Alison McCallum
Encyclopedia
Alison McCallum (born 1951, Sydney
, Australia
) is an Australia
n rock singer who had a string of singles in her home country in the late 1960s and 1970s.
bands. She began with the Jeff Bulls Jazz Band soon leaving to join the Big Apple Union, a Sydney soul band, which evolved into Dr Kandy's Third Eye, in which she shared lead vocals with Gulliver Smith, later of Company Caine
. Considered to be an "underground" band, they were one of the first psychedelic bands to use strobe lighting and smoke at their gigs. In June 1969 she joined the 7 piece blue eyed soul band This Hallelujah Chorus, sharing lead vocals with another male vocalist, Ed Mayne. It was also during 1969 she recorded a version of The Bee Gees song "To Love Somebody
" with Tully
for the ABC-TV
show Fusions, however this was not be released commercially until 1979 on the "Alberts Archives" compilation, compiled by Glenn A. Baker
.
At the end of 1970 she joined Freshwater, a progressive band, who had achieved a certain level of notoriety with their controversial 1970 single "Satan", a song about the Sharon Tate
murders. Originally sharing lead vocals with Ian Johnson, by September 1971 she was sole lead vocalist. November 1971 saw the release of her first recorded release with her lead vocals on the bands final single "I Ain't Got The Time", a track that reached the top 20 in the Sydney charts and the top 30 in Australia. After the demise of Freshwater in November 1971 she briefly joined Ray Brown
's band One Ton Gypsy before going solo in early 1972, at the age of 21.
and George Young, was released on RCA Records
and reached No.12 on the Australian national charts. This single was flipped with a Ted Mulry
composition "Take Me Back". Soon she released her first album Fresh Water
, a reference to her former band. The album was produced by the British producer Simon Napier-Bell
, who had worked previously with The Yardbirds
and T.Rex, and included a mix of rock, jazz and blues. The album was later re-released under the title Any Way You Want Me.
", was released and subsequently used on the Australian Labor Party
's TV commercial during Gough Whitlam
's 1972 Federal election campaign, making McCallum a famous name throughout Australia through saturation radio and television airplay, despite the single failing to chart.
song "Teach Me How To Fly", previously a hit for Jeff St John in 1970.
, and collaborated with two of Australia's more respected singers, Bobbi Marchini and Janice Slater as the Hooter Sisters, releasing a version of Phil Spector
's "To Know Him Is To Love Him".
, which spent just two weeks on the top 100 album chart, and two more unsuccessful singles, the last, in February 1976, missing the charts completely and marking the end of her solo career.
, Doug Parkinson
and Mark Holden
. After seeming to retire in the mid-80s, she has not been heard of publicly, although her single "Superman" and a greatest hits compilation under the same name were re-released by RCA in 1979 to cash in on the then successful Superman movie. Since the advent of CDs, only two of her solo tracks have been released on compilation CDs, and none of her solo recordings re-released.
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rock singer who had a string of singles in her home country in the late 1960s and 1970s.
Early career
McCallum's pop music career began in 1967 at the age of 16, as the singer to a succession of SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
bands. She began with the Jeff Bulls Jazz Band soon leaving to join the Big Apple Union, a Sydney soul band, which evolved into Dr Kandy's Third Eye, in which she shared lead vocals with Gulliver Smith, later of Company Caine
Company Caine
Company Caine, also known as Co. Caine and Company Kane, is an Australian progressive rock band of the 1970s. The band was formed in Melbourne in 1970 with member as follows:* Gulliver Smith * Russell Smith * Jeremy Noone 1970-71, 1975...
. Considered to be an "underground" band, they were one of the first psychedelic bands to use strobe lighting and smoke at their gigs. In June 1969 she joined the 7 piece blue eyed soul band This Hallelujah Chorus, sharing lead vocals with another male vocalist, Ed Mayne. It was also during 1969 she recorded a version of The Bee Gees song "To Love Somebody
To Love Somebody (song)
"To Love Somebody" is the second single released by the Bee Gees from their third LP, Bee Gees 1st.The band's manager Robert Stigwood wanted Barry Gibb to write a soul song for Otis Redding. Barry, along with Robin wrote "To Love Somebody," a soulful ballad in the style of Sam & Dave or The Rascals...
