Divinyls
Encyclopedia
Divinyls were an Australian rock
band
formed in Sydney
in 1980 and featuring vocalist Christina Amphlett
and guitar
ist Mark McEntee
. As the focal point, Amphlett performed on stage wearing a school uniform and fishnet stockings, often using an illuminated neon tube as a prop and displaying aggression towards band members and the audience.
The band, originally a five-piece, underwent numerous lineup changes with Amphlett and McEntee as the core members, before breaking up in 1996.
In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)
, as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Science Fiction
" as one of the Top 30 Australian songs
of all time. The band was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) Hall of Fame
in 2006 and in late 2007 Amphlett and McEntee reconvened to record a new single and begin working on a new album. The band played a short series of live gigs in Australia in late 2007 and early 2008.
Divinyls have released five studio albums, with four of them reaching the Top 10 in Australia and one, Divinyls
, reaching No. 15 in the US. Their biggest-selling single, "I Touch Myself
" (1991) achieved No. 1 in Australia, No. 4 in the US and No. 10 in the UK.
, who had been married to Keith Jacobsen—younger brother of pioneer rocker Col Joye
and leading promoter Kevin Jacobsen
. In her autobiography Pleasure and Pain (2005), Amphlett described breaking into the music scene from the age of fourteen, being arrested for busking
when seventeen and travelling in Spain, and how her performances drew upon childhood pain.
Amphlett and McEntee (ex-Air Supply
were introduced by Jeremy Paul (ex-Air Supply
) in the car park of a small music venue in Collaroy, Sydney, after Amphlett and Paul had finished a gig with their then band, Batonrouge. Amphlett and McEntee met again at the Sydney Opera House
where Amphlett and Paul were singing in a choral concert in 1980. They recruited Bjarne Ohlin and Richard Harvey, and for almost two years they performed in pubs and clubs in Sydney's Kings Cross
. During this time, Paul negotiated publishing and recording agreements that led to the band signing with WEA. Australian film director Ken Cameron saw Divinyls performing in a club. This led to them providing the soundtrack for his 1982 film Monkey Grip
and also gave Amphlett, Paul and McEntee supporting roles in the movie. The group released two singles from the soundtrack, Music from Monkey Grip EP
, "Boys in Town
", which reached No. 8 on the national singles chart, and "Only Lonely". After the bands initial success, original manager and bassist Jeremy Paul left. He was replaced on bass, briefly by Ken Firth (ex-The Ferrets
) and more permanently by Rick Grossman
(ex Matt Finish
). Grossman left in 1987 to replace Clyde Bramley in Hoodoo Gurus
. By early 1988, Divinyls consisted of Amphlett and McEntee with augmentation by additional musicians when recording or touring.
Over the decade Divinyls released four albums, Music from Monkey Grip EP on WEA
in 1982, Desperate
on Chrysalis Records
in 1983, What a Life!
in 1985 and Temperamental
in 1988. The latter two albums were also released by Chrysalis in the US. They had hit singles in Australia with, "Science Fiction
" No. 13 in 1983, "Good Die Young" No. 32 in 1984 and "Pleasure and Pain")No. 11 in 1985. Their later manager Vince Lovegrove
organised Divinyls' transfer from WEA to Chrysalis and their first tours of United States. They established a fan base there, without achieving major commercial success. Divinyls also had Australian hits with cover version
s of The Easybeats
' "I'll Make You Happy", and Syndicate of Sound
's "Hey Little Boy
" ("Hey Little Girl" with the gender switched) which reached No. 25 in 1988. Amphlett became a controversial and highly visible celebrity for her brash, overtly sexual persona and subversive humour in lyrics, performances and media interviews.
on Virgin Records
and the single "I Touch Myself
" which became their only Australian No.1 single. The song reached No. 4 in the US and No. 10 in the UK. The majority of Divinyls' hits were co-written by Amphlett and McEntee, but in this case they wrote with Thomas Kelly and Billy Steinberg
. diVINYLS reached No. 5 on the Australian album charts and No. 15 on Billboard Top 200. The drummer for the diVINYLS sessions was Charley Drayton
, who became romantically involved with Amphlett and from 2000 they have lived together in New York. A disagreement with Virgin Records stifled future development outside Australia where they released popular albums and achieved two more top twenty singles with "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore
" No. 19 in 1992 and "I'm Jealous
" No. 14 in 1995. During the 1980s and 1990s Amphlett collaborated as a songwriter with other artists including Chrissie Hynde
and Cyndi Lauper
, and both Amphlett and McEntee worked on solo projects.
