The Dead Livers

The Dead Livers is a country rock band formed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in April 1978. Formative members were Marty Atchison (vocals), Brendan Mitchell (guitar and steel guitar), Michael Schack (bass guitar), Edward Mitchell (guitar) and Tony Pizzi (drums). Later members included Richard O'Keefe (drums), Warren Keats (guitar), Peter Thorne (guitar), John Berto (guitar), Randy Broughten (pedal steel guitar)(before joining the Gear Daddies in the US), Bob Suffern (pedal steel guitar), Rodger Delfos (guitar), Ross Nicholson (guitar and vocals), Craig Reeves (piano), Les Gough (bass guitar), Ron Mahony (drums) and Don Farrell (guitar).

The band was a finalist at the 3UZ country music battle of the bands in Melbourne in 1978, and a finalist in the inaugural "Starmaker Quest" in Tamworth, New South Wales in 1979. The band's first single "Grandpa" / "Ballad of a Dead Liver", was issued in 1979. It was followed by a self-titled vinyl EP and a cassette EP "I'd Love to Have a Joint with Willie". In April 1980, the band made its first television appearance in Sydney on the John Singleton Show, and in July 1980 was the support act for Leon Russell and the Amazing Rhythm Aces.

In 1982, another single "Star of the West" / "A Stud Like Me" was released, and "Star of the West" was among the final nominations in the best group category at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. In 1998, previously recorded material was issued on a CD entitled Greatest Misses to coincide with the band's 20th anniversary. In 2000 a new album, Reaching to the Western Sky was launched, and the band subsequently performed at the 2001 Port Fairy Folk Festival.

References

This article incorporates information from:

• The Who's Who of Australian Rock compiled by Chris Spencer, Zbig Nowara & Paul McHenry 5th ed. Noble Park Vic: Five Mile Press 2002, ISBN 1-86503-891-1 p. 96 [1]
• Australian Music Directory edited by Peter Beilby and Michael Roberts. 1st ed. North Melbourne, Vic.: Australian Music Directory Pty, c1981. ISSN 0706-6678 p. 132 [2]
• Book of Australian Country Music edited by Jazzer Smith. Gordon, NSW : Berghouse Floyd Tuckey Publishing Group, c1984. ISSN 0814-3730 p. 54 and 57. [3]

External links

• Dead Livers web site
• MOG