Models (band)
Encyclopedia
Models were an alternative rock
group formed in Melbourne, Australia, in August 1978 and went into hiatus in 1988. They are often incorrectly referred to as The Models. They re-formed in 2000, 2006 and 2008 to perform reunion concerts. "Out of Mind, Out of Sight
", their only No. 1 hit, appeared on the Australian singles charts in July 1985. The related album, Out of Mind, Out of Sight
, peaked at No. 3 on the Australian albums charts after its release in August. Out of Mind, Out of Sight appeared on the Billboard 200
albums chart, with the single, "Out of Mind, Out of Sight", peaking at No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100
singles chart. An earlier song from the same album, "Barbados", had peaked at No. 2 on the Australian singles chart.
Models early line-up included Andrew Duffield on keyboards
, Mark Ferrie on bass guitar
, Janis Friedenfelds (aka Johnny Crash) on drums
and percussion
, and Sean Kelly
on vocals and lead guitar
. A later line-up was mainstay Kelly on guitar, James Freud
on vocals and bass, Roger Mason
on keyboards, Barton Price on drums, and James Valentine
on saxophone
. Backing singers in the group included Zan Abeyratne
and Kate Ceberano
(both from I'm Talking
) and Canadian-born Wendy Matthews
. In early 1989, Duffield, Kelly, Matthews and Valentine were members of Absent Friends
. On 27 October 2010, Models were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame
by Matthews.
, New Wave
bands, two of these were Teenage Radio Stars which included singer and guitarist Sean Kelly
and bass guitarist Peter Sutcliffe (aka Pierre Voltaire); and JAB
which included Ash Wednesday
on keyboards, Sutcliffe and Janis Friedenfelds (aka Johnny Crash) on drums and percussion. Models formed in August with Friedenfelds, Kelly, Sutcliffe, and Wednesday, they were more pop influenced than the earlier punk bands and had a wider appeal. The initial version of the group did not stay together for long as Sutcliffe was soon replaced on bass guitar by Mark Ferrie (ex-Myriad), then in August 1979, Wednesday was replaced by Andrew Duffield (born on 9 February 1958) from Whirlywirld
on keyboards. Their first release in October 1979 was a give-away, shared single, "Early Morning Brain (It's Not Quite the Same as Sobriety)" backed with The Boys Next Door's "Scatterbrain". Friction within the band led to their break-up in November. Ex-The Easybeats
members, Harry Vanda and George Young
, who were now record producers and songwriters, asked Models to cut some demos – so they reformed at the end of December. Their second single, "Owe You Nothing" appeared in August 1980. Both singles were released on independent labels and did not chart on the Top 40 Australian singles chart according to the Kent Music Report
.
, The B-52's
, XTC
, The Vapors
and Midnight Oil
on national tours. Rather than signing immediately, the group financed the recording of their first album to guarantee creative control. In November 1980, the Duffield, Ferrie, Friedenfelds and Kelly line-up released their first album, Alphabravocharliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf
. They then signed to Mushroom Records
and, as a sign of its respect for the band, the label agreed not to release any singles from the album, which peaked at No. 43 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. It was well received by audiences on the live pub circuit
. The group intended to record completely new material for their studio albums. Much of their earlier work was unreleased until 2002, when Models Melbourne, a compilation album
of live material, was released.
Models' early style was a spiky, distinctive blend of New Wave, glam rock
, dub
and pop
: which included Kelly's strangled singing voice, Duffield's virtuoso synthesiser performances (he used the EMS Synthi AKS
, as used by Pere Ubu
on their Dub Housing
), and the band's cryptic, slightly gruesome, lyrics (e.g. "Hans Stand: A War Record" from Alphabravocharliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf), which were mostly written or co-written by Kelly.
Early in 1981, following a support slot for The Police
, the group signed an international deal with A&M Records
. Friedenfelds was replaced on drums by Mark Hough (aka Buster Stiggs) from New Zealand band The Swingers
before recording commenced on their international label release. Friedenfields went on to play with Sacred Cowboys
, Beasts of Bourbon
, The Slaughterman and Tombstone Heads. In June, the demo sessions for the new album so impressed the band that they were released as a 10" album, Cut Lunch
, which were produced by Tony Cohen and Models except one by Split Enz
keyboard player Eddie Rayner
. Cut Lunch peaked at No. 37 on the albums chart and at No. 38 on the singles chart. It included the whimsical pop tune, "Two Cabs to the Toucan". In October, their second full-length album Local &/or General
, was released, it had been recorded in the United Kingdom with Stephen Tayler
producing. Local and/or General peaked at No. 30 and provided the single, "Local &/or General" in November, which did not chart.
Both albums helped widen their audience nationally, thanks to regular radio exposure on Triple J
in Sydney and on community stations in other cities, as well as national TV exposure through their innovative music video
s on programs such as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
(ABC-TV) pop music
show Countdown.
During 1982, further line-up changes occurred with Ferrie and Hough leaving early in the year. Ferrie went on to form Sacred Cowboys
with Garry Gray and Terry Doolan and, as of November 2010, he played bass guitar in the RocKwiz
house band on SBS
TV. Hough became a graphic artist, art director and designer. James Freud
(ex-Teenage Radio Stars, James Freud & Berlin) joined the band on bass guitar and vocals, with John Rowell on guitar and Graham Scott on drums (both ex-Curse). Kelly and Freud had been in high school bands which developed into Teenage Radio Stars. Freud had a solo hit single, "Modern Girl", which peaked at No. 12 in 1980. Rowell and Scott left Models in May 1982, with Duffield following. New Zealand drummer, Barton Price (ex-Crocodiles, Sardine v
) joined. They recorded a single, "On", produced by veteran rocker, Lobby Loyde
, and released in August. It had no mainstream chart success, but peaked at No. 1 on the independent charts. Gus Till (ex-Beargarden
) briefly joined on keyboards until Duffield rejoined in December. In 1982 they made a film, Pop Movie, which featured animation and live footage of the band, it was screened on TV rock show, Nightmoves, as well as at a few cinemas.
