Riptides
Encyclopedia
The Riptides were a band
from Brisbane
Australia
and worked largely as a vehicle for the song-writing talents of Mark "Cal" Callaghan. Over a career spanning 6 (?) years from 1979 to 1983 (?) the band also featured a number of notable musicians.
. In 1978, The Grudge changed names to, firstly, The Neon Steal and then The Numbers. In September 1978, The Numbers issued a limited edition (500 copies) EP, Sunset Strip on The Go-Betweens
' Able label.
In early 1979, Robert Vickers left The Numbers, travelling to New York
where he joined The Colors; in 1983, he joined The Go-Betweens
. Mark Callaghan switched to bass, and The Numbers became The Riptides (in order to avoid confusion with a Sydney band also called The Numbers). The band remixed the Sunset Strip EP and reissued it in July 1979 (in a pressing of 2000 copies). Andrew Leitch then replaced Alan Rielly on guitar and keyboards and the band recorded a new single, "Tomorrow's Tears"/"Some Other Guy", released on February 14, 1980 on the Flat label. The band appeared on Countdown to promote the single. The Riptides moved to Sydney during the winter of 1980.
In March 1981, Michael Hiron (ex-Leftovers
, Flaming Hands) joined on bass, which allowed Callaghan to switch to guitar. Scott Matheson had also left the band by that stage. The new four-piece line-up entered the studio with producer Graham `Buzz' Bidstrup
(ex-Angels
) in mid-1981 to record the six-track mini-album Swept Away which was released in November. "Only Time" was released as a single, also in November 1981. With the release of Swept Away, Dennis Cantwell and Andrew Leitch both left the band. Callaghan and Hiron laid low for a time before re-emerging in early 1982 with a new line-up comprising Russell Parkhouse (keyboards), Howard Shawcross (bass; ex-Last Chance Café, Elks) and Graeme `Hutch' Hutchinson (drums; ex-Leftovers). Hiron moved to lead guitar.
The Riptides issued a new single, "Hearts and Flowers" / "Sandarama" in September 1982, and supported Simple Minds
on their October Australian tour. By January 1983, The Riptides decided that they had performed on the Australian touring circuit long enough and that it was time to call it a day. In July 1983, Regular issued the Callaghan-assembled anthology album Riptides (aka The Last Wave). Callaghan and Leitch recording a new song, "The Wedding Song", for inclusion on the album.
Callaghan went on to find commercial success with GANGgajang
but the surf inspired pop of The Riptides had a fun-loving naivety which could not be surpassed.
The Riptides developed a cult status in their home city of Brisbane, Australia. Even during the GANGgajang years, The Riptides would regularly reform for a tour of universities during Orientation Week. In early 1987, Callaghan revived The Riptides for a reunion tour to help celebrate ten years of Brisbane pop culture. The line-up comprised Mark Callaghan, Andrew Leitch, Michael Hiron and Buzz Bidstrup. The reunion tour produced the double live album, Riptides Resurface which came out in December 1987. The Riptides toured again in February 1988 with Callaghan, Leitch, Hiron and J.J. Harris (drums; ex-Divinyls
).
Callaghan and Hiron revived The Riptides again for successful summer tours during 1989 and 1990, with Brisbane's John Willsteed (ex-Go Betweens) and J.J. Harris. In early 1991, Callaghan and Hiron entered the studio with new guitarist Tony Adams, J.J. Harris and South-African-born producer/ drummer Ricky Fataar
(ex-Beach Boys) to record the first full-length Riptides studio album. Wave Rock appeared in August 1991 and produced the singles "Stop (Don't Start)" in May 1991 and "Here Comes the Sun" in August 1991. Neil Chadwick joined as a permanent drummer and The Riptides toured once again.
In March 2001 Michael Hiron died suddenly. In July 2001 Callaghan played a tribute gig to Michael, in Brisbane, with other artists who had worked with and loved Michael.
