Do-Re-Mi (band)

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Do-Ré-Mi
Deborah Conway (top), Stephen Philip, Helen Carter, Dorland Bray
Deborah Conway (top), Stephen Philip, Helen Carter, Dorland Bray
Background information
Origin Flag of Australia Australia
Genre(s) Pop rock
Years active 1981–1988
Label(s) Green, Larrikan, Virgin
Associated acts The Benders, Thought Criminals, Deborah Conway, Ghostwriters
Former members
Dorland Bray
Helen Carter
Deborah Conway
Stephen Philip

Do-Re-Mi aka Do-Ré-Mi were an Australian Rock/Pop band formed in Sydney in 1981 when Deborah Conway (lead vocals) and Dorland Bray (drums, percussion, backing vocals) joined Helen Carter (bass, backing vocals) and later recruited Stephen Philip (guitar).[1] Best known for their surprise 1985 top 5 hit[2] "Man Overboard" which included lyrics referring to Penis envy and Pubic hair.[3] Available on YouTube both live version and music video.

Contents

[edit] Previous bands

Conway and Bray were both in Melbourne based band The Benders with Neville Aresca, Les Barker, John Campbell, Daniel Solowiej and Greg Thomas.[1] Bray had previously been in Punk rock group the News. [4] He left to become drummer for the Benders and Conway joined them in 1979 whilst still at Melbourne University. They performed mostly in Melbourne and gigged around pubs playing original material (mostly written by Conway and Thomas) and Blondie and Devo covers.[5] Conway wrote her first songs with Bray.[6]
In Sydney, Carter was living with punk rocker Roger Grierson of Thought Criminals[7](later an executive of Festival Mushroom Records). "... when the boys were taking a break at rehearsal one day, I picked up the bass guitar for the first time."[8] Carter became a member of punk band Friction. Philip had also been a member of Thought Criminals[1] and was a session musician.

[edit] Do-Ré-Mi

Bray and Conway decided to leave Melbourne for Sydney in 1981. They formed Do-Ré-Mi with Carter and started writing songs. In August 1982 they started recording some tracks using Philip as a session musician, he was asked to formally join the band. Conway was living with Paul Hester[6] drummer in Deckchairs Overboard (later in Split Enz and Crowded House). Hester guested on timbales for "(Just Like) Hercules" on their The Waiting Room EP.[5] They were signed by Virgin Records after being spotted by the management of Cold Chisel and The Angels.[3] Do-Ré-Mi recorded two albums: Domestic Harmony (1985) and The Happiest Place in Town (1988) and a batch of singles.[1] Aside from "Man Overboard" also on YouTube are "Idiot Grin" [1], "Warnings Moving Clockwise" [2], "Guns and Butter" [3], "Theme from Jungle Jim" (live) [4], "Adultery" [5], "Happiest Place In Town" [6], and "Haunt You" [7].
Their best performed hit, "Man Overboard" (originally released on their 1982 EP The Waiting Room)[4], was re-recorded in 1985 and reached #5 on the Australian music chart[3]. It became the 8th highest positioned Australian song for 1985 End of Year Chart. (Oz Net Music Chart) "There was a real hit-maker mentality ... people would say 'It can't be a hit - it doesn't have a chorus... You're talking about pubic hair, oh my God!' " Carter described the delight Do-Ré-Mi had in the success of this single and blockers from their record company for the ABC-TV 2001 series Long Way To The Top.[7]
In 1985 Do-Ré-Mi performed three songs for the Oz for Africa concert (part of the global Live Aid program) - "Man Overboard", "Warnings Moving Clockwise", "1000 Mouths". It was broadcast in Australia (on both Seven Network and Nine Network) and on MTV in the US.[9]

Do-Ré-Mi travelled to UK, in 1988, where Virgin Records offered Conway a solo deal before continuing with a third album but they disbanded not long after their second album was released and a third album was never finished.

[edit] Subsequent careers

Bray became a member of Ghostwriters for their first album Ghostwriters (1991). Carter and Philip have written and performed together first with short lived Lupi and later (c. 2001) in Underfelt.[3] Conway had a succuessful solo career, she won an ARIA award for her first solo album String of Pearls in 1991 (co-writing three songs with Bray).[5] Her best performed solo hit was 1991's "It's Only The Beginning" reaching #19.[6] Conway is still involved in musical activities with a 2007 version of Broad. Thought Criminals reformed in February 2006 see their Official website.