. Its big drum sound and dance-ability, reflected Launay's influence, and Freud's more radio-friendly voice made the album more accessible. The album was critically acclaimed and peaked at No. 12, with the single "I Hear Motion" becoming a No. 16 hit. Duffield later explained that the song's distinctive keyboard part had been inspired by a riff from Stevie Wonder
's hit "Superstition
". "I Hear Motion" was used on the soundtrack for the Yahoo Serious
film Young Einstein
(1988). The band released two other singles, "God Bless America" and "No Shoulders, No Head", but neither charted into the Top 50. The band supported David Bowie
for the Australian leg of his Serious Moonlight Tour
in November. Kelly and Duffield were invited to sing backing vocals on the INXS
album, The Swing
. The video for "God Bless America", from March 1984, featured backing singers Zan Abeyratne
and Kate Ceberano
(both members of I'm Talking
). Kelly appeared ready to disband Models and was even rehearsing with a new band. Mushroom Records convinced him to continue with Models and their next single, "Big on Love" produced by Reggie Lucas
, was released in November 1984 and peaked at No. 24.
Fellow Australian band INXS were fans of Models, their manager, Chris Murphy signed them to his MMA management company. The group created a hybrid of their alternative roots with a more commercial sound and, under the influence of Murphy, they reassessed their direction and moved towards to a more radio-friendly format. By late 1984, Models relocated to Sydney and Duffield – with his crucial influence on the band's sound – was forced out by Murphy under acrimonious circumstances to be replaced by Roger Mason
(ex-James Freud's Berlin) on keyboards and James Valentine on saxophone
. Duffield released a solo album, Ten Happy Fingers in 1986 on his own Retrograde Records label. For touring during 1983 to 1985, the group was regularly augmented by backing singers Abeyratne and Ceberano; and in 1985, Canadian-born singer Wendy Matthews
joined. Matthews and Kelly became a couple, remaining together for 11 years, and later founded the band Absent Friends
.
In early 1985, Models started recording material for their next album, Out of Mind, Out of Sight
, produced by Launay, Lucas and Mark Opitz
. A single from the album, "Barbados", was released in March, which peaked at No. 2. It was a reggae influenced song co-written by Freud and Duffield (prior to his departure). The song related a tale of alcoholism and suicide, it later provided Freud with the titles of his two autobiographies, I Am the Voice Left from Drinking (2002) and I Am the Voice Left from Rehab (2007). The video clip was influenced by the film, The Deer Hunter
, it included a cameo by Garry Gary Beers of INXS and was directed by Richard Lowenstein
.
On 13 July, Models performed four songs for the Oz for Africa
concert (part of the global Live Aid
program) – "Big on Love", "I Hear Motion", "Stormy Tonight", "Out of Mind, Out of Sight
". It was broadcast in Australia (on both Seven Network
and Nine Network
) and on MTV
in the United States. Models went on a national tour with I'm Talking in July. In November, the band appeared on The Royal Variety Performance for Prince Charles
and Princess Diana
– Rocking the Royals at the Victoria State Arts Centre
. The band released their most commercially successful work with the No. 1 hit single "Out of Mind, Out of Sight" in July and the No. 3 album Out of Mind, Out of Sight in August. "Out of Mind, Out of Sight" was the only No. 1 single on the Australian singles chart for 1985 by an Australian artist. (Midnight Oil
's Species Deceases
which peaked at No. 1 on the singles charts in December 1985 was an EP
.) For the album, Models were Freud, Kelly, Mason, Matthews, Price and Valentine with Zan Abeyratne, and her twin sister, Sherine Abeyratne (Big Pig
) on backing vocals.
"Cold Fever" released in October was their next single, which peaked into the Top 40. It was followed by a Christmas single, "King of Kings", which contains portions of a speech by Martin Luther King, issued in December with all proceeds donated to the Salvation Army
, but it did not chart into the Top 50. In 1986, Geffen Records
released Out of Mind, Out of Sight in the US and it appeared on the Billboard 200
albums chart, with the single, "Out of Sight, Out of Mind", peaking at No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100
singles chart. The band toured the US in November supporting Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
.
, with Julian Mendelsohn and Opitz, at Trevor Horn
's state-of-the-art SARM West Studios in London. Two singles peaked into the Top 30, "Evolution" in September, and "Let's Kiss" in November. Models' Media was released in December and peaked at No. 30 but was less successful than Out of Mind, Out of Sight. Models also featured on the Australian Made Tour
of late 1986 to January 1987 with INXS, Mental as Anything
, The Triffids
, I'm Talking, The Saints
, Divinyls
and Jimmy Barnes
on the ticket. "Hold On" was released in March 1987 and peaked in the Top 30, their final single was a cover
of The Beatles
' "Oh! Darling
" in September which peaked in the Top 50.
During 1987, Ceberano and Matthews sang together on the soundtrack for ABC-TV series, Stringer, the resultant album, You've Always Got the Blues was released in 1988, and peaked at No. 4 on the albums chart. Models members, including Mason as lead singer and Kelly on bass guitar, formed a side-project, The Clampetts, to record covers of nine country music
tracks, which was released in 1987 as The Last Hoedown. Valentine left Models to pursue a radio and television journalism career.
In 1988, the Thank You Goodnight Tour was conducted but the pressures of ten years of touring, as well as financial troubles, hastened the break-up of Models, which was announced in June 1988, however in 2008, Kelly disputed the break-up:
Kelly and Matthews formed Absent Friends in early 1989 which included ex-Models members Duffield, Mason and Valentine. With Matthews on lead vocals their 1990 hit single, "I Don’t Want to Be with Nobody but You" peaked at No. 4 on the ARIA Charts
. The associated album, Here's Looking Up Your Address
peaked at No. 7. Absent Friends disbanded in 1991 and Kelly fronted The Dukes
from 1991 to 1994. Matthews provided a No. 11 hit with her first solo album Émigré late in 1990. She followed with Lily, which peaked at No. 2 in 1992, and provided her best performed single, "The Day You Went Away", which also peaked at No. 2. Matthews and Kelly separated as a couple in the mid-1990s.
Duffield wrote music (including the theme) for the Australian children's TV series, Round the Twist
; and in 2007 composed all music and sound effects for the TV comedy, Kick
. Duffield teamed up with Phil Kennihan to found a successful advertising music partnership.
Mason has composed soundtracks for many feature films and television series both locally and internationally. Valentine later worked in children's TV, was a popular radio host on 702 ABC Sydney
and published a successful series of children's books. Price returned to New Zealand after stints with various Australian bands, and the world's first drum sample CD. Wednesday formed Crashland and plays with German avant garde band Einstürzende Neubauten
.