A live album, Divinyls Live, was released in 1991 but Divinyls did not provide another studio album for five years. In the early 1990s they recorded a series of cover songs for various movie soundtracks, including the Young Rascals
' "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore
" for Buffy the Vampire Slayer
(1992), the Wild Ones' "Wild Thing" for Reckless Kelly
(1993), and Roxy Music
's "Love Is the Drug
" for Super Mario Brothers
(1993).
The song "I Touch Myself" caused such a controversy it had trouble getting airplay in many U.S.A. area markets; so much to the point that while performing their song live in Texas at Austin Aqua Fest 1991 the plug was pulled on the band mid set by organizers.
It wasn't until 1996 that Underworld
, their fifth studio album, was released in Australia by BMG
. Despite the success of diVINYLS Virgin had not kept them under contract and BMG did not release Underworld in the US. As with What A Life! they worked with three producers, beginning with Peter Collins recording "I'm Jealous
" in Nashville, followed by Keith Forsey
for "Sex Will Keep Us Together" and "Heart Of Steel". Although "Heart of Steel" was chosen as a single, Divinyls discontinued with Forsey because according to Amphlett "he was a bit too 'pop' for us" and remaining tracks were produced by their drummer Drayton. In early 1997, Amphlett and McEntee had a falling out and separated without formally disbanding Divinyls.
in the Australian stage production of the life story of entertainer Peter Allen
, titled The Boy from Oz
. The production was a success and Amphlett's interpretation of Garland, during her final troubled years, brought her critical acclaim: she was nominated for the Helpmann Award
for 'Best Female Actor in a Musical'.
Amphlett and McEntee concentrated on solo projects and collaborations with other artists. Amphlett and Drayton lived in New York City
from 2000, while McEntee ran a clothing label, Wheels and Doll Baby
, in Perth
with his partner, Melanie Greensmith. In November 2005 Amphlett published her autobiography Pleasure and Pain: My Life co-written with Larry Writer; she detailed her achievements, drug and alcohol abuse, love affairs and triumphs while a member of Divinyls.
Hall of Fame
and had their first performance for 10 years at the award ceremony. They reformed shortly afterwards and a compilation, Greatest Hits
, was released by EMI Music Australia
in August 2006. A single, "Don't Wanna Do This", was released in November 2007 and an album recorded in Las Vegas
was expected to be released in 2008; however its non-appearance may be due to Amphlett's Multiple Sclerosis
(MS).
They performed during the Australian Idol
grand final at the Sydney Opera House, on 25 November 2007, although their performance of "Boys in Town" (also performed by Idol winner Natalie Gauci
) had to be repeated after Network Ten
's transmission feed was interrupted. A national tour of Australia followed in December 2007 with a touring band featuring Drayton on drums, Jerome Smith on bass, Charlie Owen on guitar and newest member Clayton Doley
on keyboards. Amphlett revealed on 7 December 2007 that she had multiple sclerosis
in an interview with Richard Wilkins
on Network Nine's A Current Affair nevertheless she was looking forward to touring with Divinyls. The next day Divinyls headlined the Homebake
music festival where Amphlett displayed an emotional fragility when attempting to get the crowd to sing along with her. In August 2009, Amphlett announced that Divinyls were finished and she had a new band in New York.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
formed in Sydney
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...
in 1980 and featuring vocalist Christina Amphlett
Christina Amphlett
Christine Joy Amphlett was the lead singer of Australian rock band Divinyls. She is also known as Chrissy Amphlett.She grew up in Geelong as a singer and dancer...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Mark McEntee
Mark McEntee
Mark McEntee is an Australian musician, he was the guitarist for the rock band Divinyls. In May 2001, Divinyls' "Science Fiction", written by lead singer Christina Amphlett and McEntee, was selected by Australasian Performing Right Association as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time...
