MusicJournoThe Black Sorrows
March 20th 2008 05:39
In the Australian music industry, there are a few bands that have ingrained themselves into the country’s psyche quite like The Black Sorrows. Think Australian music, think Aussie lifestyle and some of the first songs that spring to mind are those spawned by this enigmatic band. Although with tracks like ‘Hold On To Me’, ‘Chained to The Wheel’, ‘Harley And Rose’, ‘Never Let Me Go’ and ‘Last One Standing For Ya’, its no surprise audiences fell in love with the steady music and ever-changing line-up of the band. From the vocal harmonies provided by the Bull Sisters to the impressive instrumentation suggested by other consummate ‘guest’ members in the band, The Black Sorrows was an ever melding, continuing merging melting pot of musicians. In fact, the one main constant through it all was its vocalist and main songwriter Joe Camilleri and it is essentially he who can take credit for the band’s continued longevity and success.
As far as musicians go, Joe Camilleri is at the peak of his field. An acclaimed instrumentalist, songwriter and vocalist, the talented and down-to-earth muso has had his finger in many musical pies across his career, that it’s not surprising he manages to make everything look simple and laid-back. From his early hay days fronting Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons, which had the phenomenal hit ‘Shape I’m In’, that consequently saw them recently inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, to his other musical partnerships outside of The Black Sorrows including The Revelators and Bakelite Radio, Joe has never stopped playing music. He’s also had a prolific solo career and is, unsurprisingly, one of the most well respected musicians in the Australian music industry today. It’s not just his ability to write well crafted hit songs that appeals to audiences and fellow musicians alike, but his musical nuance and knack for integrating new concepts and ideas and making them last. Over the years he’s introduced a bevy of new musicians into The Black Sorrows’ fold and each has found a home with the band. Yet even with every line-up change, he kept a consistency that was fluid, the music and the atmosphere and energy were still inherently The Black Sorrows even if some of the members were missing. He was the central and integral part of the music – he was, and is, The Black Sorrows.
The Black Sorrows first burst onto the Australian music scene in the early 1980s as a fall-out band from Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons. In fact, it is said most Falcons members ended up joining the Sorrows at one point or another. The Sorrows real estimation of how big they were going to become was their first Top 20 hit record ‘Dear Children’ in 1986. Followed up a year later with ‘Hold On To Me’, the band was starting to get considerable notice and a bevy a hits followed – as did massive radio airplay and sell-out tours around the nation. The momentum just didn’t stop and in 1990 ‘Harley and Rose’ proved the band could continue to put out successful great sounding albums. Joe using The Sorrows as a guise even tried a cover of the Marley hit ‘Stir It Up’ in later releases, a risky challenge, but something that not only paid off, but he managed to make it his own – demonstrating The Black Sorrows could bend themselves to practically any musical genre. In the late 1990s the band released ‘Beat Club’ a jazz-oriented album which again showed the band’s versatility.
For a while it appeared The Black Sorrows were in a period of hiatus. While an acoustic album hit the shelves, there was no new material from the band and it appeared the group’s reign over the Australian music industry had ended. Then in 2006 Joe Camilleri revamped his line-up again and they returned with a new record ‘Roarin’ Town’ and not only won over old fans, but garnered themselves a whole new audience base as they toured around the country. A live performance by The Black Sorrows is one not to be missed. There is a definite vibrancy on stage that is often lacking today and a connection between the musicians which is almost tangible. There is little doubt as to why The Black Sorrows have such a legendary reputation – after all, the proof is there, it’s all in the music.
As far as musicians go, Joe Camilleri is at the peak of his field. An acclaimed instrumentalist, songwriter and vocalist, the talented and down-to-earth muso has had his finger in many musical pies across his career, that it’s not surprising he manages to make everything look simple and laid-back. From his early hay days fronting Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons, which had the phenomenal hit ‘Shape I’m In’, that consequently saw them recently inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, to his other musical partnerships outside of The Black Sorrows including The Revelators and Bakelite Radio, Joe has never stopped playing music. He’s also had a prolific solo career and is, unsurprisingly, one of the most well respected musicians in the Australian music industry today. It’s not just his ability to write well crafted hit songs that appeals to audiences and fellow musicians alike, but his musical nuance and knack for integrating new concepts and ideas and making them last. Over the years he’s introduced a bevy of new musicians into The Black Sorrows’ fold and each has found a home with the band. Yet even with every line-up change, he kept a consistency that was fluid, the music and the atmosphere and energy were still inherently The Black Sorrows even if some of the members were missing. He was the central and integral part of the music – he was, and is, The Black Sorrows.
The Black Sorrows first burst onto the Australian music scene in the early 1980s as a fall-out band from Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons. In fact, it is said most Falcons members ended up joining the Sorrows at one point or another. The Sorrows real estimation of how big they were going to become was their first Top 20 hit record ‘Dear Children’ in 1986. Followed up a year later with ‘Hold On To Me’, the band was starting to get considerable notice and a bevy a hits followed – as did massive radio airplay and sell-out tours around the nation. The momentum just didn’t stop and in 1990 ‘Harley and Rose’ proved the band could continue to put out successful great sounding albums. Joe using The Sorrows as a guise even tried a cover of the Marley hit ‘Stir It Up’ in later releases, a risky challenge, but something that not only paid off, but he managed to make it his own – demonstrating The Black Sorrows could bend themselves to practically any musical genre. In the late 1990s the band released ‘Beat Club’ a jazz-oriented album which again showed the band’s versatility.
For a while it appeared The Black Sorrows were in a period of hiatus. While an acoustic album hit the shelves, there was no new material from the band and it appeared the group’s reign over the Australian music industry had ended. Then in 2006 Joe Camilleri revamped his line-up again and they returned with a new record ‘Roarin’ Town’ and not only won over old fans, but garnered themselves a whole new audience base as they toured around the country. A live performance by The Black Sorrows is one not to be missed. There is a definite vibrancy on stage that is often lacking today and a connection between the musicians which is almost tangible. There is little doubt as to why The Black Sorrows have such a legendary reputation – after all, the proof is there, it’s all in the music.
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