Glenn Wheatley
| Glenn Wheatley | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Glenn Dawson Wheatley |
| Born | 23 January 1948 |
| Genres | Pop rock |
| Occupation(s) | Talent manager, musician |
| Instruments | Bass guitar |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Associated acts |
The Masters Apprentices Little River Band John Farnham Delta Goodrem |
| Notable instruments | |
| Bass guitar | |
Glenn Dawson Wheatley (born 23 January 1948) is an Australian talent manager, entertainment industry executive and former musician. He is married to the actress Gaynor Martin and has one son.
Wheatley began his career as a musician in Brisbane in the mid-1960s and in the late 1960s became nationally famous as the bass guitarist of leading rock band the Masters Apprentices.
In 2007, he was found guilty of channelling more than $650,000 through tax fraud schemes. Wheatley was sentenced to 15 months in prison.
Wheatley's first significant foray into music was as guitarist in the Brisbane pop band Bay City Union, which was fronted by singer Matt Taylor, who later achieved considerable fame in Australia as the lead singer of pioneering Australian eccentric blues band Chain.
In early 1968 Wheatley was hired as the bass player in a new line-up of the Melbourne-based pop-rock band the Masters Apprentices, then one of Australia's most popular groups. Wheatley's four-year tenure with the group, which lasted until shortly before their demise in 1972, included the recording of many of their most successful songs including the hit singles "Turn Up Your Radio" (1970) and "Because I Love You" (1971) as well as the 1971 LP Choice Cuts, which was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.
It was during Wheatley's tenure in the Masters that he learned at first hand about the highly exploitative nature of the Australian pop industry at that time. The band endured many "rip-offs" and in their later career they suffered greatly from poor management decisions and inadequate support from their record labels, problems which eventually led to the group's demise in 1972.
According to Wheatley's memoir, a key incident took place in late 1969 when the Masters took part in a nationwide package tour, "Operation Starlift". The concert at Brisbane Festival Hall, drew a then record crowd of over 7000 people, breaking the venue's previous attendance record set by the Beatles in 1964. After the concert Wheatley reflected on the event and it became the turning point in his life and career, because it finally drove home just how badly the group were being ripped off.
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