The Sports - No Longer Strangers On The Music Scene

The third single from the ‘Don’t Throw Stones’ album was released in Australia mid year, but ‘Suspicious Minds’ (not the Elvis song) stalled at #74 nationally. As the single ‘Who Listens To The Radio’ was climbing up the U.S. charts (eventually to top out at #46), Mushroom released the U.K. recorded EP ‘O.K, U.K!’ in August ‘79, and soon after ‘Wedding Ring’ hit the Australian charts as a single. The Sports’ version didn’t replicate the top 10 achievements of the original Easybeats’ effort, but following its September ‘79 debut, ‘Wedding Ring’ went on to achieve #40 nationally (#37 Sydney, #29 Melbourne). Cummings flew over to the U.S. for a promotional tour in support of the repackaged ‘Don’t Throw Stones’ album (US#194), but The Sports couldn’t capitalise on the initial warm reception for ‘Who Listens To The Radio’.

In late ‘79 The Sports found time to take a breath and to take stock of the events of the preceding eighteen months. Cummings, Pendlebury and Armiger had continued to write over this period, and the band returned to the U.K. to lay down tracks for their next album. The album represented two important developments in The Sports’ sound - firstly it contained all original material, with a substantial portion contributed by the team of Cummings and Pendlebury, and secondly The Sports’ were clearly angling toward a slicker, more commercially accessible pop-rock sound, with echoes of British art-pop acts like XTC. This shift in focus was illustrated by the lead out single ‘Strangers On A Train’. The radio friendly pop-rock song immediately made an impact on the Australian charts in February 1980, and reached its final destination at #22 around six weeks later. Suddenly The Sports were challenging for A-list status on the Australian music scene, a challenge further energised by the release of the album ‘Suddenly’ in March of ‘80. The follow up single ‘Perhaps’ missed the mark, but that didn’t stop ‘Suddenly’ reaching #13 nationally by the middle of 1980.

During this period The Sports underwent several changes in personnel, including the departure of original members James Niven and Paul Hitchins. Skyhooks guitarist Red Symons filled in on keyboards for The Sports’ national tour with Mushroom label mates Split Enz during March/April ‘80, whilst Iain McLennan came on board as the new drummer. Following the tour, McLennan was forced to leave due to ongoing ill health, and his place was taken by another member of the Skyhooks fraternity, Freddy Strauks. Strauks was on the roster for the recording of The Sports fourth album during the second half of 1980, this time produced by Cameron Allan. Once again slickly produced original pop-rock numbers were the order of the day, though guitarist Martin Armiger became more of an equal contributor in the songwriting stakes, with Stephen Cummings and Andrew Pendlebury. The first single was the Cummings/Pendlebury penned ‘How Come’, which debuted on the national charts in April ‘81, and during its 17 week stay became The Sports highest charting single (#21). The source album was titled ‘Sondra’, named after Sondra Locke, one time partner and co-star of screen legend Clint Eastwood. ‘Sondra’ went on to peak at #20 nationally (the album, not the actress), and yielded the follow up singles ‘Stop The Baby Talking’ and ‘When We Go Out Tonight’, as well as the beautiful ballad ‘Black Stockings (For Chelsea)’, proving The Sports had considerable depth beyond the pop-rock surface.

Having focussed on recording original material over the previous couple of years, The Sports reminded us that they were equally adept at breathing new life into pop classics with the five track EP ‘The Sports Play Dylan (And Donovan)’, the title (and cover) of which left no doubt as to the nature of the material within. The single ‘Sunshine Superman’ (a cover of the 1966 Donovan #1) was released in November ‘81, and reached #72 nationally, whilst the EP peaked at #70. It would represent the last release prior to the break up of The Sports at the end of 1981. A year later Mushroom issued the aforementioned ‘anthology’ album ‘All Sports’ (OZ#35-1982). In late ‘87 the Raven Records label released the album ‘Missin’ Your Kissin’, which featured eleven tracks from a live performance at Melbourne’s Storey Hall in 1978, and five previously unreleased ‘studio rarities’. If you love your Sports then you’ll be pleased to know that a double album collection of their best work plus rarities titled ‘This Is Really Something’ was released in 1997, and offers an access all areas insight into The Sports’ career. The Sports reunited for a one off performance at 1998’s Mushroom Records 25th Anniversary concert.

