RIP Billy Thorpe
 

In the early hours of this morning Australian time, the passing of Billy Thorpe at age 60 in hospital after a heart attack at home.

Like most Australian pop & rock musicians of the 60s and 70s, Billy was actually born in the UK and migrated with his family when he was 9. He commenced his career as a child star on Brisbane television before moving to Sydney and joining instrumental band the Vibratones to form the first of many lineups of Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs. His early records were dance or surf related pop and a version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow, later transforming himself into a denim-clad rock and blues guitar hero and the mainstay of early 70s rock festivals with his rock anthem Most People I Know Think That I'm Crazy. Tiring of the pub rock scene in 1976 he moved to LA were he produced the "Children of the Sun" series of futuristic concept albums, where he apparently gained a reputation as a synth wizard.

Billy was a member of Mick Fleetwood's The Zoo before returning to Aus in the 90s beginning with his "Lock Up Your Mothers" concerts and his 2 highly successful semi-autobiographical novels.

Vale, Bill.

Wow.... I Children of the Sun is great ****ing song!!!!!!!!!!
Not too much after that... but I did see him perform in Mick's Zoo.

That sucks.

i have children of the sun lp. listen to it all the tim

R.I.P. Billy~

I just saw this... how sad. :( He was really young -- what a loss.

I wonder if chiliD has seen this yet? I'm surprised he hasn't commented.

Thorpe memorial service on Sunday
28th February 2007, 21:47 WST

Details of a Sydney memorial service for rock legend Billy Thorpe will be announced on Thursday.

Thorpe, 60, died in Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital about 2.30am (AEDT) Wednesday, with his family at his side.

As tributes poured in for Thorpe, his long-time friend and manager Michael Chugg announced a public service would be held in Sydney on Sunday afternoon, March 4.

Chugg said he had fielded calls from some of the world's greatest acts including British drummer Mick Fleetwood, of Fleetwood Mac fame, who played with Thorpe in the 1990s band Zoo.

"He touched a lot of people around the world," he said.

"We have already had musos from all over the world offering to get involved in a big concert ... the messages and phone calls coming in from overseas are unbelievable."

Locally, Thorpe paved the way for groups such as AC/DC, Cold Chisel, Rose Tattoo and Midnight Oil, and a Who's Who of Australian rock have paid tributes on his death, including INXS.

A decision is also expected soon on the release date of Thorpe's latest album called Tangier which was in the final stages of mixing before he died.

Thorpe is survived by his widow Lynne and daughters Rusty and Lauren.

http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.a...oryName=360301

How weird. I was just listening to "Shakin' The Cage" for the first time in years the other day. Sad.

A great story there - Bill was in a taxi in Sydney, when Lynne raced past on a motorbike. He got the cabbie to follow the bike and caught up with her - they were together over 30 years.