Without Hiron, Callaghan put together a new lineup of the Riptides for the "Pig City" Festival on July 14, 2007 (Mark Callaghan, Cal Callaghan on guitar, Mark O'Connor on keyboards, and Cal's fellow Gang bandmates Chris Bailey on bass and Buzz Bidstrup on drums. They performed a classic set that showed why they still remain one of Brisbane's great bands.
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
from Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and worked largely as a vehicle for the song-writing talents of Mark "Cal" Callaghan. Over a career spanning 6 (?) years from 1979 to 1983 (?) the band also featured a number of notable musicians.
History
The Riptides formed in 1977 as The Grudge, with their members comprising students from the Architecture Department of the University of QueenslandUniversity of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
. In 1978, The Grudge changed names to, firstly, The Neon Steal and then The Numbers. In September 1978, The Numbers issued a limited edition (500 copies) EP, Sunset Strip on The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens were an indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Australia in 1977 by singer-songwriters and guitarists, Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. They were later joined by Lindy Morrison on drums, Robert Vickers on bass guitar and Amanda Brown on violin, oboe, guitar, and backing vocals,...
' Able label.
In early 1979, Robert Vickers left The Numbers, travelling to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
where he joined The Colors; in 1983, he joined The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens
The Go-Betweens were an indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Australia in 1977 by singer-songwriters and guitarists, Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. They were later joined by Lindy Morrison on drums, Robert Vickers on bass guitar and Amanda Brown on violin, oboe, guitar, and backing vocals,...
. Mark Callaghan switched to bass, and The Numbers became The Riptides (in order to avoid confusion with a Sydney band also called The Numbers). The band remixed the Sunset Strip EP and reissued it in July 1979 (in a pressing of 2000 copies). Andrew Leitch then replaced Alan Rielly on guitar and keyboards and the band recorded a new single, "Tomorrow's Tears"/"Some Other Guy", released on February 14, 1980 on the Flat label. The band appeared on Countdown to promote the single. The Riptides moved to Sydney during the winter of 1980.
In March 1981, Michael Hiron (ex-Leftovers
Leftovers
Leftovers are the uneaten edible remains of a meal after the meal is over, and everyone has finished eating. Food scraps that are not considered edible are not regarded as leftovers, but rather as waste material; any remaining edible portions constitute the leftovers.The ultimate fate of leftovers...
, Flaming Hands) joined on bass, which allowed Callaghan to switch to guitar. Scott Matheson had also left the band by that stage. The new four-piece line-up entered the studio with producer Graham `Buzz' Bidstrup
Graham Bidstrup
Graham "Buzz" Bidstrup is an Australian musician, songwriter, music producer and artist manager. He has been a member of The Angels, The Party Boys and Gang Gajang. He has managed Jimmy Little, Nathan Cavaleri and Diana Ah Naid. He is part of the management team for the Jimmy Little Foundation.-The...
(ex-Angels
The Angels (Australian band)
The Angels are a hard rock band that formed in Adelaide, Australia in 1970. The band later relocated from Adelaide to Sydney and enjoyed huge local success until well into the 1990s. For the purposes of international release, their records were released under the names Angel City and later The...
) in mid-1981 to record the six-track mini-album Swept Away which was released in November. "Only Time" was released as a single, also in November 1981. With the release of Swept Away, Dennis Cantwell and Andrew Leitch both left the band. Callaghan and Hiron laid low for a time before re-emerging in early 1982 with a new line-up comprising Russell Parkhouse (keyboards), Howard Shawcross (bass; ex-Last Chance Café, Elks) and Graeme `Hutch' Hutchinson (drums; ex-Leftovers). Hiron moved to lead guitar.
The Riptides issued a new single, "Hearts and Flowers" / "Sandarama" in September 1982, and supported Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
on their October Australian tour. By January 1983, The Riptides decided that they had performed on the Australian touring circuit long enough and that it was time to call it a day. In July 1983, Regular issued the Callaghan-assembled anthology album Riptides (aka The Last Wave). Callaghan and Leitch recording a new song, "The Wedding Song", for inclusion on the album.