Various versions of Models have reformed on several occasions for short tours, including in 2006 and in September 2008. The 2008 version was: Kelly, Freud, his son Jackson Freud (from Attack of the Mannequins) on guitar, Tim Rosewarne (ex-Big Pig
, Chocolate Starfish
) on keyboards and Cameron Goold (Propaganda Klann, Christine Anu
backing band) on drums. In August 2010, Duffield, Ferrie, Kelly and Price reformed for two concerts in Sydney and Melbourne. On 27 October, Models were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame
by Matthews. The line-up of Duffield, Ferrie, Kelly, Mason, Price and Valentine performed "I Hear Motion" and "Evolution". Matthews recalled meeting the group for the first time at a recording session – she was due to provide backing vocals but they were busy playing indoor cricket in the studio. During the ceremony, Kelly explained Freud's absence by saying he had "another bicycle accident". A week later, Freud was found dead at his Hawthorn
home on 4 November in a suspected suicide.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
group formed in Melbourne, Australia, in August 1978 and went into hiatus in 1988. They are often incorrectly referred to as The Models. They re-formed in 2000, 2006 and 2008 to perform reunion concerts. "Out of Mind, Out of Sight
Out of Mind, Out of Sight (song)
"Out of Mind, Out of Sight" is a single by Australian New Wave rock band Models from their album Out of Mind, Out of Sight. It was released in July 1985 and was their most successful single, which peaked at No. 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart...
", their only No. 1 hit, appeared on the Australian singles charts in July 1985. The related album, Out of Mind, Out of Sight
Out of Mind, Out of Sight (album)
Out of Mind, Out of Sight is the fourth studio album by Australian New Wave rock band Models, it was their most successful album and peaked at #3 on the Australian albums chart...
, peaked at No. 3 on the Australian albums charts after its release in August. Out of Mind, Out of Sight appeared on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
albums chart, with the single, "Out of Mind, Out of Sight", peaking at No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
singles chart. An earlier song from the same album, "Barbados", had peaked at No. 2 on the Australian singles chart.
Models early line-up included Andrew Duffield 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...
, Mark Ferrie on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Janis Friedenfelds (aka Johnny Crash) 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 percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, and Sean Kelly
Sean Kelly (Australian musician)
Sean Patrick Kelly Born 9 November 1958, is an Australian singer, guitarist and song writer best known as a founding member of the bands Models, Absent Friends and The Dukes.-Biography:...
on vocals and 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...
. A later line-up was mainstay Kelly on guitar, James Freud
James Freud
James Randall Freud was an Australian rock musician-songwriter. He was a member of Models during the 1980s and wrote their two most popular singles, "Barbados" and "Out of Mind, Out of Sight"....
on vocals and bass, Roger Mason
Roger Mason (musician)
Roger Ashley Mason is an Australian keyboardist who has been a member of New Wave groups Models, Absent Friends and Icehouse. He was a session and backing musician for United Kingdom's Gary Numan and for various Australian artists...
on keyboards, Barton Price on drums, and James Valentine
James Valentine (Australian musician)
James Valentine is an Australian journalist, musician, and radio and television presenter.As a musician, Valentine has worked with Australian artists such as Kate Ceberano and Joe Camilleri. In 1984 he joined the band Models and played with them until they broke up in 1988...
on saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
. Backing singers in the group included Zan Abeyratne
Zan Abeyratne
Suzanne "Zan" Abeyratne or simply Zan is an Australian-raised singer born in London. Known for her beautifully soulful voice, Zan came to prominence as one of the female lead vocalists of the 1980s Australian band, I'm Talking, which included the equally powerful vocal skills of Kate Ceberano.Along...
and Kate Ceberano
Kate Ceberano
Kate Ceberano is an Australian singer. She achieved success in the soul, jazz and pop genres as well as in her brief forays into musicals with Jesus Christ Superstar and film...
(both from I'm Talking
I'm Talking
I'm Talking was a 1980s Australian funk-pop rock band, which featured vocalists Kate Ceberano and Zan Abeyratne. They formed in 1983 in Melbourne and provided top ten hit singles "Trust Me", "Do You Wanna Be?" and "Holy Word" and a top fifteen album, Bear Witness, before disbanding in...
) and Canadian-born Wendy Matthews
Wendy Matthews
Wendy Joan Matthews is an Australian adult alternative pop singer originally from Canada who has been a member of Models and Absent Friends and is a solo artist...
. In early 1989, Duffield, Kelly, Matthews and Valentine were members of Absent Friends
Absent Friends (band)
Absent Friends were an ARIA Award winning band from Sydney, Australia. The band was relatively short lived, forming in 1989 and disbanding in 1990...
. On 27 October 2010, Models were 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...
by Matthews.
1978–79: Early years
Models were formed in 1978, in Melbourne they developed from an environment of numerous punkPunk 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...
, New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
bands, two of these were Teenage Radio Stars which included singer and guitarist Sean Kelly
Sean Kelly (Australian musician)
Sean Patrick Kelly Born 9 November 1958, is an Australian singer, guitarist and song writer best known as a founding member of the bands Models, Absent Friends and The Dukes.-Biography:...
and bass guitarist Peter Sutcliffe (aka Pierre Voltaire); and JAB
JAB
JAB was an Australian punk rock that band formed in Adelaide in 1976. The band's original lineup consisted of Bohdan X on guitar and vocals, Ash Wednesday playing bass guitar, synthesizer and tapes, and Johnny Crash on drums and vocals. The band took its name from the first initials of the...
which included Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (musician)
Ash Wednesday is an Australian musician, who played in JAB, the Models and Einstürzende Neubauten.-Biography:Wednesday formed an Australian punk rock band in Adelaide in January 1976...
on keyboards, Sutcliffe and Janis Friedenfelds (aka Johnny Crash) on drums and percussion. Models formed in August with Friedenfelds, Kelly, Sutcliffe, and Wednesday, they were more pop influenced than the earlier punk bands and had a wider appeal. The initial version of the group did not stay together for long as Sutcliffe was soon replaced on bass guitar by Mark Ferrie (ex-Myriad), then in August 1979, Wednesday was replaced by Andrew Duffield (born on 9 February 1958) from Whirlywirld
Whirlywirld
Whirlywirld was an Australian post punk band led by Ollie Olsen in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and the first of his musical collaborations with drummer John Murphy...
on keyboards. Their first release in October 1979 was a give-away, shared single, "Early Morning Brain (It's Not Quite the Same as Sobriety)" backed with The Boys Next Door's "Scatterbrain". Friction within the band led to their break-up in November. 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...
members, Harry Vanda and George Young
Vanda & Young
Vanda & Young are Harry Vanda , and George Young...
