Birtles Shorrock Goble

Infobox musical artist
Name = Birtles Shorrock Goble

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Img_capt = BSG perform at Castle Towers, Sydney, Australia
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Alias = BSG
Origin =
Genre = Pop music
Rock music
Years_active = 2002 – present
Label = Universal
Capitol
Associated_acts = Little River Band
Axiom, Mississippi,
The Twilights, Zoot
URL = [http://www.birtlesshorrockgoble.com birtlesshorrockgoble.com]
Current_members = Beeb Birtles
Glenn Shorrock
Graeham Goble
Past_members =

Birtles Shorrock Goble are an Australian pop/rock group composed of the three original singers and songwriters of Little River Band, namely Beeb Birtles, Glenn Shorrock and Graeham Goble. The members are known for their extensive writing and performance of hit songs and distinctive vocal harmonies. They are sometimes referred to by the initials BSG.

History

Birtles, Shorrock and Goble were vital members of popular Australian bands prior to forming Little River Band.

Birtles (born 28 November 1948 in The Netherlands) was part of Zoot and Mississippi. Shorrock (born 30 June 1944 in England) provided lead vocals for The Twilights and Axiom. Goble (born 15 May 1947 in Australia) was a member of several bands including Allison Gros, Drummond and Mississippi.

The concept of Little River Band was formulated in London in late 1974. The band was constituted in Melbourne and performed for the first time in Ballarat in March 1975.

Little River Band would go on to become one of Australia's first supergroups, achieving gold and platimum awards for multi-million international record sales, Top 10 hits in the USA for five consecutive years (1978–1982) and headlining concerts worldwide. Songs written and sung by Birtles, Shorrock and Goble continue to be played around the world more than 25 years after they were recorded:
*Birtles compositions include: "Curiosity Killed The Cat", "Every Day Of My Life", "Happy Anniversary" (co-written with David Briggs), "Home On Monday" (co-written with Glenn Shorrock)
*Shorrock compositions include: "Help Is On Its Way", "Cool Change", "Emma", "Shut Down Turn Off", "Home On Monday" (co-written with Beeb Birtles)
*Goble compositions include: "Reminiscing", "Lady", "Take It Easy On Me", "It's A Long Way There", "The Night Owls", "The Other Guy".

Departure from Little River Band

Each of these three original members of Little River Band left the band at different times, and for different reasons. Shorrock left first in 1982 to pursue a solo career, and as a consequence of increasing tensions between band members. He was replaced as lead vocalist by John Farnham.

"Basically I was told that my commitment to the group was not 100% and they wanted more commitment from their lead singer. I said I wanted to do some other things and that the songs were running down. I thought we needed to broaden our horizons a bit but that wasn't to be at that time. I was technically sacked. Beeb, Graeham and Derek [Pellicci] wanted John Farnham in. [I] was thinking about doing solo albums and some other things with my mates." "Glenn Shorrock" (2003) [ Cashmere, Paul (2003) [http://www.undercover.com.au/idol/bsg.html Hang On, BSG Is On Its Way] [http://www.undercover.com.au undercover.com.au] ]

Birtles departed in 1983; his commitment as a born again Christian had estranged him from some of the other band members, and he was unhappy with the direction and management of the band.

"Being a Christian I couldn’t lie to them: I had to honestly say, 'My heart isn’t here anymore and for that reason I have to leave'. The moment I said that I felt the load lift." "Beeb Birtles" (1989) Forbes, Clark (1989) "Whispering Jack", Hutchinson Australia, (ISBN 0-0916944-1-8).]

Goble retired from the band, first as a touring member, and subsequently altogether in 1989.

"Little River Band no longer had a recording contract and there was no immediate possibility of recording. I always preferred recording to 'live work' and when the future of the band appeared to be just playing the greatest hits for the rest of its life, then I knew it was time for me to leave." "Graeham Goble" (1997) Aue, Frankie (1997) [http://www.lrb.net/goble/interview.shtml A web-interview with Mr Goble] 22 July 1997. ]

In 1986, Farnham left the band and LRB effectively split-up. Glenn Shorrock returned to a re-formed Little River Band in 1988. Shorrock would leave for a second time in 1995 over a dispute about touring.

"My fellow directors of Little River Band at the time wanted to do a five-month tour. I felt that a three-month commitment was sufficient. They had another agenda and I was informed by fax that they would be employing a substitute vocalist in my place. I attempted to stop them, I sought advice, stepped down and accepted a financial settlement in lieu of earnings." "Glenn Shorrock" (2005) Miller, Chuck (2005) [http://www.chuckthewriter.com/lrb.html Born in the Sign of Water] Goldmine, 4 February 2005. ]

Following their departures from the band Birtles, Shorrock and Goble continued to maintain careers in the music industry. Birtles settled in the United States and continued to write songs. He formed a production company, Sonic Sorbet, and released a solo album "Driven by Dreams" in 2000.