. As the focal point, Amphlett performed on stage wearing a school uniform and fishnet stockings, often using an illuminated neon tube as a prop and displaying aggression towards band members and the audience.
The band, originally a five-piece, underwent numerous lineup changes with Amphlett and McEntee as the core members, before breaking up in 1996.
In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)
Australasian Performing Right Association
The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth...
, as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Science Fiction
Science Fiction (song)
"Science Fiction" is a song by Australian rock, New Wave group Divinyls, which was the lead single from their first studio album, Desperate. Released in November 1982, "Science Fiction", peaked at No. 13 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart...
" as one of the Top 30 Australian songs
APRA Top 30 Australian songs
APRA's Top 30 Australian songs between 1926 and 2001 was a list created by the Australasian Performing Right Association to celebrate its 75th anniversary...
of all time. The band was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) Hall of Fame
ARIA Hall of Fame
Since 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association has inducted artists into its ARIA Hall of Fame. While most have been recognised at the annual ARIA Music Awards, in 2005 ARIA sought to create a separate standalone "ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame" event as only one or two acts could be inducted...
in 2006 and in late 2007 Amphlett and McEntee reconvened to record a new single and begin working on a new album. The band played a short series of live gigs in Australia in late 2007 and early 2008.
Divinyls have released five studio albums, with four of them reaching the Top 10 in Australia and one, Divinyls
Divinyls (album)
Divinyls is the fourth studio album by Australian band Divinyls, released on 29 January 1991 by Virgin Records. The album was the band's most successful,, peaking at No.5 in Australia and No.15 in the US...
, reaching No. 15 in the US. Their biggest-selling single, "I Touch Myself
I Touch Myself
"I Touch Myself" is a 1990 single by the Australian rock band Divinyls. The song was written by Divinyls bandmembers Christina Amphlett and Mark McEntee and professional songwriters Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg for the band's self-titled album...
" (1991) achieved No. 1 in Australia, No. 4 in the US and No. 10 in the UK.
1980s: Formation and early albums
Amphlett is the cousin of 1960s Australian pop icon Patricia "Little Pattie" AmphlettLittle Pattie
Little Pattie is the stage name of Australian singer, Patricia Thelma Amphlett OAM later Patricia Thompson, who performed as a 1960s surf pop singer and then in adult contemporary music...
, who had been married to Keith Jacobsen—younger brother of pioneer rocker Col Joye
Col Joye
Colin Frederick Jacobsen AM , better known by his stage name Col Joye, is an Australian popular entertainer and entrepreneur...
and leading promoter Kevin Jacobsen
Kevin Jacobsen
Kevin George Jacobsen OAM is a well-known Australian entertainment entrepreneur.Along with his brothers Colin and Keith, he was a member of prominent Australian 1960s band, The Joy Boys....
. In her autobiography Pleasure and Pain (2005), Amphlett described breaking into the music scene from the age of fourteen, being arrested for busking
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
when seventeen and travelling in Spain, and how her performances drew upon childhood pain.
Amphlett and McEntee (ex-Air Supply
Air Supply
Air Supply is an Australian soft rock duo, consisting of Graham Russell as guitarist and singer-songwriter and Russell Hitchcock as lead vocalist. They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s...
were introduced by Jeremy Paul (ex-Air Supply
Air Supply
Air Supply is an Australian soft rock duo, consisting of Graham Russell as guitarist and singer-songwriter and Russell Hitchcock as lead vocalist. They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s...
) in the car park of a small music venue in Collaroy, Sydney, after Amphlett and Paul had finished a gig with their then band, Batonrouge. Amphlett and McEntee met again at the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
where Amphlett and Paul were singing in a choral concert in 1980. They recruited Bjarne Ohlin and Richard Harvey, and for almost two years they performed in pubs and clubs in Sydney's Kings Cross
Kings Cross, New South Wales
Kings Cross is an inner-city locality of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately 2 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney...
