We’re well and truly into winter now, with there being plenty of Aussie rock history rooted in the middle months of the year. From the births and deaths of some of our country’s greatest music acts through to a variety of chart-topping tunes and albums, July has it all.
July 1
1949: In Australian music, it doesn’t get much bigger than John Farnham. The man known as ‘The Voice’ may have started in the pop world, but with albums like Whispering Jack, he now sits as one of the country’s biggest rock stars.
July 3
1943: The Seekers’ Judith Durham OAM is born in Essendon, Victoria under the name Judith Mavis Cock. She became the lead singer of the folk music group in 1962 and is remembered as a crucial member of Australia’s music scene after her passing in August 2022.
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July 4
1958: Kirk Pengilly from INXS is born in Kew, Victoria. The INXS musician plays the saxophone and guitar, as well as serving as a backing vocalist for the famous band.
July 9
1946: It’s another instance of AC/DC dominating the list, with the well-known Bon Scott being born on this day. The lead singer of the famous rock band was born as Ronald Belford Scott in Kirriemuir, Scotland before becoming the beloved front man of the band. He sadly passed away in 1980.
July 17
1998: A tragic day in Australian rock music history occurred as lead singer of Dragon, Marc Hunter, passed away. Hunter’s charismatic presence and vocal range helped the band achieve major hits like ‘April Sun in Cuba’ and ‘Are You Old Enough’.
July 21
1953: He may not be known best for his rock music exploits, but Jeffrey ‘Jeff’ Fatt AM is a beloved member of the local music scene. Known best for having to wake up often on The Wiggles, Jeff was born on this day in Casino, New South Wales.
July 22
1973: Daniel Jones was born on this day. As one of the key members of Savage Garden, he helped bring polished pop-rock to global audiences throughout the late ‘90s and early 2000s.
July 27
1960: Long-time pianist and backing vocalist for Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Conway Savage, was born on this day. Savage was known for his atmospheric contributions to one of Australia’s most acclaimed rock acts.
1971
Daddy Cool rose to prominence with ‘Eagle Rock’ hitting number one on Australian charts in July of 1971.
1978
It was Grease fever in July 1978 as John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John’s ‘You’re the One That I Want’ skyrocketed to number one off the back of the timeless movie.
These events and individuals have played pivotal roles in shaping the landscape of Australian rock music from The Australian Truck Radio Rock’N’Roll Diary!
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