The Riptides
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The Riptides were an Australian
power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a subgenre of rock music and form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, ...
group which was formed in
Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
,
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
, in 1977 as The Grudge. Their founding mainstay was Mark Callaghan on lead vocals, bass guitar, rhythm guitar and as principal songwriter. Former member Michael Hiron died in 2001.


History


1977–1979: formation

The Riptides were formed in 1977 as the Grudge, their members were students at the Architecture Department,
University of Queensland The University of Queensland is a Public university, public research university located primarily in Brisbane, the capital city of the Australian state of Queensland. Founded in 1909 by the Queensland parliament, UQ is one of the six sandstone ...
.McFarlane
'The Riptides'
entry. Archived fro
the original
on 18 February 2004. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
The original line-up was Mark "Cal" Callaghan on lead vocals, Dennis Cantwell on drums, Scott Matheson on rhythm guitar, Allan Rielly on lead guitar and Tony Wheeler on bass guitar.
Robert Vickers Robert Vickers (born 25 November 1958) is an Australian musician, who is known as the bass guitarist of the Go-Betweens. Vickers grew up in Brisbane, Australia, and played in various local bands. He made his first record in 1978 as a member o ...
became the bass guitarist after Wheeler left the band in 1978 to pursue a career as a clarinettist and composer.The Riptides and related entries at
Australian Rock Database The Australian Rock Database was a website with a searchable online database that listed details of Australian rock music artists, albums, bands, producers and record labels. It was established in 2000 by Swedish national Magnus Holmgren, who had ...
: * The Riptides:–  * Mark Callaghan (1979–83, 1987–88, 1991):–  * Graham "Buzz" Bidstrup (1987–88):– 
During 1978 the Grudge changed their name to the Neon Steal and then to the Numbers. In September 1978 the Numbers issued a limited edition (500 copies) three-track extended play, ''Sunset Strip'', on
the Go-Betweens The Go-Betweens were an Australian indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1977. The band was co-founded and led by singer-songwriters and guitarists Robert Forster (musician), Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, who were its only co ...
'
Able Label The Able Label was an independent record label from Brisbane, Australia. The label was established by Damien Nelson (the proprietor of the Toowong Music Centre), together with Grant McLennan and Robert Forster in Note: nlineversion has limite ...
. Australian musicologist,
Ian McFarlane Ian McFarlane (born 1959) is an Australian music journalist, music historian and author, whose best known publication is the ''Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop'' (1999), which was updated for a second edition in 2017. As a journalist ...
, described it as "punchy and energetic and featured a brilliant, English-flavoured 1960s-inspired pop sound." Early in 1979 Vickers left the Numbers, travelling to New York City, where he joined the Colors. In 1983 he joined the Go-Betweens. In 1979 Callaghan switched to bass guitar and the Numbers became the Riptides to avoid confusion with a Sydney band of that name. They remixed ''Sunset Strip''s tracks and reissued it in July 1979 (2000 copies) via Able. Andrew Leitch then replaced Rielly on guitar and added keyboards.


1980–1983: Peak and break up

The band issued a new single, "Tomorrow's Tears", in February 1980 on the Flat label. McFarlane felt it was "a fabulous slice of 1960s-styled R&B; pop." The band appeared on Australian Broadcasting Corporation's pop music TV show, '' Countdown'', to promote the single. The Riptides moved to Sydney in mid-1980. In October they were signed to
Regular Records Regular Records was an Australian record label based in Sydney that operated from 1978 until the mid-1990s. Regular Records released music by acts including Mental As Anything, Icehouse (band), Icehouse, and The Cockroaches. The Regular Record ...
. Michael Hiron (ex-
Leftovers Leftovers are surplus foods remaining unconsumed at the end of a meal, which may be put in containers with the intention of eating later. Inedible remains like bones are considered ''waste'', not leftovers. Depending on the situation, the amoun ...
, Flaming Hands, the Pineapples from the Dawn of Time) joined in March 1981 on bass guitar and Callaghan switched to rhythm guitar; Matheson also left. The four-piece line-up entered the studio with producer, Graham "Buzz" Bidstrup, (ex- the Angels) in mid-1981 to record a six-track mini-album ''Swept Away'', which was released in November. From the album, a track, "Only Time", was issued as a single, also in November, while Cantwell and Leitch both left. Callaghan and Hiron reformed the Riptides in early 1982 with new bandmates, Graeme "Hutch" Hutchinson on drums (ex-Leftovers, the Humans), Russell Parkhouse on keyboards and Howard Shawcross on bass guitar (ex-Last Chance Café, Elks); while Hiron moved to lead guitar. The group issued a new single, "Hearts and Flowers" in September, and supported Scottish group,
Simple Minds Simple Minds are a Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977, becoming best known internationally for their song "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Billboard Hot 100, Hot 100 ...
, on their Australian tour in October. By January 1983 the Riptides decided to disband: they had enough of performing. Callaghan recalled in December 2014, "There were other things that were going on in the band, you know, drugs, and I just thought nah, I've got to stop this, it's crazy. It had gone away from its original kind of vibe, anyway." In July 1983 Regular issued a compilation album, ''Riptides'' (a.k.a. ''The Last Wave''), with the track list selected by Callaghan. Callaghan and Leitch had recorded a new track, "The Wedding Song", for the album. McFarlane summarised the group's output "one of the classic Australian new wave groups. The band's blend of diamond-hard power pop, snappy surf melodies and whomping backbeat was irresistible and eminently danceable. After becoming one of the biggest drawcards on the Australian pub circuit during the early 1980s, The Riptides called it a day in 1983."