. During this time, Paul negotiated publishing and recording agreements that led to the band signing with WEA. Australian film director Ken Cameron saw Divinyls performing in a club. This led to them providing the soundtrack for his 1982 film Monkey Grip
Monkey Grip (film)
Monkey Grip is a 1982 Australian drama film directed by Ken Cameron. It is based on the novel, also titled Monkey Grip, by Helen Garner...
and also gave Amphlett, Paul and McEntee supporting roles in the movie. The group released two singles from the soundtrack, Music from Monkey Grip EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, "Boys in Town
Boys in Town (song)
"Boys in Town" is the debut single by Australian rock band Divinyls, released in 1981. The song was used in the 1982 film Monkey Grip and was first released on the soundtrack to the movie, along with several other Divinyls tracks written and recorded for the film including the single's b-side "Only...
", which reached No. 8 on the national singles chart, and "Only Lonely". After the bands initial success, original manager and bassist Jeremy Paul left. He was replaced on bass, briefly by Ken Firth (ex-The Ferrets
The Ferrets (band)
The Ferrets were an Australian pop / rock band from Melbourne and Sydney, which formed in 1975 and disbanded in 1979. Their second single, "Don’t Fall in Love", was released in 1977 and peaked at No. 2 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart...
) and more permanently by Rick Grossman
Richard Grossman (musician)
Richard Grossman is an Australian rock musician who has played bass guitar for two iconic bands Divinyls and Hoodoo Gurus. Hoodoo Gurus iconic status on the Australian rock scene was acknowledged when they were inducted into the 2007 ARIA Hall of Fame. For Grossman, this was his second Hall of Fame...
(ex Matt Finish
Matt Finish
Matt Finish are an Australian rock band formed by singer-songwriter/guitarist Matt Moffitt and drummer/composer/producer John Prior in mid 1979....
). Grossman left in 1987 to replace Clyde Bramley in Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band, formed in Sydney in 1981, by the mainstay Dave Faulkner and later joined by Richard Grossman , Mark Kingsmill , and Brad Shepherd...
. By early 1988, Divinyls consisted of Amphlett and McEntee with augmentation by additional musicians when recording or touring.
Over the decade Divinyls released four albums, Music from Monkey Grip EP on WEA
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
in 1982, Desperate
Desperate (Divinyls album)
Desperate is the debut studio album and second overall album by Australian rock band Divinyls, released in 1983 by Chrysalis Records. The album contains the hits "Boys in Town", "Science Fiction" and "Siren ".-Background:...
on Chrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records
Chrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...
in 1983, What a Life!
What a Life! (album)
What a Life! is the second studio album by Australian band Divinyls, released in July 1985 by Chrysalis Records. The album is a genre of rock and new wave songs — written by Divinyls members Christina Amphlett and Mark McEntee.-History:...
in 1985 and Temperamental
Temperamental (Divinyls album)
Temperamental is the third album by Australian band Divinyls, released in 1988 by Chrysalis Records. Three singles were lifted from the album – "Back to the Wall"/"Fighting" , their cover of Syndicate of Sound's "Hey Little Boy"/"Para Dice" and "Punxsie"/"Victoria" .Rehearsals began in Los...
in 1988. The latter two albums were also released by Chrysalis in the US. They had hit singles in Australia with, "Science Fiction
Science Fiction (song)
"Science Fiction" is a song by Australian rock, New Wave group Divinyls, which was the lead single from their first studio album, Desperate. Released in November 1982, "Science Fiction", peaked at No. 13 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart...
" No. 13 in 1983, "Good Die Young" No. 32 in 1984 and "Pleasure and Pain")No. 11 in 1985. Their later manager Vince Lovegrove
Vince Lovegrove
Vincent "Vince" Lovegrove is an Australian journalist, music manager, television producer, AIDS awareness pioneer and musician. He was a member of 1960s rock 'n' roll band The Valentines, sharing vocals with Bon Scott whom he later introduced to heavy rock group AC/DC...
organised Divinyls' transfer from WEA to Chrysalis and their first tours of United States. They established a fan base there, without achieving major commercial success. Divinyls also had Australian hits with cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s of The Easybeats
The Easybeats
The Easybeats were an Australian rock and roll band. They formed in Sydney in late 1964 and broke up at the end of 1969. They are regarded as the greatest Australian pop band of the 1960s, and were the first Australian rock and roll act to score an international pop hit with their 1966 single...
