in 1974...
and 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...
. According to Camilleri, "I always thought that I was the weak link in the band, that I wasn't good enough to be in it. I had some great moments, moments that I didn't deserve, and was just happy to tag along". Prior to the induction, Camilleri said "I'm chuffed. I think the Falcons did play a part in the Australian music explosion ... I'm happy it's been acknowledged. The Falcons were a band out of time. What we played wasn't what was being played. It was an R&B/reggae sound in the time of flares and funk and pop music. Somehow we slotted in." At the induction ceremony, Mark Seymour
Mark Seymour
Mark Seymour is an Australian musician and vocalist best known for his work as the frontman and songwriter of rock band Hunters & Collectors...
declared that Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons were an inspiration for the formation of his band, 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...
. For Young, it was his second induction in a row, his 2006 entry was as a member of Daddy Cool.
Members
Arranged chronologically:- Joe CamilleriJoe CamilleriJoseph Vincent "Joe" Camilleri, aka Jo Jo Zep or Joey Vincent, is an Australian vocalist, songwriter and saxophonist. Camilleri has recorded as a solo artist and as a member of Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons and The Black Sorrows...
– vocals, saxophone, guitar (1975–1984, 2001, 2003–2004, 2008, 2011) - John Power – bass guitar, vocals, backing vocals (1975–1982, 1984, 2001, 2003–2004, 2011)
- Jeff Burstin – guitar, backing vocals (1975–1984, 2001, 2003–2004, 2008, 2011)
- John McInerny – drums (1975)
- Peter Starkie – guitar (1975)
- Wayne Burt – vocals, guitar (1975–1977)
- Gary YoungGary Young (Australian musician)Gary Young was a founding member of Australian rock band Daddy Cool in which he played the drums and sang backing vocals. He also played drums with Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons amongst other bands...
– drums, backing vocals (1975–1982, 1984, 2001, 2003–2004, 2008, 2011) - Tony Faehse – guitar, backing vocals (1977–1982, 1984, 2001, 2003–2004, 2008, 2011)
- Wilbur WildeWilbur WildeWilbur Wilde is an Australian saxophonist. He rose to prominence with the bands Ol' 55, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons...
– saxophone, backing vocals (1977–1982, 1984, 2001, 2003–2004, 2008, 2011) - Sarah Buchanan – vocals (1982–1983)
- Bill Canty – keyboards (1982–1983)
- Jane CliftonJane CliftonJane Clifton is a Gibraltar-born actress and singer who lived as a child in Cardiff, Wales. In 1961 she emigrated to Perth, Australia. Her best known acting role is probably that of tough prison bookie Margo Gaffney in Prisoner...
– vocals, backing vocals (1982–1983) - Steve Ewart – trombone, keyboards (1982–1983)
- Simon Gyllies – bass guitar, backing vocals (1982–1983)
- Dezzy McKenna – drums (1982–1983)
- Keith Pereira – percussion (1982–1983)
- Ray Pereira – congas, timbales (1982–1983)
- Freddie Strauks – drums (1982–1983)
- James Valentine – saxophone (1982–1983)
- Paul Williamson – saxophone (1982–1983)
- Joe Creighton – bass guitar (2008)
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Chart peak positions | Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS 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... |
NZL |
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| 1977 | Don't Waste It
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| Whip It Out
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| 1979 | Screaming Targets
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... (L 36973) |
— | 25 | — |
| Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons
|
— | — | — | |
| 1980 | Hats Off Step Lively
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... (L 37321) |
— | — | — |
| 1981 | Step Lively
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company... (NFC 37047) |
— | — | — |
| 1982 | Cha (as Jo Jo Zep)
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... |
— | 33 | — |
| 2003 | Ricochet
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— | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart and/or did not receive certification. | ||||
Compilation albums
| Year | Album details | Chart peak positions | Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS 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... |
NZL |
|||
| 1983 | Sound of Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons
|
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| 1997 | Shape I'm In: The Complete Anthology
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... (MUSH33050 2) |
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| 2007 | I'm in a Dancing Mood: The Best of Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons
Warner Bros. Records Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies... (5144224252) |
— | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart and/or did not receive certification. | ||||
Live albums
| Year | Album details | Chart peak positions | Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS 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... |
NZL |
|||
| 1979 | Let's Drip Awhile
|
— | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart and/or did not receive certification. | ||||
Extended plays
| Year | Album details | Chart peak positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS 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... |
NZL |
||
| 1977 | Loud and Clear
|
53 | — |
| 1978 | So Young
|
— | — |
| 1981 | Dexterity
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... |
— | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart and/or did not receive certification. | |||
Singles
External links
- Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons, Bombay Rock: photo by Rennie EllisRennie EllisReynolds Mark "Rennie" Ellis was an Australian social and social documentary photographer who also worked, at various stages of his life, as an advertising copywriter, seaman, lecturer, and television presenter...
, 1980. Archived at State Library of VictoriaState Library of VictoriaThe State Library of Victoria is the central library of the state of Victoria, Australia, located in Melbourne. It is on the block bounded by Swanston, La Trobe, Russell, and Little Lonsdale streets, in the northern centre of the central business district...
.