Chantoozies

Chantoozies were an Australian pop group active from 1986 to 1991. The band featured four female singers: Eve von Bibra, Angie La Bozzetta, Ally Fowler and Tottie Goldsmith; and four male musicians: Brett Goldsmith (bass guitars, keyboards, programming), Scott Griffiths (keyboards, programming), Frank McKoy (lead vocals, guitars) and David Reyne (drums, backing vocals).^[1][2][3] Their name is an intentional mispronunciation of the French word for female singer "chanteuse". Tottie Goldsmith, Ally Fowler and musician David Reyne were well known television celebrities who had acted in Australian soap operas at the time the band started.

Chantoozies first single was a #4 hit "Witch Queen"^[4] released on Mushroom Records in 1986.^[5]

Brett and Tottie Goldsmith are brother and sister; their father is restaurateur and nightclub owner Brian Goldsmith, their mother is actress Rhona Newton-John, and their aunt is English / Australian actress and pop singer Olivia Newton-John.^[6]

History

Pre Chantoozies

• David Reyne had been drummer for Clutch Cargo (included his brother James Reyne) which became Australian Crawl in late 1978.^[7] David Reyne had left before they recorded any material, and continued his acting education.^[7] He was also drummer for Cats Under Pressure with Simon Hussey (guitars, keyboards) and Mark Grieg (guitars) in 1984.^[8] Reyne also acted on the 1980s television series, Sweet and Sour and Possession.^[9]

• Brett Goldsmith had been in Wayback 5 during 1986 which included Kate Ceberano as a vocalist.^[10]

• Ally Fowler and Eve von Bibra were actors in an 1980s television soap operas, Sons and Daughters;^[11][12] Fowler also appeared on Neighbours, All Saints and Big Sky.^[11]

• Tottie Goldsmith acted in the television soap operas/dramas, The Henderson Kids, The Young Doctors, Starting Out, Neighbours and Prisoner.^[13]

• Angelica ('Angie') La Bozzetta appeared on the television series, Special Squad.^[14]

Chantoozies to Gild the Lily

Chantoozies formed as a good-time covers band to play at Tottie Goldsmith's 25th birthday party. The band's debut club gig attracted 600 people, which was encouragement enough for the musicians to continue.^[1]

Four months after formation, Chantoozies signed a deal with Mushroom Records,^[1] which was followed by the release of their debut single in late 1986, it was a cover of Redbone's single "Witch Queen" (aka "The Witch Queen of New Orleans")^[15] and reached #4 on the National singles chart.^[16] Their 1987 debut album Chantoozies had five different lead vocalists: von Bibra, La Bozzetta, Fowler, Tottie Goldsmith and McCoy^[17] and reached #13 on the national album charts.^[16] The second single was a cover of John Kongos' "He's Gonna Step On You Again" and was released in June 1987, vying with The Party Boys' hard rock version of the same song for a place on the charts simultaneously, although Chantoozies' rendition was the least successful,^[1] only reaching #36.^[16] Chantoozies third single, "Wanna Be Up", written by Brett Goldsmith and von Bibra,^[15] was released in May 1988 and reached #8 on the national singles chart in August, 1988.^[16]

The band's fourth single, another Goldsmith/Von Bibra song, "Kiss'n' Tell", was released in August 1988 and peaked at #25 in October.^[16] By that time, Greg Millikan had replaced Griffiths on keyboards.^[1] Chantoozies toured with James Reyne and Daryl Braithwaite, and just as their live profile was at a premium they decided to take a break.^[1] Chantoozies returned to the charts in late 1989 with their fifth single, "Come Back to Me". Griffiths and Goldsmith left the band in mid-1990. The band, with just the three vocalists Fowler, Von Bibra and LaBozzetta, issued its fifth single "Walk on" in October 1990.

The 1990 film The Crossing starring Russell Crowe had a soundtrack with Australian / New Zealand artists re-recording 1960s songs including Chantoozies version of The Angels' "My Boyfriend's Back".^[18][19]

Chantoozie's second album, Gild the Lily, was released in April 1991. The singles were covers of Stephen Stills' "Love the One You're With" which reached #21 in 1991 and The Jackson 5's "I'll Be There".^[20]

Post Chantoozies

• Eve von Bibra returned to acting with roles on mid-1990s TV with Time Trax and The Damnation of Harvey McHugh; and more recently as Jackie in the 2006 film Kenny.^[12]

• Angelica La Bozzetta was the first actress to play Natalie Nash in Home and Away, and also appeared on 1990s episodes of Blue Heelers and Big Sky; and more recently in 2003 film The Rage in Placid Lake.^[14]

• Ally Fowler also returned to TV with 1990s Cody and Big Sky; and since 2005 as a regular on All Saints.^[11]

• Brett Goldsmith continued as a singer/songwriter and performer; also as a hospitality venue developer and more recently as a fashion photographer.^[21]

• Tottie Goldsmith left Chantoozies before their second album and undertook a solo singing career. She then returned to TV as host of Sex/Life in the mid-1990s; acting during the 2000s included Stingers, Blue Heelers and Life.^[13] In January 2011, the 48 year old Goldsmith was allegedly found in possession of an illegal substance (believed to be cocaine) by police as she attempted to enter a music festival in Portsea, Victoria.

• David Reyne left early in 1990 and continued with his TV acting on Bony (1990), The Flying Doctors (1988–1994), and then as a presenter on Getaway (1992–2006) and 9am with David and Kim (2006–2009).^[9]

• Scott Griffiths supplied keyboards and synthesizers for Sir Piers 2003 release "Don't You Love Me".^[22]

All four female lead vocalists briefly re-formed Chantoozies for the June to August 2006 Countdown Spectacular Tour; they performed "Wanna Be Up" only.^[23]

Discography

Albums

• Chantoozies - Mushroom (1987) AUS #8 (#41 on ARIA 1988 End of Year Albums Chart)^[24]
• Gild the Lily - Mushroom (April, 1991) AUS #62

Singles

Songwriting credits from Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA):^[15]

• "Witch Queen" (P Vegas, L Vegas) / "Chantoozie Shuffle" (Reyne, Goldsmith, Goldsmith, Jones, Fowler, von Bibra) - Mushroom (March, 1987) AUS #4^[4]
• "He's Gonna Step On You Again" (C Demetriou, J Kongos) / "Twenty Six O Two" (Reyne, Goldsmith, Goldsmith, Jones, Fowler, von Bibra) - Mushroom (June, 1987) AUS #36
• "Wanna Be Up" (B Goldsmith, E von Bibra) / "Little Woman" (B Goldsmith, S Griffiths, D Reyne) - Mushroom (May, 1988) AUS #8 (#22 on ARIA 1988 End of Year Singles Chart)^[25]
• "Kiss 'n' Tell" (B Goldsmith, E von Bibra) / "Want to Go" (Peter Jones) - Mushroom (August, 1988) AUS #25
• "Come Back" (B Goldsmith, E von Bibra) / "Come Back to Me (instrumental)" (B Goldsmith, E von Bibra) - Mushroom (December 1989) AUS #97
• "Walk On"/"Walk On" (Instrumental) - Mushroom (October, 1990)
• "Love the One You're With" (Stephen Stills) / "Baby Blue" (B Goldsmith, E von Bibra) - Mushroom (March, 1991) AUS #21
• "I'll Be There" (B West, H Davis, W Hutch, J Gordy)/ "Who Cares" (B Goldsmith, E Von Bibra, James Reyne) - Mushroom (September, 1991)

References

External links

• Discogs entry on Chantoozies
• Pop music in Australia