Boxing Day 1977, this track from Australia's premier vocalist Renee Geyer begins its ascent. While not her biggest hit, 'The Restless Years' is one of my favourites, as it is attached to the TV soap opera of the same name that began airing in late 1977 and ran until 1981, launching the careers of many local actors.
As i was experiencing my own 'restless years', the show resonated with me - the trials and tribulations of young school leavers, and while i was a few years behind them, i had my own identity and adolescent issues to contend with. A fine vocal performance from my favourite singer helped to soothe those troubled times. Even hearing it 35 years later, it reminds me of the era and my own teen angst. I have included as a 'top and tail' to the pop hit, the hauntingly beautiful tv series opening music composed and played by Mike Perjanik - who was responsible for many Australian tv themes.
'The Restless Years' track has never been available on CD, as it was an itinerant release in between Renee's seminal 'Moving Along' in 1977 and the follow up, also recorded in Hollywood: 'Winner'. The song reached the Top 20 in early 1978, and is a perfect sonic postcard from the era - pop meets soft disco meets r&b - Renee style.
I hope for any Aussies who perchance this clip, it brings back great memories via the theme and Renee's pop hit. For those still discovering the great Renee Geyer - enjoy!
Postscript: The two actors I have paid tribute to with their dates are the legendary June Salter with whom I had the immense pleasure of working with in 1995 on a sitcom (one of my career highlights working with an actress i so loved while growing up) and the beautiful, but tragic boy Jon Blake, who was so severely injured in a car accident that he spent the last two decades of his life brain damaged and wheelchair bound. It was one of the most devastating show biz stories in Australia's history. I wanted to honour them in this way.
R,I.P June Salter & Jon Blake
7 сен 2024