" with Tully
Tully (band)
Tully was an Australian progressive rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s which had a close association with the Sydney-based film/lightshow collective Ubu.-Formation:...
for the ABC-TV
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
show Fusions, however this was not be released commercially until 1979 on the "Alberts Archives" compilation, compiled by Glenn A. Baker
Glenn A. Baker
Glenn A. Baker is an Australian journalist, commentator, and broadcaster well known in Australia for his vast knowledge of Rock music. He has written books and magazine articles on rock music and travel, interviewed celebrities, managed bands such as Ol' 55 and promoted tours of international stars...
.
At the end of 1970 she joined Freshwater, a progressive band, who had achieved a certain level of notoriety with their controversial 1970 single "Satan", a song about the Sharon Tate
Sharon Tate
Sharon Marie Tate was an American actress. During the 1960s she played small television roles before appearing in several films. After receiving positive reviews for her comedic performances, she was hailed as one of Hollywood's promising newcomers and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for...
murders. Originally sharing lead vocals with Ian Johnson, by September 1971 she was sole lead vocalist. November 1971 saw the release of her first recorded release with her lead vocals on the bands final single "I Ain't Got The Time", a track that reached the top 20 in the Sydney charts and the top 30 in Australia. After the demise of Freshwater in November 1971 she briefly joined Ray Brown
Ray Brown & The Whispers
. For other uses of Whispers, see Whispers page.Ray Brown & The Whispers were a highly successful Australian rock band from 1964 to 1967...
's band One Ton Gypsy before going solo in early 1972, at the age of 21.
"Fresh Water"
In April 1972 her first solo single "Superman", written by Harry VandaHarry Vanda
Harry Vanda , is a Dutch-born Australian popular music singer, guitarist, songwriter and record producer.-Career:...
and George Young, was released on RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
and reached No.12 on the Australian national charts. This single was flipped with a Ted Mulry
Ted Mulry
Ted Mulry was a singer, songwriter, bass player and guitarist. He was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England but achieved his success in Australia, firstly as a solo performer, and then leading his own band Ted Mulry Gang, sometimes officially credited as just TMG.-Solo:Ted Mulry first came to the...
composition "Take Me Back". Soon she released her first album Fresh Water
Fresh Water
Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve...
, a reference to her former band. The album was produced by the British producer Simon Napier-Bell
Simon Napier-Bell
Simon Napier-Bell has undertaken many jobs in the music industry, including bandboy, manager, producer, songwriter, journalist and author and gourmet...
, who had worked previously with The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
and T.Rex, and included a mix of rock, jazz and blues. The album was later re-released under the title Any Way You Want Me.
"It's Time"
Following this the Pat Alton produced and co-written single, "It's TimeIt's Time
It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative government, Labor put forward a raft of major policy proposals, accompanied by a...
", was released and subsequently used on the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
's TV commercial during Gough Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
's 1972 Federal election campaign, making McCallum a famous name throughout Australia through saturation radio and television airplay, despite the single failing to chart.
Europe
In 1973 she travelled to Europe to perform and showcased "Superman" at the 8th MIDEM International Music Trade Fair in Cannes. She released a further three less successful, but still charting, singles on RCA, including a version of the Rotary ConnectionRotary Connection
Rotary Connection was an American psychedelic soul band, formed in Chicago in 1966. The highly experimental band was the idea of Marshall Chess, son of Chess Records founder Leonard Chess. Marshall was the director behind a start-up label, Cadet Concept Records, and wanted to focus on music outside...
song "Teach Me How To Fly", previously a hit for Jeff St John in 1970.
The Hooter Sisters
In October 1974 she signed to Albert ProductionsAlbert Productions
Albert Productions, a division of music publishing and recording company Albert Music, is one of Australia's longest established independent Australian record label to specialise in rock and roll music. The label was founded in 1964 by Ted Albert, whose family owned and operated the Australian...
, and collaborated with two of Australia's more respected singers, Bobbi Marchini and Janice Slater as the Hooter Sisters, releasing a version of Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
's "To Know Him Is To Love Him".
"Excuse Me"
In 1975 she released her second and final hit single "Excuse Me", which spent 42 weeks in the national top 30. This was followed by an album, AlisonAlison (album)
Alison aka Excuse Me, is the second album by Australian pop, soul, rock and blues singer Alison MacCallum, released in 1975.-Track listing:# "Hot Burrito" – 3:49# "Fade In, Fade Out" – 2:50...
