A Journey Through Aussie Pop

Funk, dance, pop, soul, jazz, rock, musical theatre and, with new album My Life Is A Symphony, orchestral arrangements, Kate Ceberano has covered a lot of musical terrain in her 40-year recording career. In this honest and unflinching chat, the singer/songwriter discusses the pop side of her extensive catalogue of work, starting as singer of '80s band I'm Talking and continuing through the roller-coaster ride of her solo career. Commercial triumphs like Brave and Pash are dissected alongside fan favourites like Think About It! and Kensal Road, with Kate recounting behind-the-scenes stories and sharing what each experience has meant to her. From game-changing performances like the Jesus Christ Superstar arena spectacular to the false start of the Globe album, Kate's career is filled with fascinating stories and life lessons. And, of course, fantastic music, with singles like "Bedroom Eyes", "Brave", "See Right Through", "Pash" and "True Romantic" just some of the tracks covered.

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Twitter: @ChartBeatsAU, @TurnAroundOnJoy
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R&B and funk had been slow to take off in Australia, but when those genres really started to be embraced locally in the mid-'90s, a four-piece boy band from Melbourne were perfectly placed to become this country's pre-eminent vocal harmony group. All four original members of CDB (Andrew De Silva, Gary and Brad Pinto, and Danny Williams) join us to talk about how they slogged away on a scene that was just starting to take off and how a break providing backing vocals for Peter Andre was crucial in them securing their own record deal with Sony Music. With songs written by Andrew as a teenager, CDB were teamed up with established artists Paul Gray (from Wa Wa Nee) and Rockmelons to shape their sound into something commercial, with hits "Hook Me Up" and "Hey Girl (This Is Our Time)" following. But it was a remake of "Let's Groove" which propelled the group into the big league, with solid sales for debut album Glide With Me as a result. Second album Lifted, which showed a maturing of CDB's material with more songwriting input from other members, didn't perform as well despite featuring stellar tracks like "Good Times" and "Back Then". This was followed by Andrew's cancer diagnosis and departure from the group, and a missed opportunity for the second line-up, resulting in them disbanding. But you can't keep a good vocal group down, with CDB's more recent reunions highlighting the synergy the original four-piece has always had.

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Twitter: @ChartBeatsAU, @TurnAroundOnJoy
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We continue to follow Ricki-Lee Coulter's musical journey from when her time at Shock Records came to an end after the disappointing performance of singles "Don't Miss You" and "Hear No, See No, Speak No" and the decision by Ricki to shelve her intended third album. She explains why the choices being made at this stage weren't ones she agreed with and how meeting husband Richard Harrison helped get her career back on track. That reset happened with Fear & Freedom, with Ricki-Lee recalling how that album came about and the process of signing to major label EMI to release it. With hits like "Raining Diamonds" and "Do It Like That", things went incredibly well, but a record company merger led to the follow-up, Dance In The Rain, having a difficult rollout and the situation surrounding subsequent stand-alone singles "Not Too Late" and "Unbothered" once again signalling to Ricki that it was time to move on. Now a fully independent artist, Ricki-Lee discusses the work she's been doing over the past year with production duo DNA, which includes current single "On My Own" and an upcoming album she promises is full of bangers.

Bonus material at chartbeats.com.au/aussie
Twitter: @ChartBeatsAU, @TurnAroundOnJoy
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In a career spanning almost 20 years, Ricki-Lee Coulter has gone from the shock of an early elimination in Season 2 of Australian Idol to a prominent presence on the pop culture landscape thanks to her 15 top 50 hit singles, four studio albums, hosting gigs on two of the country's top reality shows (including the 2023 revamp of Idol) and role as a radio host. In the first part of a two-part chat, Ricki discusses her decision not to originally sign with Sony Music but go with independent record company Shock Records instead and the string of hits she had on that label, many of which she co-wrote. Why did she cry on the set of her very first music video for debut single "Hell No!"? How did her highest-charting single, "Can't Touch It", wind up on a Hollywood film soundtrack? Which of her music videos was Video Hits unhappy about? Why did she release a singles collection after only two studio albums? Ricki-Lee has the answers. We also hear about her detour into girl group territory with Young Divas and some surprising never-before-shared memories of that roller-coaster ride. In Part 2 (coming soon), we'll cover Ricki's departure from Shock following her decision to shelve her third album, her move to EMI for the landmark Fear & Freedom album, the messy rollout of fourth album Dance In The Rain and the road to new music, including current single "On My Own".

Bonus material at chartbeats.com.au/aussie
Twitter: @ChartBeatsAU, @TurnAroundOnJoy
Instagram: @chartbeatsau, @joyturnbeataround
Email: [email protected]

Between 1980 and 1990, Icehouse racked up 13 top 20 hits across six studio albums and cracked both the US and the UK top 20 at different points, Initially known as Flowers, the band fronted by Iva Davies were at the forefront of new wave music in Australia, with their sound ranging from atmospheric synth ballads to rocky party tunes — and everything in between. In this career-spanning interview, Iva talks about the band's "dangerous" early sound that stood apart from their contemporaries on the pub rock scene and why writing hits came naturally to him. We hear the story behind chart-conquering classics like "Great Southern Land", "Hey Little Girl", "Crazy" and "Electric Blue", but also the downside of success, with Iva contending with a band break-up and a personal breakdown. He also discusses 1993's  experimental seventh album Big Wheel and why Icehouse's days as a recording act came to an end, capping off a legacy that endures to this day, with Icehouse remaining one of Australia's most popular touring bands.

