A band that built its name on sweat and grit in Sydney's clubs, then gave the country songs like 'Flame Trees' and 'Khe Sanh.'
If you want to get what they were about, put on 'Khe Sanh' for the raw energy, then 'Flame Trees' for the staying power. That's the span right there.
They came up in the late '70s when disco and soft rock were everywhere, but their sound was something else entirely, loud, urgent, and built for the pub floor. 'Khe Sanh' from their 1978 debut connected with audiences in a way that felt real, not polished. Later, 'Flame Trees' on the 'East' album became a radio staple, one of those songs that just stuck around.
They formed in Sydney in 1973 with Jimmy Barnes on vocals and Ian Moss on guitar, playing clubs and building a reputation for intense live shows. By the 1980s, albums like 'East' had songs that touched on addiction and social issues, which drew some criticism but also cemented their place. Tracks like 'Bow River' and 'A Little Bit of Daylight' filled out their catalog during those years.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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