Normie Rowe
Encyclopedia
Norman John "Normie" Rowe AM
(born 1 February 1947) was a major male solo performer of Australia
n pop music
in the 1960s. Known for his bright and edgy tenor voice and dynamic stage presence, many of Rowe's most successful recordings were produced by Pat Aulton
, house producer for the Sunshine Records
, Spin Records
and Festival Records labels. Backed by his band, The Playboys, Rowe released a string of Australian pop hits on the Sunshine Records
label that kept him at the top of the Australian charts and made him the most popular solo performer of the mid-1960s. Rowe's double-sided hit "Que Sera Sera" / "Shakin' All Over
" was one of the most successful Australian singles of the 1960s.
Between 1965 and 1967 Rowe was Australia's most popular male star but his career was cut short when he was drafted for compulsory military service in late 1967. His subsequent tour of duty in Vietnam
effectively ended his pop career and he was never able to recapture the success he enjoyed at his peak.
. He was drawn to music early in life. He began singing with his local church choir in Melbourne while at primary school. He was hooked on rock and roll music even before his teens and Col Joye
became one of his early idols and inspirations. He took up guitar and formed his first amateur band, The Valiants, while he was in high school, at Northcote High. They performed once a month at Alphington Methodist Hall. He concentrated on singing and made his first stage appearance as a lead vocalist in a music school concert, aged 14.
By luck, the show was compered by top Melbourne radio DJ Stan Rofe
. Rofe was impressed by Rowe's talent and arranged for him to work with local dance promoter Kevin McClellan. He began performing regularly at Melbourne dances and discos, backed by instrumental groups like The Thunderdbirds, The Impostors and finally The Playboys, who became his permanent band until 1967.
After leaving high school in 1963, Rowe had joined the PMG (the Commonwealth telecommunications department later split into Telstra
and Australia Post
). He worked as a trainee technician, but in late 1964 his long hair became an issue with his employers and, in the face of a "cut it or quit" ultimatum, he left the PMG to become a professional entertainer. Working on the Melbourne dance circuit, he became a popular attraction and it was not long before he was picked to become a regular on Melbourne pop TV shows like Teen Scene and The Go!! Show
. According to music historian Ed Nimmervoll, EMI
apparently had the chance to sign him but turned him down, claiming that he could not sing. He was signed to a recording deal with the independent label Sunshine which included a management deal with the Ivan Dayman
organisation.
" (from Porgy & Bess) a choice suggested by Stan Rofe
. It was a Top Ten hit in most capitals (No. 6 in Sydney, No. 1 in Melbourne, No. 3 in Brisbane, No, 5 in Adelaide), even though Sydney pop station 2SM
(then owned by the Catholic Church) banned it because of its supposedly sacrilegious lyrics. The inspiration for Rowe's version was apparently a 1963 version by the United Kingdom band Ian & The Zodiacs. Some references cite the course as a version by The Merseybeats
, but that band never recorded "It Ain't Necessarily So". The name of the Ian & The Zodiacs' album This Is Merseybeat has apparently been confused with the name of the band The Merseybeats.
Rowe's first LP was released in July 1965. His second single (also apparently discovered while trawling through Rofe's vast record collection), released in August, was a cover of Ben E. King's "I (Who Have Nothing)". It became his second Top 10 hit (No. 10 in Sydney, No. 4 in Melbourne, No. 23 in Brisbane, No. 6 in Adelaide).
Although Rowe's third single, "I Confess" / "Everything's Alright", was apparently withdrawn before or soon after release, the next single became the biggest hit of his career. The A-side was a cover of "Que Sera Sera" (best known from the Doris Day
original), which was given a "Merseybeat" treatment (in the manner of The Beatles' "Twist & Shout"). Paired with a powerful version of the Johnny Kidd & The Pirates' classic "Shakin' All Over
", the single became a double-sided No. 1 hit in most capitals (#1 Sydney, #1 Melbourne, #1 Brisbane, #1 Adelaide ) in September, charting for 28 weeks and selling in unprecedented numbers—rock historian Ian McFarlane reports sales of 80,000 copies while 1970s encyclopedist Noel McGrath claimed sales of 100,000, and it is reputed to be the biggest-selling Australian single of the 1960s. Normie scored another first in October by having three hit singles in the Melbourne Top 40 simultaneously.
An oft-repeated story that the whistle used in the arrangement was an innovation by the record's producer appears to be unfounded because very similar arrangements, complete with whistle, had been recorded on earlier versions by Earl Royce & The Olympics (UK, 1964) and by The High Keys (USA, 1963).
Rowe's success continued through late 1965 and into the first half of 1966, during which time he scored another three consecutive Top Ten singles. "Tell Him I'm Not Home" (Nov. 1965) -- a cover of a song originally recorded by Chuck Jackson in 1963—was a Top 5 hit in most mainland capitals, reaching #4 in Sydney, #2 in Melbourne, #1 in Brisbane and #2 in Adelaide. It was followed by his version of Bacharach & David's "The Breaking Point" (b/w "Ya Ya", Feb. '66) which became his second double-sided hit, making the Top Ten in all mainland capitals, peaking at #8 in Sydney, #2 in Melbourne, #1 in Brisbane, #9 in Adelaide and #2 in Perth.
"Pride & Joy" (June 1966) was also Top Ten in most state capitals. This single is also notable for its B-side, a cover of "The Stones That I Throw", written by Robbie Robertson
, a song originally recorded in 1965 by Levon & the Hawks, later known as The Band
. Mid-year he joined The Easybeats
, Bobby & Laurie
and MPD Ltd on "The Big Four" national tour that played to huge crowds around the country.
