Brian Cadd [music videos and biography]

Brian Cadd (born in Perth, Western Australia, on 29 November 1946) was in two prominent Australian bands, The Groop (1966 to 1969) and Axiom (1969 to 1971), as well as having a successful solo career as a singer and songwriter. His main instrument of choice is piano or keyboards.

Brian showed an early inclination for music, learning to play the piano when he was ten years old and studying classical music. When his family moved to Hobart in 1962, he played in a local band, the Mustangs. After his family moved to Melbourne, Cadd helped form the Beale Street Jazz Band and, after its break-up, later became part of the Castaways (1965), which was later renamed The Jackson Kings.

Along with Ronnie Charles (from the Jackson Kings), Cadd was invited to join a rock band called The Groop, for whom he co-wrote several songs, including the hits “Woman You’re Breaking Me” and “Such a Lovely Way”.

The Groop broke up whilst in England in 1969, so Cadd and Don Mudie (also from The Groop) founded Axiom later on in that same year, which went on to become one of Australia’s premier rock bands of the 1970s, for whom he co-wrote (with Don Mudie) the hits “Arkansas Grass”, “A Little Ray of Sunshine”, and “My Baby’s Gone”.

After Axiom disbanded in 1971, Cadd went into the business of producing records for other musicians. Along with Ron Tudor, he established the Bootleg label in 1972, and created a backing band of musicians (who came to be known as The Bootleg Family Band) to assist singers to create recordings without having to create and handle their own bands. Brian produced and wrote for various artists on the Bootleg and Fable labels. With Cadd singing the lead, The Bootleg Family Band had a hit song with “Your Mama Don’t Dance”

Cadd wrote the film scores for the movies “Alvin Purple” (1973; also distributed as “The Sex Therapist”) and “Alvin Rides Again” (1974); in the latter movie, he also played a minor part as a cabaret performer. The theme song for “Alvin Purple”, written and sung by Brian, was a hit. He also wrote and sang the theme song for the popular Australian TV series “Class of ’74” (1974), as well as for its successor, “Class of ’75” (1975).

In 1975 he moved to the USA, where (based in Los Angeles, then Nashville) he worked on his music career, mainly in song writing. However, he came back to Australia in 1981 for a few years, during which time he created the Graffiti Records label, producing music for Australian singers.

He returned to America, and joined the Flying Burrito Brothers (a well-known American country rock band) in 1991 and went on tour with them for two years, before moving back to Australia again in 1996, where he continued his work in the music industry.

Brian Cadd has written a number of songs which have been covered by other artists, such as Cilla Black, Wayne Newton, Ringo Starr, Bonnie Tyler, and the Little River Band. Included amongst those songs written by Cadd, which have hit the charts for other musicians, were:
* “Elevator Driver” (The Master’s Apprentices, 1967)
* “When I Was Six Years Old” (Ronnie Burns, 1968)
* “Marshall’s Portable Music Machine” (Robin Jolley, 1972)
* “Live With Friends” (Russell Morris, 1972)
* “Don’t You Know it’s Magic” (John Farnham, 1973)
* “Love is Like a Rolling Stone” (the B side for the single “Fire” by the Pointer Sisters, 1979)
* “Still Hurting Me” (Charlie Daniels Band, 1985)
* “Let Go” (covered by Glen Campbell, Dobie Gray, and Gene Pitney)
* “Yesterday dreams” (covered by Bonnie Tyler and Johnny Halliday — the latter’s version was a hit in France, with Halliday singing French lyrics).

Cadd has also written and performed music for several other films, including:
* “Morning of the Earth” (1971) [an Australian surfing film], wrote and recorded songs: “Sure Feels Good”, “Making It on Your Own”, and “Come with Me”
* “Homework” (1982), wrote and recorded song: “One Step Out of Time”
* “Return of the Living Dead II” (1988), song: “Flesh To Flesh” (performed by Joe Lamont)
* “Heartbreak Kid” (1993), song: “(I Can Just) Lose Myself in You”) (performed by Lisa Edwards)
* “Fall Guy: The John Stewart Story” (2007), song: “Real To Me” (performed by Jamie and the Jury

His self-titled solo album “Brian Cadd” reached #2 in the album charts, his next album “Parabrahm” went to #5, and the album “Moonshine” hit #14. He also had several solo hit songs: “Ginger Man” (#16 in the singles charts, 1972), “Show Me the Way” (#17 in 1972), and “Let Go” (#13 in 1974).

Brian Cadd played a key role in the development of the Australian music scene in the late 1960s, 1970s, and into the 1980s. His impact upon Australian popular music is his legacy to the nation.

Brian Cadd – Ginger Man [peaked at #16 in 1972]
(written by Brian Cadd)

Brian Cadd – Show Me the Way [#17, 1972]
(written by Brian Cadd and Don Mudie)

Brian Cadd – Let Go [#13, 1974]
(written by Brian Cadd)

The Bootleg Family Band – Your Mama Don’t Dance [#4, 1973]
(Brian Cadd singing lead cover of a song by US duo Loggins and Messina)

Brian Cadd – All in the Way (They Use My Face)
(written by Brian Cadd)

Brian Cadd – Alvin Purple [#49, 1973]
(written by Brian Cadd)

Brian Cadd – Angry Words
(written by Brian Cadd)

Brian Cadd – Boogie Queen [#87, 1974]
(written by Brian Cadd)

Brian Cadd – Class of ’74 [#54, 1974]
(written by Brian Cadd)

Class of ’74
(start of episode, with theme song written and sung by Brian Cadd)