' "I'll Make You Happy", and Syndicate of Sound
Syndicate of Sound
The Syndicate of Sound was an American garage band that existed between 1965 and 1970. Originally from San Jose, California, the band had an edgy style that some critics have considered to be a forerunner of psychedelic rock.- History :...
's "Hey Little Boy
Hey Little Boy
"Hey Little Boy" is a rock song by Australian band Divinyls, released as the second single from their 1988 album Temperamental. The song was a cover of the 1966 hit song "Little Girl" by American rock 'n' roll band Syndicate of Sound. However, when Divinyls recorded their version of the song, they...
" ("Hey Little Girl" with the gender switched) which reached No. 25 in 1988. Amphlett became a controversial and highly visible celebrity for her brash, overtly sexual persona and subversive humour in lyrics, performances and media interviews.
1990s: Divinyls duo
In 1991 Divinyls released diVINYLSDivinyls (album)
Divinyls is the fourth studio album by Australian band Divinyls, released on 29 January 1991 by Virgin Records. The album was the band's most successful,, peaking at No.5 in Australia and No.15 in the US...
on Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
and the single "I Touch Myself
I Touch Myself
"I Touch Myself" is a 1990 single by the Australian rock band Divinyls. The song was written by Divinyls bandmembers Christina Amphlett and Mark McEntee and professional songwriters Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg for the band's self-titled album...
" which became their only Australian No.1 single. The song reached No. 4 in the US and No. 10 in the UK. The majority of Divinyls' hits were co-written by Amphlett and McEntee, but in this case they wrote with Thomas Kelly and Billy Steinberg
Billy Steinberg
William Endfield "Billy" Steinberg is an American songwriter. He has achieved most of his success as part of a song writing team, most notably with Tom Kelly. He has also co-written several hit songs with Rick Nowels.-Biography:...
. diVINYLS reached No. 5 on the Australian album charts and No. 15 on Billboard Top 200. The drummer for the diVINYLS sessions was Charley Drayton
Charley Drayton
Charley Drayton is an American multi-instrumental musician and producer, who has played as a drummer and bass guitarist for many bands and artists and is currently the drummer in Australian rock bands Divinyls and Cold Chisel....
, who became romantically involved with Amphlett and from 2000 they have lived together in New York. A disagreement with Virgin Records stifled future development outside Australia where they released popular albums and achieved two more top twenty singles with "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore
I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore
"I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore" is a song written by Pam Sawyer and Laurie Burton, originally recorded by The Young Rascals. It was released as their first single in November 1965 and featured on their eponymous debut album the following year...
" No. 19 in 1992 and "I'm Jealous
I'm Jealous
"I'm Jealous" is a song by Australian rock duo Divinyls, released in 1995 as the lead single from their fifth studio album Underworld. The song enjoyed success in Australia where it made the top twenty, peaking at number fourteen and spending nineteen weeks in the top fifty...
" No. 14 in 1995. During the 1980s and 1990s Amphlett collaborated as a songwriter with other artists including Chrissie Hynde
Chrissie Hynde
Christine Ellen "Chrissie" Hynde is an US musician best known as the leader of the rock/new wave band the Pretenders. She is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.-Early life and career:Hynde is the daughter of a part-time...
and Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
, and both Amphlett and McEntee worked on solo projects.
A live album, Divinyls Live, was released in 1991 but Divinyls did not provide another studio album for five years. In the early 1990s they recorded a series of cover songs for various movie soundtracks, including the Young Rascals
The Rascals
The Rascals were an American blue-eyed soul group initially active during the years 1965–72. The band released numerous top ten singles in North America during the mid- and late-1960s, including the U.S. #1 hits "Good Lovin'" , "Groovin'" , and "People Got to Be Free"...
' "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore
I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore
"I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore" is a song written by Pam Sawyer and Laurie Burton, originally recorded by The Young Rascals. It was released as their first single in November 1965 and featured on their eponymous debut album the following year...
