Little River Band
Prior to the success of AC/DC, Air Supply, Men At Work and INXS, the Little River Band were probably Australia's most successful international rock band. Evolving out of the group Mississippi, who had previously spent much time working in London, former members Graham Goble (b. 15 May 1947, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; guitar), Beeb Birtles (b. Gerard Birtlekamp, 28 November 1948, Amsterdam, Netherlands; guitar) and Derek Pellicci (drums) met up with Glen Shorrock (b. 30 June 1944, Rochester, Kent, England; vocals) in Melbourne in 1975. With a name change to the Little River Band and the addition of Rick Formosa (guitar) and Roger McLachlan (bass) the band boasted years of experience and chose the US west coast harmony and guitar sound as their major influence. They had immediate success in Australia with their first single and album. Under the guidance of Glen Wheatley (ex- Masters Apprentices), the band was soon aiming for the overseas market, the USA in particular, and by the end of 1976 they had enjoyed their first appearance in the US charts. With Formosa and McLachlan being replaced respectively by David Briggs (b. 26 January 1951, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) and George McArdle (b. 30 November 1954, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), the second album DIAMANTINA COCKTAIL went gold in the USA in 1977, the first time an Australian act had managed this. The band followed this with another hugely successful album in 1978, SLEEPER CATCHER, and they found themselves also selling well in Latin-America and Europe, especially France. The band's popularity waned a little in Australia but continued unabated in the USA. In 1983, lead vocalist Glen Shorrock left to pursue a solo career and was replaced by John Farnham, one of Australia's most popular singers. By 1986 Farnham had left to pursue his solo career and the band continued with a low profile, playing live occasionally at up-market venues but still releasing records. In 1988, with the return of Shorrock, the group signed to MCA Records, releasing GET LUCKY two years later.