Brian Cadd – Come With Me
(written by Brian Cadd; from the soundtrack album of the surfing film “Morning of the Earth”)

Brian Cadd – Don’t You Know It’s Magic
(written by Brian Cadd)

Brian Cadd – Every Mother’s Son [#44, 1973]
(written by Brian Cadd)

Brian Cadd – Keep on Rockin’
(written by Brian Cadd)

Brian Cadd – Making It on Your Own
(written by Brian Cadd; from the soundtrack album of the surf film “Morning of the Earth”)

Brian Cadd – My Baby Loves to Hurt Me
(written by Brian Cadd and Max Merritt)

Brian Cadd & The Bootleg Family – Silver City Birthday Celebration Day
(written by Brian Cadd)

Brian Cadd – Sure Feels Good
(written by Brian Cadd; from the soundtrack album of the surf film “Morning of the Earth”)

Brian Cadd – Tell the World to Go Away
(written by Brian Cadd)

Brian Cadd – White On White, El Dorado
(written by Brian Cadd)

Brian Cadd – Yesterdaydreams
(written by Brian Cadd)

Brian Cadd AM | Long Play Series
(interview with Brian Cadd)

Discography:
Albums (solo):
1972: Brian Cadd
1973: Parabrahm
1974: Moonshine
1975: The Magic of Brian Cadd (Best of)
1976: White on White
1976: Keep on Rockin (Best of)
1978: Yesterdaydreams
1979: Best of Brian Cadd
1985: No Stone Unturned
1993: Blazing Salads (with Glenn Shorrock)
1996: Sweet Rock ’n’ Roll
1998: Live at Crown
1998: Brian Cadd: The Singles
2002: The Great Brian Cadd
2003: Cleanskin
2005: Quietly Rusting
2007: The Very Best of Brian Cadd
Singles (solo):
Dec. 1971: Show Me the Way / Rolling and Tumblin’ Down (with Don Mudie)
Aug. 1972: Ginger Man / Fairweather Friend (with Don Mudie)
Mar. 1973: Every Mother’s Son / Pappy’s Got the Blues
Oct. 1973: Keep on Rockin’ / Handy Man
Nov. 1973: Alvin Purple / Sometime Man
Feb. 1974: Little Ray of Sunshine / Arkansas Grass
Apr. 1974: Class of ’74 / School Days
Aug. 1974: Let Go / Think It Over
Dec. 1974: Boogie Queen / All In The Way
May 1975: Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’ / Fire at Shepherd’s Flat
Dec. 1976: White on White, El Dorado / Longest Night
Oct. 1978: Yesterdaydreams / 1000 Different Ways
Apr. 1979; Skating on Thin Ice / Ol’ 55
May 1980: Very Very Very Long Time / Move Me
Sep. 1982: My Baby (Loves To Hurt Me) / For the Love of a Woman
Mar. 1985: Land of the Video / Real to Me
June 1985: Still Hurting Me / Writing’s on the Wall
Albums (bands):
1965: Ol’ Hound Dog (EP) (The Groop)
1965: The Groop (The Groop)
1966: I’m Satisfied (The Groop)
1966: Woman You’re Breakin’ Me (EP) (The Groop)
1967: Woman You’re Breakin’ Me (The Groop)
1968: Such A Lovely Way (EP) (The Groop)
1968: Great Hits from The Groop (The Groop)
1970: The Axiom Hits (Axiom)
1970: Fools Gold (Axiom)
1971: If Only (Axiom)
1975: Moonshine (The Bootleg Family Band)
1989: The Best and the Rest 1965-1969 (CD) (The Groop)
2004: The Axiom Archive [compilation album] (Axiom)

References and further information:
“Brian Cadd”, Milesago: Australasian Music & Popular Culture 1964-1975 (accessed 5 October 2012)
“Brian Cadd”, Howlspace [Internet Archive]
“Brian Cadd” (part 2; discography), Howlspace [Internet Archive]
“Encyclopedia entry for ‘Brian Cadd’” (Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop), Whammo (Worldwide Home of Australian Music and More Online) [Internet Archive]
“The Bootleg Family Band”, Milesago: Australasian Music & Popular Culture 1964-1975
“History”, Brian Cadd [Internet Archive]
“Biography”, Brian Cadd
Paul Cashmere, “Brian Cadd”, Noise11, 20 January 2012 (accessed 16 October 2012)
Paul Cashmere, “Brian Cadd song for Ringo Starr remains in the vault”, Undercover, 26 November 2010
“Morning of the Earth”, Wikipedia
“The Sex Therapist (1973)”, IMDB
“Alvin Rides Again, and Again! And Again! And Again! (1974)”, IMDB
“Homework (1982): Soundtracks”, IMDB
“Return of the Living Dead Part II (1988)”, AFI Catalog of Feature Films
“The Heartbreak Kid (1993): Soundtracks”, IMDB
“Fall Guy: The John Stewart Story (2007 Video): Soundtracks”, IMDB
Brian Cadd, From This Side of Things, Sydney: New Holland, 2010, pp. 12, 27, 33, 37, 39, 43, 163, 251, 290-298
Paul McHenry, Caddie, Mount Martha (Vic.): Moonlight Publications, 1995, pp. 3-18

Further information:
Brian Cadd, Wikipedia

Note: It appears that the following web pages (which were originally listed as sources for this article) have now closed down; as far as can be ascertained, these pages have not been archived elsewhere on the net.
Brian Cadd, Australian Rock Database (accessed 5 October 2012)
Brian Cadd, Music Knockout (accessed 5 October 2012)