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Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs
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Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs
Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs were an Australian rock band formed in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1963. They were active in two incarnations, the first as a beat band from 1963–1967, and as a hard rock band from 1968 to 1973. They emerged in 1964 with their cover of "Poison Ivy", which kept the Beatles from the top spot of the Sydney charts during the latter's Australian tour. They enjoyed further success through 1965 when the original members quit after a financial dispute.
After a brief solo career, Thorpe resurrected the Aztecs name in 1968 with a new line-up and a heavier rock direction influenced by guitarist Lobby Loyde. By the 1970s, the new Aztecs had become one of the most popular hard rock bands in the country with appearances at the Sunbury Pop Festival and hit songs such as "Most People I Know (Think That I'm Crazy)", before disbanding in 1973. Thorpe died from a heart attack in Sydney on 28 February 2007.
Originally a four-piece instrumental group called the Vibratones who had released a surf instrumental single, "Expressway" b/w "Man of Mystery", they formed in Sydney in 1963. With the advent of the Merseybeat sound, they added a lead singer, Billy Thorpe. His powerful voice and showmanship (which eventually made him one of the most popular and respected rock performers in Australian music), completed the original line-up, which consisted of drummer Col Baigent, bassist John "Bluey" Watson and guitarists Brian Bakewell and Vince Maloney (who as Vince Melouney, later became a member of the Bee Gees). Brian Bakewell left the band shortly after Billy Thorpe had joined and was later replaced by Tony Barber.
The group broke through in mid-1964 with their cover of the Leiber and Stoller classic "Poison Ivy", which famously kept the Beatles from the No. 1 spot on the Sydney charts at the very moment that the group was making its first and only tour of Australia—a feat which resulted in Thorpe being invited to meet the Fab Four at their hotel. Over the next twelve months the band reigned supreme as the most popular 'beat' group in Australia, scoring further hits with the songs "Mashed Potato", "Sick and Tired" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", until they were eclipsed by the emergence of the Easybeats in 1965. The band's recording success confirmed Albert Productions, their recording company, with its worldwide distribution deals through EMI and Parlophone, as one of the most important in Australia's embryonic pop industry.
During 1965 the original Aztecs quit after a financial dispute, so Thorpe put together a new five-piece version consisting of drummer Johnny Dick, pianist Jimmy Taylor, guitarists Colin Risbey and Mike Downes and NZ-born bassist Teddy Toi. This group performed until 1966, scoring further hits with "Twilight Time", "Hallelujah I Love Her So", "Baby, Hold Me Close", "Love Letters" and "Word For Today".
Thorpe went solo in 1967 and for a brief time hosted his own TV show, It's All Happening, but personal problems and a widely publicised bankruptcy brought this phase of his career to an end in 1968.
In 1969, Thorpe decided to try England, after being offered a recording deal by the Australian-born, London-based impresario Robert Stigwood, who had risen to become manager of The Bee Gees and Cream. While rehearsing a backing band in Melbourne that would form the basis for a new Aztecs, the guitarist unexpectedly dropped out, leaving Thorpe to assume lead guitar role at short notice. It marked another turning point in his career and from this point on Thorpe played lead guitar in The Aztecs as well as continuing as lead vocalist. His planned six-week stay in Melbourne soon stretched into months and eventually Thorpe decided to remain in Australia and re-launch his career.
Thorpe himself openly acknowledges that this new 'heavy' version of the Aztecs owes much to 'guitar hero' Lobby Loyde. Lloyde already had a cult following due to his stints in two of the most original Australian bands of the 1960s, The Purple Hearts and Wild Cherries. While his stint in the new Aztecs was short (from October 1968 to January 1971), his musical influence proved crucial in steering Thorpe in a completely new direction, and he strongly encouraged Thorpe to keep playing guitar.
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Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs
Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs were an Australian rock band formed in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1963. They were active in two incarnations, the first as a beat band from 1963–1967, and as a hard rock band from 1968 to 1973. They emerged in 1964 with their cover of "Poison Ivy", which kept the Beatles from the top spot of the Sydney charts during the latter's Australian tour. They enjoyed further success through 1965 when the original members quit after a financial dispute.
After a brief solo career, Thorpe resurrected the Aztecs name in 1968 with a new line-up and a heavier rock direction influenced by guitarist Lobby Loyde. By the 1970s, the new Aztecs had become one of the most popular hard rock bands in the country with appearances at the Sunbury Pop Festival and hit songs such as "Most People I Know (Think That I'm Crazy)", before disbanding in 1973. Thorpe died from a heart attack in Sydney on 28 February 2007.
Originally a four-piece instrumental group called the Vibratones who had released a surf instrumental single, "Expressway" b/w "Man of Mystery", they formed in Sydney in 1963. With the advent of the Merseybeat sound, they added a lead singer, Billy Thorpe. His powerful voice and showmanship (which eventually made him one of the most popular and respected rock performers in Australian music), completed the original line-up, which consisted of drummer Col Baigent, bassist John "Bluey" Watson and guitarists Brian Bakewell and Vince Maloney (who as Vince Melouney, later became a member of the Bee Gees). Brian Bakewell left the band shortly after Billy Thorpe had joined and was later replaced by Tony Barber.
The group broke through in mid-1964 with their cover of the Leiber and Stoller classic "Poison Ivy", which famously kept the Beatles from the No. 1 spot on the Sydney charts at the very moment that the group was making its first and only tour of Australia—a feat which resulted in Thorpe being invited to meet the Fab Four at their hotel. Over the next twelve months the band reigned supreme as the most popular 'beat' group in Australia, scoring further hits with the songs "Mashed Potato", "Sick and Tired" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", until they were eclipsed by the emergence of the Easybeats in 1965. The band's recording success confirmed Albert Productions, their recording company, with its worldwide distribution deals through EMI and Parlophone, as one of the most important in Australia's embryonic pop industry.
During 1965 the original Aztecs quit after a financial dispute, so Thorpe put together a new five-piece version consisting of drummer Johnny Dick, pianist Jimmy Taylor, guitarists Colin Risbey and Mike Downes and NZ-born bassist Teddy Toi. This group performed until 1966, scoring further hits with "Twilight Time", "Hallelujah I Love Her So", "Baby, Hold Me Close", "Love Letters" and "Word For Today".
Thorpe went solo in 1967 and for a brief time hosted his own TV show, It's All Happening, but personal problems and a widely publicised bankruptcy brought this phase of his career to an end in 1968.
In 1969, Thorpe decided to try England, after being offered a recording deal by the Australian-born, London-based impresario Robert Stigwood, who had risen to become manager of The Bee Gees and Cream. While rehearsing a backing band in Melbourne that would form the basis for a new Aztecs, the guitarist unexpectedly dropped out, leaving Thorpe to assume lead guitar role at short notice. It marked another turning point in his career and from this point on Thorpe played lead guitar in The Aztecs as well as continuing as lead vocalist. His planned six-week stay in Melbourne soon stretched into months and eventually Thorpe decided to remain in Australia and re-launch his career.
Thorpe himself openly acknowledges that this new 'heavy' version of the Aztecs owes much to 'guitar hero' Lobby Loyde. Lloyde already had a cult following due to his stints in two of the most original Australian bands of the 1960s, The Purple Hearts and Wild Cherries. While his stint in the new Aztecs was short (from October 1968 to January 1971), his musical influence proved crucial in steering Thorpe in a completely new direction, and he strongly encouraged Thorpe to keep playing guitar.