I never thought LRB and Farnham were a great match, but Whispering Jack and Age of Reason are superb albums. He's probably the best singer of the Rock era.
John Farnham is an absolutely amazing singer, right up there with the best of the best. And please, Glenn is no slouch either. Such great music and beautiful harmonies.
For many years I had heard rumors that Graeham and Beeb Birtles hated singing with John Farnham in The Little River Band as they found it hard to harmonize with John as his voice is much different than Glen Shorrocks... I am so glad I found this Video of Graeham telling the Real Story of how much he Loved John's Voice and how much he loved John being in the Little River Band...What a Magnificent and Very Talented Band they were...Absolutely Brilliant :)
Yeah no it’s was more Beeb’s as he didn’t like John moving around etc on stage as that wasn’t LRB thing I believe he actually shorten John mic lead so he could do it. Graham was always a fan but of John he wrote Please Don’t Asks Me which he wrote for john is one of the most beautiful songs every sung by John and one of my favourites.. 😊
From the Beeb video on this channel, Beeb found it harder to harmonise with John as John’s voice was high and Glenn’s lower so Beeb had to change from high parts to low which was challenging for him. Beeb lasted a year and a half with John then decided to leave.
We two is one of the very best written and arranged songs I have ever heard!!! Great work. Loved it when it came out here in America!!! Should have been #1!!!!
John Farnham could stand on stage and fart the National Anthem or burp the alphabet...I WOULD STILL pay money to see him!! The best voice in a generation. NOBODY comes close!
The other members were not used to dealing with the vocals of someone like John. LRB was always a group, Glenn was only the frontman. John has never really been only a frontman. That is simply not part of his personality. He has always walked the stage, and whenever he could he interacted with the audience. LRB was not used to that, either. I loved LRB with Glenn and I loved them with John but even when they sang the same songs they were still great but they sounded like completely different songs. Also, in the interview, he didn't mention that at one point they actually taped John's mic cord down so that he wouldn't be able to walk the stage. I wouldn't have been very happy with them, either.
We definitely missed out here in England 🇬🇧 when John emigrated to Australia (some of my relatives did the same £10 poms) We Two is my favourite LRB song. I think John has one of the finest voices ever ❤ Very nice bloke too.
We aren’t complaining one bit John aged 3 at the time and his family moved to here Aus. His live concerts were absolutely brilliant. Guess you’ve heard John had over 11 hour surgery for removal of cancer inside his mouth. Finally out of ICU, needs a jaw replacement - but his sons were interviewed and said he’s smiling and fighting like heck to get through this. He’ll never sing again but we have over 50 years of John singing. All we want is for John to get better. John’s wife is a wonderful strong woman. John has always said, “Jill is my rock”.
The John Farnham solo album he was referring to in the first half of this video was "Uncovered", from 1980 (before John joined LRB). It had some great tunes on it including a song John wrote for his wife, the amazing version of 'Help', and a belter of a ballad called 'Please Don't Ask Me' which is always a highlight of a live Farnham show. Look up live versions of it on RU-vid and brace yourself for shivers! And Graeham is right, John Farnham's solo stuff was at its best when David Hirschfelder was a key part of the team. The man's from another dimension. It wasn't the same when he (and guitarist Brett Garsed) left.
I heard that John still uses david hirschfelders massively programmed midi track on every performance of playing to win to this day. The whole sound of the song rarely changes and what the listener hears when the song is being played is very different to the music the key tar player (now Chong lim) appears to play as david had masterfully layered it in some brilliant music programming that has literally stood the rest of time- nearly 40 years!!!
David Hirschfelder was John Farnham’s musical director on Whispering Jack, Age of Reason, Chain Reaction plus David rewrote the score for the Australian 1992 Concert version of Jesus Christ Superstar with John Starring as Jesus. Those are the big 4 John Farnham albums with sold out concert tours.
I agree all of John's album after Whispering Jack were amazing but in slightly different ways. You could say that they changed, but how brave was Chain Reaction. Anyway how successful were the concert tours on the back of the albums. + Jesus Christ Superstar. Also Romeo's Heart , I still listen to this album most of the time. Nice comment.
Very interesting, always thought Graeham was pivotal in John's next musical progression. The LRB line up of this time were amazing live. I liked the albums of this time and still listen to them today especially Playing To Win. Thankyou Graeham for your evaluation of this time. Your insights of this time are much appreciated If you look through the cracks of capitol record company's handling of the band, it must have been frustrating for you guys. Hearing you say that singing with John made you a better singer well that's amazing. Your right he does have one the best voices of time. Thankyou to the presenter I have subscribed.
I'm so glad John was part of The Little River Band at some point. If he hadn't been then hearing his vocals on Down On The Border may never have happened. Great song and it suits his voice so well.
Sadly John was pushed into backing vocals on some of those tracks because Capital records wanted Wayne Nelson to take the lead . But once You’re The Voice was a massive hit Capital was happy cash in on releasing When The War Is Over as a single by the end of 1986 sadly it flopped like the non Farnham lead singles with Wayne singing on No Reins
Greaham Goble didn't write any of the songs on Whipering Jack. He wrote most of the songs on the Uncovered album, which was released before Farnham joined LRB. With the exception of Weatley and David Herschfelder, who played keyboards in the Farnham band, there was no longer any link to LRB and the Farnham band when Whispering Jack came along.