1984–present: post break up

In 1984 Bidstrup on drums and Callaghan on guitar and lead vocals formed a pop rock group, GANGgajang in Sydney, with Chris Bailey on bass guitar (ex-the Angels).McFarlane
'GANGgajang'
entry. Archived fro
the original
on 10 July 2004. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
Leitch and Hiron formed a group, Catchcry, with Felix Davies on bass guitar, Ross Harley on guitar and vocals, and Tim Seckold on drums. The Riptides had developed a cult status in Brisbane; they periodically reformed briefly for gigs at universities during Orientation Week. Early in 1987 Callaghan revived the Riptides for a reunion tour to celebrate ten years since formation. The line-up comprised Callaghan, Leitch, Hiron and Bidstrup on drums. The tour provided a double live album, ''Riptides Resurface'', which came out in December. They toured again in February 1988 with Callaghan, Leitch and Hiron; while Bidstrup was replaced by J.J. Harris on drums (ex-
Divinyls Divinyls () were an Australian rock band that were formed in Sydney in 1980. The band primarily consisted of vocalist Chrissy Amphlett and guitarist Mark McEntee. Amphlett garnered widespread attention for performing on stage in a school un ...
). Callaghan, Harris and Hiron reformed the Riptides for tours during 1989 and 1990, with Brisbane's John Willsteed on guitar (ex-the Go Betweens). In early 1991 Callaghan, Harris and Hiron entered the studio with a new guitarist, Tony Adams and a session drummer, J. J. Hackett (ex-
Mondo Rock Mondo Rock are an Australian rock band, formed in November 1976 in Melbourne, Victoria. Singer-songwriter Ross Wilson (musician), Ross Wilson founded the band, following the split of his previous band Daddy Cool (band), Daddy Cool. Guitarist Er ...
). South African-born producer, Ricky Fataar (ex-
Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by thei ...
drummer), recorded the group's first studio album, ''Wave Rock'' (August 1991). It provided two singles, "Stop (Don't Start)" (May 1991) and "Here Comes the Sun" (August). Neil Chadwick joined as a permanent drummer and the Riptides toured once again before disbanding at the end of that year. In March 2001 Michael Hiron died suddenly. In July 2001 Callaghan played in a tribute gig for Hiron, in Brisbane, with other artists who had worked with the musician. Bidstrup and Callaghan put together a new line-up of the Riptides for the Pig City Festival on 14 July 2007: adding Chris Bailey on bass guitar and Mark O'Connor on keyboards. They performed a classic set that showed why they still remain one of Brisbane's great bands. ''Rave Magazine''s Sebastian Hayes, Simon Topper and James Stafford described how "Callaghan run, high-kick and grin around the stage is a bit like watching an over-enthusiastic Dad meeting your pals at a 21st – embarrassingly uncool, but completely endearing. Thankfully, the dancing and clapping crowd adore the five-piece's surf-rock." During 2014 Callaghan supervised another compilation album, ''Tombs of Gold'', which included unreleased material from the ''Swept Away'' sessions and four tracks from a later line-up.


Discography


Studio albums


Compilation albums


Singles


References

;General * Note: Archived n-linecopy has limited functionality. ;Specific


Further reading

*''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


External links


The Riptides 2015
State Library of Queensland State Library of Queensland (State Library) is the state public reference and research library of Queensland, Australia, operated by the Government of Queensland, state government. The Library is governed by the Library Board of Queensland, whi ...
. Short film about the band including interviews and performances. {{DEFAULTSORT:Riptides Musical groups from Brisbane Australian power pop groups Australian indie pop groups Musical groups established in 1977 Musical groups disestablished in 2007