Arriving in London ahead of his band, Rowe engaged on Ritchie York as his London agent, and began to record with producers Trevor Kennedy
and John Carter
, using the cream of London's session musos, including Big Jim Sullivan
, Jimmy Page
, John Paul Jones
, famed drummer Clem Cattini
and vocal group The Breakaways
. The sessions produced several strong new recordings including "Ooh La La", "It's Not Easy", "Mary Mary", "Turn On The Love Light" and "Can't Do Without Your Love". Despite his absence in London, Rowe's run of chart success in Australia continued—his next single, "Ooh La La" / "Ain't Nobody Home" (Nov. 1966) was another double-sided Top 5 hit in most capitals, reaching #2 in Sydney, #1 in Melbourne and Brisbane and #4 in Adelaide.
Up to this time there was no national pop chart in Australia, with most pop radio stations and newspapers in state capitals and major cities publishing their own competing charts. However, on 5 October 1966 Go-Set
magazine, which had been launched in February, began publishing its first weekly national Top 40, compiled by Ed Nimmervoll
. "Ooh La La" / "Mary, Mary" debuted at #6 on the new Go-Set chart on 7 December 1966, and reached #1 in the 21 December chart, becoming Rowe's first official national #1 hit. It stayed at #1 for two weeks before being briefly supplanted by The Easybeats' "Friday On My Mind" on 4 January, but returned to the top for the next two weeks. "Ooh La La" reportedly even made it into the lower end of the British Top 40.
While "Ooh La La" was at #1 in Australia, Rowe's next single, the ballad "It's Not Easy" was also climbing the chart. It debuted at #17 in the Go-Set chart in the last week of December 1966, and reached the Top 10 in the second week of January. Through the end of January and into February, Rowe achieved a 'first' for an Australian popular recording artist by having two of the top three singles simultaneously for three consecutive weeks. Rowe worked in England for ten months and toured with acts including Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity, The Spencer Davis Group, Kiki Dee
, Gene Pitney
and The Troggs
. High hopes were held for a British breakthrough, and in the early months of 1967 the pages of Go-Set
featured predictions of his imminent UK stardom, but it never materialised.
The new Playboys lineup arrived in London in December; Normie flew home for Christmas, which coincided with the release of "It's Not Easy" / "Mary Mary", and he returned to England in January. In March 1967 the group embarked on a tour of the UK supporting The Troggs
, Gene Pitney
and Sounds Incorporated
. The same month, Phil Blackmore left the group for family reasons and returned to Australia; he was replaced by English organist Trevor Griffin. Rod Stone left in mid-'67 (returning to Australia, after which he joined The Groove
and he was replaced by former Adam Faith
sideman Mick Rogers. At the end of 1966 Normie Rowe was voted Australia's best male singer in the inaugural Go-Set Pop Poll.
Meanwhile, The Playboys secured a one-off single deal with Andrew Loog Oldham
's Immediate Records
label, releasing the single "Sad" / "Black Sheep RIP" in August. Written by Brian Peacock, "Sad" is now considered a 'freakbeat' classic and has been widely anthologised, appearing on the British collection Chocolate Soup For Diabetics Vol III, Raven Records' Kicks and Rhino's Nuggets II. In June, Normie Rowe & The Playboys travelled to North America, supporting Roy Orbison
on a US tour, and along with The Seekers
he represented Australia in performance at Expo '67 in Montreal. He returned to Australia in July, where he appeared as a special guest at the national finals of the 1967 Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds
.
Rowe had more national chart success in late 1967 with the Graham Gouldman
song "Going Home" (b/w "I Don't Care") -- assumed to be about the Vietnam War, but really about a migrant’s return to Australia from Britain -- which debuted at #22 in the Go-Set chart in late April and stayed in the national Top Ten until the end of May, peaking at #7 in the second week of May. "Sunshine Secret" / "But I Know" , and another single, "Turn Down Day" charted in Melbourne. But in September 1967 any questions about his career future were dramatically stalled when he received his call-up notice for national service
.
Every move of Rowe's basic training at Puckapunyal
took place in the full glare of the media spotlight. He was shipped off to Vietnam in January 1969, and he served his tour of duty there with distinction, rising to the rank of Corporal and was Crew Commander of his own armoured personnel carrier. He was discharged from the army in February 1970. His Vietnam experiences left a deep impression on him, and since that time he has worked extensively on behalf of other Vietnam veterans.
Rowe had one last minor hit in May 1970 with the song "Hello", written by Johnny Young
, and he released an album of the same name. (It was revealed many years later that Young's song "Smiley", a major hit for Ronnie Burns in 1969, was written about Normie). The Hello album marked the end of his Sunshine contract, although the label had been taken over by Festival several years earlier after it got into financial problems. Normie signed to Festival in 1971, for whom he cut three singles. "Que Sera Sera" was re-released in January 1971 and on 6 March he married his girlfriend Sue Powlesland.
Unfortunately, his national service stint had effectively ended his pop career, and Normie was never able to recover the momentum and mass popularity he lost because of being enlisted. In his absence, Ronnie Burns and Johnny Farnham had taken over and Farnham was now the new King of Pop. The strong anti-war sentiment of the period affected him, and like many Vietnam vets, Normie suffered considerably because of his service, and regrettably, many people took out their anger about the war on veterans. Normie himself has said that he was treated like a pariah by the very people who had been buying his records and screaming at his concerts only a couple of years before. One of the people Normie remembers fondly from this period, who stuck by him and gave him encouragement in tough times, was Meteors drummer Stewie Speer
. Normie remembers that Stewie would often wear "King Normie" and "We Love Normie" badges on his jacket.
. He continued to record through the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He switched to the Astor Records
label in 1975 and had considerable success with the single "Elisabeth", which won the Best Song category at that year's Tokyo Music Festival
.
In the 1980s Rowe began to expand his career into acting and musical theatre. He studied at the Sydney's famous Ensemble Theatre
and took roles on stage and TV, including an extended role in the TV soapie Sons & Daughters
. In 1987 he won great acclaim in his central role of Jean Valjean in Cameron Macintosh's Sydney production of the musical Les Misérables
.