, who were now record producers and songwriters, asked Models to cut some demos – so they reformed at the end of December. Their second single, "Owe You Nothing" appeared in August 1980. Both singles were released on independent labels and did not chart on the Top 40 Australian singles chart according to the Kent Music Report
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
.
1980–82: Alphabravocharliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf to Local and/or General
Models performed extensively both locally and interstate, supporting the RamonesRamones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
, The B-52's
The B-52's
The B-52's are an American rock band, formed in Athens, Georgia in 1976. The original line-up consisted of Fred Schneider , Kate Pierson , Cindy Wilson , Ricky Wilson , and Keith Strickland . Following Ricky Wilson's death in 1985 Strickland switched to guitar...
, XTC
XTC
XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
, The Vapors
The Vapors
The Vapors were a New Wave and power pop band from England, that existed between 1979 and 1981. They had a hit with the song "Turning Japanese" in 1980, which reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart, and #36 in the U.S...
and Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
on national tours. Rather than signing immediately, the group financed the recording of their first album to guarantee creative control. In November 1980, the Duffield, Ferrie, Friedenfelds and Kelly line-up released their first album, Alphabravocharliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf
Alphabravocharliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf
Alphabravocharliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf is the first album by Australian New Wave group Models. The title alludes to the first seven letters of the NATO phonetic alphabet. The LP album cover claimed it was produced by no-one, in fact, it was recorded independently by engineer Tony Cohen and the...
. They then signed to 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...
and, as a sign of its respect for the band, the label agreed not to release any singles from the album, which peaked at No. 43 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. It was well received by audiences on the live pub circuit
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....
. The group intended to record completely new material for their studio albums. Much of their earlier work was unreleased until 2002, when Models Melbourne, 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...
of live material, was released.
Models' early style was a spiky, distinctive blend of New Wave, glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
, dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
and pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
: which included Kelly's strangled singing voice, Duffield's virtuoso synthesiser performances (he used the EMS Synthi AKS
EMS Synthi AKS
The EMS Synthi A, first available in May 1971, and then in March 1972 a version of it with a built-in keyboard and sequencer, the EMS Synthi AKS, a portable modular analog synthesiser made by EMS of England. Most notable for its patch pin matrix, its functions and internal design are similar to the...
, as used by Pere Ubu
Pere Ubu (band)
Pere Ubu is an experimental rock music group formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1975. Despite many long-term band members, singer David Thomas is the only constant...
on their Dub Housing
Dub Housing
Dub Housing is the second album by American experimental rock group Pere Ubu. Released in 1978, the album is now regarded as one of their best, described by Trouser Press as "simply one of the most important post-punk recordings."...
), and the band's cryptic, slightly gruesome, lyrics (e.g. "Hans Stand: A War Record" from Alphabravocharliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf), which were mostly written or co-written by Kelly.
Early in 1981, following a support slot for The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
, the group signed an international deal with A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
. Friedenfelds was replaced on drums by Mark Hough (aka Buster Stiggs) from New Zealand band The Swingers
The Swingers
The Swingers were a New Zealand rock band. Formed out of the remnants of The Suburban Reptiles, the founding members were Phil Judd , Wayne Stevens , and Mark Hough . Formed in 1979, the band released the single "One Good Reason" which was a top 20 hit in New Zealand...
before recording commenced on their international label release. Friedenfields went on to play with Sacred Cowboys
Sacred Cowboys
Sacred Cowboys are an Australian post-punk rock band based in Melbourne and active in 1982-85, 1987-97 and since 2006.The band's lead singer and lyricist is Garry Gray. The current line-up includes: Spencer P. Jones ; Penny Ikinger ; Nick Rischbieth and; Stephan Fiddock . A special guest for shows...
, Beasts of Bourbon
Beasts of Bourbon
Beasts of Bourbon was an Australian alternative rock band formed in 1983, with a line-up that has changed as the band splintered and reformed several times - Beginnings :...
, The Slaughterman and Tombstone Heads. In June, the demo sessions for the new album so impressed the band that they were released as a 10" album, Cut Lunch
Cut Lunch
Cut Lunch is a mini-album or EP by Australian New Wave band Models, originally released on 10" vinyl by Mushroom Records in June 1981. The collection started off as demo recordings, which proved successful enough to release just before the group went to England to record their second album proper,...
, which were produced by Tony Cohen and Models except one by 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...
keyboard player Eddie Rayner
Eddie Rayner
Eddie Rayner , is a New Zealand musician who has played in bands such as Split Enz, Space Waltz, Crowded House, The Makers and 801....
. Cut Lunch peaked at No. 37 on the albums chart and at No. 38 on the singles chart. It included the whimsical pop tune, "Two Cabs to the Toucan". In October, their second full-length album Local &/or General
Local and/or General (album)
Local &/or General is the second studio album by Australian New Wave rock band Models, which peaked at #30 on the Australian albums chart. It was released in October 1981 on Mushroom Records with Stephen Tayler producing...
, was released, it had been recorded in the United Kingdom with Stephen Tayler
Stephen W Tayler
Stephen Tayler is a mixing and recording engineer, music producer, composer and sound designer who has contributed this collection of talents to hundreds of world-class albums for artists including Kate Bush, Suzanne Vega, Peter Gabriel, Underworld, Duncan Sheik, Howard Jones, Stevie Nicks, Rush,...
producing. Local and/or General peaked at No. 30 and provided the single, "Local &/or General" in November, which did not chart.
Both albums helped widen their audience nationally, thanks to regular radio exposure on Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
in Sydney and on community stations in other cities, as well as national TV exposure through their innovative music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s on programs such as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
(ABC-TV) pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
show Countdown.
