The Throb | |
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| Origin | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Genres | Garage rock,R&B,rock,surf |
| Years active | 1965 (1965)–1967 (1967) |
| Labels | Polydor,Albert,EMI/Parlophone |
| Past members |
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The Throb were anR&B-basedgarage rock band fromSydney, Australia, who were active in the mid-1960s.[1][2] Despite their short tenure, they achieved a brief moment of success, scoring a major hit in Australia with a cover version of "Fortune Teller", originally recorded byBenny Spellman, and which had previously been covered byThe Rolling Stones. But, perhaps the song for which they have become best-remembered is the brooding lament "Black", a feedback-drenched rendition of the traditional folk song, "Black (Is the Colour of My True Love's Hair)", which they released in August that year, with lesser success, although it became a minor hit in Sydney.[1]
The Throb formed in Sydney in 1965 with the line up of John Bell on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Denny Burgess (ex-Mystery Men) on bass guitar and vocals, Peter Figures (ex-Geoff Doyle and The Resonettes, The No Names) on drums and Martin Van Wyk (ex-Geoff Doyle and The Resonettes, The No Names) on lead guitar.[3]
Figures and Van Wyk had worked together in The Resonettes in the early 1960s as a surf instrumental band.[3][4] When they signed withPolydor Records in 1964 they changed the band's name to The No Names and issued twobeat music singles, "She Is Mine", and a cover version ofThe Coasters hitCharlie Brown.[4][5] By December 1965 The No Names became aR&B and rock band called The Throb.[3]
The Throb signed withAlbert Productions and label owner,Ted Albert, recommended a cover version of "Fortune Teller" as their debut single.[3] In February 1966 it was issued byEMI/Parlophone and soon charted at No.4 in Sydney and No. 2 in Melbourne.[3] It also charted at No.4 in Adelaide and was a number-one hit in Brisbane.[6] According to theAustralian Chart Book 1940–1969 (2005) this equates to a national chart position of No.4.[7][8] The group had become a "hot live draw on the discotheque circuit".[3]
The band reworked an English folk song, "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair", as a "mournful, demonic" tune, which was released as their second single, "Black".[3] It reached the Top 40 in Sydney but did not chart in other capital cities.[3][8] Van Wyk left to join The Soul Agents while The Throb continued as a three-piece until October,[3] when Burgess left to form his own group, Honeybunch. Bell and Figures recruitedBob Daisley (ex-Dennis Williams and the Delawares,Gino Affair) on bass guitar and Paul Wylde on organ and piano.[3] The Throb disbanded in January 1967 when Figures joined The Square Circle.[3]
Bell became a builder and ran a plastering firm. By 1969 Figures had joinedJeff St John & Yama and was later in various other groups. In 1972 Denny Burgess joinedThe Masters Apprentices, alongside his brother Colin. Van Wyk was in theMarty Rhone Band and also had a career as a songwriter.[4]
Premise of book is garage rock in Australia/New Zealand.
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