Among other musical roles in the 1980s and 1990s, Rowe played the lead role on the recording, and in the world premiere concerts of a new Australian musical, Cyrano de Bergerac, which he helped develop, played Daddy Warbucks in Annie
, Freddy Trumper (the American) in Chess
, and Juan Peron in Evita. One of the highlights of his career was his appointment as a Member of The Order of Australia (AM) for services to Vietnam veterans, the entertainment industry and the community. Normie has had a long association with many charity and community groups, with his major concern being the welfare of children. He is a long-serving member of Variety Clubs of Australia, for which he is now a National Ambassador, and he has won several awards for his work with them, including 1996's 'Heart and Soul of Variety' award.
Rowe remained a popular attraction at clubs, corporate functions and on the "rock-&-roll revival" circuit in the 1990s. He also kept up regular appearances on TV variety shows. This led to one infamous incident in 1991 that briefly took him back into the headlines. During a forum on republicanism on the Midday Show with Ray Martin
he was involved in an on-air melée with Sydney talkback-radio host Ron Casey
. Notorious for his highly controversial comments on immigration and other issues, Casey enraged Normie with his remarks about his service in Vietnam and Normie confronted Casey. Casey flew out of his chair and punched Rowe hard enough to knock Rowe backwards.
" concert tour.
Rowe's most recent album, Missing In Action, includes his own version of "Smiley".
Rowe portrays a former Prime Minister
, Harold Holt
, in the telemovie The Prime Minister is Missing, which was first broadcast on ABC TV on 23 October 2008.
In 2009 Rowe participated in a video interview that is on display in The Shrine of Memories World War II memorial in ANZAC Square, Brisbane
as part of an installation art titled Enshrining the Vestiges - Speaking Stones by artist Natalie Billing
. In October 2010, Rowe's 1965 album, Ain't Necessarily So, was listed in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums
.
Normie Rowe was one of the lead acts in the 'Go Show' concerts held in Melbourne and Adelaide during Feb 2011. The Go Show was a 1960's version of Countdown.
In 2011 (April 2) Rowe was a guest on episode 115 of SBS show RocKwiz
where he performed Shakin' All Over
and a duet with Georgia Fields of The Beatles
song All I've got to do
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 1 February 1947) was a major male solo performer of 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 pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
in the 1960s. Known for his bright and edgy tenor voice and dynamic stage presence, many of Rowe's most successful recordings were produced by Pat Aulton
Pat Aulton
Pat Aulton was a noted Australian record producer, musician, arranger and songwriter.He is best known for the successful pop and rock singles and albums he produced for Australian and New Zealand artists in the 1960s and early 1970s on the Sunshine and Spin Records labels...
, house producer for the Sunshine Records
Sunshine Records (Australia)
Sunshine Records was an Australian independent pop music record label of the mid-1960s. It was established in late 1964 by promoter Ivan Dayman in collaboration with musician-producer-arranger-songwriter Pat Aulton and entrepreneur, producer and songwriter Nat Kipner .Most of its releases were in...
, Spin Records
Spin Records
Spin Records was an Australian popular music label of the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was established in late 1966 by Clyde Packer and a group of partners including entrepreneur Harry M. Miller. The label's first A&R manager was Nat Kipner who produced several early Spin releases...
and Festival Records labels. Backed by his band, The Playboys, Rowe released a string of Australian pop hits on the Sunshine Records
Sunshine Records (Australia)
Sunshine Records was an Australian independent pop music record label of the mid-1960s. It was established in late 1964 by promoter Ivan Dayman in collaboration with musician-producer-arranger-songwriter Pat Aulton and entrepreneur, producer and songwriter Nat Kipner .Most of its releases were in...
label that kept him at the top of the Australian charts and made him the most popular solo performer of the mid-1960s. Rowe's double-sided hit "Que Sera Sera" / "Shakin' All Over
Shakin' All Over
"Shakin' All Over" is a rock and roll song originally performed by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates. It was written by frontman Johnny Kidd and reached #1 in the United Kingdom in August 1960...
" was one of the most successful Australian singles of the 1960s.
Between 1965 and 1967 Rowe was Australia's most popular male star but his career was cut short when he was drafted for compulsory military service in late 1967. His subsequent tour of duty in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
effectively ended his pop career and he was never able to recapture the success he enjoyed at his peak.
Early life: 1947–1964
Rowe was born in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. He was drawn to music early in life. He began singing with his local church choir in Melbourne while at primary school. He was hooked on rock and roll music even before his teens and Col Joye
Col Joye
Colin Frederick Jacobsen AM , better known by his stage name Col Joye, is an Australian popular entertainer and entrepreneur...
became one of his early idols and inspirations. He took up guitar and formed his first amateur band, The Valiants, while he was in high school, at Northcote High. They performed once a month at Alphington Methodist Hall. He concentrated on singing and made his first stage appearance as a lead vocalist in a music school concert, aged 14.
By luck, the show was compered by top Melbourne radio DJ Stan Rofe
Stan Rofe
Stan 'The Man' Rofe was Melbourne's first and most influential rock'n'roll disc jockey. He is remembered as playing the first rock and roll music on Melbourne radio 3KZ in 1956 and as a champion of Australian music, a pioneer who played songs other DJs were too scared to play.-Career:Stan Rofe...
. Rofe was impressed by Rowe's talent and arranged for him to work with local dance promoter Kevin McClellan. He began performing regularly at Melbourne dances and discos, backed by instrumental groups like The Thunderdbirds, The Impostors and finally The Playboys, who became his permanent band until 1967.
After leaving high school in 1963, Rowe had joined the PMG (the Commonwealth telecommunications department later split into Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
and Australia Post
Australia Post
Australia Post is the trading name of the Australian Government-owned Australian Postal Corporation .-History:...