, which spent just two weeks on the top 100 album chart, and two more unsuccessful singles, the last, in February 1976, missing the charts completely and marking the end of her solo career.
Post solo career
In the late 1970s she concentrated on session work, such as backing vocals on John Robinson's Pity for the Victim and with artists such as Billy ThorpeBilly Thorpe
William Richard "Billy" Thorpe, AM was a renowned English-born Australian pop / rock singer-songwriter and musician...
, Doug Parkinson
Doug Parkinson
Douglas "Doug" Parkinson is an Australian singer who first came to fame with his band, Doug Parkinson In Focus, in 1969. He has had numerous hits on the Australian Top 40 charts.-Career:...
and Mark Holden
Mark Holden
Mark Holden is an Australian singer, television personality and barrister. He was one of a panel of three judges on the television series Australian Idol.-Acting career:...
. After seeming to retire in the mid-80s, she has not been heard of publicly, although her single "Superman" and a greatest hits compilation under the same name were re-released by RCA in 1979 to cash in on the then successful Superman movie. Since the advent of CDs, only two of her solo tracks have been released on compilation CDs, and none of her solo recordings re-released.
Albums
- March 1972 - Fresh WaterFresh WaterFresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve...
(RCA Victor) (Australia #42) - March 1974 - Any Way You Want Me (RCA Victor) (Re-issue of Fresh Water)
- July 1975 - AlisonAlison (album)Alison aka Excuse Me, is the second album by Australian pop, soul, rock and blues singer Alison MacCallum, released in 1975.-Track listing:# "Hot Burrito" – 3:49# "Fade In, Fade Out" – 2:50...
(also known as Excuse Me) (Albert Productions) (Australia #96) - April 1979 - Superman (The Best Of The RCA Years) (RCA Victor)
with Freshwater
(with lead vocal uncredited on label - Alison McCallum)- November 1971 - "I Ain't Got the Time"/"Hello Sunshine" (RCA Victor) (Australia #30, Sydney #19)
as Alison McCallum
- February 1972 - "Superman"/"Take Me Back" (RCA Victor) (Australia #8, Sydney #10, Melbourne #10, Brisbane #9, Adelaide #7, Hobart #23)
- May 1972 - "Ol' Rock 'n' Roll Boogie Woogie Blues"/"Have You Seen Your Mother Baby (Standing In The Shadows)" (RCA Victor) (Australia #87, Adelaide #24)
- October 1972 - "It's Time"/"Hippy Gumbo" (RCA Victor)
- December 1972 - "Would You Believe"/"Lonely" (RCA Victor) (Adelaide #25)
- March 1973 - "Fire"/"Teach Me How To Fly" (RCA Victor) (Adelaide #27)
- October 1974 - "Excuse Me"/"Honk Honk" (Albert Productions) (Australia #29, Sydney #12, Brisbane #1, Adelaide #4, Hobart #42)
- September 1975 - "Her Kind of Guy (Hot Burrito)"/"If Your Eyes Could Smile" (Albert Productions)
- February 1976 - "Love Grows Cold"/"Lunatic Love" (Albert Productions)
- August 1979 - "Superman" (Disco Version) /"Take Me Back" (RCA Victor) (12" Re-Issue of 1972 Single)
with The Hooter Sisters
- August 1974 - "To Know Him is to Love Him"/"So Tough" (Albert Productions)
Compilation appearances
- 1975 - Chartstoppers Vol. 3 - Track 5 - "Superman" (Summit Records)
- 1979 - 25 Rare Recycled RCA Rock Relics - Track 11 - "I Ain't Got the Time" (RCA)
- 1979 - Albert Archives - Track 7 - "To Love Somebody" (Albert Productions, credited as Alison McCallum & Tully)
- 1989 - Good Times: 25 Years of Australian Hits - Track 8 - "Excuse Me" (Albert Productions)
- 1999 - Live, Loud And Sweaty: Australia's Live Music Scene Of The Seventies - Track 10 - "Together Till The End Of Time" (Canetoad, credited to Freshwater)
External links
- Pop Archives
- The Age newspaper article
- References to Alison McCallum in Naked Vicar TV show 1977 (Radio Series 1 -1/1, 1/2 & series 2 - 2/1 & 2/2) - (TV Series 1 - 1/1 26 May 1977. 19 13 September 1977
- Freshwater page - Bruce Sergents New Zealand band website
- Reference to Alison McCallum in Gospel music