In 1965 Steve Groves formed the KINETICS. The group played many concerts in and around Melbourne and recorded three singles for the Australian CBS label. After the departure of Johnny Vallins from the KINETICS the other three members searched for other musicians and continued as the TRAP. After the end of STEVE & THE BOARD Steve Kipner met Steve Groves who had just disbanded his group the KINETICS. Together with Gary Sommers they formed RHOMBO'S WORLD. The trio played a few concerts but they could not get a recording contract. When they got the offer to go to London Steve Kipner and Steve Groves went there and formed the duo STEVE & STEVIE. They recorded an album together, which was released on the small Toast label. There was one single released off that album. While in London they met Steve Kipner's old friend Maurice Gibb, who recommended that they should work for the Robert Stigwood Organisation. After Maurice Gibb had recommended that Steve Kipner and Steve Groves should work together with the Robert Stigwood Organisation, Stigwood bought out the contract from the small record company and the duo was free to start working with Polydor. Maurice Gibb offered to produce an album of the duo together with his brother in law Billy Lawrie. The first single release by the duo, who called themselves TIN TIN was "Only Ladies Play Croquet". The single was not hit, but the second release "Toast And Marmalade For Tea" was to become the biggest international hit of TIN TIN. After the release of their first album TIN TIN wanted to become a real group by adding other musicians. While looking for the right people Steve Kipner found out, that Geoff Bridgford who had been the last drummer for STEVE & THE BOARD was living in London and that he was free to join TIN TIN. Another former member of STEVE & THE BOARD, Carl Grossman was also in London and so TIN TIN became a quartet. They recorded one single before Carl Grossman left to start a solo career.
When TIN TIN started to record their next album Billy Lawrie and Maurice Gibb joined them in the studio. While fooling around they recorded the song "Have You Heard The Word?" Maurice Gibb did his well known John Lennon impersonation on the song. The song was released by the Beacon label and the name of the group changed to “The Fut” just for this one-off. As all musicians were signed to other labels it seems as though the release was not really legal. In the beginning the song was surrounded by mystery. Yoko Ono even had the song registered as being a John Lennon composition. If you click the picture of the record label you can download this classic oldie...During the recordings of their next album Johnny Vallins joined the group. He had played together with Steve Groves in the KINETICS. TIN TIN recorded the material for the album "Astral Taxi" as well as some additional songs. Some of those songs were released on singles, others are still unreleased. At this point Geoff Bridgford started to work with the BEE GEES and in the end he left TIN TIN at the end of 1972. When Johnny Vallins also left, Steve Kipner and Steve Groves had to find somebody else. They asked Peter Beckett to join together they recorded one more single in 1973.
After TIN TIN folded Steve Groves returned to Australia, where he concentrated on folk music. He was in two groups WILD HONEY and PIED PIPERS. Little is known about their performing and recording histories.
In 1975 he appeared as FAT BUBBLES and his novelty hit "Skateboard Queen" was a minor Oz and NZ hit. (By using the search facility you can find this song already posted on this blog) It was after this minor hit in 1975 that Steve Groves formed the STEVE GROVES BAND. Steve's next hit didn't come until 1976-77 which was the co-written song "I'm On The Loose Again". For his effort he won the Australian songwriter of the year award. "I'm On The Loose Again" got to #21 and stayed in the national charts for 10 weeks. Their version of this classic song was less than 3 minutes long but was catchy and upbeat. Also at the same time "I'm On The Loose Again" was recorded and released by Marty Rhone and became a bigger hit in the hands of this seasoned performer. Marty's version got to #16 nationally but his was a longer and more dance oriented version. Sales were outstanding for both versions.
I have extended Steve's version and it now runs to about the same length as Marty's version. Here for download is the 12" Tom Mix version of Steve Groves Band's "I'm On The Loose Again":
http://rapidshare.com/files/221764411/STEVE_GROVES_BAND_-_I_M_ON_THE_LOOSE_AGAIN__EXT_TOM_MIX_2009_.mp3
For the latest career information about Australian music legend Marty Rhone go to www.martyrhone.com or visit his site on You Tube and hear a preview of his latest album 'Born to Rock' featuring his new treatments of some of the great rock classics.
ReplyDeleteGreat work. Need to correct you on a few matters. Steve played all the instruments on 'Skateboard Queen' plus all vocals but there was a band created when we wrote the song. They were formed after the recording and actually went on tour.
ReplyDeleteSteve didn't win songwriter of the year, Steve and I won the 1976 'Australian Song Festival' with 'On the Loose Again'. Marty Rhone sang it and went onto Tokyo to the World Song Festival, where we came third over-all. Won best composition and best something else that I can't remember.