RW digs: John Lee Hooker, John Lee Booker, Booker T, T-Bone Walker, Jnr Walker, Duane Eddy, Eddie Kendricks, Eddie Bo, Bo Ramsey, Bo Diddley, Diddley Daddies, Daddy Cool, Paul Burlinson, Johnny Johnson, Willie Johnson, Willie Steele, Chester A. Burnett, Howling Wolf, Wolfmother, Mothers of Invention, Jimmy Little, Little Walter, Little Milton, Little Richard, Richard Berry, Chuck Berry, Berry Gordy, Lightning Hopkins, Lightning Slim, Texas Slim, Slim Harpo, Harpo Marx, Sleepy John Estes, Sleepy Jackson, Nona Hendricks, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Smith, Jimmy Reed, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Miles, Cannonball, Coltrane, Mingus, Bernie Worrell, The Worrals, Lazy Lester, Lester Young, Gary Young, Young Jessie, Jesse Belvin, Ross Hannaford, RAW, SOVM, Mighty Kong, King Kong, Hong Kong, George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic, Marvin Gaye, Marvin & Johnny, Johnny O'Keefe, Johnny Rotten, Rose Tattoo, Roy Ayers, Ayers Rock/Uluru, Oz Rock, George Duke, Duke of Earl, Earl Bostic, Prince, Prez, Queen Latifah, King Curtis, Curtis Mayfield, Percy Mayfield, Nat King Cole, Cole Porter, 12th & Porter, Motown, Chi-town, Martha Reeves, George Reeves, Eris O'Brien, Eric Satie, Eric McCusker, Skip James, Etta James, James Brown, Brown Eyed Girl, Brown Eyed Handsome Man, Man Ray, Ray Beats, Beat Me Daddy 8 To The Bar, Bar Up, Up Yours, Yours Truly, Hot Wax, Stax, Max, Van Hunt, Hunter Gets Captured By The Game, Beanfield, The Dramatics, The Delfonics, The Stylistics, The Spinners, Tom Bell, Wayne Duncan, Dunkin' Donuts, Weezer, Rick Rubin.
I like Noir films: e.g. Gun Crazy, Nightmare Alley, Out Of The Past, The Killing, Detour.
And hard boiled crime books including local blokes like Peter Temple, Garry Disher.
***Sign up to Ross Wilson's personal email list at www.rosswilson.com.au *** 'Ross Wilson & The Urban Legends' are Ross Wilson's touring band. Its members are among the finest musos in Australia & New Zealand. Ross has his own website at rosswilson.com.au but this myspace entry is dedicated to info about all the Urban Legends.
***VOCALS - Lead singer Ross Wilson is an Australian music success story who would be remarkable if only for writing the enduring Oz Rock classic 'Eagle Rock', a hit first for his 70s breakout act Daddy Cool. Since its release in 1971 'Eagle Rock' has been heard around the world. Recent outings saw it covered by kiddie kings 'The Wiggles' & included in the soundtrack of international box office smash horror movie 'Wolf Creek'.
***However Ross is also responsible for many other great moments in Australian music. He wrote 'Cool World' & 'A Touch of Paradise' for Mondo Rock & sang the definitive versions of 'State of The Heart' & schoolie anthem 'Come Said The Boy' both written by Mondo Rock's guitarist Eric McCusker (now a member of The Urban Legends).
***KEYBOARDS - Keyboard artistry is provided by John McAll who has his own MySpace entry to fill you in. John brings his jazz background & arranging skills to the ULs repertoire which consists primarily of material from Ross's long & successful career with songs from Daddy Cool, Mondo Rock & recent solo albums. A highlight of their collaboration is 'Mood Swing' from the 'Go Bongo Go Wild' album (2001) with John's piano out front in this sparse & succinct recording.
***GUITAR - While still in high school Eric McCusker started out playing guitar in Renee Geyer's 'Dry Red'. After ditching medical studies for music he did road time with Jeff St.John, Jon English, & The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band before finding himself auditioning his gtr skills & songs for Ross Wilson's Mondo Rock in early 1980. He immediately provided the Mondos with their 1st big hit 'State Of The Heart' (later covered in the US by Rick Springfield). More Mondo hits flowed from Eric including 'No Time', 'The Queen & Me', 'Summer of 81', 'Chemistry' & 'Come Said The Boy' until Mondo Rock disbanded in 1990. Invited to join The Urban Legends circa 2003 Eric has reunited on the stage with Ross and they also participate from time to time in Mondo Rock reunions. Whatever the occasion the combination of Wilson & McCusker is musically potent . His Mondo Rock hits provide a key portion of The Urban Legends repertoire. Eric is also a writer-director of APRA, the Australian Performing Rights Association.
