Saturday 2nd September is a special day for Australian music fans – it marks what would have been the 70th birthday of iconic musician Ted Mulry. The day prior – September 1 – is also 16 years since this acclaimed balladeer passed away. In true rock n roll style, and the way Ted would have wanted, the original members of the Ted Mulry Gang (TMG) have banded together, along with Ted’s brother Steve Mulry at the helm, and former AC/DC bassist Mark Evans to put on one hell of a birthday bash in memory. It doesn’t get much bigger, or more special than this!
TMG were a cornerstone of the 70s rock scene. Label mates with AC/DC on Alberts, TMG helped shape the guitar-driven sound of Aussie rock. Their 1975 smash hit Jump In My Car catapulted them to superstardom and they followed with a swag of crowd pleasers such as Darktown Strutters Ball, Crazy, My Little Girl, Heart of Stone, and (You’ve Got) The Devil In You to name a few. The respect the industry had for TMG was evident by the massive support shown by fellow musicians who put on a series of concerts to raise money to him after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2001. Sadly, he lost his battle with brain cancer, but the legacy he left behind in his music continues to live on.
When the original line-up – Les Hall, Gary Dixon and Herm Kovac – came back together, it was a natural progression to call on Steve and Mark to help them bring TMG’s music back to the live stage. “We have known Steve since he was 10 and Mark has been a mate since the early days,” says Herm. “Our first rehearsal was two hours laughter, two hours playing, so we knew it was going to be fun. Having Steve in the band is sometimes like having Ted in the band. At times he sounds just like his brother when he sings, and when he chats to the audience. The only thing missing is the bass guitar, which Steve can’t play.”
Performing again after 25 years is surreal experience. It is great for the band to get back and play the songs that created memories for generations, and continues to have relevance today. “Ted was my best mate,” says Herm. “I do miss him turning around and grinning if someone made a blue or if there was someone interesting in the audience.”
The gang are embodying the spirit that made TMG so special and that is what audiences can expect at Ted’s Birthday Bash. ”Besides playing all our singles and album tracks, we will have Gary pay tribute to Ted’s solo career by doing an acoustic version of Julia and Falling In Love Again without the band,” says Herm. “Having former bassist from AC/DC Mark Evans in the band allows us to legitimately do one of Ted’s favourite AC/DC songs. All the video screens will be going. Ted’s last solo album, which I produced with him in 1997, will be available on CD for the first time with a new TMG Live CD re-release and The Very Best of Ted Mulry Gang – 40th Anniversary album that was released last year.”
Don’t miss this special celebration as TMG pays homage to Ted Mulry on his 70th Birthday at Ted’s Birthday Bash. Tickets are on sale now.
Saturday 2nd September 2017
Revesby Workers Club, REVESBY NSW
www.rwc.org.au
www.oztix.com.au | www.moshtix.com.au | www.ticketek.com.au
For more information, please visit www.tedmulrygang.com