[edit] Covers and others

"Man Overboard" has been used for He Died with a Felafel in His Hand (2001) performed by Conway and Wicked Beat Sound System.[10] It was also recorded by the band george (with Conway guesting) for their 2004 EP Still Real.[11]

"Standing On Wires" was used for Australian TV series Love My Way (2004-2007) episode 2.03.[12]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles / EPs

All songs written by Bray, Carter, Conway and Philip except where noted.[13]

Do-Ré-Mi EP
Green Records
(August 1982)
"Standing On Wires", "Honeymoon", "Pecking Order", "Violet Town"
The Waiting Room EP
Larrikan Records
(September 1982)
"Disneyland", "Creatures of Habit", "Wreaths and Bouquets", "(Just Like) Hercules", "Man Overboard", "Waiting Room"
"Man Overboard" single
Virgin Records
(re-released June 1985)
"Fish Tank", "Black Crocodiles"
"Idiot Grin" single
Virgin Records
(September 1985)
"No Fury"
"Warnings Moving Clockwise" single
Virgin Records
(December 1985)
"Disneyland (live)", "Standing on Wires (live)"
"Guns and Butter" single
Virgin Records
(October 1986)
"Bill the Cat"
"Adultery" CD single
Virgin Records
(1987)
"Adultery" (Bray, Carter, Philip)[13]
"Deep Blue Sea", "Guns and Butter", "Idiot Grin", "Warnings Moving Clockwise"
"Happiest Place in Town" (Philip, Bray)[13] single
Virgin Records
(1988)
"Take Me Anywhere" (Bray, Carter, Philip)[13]
"King of Moomba" single
Virgin Records
(February 1988)
"Tearing Up the Carpet" (Philip, Carter)[13]
"Haunt You" single
Virgin Records
(May 1988)

[edit] Albums

[edit] Domestic Harmony

(1985 LP, 1988 CD has five bonus tracks). All tracks were written by Conway, Carter, Bray and Philip except where noted.[13]

Track listing

  1. "Theme from Jungle Jim"
  2. "After the Volcano"
  3. "Idiot Grin"
  4. "Cuttlefish Beach"
  5. "Warnings Moving Clockwise"
  6. "Man Overboard"
  7. "Big Accident"
  8. "Racing To Zero"
  9. "New Taboos"
  10. "One Thousand Mouths"
  11. "Black Crocodiles" CD bonus track
  12. "No Fury" CD bonus track
  13. "Shake this Place" CD bonus track
  14. "Man Overboard (12" version)" CD bonus track
  15. "Burning the Blues" (Bray)[13] CD bonus track

[edit] The Happiest Place In Town

(1988). All tracks by Conway, Carter, Bray and Philip except where noted.[13]

Track listing

  1. "Haunt You"
  2. "King Of Moomba"
  3. "Adultery" (Bray, Carter, Philip)[13]
  4. "Valentine's Day"
  5. "Take Me Anywhere" (Bray, Carter, Philip)[13]
  6. "Heads Will Roll"
  7. "Disneyland"
  8. "Wild And Blue" (Conway, Carter, Philip)[13]
  9. "Desert Song"
  10. "Friends Like You" (Bray, Carter, Philip)[13]
  11. "That Hanging Business" (Bray, Carter, Philip)[13]
  12. "Happiest Place In Town" (Philip, Bray)[13]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Australian Rock Database. Magnus Holmgren. Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  2. ^ Debbie Kruger (14-20 July 2004). Once more with feeling. Melbourne Weekly Bayside Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  3. ^ a b c d Long Way To The Top article on Helen Carter. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  4. ^ a b HowlSpace article on Do-Ré-Mi. HowlSpace. Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  5. ^ a b c Deborah Conway Official Website. Deborah Conway. Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  6. ^ a b c Anna Harris (30 January 2004). Deborah Conway - still alive and brilliant. Retrieved on 2007-09-24.
  7. ^ a b Helen Carter video interview for Long Way To The Top. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  8. ^ Helen Carter (January 2004). Publication reviews. Perfect Beat 5 pp 80-82. Retrieved on 2007-08-09.
  9. ^ "Oz for Africa". liveaid.free.fr. Retrieved on 2008-03-12.
  10. ^ He Died with a Felafel in His Hand soundtrack. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  11. ^ george Official Website. george. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  12. ^ T. Zuk. Love My Way music credits. Australian TV information archive. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Australasian Performing Right Association. APRA. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.

[edit] External links