Shorrock returned to his solo career, including stage shows, corporate gigs and a career retrospective concert program. He released two solo albums, "Spin Me 'Round" and "Meanwhile ... Acoustically".

Goble moved back to his passion: recording. He created four albums meticulously using some of the best session musicians available. "Broken Voices", "Nautilus", "Stop" and "The Days Ahead" reflected his thorough and fastidious recording technique.

Reformation

On 28 May 2001 Shorrock and Goble were seated at the same table at the Australian APRA Awards. Old animosities were forgotten as they realised that their respective careers were inextricably linked. [ birtlesshorrockgoble.com [http://www.birtlesshorrockgoble.com/home.html Birtles Shorrock Goble: Welcome!] ] A reunion was first discussed after record producer Paul Rodger approached Graeham Goble and Derek Pellicci with interest from Warner Music to produce a video concert like the Eagles "Hell Freezes Over". Subsequent telephone calls to Birtles and Shorrock confirmed that they, too, were not averse to a reunion.

The initial plans provided for Birtles, Shorrock, Goble, Pellicci, David Briggs and George McArdle to re-form under the band name The Original Little River Band. [ Te Koha, Nui (2001) [http://www.auspaytv.com/news/dec01/01121305.htm Legends of rock to return] [http://www.auspaytv.com/news/ AUSPAYTV NEWS] , 13 December 2001. ] Those plans were quickly frustrated when former Little River Band manager Glenn Wheatley told Birtles, Shorrock and Goble that things would be a lot easier if they reformed on their own.Fact|date=May 2008 It was determined that the name Little River Band and associated logos had been transferred by Wheatley and Goble to a company owned by LRB lead guitarist Stephen Housden without the permission of the other members of the band. Elder, Bruce (2002) [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/11/26/1038274302706.html Help is far away for a famous band] The Sydney Morning Herald, 27 November 2002. ] (See Legal battles.)

Wheatley decided that the three singer/songwriters would henceforth appear as Birtles Shorrock Goble: The Founding Members of Little River Band. ("Not BSG," said Shorrock, "it sounds like something you get at a Chinese restaurant").

After 7373 days apart, the first public performance of the reformed group would occur on 1 March 2002 at the Australian Grand Prix Ball. The hour-long set of twelve songs reprised many of their international hits. [ Birtles, Beeb (2002) [http://www.birtles.com/bsg2.html BSG 2002 Archives] [http://www.birtles.com birtles.com] ]

In March 2003 Birtles Shorrock Goble appointed Paul Rodger as their manager and signed a recording contract with Universal Music Australia.

Legal battles

The seeds of future legal conflict were sown in 1987. With a new lineup and new recording company, the members of Little River Band formed a "clean slate" company known as We Two Pty Ltd. The five band members at that time were made equal shareholders. Band assets, including the name and logo, were transferred into this company. Goble acknowledges that mistakes were made:

"The LRB name was never 'for sale'. It was lost to Stephen Housden because of a legal document that transferred the name to We Two Pty. Ltd. The name should have been licensed, not transferred. We were ill advised and totally unaware of what we were leaving behind." "Graeham Goble" (2005) Miller, Chuck (2005) [http://www.chuckthewriter.com/lrb.html Born in the Sign of Water] Goldmine, 4 February 2005. ]

As the other members left over time, by 1997 Stephen Housden was the sole remaining member, and ownership of We Two Pty Ltd (including rights to the name Little River Band) passed to him. He formed a new version of the band and, with various personnel changes, Little River Band continues to tour North America each year.

When Birtles, Shorrock and Goble initially proposed to re-form as The Original Little River Band, Housden asserted his rights to the name and took the matter to the Federal Court of Australia. In an out-of-court settlement, it was agreed that Birtles, Shorrock and Goble would not use the trade mark (name) or logo as or in the name of their band, but "shall be entitled to refer prominently but always only in a descriptive way in promotional and advertising material, to the fact that they were members of the original line up of the Little River Band". [ Federal Court of Australia (2002) [http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/federal_ct/2002/875.rtf We Two Pty Ltd v Shorrock (2002)] ]

Loss of access to the LRB name for Birtles, Shorrock and Goble came as a shock to many fans and received considerable attention in the Australian media. [ Gregory, Peter (2002) [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/06/12/1023864297765.html The Little River Band, a name banned] The Age, 13 June 2002 ] [ McFadyen, Warwick (2002) [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/06/15/1023864363299.html A river too big to cross] The Age, 16 June 2002 ]

