History Exchange

As the 70s began, newer acts rose alongside the survivors of the beat boom, who had regrouped with new bands and a new purpose. Performers like Blackfeather, Billy Thorpe & The New Aztecs, Daddy Cool and Spectrum led a "third wave", ushering in a more confident and mature era of original Australian music. Over the next five years bands like The Aztecs, Spectrum, Company Caine, Kahvas Jute, Ariel, Tully, Daddy Cool, Jeff St John & Copperwine, Tamam Shud, Chain, The La De Das, Madder Lake, Blackfeather and many others produced some of the finest rock music ever committed to record. A major Part of our task is to celebrate that music.

"I never had any idea that the band had become this popular, but something like this really gives you an indication. It's been really worth it, coming from the beginning, it seems to have built up; coming from a hundred people to 40,000 - it's unbelievable! The point is, we don't need overseas names, this must be obvious here! The only way to promote Australian music, is to make it purely Australian music, and, I mean, it's good to bring in a group that is a good (overseas) group, but most of these festivals ... I don't see why we shouldn't use our bands here".

Ultimately, overseas success failed to materialise, despite the band's determination and strenuous efforts. In retrospect, several factors combined to defeat them. Their 'pop' image, was certainly a factor in denying them lasting popularity, broader appeal and overseas recognition, especially in the late 70s when punk and new wave became a major force of musical fashion. Although Sherbet's earlier material could perhaps be criticised as being a bit lightweight, they did not lack the depth that was needed for to make the transition into the 'adult rock' market, and in fact Garth and others are adamant that their later material -- which was largely ignored -- was some of their very best, and as good as anything else around at the time. Crucially though, they suffered the same fate as so many bands before them -- they were denied the record company support that was vital to breaking them into an overseas market, and the local media began suffereing from "tall poppy sydnrome" and mounted increasingly harsh attacks on the band in the late '70s and early '80s.