 |
| Daddy Cool CD, "includes every hit they had" |
According to Australian rock legend, what began as a tongue-in-cheek rock band in Melbourne in the early seventies, turned almost overnight into a serious success story. Harking back to the hip Beatnik lingo of a decade and a half earlier, the band was named, with affectionate humour, after The Rays, 1957 song, Daddy Cool.
Their first single, Eagle Rock was released in 1971, shooting to No 1 on the Aus. music charts and remaining there for ten solid weeks. Further successes followed with Come Back Again, Lollipop, and Hi Honey Ho. Most of the songs were written by lead vocalist, Ross Wilson, though a couple of 50s cover songs, Baby Let Me Bang Your Box and Sixty Minute Man appeared on the album Sex, Dope, Rock'n'Roll; Teenage Heaven.
Originality
Daddy Cool had the distinction of being the first band in Australia to sell over 100,000 copies of an album...a great achievement, considering the small population. Alas, the band only held together until 1974, yet made an indelible impression on Australian culture and in 2006 they were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. Although they had toured the US, Wilson has since said that the American experience felt like they were selling "coals to Newcastle" by exporting doo-wop its country of origin, despite the fact they were bringing their own original take to the retro-style music. In the end it was a desire to do more contemporary music that led to the winding up of what was one of the country's most popular and successful home grown bands. Various re-formations were to happen - most recently in 2005.
The appeal of Daddy Cool was almost universal among the young folk of the '70s- the music was lively, original, amusing, great to bop along with and easy to listen to -or as described on the Daddy Cool website, "a vibrant upbeat mix of blues, doo wop & crazy mixed up retro rock". They also had an unconventional, quirky "look" which suited the post-sixties, lingering non-conformist but optimistic mindset of the era. They were fun...
Original Daddy Cool Line-up
Ross Wilson - rhythm guitar, harmonica and lead vocals
Ross Hannaford - lead guitar, bass and vocals
Wayne Duncan - bass, vocals
Gary Young - bass and vocals
Later Joined By...
Jeremy Noone - saxophone, keyboard (replaced in '72 by Ian Winter)
Robie Porter -piano and steel guitar (Porter also produced the Daddy Who? Daddy Cool album)
Official Daddy Cool Site
Sadie the Cleaning Lady
