 HEAD
OVER HEELS: Whirling Furphies
CD Released 1995
The Story so far
The Whirling Furphies first appeared on the Melbourne
music scene in 1989 with a brash swirling mix
of acoustic instruments, born not from Irish or
Anglo/Celtic folk traditions, but fresh from the
punk and rock roots of Frank Jones and Tony Hargreaves.
Frank's catchy hook laden songs were treated to
a musical face-lift via the highly eclectic arranging
skills of Hargreaves on piano and accordion and
Michael Harris on violin and mandolin. The rhythm
section was provided by Pete Howell on stand up
bass and Ian Clarke on congas and percussion.
The Brunswick based 'Furphies' quickly
acquired a loyal Melbourne following, which flowed
over into the folk festival arena, where they
championed a new wave of urban Australian acoustic
music. Frank's songs and images milked the urban
experience of Melbourne in the late eighties and
nineties, joining such writers as Paul Kelly and
Michael Thomas in establishing a new, very Australian
and very contemporary folk song style. The Furhies
first album/ CD 'Lizard Tree' was released on
Brunswick Recordings in 1989. It featured a string
of classic songs including the anthem like, slow
flowing "My Brown Yarra" and the title
track 'Lizard Tree', a funky cajun dance track
inspired by that famous Bo Diddley riff!
"the level of musicianship
in the Furphies is without doubt amongst the highest
to be found in Australia today"…..Derek
Guille
Changes in personnel in the early
nineties saw Stephan Brown joining on fretless/fretted
bass and vocal harmonies, bringing a whole new
dimension to the music. The second album Head
Over Heels was released in 1995 and introduced
new drummer David Hicks. The new album again returned
a swag of great hooks and memorable songs from
the pen of Frank Jones, and added more complex
vocal harmonies and song arrangements. Instrumentally
the album shines with the sweet mandolin and fiddle
playing of Mick Harris, as showcased in the Hargreaves
composed European swing style instrumental 'Skootingal',
a standout track on the album.
As with many original bands of that
time the Furphs worked many inner city venues,
(the good the bad and the ugly), and toured nationally,
playing the relevent festivals i.e. Port Fairy,
Maleny/Woodford, Toodjay, Brunswick, and the National
Folk Festival. While the music retained its excitement
and originality throughout, the usual survival
pressures of five maturing professional musicians
finally lead to a parting of ways in early 1998.
"Frank Jones is a remarkable
mature singer/ songwriter….a thoroughly convincing
Australian voice"……Folk Roots Magazine
UK
The originality, excitement and
sheer musicality of the Whirling Furphies can
make genuine claims on a significant place in
the history of Australian roots music in Melbourne.
Whirling Furphies
Frank Jones
vocals, guitar
Tony Hargreaves
piano, piano accordion, vocals
Michael Harris
violin, mandolin, vocals
Stephan Brown
basses, vocals
Guests:
David Hicks
drums, percussion
George Butrumlis
acoustic guitar, electric guitar, accordion
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