The “M” episode of Our A – Z of Australia had to be split! This is Part II, Part I can be found at M for Music 1.
An Australian artist than just cannot be ignored is John Farnham. In his younger years, he was Johnny Farnham and I still remember a early hit: Sadie, the Cleaning Lady. I was thrilled to locate this old video!
Roll forward a few years to one of my personal favourites! I noticed this video features Derryn Hinch in a cameo appearance! Some good acting there, Derryn! 🙂 The wife in the video is played by Jackie Weaver who was recently nominated for an Oscar!
Who could overlook Midnight Oil? The lead singer had a change of career, entering politics. Peter Garrett is currently the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, quite a change from the life of a rock star!
Keith Urban is Australian, despite what many of his USA fans might think! He just needed to spread his wings in Nashville: spread them he did! Keith is back home in Australia as a coach on The Voice: the final is tonight! Keith’s January 2013 Australian tour dates have been announced, so get those tickets, folks!
An undeniably electrifying live performer, the country rocker’s shows have repeatedly been called one of the biggest and best concert experiences. The tour, set to begin in Brisbane with two shows at the Entertainment Centre on Friday 25th & Saturday 26th January, will also head to Sydney for a show at Allphones Arena on Wednesday 30th January, before finishing up in Melbourne at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday 2nd February.
Here is Keith in full flight during a Long Hot Summer.
Kylie Minogue was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2011 and no wonder. Originally dubbed the singing budgie by many in Australia, Kylie has not only survived since 1987 in a tough industry. she has excelled! Away from music, Kylie was awarded an honorary Doctor of Health Science for her work in raising awareness of breast cancer.
These hot pants sent a couple of generations of males into a spin.
There are hundreds of other artists I could and should include. I have to stop somewhere! There will be a Part III, indigenous music. I realised there was no way I was going to be able to include the music I wanted to in this article.
Enjoy the sounds and sights of Aussie music! Check out the Menu for other A – Z of Australia articles and links to other A – Z challenges happening around the world.
PS – If anyone is wondering, I’m hoping Karise Eden wins The Voice – we shall see tonight!
Random Observations of Life 
Australia’s produced some awesome music. I can never go to Circular Quay without thinking of Australian Crawl’s ‘Reckless’. Or listen to Jimmy Barnes without thinking of the road trip I did with some friends through NSW and Queensland in 1988 (a Barnes tape was the soundtrack). It’s amazing how much Aus music has infiltrated across the Tasman. And, I suppose, Kiwi artists gone the other way, like Sharon O’Neill.
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The Finn brothers! We’ve had some amazing success over the years and some of the young ones now are amazing. Karise Eden who just won The Voice has a unique sound which I hope the moguls don’t knock out of her.
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I loved the video of Sadie the Cleaning Lady, in a strange sort of way!
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I reminded me of how long we have all lived!
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Exactly!
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I really like Keith Urban but had never heard of him!
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He is very good. I’m not a C&W fan, but Keith’s C&W is sort of rock C&W, if there is such a genre!
Watching him on The Voice has been interesting – I don’t think there is a song released that he doesn’t know the words to! Also his interest in his team was obvious for all to see. It was interesting to see a completely different side to him.
Seal, we discovered is very “touchy-feely” and wears really strange clothes.
Joel fell in love with Australia and Australia fell in love with Joel. Last night he sang a duet with his father-in-law, Lionel Ritchie.
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