Col Joye was a pioneer of Australian rock 'n' roll. While Johnny O'Keefe was billed as 'the wild one', Joye cultivated a clean cut, boy next door image.

Inspired by Bill Haley's 'Rock around the Clock', he formed the Joyboys in 1957 with his brothers and a few friends. Their big break came when promoter Bill McColl saw them at the Maroubra Hotel and offered them a spot playing on his 'Jazzorama' concert in October 1957. They dressed in flash clothes (including white shoes which they painted themselves) and began rehearsing frantically.

A contract with Festival Records followed, and it was his fourth single, a romantic ballad called 'Bye Bye Baby', which established Col Joye as a major star, especially with young female fans. Released as Joye's profile was soaring due to his first appearance on one of Lee Gordon's Big Shows, 'Bye Bye Baby' was a smash. A stack of hits followed. 'Oh Yeah Uh Huh' became the first rock song recorded and produced in Australia to become a national No 1 hit. Recording conditions at Festival were primitive: an echo effect was achieved by piping the vocal into a toilet room and on 'Oh yeah uh huh' the 'drum' beat was tapped out by John Bogie on a typewriter.

With his brilliant smile and squeaky clean image Col Joye was a natural for television. He became a national star thanks to a program called 'Bandstand', hosted by Brian Henderson, and gradually cemented his position as one of Australia's most popular TV personalities. He had a broader appeal than the hard-rocking, sometimes abrasive Johnny O'Keefe. His high TV profile ensured good record sales, and by 1963 he had released 20 singles, 24 EPs and 19 LPs.

Joye wore this suit in performances with the Joyboys. It bears the label of the Sydney tailor Andy Ellis, who, along with Pineapple Joe (George St) and Len Taylor, provided costumes for Sydney's rock 'n' roll elite in the 1950s and early 1960s. Brian Henderson, the disc jockey John Laws, and singers like O'Keefe, Johnny Rebb and Johnny Devlin all visited Ellis's premises at 420 Pitt St to be fitted out. Ellis was also the favoured tailor of Sydney's fastidious bodgies, whose strict dress code demanded that jackets extend to the knees and that trousers measure 71 centimetres at the knee, tapering to 43 centimetres at the ankle. No wonder he was dubbed 'the Dior of the drape shape' by ABC TV's 'Weekend Magazine'.

The museum's collection includes only two other known Andy Ellis outfits, a checked suit and a tangerine tuxedo jacket, both worn by the champion jitterbug dancer Barry Frawley. Col Joye even had Andy Ellis make a replica of the gold suit worn by Elvis Presley on the cover of 'Fifty Million Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong'.

Compared to these flash clothes, the green suit might seem somewhat tame. However with its shiny fabric and up-to-date cut, this was a sharp piece of pop star dress, circa 1960. Col can be seen wearing it on the cover of his LP 'Joyride'.

Designed and made by Andy Ellis, a Sydney tailor who made costumes for Johnny O'Keefe and other rock 'n' roll singers.

Worn by Col Joye in live performances with his band the Joyboys. Joye is pictured wearing the suit on the cover of his 1961 album 'Joyride'.

Owned by Col Joye from the time it was made. Lent to the Powerhouse Museum in 1993 for the Real Wild Child exhibition.

Performance costume, rock music, jacket and trousers, cloth, used by Col Joye, Andy Ellis Exclusive Mens Wear, Australia, 1958-1961

Tailor-made men's suit consisting of jacket and trousers, green shiny, synthetic fabric.
-1 Mens long sleeved jacket made of green shiny, synthetic fabric. Shawl collar extending down to single button fastening. Jacket has an external left breast pocket, fake external pockets on lower left and right sides, internal left and right breast pockets and an internal lower left pocket. Cuffs have stitching and imprints in the fabric indicating that there are 2 buttons missing from each cuff, the buttons did not serve as fasteners. Jacket has a lower centre back vent and is lined internally with a red and green patterned fabric. Cream coloured fabric makers labels embroidered in red and black cotton sewn at the inside right breast of jacket. Label has an illustration of a man in a suit with 'Andy Ellis' across illustration, other text says 'Exclusive Men's Wear/ 20 PITT ST SYDNEY/ CHURCH ST WOLLONGONG/ 705 HUNTER ST NEWCASTLE'. Fabric has numerous pulls and stains.

-2 Pair of mens trousers made of green shiny, synthetic fabric, trousers match 98/132/1-1 (jacket). Form fitting trousers with no side pockets and 7 belt loops at waist. Trousers fasten at centre front with one button on inside, one metal hook and eye and a metal zipper. Unlined except for inside of waistband which is lined with a cream coloured fabric. Handwritten text in black ink inside waistband 'Col Joy' (sic). Fitted legs with vents at hem on outside of leg. Fabric is stained and marked.

Designed: Andy Ellis; Australia

Made: Andy Ellis; Australia; 1958 - 1961


Used: Joye, Col; Australia

Owned: Joye, Col; Australia

-1 Embroidered makers label sewn at inside right breast of jacket, label has an illustration of a man with text 'Andy Ellis' across illustration, other text 'Exclusive Men's Wear/20 PITT ST SYDNEY/CHURCH ST WOLLONGONG/705 HUNTER STREET NEWCASTLE'
-2 Handwritten in black ink inside waistband 'Col Joy' (sic)

98/132/1