During 1982, further line-up changes occurred with Ferrie and Hough leaving early in the year. Ferrie went on to form Sacred Cowboys
Sacred Cowboys
Sacred Cowboys are an Australian post-punk rock band based in Melbourne and active in 1982-85, 1987-97 and since 2006.The band's lead singer and lyricist is Garry Gray. The current line-up includes: Spencer P. Jones ; Penny Ikinger ; Nick Rischbieth and; Stephan Fiddock . A special guest for shows...
with Garry Gray and Terry Doolan and, as of November 2010, he played bass guitar in the RocKwiz
RocKwiz
RocKwiz is an Australian television quiz show series, focused on rock music, and broadcast on SBS One. It premiered in 2005.-Summary:The forty minute program airs on Saturday at 9:20 pm, and is hosted by Julia Zemiro. It is shot in The Gershwin Room at St Kilda's Esplanade Hotel, commonly...
house band on SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
TV. Hough became a graphic artist, art director and designer. James Freud
James Freud
James Randall Freud was an Australian rock musician-songwriter. He was a member of Models during the 1980s and wrote their two most popular singles, "Barbados" and "Out of Mind, Out of Sight"....
(ex-Teenage Radio Stars, James Freud & Berlin) joined the band on bass guitar and vocals, with John Rowell on guitar and Graham Scott on drums (both ex-Curse). Kelly and Freud had been in high school bands which developed into Teenage Radio Stars. Freud had a solo hit single, "Modern Girl", which peaked at No. 12 in 1980. Rowell and Scott left Models in May 1982, with Duffield following. New Zealand drummer, Barton Price (ex-Crocodiles, Sardine v
Sardine v
Sardine v was an Australian post-punk band, formed by Ian Rilen , and Stephanie Rilen ....
) joined. They recorded a single, "On", produced by veteran rocker, Lobby Loyde
Lobby Loyde
Lobby Loyde , also known as John Barrie Lyde or Barry Lyde, was an Australian rock music guitarist, songwriter and producer....
, and released in August. It had no mainstream chart success, but peaked at No. 1 on the independent charts. Gus Till (ex-Beargarden
Beargarden (band)
Beargarden was a new wave band from Melbourne, Australia which, though well regarded critically, failed to achieve widespread success. It evolved directly from the post-punk group 'The Ears' which disbanded in 1981 and reformed under the new name with Ross Farnell replacing Cathy McQuade on bass...
) briefly joined on keyboards until Duffield rejoined in December. In 1982 they made a film, Pop Movie, which featured animation and live footage of the band, it was screened on TV rock show, Nightmoves, as well as at a few cinemas.
1983–85: The Pleasure of Your Company to Out of Mind, Out of Sight
Models' line-up of Duffield, Freud, Kelly and Price issued the highly regarded The Pleasure of Your Company in October 1983, produced by Nick LaunayNick Launay
Nick Launay is an English record producer and recording engineer. He is currently one of the most sought after producers in the world due to his current success with recent albums by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arcade Fire, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds...
. Its big drum sound and dance-ability, reflected Launay's influence, and Freud's more radio-friendly voice made the album more accessible. The album was critically acclaimed and peaked at No. 12, with the single "I Hear Motion" becoming a No. 16 hit. Duffield later explained that the song's distinctive keyboard part had been inspired by a riff from Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's hit "Superstition
Superstition (song)
"Superstition" is a popular song written, produced, arranged, and performed by Stevie Wonder for Motown Records in 1972, when Wonder was 22 years old. It was the lead single for Wonder's Talking Book album, and released in many countries. It reached number one in the USA, and number one on the soul...
". "I Hear Motion" was used on the soundtrack for the Yahoo Serious
Yahoo Serious
Yahoo Serious , born Greg Pead , is an Australian film actor, director and score composer. He is best known for his 1988 comedy Young Einstein. He also created Reckless Kelly in 1993 and Mr. Accident in 2000...
film Young Einstein
Young Einstein
Young Einstein is an Australian comedy film directed by and starring Yahoo Serious, released in 1988.-Plot:Albert Einstein, the son of an apple farmer in Tasmania in the early 1900s, splits a beer atom with a chisel in order to add bubbles to beer, discovers the theory of relativity and travels to...
(1988). The band released two other singles, "God Bless America" and "No Shoulders, No Head", but neither charted into the Top 50. The band supported David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
for the Australian leg of his Serious Moonlight Tour
Serious Moonlight Tour
The David Bowie Serious Moonlight Tour was thus far Bowie's longest, largest and most successful concert tour. The tour opened at the Vorst Forest Nationaal - Brussels on 18 May 1983 and ended in the Hong Kong Coliseum on 8 December 1983; 16 countries visited, 96 performances, 2,601,196 tickets...
in November. Kelly and Duffield were invited to sing backing vocals on the INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
album, The Swing
The Swing
The Swing is Australian rock band INXS's fourth studio album, released in 1984. The lead single "Original Sin" was recorded in New York City with Nile Rodgers and featured Daryl Hall on backing vocals...
. The video for "God Bless America", from March 1984, featured backing singers Zan Abeyratne
Zan Abeyratne
Suzanne "Zan" Abeyratne or simply Zan is an Australian-raised singer born in London. Known for her beautifully soulful voice, Zan came to prominence as one of the female lead vocalists of the 1980s Australian band, I'm Talking, which included the equally powerful vocal skills of Kate Ceberano.Along...
and Kate Ceberano
Kate Ceberano
Kate Ceberano is an Australian singer. She achieved success in the soul, jazz and pop genres as well as in her brief forays into musicals with Jesus Christ Superstar and film...
(both members of I'm Talking
I'm Talking
I'm Talking was a 1980s Australian funk-pop rock band, which featured vocalists Kate Ceberano and Zan Abeyratne. They formed in 1983 in Melbourne and provided top ten hit singles "Trust Me", "Do You Wanna Be?" and "Holy Word" and a top fifteen album, Bear Witness, before disbanding in...
). Kelly appeared ready to disband Models and was even rehearsing with a new band. Mushroom Records convinced him to continue with Models and their next single, "Big on Love" produced by Reggie Lucas
Reggie Lucas
Reginald "Reggie" Lucas is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. Lucas is most famous for his production work with percussionist Mtume and for producing the majority of Madonna's 1983 self-titled debut album.-Biography:...
, was released in November 1984 and peaked at No. 24.
