Ex-Mondo Rock member Paul Christie formed Australian fun-time band The Party Boys in 1982 as an occasional “supergroup” consisting of some of Australia’s finest musicians. The concept was that Christie would employ players (all of whom had other commitments) when the need arose and that the set they played would consist entirely of cover versions.
By 1987, the band had released four live albums (and a ‘Best Of’ collection), with Live At Several 21sts (1983) making the national Top 10. The band finally entered the recording studio in 1987 to put down a cover version of the 1971 John Kongos hit He’s Gonna Step On You Again, which reached #1.
Lead vocalists for The Party Boys have included some of Australia’s best-known performers; Australian Crawl‘s James Reyne (1982 – 1983), Richard Clapton (1983), Shirley Strachan from Skyhooks (1983 – 1984), Dragon‘s Marc Hunter (1984 – 1985), Angry Anderson (of Rose Tattoo) (1986) and John ‘Swanee‘ Swan (1987).
In late 1989, Christie put together a new recording line-up: Ross Wilson on vocals, Stuart Fraser on guitar (from Noiseworks), Rick Mellick on keyboards, Dorian West on bass, Adrian Cannon on drums, and Kevin Bennett and Alex Smith providing backing vocals.
Wilson’s original vocals on their next single, a cover of Manfred Mann‘s Doo Wah Diddy Diddy, couldn’t be used due to contractual reasons, and singer Vince Contarino, from Adelaide cover band The Zep Boys, re-recorded the vocals. Released in early 1990, it peaked at #24.
A final Party Boys single, Billy Preston‘s That’s the Way God Planned It, was released in September 1992. When the band called it a day, Christie became a band manager.
Paul Christie
Bass James Reyne
Vocals Kevin Borich
Guitar Harvey James
Guitar Buzz Bidstrup
Drums Richard Clapton
Vocals, guitar Rob Riley
Guitar Shirley Strachan
Vocals Marc Hunter
Vocals Joe Walsh
Guitar Richard Harvey
Drums Angry Anderson
Vocals John Brewster
Guitar Alan Lancaster
Bass John Swan
Vocals Graham Bonnet
Vocals Calvin Welch
Drums Fergus Richardson
Keyboards Eric Burdon
Vocals Mal Eastick
Guitar Mal Logan
Keyboards Warren McLean
Drums Rick Mellick
Keyboards Dorian West
Bass Adrian Cannon
Drums Kevin Bennett
Vocals Alex Smith Vocals
Stuart Fraser Guitar Ross Wilson Vocals
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