). He worked as a trainee technician, but in late 1964 his long hair became an issue with his employers and, in the face of a "cut it or quit" ultimatum, he left the PMG to become a professional entertainer. Working on the Melbourne dance circuit, he became a popular attraction and it was not long before he was picked to become a regular on Melbourne pop TV shows like Teen Scene and The Go!! Show
The Go!! Show
The Go!! Show was a top rating Australian popular music television series which aired on ATV-0 Melbourne from 1964 to 1967, and was produced by DYT Productions at the Channel 0 studios in Nunawading, Victoria....
. According to music historian Ed Nimmervoll, EMI
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...
apparently had the chance to sign him but turned him down, claiming that he could not sing. He was signed to a recording deal with the independent label Sunshine which included a management deal with the Ivan Dayman
Ivan Dayman
Ivan Dayman was an Australian record producer and band manager of the 1960s and 1970s, based first in Adelaide, and then in Brisbane.In 1963, musician-producer-arranger-songwriter Pat Aulton began working for rising Adelaide entrepreneur Ivan Dayman and his Sunshine group...
organisation.
Sixties stardom: 1965–1966
Rowe's first single, released in April 1965, was a brooding "beat" arrangement of Gershwin's "It Ain't Necessarily SoIt Ain't Necessarily So
"It Ain't Necessarily So" is a popular song with music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin. The song comes from the Gershwins' opera Porgy and Bess where it is sung by the character Sportin' Life, a drug dealer, who expresses his doubt about several statements in the Bible.The role of...
" (from Porgy & Bess) a choice suggested by Stan Rofe
Stan Rofe
Stan 'The Man' Rofe was Melbourne's first and most influential rock'n'roll disc jockey. He is remembered as playing the first rock and roll music on Melbourne radio 3KZ in 1956 and as a champion of Australian music, a pioneer who played songs other DJs were too scared to play.-Career:Stan Rofe...
. It was a Top Ten hit in most capitals (No. 6 in Sydney, No. 1 in Melbourne, No. 3 in Brisbane, No, 5 in Adelaide), even though Sydney pop station 2SM
2SM
2SM is an Australian radio station, licensed to and serving Sydney, New South Wales, broadcasting on 1269 kilohertz on the AM band. It is owned and operated by Broadcast Operations Group...
(then owned by the Catholic Church) banned it because of its supposedly sacrilegious lyrics. The inspiration for Rowe's version was apparently a 1963 version by the United Kingdom band Ian & The Zodiacs. Some references cite the course as a version by The Merseybeats
The Merseybeats
The Merseybeats are a Merseybeat band that emerged from the Liverpool scene in the early 1960s, performing at The Cavern Club along with The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers and other similar artists....
, but that band never recorded "It Ain't Necessarily So". The name of the Ian & The Zodiacs' album This Is Merseybeat has apparently been confused with the name of the band The Merseybeats.
Rowe's first LP was released in July 1965. His second single (also apparently discovered while trawling through Rofe's vast record collection), released in August, was a cover of Ben E. King's "I (Who Have Nothing)". It became his second Top 10 hit (No. 10 in Sydney, No. 4 in Melbourne, No. 23 in Brisbane, No. 6 in Adelaide).
Doris Day
Doris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
original), which was given a "Merseybeat" treatment (in the manner of The Beatles' "Twist & Shout"). Paired with a powerful version of the Johnny Kidd & The Pirates' classic "Shakin' All Over
Shakin' All Over
"Shakin' All Over" is a rock and roll song originally performed by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates. It was written by frontman Johnny Kidd and reached #1 in the United Kingdom in August 1960...
", the single became a double-sided No. 1 hit in most capitals (#1 Sydney, #1 Melbourne, #1 Brisbane, #1 Adelaide ) in September, charting for 28 weeks and selling in unprecedented numbers—rock historian Ian McFarlane reports sales of 80,000 copies while 1970s encyclopedist Noel McGrath claimed sales of 100,000, and it is reputed to be the biggest-selling Australian single of the 1960s. Normie scored another first in October by having three hit singles in the Melbourne Top 40 simultaneously.
An oft-repeated story that the whistle used in the arrangement was an innovation by the record's producer appears to be unfounded because very similar arrangements, complete with whistle, had been recorded on earlier versions by Earl Royce & The Olympics (UK, 1964) and by The High Keys (USA, 1963).
Rowe's success continued through late 1965 and into the first half of 1966, during which time he scored another three consecutive Top Ten singles. "Tell Him I'm Not Home" (Nov. 1965) -- a cover of a song originally recorded by Chuck Jackson in 1963—was a Top 5 hit in most mainland capitals, reaching #4 in Sydney, #2 in Melbourne, #1 in Brisbane and #2 in Adelaide. It was followed by his version of Bacharach & David's "The Breaking Point" (b/w "Ya Ya", Feb. '66) which became his second double-sided hit, making the Top Ten in all mainland capitals, peaking at #8 in Sydney, #2 in Melbourne, #1 in Brisbane, #9 in Adelaide and #2 in Perth.
"Pride & Joy" (June 1966) was also Top Ten in most state capitals. This single is also notable for its B-side, a cover of "The Stones That I Throw", written by Robbie Robertson
Robbie Robertson
Robbie Robertson, OC; is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known for his membership as the guitarist and primary songwriter within The Band. He was ranked 59th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...
, a song originally recorded in 1965 by Levon & the Hawks, later known as The Band
The Band
The Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
. Mid-year he joined 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...
, Bobby & Laurie
Bobby & Laurie
Bobby & Laurie were a popular Australian singing duo of the 1960s, featuring Laurie Allen and Bobby Bright . Their regular backing band were The Rondells...
and MPD Ltd on "The Big Four" national tour that played to huge crowds around the country.