" for Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a 1992 American action/comedy/horror film about a Valley girl cheerleader named Buffy who learns that it is her fate to hunt vampires. The original script for the film was written by Joss Whedon, who later created the darker and more acclaimed TV series of the same name...
(1992), the Wild Ones' "Wild Thing" for Reckless Kelly
Reckless Kelly
Reckless Kelly is a 1993 Australian comedy film written, directed and starring Yahoo Serious. The story is a satirical take on a modern day Ned Kelly who is forced to Hollywood in order to make enough money to save his family's land. As it goes against his belief, he cannot simply rob banks for...
(1993), and Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
's "Love Is the Drug
Love Is the Drug
"Love Is the Drug" is a 1975 single from Roxy Music . Taken from the album Siren it omits the gravel footstep sound effects at the start...
" for Super Mario Brothers
Super Mario Bros. (film)
Super Mario Bros. is a 1993 American action film directed by Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel. Based on the Super Mario Bros.video game and its entire franchise, the film features Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper and Samantha Mathis. It tells the story of the Mario brothers, Mario and...
(1993).
The song "I Touch Myself" caused such a controversy it had trouble getting airplay in many U.S.A. area markets; so much to the point that while performing their song live in Texas at Austin Aqua Fest 1991 the plug was pulled on the band mid set by organizers.
It wasn't until 1996 that Underworld
Underworld (Divinyls album)
Underworld is the fifth studio album and the seventh overall album by Australian band Divinyls, released on November 11, 1996 by BMG Records. It was the band's first studio album release in five years. The lead single "I'm Jealous" had been successful when released in 1995, however this did not...
, their fifth studio album, was released in Australia by BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
. Despite the success of diVINYLS Virgin had not kept them under contract and BMG did not release Underworld in the US. As with What A Life! they worked with three producers, beginning with Peter Collins recording "I'm Jealous
I'm Jealous
"I'm Jealous" is a song by Australian rock duo Divinyls, released in 1995 as the lead single from their fifth studio album Underworld. The song enjoyed success in Australia where it made the top twenty, peaking at number fourteen and spending nineteen weeks in the top fifty...
" in Nashville, followed by Keith Forsey
Keith Forsey
Keith Forsey is an English soundtrack composer, drummer, songwriter and record producer.-Biography:Forsey's first recordings were as the younger member of the group The Spectrum, better known for the end title theme for Gerry Anderson's Captain Scarlet, but hit makers across Europe in their own...
for "Sex Will Keep Us Together" and "Heart Of Steel". Although "Heart of Steel" was chosen as a single, Divinyls discontinued with Forsey because according to Amphlett "he was a bit too 'pop' for us" and remaining tracks were produced by their drummer Drayton. In early 1997, Amphlett and McEntee had a falling out and separated without formally disbanding Divinyls.
After the separation
Following Underworld Amphlett pursued a stage career, in 1998 she played the role of Judy GarlandJudy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
in the Australian stage production of the life story of entertainer Peter Allen
Peter Allen
Peter Allen was an Australian songwriter and entertainer. His songs were made popular by many recording artists, including Elkie Brooks, Melissa Manchester and Olivia Newton-John, with one, Arthur's Theme, winning an Academy Award in 1981...
, titled The Boy from Oz
The Boy from Oz
The Boy from Oz is a jukebox musical based on the life of singer/songwriter Peter Allen and featuring songs written by him. The book is by Nick Enright. The production had its world premiere, directed by Gale Edwards, at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, Australia, on 5 March 1998 and toured Brisbane,...
. The production was a success and Amphlett's interpretation of Garland, during her final troubled years, brought her critical acclaim: she was nominated for the Helpmann Award
Helpmann Award
The Helpmann Awards recognize distinguished artistic achievement and excellence in Australia's live performing arts sectors. The recognized disciplines include musical and physical theatre, contemporary and classical music, opera, and dance, with a comedy category introduced in 2006...
for 'Best Female Actor in a Musical'.
