Australia in the 1980s

Not all Australian bands were punk-inspired indies, suburban oz-rockers or paisley-wearing jangly guitar bands. There was an acoustic revival here too.

Evidence? Well, the Go-Betweens consistently applied a sound based on acoustic guitars (and outstanding songwriting). They ignored musical fashions and were utterly dedicated to their art. They only had one chart hit, ‘Streets of Your Town’ (1988), but their reputation has grown since the 80s.

Kev Carmody’s debut album Pillars of Society (1989) had acoustic arrangements and protest-style lyrics. It is great that he has just been inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

There was Paul Kelly’s magnificent acoustic album Post. Kelly had disbanded the Dots in 1982 and, after two years without a record deal, he moved to Sydney. I was already a Kelly fan – I loved his first two albums Talk and Manila. I remember seeing him on a succession of Sunday nights at the Strawberry Hills Hotel (it must have been 1985), playing acoustic with Michael Barclay on harmonies and Spencer P Jones on guitar. It was clear that Kelly was writing songs at a phenomenal rate. That’s where I first heard him do ‘From St Kilda To Kings Cross’, ‘Laughing Boy’ and ‘Bradman’. These were brilliant songs — dark, acoustic and intense. Except one night when he sang Culture Club’s ‘Karma Chameleon’.

The Lighthouse Keepers recorded country-flavoured acoustic rock for the Sydney independent label Hot. In fact country music became cool at inner city venues, with bands like Dancehall Racketeers, the Happening Thang and Fifty Million Beers. But that’s another post.

What Australian acoustic music appealed to you in the 80s?