V Capri
Encyclopedia
V Capri are a new wave
/pop
band formed in Perth, Western Australia
in 1984, fronted by lead vocalist Tod Johnston
, with Lance Karapetcoff on keyboards
, Michael O'Brien on bass guitar
, Alan Simpson on drums
and Damian Ward on guitar
. The band was popular locally but were unable to transfer this to the eastern states despite having signed with Mushroom Records
. They released six top 100 singles in the Australian charts
between April 1985 and June 1987.
/pop
band formed in Perth, Western Australia
in 1984, lead vocalist Tod Johnston
(Manic D) and guitar
ist Damian Ward (Flavours, Perfect Strangers), they joined with Lance Karapetcoff on keyboards
, Michael O'Brien on bass guitar
and Alan Simpson on drums
(both of whom were in Harlequin Tears). The band was popular in Perth and released their debut single, "Only a Movie" on the independent Theatre Label in April 1985, which reached the Perth top 10 but did not reach the top 50 nationally. Success in Perth led to signing with Mushroom Records
and the release of further singles but they were unable to transfer their popularity in Perth to the eastern states. They released six further singles which all reached the top 10 in Perth, with "Haunting Me" and "That's the Way" peaking at #1 locally. The singles reached the top 100 in the Australian charts
between April 1985 and June 1987. Their debut, and only album, In My World, was released by Mushroom Records in November 1986. It reached number 52 on the Australian charts on the Kent Music Report
) in October 1986. The single "Haunting Me" had international release when used in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours
at the end of Kylie Minogue
’s final episode, it reached #77 on the UK Singles Chart in 1989.
Being interviewed in 2003 on Australian Music Online, Malcolm Clark (The Sleepy Jackson
) remembered V Capri:
In My World was re-issued by Almacantar Records, a record label which specialises in 1980s releases, in the United States in 2006. The re-issued album features five bonus tracks including rare singles sides and unreleased tracks. According to their Facebook page they have reformed with the original line up as of 2010.
Singles
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
/pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
band formed in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
in 1984, fronted by lead vocalist Tod Johnston
Tod Johnston
Tod Johnston is an entertainer from Perth, Western Australia.He was born in Sydney, the son of stage actress Jill Perryman and choreographer Kevan Johnston....
, with Lance Karapetcoff on keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, Michael O'Brien on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Alan Simpson on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and Damian Ward on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
. The band was popular locally but were unable to transfer this to the eastern states despite having signed with Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
. They released six top 100 singles in the Australian 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...
between April 1985 and June 1987.
History
V Capri are a new waveNew Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
/pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
band formed in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
in 1984, lead vocalist Tod Johnston
Tod Johnston
Tod Johnston is an entertainer from Perth, Western Australia.He was born in Sydney, the son of stage actress Jill Perryman and choreographer Kevan Johnston....
(Manic D) and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Damian Ward (Flavours, Perfect Strangers), they joined with Lance Karapetcoff on keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, Michael O'Brien on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and Alan Simpson on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(both of whom were in Harlequin Tears). The band was popular in Perth and released their debut single, "Only a Movie" on the independent Theatre Label in April 1985, which reached the Perth top 10 but did not reach the top 50 nationally. Success in Perth led to signing with Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
and the release of further singles but they were unable to transfer their popularity in Perth to the eastern states. They released six further singles which all reached the top 10 in Perth, with "Haunting Me" and "That's the Way" peaking at #1 locally. The singles reached the top 100 in the Australian 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...
between April 1985 and June 1987. Their debut, and only album, In My World, was released by Mushroom Records in November 1986. It reached number 52 on the Australian charts on the Kent Music Report
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...
) in October 1986. The single "Haunting Me" had international release when used in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
at the end of Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
’s final episode, it reached #77 on the UK Singles Chart in 1989.
Being interviewed in 2003 on Australian Music Online, Malcolm Clark (The Sleepy Jackson
The Sleepy Jackson
The Sleepy Jackson are an Australian alternative rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia. The band's name was inspired by a former drummer who was narcoleptic. The band revolves around the distinctive vocal style of multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Luke Steele...
) remembered V Capri:
In My World was re-issued by Almacantar Records, a record label which specialises in 1980s releases, in the United States in 2006. The re-issued album features five bonus tracks including rare singles sides and unreleased tracks. According to their Facebook page they have reformed with the original line up as of 2010.
Members
Chronological order:- Tod JohnstonTod JohnstonTod Johnston is an entertainer from Perth, Western Australia.He was born in Sydney, the son of stage actress Jill Perryman and choreographer Kevan Johnston....
— lead vocals - Lance Karapetcoff — keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals - Michael O'Brien — bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Alan Simpson — drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Damian Ward — guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Clint Arnold — guitar
- Dave Catteral — guitar
Discography
Albums- In My World - MushroomMushroom RecordsMushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
(November, 1986) - Almacantar (US) (2006)
Singles
- "It's Only a Movie" - Theatre (April, 1985) #61 AUS
- "Haunting Me"/"Year from Now" - Mushroom Records (August, 1985) #45 AUS - Lisson Records (UK) 12" (Picture Disc) Single (February, 1989) #77 UK
- "That's the Way"/"In My World" - Mushroom (January, 1986) #53 AUS
- "Nights and Days"/"Shining World" - (August 1986) #55 AUS
- "Love Is Such a Lonely Song"/"Memories" - (October, 1986) #81 AUS
- "Time Is Always a Changing"/"Book of Life" - (June, 1987) #73 AUS
- "Now I Know"/"Big Jet Engines" - Mushroom (1988)