Disco Profiles - Little River Band

Prior to the success of AC/DC, Air Supply, Men At Work and INXS, the Little River Band were probably Australia's most successful international rock band. Evolving out of Mississippi, who had previously spent much time working in London, former members Graeham Goble, Beeb Birtles and Derek Pellicci (drums) persuaded seasoned vocalist Glen Shorrock, who had sung with the Twilights, Axiom and Esperanto, to join them in a new venture.

With a name change to the Little River Band - named from a small town between Melbourne and Geelong) and the addition of bass player Roger McLachlan and guitarist Rick Formosa (the latter replacing Graham Davidge who played on the band's very first recording) the new line-up boasted years of experience and chose the US west coast harmony and guitar sound as their major influence.

They had immediate success in Australia with their debut album. Under the guidance of Glen Wheatley (ex-Master's Apprentices), the band was soon aiming for the overseas market, the USA in particular, and by the end of 1976 they had enjoyed their first appearance in the US charts with the epic "It's A Long Way There".

With Formosa and McLachlan being replaced, respectively, by David Briggs and George McArdle , the band's second international release Diamantina Cocktail went gold in the USA in 1977, the first time an Australian act had managed this.

The band followed this with another hugely successful album in 1978, Sleeper Catcher , which contained the US number 3 hit "Reminiscing". They found themselves also selling well in Latin-America and Europe, especially France. McCardle left before the release of First Under The Wire , which broke into the US Top 10 and also generated the US hit Top 10 hit singles, "Lady" and "Lonesome Loser".

"Reminiscing" was the first Australian hit to receive an award for 4 million airplays on US radio. "Lady" wasn't far behind with 3 million.

Birtles and Goble released a duo album as the band took a brief rest, punctuated by the release of a live album. Wayne Nelson was brought in as the new bass player as the band decamped to George Martin's Air studio in Montserrat to record Time Exposure , which contained two further US Top 10 hits "The Night Owls" and "Take It Easy On Me", although by this point the band's popularity had begun to wane in their native Australia. Briggs was replaced by Steve Housden following the sessions for Time Exposure . Not long afterwards lead vocalist Glen Shorrock left to pursue a solo career and John Farnham, one of Australia's most popular singers, was recruited as lead singer.

LRB continue to tour the world with Steve Housden and are soon to release a new CD. Beeb Birtles, Glenn Shorrock and Graeham Goble formed "Birtles Shorrock Goble" and toured Australia in late 2002. Click here for Beeb Birtles website for the latest tour info.

adapted from VH1.com