The Throb

This article is about The Australian 1960s band. For similarly named U.S. hard rock band, see The Throbs.
The Throb
Origin Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Genres R&B
Years active 1965–1967
Labels Polydor, Albert, EMI/Parlophone
Associated acts Geoff Doyle and the Resonettes, The No Names
Past members
  • John Bell
  • Denny Burgess
  • Peter Figures
  • Marty Van Wynk
  • Bob Daisley
  • Paul Wylde

The Throb were an Australian R&B and rock band which had a brief existence in the mid-1960s. The band had a hit single with a cover version of "Fortune Teller". Released in February 1966, it charted in the Top 5 in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. According to the Australian Chart Book 1940–1969 (2005), this equated to No.4 nationally. In August of the same year the group also had a minor hit in Sydney with "Black is the Colour of My True Love's Hair".

History

The Throb formed in Sydney in 1965 with the line up of John Bell on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Denny Burgess (ex-Mystery Men) on bass guitar and vocals, Peter Figures (ex-Geoff Doyle and The Resonettes, The No Names) on drums and Marty Van Wynk (ex-Geoff Doyle and The Resonettes, The No Names) on lead guitar.[1]

Figures and Van Wynk had worked together in The Resonettes in the early 1960s as a surf instrumental band.[1][2] When they signed with Polydor Records in 1964 they changed the band's name to The No Names and issued two beat music singles, "She Is Mine", and a cover version of The Coasters hit Charlie Brown.[2][3] By December 1965 The No Names became a R&B and rock band called The Throb.[1]

The Throb signed with Albert Productions and label owner, Ted Albert, recommended a cover version of "Fortune Teller" as their debut single.[1] In February 1966 it was issued by EMI/Parlophone and soon charted at No.4 in Sydney and No. in Melbourne.[1] It also charted at No.4 in Adelaide and was a number-one hit in Brisbane.[4] According to the Australian Chart Book 1940–1969 (2005) this equates to a national chart position of No.4.[5][6] The group had become a "hot live draw on the discotheque circuit".[1]

The band reworked an English folk song, "Black is the Colour of My True Love's Hair", as a "mournful, demonic" tune, which was released as their second single.[1] It reached the Top 40 in Sydney but did not chart in other capital cities.[1][6] Van Wynk left to join The Soul Agents while The Throb continued as a three-piece until October,[1] when Burgess left to form his own group, Honeybunch. Bell and Figures recruited Bob Daisley (ex-Dennis Williams and the Delawares, Gino Affair) on bass guitar and Paul Wylde on organ and piano.[1] The Throb disbanded in January 1967 when Figures joined The Square Circle.[1]

Bell became a builder and ran a plastering firm. By 1969 Figures had joined Jeff St John & Yama and was later in various other groups. In 1972 Denny Burgess joined The Masters Apprentices, alongside his brother Colin. Van Wynk was in the Marty Rhone Band and also had a career as a songwriter.[2]

Discography

Singles

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 McFarlane, 'The Throb' entry. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Culnane, Paul (2007). "The Throb". Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
  3. ↑ Marks, Ian D. "The Throb". Wild About You. 3CR Melbourne. Archived from the original on 22 January 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
  4. ↑ "Fortune Teller". Where Did They Get That Song?. PopArchives (Lyn Nuttall). Retrieved 3 October 2013.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Turramurra, NSW: Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd. ISBN 0-6464-4439-5. Note: Chart positions back calculated by Kent in 2005.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Ryan (bulion), Gary (20 January 2013). "1966 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien (Steffen Hung). Retrieved 3 October 2013.