United Kingdom: 1966–1968
Rowe was by this time the most popular solo performer in Australia, so in August 1966 he left to try his luck in the UK. In preparation he revamped the Playboys lineup. Several members opted to stay in Australia for family reasons, so Rowe replaced them with bassist Brian Peacock and guitarist Rod Stone, both from the ex-New Zealand band The Librettos, which had recently split.Arriving in London ahead of his band, Rowe engaged on Ritchie York as his London agent, and began to record with producers Trevor Kennedy
Trevor Kennedy
Trevor Kennedy is a D-Leauge point guard for the LA Shots, who has served on the board of directors of many outstanding companies, including Consolidated Press Holdings and Qantas. He played basketball for the Iaeger cubs and wore number 20. He is a former journalist and right-hand man of LeBron...
and John Carter
John Carter (musician)
For the jazz clarinet player John Carter, see John Carter .John Carter is an English singer, songwriter and record producer.-Overview:...
, using the cream of London's session musos, including Big Jim Sullivan
Big Jim Sullivan
Big Jim Sullivan is an English musician, whose career started in 1959. He is best known as a session guitarist. In the 1960s and 1970s, Sullivan was one of the most "in-demand" studio musicians in the UK, and performed in more than one thousand charting singles over his career...
, Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
, John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones (musician)
John Paul Jones is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger and record producer. Best known as the bassist, mandolinist, and keyboardist for English rock band Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a solo career and has gained even more respect as both a musician and a...
, famed drummer Clem Cattini
Clem Cattini
Clem Cattini , is an English rock and roll drummer who was a member of The Tornados before becoming well known for his work as a session musician...
and vocal group The Breakaways
The Breakaways
The Breakaways were an English female vocal trio, formed in 1962. Britain's premiere session vocalists throughout the 1960s, The Breakaways also recorded a handful of little known girl group singles.-Career:...
. The sessions produced several strong new recordings including "Ooh La La", "It's Not Easy", "Mary Mary", "Turn On The Love Light" and "Can't Do Without Your Love". Despite his absence in London, Rowe's run of chart success in Australia continued—his next single, "Ooh La La" / "Ain't Nobody Home" (Nov. 1966) was another double-sided Top 5 hit in most capitals, reaching #2 in Sydney, #1 in Melbourne and Brisbane and #4 in Adelaide.
Up to this time there was no national pop chart in Australia, with most pop radio stations and newspapers in state capitals and major cities publishing their own competing charts. However, on 5 October 1966 Go-Set
Go-Set
Go-Set was the first Australian pop music newspaper, published weekly from 2 February 1966 to 24 August 1974, and was founded in Melbourne by Phillip Frazer, Peter Raphael and Tony Schauble...
magazine, which had been launched in February, began publishing its first weekly national Top 40, compiled by Ed Nimmervoll
Ed Nimmervoll
Edward Francis "Ed" Nimmervoll is an Australian rock music journalist, author and historian. He worked on rock magazines Go-Set and Juke both as a journalist and as an editor...
. "Ooh La La" / "Mary, Mary" debuted at #6 on the new Go-Set chart on 7 December 1966, and reached #1 in the 21 December chart, becoming Rowe's first official national #1 hit. It stayed at #1 for two weeks before being briefly supplanted by The Easybeats' "Friday On My Mind" on 4 January, but returned to the top for the next two weeks. "Ooh La La" reportedly even made it into the lower end of the British Top 40.
While "Ooh La La" was at #1 in Australia, Rowe's next single, the ballad "It's Not Easy" was also climbing the chart. It debuted at #17 in the Go-Set chart in the last week of December 1966, and reached the Top 10 in the second week of January. Through the end of January and into February, Rowe achieved a 'first' for an Australian popular recording artist by having two of the top three singles simultaneously for three consecutive weeks. Rowe worked in England for ten months and toured with acts including Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity, The Spencer Davis Group, Kiki Dee
Kiki Dee
Kiki Dee is an English singer with a career spanning more than 40 years....
, Gene Pitney
Gene Pitney
Eugene Francis Alan Pitney, known as Gene Pitney , was an American singer-songwriter, musician and sound engineer. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic and was among the group of early 1960s American acts who continued to enjoy hits after the...
and The Troggs
The Troggs
The Troggs are an English rock band from the 1960s that had a number of hits in UK and the US. Their most famous songs include, "Wild Thing", "With a Girl Like You", and "Love Is All Around"...
. High hopes were held for a British breakthrough, and in the early months of 1967 the pages of Go-Set
Go-Set
Go-Set was the first Australian pop music newspaper, published weekly from 2 February 1966 to 24 August 1974, and was founded in Melbourne by Phillip Frazer, Peter Raphael and Tony Schauble...
featured predictions of his imminent UK stardom, but it never materialised.
The new Playboys lineup arrived in London in December; Normie flew home for Christmas, which coincided with the release of "It's Not Easy" / "Mary Mary", and he returned to England in January. In March 1967 the group embarked on a tour of the UK supporting The Troggs
The Troggs
The Troggs are an English rock band from the 1960s that had a number of hits in UK and the US. Their most famous songs include, "Wild Thing", "With a Girl Like You", and "Love Is All Around"...
, Gene Pitney
Gene Pitney
Eugene Francis Alan Pitney, known as Gene Pitney , was an American singer-songwriter, musician and sound engineer. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic and was among the group of early 1960s American acts who continued to enjoy hits after the...
and Sounds Incorporated
Sounds Incorporated
Sounds Incorporated, later known as Sounds Inc., were a British instrumental pop group who recorded extensively in the 1960s.-Career:The group formed in 1961, in Dartford, Kent, and gained a local reputation in nearby South London for the fullness of their saxophone-led instrumental sound...
. The same month, Phil Blackmore left the group for family reasons and returned to Australia; he was replaced by English organist Trevor Griffin. Rod Stone left in mid-'67 (returning to Australia, after which he joined The Groove
The Groove (band)
Formed in mid 1967, The Groove are considered to be Australia's first "supergroup" in that all members had considerable experience behind them in a number of successful bands...
and he was replaced by former Adam Faith
Adam Faith
Terence "Terry" Nelhams-Wright, known as Adam Faith was a Teen idol English singer, actor and later financial journalist. He was one of the most charted acts of the 1960s. He became the first UK artist to lodge his initial seven hits in the Top 5...
sideman Mick Rogers. At the end of 1966 Normie Rowe was voted Australia's best male singer in the inaugural Go-Set Pop Poll.