Fellow Australian band INXS were fans of Models, their manager, Chris Murphy signed them to his MMA management company. The group created a hybrid of their alternative roots with a more commercial sound and, under the influence of Murphy, they reassessed their direction and moved towards to a more radio-friendly format. By late 1984, Models relocated to Sydney and Duffield – with his crucial influence on the band's sound – was forced out by Murphy under acrimonious circumstances to be replaced by Roger Mason
Roger Mason (musician)
Roger Ashley Mason is an Australian keyboardist who has been a member of New Wave groups Models, Absent Friends and Icehouse. He was a session and backing musician for United Kingdom's Gary Numan and for various Australian artists...
(ex-James Freud's Berlin) on keyboards and James Valentine on saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
. Duffield released a solo album, Ten Happy Fingers in 1986 on his own Retrograde Records label. For touring during 1983 to 1985, the group was regularly augmented by backing singers Abeyratne and Ceberano; and in 1985, Canadian-born singer Wendy Matthews
Wendy Matthews
Wendy Joan Matthews is an Australian adult alternative pop singer originally from Canada who has been a member of Models and Absent Friends and is a solo artist...
joined. Matthews and Kelly became a couple, remaining together for 11 years, and later founded the band Absent Friends
Absent Friends (band)
Absent Friends were an ARIA Award winning band from Sydney, Australia. The band was relatively short lived, forming in 1989 and disbanding in 1990...
.
In early 1985, Models started recording material for their next album, Out of Mind, Out of Sight
Out of Mind, Out of Sight (album)
Out of Mind, Out of Sight is the fourth studio album by Australian New Wave rock band Models, it was their most successful album and peaked at #3 on the Australian albums chart...
, produced by Launay, Lucas and Mark Opitz
Mark Opitz
Mark Opitz, started his career with ABC TV in Sydney in the 1970’s and has since gone on to work with many of the great Australian musicians that have graced both the Australian and international music charts for the past 25 years....
. A single from the album, "Barbados", was released in March, which peaked at No. 2. It was a reggae influenced song co-written by Freud and Duffield (prior to his departure). The song related a tale of alcoholism and suicide, it later provided Freud with the titles of his two autobiographies, I Am the Voice Left from Drinking (2002) and I Am the Voice Left from Rehab (2007). The video clip was influenced by the film, The Deer Hunter
The Deer Hunter
The Deer Hunter is a 1978 drama film co-written and directed by Michael Cimino about a trio of Russian American steel worker friends and their infantry service in the Vietnam War. The film stars Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep, John Savage, John Cazale, and George Dzundza...
, it included a cameo by Garry Gary Beers of INXS and was directed by Richard Lowenstein
Richard Lowenstein
Richard Lowenstein is an Australian film director. He has written, produced and directed the feature films He Died With A Felafel In His Hand, Dogs In Space, Say a Little Prayer, Strikebound and Ghost Story, as well as numerous ground-breaking and award-winning music videos for bands such as INXS...
.
On 13 July, Models performed four songs for the Oz for Africa
Oz for Africa
Oz for Africa was an Australian concert held on 13 July 1985 at the Sydney Sports and Entertainment Centre. It was broadcast locally and internationally as part of the worldwide Live Aid performances to raise money for famine relief in Africa. The concert featured 17 bands performing some of their...
concert (part of the global Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
program) – "Big on Love", "I Hear Motion", "Stormy Tonight", "Out of Mind, Out of Sight
Out of Mind, Out of Sight (song)
"Out of Mind, Out of Sight" is a single by Australian New Wave rock band Models from their album Out of Mind, Out of Sight. It was released in July 1985 and was their most successful single, which peaked at No. 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart...
". It was broadcast in Australia (on both Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
and Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
) and on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
in the United States. Models went on a national tour with I'm Talking in July. In November, the band appeared on The Royal Variety Performance for Prince Charles
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
and Princess Diana
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
– Rocking the Royals at the Victoria State Arts Centre
The Arts Centre (Melbourne)
The Victorian Arts Centre is a performing arts centre consisting of a complex of theatres and concert halls in the Melbourne Arts Precinct, located in the inner Melbourne suburb of Southbank in Victoria, Australia....
. The band released their most commercially successful work with the No. 1 hit single "Out of Mind, Out of Sight" in July and the No. 3 album Out of Mind, Out of Sight in August. "Out of Mind, Out of Sight" was the only No. 1 single on the Australian singles chart for 1985 by an Australian artist. (Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
's Species Deceases
Species Deceases
Species Deceases is an EP by Midnight Oil that was released in 1985 under the CBS record label. It was released on 6 August 1985, the 40th anniversary of Hiroshima being bombed by the USA....
which peaked at No. 1 on the singles charts in December 1985 was an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
.) For the album, Models were Freud, Kelly, Mason, Matthews, Price and Valentine with Zan Abeyratne, and her twin sister, Sherine Abeyratne (Big Pig
Big Pig
Big Pig were a seven-piece Australian pop/rock band that existed from 1985 to 1991.-Biography:In 1983 Australian drummer Oleh Witer, frustrated over playing in a string of unsuccessful groups, travelled from Australia to London....
) on backing vocals.
"Cold Fever" released in October was their next single, which peaked into the Top 40. It was followed by a Christmas single, "King of Kings", which contains portions of a speech by Martin Luther King, issued in December with all proceeds donated to the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
, but it did not chart into the Top 50. In 1986, Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
released Out of Mind, Out of Sight in the US and it appeared on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
albums chart, with the single, "Out of Sight, Out of Mind", peaking at No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
singles chart. The band toured the US in November supporting Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark are a synthpop group whose founding members are originally from the Wirral Peninsula, England...
.
1986–88: Models' Media to dissolution
In 1986, Models went to UK to record their next album, Models' MediaModels' Media
Models' Media is the fifth and final studio album by Australian rock band Models.-Track listing:All songs written by J. Freud except where noted, according to Australasian Performing Rights Association .# "Evolution" - 4:02...
