Kevin Borich
Encyclopedia
Kevin Nicholas Borich is a New Zealand
-born Australian guitarist
and singer-songwriter
. He was a founding member and of The La De Das
, the leader of Kevin Borich Express, and a member of The Party Boys
, as well as a session musician for numerous acts.
Borich wrote "Gonna See My Baby Tonight", for The La De Das, which became a top 10 hit in 1971 on the Australian singles chart
. He performed at some of Australia's biggest Rock events including the 1972 Sunbury Pop Festival and the late 1970s Rockarena tours with 60,000 people, featuring Fleetwood Mac
, Santana
and The Little River Band. He played in two New Year's Eve celebrations at the Sydney Opera House
with 70,000 people as well as support shows for international acts including Elton John
, Status Quo, Jeff Beck
and Buddy Guy
.
Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane has described Borich as "one of the most celebrated guitar players in the history of Australian rock. He also remains an underrated songwriter, and his live reputation has rarely been reflected in record sales". His son Lucius Borich
joined Kevin Borich Express as a drummer
and was later a member of Sydney
-based progressive rock
band Cog
.
north west of Auckland
on New Zealand's North Island
, he attended secondary school at Rutherford High School in Te Atatu
, a suburb of Auckland. In 1961, at the age of 12, Borich recorded a private single on Astor Records
with two sisters, Judi Donaldson and Sue Donaldson (later as New Zealand duo, The Chicks). As a guitar
ist, Borich formed The Mergers in late 1963 with fellow students, Brett Neilsen on drums
and Trevor Wilson on bass guitar
. Initially they performed covers
of The Shadows
material as an instrumental
band after school and on week-ends.
ist Phil Key, The Mergers with Borich on lead guitar
/vocals, Neilsen on drums/vocals and Wilson on bass guitar, were eventually renamed as The La De Das
in 1964 in Auckland, New Zealand. In June 1965 they recorded their debut single, "Little Girl", and later that year added Bruce Howard on keyboards
. From 1966 to 1967 they had five New Zealand top 10 hits, "How is the Air Up There?", "On Top of the World", "Hey Baby", "All Purpose Low" and "Rosalie". By 1968 they were based in Sydney
and recorded their concept album
, The Happy Prince, in 1969 on EMI
. Line-up changes occurred with Borich and Key joined by Peter Roberts on bass guitar and Keith Barber on drums by 1971's Australian Kent Music Report
top 10 hit single, "Gonna See My Baby Tonight". It had been written by Borich, who had established a reputation as "Australia's guitar hero supremo" and regularly performed "All Along the Watchtower
" using Jimi Hendrix
' interpretation of the Bob Dylan
song to close The La De Das' live set. In late January 1972 they appeared at the inaugural, Sunbury Pop Festival and featured on the subsequent double album, Sunbury, released in October by EMI/HMV
. The La De Das recorded further albums and singles and despite critical acclaim had little chart success, only Borich remained throughout until he disbanded the group in 1975. After The La De Das, Borich toured with John Paul Young & the Allstars
for some months before forming a new band.
, lead vocals and occasional flute
with Harry Brus on bass guitar
(ex-Blackfeather
) and Barry Harvey on drums (Wild Cherries, Chain). They recorded a track, "The End of Me" before Brus and Harvey were soon replaced by Reuben San Fiansco on bass guitar and Gil Matthews on drums. Subsequent line-ups were typically a three piece with a succession of bass guitarist and drummers. They released their debut single, "Goin' Somewhere" in October using Fiansco, and John Annas on drums (Wendy Saddington Band
), following in March 1977 was their debut album, Celebration! with Annas, and Tim Partridge on bass guitar (Mighty Kong (band)
, The Johnny Rocco Band). The album was favoured by critics and peaked in the top 30 on the Australian albums charts
.
In early 1977, Borich supported the tour by UK rock guitarist, Jeff Beck
; this was followed in October by supporting the Rockarena tour with Santana
, Fleetwood Mac
and Little River Band
- Borich was invited on-stage to jam with Carlos Santana
. In May 1978, the band toured USA in support of Australian heavy rockers, AC/DC
, with Annas, Paul Christie on bass guitar and keyboard player
Tim Schafer (Gary Wright Band
). This line-up recorded, No Turning Back which was released in March 1979.