***BASS - Originally from New Zealand Chris Paraha studied music at the West Australian conservatory & is just plain musically talented, adapting easily to all styles of music. As well as being an integral part of the Urban Legends Chris also tutors up & comings at secondary school level.
Ross Wilson & The Urban Legends's Friend Space (Top 28)
Hi Ross. Your show in the festival theatre was really entertaining. You sounded fantastic and so did your band. You are also very funny while you are talking and I had a good laugh. Thankyou for your autograph.
G'Day Ross, Gr8 seeing ya on Max Tv last night M8, We agree with Jimmy Barnes you are the GODFATHER of COOL M8. Keep up the Gr8 Work M8. Cheers Robbo & Iris
Great show last night in Cairns in beautuful north Queensland. We all had a ball .... yes Ross you are truly an Australian music icon, a living ledge, we were privileged to be part of a great show ..... keep it up as we are sadly loosing our great aussie music heritage .... take care and 'COME BACK AGAIN!'
She had been an alleycatholic for quite some time and after 15 long years she chose to say "Goodbye cruel world!" a month ago, it has been one of those years...
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I particularly like the "1908" version of Eagle Rock. That's a seminal song for me. I was a kid learning to ice skate at Canterbury ice rink (Sydney) when I first heard it. Then it became a big hit, maybe it already was when I first heard it but I was too young to know.
***Sign up to Ross Wilson's personal email list at www.rosswilson.com.au *** 'Ross Wilson & The Urban Legends' are Ross Wilson's touring band. Its members are among the finest musos in Australia & New Zealand. Ross has his own website at rosswilson.com.au but this myspace entry is dedicated to info about all the Urban Legends.
***VOCALS - Lead singer Ross Wilson is an Australian music success story who would be remarkable if only for writing the enduring Oz Rock classic 'Eagle Rock', a hit first for his 70s breakout act Daddy Cool. Since its release in 1971 'Eagle Rock' has been heard around the world. Recent outings saw it covered by kiddie kings 'The Wiggles' & included in the soundtrack of international box office smash horror movie 'Wolf Creek'.
***However Ross is also responsible for many other great moments in Australian music. He wrote 'Cool World' & 'A Touch of Paradise' for Mondo Rock & sang the definitive versions of 'State of The Heart' & schoolie anthem 'Come Said The Boy' both written by Mondo Rock's guitarist Eric McCusker (now a member of The Urban Legends).
***KEYBOARDS - Keyboard artistry is provided by John McAll who has his own MySpace entry to fill you in. John brings his jazz background & arranging skills to the ULs repertoire which consists primarily of material from Ross's long & successful career with songs from Daddy Cool, Mondo Rock & recent solo albums. A highlight of their collaboration is 'Mood Swing' from the 'Go Bongo Go Wild' album (2001) with John's piano out front in this sparse & succinct recording.
***GUITAR - While still in high school Eric McCusker started out playing guitar in Renee Geyer's 'Dry Red'. After ditching medical studies for music he did road time with Jeff St.John, Jon English, & The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band before finding himself auditioning his gtr skills & songs for Ross Wilson's Mondo Rock in early 1980. He immediately provided the Mondos with their 1st big hit 'State Of The Heart' (later covered in the US by Rick Springfield). More Mondo hits flowed from Eric including 'No Time', 'The Queen & Me', 'Summer of 81', 'Chemistry' & 'Come Said The Boy' until Mondo Rock disbanded in 1990. Invited to join The Urban Legends circa 2003 Eric has reunited on the stage with Ross and they also participate from time to time in Mondo Rock reunions. Whatever the occasion the combination of Wilson & McCusker is musically potent . His Mondo Rock hits provide a key portion of The Urban Legends repertoire. Eric is also a writer-director of APRA, the Australian Performing Rights Association.
***BASS - Originally from New Zealand Chris Paraha studied music at the West Australian conservatory & is just plain musically talented, adapting easily to all styles of music. As well as being an integral part of the Urban Legends Chris also tutors up & comings at secondary school level.
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