The Pelaco Brothers | |
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Origin | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
Genres | Rockabilly |
Years active | 1974 | –1975
Labels | Ralph, Missing Link |
Associated acts | Sharks, The Autodrifters, The Sports |
Past members |
Joe Camilleri Stephen Cummings Peter Lillie Johnny Topper Karl Wolfe Chris Worrall Ed Bates Peter Martin |
The Pelaco Brothers (sometimes seen as The Pelaco Bros.) were an Australian rockabilly band formed in 1974, with Joe Camilleri on saxophone and vocals, Stephen Cummings on lead vocals, Peter Lillie on guitar and vocals, Johnny Topper on bass guitar, Karl Wolfe (Sharks) on drums and Chris Worrall on guitar. Later members included Ed Bates on guitar and Peter Martin on slide guitar. The group only existed for 18 months, however according to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, they "virtually defined a scene that encompassed a new musical aesthetic ... [they] sang about truck drivers, roadhouses and endless highways" and although American-influenced they "presented a fiercely Australian outlook". They disbanded by late 1975 leaving behind a six-track extended play, The Pelaco Bros., which appeared the following year. Camilleri formed a blues and rock music band, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons; while Cummings and Bates formed a new wave group, The Sports in 1976. On 13 September 2012 Peter Lillie died of liver disease, aged 61.
The Pelaco Brothers formed in 1974 in Melbourne with Joe Camilleri (ex-King Bees, Lipp and the Double Dekker Brothers, Sharks) on saxophone and vocals, Stephen Cummings (ex-Ewe and the Merinos) on lead vocals, Peter Lillie on guitar and vocals, Johnny Topper on bass guitar, Karl Wolfe on drums and Chris Worrall on guitar. The group were named for the Pelaco Sign which advertised a local shirt manufacturer. According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, they played "rockabilly, country swing and R&B that recalled American outfits like Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen and Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks. Yet, the band's delivery presented a fiercely Australian outlook". Only existing for 18 months, they later included Ed Bates on guitar and Peter Martin on slide guitar.