, with Julian Mendelsohn and Opitz, at Trevor Horn
Trevor Horn
Trevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
's state-of-the-art SARM West Studios in London. Two singles peaked into the Top 30, "Evolution" in September, and "Let's Kiss" in November. Models' Media was released in December and peaked at No. 30 but was less successful than Out of Mind, Out of Sight. Models also featured on the Australian Made Tour
Australian Made
Australian Made was a festival concert series held during 1986–1987 in the six state capitals of Australia and featured local rock acts Mental as Anything, I'm Talking, The Triffids, The Saints, Divinyls, Models, Jimmy Barnes and INXS. The series started in Hobart on 26 December 1986 and...
of late 1986 to January 1987 with INXS, Mental as Anything
Mental As Anything
Mental As Anything are an Australian New Wave–rock music band formed at an art school in Sydney in 1976. Their most popular line-up was Martin Plaza on vocals and guitar; Reg Mombassa on lead guitar and vocals; his brother Peter "Yoga Dog" O'Doherty on bass guitar and vocals; Wayne "Bird"...
, The Triffids
The Triffids
The Triffids were a seminal Australian alternative rock and pop band formed in Perth, Western Australia, in May 1978 with charismatic, David McComb as singer-songwriter, guitarist, bass guitarist and keyboardist. They achieved negligible success in Australia, but greater success in the U.K...
, I'm Talking, The Saints
The Saints (band)
The Saints are an Australian rock band, which formed in Brisbane in 1974 as punk rockers. Founders were Chris Bailey , Ivor Hay , and Ed Kuepper . Alongside mainstay Bailey, the group has had numerous line-ups...
, Divinyls
Divinyls
Divinyls were an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1980 and featuring vocalist Christina Amphlett and guitarist Mark McEntee. As the focal point, Amphlett performed on stage wearing a school uniform and fishnet stockings, often using an illuminated neon tube as a prop and displaying...
and Jimmy Barnes
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...
on the ticket. "Hold On" was released in March 1987 and peaked in the Top 30, their final single was a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' "Oh! Darling
Oh! Darling
"Oh! Darling" is a song by The Beatles composed by Paul McCartney and appearing as the fourth song on the album, Abbey Road, in 1969. Its working title was "Oh! Darling "...
" in September which peaked in the Top 50.
During 1987, Ceberano and Matthews sang together on the soundtrack for ABC-TV series, Stringer, the resultant album, You've Always Got the Blues was released in 1988, and peaked at No. 4 on the albums chart. Models members, including Mason as lead singer and Kelly on bass guitar, formed a side-project, The Clampetts, to record covers of nine country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
tracks, which was released in 1987 as The Last Hoedown. Valentine left Models to pursue a radio and television journalism career.
In 1988, the Thank You Goodnight Tour was conducted but the pressures of ten years of touring, as well as financial troubles, hastened the break-up of Models, which was announced in June 1988, however in 2008, Kelly disputed the break-up:
1988–current: post-dissolution and reunions
Models' extended live exposure ensured that they stayed in the public eye when other contemporaries had been forgotten: the band's later work remained popular on radio throughout the 1990s; this, coupled with critical acclaim and cult appeal of earlier work, re-stimulated interest in their work in the latter half of that decade. The band reformed for a few gigs in 2000; in 2001 their rarities album Melbourne was released. Freud has written two memoirs, I Am The Voice Left From Drinking (2002) and I Am The Voice Left From Rehab (2007); the titles are both taken from "Barbados" and allude to his addiction with drugs and alcohol, and his subsequent recovery attempts.Kelly and Matthews formed Absent Friends in early 1989 which included ex-Models members Duffield, Mason and Valentine. With Matthews on lead vocals their 1990 hit single, "I Don’t Want to Be with Nobody but You" peaked at No. 4 on the ARIA Charts
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
. The associated album, Here's Looking Up Your Address
Here's Looking Up Your Address
Here's Looking Up Your Address is the debut studio album by Australian rock band Absent Friends and was released in April, 1990 on the RooART label. It was re-released by RooART in October, 2005.-Track listing:...
peaked at No. 7. Absent Friends disbanded in 1991 and Kelly fronted The Dukes
The Dukes (Australian band)
The Dukes were a rock band from Sydney, Australia active in the early 1990s.-Biography:The band were originally called Sean Kelly and The Iron Dukes, but were renamed shortly after to The Dukes...
from 1991 to 1994. Matthews provided a No. 11 hit with her first solo album Émigré late in 1990. She followed with Lily, which peaked at No. 2 in 1992, and provided her best performed single, "The Day You Went Away", which also peaked at No. 2. Matthews and Kelly separated as a couple in the mid-1990s.
Duffield wrote music (including the theme) for the Australian children's TV series, Round the Twist
Round the Twist
Round the Twist is a Logie Award-winning Australian children's television series about three children and their widowed father who live in a lighthouse and become involved in many magical adventures....
; and in 2007 composed all music and sound effects for the TV comedy, Kick
Kick (TV series)
Kick is an Australian television comedy that was first broadcast on 9 June 2007 on SBS TV. It is set in Brunswick in Melbourne, Australia. The series follows the adventures of wild twenty-something Miki Mavros who is forced to move back in with her Greek-Australian parents on Hope Street after a...
. Duffield teamed up with Phil Kennihan to found a successful advertising music partnership.
Mason has composed soundtracks for many feature films and television series both locally and internationally. Valentine later worked in children's TV, was a popular radio host on 702 ABC Sydney
702 ABC Sydney
702 ABC Sydney is an ABC radio station in Sydney, Australia. It is the flagship station in the ABC Local Radio network and broadcasts on 702 kHz on the AM dial....
and published a successful series of children's books. Price returned to New Zealand after stints with various Australian bands, and the world's first drum sample CD. Wednesday formed Crashland and plays with German avant garde band Einstürzende Neubauten
Einstürzende Neubauten
Einstürzende Neubauten is a German post-industrial band, originally from West Berlin, formed in 1980. The group currently comprises Blixa Bargeld , Alexander Hacke , N.U...
.
Various versions of Models have reformed on several occasions for short tours, including in 2006 and in September 2008. The 2008 version was: Kelly, Freud, his son Jackson Freud (from Attack of the Mannequins) on guitar, Tim Rosewarne (ex-Big Pig
Big Pig
Big Pig were a seven-piece Australian pop/rock band that existed from 1985 to 1991.-Biography:In 1983 Australian drummer Oleh Witer, frustrated over playing in a string of unsuccessful groups, travelled from Australia to London....
, Chocolate Starfish
Chocolate Starfish
Chocolate Starfish were an Australian rock music group based in Melbourne, Australia, releasing a number of hits in the early '90s, before disbanding in 1998....