By mid-year, Partridge had returned with both Christie and Schafer departing, and together with Annas, Borich recorded Live!, using the 2JJ mobile studio equipment over performances in Melbourne and Wollongong. Live! contains one of the most incendiary and atmospheric versions of Little Red Rooster ever recorded along with a number of Borich standards.
In July, Kevin Borich Express appeared on Renée Geyer's
album, Blues License. A European tour by Kevin Borich Express resulted in a compilation album
being released in Germany. After the tour, John Watson (Heavy Division) replaced Annas on drums and the band recorded, Angel's Hand in November 1979. Similar line-up changes continued into the early 1980s with Michael Deep replacing Partridge in April 1980. This line-up collaborated with solo artist Dutch Tilders
to record Blues Had a Baby and They Called It Rock'n'Roll in 1981 on RCA Records
. Kerry Jacobsen (Dragon
) replaced Watson on drums for Shy Boys Shy Girls mini-LP
in late 1981. By mid-1982, Annas returned on drums, with Steve Balbi on bass guitar, and Andy Cowan on keyboards. Later that year, Borich on guitar joined The Party Boys
which was formed by previous band member Paul Christie (now ex-Mondo Rock
) on bass guitar, drums and backing vocals, Harvey James (Sherbet
) on guitar and Graham Bidstrup
(The Angels
) on drums. Initially a side-project, The Party Boys, had top 10 success with singles, "He's Gonna Step on You Again" (#1, 1987), "Hold Your Head Up" (#7, 1987) and albums, Live at Several 21sts (#9, 1983), The Party Boys
(#1, 1987). Consequently Kevin Borich Express output and touring was reduced during the 1980s. In 1989, Borich left The Party Boys and appeared in Jimmy Barnes band
for the 1990 Two Fires tour.
Borich won 'Best Guitarist' at the 1977 and 1978 Australian Rock Music Awards.
on Bass and his son Lucius Borich on Drums. This lineup released a double CD & DVD under the banner Borich X Borich Live At The Basement. KB still utilises a spectrum of Australia's best musicians at different times including, John Annas returning on drums with Ian Lees on bass guitar (ex-Moving Pictures
), and with two former members John Watson and Harry Brus. He released, Live at the Big Kahuna in 1995. A studio album was released in 1998, Heart Starter, appeared with Lucius Borich
of COG
on drums and Ben Rosen on bass guitar touring to promote it.
KB won the Heritage Award at the 1999 Australian Blues Music Festival and was inducted into the Australian Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 2003.
, on their 1990 album Hot Dogma
, have tracks called "Kevin Borich Expressionism" Parts 1, 2 and 4. On the Collected Recordings 1986-1993
Box Set there is a track called "Kevin Borich Expressionism".
Guest Session Musicians
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
-born Australian guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. He was a founding member and of The La De Das
The La De Das
The La De Das were a leading New Zealand rock band of the 1960s and early 1970s. Formed in New Zealand in 1963 , they enjoyed considerable success in both New Zealand and Australia until their split in 1975....
, the leader of Kevin Borich Express, and a member of The Party Boys
The Party Boys
The Party Boys was an Australian rock band with floating membership that existed from 1982 until 1992. Initially established by Mondo Rock bass player Paul Christie as a part-time venture for professional musicians with downtime from other projects, the group has boasted members from acts such as...
, as well as a session musician for numerous acts.
Borich wrote "Gonna See My Baby Tonight", for The La De Das, which became a top 10 hit in 1971 on the Australian singles chart
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...
. He performed at some of Australia's biggest Rock events including the 1972 Sunbury Pop Festival and the late 1970s Rockarena tours with 60,000 people, featuring Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
, Santana
Santana (band)
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
and The Little River Band. He played in two New Year's Eve celebrations at the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
with 70,000 people as well as support shows for international acts including Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Status Quo, Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
and Buddy Guy
Buddy Guy
George "Buddy" Guy is an American blues and jazz guitarist and singer. He is a critically acclaimed artist who has established himself as a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound, and has served as an influence to some of the most notable musicians of his generation...
.
Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane has described Borich as "one of the most celebrated guitar players in the history of Australian rock. He also remains an underrated songwriter, and his live reputation has rarely been reflected in record sales". His son Lucius Borich
Lucius Borich
Lucius Borich is an Australian musician, best known as the current drummer for the band Cog, and previously the drummer in funk metal band Juice and in The Hanging Tree.-Biography:...
joined Kevin Borich Express as a drummer
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and was later a member of 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...