Meanwhile, The Playboys secured a one-off single deal with Andrew Loog Oldham
Andrew Loog Oldham
Andrew Loog Oldham is an English producer, talent manager, impresario and author. He was manager and producer of The Rolling Stones from 1963, and was noted for his flamboyant style.-Biography:...
's Immediate Records
Immediate Records
Immediate Records was a British record label, started in 1965 by The Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham and Tony Calder and concentrating on the London-based blues and R&B scene.-History:...
label, releasing the single "Sad" / "Black Sheep RIP" in August. Written by Brian Peacock, "Sad" is now considered a 'freakbeat' classic and has been widely anthologised, appearing on the British collection Chocolate Soup For Diabetics Vol III, Raven Records' Kicks and Rhino's Nuggets II. In June, Normie Rowe & The Playboys travelled to North America, supporting Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
on a US tour, and along with The Seekers
The Seekers
The Seekers are an Australian folk-influenced pop music group which were originally formed in 1962. They were the first Australian popular music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the United States...
he represented Australia in performance at Expo '67 in Montreal. He returned to Australia in July, where he appeared as a special guest at the national finals of the 1967 Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds
Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds
Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds was an annual national rock/pop band competition held in Australia from 1966 to 1972.-History:Australia's Battle of the Sounds was originally established by Australian tabloid magazine Everybody’s in 1965 as a talent quest for new unsigned bands in Sydney, Melbourne...
.
Rowe had more national chart success in late 1967 with the Graham Gouldman
Graham Gouldman
Graham Keith Gouldman is an English songwriter and musician who is a long-time member of British band 10cc.-Early life and 1960s pop career: 1946–1968:Gouldman was born in Broughton, Salford, England...
song "Going Home" (b/w "I Don't Care") -- assumed to be about the Vietnam War, but really about a migrant’s return to Australia from Britain -- which debuted at #22 in the Go-Set chart in late April and stayed in the national Top Ten until the end of May, peaking at #7 in the second week of May. "Sunshine Secret" / "But I Know" , and another single, "Turn Down Day" charted in Melbourne. But in September 1967 any questions about his career future were dramatically stalled when he received his call-up notice for national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
.
National Service: 1968–1972
Rowe was inducted into the army in February 1968, although he continued to perform part-time (albeit with a regulation short-back-and-sides army haircut). At least one TV appearance has survived of Normie with the army "do", performing "It's Not Easy" on Uptight. He also began working with a new backing band, Nature's Own, who also regularly backed Johnny Farnham and other members of the Sunshine roster. His only charting record during this period was the ballad "Penelope", written by former Playboys member Brian Peacock.Every move of Rowe's basic training at Puckapunyal
Puckapunyal
Puckapunyal is an Australian Army training facility and base 10 km west of Seymour, in central Victoria, south-eastern Australia.-Description:Puckapunyal is a small restricted-access town inhabited mainly by about 280...
took place in the full glare of the media spotlight. He was shipped off to Vietnam in January 1969, and he served his tour of duty there with distinction, rising to the rank of Corporal and was Crew Commander of his own armoured personnel carrier. He was discharged from the army in February 1970. His Vietnam experiences left a deep impression on him, and since that time he has worked extensively on behalf of other Vietnam veterans.
Rowe had one last minor hit in May 1970 with the song "Hello", written by Johnny Young
Johnny Young
Johnny Young is an Australian singer, composer, record producer, disc jockey, television producer and host. Originally from Netherlands, his family settled in Perth, Western Australia in the early 1950s...
, and he released an album of the same name. (It was revealed many years later that Young's song "Smiley", a major hit for Ronnie Burns in 1969, was written about Normie). The Hello album marked the end of his Sunshine contract, although the label had been taken over by Festival several years earlier after it got into financial problems. Normie signed to Festival in 1971, for whom he cut three singles. "Que Sera Sera" was re-released in January 1971 and on 6 March he married his girlfriend Sue Powlesland.
Unfortunately, his national service stint had effectively ended his pop career, and Normie was never able to recover the momentum and mass popularity he lost because of being enlisted. In his absence, Ronnie Burns and Johnny Farnham had taken over and Farnham was now the new King of Pop. The strong anti-war sentiment of the period affected him, and like many Vietnam vets, Normie suffered considerably because of his service, and regrettably, many people took out their anger about the war on veterans. Normie himself has said that he was treated like a pariah by the very people who had been buying his records and screaming at his concerts only a couple of years before. One of the people Normie remembers fondly from this period, who stuck by him and gave him encouragement in tough times, was Meteors drummer Stewie Speer
Stewie Speer
Stewie Speer was an Australian jazz and rock drummer who is best known as a member of the 1960s-70s Australian group Max Merritt & The Meteors....
. Normie remembers that Stewie would often wear "King Normie" and "We Love Normie" badges on his jacket.
Post-success: 1972–2000
Although his pop career was now effectively over, Rowe was able to fall back on the training from his dance hall days and he began to concentrate on the club and hotel circuit as well as TV performances, where he became a popular attraction on variety programs like The Don Lane Show and The Mike Walsh ShowThe Mike Walsh Show
The Mike Walsh Show is an Australian daytime television series. Hosted by Mike Walsh, the show ran from 1973 to 1984 for 90 minutes each weekday afternoon. The program was launched on the 0-10 Network and moved to the Nine Network in 1977...
. He continued to record through the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He switched to the Astor Records
Astor Records
Astor Records was an Australian recording company that operated from the 1960s to the early 1980s. Astor was originally a trademark of the consumer electronics industries ltd. Radio Corporation Pty. Ltd., makers of Astor radios and radiograms and a range of electronic companies including gereral...
label in 1975 and had considerable success with the single "Elisabeth", which won the Best Song category at that year's Tokyo Music Festival
Tokyo Music Festival
The Tokyo Music Festival was an international music contest that ran from 1972 to 1991. It was organised by the Tokyo Music Festival Association...