) on keyboards and Cameron Goold (Propaganda Klann, Christine Anu
Christine Anu
-Early life:Anu was born in Cairns, Queensland to a Torres Strait Islander mother from Saibai and Mabuiag Islands.-Career:Anu began performing as a dancer and later went on to sing back-up vocals for The Rainmakers, which included Neil Murray of the Warumpi Band. Her first recording was in 1993...
backing band) on drums. In August 2010, Duffield, Ferrie, Kelly and Price reformed for two concerts in Sydney and Melbourne. On 27 October, Models were 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...
by Matthews. The line-up of Duffield, Ferrie, Kelly, Mason, Price and Valentine performed "I Hear Motion" and "Evolution". Matthews recalled meeting the group for the first time at a recording session – she was due to provide backing vocals but they were busy playing indoor cricket in the studio. During the ceremony, Kelly explained Freud's absence by saying he had "another bicycle accident". A week later, Freud was found dead at his Hawthorn
Hawthorn, Victoria
Hawthorn is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara...
home on 4 November in a suspected suicide.
Members
Arranged chronologically:- Janis Friedenfelds aka Johnny Crash – 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 ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(1978–1981) - Sean KellySean Kelly (Australian musician)Sean Patrick Kelly Born 9 November 1958, is an Australian singer, guitarist and song writer best known as a founding member of the bands Models, Absent Friends and The Dukes.-Biography:...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, vocals (1978–1988, 2000–2001, 2006, 2008) - Peter Sutcliffe aka Pierre Voltaire – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1978–1979) - Ash WednesdayAsh Wednesday (musician)Ash Wednesday is an Australian musician, who played in JAB, the Models and Einstürzende Neubauten.-Biography:Wednesday formed an Australian punk rock band in Adelaide in January 1976...
– 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...
(1978–1979, 2001) - Mark Ferrie – bass guitar (1979–1982, 2001)
- Andrew Duffield – keyboards (1979–1982, 1982–1984)
- Mark Hough aka Buster Stiggs – drums (1981–1982)
- James FreudJames FreudJames Randall Freud was an Australian rock musician-songwriter. He was a member of Models during the 1980s and wrote their two most popular singles, "Barbados" and "Out of Mind, Out of Sight"....
– bass guitar, vocals (1982–1988, 2000–2001, 2006, 2008) (deceased 4 November 2010) - John Rowell – guitar (1982)
- Graham Scott – drums (1982)
- Barton Price – drums (1982–1988, 2000)
- Gus Till – keyboards (1982)
- James Valentine – 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...
(1984–1987) - Roger MasonRoger Mason (musician)Roger Ashley Mason is an Australian keyboardist who has been a member of New Wave groups Models, Absent Friends and Icehouse. He was a session and backing musician for United Kingdom's Gary Numan and for various Australian artists...
– keyboards, backing vocals (1984–1988, 2000) - Kate CeberanoKate CeberanoKate Ceberano is an Australian singer. She achieved success in the soul, jazz and pop genres as well as in her brief forays into musicals with Jesus Christ Superstar and film...
– backing vocals (on tour 1983–1985) - Zan AbeyratneZan AbeyratneSuzanne "Zan" Abeyratne or simply Zan is an Australian-raised singer born in London. Known for her beautifully soulful voice, Zan came to prominence as one of the female lead vocalists of the 1980s Australian band, I'm Talking, which included the equally powerful vocal skills of Kate Ceberano.Along...
– backing vocals (on tour 1983–1985) - Wendy MatthewsWendy MatthewsWendy Joan Matthews is an Australian adult alternative pop singer originally from Canada who has been a member of Models and Absent Friends and is a solo artist...
– backing vocals (1985–1988) - Jackson Freud – guitar (2008)
- Tim Rosewarne – keyboards (2008)
- Cameron Goold – drums (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) |
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| 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 |
US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
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| 1980 | Alphabravocharliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf Alphabravocharliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf Alphabravocharliedeltaechofoxtrotgolf is the first album by Australian New Wave group Models. The title alludes to the first seven letters of the NATO phonetic alphabet. The LP album cover claimed it was produced by no-one, in fact, it was recorded independently by engineer Tony Cohen and the...
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| 1981 | Local &/or General Local and/or General (album) Local &/or General is the second studio album by Australian New Wave rock band Models, which peaked at #30 on the Australian albums chart. It was released in October 1981 on Mushroom Records with Stephen Tayler producing... Compact Cassette The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel... , LP |
30 | — | — | |
| 1983 | The Pleasure of Your Company Pleasure of your Company (album) The Pleasure of Your Company is the third studio album by Australian New Wave rock band Models, which peaked at #12 on the Australian albums chart. It was released in October 1983 on Mushroom Records with Nick Launay producing. The album provided three singles, "I Hear Motion" released in... |
12 | — | — | |
| 1985 | Out of Mind, Out of Sight Out of Mind, Out of Sight (album) Out of Mind, Out of Sight is the fourth studio album by Australian New Wave rock band Models, it was their most successful album and peaked at #3 on the Australian albums chart... |
3 | 8 | 84 | |
| 1986 | Models' Media Models' Media Models' Media is the fifth and final studio album by Australian rock band Models.-Track listing:All songs written by J. Freud except where noted, according to Australasian Performing Rights Association .# "Evolution" - 4:02... |
30 | 44 | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | |||||
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) |
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| AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
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| 1993 | Models' Collection
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| 1995 | Models and Friends
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| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||
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) |
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| AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
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| 2001 | Melbourne
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| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||
Extended plays
| 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) |
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| AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
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| 1980 | Two People Per Sq Km
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| 1981 | Cut Lunch Cut Lunch Cut Lunch is a mini-album or EP by Australian New Wave band Models, originally released on 10" vinyl by Mushroom Records in June 1981. The collection started off as demo recordings, which proved successful enough to release just before the group went to England to record their second album proper,... 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... (L20001) Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... , mini-cassette Compact Cassette The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel... |
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| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||
Singles
External links
- Models at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Models discography at BillboardBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
- Models discography at MusicBrainzMusicBrainzMusicBrainz is a project that aims to create an open content music database. Similar to the freedb project, it was founded in response to the restrictions placed on the CDDB...