Pat Wilson
Encyclopedia
Pat Wilson is an Australian singer and journalist
. Wilson wrote for Go-Set
, a 1960s and 1970s pop music
newspaper, under the pen-name "Mummy Cool" during 1971–1972. Wilson released several singles in the early 1980s including the hit single "Bop Girl". The song was written by her then husband Ross Wilson of the bands Daddy Cool
and Mondo Rock
.
in about 1965, when she was sixteen. They met when he was working for the Department of Supply. In 1969 Ross left Australia for England to become a member of Procession. Wilson joined him there; they married and returned to Australia.
Ross and three bandmates formed Daddy Cool
in 1970 and toured Australia. In early 1971 they performed at the Myponga Festival in South Australia. Concert footage of their performance of "Eagle Rock
" shows a pregnant Wilson in the front row. The Wilsons' son Daniel was born just as "Eagle Rock" reached #1 on the National singles charts
. At about this time, Wilson started writing her column for Go-Set taking over an advice column
called "Dear Lesley Pixie" and using the pen-name "Mummy Cool".
In 1975 Wilson appeared on Australian band Skyhooks' second album Ego is not a Dirty Word
on the title track, "Ego is not a Dirty Word". She played finger cymbals. Ross produced the album.
. The single released on Warner Music Group
became one of the highest selling singles of 1983, and achieved airplay in various parts of the world, including the United States
, where the single peaked at #104 on the Billboard
pop chart. Subsequent singles failed to repeat this success.
The "Bop Girl" music video was the screen debut of 15 year old Nicole Kidman
playing the role of a young "bop girl". Chosen by director Gillian Armstrong
, songwriter Ross recalled that Kidman was to represent "an up and coming starlet with a bright future". Kidman herself insisted that the video be used for both a BBC
documentary
about her career, and also in an American Cinematheque
tribute, with the result that the video returned to Australian music video playlists in 2004.
A follow-up EP
called Strong Love was released in 1984 also on Warner Music Group.
Talking Heads on 9 July 2007, where Peter Thompson interviewed Ross. They have a son Daniel born in 1971.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. Wilson wrote for Go-Set
Go-Set
Go-Set was the first Australian pop music newspaper, published weekly from 2 February 1966 to 24 August 1974, and was founded in Melbourne by Phillip Frazer, Peter Raphael and Tony Schauble...
, a 1960s and 1970s pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
newspaper, under the pen-name "Mummy Cool" during 1971–1972. Wilson released several singles in the early 1980s including the hit single "Bop Girl". The song was written by her then husband Ross Wilson of the bands Daddy Cool
Daddy Cool (band)
Daddy Cool is an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1970 with the original line-up of Wayne Duncan , Ross Hannaford , Ross Wilson and Gary Young . Their debut single "Eagle Rock" was released in May 1971 and stayed at number 1 on the Australian singles chart for ten weeks...
and Mondo Rock
Mondo Rock
Mondo Rock is a rock band from Melbourne, Australia, most prominent in the early 1980s. The band was formed in late 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Ross Wilson.-Early years: 1976–1979:...
.
Early years
Wilson first saw Ross Wilson perform with his band The Pink FinksThe Pink Finks
The Pink Finks was an Australian pop/R&B band of the mid-1960s. Based in Melbourne, Victoria, the group is most notable for being the first in the series of bands that featured Ross Wilson and Ross Hannaford, which culminated in the hugely successful Daddy Cool.-History:The Pink Finks formed in...
in about 1965, when she was sixteen. They met when he was working for the Department of Supply. In 1969 Ross left Australia for England to become a member of Procession. Wilson joined him there; they married and returned to Australia.
Ross and three bandmates formed Daddy Cool
Daddy Cool (band)
Daddy Cool is an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1970 with the original line-up of Wayne Duncan , Ross Hannaford , Ross Wilson and Gary Young . Their debut single "Eagle Rock" was released in May 1971 and stayed at number 1 on the Australian singles chart for ten weeks...
in 1970 and toured Australia. In early 1971 they performed at the Myponga Festival in South Australia. Concert footage of their performance of "Eagle Rock
Eagle Rock (song)
"Eagle Rock" is a classic Australian song, released by Daddy Cool in May 1971 on the Sparmac Record Label. It went on to become the best selling Australian single of the year, achieving gold status in eleven weeks, and remaining at #1 on the national charts for a record ten weeks. "Eagle Rock"...