.
In the 1980s Rowe began to expand his career into acting and musical theatre. He studied at the Sydney's famous Ensemble Theatre
Ensemble Theatre
The Ensemble Theatre is an Australian theatre company, situated in Kirribilli, New South Wales. It is promoted as Australia's longest continuously running professional theatre group, established in 1958.- References :...
and took roles on stage and TV, including an extended role in the TV soapie Sons & Daughters
Sons and Daughters (Australian TV series)
Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
. In 1987 he won great acclaim in his central role of Jean Valjean in Cameron Macintosh's Sydney production of the musical Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
.
Among other musical roles in the 1980s and 1990s, Rowe played the lead role on the recording, and in the world premiere concerts of a new Australian musical, Cyrano de Bergerac, which he helped develop, played Daddy Warbucks in Annie
Annie (musical)
Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
, Freddy Trumper (the American) in Chess
Chess (musical)
Chess is a musical with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, formerly of ABBA, and with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story involves a romantic triangle between two top players, an American and a Russian, in a world chess championship, and a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other;...
, and Juan Peron in Evita. One of the highlights of his career was his appointment as a Member of The Order of Australia (AM) for services to Vietnam veterans, the entertainment industry and the community. Normie has had a long association with many charity and community groups, with his major concern being the welfare of children. He is a long-serving member of Variety Clubs of Australia, for which he is now a National Ambassador, and he has won several awards for his work with them, including 1996's 'Heart and Soul of Variety' award.
Rowe remained a popular attraction at clubs, corporate functions and on the "rock-&-roll revival" circuit in the 1990s. He also kept up regular appearances on TV variety shows. This led to one infamous incident in 1991 that briefly took him back into the headlines. During a forum on republicanism on the Midday Show with Ray Martin
Ray Martin (television presenter)
Raymond George "Ray" Martin AM is an Australian television journalist. He is best known for his various on-air roles on Channel Nine from 1978 to 2008. In 2011 he returned to 60 Minutes....
he was involved in an on-air melée with Sydney talkback-radio host Ron Casey
Ron Casey (Sydney broadcaster)
Ronald Arthur Casey, OAM, was a former colourful television presenter, sports journalist and talk-back radio host based in Sydney, Australia. His nickname was The Case....
. Notorious for his highly controversial comments on immigration and other issues, Casey enraged Normie with his remarks about his service in Vietnam and Normie confronted Casey. Casey flew out of his chair and punched Rowe hard enough to knock Rowe backwards.
Current status: 2001–present
Rowe has also had to endure other public hardships, including family problems involving his teenage daughter, which resulted in a great deal of intrusive and unwelcome publicity and the end of his marriage to his first wife, Sue. In October 1979 Normie's son, Adam John Rowe, died after being accidentally knocked down by a motorist while he was riding his bicycle home from his school fete when he was 8 years old. In 2002, Rowe received national acclaim for his performances in the successful "Long Way To The TopLong Way To The Top
Long Way To The Top was an Australian Broadcasting Corporation documentary on the history of Australian rock and roll from 1956 to the modern era.-Production:...
" concert tour.
Rowe's most recent album, Missing In Action, includes his own version of "Smiley".
Rowe portrays a former Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
, Harold Holt
Harold Holt
Harold Edward Holt, CH was an Australian politician and the 17th Prime Minister of Australia.His term as Prime Minister was brought to an early and dramatic end in December 1967 when he disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach near Portsea, Victoria, and was presumed drowned.Holt spent 32 years...
, in the telemovie The Prime Minister is Missing, which was first broadcast on ABC TV on 23 October 2008.
In 2009 Rowe participated in a video interview that is on display in The Shrine of Memories World War II memorial in ANZAC Square, Brisbane
Anzac Square, Brisbane
ANZAC Square, named in honour of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, is a Queensland state memorial to men and women who participated in overseas armed service. It is located between Ann Street and Adelaide Street , in Brisbane, Australia. ANZAC Square is adjacent to ANZAC Square Arcade...
as part of an installation art titled Enshrining the Vestiges - Speaking Stones by artist Natalie Billing
Natalie Billing
Natalie Billing is a sculptor and installation artist, based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.-Life and work:Natalie Billing was born in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, and spent her childhood in Blackall, central Queensland. She moved to Brisbane in 1990 and has lived there since then...
. In October 2010, Rowe's 1965 album, Ain't Necessarily So, was listed in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums
100 Best Australian Albums
100 Best Australian Albums is a compendium of rock and pop albums of the past 50 years as compiled by music journalists Toby Creswell, Craig Mathieson and John O'Donnell. The book was published on 25 October 2010 by Hardie Grant Books...
.
Normie Rowe was one of the lead acts in the 'Go Show' concerts held in Melbourne and Adelaide during Feb 2011. The Go Show was a 1960's version of Countdown.
In 2011 (April 2) Rowe was a guest on episode 115 of SBS show RocKwiz
RocKwiz
RocKwiz is an Australian television quiz show series, focused on rock music, and broadcast on SBS One. It premiered in 2005.-Summary:The forty minute program airs on Saturday at 9:20 pm, and is hosted by Julia Zemiro. It is shot in The Gershwin Room at St Kilda's Esplanade Hotel, commonly...
where he performed Shakin' All Over
Shakin' All Over
"Shakin' All Over" is a rock and roll song originally performed by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates. It was written by frontman Johnny Kidd and reached #1 in the United Kingdom in August 1960...
and a duet with Georgia Fields of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
song All I've got to do
All I've Got to Do
"All I've Got to Do" is a song written by John Lennon and performed by The Beatles on their second UK album, With the Beatles. In the United States, "All I've Got to Do" originally appeared on Meet the Beatles!...