-based 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 Cog
Cog (band)
Cog are an Australian progressive rock band that formed in 1998. Their debut album The New Normal was nominated for Triple J's 2005 J Award. The band's music draws influences from Tool, Isis, Nina Simone, Bob Marley, Leftfield, Deftones and Helmet...
.
Early years
Kevin Borich was born in 1948 in HuapaiHuapai
Huapai is a locality north-west of Auckland, New Zealand. State Highway 16 and the North Auckland Line pass through it. Kumeu is to the east, Riverhead to the north-east, and Waimauku to the west....
north west of Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
on New Zealand's North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
, he attended secondary school at Rutherford High School in Te Atatu
Te Atatu
Te Atatu is the name of two suburbs in western Auckland, New Zealand: Te Atatu Peninsula and Te Atatu South. They are located next to each other some 10 kilometres to the west of the Auckland city centre....
, a suburb of Auckland. In 1961, at the age of 12, Borich recorded a private single on Astor Records
Astor Records
Astor Records was an Australian recording company that operated from the 1960s to the early 1980s. Astor was originally a trademark of the consumer electronics industries ltd. Radio Corporation Pty. Ltd., makers of Astor radios and radiograms and a range of electronic companies including gereral...
with two sisters, Judi Donaldson and Sue Donaldson (later as New Zealand duo, The Chicks). As a guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist, Borich formed The Mergers in late 1963 with fellow students, Brett Neilsen on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and Trevor Wilson on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. Initially they performed covers
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of The Shadows
The Shadows
The Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
material as an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
band after school and on week-ends.
1964–1975: The La De Das
With the addition of vocalist/rhythm guitarRhythm 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...
ist Phil Key, The Mergers with Borich on 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...
/vocals, Neilsen on drums/vocals and Wilson on bass guitar, were eventually renamed as The La De Das
The La De Das
The La De Das were a leading New Zealand rock band of the 1960s and early 1970s. Formed in New Zealand in 1963 , they enjoyed considerable success in both New Zealand and Australia until their split in 1975....
in 1964 in Auckland, New Zealand. In June 1965 they recorded their debut single, "Little Girl", and later that year added Bruce Howard 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...
. From 1966 to 1967 they had five New Zealand top 10 hits, "How is the Air Up There?", "On Top of the World", "Hey Baby", "All Purpose Low" and "Rosalie". By 1968 they were based 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 recorded their concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, The Happy Prince, in 1969 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...
. Line-up changes occurred with Borich and Key joined by Peter Roberts on bass guitar and Keith Barber on drums by 1971's 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...
top 10 hit single, "Gonna See My Baby Tonight". It had been written by Borich, who had established a reputation as "Australia's guitar hero supremo" and regularly performed "All Along the Watchtower
All Along the Watchtower
"All Along the Watchtower" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. The song, which has been included on most of Dylan's greatest hits compilations, initially appeared on his 1967 album John Wesley Harding. Over the past 35 years, he has performed it in concert more...
" using Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
' interpretation of the Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
song to close The La De Das' live set. In late January 1972 they appeared at the inaugural, Sunbury Pop Festival and featured on the subsequent double album, Sunbury, released in October by EMI/HMV
HMV
His Master's Voice is a trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone...
. The La De Das recorded further albums and singles and despite critical acclaim had little chart success, only Borich remained throughout until he disbanded the group in 1975. After The La De Das, Borich toured with John Paul Young & the Allstars
John Paul Young
John Paul Young is an Australian pop singer who had a 1978 worldwide hit with "Love Is in the Air"...
for some months before forming a new band.
1976–1989: Kevin Borich Express to The Party Boys
Kevin Borich Express was formed in early 1976 by Borich on lead guitarLead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, lead vocals and occasional flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
with Harry Brus on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(ex-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...
) and Barry Harvey on drums (Wild Cherries, Chain). They recorded a track, "The End of Me" before Brus and Harvey were soon replaced by Reuben San Fiansco on bass guitar and Gil Matthews on drums. Subsequent line-ups were typically a three piece with a succession of bass guitarist and drummers. They released their debut single, "Goin' Somewhere" in October using Fiansco, and John Annas on drums (Wendy Saddington Band
Wendy Saddington
Wendy June Saddington is an Australian blues / soul / jazz singer and was in the bands Chain, Copperwine and the Wendy Saddington Band. She wrote for teen pop newspaper Go-Set from September 1969 – September 1970 as an agony aunt in her weekly "Takes Care of Business" column and as a...