Amphlett and McEntee concentrated on solo projects and collaborations with other artists. Amphlett and Drayton lived in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from 2000, while McEntee ran a clothing label, Wheels and Doll Baby
Wheels and Doll Baby
Wheels & Doll Baby is a fashion label based in Australia, founded by Melanie Greensmith and then husband Brett Ford. Greensmith now runs the label with her partner, Divinyls guitarist Mark McEntee...
, in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
with his partner, Melanie Greensmith. In November 2005 Amphlett published her autobiography Pleasure and Pain: My Life co-written with Larry Writer; she detailed her achievements, drug and alcohol abuse, love affairs and triumphs while a member of Divinyls.
2006: Hall of Fame and reformation
On 16 August 2006 Divinyls were inducted into the ARIAAustralian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
Hall of Fame
ARIA Hall of Fame
Since 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association has inducted artists into its ARIA Hall of Fame. While most have been recognised at the annual ARIA Music Awards, in 2005 ARIA sought to create a separate standalone "ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame" event as only one or two acts could be inducted...
and had their first performance for 10 years at the award ceremony. They reformed shortly afterwards and a compilation, Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (Divinyls album)
Greatest Hits is the 2006 collection of the Divinyls music since their career lifted off in the early 80's. This album was inspired by the Divinyls' entry into the 2006 Aria Hall of Fame. This album also marks their 25 years in music...
, was released by EMI Music Australia
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
in August 2006. A single, "Don't Wanna Do This", was released in November 2007 and an album recorded in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
was expected to be released in 2008; however its non-appearance may be due to Amphlett's Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
(MS).
They performed during the Australian Idol
Australian Idol
Australian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
grand final at the Sydney Opera House, on 25 November 2007, although their performance of "Boys in Town" (also performed by Idol winner Natalie Gauci
Natalie Gauci
Natalie Gauci is an Australian singer of Italian and Maltese descent. Gauci undertook music tuition at the Victorian College of the Arts, formed her own band that played gigs in Melbourne, while also working as a music teacher...
) had to be repeated after Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
's transmission feed was interrupted. A national tour of Australia followed in December 2007 with a touring band featuring Drayton on drums, Jerome Smith on bass, Charlie Owen on guitar and newest member Clayton Doley
Clayton Doley
Clayton Doley is an Australian musician, singer, song writer, television musical director, arranger, and record producer best known for his Hammond Organ virtuosity.-Songwriter and producer:...
on keyboards. Amphlett revealed on 7 December 2007 that she had multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
in an interview with Richard Wilkins
Richard Wilkins (TV presenter)
Richard Stephen Wilkins is a television presenter.Wilkins is currently the Nine Network's Entertainment editor for Today.- Career :...
on Network Nine's A Current Affair nevertheless she was looking forward to touring with Divinyls. The next day Divinyls headlined the Homebake
Homebake
Homebake is an annual Australian rock festival, featuring an all-Australian lineup . The festival was first held on 4 January 1996 at Belongil Fields in Byron Bay, on the far north coast of New South Wales...
music festival where Amphlett displayed an emotional fragility when attempting to get the crowd to sing along with her. In August 2009, Amphlett announced that Divinyls were finished and she had a new band in New York.
Band members
Chronological order (includes session / tour musicians):- Christina AmphlettChristina AmphlettChristine Joy Amphlett was the lead singer of Australian rock band Divinyls. She is also known as Chrissy Amphlett.She grew up in Geelong as a singer and dancer...
(1980–1997, 2006–2009) — vocals - Mark McEnteeMark McEnteeMark McEntee is an Australian musician, he was the guitarist for the rock band Divinyls. In May 2001, Divinyls' "Science Fiction", written by lead singer Christina Amphlett and McEntee, was selected by Australasian Performing Right Association as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time...
(1980–1997, 2006–2009) — guitar - Bjarne Ohlin (1980–1986) — keyboards, guitar, backing vocals
- Jeremy Paul (1980–1982) — bass guitar
- Richard Harvey (1981—1985) — drums
- Ken Firth (1982) — bass guitar, replaced Paul
- Rick GrossmanRichard Grossman (musician)Richard Grossman is an Australian rock musician who has played bass guitar for two iconic bands Divinyls and Hoodoo Gurus. Hoodoo Gurus iconic status on the Australian rock scene was acknowledged when they were inducted into the 2007 ARIA Hall of Fame. For Grossman, this was his second Hall of Fame...