Callaghan went on to find commercial success with GANGgajang
GANGgajang
Gang Gajang are an Australian rock band who formed in 1984. The three principal figures in the original lineup were former Riptides frontman Mark "Cal" Callaghan and two former members of popular Australian hard rock band The Angels, bassist Chris Bailey and drummer Graham "Buzz"...
but the surf inspired pop of The Riptides had a fun-loving naivety which could not be surpassed.
The Riptides developed a cult status in their home city of Brisbane, Australia. Even during the GANGgajang years, The Riptides would regularly reform for a tour of universities during Orientation Week. In early 1987, Callaghan revived The Riptides for a reunion tour to help celebrate ten years of Brisbane pop culture. The line-up comprised Mark Callaghan, Andrew Leitch, Michael Hiron and Buzz Bidstrup. The reunion tour produced the double live album, Riptides Resurface which came out in December 1987. The Riptides toured again in February 1988 with Callaghan, Leitch, Hiron and J.J. Harris (drums; ex-Divinyls
Divinyls
Divinyls were an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1980 and featuring vocalist Christina Amphlett and guitarist Mark McEntee. As the focal point, Amphlett performed on stage wearing a school uniform and fishnet stockings, often using an illuminated neon tube as a prop and displaying...
).
Callaghan and Hiron revived The Riptides again for successful summer tours during 1989 and 1990, with Brisbane's John Willsteed (ex-Go Betweens) and J.J. Harris. In early 1991, Callaghan and Hiron entered the studio with new guitarist Tony Adams, J.J. Harris and South-African-born producer/ drummer Ricky Fataar
Ricky Fataar
Ricky 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...
(ex-Beach Boys) to record the first full-length Riptides studio album. Wave Rock appeared in August 1991 and produced the singles "Stop (Don't Start)" in May 1991 and "Here Comes the Sun" in August 1991. Neil Chadwick joined as a permanent drummer and The Riptides toured once again.
In March 2001 Michael Hiron died suddenly. In July 2001 Callaghan played a tribute gig to Michael, in Brisbane, with other artists who had worked with and loved Michael.
Without Hiron, Callaghan put together a new lineup of the Riptides for the "Pig City" Festival on July 14, 2007 (Mark Callaghan, Cal Callaghan on guitar, Mark O'Connor on keyboards, and Cal's fellow Gang bandmates Chris Bailey on bass and Buzz Bidstrup on drums. They performed a classic set that showed why they still remain one of Brisbane's great bands.
Discography
- "Sunset Strip" - 7" Able AB006 (2000 copies) (1979) issued)
- "Tomorrow's Tears" - 7" Flat FLAT1 (1980)
- Swept Away mini-LP Regular L20004 (1981)
- "Only Time"/"The Riptide"/"Shake It" - 7" Regular K8341 (July 1981)
- "Hearts And Flowers"/"Sandarama" - 7" Regular (1982)
- The Riptides - LP Regular RRLP1207 (1983)
- Riptides (a.k.a. Last Wave) - LP WEA (1983)
- Resurface - double-LP Mercury 832989-1 (1988)
- "Stop"/"Hideous" - CD single Bluedisc (1991)
- Wave Rock - CD Bluedisc/Phonogram 510224-2 (1991)
- "Here Comes the Sun" - CD single Bluedisc (1991)
External links
- Who's Who of Australian Rock Compiled by Chris Spencer 2nd ed 1989 Five Mile Press
- Waltzing the Plank : The Australian Illustrated Encyclopedia of Surf Music 1963-2003 by Stephen J. McPharland
- Riptides (Australian Rock DatabaseAustralian Rock DatabaseAustralian Rock Database is a website with a searchable online database that lists details of Australian rock music artists, albums, bands, producers and record labels. It was established in 2000 by Swedish national, Magnus Holmgren, who had developed an interest in Australian music when visiting...
)