), following in March 1977 was their debut album, Celebration! with Annas, and Tim Partridge on bass guitar (Mighty Kong (band)
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...
, The Johnny Rocco Band). The album was favoured by critics and peaked in the top 30 on the Australian albums charts
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
.
In early 1977, Borich supported the tour by UK rock guitarist, Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
; this was followed in October by supporting the Rockarena tour with Santana
Santana (band)
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
, Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
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...
- Borich was invited on-stage to jam with Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
. In May 1978, the band toured USA in support of Australian heavy rockers, 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"...
, with Annas, Paul Christie on bass guitar and keyboard player
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...
Tim Schafer (Gary Wright Band
Gary Wright
Gary Malcolm Wright is an American musician, best known for his song, "Dream Weaver". He was the piano player on Harry Nilsson's version of "Without You".-Early life:...
). This line-up recorded, No Turning Back which was released in March 1979.
By mid-year, Partridge had returned with both Christie and Schafer departing, and together with Annas, Borich recorded Live!, using the 2JJ mobile studio equipment over performances in Melbourne and Wollongong. Live! contains one of the most incendiary and atmospheric versions of Little Red Rooster ever recorded along with a number of Borich standards.
In July, Kevin Borich Express appeared on Renée Geyer's
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...
album, Blues License. A European tour by Kevin Borich Express resulted in a compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
being released in Germany. After the tour, John Watson (Heavy Division) replaced Annas on drums and the band recorded, Angel's Hand in November 1979. Similar line-up changes continued into the early 1980s with Michael Deep replacing Partridge in April 1980. This line-up collaborated with solo artist Dutch Tilders
Dutch Tilders
Dutch Tilders was a Netherlands-born Australian blues musician.-Biography:...
to record Blues Had a Baby and They Called It Rock'n'Roll in 1981 on RCA Records
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
. Kerry Jacobsen (Dragon
Dragon (band)
Dragon is a popular New Zealand rock band, they were formed in Auckland, New Zealand in January 1972 and relocated to Sydney, Australia in May 1975. They were previously led by singer Marc Hunter and are currently led by his brother bass player Todd Hunter...
) replaced Watson on drums for Shy Boys Shy Girls mini-LP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
in late 1981. By mid-1982, Annas returned on drums, with Steve Balbi on bass guitar, and Andy Cowan on keyboards. Later that year, Borich on guitar joined The Party Boys
The Party Boys
The Party Boys was an Australian rock band with floating membership that existed from 1982 until 1992. Initially established by Mondo Rock bass player Paul Christie as a part-time venture for professional musicians with downtime from other projects, the group has boasted members from acts such as...
which was formed by previous band member Paul Christie (now ex-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:...
) on bass guitar, drums and backing vocals, Harvey James (Sherbet
Sherbet (band)
Sherbet was one of the most prominent and successful Australian rock bands of the 1970s. Their biggest singles were "Summer Love" and "Howzat" , both reaching number one in Australia. "Howzat" was also a top 5 hit in the UK. Though the band's success in the U.S...
) on guitar and Graham Bidstrup
Graham Bidstrup
Graham "Buzz" Bidstrup is an Australian musician, songwriter, music producer and artist manager. He has been a member of The Angels, The Party Boys and Gang Gajang. He has managed Jimmy Little, Nathan Cavaleri and Diana Ah Naid. He is part of the management team for the Jimmy Little Foundation.-The...
(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...
) on drums. Initially a side-project, The Party Boys, had top 10 success with singles, "He's Gonna Step on You Again" (#1, 1987), "Hold Your Head Up" (#7, 1987) and albums, Live at Several 21sts (#9, 1983), The Party Boys
The Party Boys (album)
The Party Boys is self-titled album by Australian rock band The Party Boys. It was the band's first and only studio album. Tracks 2, 4, 5 and 8 were originals, the rest of the songs were originally recorded by : Argent, John Kongos, Them, The Angels, La De Da's and AC/DC, however "It Could Have...
(#1, 1987). Consequently Kevin Borich Express output and touring was reduced during the 1980s. In 1989, Borich left The Party Boys and appeared in Jimmy Barnes band
Jimmy Barnes
James Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...
for the 1990 Two Fires tour.
Borich won 'Best Guitarist' at the 1977 and 1978 Australian Rock Music Awards.
