This year marks the 35th anniversary of the formation of one of Australia’s most loved live bands from the seventies, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons and to celebrate the band members are getting the band back together for 'one very special performance' in Melbourne.
The formation of Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons happened on somewhat of a whim when in 1975 Daddy Cool front man, Ross Wilson asked man about town, Melbourne musician Joe Camilleri to perform vocals on what was meant to be a one-off Christmas single he was producing, a remake of Chuck Berry’s 'Run Rudolph Run.' To promote the single it seemed a good idea to put together a band comprising some of the other people who had worked on the record including former Daddy Cool members Gary Young & Wayne Burt. On stage, they called themselves Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons.
Initially, the Falcons music had a distinct r ‘n b flair, but when Wayne Burt left the band, Joe Camilleri took on songwriting duties with band members Tony Faehse and Jeff Burstin and the Falcons sound soon evolved into the contemporary ‘new wave’ rock. This new direction saw the band garner interest from legendary performer Elvis Costello who invited them on his Australian tour in 1977. Sharing somewhat of a musical affinity with Joe, Costello even recorded his own version of the Falcon’s track 'So Young.'
The Falcons continued to experiment with their sound with shades of r ‘n b, ‘new wave’ rock and even reggae, and with the addition of Wilbur Wilde and John Power to the band, the Falcons had established themselves as a must-see live band, particularly in their hometown Melbourne, where night after night they were turning away eager fans at jam packed venues.
The band experienced their greatest chart success in 1979 reaching No. 12 on the Australian Chart with the single 'Hit and Run' off the album Screaming Targets which also spawned the hits 'Shape I'm In,' 'Puppet On A String' and 'I Will Return.'
Jo Jo Zep & the Falcons toured extensively through Australia, Europe and the United States, garnering much interest and broadening their fan base even wider , but with band members taking on different directions musically they decided to call it a day in 1981.
The band reformed briefly in 2003 for the album Ricochet and a national tour, and in 2007 Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons received perhaps their greatest honour, being inducted in the ARIA Hall of Fame.
And now the classic Falcons line up of Joe Camilleri, Wilbur Wilde, Jeff Burstin, Gary Young, John Power and Tony Faehse are back together to do it all again this September for one very special show in their hometown of Melbourne.
Tickets go on sale at 9.00am, Monday, 4 July, 2011.
Forum Theatre, Melbourne
Friday, 2 September, 2011
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100