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After crossing paths in 1992, singer Tania Doko and musician James Roche realised they shared a creative spark that would quickly evolve into pop/rock duo Bachelor Girl. The pair tell us about the road to getting signed with Ross Fraser and John Farnham's label, Gotham Records, and how their top 5 debut single, "Buses And Trains" was part of that journey. Tania and James reflect on the success of that song and how it led to being signed by US industry heavyweight Clive Davis and a revised version of debut album Waiting For The Day. While overseas success wasn't to be, Bachelor Girl followed their first local hit with others like "Permission To Shine", "I'm Just A Girl" and "Treat Me Good". We hear about the inspiration behind their songs, the pressures involved in their second album, Dysfunctional, and how record company politics led to their joint career being put on hold. Tania also reveals details of her solo record deal, which was also cut short in the mid-2ooos, and her stint as a mentor on Popstars Live. Then, the story of how they reunited for singles "Speak" and "Calling Out Your Name" in recent years is also told.

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They ruled radio and the charts in the mid-2000s, but when Rogue Traders started out, they were a very different proposition than the dance/rock hybrid that scored a string of hit singles a few years later. DJ/producer James Ash recalls the band's evolution from releasing disco-inspired club tracks to edgy, sample-laden anthems like "One Of My Kind" and "Voodoo Child". Recruited to front the band for top 5 smash "Voodoo Child", singer and actress Natalie Bassingthwaighte discusses the audition process to gain the gig and her reluctance to trade on her Neighbours fame to promote the single. With a four-piece line-up settled, the band went from strength to strength, with songs like "Way To Go", "Watching You, "Don't You Wanna Feel" and "I Never Liked You" ensuring they were never far from the top 10. James and Natalie share their memories of those heady days and the choice to move away from samples on 2007's Better In The Dark. Nat also talks about her decision to go solo in 2008, while James fills us in on the less commercially successful period for the band with new singer Mindi Jackson, Then, we hear how the classic line-up of Rogue Traders came to reform and are now back touring and releasing new music.

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The Chantoozies had enjoyed an amazing run from their inception to the release of their debut album, but behind the hit singles and high rotation music videos, tensions were simmering. A split down gender lines developed — a situation that was exacerbated by a relentless touring schedule and some members not feeling they had enough say. The band members talk candidly about their disagreements and artistic differences, as well as the romances that existed between Eve and Brett, and Angie and David. Tottie and Scott also explain their reasons for leaving the band ahead of 1989 single "Come Back To Me", while David reveals what motivated him to quit after that track's release. Then, we hear about the decision to sack Brett and Frank, and reconfigure as a three-piece girl group. After all the upheaval, the new-look band scored a welcome hit in 1991 with a remake of "Love The One You're With", but split within a year. Reunions followed in the decades since, and these days, Ally and Eve keep the Chantoozies name alive as a duo.

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What had started out as a bunch of girlfriends catching up for drinks and a bit of a sing-along turned into one of Australia's biggest pop groups of the late '80s and early '90s. In the first episode of a two-part special, singers Ally Fowler, Tottie Goldsmith, Angie Arnott (née La Bozzetta) and Eve von Bibra, as well as musicians Brett Goldsmith, Scott Griffiths and David Reyne talk about how The Chantoozies came into being and went from playing gigs in one of the clubs run by the Goldsmiths' father to hitting the ARIA top 10 with their cover of "Witch Queen" and original track "Wanna Be Up". We'll also hear about the head-to-head battle with The Party Boys thanks to rival versions of "He's Gonna Step On You Again" and how the band's rigorous touring schedule earned them cred on the local music scene. In Part 2, the story continues as members leave and the eight-piece band, that also featured the late Frank McCoy on guitar, slims down to a trio.

Bonus material at chartbeats.com.au/aussie
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Born in the UK, raised on the Gold Coast and discovered on Australian TV performing Bobby Brown songs, teenager Peter Andre was snapped up by Molly Meldrum for his record label, Melodian. After a couple of years' development, which included a songwriting trip to the UK to work with Phil Harding and Ian Curnow at PWL, the diehard Michael Jackson fan released his first single in 1992. But it was his second release, a cover of "Gimme Little Sign" that turned Peter into a star — and he recalls both his reluctance to record the track and his insistence that he show off his buff body in the music video. Further ARIA chart success continued as did support slots on high-profile Australian tours by Bobby Brown and Madonna, but with it came a backlash from certain quarters. Peter reveals the impact the negativity had on him and why he relocated to the UK to work on his second album. With tracks like "Mysterious Girl" and "Flava", Natural would be the album that would see his career take off in his homeland and allow him to achieve a long-held ambition to sell out Wembley Arena. In our candid interview, Peter also discusses why he left the industry after his US R&B-influenced third album, Time, and the comeback he never expected to have in the 2000s.

Bonus material at chartbeats.com.au/aussie
Twitter: @ChartBeatsAU, @TurnAroundOnJoy
Instagram: @chartbeatsau, @joyturnbeataround
Email: [email protected]