(1982–1987) — bass guitar, replaced Firth - J. J. Harris (1985–1986) — drums, replaced Harvey
- Frank InfanteFrank InfanteFrank Infante is an American guitarist and bassist best known as a former member of the punk/new wave band, Blondie.Prior to Blondie, he established himself playing guitar in heavy, electric blues groups such as The Elegant End and World War III. In 1975, he joined Sniper, an early, American glam...
(1987) — guitar - Tom Caine (1987) — drums
- Kenny Lyon (1987) — keyboards
- Matthew Hughes (1987–1988) — keyboards, bass guitar
- Warren McLean (1988) — drums
- Tim Millikan (1988) — bass guitar
- Roger Mason (1988–1989, 1990) — keyboards
- Tim Powles (1989) — drums
- Charley DraytonCharley DraytonCharley Drayton is an American multi-instrumental musician and producer, who has played as a drummer and bass guitarist for many bands and artists and is currently the drummer in Australian rock bands Divinyls and Cold Chisel....
(1990–1997, 2006–2009) — drums, percussion - Benmont TenchBenmont TenchBenjamin Montmorency Tench, III is an American keyboardist best known as a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.-Early years:...
(1990–1991) — keyboards: Hammond organHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard... - Randy JacksonRandy JacksonRandall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
(1990) — bass guitar - Lee Borkman (1991) — keyboards, guitar
- Jim Hilbun (1991) — bass guitar
- Mark Meyer (1991) — drums
- Charlie OwenCharlie Owen (musician)Charlie Owen is an Australian guitar player who lives in St Kilda Melbourne Australia. He is a member of Tex, Don and Charlie, The Beasts of Bourbon, Tex Perkins and The Dark Horses, Large Number 12s, Maurice Frawley and The Working Class Ringos, Tendrils, the Divinyls and Tex Perkins and his...
(1991, 2006–2009) — guitar - Jerome Smith (1991, 2006–2009) — bass
- Clayton DoleyClayton DoleyClayton Doley is an Australian musician, singer, song writer, television musical director, arranger, and record producer best known for his Hammond Organ virtuosity.-Songwriter and producer:...
(2007–2009) — keyboards
Discography
Studio albums:- 1983: DesperateDesperate (Divinyls album)Desperate is the debut studio album and second overall album by Australian rock band Divinyls, released in 1983 by Chrysalis Records. The album contains the hits "Boys in Town", "Science Fiction" and "Siren ".-Background:...
- 1985: What a Life!What a Life! (album)What a Life! is the second studio album by Australian band Divinyls, released in July 1985 by Chrysalis Records. The album is a genre of rock and new wave songs — written by Divinyls members Christina Amphlett and Mark McEntee.-History:...
- 1988: TemperamentalTemperamental (Divinyls album)Temperamental is the third album by Australian band Divinyls, released in 1988 by Chrysalis Records. Three singles were lifted from the album – "Back to the Wall"/"Fighting" , their cover of Syndicate of Sound's "Hey Little Boy"/"Para Dice" and "Punxsie"/"Victoria" .Rehearsals began in Los...
- 1991: DivinylsDivinyls (album)Divinyls is the fourth studio album by Australian band Divinyls, released on 29 January 1991 by Virgin Records. The album was the band's most successful,, peaking at No.5 in Australia and No.15 in the US...
- 1996: UnderworldUnderworld (Divinyls album)Underworld is the fifth studio album and the seventh overall album by Australian band Divinyls, released on November 11, 1996 by BMG Records. It was the band's first studio album release in five years. The lead single "I'm Jealous" had been successful when released in 1995, however this did not...
Further reading
- Amphlett, Christina; Larry Writer, (November 2005). Pleasure and Pain: My Life. Sydney : Hachette Livre Australia. ISBN 0-7336-1959-2.
- Stieven-Taylor, Alison, (15 October 2007). Rock chicks : the hottest female rockers from the 1960s to now. Sydney : Rockpool Publishing. ISBN 9781921295065.