The Loved Ones

::"For the American punk band, see The Loved Ones (American band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Loved Ones

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Img_capt = The Loved Ones circa 1966.
Img_size = 300
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
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Origin = flagicon|Australia Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genre = Alternative rock
Rock
Blues Rock
Years_active = 1965-1967
1987
Label = In Records (1966–1967)
Raven Records
Mushroom Records
Associated_acts = Red Onions Band, Jerry & the Joy Boys, The Virgil Brothers
URL =
Current_members = Gerry Humphreys (deceased) Ian Clyne Rob Lovett Kim Lynch Gavin Anderson
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

The Loved Ones were an Australian rock group of the 1960s, formed in the wake of the British Invasion. Although the band's career lasted only two years, the group is now regarded as one of the most significant Australian bands of the 1960s.

Biography

The Loved Ones were formed in Melbourne in 1965 by Gerry Humphreys, Ian Clyne and Kim Lynch who defected from the youthful "Trad Jazz" band Red Onions Jazz Band (Humphreys and Lynch had played clarinet and tuba respectively). They then recruited drummer Gavin Anderson and ex-Wild Cherries guitarist Rob Lovett. The band were renowned as an exciting, if erratic, live act in a Stones/Animals mould, and quickly rose to prominence in the local club and dance scene.

The group's visual impact was heightened by their striking mod stage attire and the band had a strong focal point thanks to the charismatic stage presence, saturnine good looks and growling, blues-influenced baritone voice of Humphreys, who is widely acknowledged as one of Australia's finest male pop-rock vocalists. The Loved Ones' were also one of the first Australian pop bands to use electric piano as part of their regular stage set-up and their distinctive keyboard-based sound set them apart from most of their contemporaries.

They signed to the In Records label, a subsidiary of W&G Records, and shot to national prominence, scoring a major Australian hit with "The Loved One", which reached #2 on the Australian Top 40 singles charts in 1966. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/longway/discography/episode2.htm Long Way To The Top] ] (It was an Australian hit again in 1981 when covered by INXS). Their second single, "Everlovin' Man", reached No. 9 on the Australian Top 40 singles charts also in 1966 [ [http://www.abc.net.au/longway/discography/episode2.htm Long Way To The Top] ] This was followed by "Sad Dark Eyes", and a reworking of Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill". Each of these captured an emotional intensity and musical inventiveness which marked them out from their peers.

After some personal crises, pianist and musical director Ian Clyne left the group and moved to Sydney. He was replaced by Treva Richards. (In the mid 1970s Clyne played in Aunty Jack's backing group 'The Gong').

They released an album in 1967, titled "Magic Box", collecting their previous singles. The Loved Ones split later that year in October, just two years after they were formed . "Magic Box" is considered a classic recording and to this day in Australia it enjoys cult status and has reportedly never been out-of-print since it was released.

Gerry Humphreys tried management, formed Jerry and The Joy Boys in 1971, compered the first Sunbury Pop Festival in 1972 and in 1977 returned to London in an unsuccessful attempt to save a failing marriage, giving up music for the life of a hospital orderly. Rob Lovett joined vocal trio The Virgil Brothers in 1968. Gavin Anderson moved to London and then New York where he subsequently established a public relations firm

The band reformed for one live tour in 1987 with Melbourne session drummer Peter Luscombe (Rebecca's Empire, The Black Sorrows, Paul Kelly) sitting in for Gavin Anderson. The album "Live at Blueberry Hill" followed, on Mushroom Records.

Humphreys died of a heart attack in December 2005 in London. [cite web |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/loved-ones-singer-dies/2005/12/05/1133631201210.html |title=Loved Ones singer dies |publisher=The Age |last=Donovan |first=Patrick |date=2005-12-06 |accessdate=2008-05-05]

Band members

Original members

* Gerry Humphreys (b. 19 July, 1944) London - (d. 2 December, 2005) London - vocals
* Ian Clyne - piano
* Rob Lovett (b. 11 November, 1944) Melbourne - guitar
* Kim Lynch (b. 18 May, 1945) Sydney - bass
* Gavin Anderson (b. 12 September, 1945) Melbourne - drums

Other members

* Treva Richards (b. 3 December, 1945) Hamilton, Victoria - piano
* Danny Delacy (b. 5 August, 1943) USA - guitar
* Peter Luscombe - drums

Discography

Albums/Eps

*"Blueberry Hill" - In Records (1967)
*"Magic Box" - In Records (1967) - Raven Records (1973)
*"Live at Blueberry Hill" - Mushroom Records (1987)

EPs

* "The Loved Ones" – W&G E-2712: "The Loved One"; "This Is Love"; "Ever Lovin’ Man"; "Blueberry Hill" (1966)
* "Loved Ones" – W&G E-2744: "Sad Dark Eyes"; "A Love Like Ours"; "The Loverly Car"; "Love Song" (1967)

ingles

* "The Loved One"/"This Is Love" – In Records S-2610 (1966)
* "Ever Lovin’ Man"/"More Than Love" – In Records S-8007 (1966)
* "Sad Dark Eyes"/"The Woman I Love" – In Records S-8041 (1966)
* "A Love Like Ours"/"The Loverly Car" – In Records S-8066 (1967)
* "Love Song"/"The Magic Box" – In Records S-8093 (1967)

Legacy and influence

* In 2001 "The Loved One" was selected as No. 6 on the APRA's list of ten best Australian songs. [ [http://www.apra.com.au/awards/music/2001_topten.asp APRA Top 10 (May 28, 2001)] ]
* "The Loved One" has been covered by INXS three times: on their 1982 album "Inxsive"; on 1987's international hit album "Kick"; and again on "Live Baby Live".
* "Sad Dark Eyes" has been covered by Ed Kuepper, Die Haut with Mick Harvey, Die Haut with Nick Cave, and by Mick Harvey 'solo'.
* "Everlovin' Man" has been covered by Jet as the B-side for the single "Cold Hard Bitch", and also by Tex Perkins for the soundtrack of series three of "Love My Way" [ [http://www.australiantelevision.net/lovemyway/music.html Australian Television: Love My Way: music credits ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.whiteroom.com.au/howlspace/en/lovedones/lovedones.htm Howlspace website - The Loved Ones]
* [http://poparchives.com.au/share/Gerry%20Humphreys%20by%20Barry%20Dickens.rtf Age Obituary Barry Dickins (December 10, 2005)]
* [http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/loved-ones-singer-dies/2005/12/05/1133631201210.html The Age Newspaper - "Loved Ones singer dies" Patrick Donovan (December 6, 2006)]
* [http://www.milesago.com/Artists/lovedones.htm The Loved Ones on Milesago]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w53pW6UJQ0o 1966 Clip of The Loved Ones performing "More Than Love"]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nURrBtB5O58 1966 The Loved Ones music video for "The Loved One"]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-XtgIpAt-c 1986 Clip of Gerry Humphries performing "The Loved One"]