Hans Poulsen
Encyclopedia
Hans Sven Poulsen is an Australian singer-songwriter
popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Poulsen had hits with "Boom Sha La La Lo" and "Light Across the Valley" (both in 1970) and had success as a songwriter with "Rose Coloured Glasses" for John Farnham
and "Monty and Me" for Zoot
.
His grandfather migrated to Victoria from Denmark and being proud of his heritage Poulsen took on the first names of Hans Sven when he was still a teenager. It is possible he took the name as a stage-name when he started his school in 1961 called the Rimfires; at this time he played around the Frankston area, an outer suburb of Melbourne and around the Mornington Peninsula region on the coast. It was here he learnt his craft and became known for his interpretation of Buddy Holly music and songs.
In 1965 Poulsen formed the first version of Melbourne group 18th Century Quartet, which played original material (mostly by Poulsen) and performed in a style that later came to be known as world music
; the group also differed from most of its contemporaries with its use of diverse acoustic instruments including mandolin
, autoharp
and bouzouki
.
After embarking on a solo career in 1967, Poulsen scored two Australian pop hits with the songs "Boom Sha La La Lo", "Light Across the Valley" and he enjoyed great success as a songwriter with hits written for other artists, including "Rose Coloured Glasses" for John Farnham
and "Monty and Me" for Zoot
. One of his best-known and most successful compositions, "It's Only A Matter Of Time", was the much-played B-side of the famous single "The Real Thing" by Russell Morris
, which was an Australian #1 hit in May 1969.
In 1972 Poulsen relocated to the Findhorn Foundation
spiritual community in north east Scotland
, where he recorded three albums, What A Way To Look At Life: Findhorn Foundation Sing-along, It Can't Be Described In Words and Universal Hands (all 1975, all released on cassette only by the Findhorn Foundation). These featured many of Poulsen' own songs, plus some by other community singers. Short clips of Poulsen performing several songs are included in the documentary Findhorn, produced in 1974 and reissued on DVD by Earthworks Films in 2006. Poulsen left Findhorn in 1976. Poulsen's career was cut short in the late 1970s when he suffered first cancer
and then a stroke
, and spent several years in hospital. On his recovery he went on to become a music therapist.
A booklet, Hans Poulsen - Troubadour, was written by Australian music journalist Paul McHenry and published by Moonlight Publications in 1996.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Poulsen had hits with "Boom Sha La La Lo" and "Light Across the Valley" (both in 1970) and had success as a songwriter with "Rose Coloured Glasses" for John Farnham
John Farnham
John Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as...
and "Monty and Me" for Zoot
Zoot (band)
Zoot are a pop/rock band formed in Adelaide, South Australia in 1965 as Down the Line. They changed their name to Zoot in 1967 and by 1968 had relocated to Melbourne...
.
Biography
He was born as Bruce Gordon Poulsen to parents Vic and Nellie who played two instruments, lap-steel & ukulele with their styles of Hawaiian music, bush ballads and Country & Western music.His grandfather migrated to Victoria from Denmark and being proud of his heritage Poulsen took on the first names of Hans Sven when he was still a teenager. It is possible he took the name as a stage-name when he started his school in 1961 called the Rimfires; at this time he played around the Frankston area, an outer suburb of Melbourne and around the Mornington Peninsula region on the coast. It was here he learnt his craft and became known for his interpretation of Buddy Holly music and songs.
In 1965 Poulsen formed the first version of Melbourne group 18th Century Quartet, which played original material (mostly by Poulsen) and performed in a style that later came to be known as world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
; the group also differed from most of its contemporaries with its use of diverse acoustic instruments including mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, autoharp
Autoharp
The autoharp is a musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers, which, when depressed, mute all of the strings other than those that form the desired chord. Despite its name, the autoharp is not a harp at all, but a chorded zither. -History:There is debate over the...
and bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
.
After embarking on a solo career in 1967, Poulsen scored two Australian pop hits with the songs "Boom Sha La La Lo", "Light Across the Valley" and he enjoyed great success as a songwriter with hits written for other artists, including "Rose Coloured Glasses" for John Farnham
John Farnham
John Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as...
and "Monty and Me" for Zoot
Zoot (band)
Zoot are a pop/rock band formed in Adelaide, South Australia in 1965 as Down the Line. They changed their name to Zoot in 1967 and by 1968 had relocated to Melbourne...
. One of his best-known and most successful compositions, "It's Only A Matter Of Time", was the much-played B-side of the famous single "The Real Thing" by Russell Morris
Russell Morris
Russell Norman Morris is an Australian singer-songwriter who had five Australian Top 10 singles during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
, which was an Australian #1 hit in May 1969.
In 1972 Poulsen relocated to the Findhorn Foundation
Findhorn Foundation
The Findhorn Foundation is a Scottish charitable trust registered in 1972, formed by the spiritual community at the Findhorn Ecovillage, one of the largest intentional communities in Britain....
spiritual community in north east Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, where he recorded three albums, What A Way To Look At Life: Findhorn Foundation Sing-along, It Can't Be Described In Words and Universal Hands (all 1975, all released on cassette only by the Findhorn Foundation). These featured many of Poulsen' own songs, plus some by other community singers. Short clips of Poulsen performing several songs are included in the documentary Findhorn, produced in 1974 and reissued on DVD by Earthworks Films in 2006. Poulsen left Findhorn in 1976. Poulsen's career was cut short in the late 1970s when he suffered first cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and then a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
, and spent several years in hospital. On his recovery he went on to become a music therapist.
A booklet, Hans Poulsen - Troubadour, was written by Australian music journalist Paul McHenry and published by Moonlight Publications in 1996.