" shows a pregnant Wilson in the front row. The Wilsons' son Daniel was born just as "Eagle Rock" reached #1 on the National singles charts
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
. At about this time, Wilson started writing her column for Go-Set taking over an advice column
Advice column
An advice column is a column in a magazine or newspaper written by an advice columnist . The image presented was originally of an older woman providing comforting advice and maternal wisdom, hence the name "aunt"...
called "Dear Lesley Pixie" and using the pen-name "Mummy Cool".
In 1975 Wilson appeared on Australian band Skyhooks' second album Ego is not a Dirty Word
Ego Is Not a Dirty Word
Ego Is Not a Dirty Word was the second album released by Australian band Skyhooks in mid-1975. The album was the follow-up to their highly successful album, Living in the Seventies. As with the former album, it was also produced by Ross Wilson....
on the title track, "Ego is not a Dirty Word". She played finger cymbals. Ross produced the album.
"Bop Girl"
In 1983, Ross wrote "Bop Girl" for Wilson to perform, it became a #2 hit in Australia; Ross also provided backing vocals and appeared in its music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
. The single released on Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
became one of the highest selling singles of 1983, and achieved airplay in various parts of the world, including the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where the single peaked at #104 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
pop chart. Subsequent singles failed to repeat this success.
The "Bop Girl" music video was the screen debut of 15 year old Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
playing the role of a young "bop girl". Chosen by director Gillian Armstrong
Gillian Armstrong
Gillian May Armstrong is an award-winning Australian director of feature films and documentaries.- Career :Born in Melbourne, Victoria, Gillian Armstrong grew up in the eastern suburb of Mitcham. She graduated from Swinburne Technical College in 1968 where she studied theatrical costume design and...
, songwriter Ross recalled that Kidman was to represent "an up and coming starlet with a bright future". Kidman herself insisted that the video be used for both a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about her career, and also in an American Cinematheque
American Cinematheque
The American Cinematheque is an independent, non-profit cultural organization in Los Angeles dedicated exclusively to the public presentation of the Moving Image in all its forms. It is considered among the premier organizations of its kind in America....
tribute, with the result that the video returned to Australian music video playlists in 2004.
A follow-up EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
called Strong Love was released in 1984 also on Warner Music Group.
Personal life
Wilson was married to musician Ross Wilson for twenty years according to her brief account on ABC-TV'sAustralian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
Talking Heads on 9 July 2007, where Peter Thompson interviewed Ross. They have a son Daniel born in 1971.
Albums
- Strong Love (EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, 1984 Warner Music Group)- "Bop Girl" / "Strong Love" / "Bop Girl Goes Surfin'" / "Shimmy Shimmy Ko Ko Bop" / "Killer Bees"
Personnel
- Pat Wilson — vocals
- James Black — backing vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass on "Strong Love" and "Killer Bees"
- Ricky FataarRicky FataarRicky Fataar is a South African multi-instrumentalist of Malay descent, who has performed as both a drummer, and a guitarist. He gained fame as an actor in the comedic television movie, The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash, a spoof on the actual history of The Beatles, and for his performance as a...
— backing vocals, drums, percussion, co-producer - Mark Moffatt — guitar, co-producer
- Daniel Wilson — other (Bee attack)
- Ross Wilson — backing vocals (co-lead on "Strong Love"), guitar, co-producer
- Joe Creighton — bass guitar on "Bop Girl" and "Bop Girl Goes Surfin'"
- Simon Gyllies — bass guitar on "Bop Girl"
- J. J. Hackett — drums on "Killer Bees"
- Chris Haigh — bass on "Shimmy Shimmy Ko Ko Bop"
- M. Holden — fiddle on "Bop Girl"