The settlement would be tested repeatedly, including the blocking [ Cashmere, Paul (2004) [http://www.undercover.com.au/news/2004/oct04/20041014_lrb.html Little River Band DVD Delayed Over Legal Issues] [http://www.undercover.com.au undercover.com.au] , 14 October 2004 ] of a Little River Band retrospective DVD put together by Birtles, Shorrock and Goble. [ Raymond, Jean-Luc (2004) [http://noted.blogs.com/westcoastmusic/2004/10/little_river_ba.html Little River Band: It's A Long Way There] , 9 October 2004 ] Housden also challenged the manner in which BSG described their link to LRB in promotional material and recordings. Further legal action ensued in Australia [ Federal Court of Australia (2005) [http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/federal_ct/2005/934.rtf We Two Pty Ltd v Shorrock (No 2) (2005)] ] and in the United States. [ Cashmere, Paul (2005) [http://www.undercover.com.au/news/2005/jul05/20050727_bsg.html Birtles, Shorrock and Goble Settle With Steve Housden] [http://www.undercover.com.au undercover.com.au] , 27 July 2005 ]

When the "Full Circle" DVD was released in the United States, a marquee reference to Little River Band on the cover was digitally altered to ?????? ????? ???? [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
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Touring

With Birtles residing in the United States and members having solo commitments, opportunities for touring have been limited. Birtles Shorrock Goble have presented more than 70 live performances since 2002 including seven Australian tours, corporate events and television shows. [ graehamgoble.com [http://www.graehamgoble.com/shows-bsg Reminiscing: Live Shows Birtles Shorrock Goble] ]

In August-September 2007 Birtles Shorrock Goble toured Australia with the Countdown Spectacular 2 which reacquainted Australian fans with many of the outstanding performers who appeared on the iconic television program Countdown. Birtles Shorrock Goble were given penultimate billing before Rick Springfield, Birtles' former bandmate in Zoot. BSG performed a medley consisting of eight of their most famous hits.

"Full Circle"

Since reforming, Birtles Shorrock Goble have released a major live DVD and CD. Recorded over two nights at The Forum in Melbourne, Australia before packed houses, "Full Circle" showcased all of the hits made famous by the singers and songwriters of Little River Band, together with album tracks performed during a mid-concert acoustic set. New songs written by each of the members were also introduced.

"Full Circle" was produced by Birtles Shorrock Goble manager Paul Rodger and mixed by longtime supporter and friend Michael Costa at Stream AV Studios in Melbourne.

Credits:

Discography

Awards

Birtles Shorrock Goble have achieved awards for songwriting, live performance and recording sales since they reformed:

*2003 – Gold Award for sales of the "Full Circle" live concert DVD graehamgoble.com [http://www.graehamgoble.com/reminiscing-awards Reminiscing: Awards] ]

*2004 – Inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame with other members of the Classic Lineup of Little River Band [ Sams, Christine (2004) [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/11/1094789737961.html ARIAs reunite Little River Band] The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 September 2004. ]

*2004 – Australian Entertainment Award for Classic Rock Performers of the Year [ Cashmere, Paul (2004) [http://www.undercover.com.au/news/2004/june04/20040630_bsg.html Birtles, Shorrock, Goble Score A Mo] [http://www.undercover.com.au undercover.com.au] , 30 June 2004 ]

*2006 – Inducted into the Australian Songwriters Association Hall of Fame

Musicians

Since forming in 2002, Birtles Shorrock Goble have used a small nucleus of support musicians who have mastered the original LRB sound. [ Grafton, Julius (2002) [http://www.juliusmedia.com/cxweb/article.asp?ID=163 Not the Little River Band - Live in Sydney] [http://www.juliusmedia.com CX magazine] , 29 November 2002. ]

*Lead guitar
**Simon Hosford 2002–2006
**Brett Garsed 2007

*Bass guitar
**Jason Vorherr 2002–present

*Guitar
**Joshua Goble 2003, 2007
**Nathan Goble 2007

*Drums
**John Watson 2002
**Angus Burchall 2002, 2006–2007
**Dave Beck 2002–2005

*Keyboard
**Stewart Wilkinson 2002
**Dorian West 2002–2005, 2007
**Scott Griffiths 2006

*Percussion
**James Richardson 2002
**Alejandro Vega 2002–present

External links

* [http://www.birtlesshorrockgoble.com Birtles Shorrock Goble website]
* [http://www.birtles.com/bsg.html Beeb Birtles' BSG website]

Further reading

Philips, Greg (2003) [http://www.australianmusician.com.au/mag/online/articles/BSG.html BSG - Birtles, Shorrock and Goble] , "Australian Musician".

Cashmere, Paul (2003) [http://www.undercover.com.au/idol/bsg.html Hang On, BSG Is On Its Way] [http://www.undercover.com.au undercover.com.au] , 3 July 2003

Kruger, Debbie (2003) [http://www.debbiekruger.com/writer/freelance/bsg.html Haaang On, BSG is on its way...] , Melbourne Weekly Magazine, 6 July 2003

Cashmere, Paul (2003) [http://www.undercover.com.au/idol/bsg2.html Birtles, Shorrock, Goble] [http://www.undercover.com.au undercover.com.au] , October 2003

References