I partly agree . But the band was ignored despite fantastic live performances and absolutely unbelievable singing and harmonies. But your right it was mostly timing.
Back in the day we could buy 45 RPM records. I'm in the USA. The first time I heard the song "We Two" I made a mad dash to the record store and bought it. I have no idea what that song wasn't a hit here. It's a fantastic song. I think it's LRB's best.
Such an interesting interview..I liked John’s ‘Chain Reaction’ album after David Hirschfelder left, but it’s true the content wasn’t as consistent from the mid 90s. A shame, I’d still be happy to hear new Farnham music.
The trouble with bringing such a powerful vocal such as Farnhams into LRB was that it created virtually a different band.... ultimately LRB had there run in the seventies and that was that. After the capitol deal they needed to go on long hiatus regroup tens years later like The Eagles...if this had happened we probably wouldn't be seeing this type of tribute act scenario going around as we do today.
I commend you on these interviews. I empathise with all three. I concur with Graeham about the quality of the Farnham line-up. LRB made some great recordings with John, particularly ‘We Two’ and ‘Playing to Win’, which we never would've gotten with Shorrock. Saw them in concert - Farnham, Goble, Nelson, Housden, Hirschfelder and Prestwich - in ‘85, and they hit it out of the park. Frankly, I think nature took its course. I felt LRB was losing steam by '81. 'Long Jumping Jeweller', ironically written by Graeham, was a real low point.
It's interesting he's says twice "the last time we spoke" - doesn't he mean as LRB or they haven't spoken in 35 year? I'd be shocked if that's the case 😔
Yeah I thought the interviewer could have followed up on that. How can Farnham "love the bloke" if he hasn't even spoken a word to him since the mid 80's.
@@Tomassius100 It is true. Sadly John wanted to disown his LRB experience. He & Glenn Wheatley even had the magnificent 'Uncovered' album deleted. It was unavailable from 1986 'til just recently when it has been uploaded to Spotify. I never understood that decision.
Sacking Shorrock for anybody was a mistake. He was the sound of LRB and also wrote some of their classics. Sounds like the whole problem was Goble. He was complete control freak. Now that may have been what made them great at the start but what ruined them in the end. I’d like to know why Goble didn’t end up with the license for the name Little River Band. Does anybody know? Now we have what is effectively a tribute band masquerading as The Little River Band whilst the original members can’t even perform under the name that they gave and the music they created. What a disgrace
Owning the name and being The Little River Band are two totally different things. Without Birtles, Shorrock, and Goble, you're just another cover band.
I have and LOVE "Whispering Jack" it is an awesome play; ALL of it! But with LRB, other than "The Other Guy", Glen is still my fave lead voice of LRB. Whether living in San Francisco Bay Area or here in Sydney, I often listen to my LRB iTunes (HomePod) playlist which has all of their albums (include complications).
Here in Australia, greedy us glad he didn’t lol. We kept him. John also said many time he wanted to be with all his family in Australia . Even bud mother in law who he affectionally calls - The Dragon lol. They get on well. It’s his wicked sense of humour lol. You’d, if you haven’t, watch a full concert to see him tell the audience to shut up and nick off😂. Honestly it’s always in good, no great fun. Not just a singer, a brilliant performer who interacts with his audience
There are some of us who are glad he didn't? Could Glenn Shorrock still headline? Could he get a cruise liner full of fans to Singapore for 1 concert? So your 'WE' here in OZ, comment is BS. Speak for yourself NOT for the millions who love Farnham and happily pay to see him. Even the fact that you compared him to Covid, when that is what killed Glenn Wheatley tell EXACTLY how much you think BEFORE you type. Glenn was also manager of LRB.
Vocal gymnastics does not a hit make. Shorrock was the connection LRB had with America. Thinking you can upgrade to an operatic type doesn’t mean people will prefer it. That’s when I bailed on LRB. No offense.
I am a TOTAL Farnham fan....but agree with you. I don't know any change of lead that has been an improvement. It's like watching Days of Our Lives and suddenly the main person is a totally different actor! Wotha!
I kinda feel the same. I don't know thing about him as a person..but Glen's voice was and is the lead vocal for LRB (in the USA certainly). The slight Australian twang is a part of it (,f anyone picks up on it..it's an identifiable voice..a masculine voice..and it connects so well with the material..for me, Night Owls was nice....but I'll take Glen over it anytime.
Loved JF and The Net… wasn’t a huge fan of the change in musical direction in the next two albums, especially Playing to Win. Did BSG even perform ANY songs from that record? Btw except for You’re the Voice I think JF’s solo material was weak
Weak ? John has had more top 40 hits 19 in total in Australia more than any other male Australia ( and I’m not counting his hits before LRB the Johnny era . Other than You’re The Voice Age Of Reason no 1 for 6 weeks Pressure Down no 3 Two Strong Hearts no 4 Burn For You no 4 That’s Freedom no 6 Chain Reaction no 6 When Something Is Wrong With My Baby - with Jimmy Barnes no 3 Have A Little Faith no 3 Everytime You Cry with Human Nature no 3 All his top 10 hits While LRB in Australia only 8 top 40 hits Help Is On The Way no 1 for 1 week Down On The Border no 7 Love Is Bridge no 6 Yeah LRB had more success overseas
Check out John live - his band were amazing especially around the 1996-1991 era, wonderful musicians in their own right. I can imagine some wouldn’t go for his records, but definitely live they brought the songs to life
