MississippiAdelaide/Melbourne 1972-75 |
Beeb Birtles [vcls/gtr] 1972-75
Colin Deluca [bs] 1972-73
Graham Goble [vcls/gtr] 1973-75
Russ Johnson [vcls/gtr] 1972-73
Peter Martin [gtr] 1973-75
John Mower [vcls] 1972-73
Derek Pellici [dr] 1973-75
Andre Santos (bs/vcls) 1973
Kerryn Tolhurst (gtr/vcls) 1973
Charlie Tumahai (bs) 1973-75
Ted Van Zyl (d) (session) 1972
Their next recordings for Fable (four singles in all) are genuine oddities of Australian rock - under the pseudonym Drummond, they cut novelty 'chipmunk' versions of popular songs, including the '50s rock classic Daddy Cool, which was released in July '71. The song was a bit of a cash-in, since a more authentic version had just appeared on the hugely successful debut album by Ross Wilson's new band Daddy Cool. Riding in on the coattails of DC's chart breakthrough, the Drummond version of the song actually knocked Daddy Cool's huge #1 hit Eagle Rock off the top of the charts and inexplicably itself became one of the biggest hits of the year, charting for 22 weeks. (This was a fact Ross Wilson sarcastically referred to when introducing the song during Daddy Cool's farewell concert in 1972, captured on DC's The Last Drive-In Movie album). Alison Gros relocated to Melbourne in 1972; renamed as Mississippi, they recorded their excellent self-titled debut LP with the addition of session players Peter Jones (pno), Geoff Cox (dr), Barry Sullivan (bs) and Graham Lyall (flute). It was released in September that year on Fable's new Bootleg subsidiary, recently formed by Tudor and musician Brian Cadd. Mississippi showcased the band's considerable vocal abilities and Goble and Johnson's strong writing skills. The material and the tight harmonizing showed the strong influence of groups like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and The Band.
Their debut single Kings of the World (July) became a Top 10 hit in October.With the album and single a critical and commerical success, the band decided to go on tour in support of the LP in late '72. Needing a singer/bass player for the touring band, Graham Goble decided to contact Beeb Birtles, formerly bassist with Zoot), whom he knew from his Adelaide days. After Zoot split, Beeb had formed a shortlived duo (Frieze) with Daryl Cotton, but was working for a booking agency when he got the call from Goble. When they met, Goble played the new LP to Beeb, and he was knocked out by the quality of the album; Goble in turn was greatly impressed by Birtles' singing. Although Beeb had by then switched from bass to guitar, Gobles invited him to join the band. (According to Birtles, the rest of the band objected, but Goble threatened to quit unless Birtles was hired!) The lineup was completed by an (unknown) bassist, who was then replaced by Colin Deluca (ex-Fugitives), and by drummer Derek Pellici. In December '72 they issued a second single, Mr Moondog/All Through The Day. One of the group's important early appearances was their set at the 1973 Sunbury Rock Festival in January, where they were backed by a full orchestra.
Over the next two years Mississippi worked solidly in pubs, clubs and discos all over the country, but never managed to achieve the success they deserved. THere were several more lineup changes, beginning in February 1973 when Russ Johnson left to join Country Radio; he was replaced for a month by Kerryn Tolhurst (who had himself just left Country Radio). When Tolhurst left to form The Dingoes he was replaced by Harvey James. Their next single, Early Morning/Sweet World was released in July '73, and in October they supported the Jackson 5 on their national tour, after which Deluca and Mower both left the band. Deluca was replaced first by bassist Andre Santos, then by Charlie Tumahai (ex-Healing Force, Chain, Friends) in December.
The band released two more fine singles, including the live favourite Will I? (b/w Where In The World?) which was released in early 1974, and made the Top 40 in May 1974, but they never got get the opportunity to record another album. According to Birtles, they were disappointed by the lack of support from the Australian scene so, encouraged by interest in the album, which had been released overseas, they decided to try their luck elsewhere and planned a tour of the UK in April that year.
As Birtles ruefully recalls, it was a disaster; the band were booked into "the worst disco gigs" and made no headway whatsoever. They split within a matter of months, virtually broke and greatly disheartened. Fortunately, Goble and Birtles had pre-paid six months' rent on their London house, so Goble left for Europe for his long-postponed honeymoon, and Birtles and Pellici took day jobs to save their fare back home. Harvey James returned to Australia in June to take up the lead guitar spot in Ariel. A new single, When You're Old/Do I? was released in Australian that month, and Fable combined the first four a-sides on the Mississippi EP which was released in August. Charlie Tumahai hung on until the end of the year, fater which he joined guitarist Bill Nelson's legendary Be Bop Deluxe.
In the meantime, Goble, Birtles and Pellici had decided to continue the band and return to Australia. Realising the need for a strong frontman, they approached singer Glenn Shorrock (The Twilights, Axiom), who was about to return to Australia after five discouraging years in the UK. They also contacted former Master's Apprentices bassist Glenn Wheatley and asked if he would be interested in managing them. When Goble, Birtles and Pellici eventually returned to Australia at the beginning of 1975 they contacted Shorrock and Wheatley. They reactivated the band, adding lead guitarist Rick Formosa and bassist Roger McLachlan and began working again. For a short time they performed as Mississippi, but on the way to one of their early gigs, in Geelong, Victoria, they decided to change the name to The Little River Band, which they took from a signpost along the road. The rest is history - under the guidance of Wheatley LRB were the first Australian band to successfully break through into the American market, and became one of the greatest international successes in Australian music history.
For more information, please visit the Mississippi page on the Beeb Birtles website.
Albums:
1972 Mississippi Bootleg BLA022
All Through the Day [Goble]
City Sunday [Russ Johnson]
Day Job Song [Goble]
Do I [Johnson]
Feel Alone [Goble]
Kings of the World [Goble]
Mr Moondog [Johnson]
Save the Land [Johnson]
Sweet World [Goble]
Three Days [Goble]
When You're Old [Johnson]