Singles
| Release date | Single | B-Side | Catalogue | Chart Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1965 | "It Ain't Necessarily So" | "Gonna Leave This Town" | Sunshine QK 951 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #5 |
| June 1965 | "I (Who Have Nothing)" | "I Just Don't Understand" | Sunshine QK 1069 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #9 |
| September 1965 | "I Confess" | "Everything's Alright" | Sunshine QK 1075 | (withdrawn from sale) |
| September 1965 | "Que Sera Sera" | "Shakin' All Over" | Sunshine QK 1103 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #1 (Double A-Side) |
| November 1965 | "Tell Him I'm Not Home" | "Call On Me" | Sunshine QK 1158 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #3 (Double A-Side) |
| March 1966 | "The Breaking Point" | "Ya Ya" | Sunshine QK 1238 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #5 (Double A-Side) |
| June 1966 | "Pride & Joy" | "The Stones That I Throw" | Sunshine QK 1344 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #8 (Double A-Side) |
| November 1966 | "Ooh La La" | "Ain't Nobody Home" | Sunshine QIK-1565 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #1 (Double A-Side) |
| December 1966 | "It's Not Easy" | "Mary Mary" | Sunshine QK 1605 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #3 |
| April 1967 | "Going Home" | "I Don't Care" | Sunshine QK 1731 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #11 (Double A-Side) |
| 1967 | "I Live In the Sunshine" | "Far Beyond the Call of Duty" | Sunshine QK 1817 | - |
| June 1967 | "Sunshine Secret" | "But I Know" | Sunshine QK 1820 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #17 (Double A-Side) |
| October 1967 | "Turn Down Day" | "Stop to Think It Over" | Sunshine QK 2008 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #46 (Double A-Side) |
| May 1968 | "Penelope" | "Lucinda" | Sunshine QK 2238 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #30 |
| August 1968 | "Break Out" | "Born to Be By Your Side" | Sunshine QK 2493 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #41 (Double A-Side) |
| October 1968 | "Walking On New Grass" | "Open Up the Skies" | Sunshine QK 2596 | - |
| March 1969 | "Just to Satisfy You" | "Drinkin Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" | Sunshine QK 2819 | - |
| June 1969 | "You Got Style" | "Don't Say Nothing Bad (About My Baby)" | Sunshine QK 2890 | - |
| May 1970 | "Hello" | "Home To Stay" | Festival FK 3614 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #48 |
| 1970 | "Rockhampton Happening" with The Jugband | "Rockhampton Happening" | RCA Custom ZHLM 0371 | - |
| 1971 | "Border Song" | "Come Hear My Song" | Festival FK 4363 | - |
| 1972 | "Glory Road" | "Over to You Now" | Festival FK 4633 | - |
| 1973 | "Rings" | "Come Hear My Song" | Festival FK 5146 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #52 |
| 1974 | "Higher And Higher" | "Willie and Laura Mal Jones" | Festival K 5575 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #93 |
| 1975 | "Harbour for My Song" | "That's the Way I Am" | Astor A 7253 | - |
| 1975 | "Good Morning Good Morning" | "If You See Her" | Astor A 7257 | - |
| 1975 | "Elizabeth" | "Little Ray of Sunshine" | Astor A 7265 | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #57 |
| 1981 | "Maybe Tomorrow" | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #56 |
||
| 1984 | "Rock & Roll You're Beautiful" | AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... #50 |
EPs
| Year | Month | Title | Catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | October | It Ain't Necessarily Rowe | Sunshine QX 11056 |
| Normie Rowe Sings "I" | Sunshine QX 11068 | ||
| Que Sera Sera | Sunshine QX 11110 | ||
| November | Shakin' All Over | Sunshine QX 11131 | |
| 1966 | Tell Him I'm Not Home | Sunshine QX 11138 | |
| Call On Me | Sunshine QX 11139 | ||
| Pride & Joy | Sunshine QX 11182 | ||
| The Stones That I Throw | Sunshine QX 11187 | ||
| 1967 | February | Ooh La La! It's Not Easy | Sunshine QX 11250 |
| July | Going Home | Sunshine QX 11277 | |
| August | Normie's New Four | Sunshine QX 11295 | |
| November | Turn Down Day | Sunshine QX 11406 | |
| 1968 | Penelope | Sunshine QX 11488 |
Albums
- 1965 - It Ain't Necessarily So, But It Is Normie Rowe (Sunshine released July 1965 QL 31734/Calendar re-release late 1965 R 66-73)
- 1965 - Normie Rowe a Go Go (Sunshine QL 31802)
- 1965 - A Wonderful Feeling (Sunshine QL 31871/Calendar R66-335)
- 1966 - Normie's Hit Happenings (Sunshine QL 32198/Calendar R66-553)
- 1966 - So Much Love From Normie Rowe (Sunshine QL 32144)
- 1968 - Everything's Alright (Universal UP 768) (Compilation of Rowe's first two LPs)
- 1969 - Normie's Top Tunes (Universal)
- 1970 - Hello (Sunshine L 25093)
- 1973 - Normie Rowe's Greatest Hits (Harlequin L 25138)
- 1974 - Missing in Action
- 1974 - Come Hear My Song (Summit SRA 250152)
- 1975 - That's the Way I Am (Summit)
- 1975 - Normie's Hit Tunes (Summit SRA 249 9020)
- 2000 - The Early Anthology (Festival D46111) Double CD
External links
- Normie Rowe official website - http://www.normierowe.com/
- Normie Rowe (entry in the Australian National Film and Sound ArchiveNational Film and Sound ArchiveThe National Film and Sound Archive is Australia’s audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting and providing access to a national collection of audiovisual materials and related items...
) - "Rock Snaps: The Laurie Richards Collection" http://www.abc.net.au/arts/rocksnaps/default.htm - includes several photographs of Normie taken at the height of his mid-'60s fame