1990–current
Borich continues to perform at Australian and international events in 2011 wooing audience with his flawless shows featuring long time friend Harry BrusHarry Brus
Harry Brus is an Australian bass player and guitarist, best known for his work with Matt Finish, Kevin Borich, Renée Geyer, Australian Crawl, Leo Sayer, Marcia Hines, Jimmy Barnes, Ross Wilson and Billy Thorpe....
on Bass and his son Lucius Borich on Drums. This lineup released a double CD & DVD under the banner Borich X Borich Live At The Basement. KB still utilises a spectrum of Australia's best musicians at different times including, John Annas returning on drums with Ian Lees on bass guitar (ex-Moving Pictures
Moving Pictures (band)
Moving Pictures was a rock music band formed in Sydney, Australia in 1980. They are best known for their hit single, "What About Me" and multi-platinum album Days of Innocence, both of which topped the charts in Australia.-Biography:...
), and with two former members John Watson and Harry Brus. He released, Live at the Big Kahuna in 1995. A studio album was released in 1998, Heart Starter, appeared with Lucius Borich
Lucius Borich
Lucius Borich is an Australian musician, best known as the current drummer for the band Cog, and previously the drummer in funk metal band Juice and in The Hanging Tree.-Biography:...
of COG
Cog
Cog may refer to:* A part of a gear system* Cog , a small sailing vessel* A tenon that extends all the way through another piece of wood, in joinery* The evil robots in Toontown Online...
on drums and Ben Rosen on bass guitar touring to promote it.
KB won the Heritage Award at the 1999 Australian Blues Music Festival and was inducted into the Australian Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 2003.
Cultural influences
Australian band TISMTISM
TISM was a seven piece anonymous alternative rock band from Melbourne, Australia. The group was formed in 1982 and enjoyed a large underground/independent following. Their third album Machiavelli and the Four Seasons reached the Australian national top 10 in 1995...
, on their 1990 album Hot Dogma
Hot Dogma
Hot Dogma, released in 1990, is the second full-length album by anonymous Australian band TISM. It was their major record debut on Phonogram Records. The title comes from a joining of the two phrases Hot Dog, a snack, and Dogma, a specific religious belief...
, have tracks called "Kevin Borich Expressionism" Parts 1, 2 and 4. On the Collected Recordings 1986-1993
Collected Recordings 1986-1993
Collected Recordings 1986-1993 was a 4 CD box set that was released in 1995 by anonymous Australian band TISM. It contained their first four albums, remastered and with bonus content, and a 28 page booklet detailing the history of TISM up to 1995...
Box Set there is a track called "Kevin Borich Expressionism".
Private life
Borich has been married twice and has six children, the youngest three with his second wife Melissa Borich. He was diagnosed with Nasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in May 2005 and undertook radiation and chemotherapies for the cancer. The treatments resulted in the loss of his salivary glands and some hearing.Kevin Borich Express members
- Kevin Borich — lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, lead vocals, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening... - Harry BrusHarry BrusHarry Brus is an Australian bass player and guitarist, best known for his work with Matt Finish, Kevin Borich, Renée Geyer, Australian Crawl, Leo Sayer, Marcia Hines, Jimmy Barnes, Ross Wilson and Billy Thorpe....
— bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Barry HarveyBarry HarveyBarry Kenneth Harvey is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country in three Test matches, including matches that counted towards the 1988 World Cup.-Playing career:...
— drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Reuben San Fiansco — bass guitar
- Gil Matthews — drums
- John Annas — drums
- Tim Partridge — bass guitar
- Tim AyersTim AyersTimothy "Tim" Frederick Ayers served as Mayor and City Commissioner of Springfield, Ohio from 1984-1990. He previously served as the Legislative Message Clerk of the Ohio House of Representatives for the 113th General Assembly and Small Business Manager for the Nashville Chamber of...
— bass guitar - Bob Jackson — bass guitar
- Paul ChristiePaul ChristiePaul Christie is a municipal politician and administrator in Ontario, Canada. He served as a Toronto and Metro Councillor for the Metro ward of East Toronto from 1985–1997 and as supervisor of the Toronto District School Board for the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 school years.Christie was born in...
— bass guitar - Tim SchaferTim SchaferTimothy Schafer is an American computer game designer. He founded Double Fine Productions in January 2000, after having spent over a decade at LucasArts...
— keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Lindsay Osbourne — bass guitar
- John WatsonJohn WatsonJohn Watson may refer to:In politics:* John Christian Watson , known as Chris Watson, Australia's third Prime Minister* John Bertrand Watson , British Member of Parliament for Stockton-on-Tees, 1917–1923* John S...
— drums - Michael Deep — bass guitar
- Kerry JacobsonKerry JacobsonKerry Jacobson is a musician, educator and former drummer of New Zealand rock band Dragon from 1976–1983 and again playing at their 30 year reunion and at the 2008 ARIA Hall of Fame in Melbourne, Australia.- Career :...
— drums - Steve BalbiSteve BalbiSteve Balbi played bass in the hit-making Australian band Noiseworks, and was also in Electric Hippies along with fellow Noiseworks member Justin Stanley. Prior to Noiseworks, he was in Rose Tattoo, and prior to Rose Tattoo was in a band with his cousins called The Apaches. They performed 'Fox on...
— bass guitar - Andy Cowan — keyboards
- Adrian Cannon — drums
- Ian Lees — bass guitar
- Lucius BorichLucius BorichLucius Borich is an Australian musician, best known as the current drummer for the band Cog, and previously the drummer in funk metal band Juice and in The Hanging Tree.-Biography:...
— drums - Ben Rosen — bass guitar
- Mick Skelton — drums
Guest Session Musicians
- Renee GeyerRenée GeyerRenée 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...
(Shy Boys, Shy Girls, Blues License) - Mark HunterMark HunterMark Hunter may refer to:* Mark Hunter , former Australian rules footballer with Footscray* Mark Hunter , retired NHL ice hockey player and London Knights GM...
(Shy Boys, Shy Girls) - SwaneeSwaneeSwanee may refer to:* "Swanee", a song by George Gershwin and Irving Caesar; made popular by Al Jolson* Suwanee River, misspelled by Stephen Foster in writing "Old Folks at Home".* Swanee , an Australian rock singer...
(Shy Boys, Shy Girls) - Marcus Hinder (Shy Boys, Shy Girls)
- Dutch TildersDutch TildersDutch Tilders was a Netherlands-born Australian blues musician.-Biography:...
(The Blues Had a Baby)
Guitars
- Gibson FirebirdGibson FirebirdThe Gibson Firebird is a solid-body electric guitar manufactured by Gibson from 1963 to the present.-History:The Gibson Guitar Corporation released several new styles during the 1950s to compete with Fender's instruments, such as the Telecaster and Stratocaster. After success with the Les Paul in...
- USA Custom Fender StratocasterFender StratocasterThe Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
- Gibson SGGibson SGAt the launch of the SG in 1961, Gibson offered four variants of the SG; the SG Junior , the SG Special, the SG Standard, and the top-of-the-line SG Custom. However, Gibson's current core variants as of 2010 are the SG Standard and the SG Special...
- Gibson FirebirdGibson FirebirdThe Gibson Firebird is a solid-body electric guitar manufactured by Gibson from 1963 to the present.-History:The Gibson Guitar Corporation released several new styles during the 1950s to compete with Fender's instruments, such as the Telecaster and Stratocaster. After success with the Les Paul in...
- National Steel circa 1930
Awards
- 1977 - Australian Rock Music Awards - Best Guitarist
- 1978 - Australian Rock Music Awards - Best Guitarist
- 1978 - Concert of The Year Award (Marconi Club)
- 1983 - Ampex Golden Reel Award
- 1983 - The Party Boys - LP EMI Gold Record
- 1983 - Live at Several 21st (Party Boys) EMI Gold Record
- 1987 - He's Gonna Step on You (Party Boys) EMI Gold Record
- 1999 - Australian Blues Music Festival - Heritage Award
- 2003 – Australian Blues Foundation – Hall of Fame
Discography
- Live!
- Gonna See My Baby Tonight
- How Is The Air Up There
- Don't You Stand In My Way backed with I Take What I Want
- On Top Of The World. The single was released in November 1966
- 'La De Da's' LP was released prior to Christmas 1966 and sold out of its first pressing.
- Shy Boys, Shy Girls (Mini Album)
- Celebration
- No Turning Back
- Angels Hand
- Blues License (with Renee Geyer)
- The Blues Had a Baby (with Dutch Tilders)
- Collections Greatest Hits - Mushroom Milestones Compilation
- Live at the Big Kahuna
- Heart Starter (Live)
- Borich X Borich (Live)
- Nomad (Live)