Encyclopedia entry for 'Pseudo Echo' LETTER:
Formed in 1982
Style
Synth pop
Original line-up: Brian Canham (vocals, guitar), Tony Lugton
(synthesiser, vocals; ex-Steeler, James Freud and the Radio Stars), Pierre
Pierre (real name Pierre Gigliotti, synthesiser, bass, vocals)
Albums:
Autumnal Park (EMI, 1984), Love an Adventure (EMI, 1985), Long Plays 1983-1987
(EMI, 1987), Race (EMI, 1989), Best Adventures (compilation, EMI, 1995); Brill
album: Brill (Blah Blah Blah, 1998).
HistoryMelbourne band Pseudo Echo was
one of the first local pop bands of the early 1980s to take inspiration from the
then fashionable UK New Romantic movement (Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet,
Ultravox). Pseudo Echo combined flash clothes, blow-wave hairstyles, youthful
exuberance and accessible synth-pop to arrive at a winning combination. Very
nearly a case of form and style over content, Pseudo Echo nevertheless made an
impact on the charts, and found a ready-made audience among teenagers who fawned
on the band's every move. Before Pseudo Echo formed, Tony Lugton had some
experience under his belt playing on the late-1970s Melbourne pub circuit. He
was lead guitarist with hard rock band Steeler, after which he joined James
Freud and the Radio Stars. His stay was brief, but he remained long enough to
play guitar on Freud's hit single, `Modern Girl'. Brian Canham and Pierre Pierre
had played in small-time bands together. The original three-piece Pseudo Echo
line-up used a drum machine. Drummer Anthony Argiro joined in July 1983. Pseudo
Echo came to the attention of Ian `Molly' Meldrum, and the band became the first
unsigned group to appear on the ABC-TV pop show Countdown. As a result of the
band's performance of the song `Listening', EMI snapped them up. Pseudo Echo
entered the studio with UK producer John Punter (Roxy Music, Japan) to record
its debut album, Autumnal Park. The album reached the Top 10 in June 1984 and
produced the Top 20 hit singles `Listening'/`In Their Time' (#2 in January) and
`A Beat for You'/`Autumnal Park' (#11 in June), plus `Stranger in Me'/`Turning
the Page' (November) and `Dancing Until Midnight'/`Scripts' (February 1985).
Meanwhile, Lugton left in October 1984 to be replaced by James Leigh
(keyboards). The band's second album, Love an Adventure (November 1985),
produced three hit singles, `Don't Go'/`Living in a Dream' (#4 in November),
`Love an Adventure'/`All Tied Up' (#5 in February 1986) and `Living in a
Dream'/`Loose Ends' (#15 in May), plus the non-hit `Try'/`Lonely Without You'
(August). Love an Adventure peaked at #8 in December 1985 and went on to attain
platinum status (70000 copies sold). By the time the album appeared, Leigh's
brother Vince Leigh (ex-Marginal Era) had replaced Argiro on drums and the band
was a major live attraction. In 1986, Pseudo Echo issued a rocked-up cover of
Lipps Inc.'s disco hit `Funky Town'/`Lies are Nothing' (October), which became
one of the most successful Australian singles on an international level during
1987. As well as reaching #1 in Australia, it peaked at #6 in the USA, #8 in the
UK, #2 in Canada and was Top 20 in Germany. In October 1987, Pseudo Echo won the
Yamaha World Popular Song Contest (held in Japan) with the song `Take on the
World'. The prize money was US$10000. While the band attended to its overseas
touring commitments, EMI issued the compilation album Long Plays 1983-1987.
Pseudo Echo returned to the studio in 1988 with English producer Julian
Mendelshon (Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Models) and American audio engineer Bob
Clearmountain for the album Race. Issued in March 1989, the album featured a
more mature rock sound (with Bon Jovi being one reference point), although it
fared poorly with both the record-buying public and music critics. The album
produced three singles, `Fooled Again'/`Take on the World' (October 1988), `Over
Tomorrow'/`Wings' (February 1989) and `Eye of the Storm'/`Don't You Forget'
(July). Complete with the new arena rock sound came a new look: long, flowing
hair, torn jeans and leather jackets. By 1990, the Pseudo Echo sound had fallen
from favour and the band called it a day. Canham moved into production work; his
credits included Chocolate Starfish's self-titled debut album. Gigliotti played
with covers band All the Young Dudes. In 1996, the Leigh brothers formed Vertigo
with another brother, Gerry (guitar), and Hugh Wilson (vocals). Gotham/BMG
issued the band's debut CD single, `Forever Lately' (#46 in July 1997), and it
was 1983 all over again. Canham also re-emerged in 1997 with his new band,
Brill, (a collaboration with Chocolate Starfish drummer Darren Danielson) and
album Brill (August). In March 1998, Brian Canham and Pierre Pierre reformed
Pseudo Echo for a tour. The new line-up comprised Canham's partner in Brill,
Darren Danielson (drums), plus Tony Featherstone (keyboards; ex-Badloves). Brill
issued a CD single, 'Ebony Eyes' (April 1998), on the Blah Blah Blah label. It
was a cover of Bob Welch's late 1970s pop hit. Brill toured with a line-up of
Canham, Danielson, Featherstone and Andy McIvor (bass). The second Brill CD
single, 'Mary Ann' (July) was followed by the band's self-titled debut album
(August 1998). Interest in Pseudo Echo persisted, however, and December 1999 saw
the release of the CD single, 'Funkytown Y2K: RMX', on Groove Nation/Universal.
The single featured remixes by Smash'n'Grab, Sly Funky Lounge, Costas James,
Quench and Mr Quik. By then, Canham had taken the band back into the studio to
record a new single, 'Hope I Go to Heaven', and album (working title:
Teleporter). It was intended to release the album with a bonus CD, consisting of
a live recording of the Autumnal Park album. The late 1999 touring line-up of
Pseudo Echo featured Canham and Pierre, plus new member Ben Grayson (keyboards)
and fill-in drummers, Martin Lee (ex-Regurgitator) and Daryl Sims (ex-Indecent
Obsession). Pseudo Echo supported overseas visitors Culture Club and Village
People on an Australian tour throughout February 2000 (billed as 'the Retro
Event of the New Millennium').
MCFAIRLANE (1999)
Further Reference "ARTICLES"
"LINDA LORKOVICS INTERVIEW WITH BRIAN CANHAM DECEMBER 2001"
PSEUDO ECHO "LONG WAY TO THE TOP - ARTICLE FROM THE HERALD SUN"