Post-The Sports, guitarist Martin Armiger went into production and session work, and later became a successful composer for both film and television. Drummer Freddy Strauks joined Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons for a stint before hooking up once again with Skyhooks for several reunion escapades over the years. Bassist Robert Glover joined Wilder Wilde’s Big Kombi live act. Guitarist Andrew Pendlebury initially joined The Dugites (see May post) during 1982, but after a year he hooked up again with ex-Sports band mate Armiger for a stint with the Stephen Cummings Band. Pendlebury played on Cummings’ debut solo album ‘Senso’ (OZ#46) which yielded Stephen Cummings’ first post-Sports’ hit with ‘Backstabbers’ (OZ#40) in early ‘84. The pair maintained a regular association on record over the years, with Pendlebury a guest player on several Cummings albums. Pendlebury himself released his debut solo album ‘Between The Horizon And The Dockyard’ in July 1987, and was a part time player in the gospel/rockabilly outfit The Slaughtermen. He released two more solo albums ‘Tigerland’ (1988) and ‘Zing Went The Strings’ (1990) prior to scoring the Australian #49 hit ‘Calling You’ in 1992 with guest vocalist Kate Ceberano (of I’m Talking - see future post). The song was lifted from Pendlebury’s album ‘Don’t Hold Back That Feeling’. Pendlebury continued to release his own material and contribute to other artist’s work on a regular basis over the ensuing years.

Stephen Cummings has experienced the greatest amount of commercial return among The Sports’ alumnus. He scored two more Australian top 40 hits with ‘Gymnasium’ (OZ#27-1984), and ‘Hell (You’ve Put Me Through)’ (OZ#38-1990). His albums throughout the 80s and 90s regularly charted nationally, with highlights including ‘This Wonderful Life’ (OZ#69-1986), ‘Love Town’ (OZ#61-1988), the A.R.I.A. Award winning ‘A New Kind Of Blue’ (OZ#43-1989) and ‘Good Humour’ (OZ#40-1991). Over the last fifteen years Cummings has continued to garner rave reviews without ever scoring that one big hit. He has released no fewer than nineteen albums in total over the last 25 years, the most recent of which is ‘Happiest Man Alive’, released in September 2008.

A Message To Those In Glass Houses

During the mid 90s the ABC started repeating old ‘Countdown’ episodes on the late night music television program ‘Rage’. It was during one of those late night nostalgia sessions that I was reminded of a song that had all but slipped by mind since the time it had first been a hit. On an early 1979 episode of Countdown, Melbourne band The Sports performed their new single ‘Don’t Throw Stones’. It immediately hit me between the eyes as a song I recalled hearing from that era. I’d been thinking for some time about trying to track down a ‘best of’ CD for The Sports, but hearing ‘Don’t Throw Stones’ again (which is very Elvis Costello like), prompted me to attend to that task post haste. I found a collection of The Sports best material titled ‘All Sports’ (originally released on vinyl in 1982) at the now defunct Glenn A. Baker’s Time Warp store in the Sydney CBD. I was happy to have snagged a copy of ‘Don’t Throw Stones’, but more over have the chance to delve into some of the best pop-rock music produced on the Australian scene during the late 70s/early 80s. Time now to take a closer look at the wide world of The Sports.

The Sports arose on the Melbourne music field out of the ashes of popular rockabilly outfit The Pelaco Brothers during 1976. The Pelaco Brothers had been a fan favourite on the Carlton live scene, and also boasted one Joe Camilleri (see earlier Jo Jo Zep post) in their ranks. The original ‘team’ line-up comprised ex-Pelaco Brothers Stephen Cummings (vocals) and Ed Bates (guitar), with Jim Niven (keyboards/piano, ex-Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band), Robert Glover (bass, ex-Myriad), and Paul Hitchins (drums). All the members had a strong connection with the roots-music scene, and before long gelled to make The Sports one of the sharpest R&B, soul, rockabilly units on the thriving Melbourne inner-city pub scene. From the get go they played a pulsating set of revved up covers and original material, and Cummings (who had previously been an aspiring stand up comedian) melded each song to his voice. If you attended one of their earlier gigs, chances are you would have been treated to high energy renditions of ‘Route 66’ or ‘Chain Of Fools’, or early Cummings-Bates compositions like ‘Put The Light On’ and ‘Cruisin’ In A Citroen’ (cool title), as part of an eclectic blend of material.

In early ‘77 The Sports issued a debut four track EP ‘Fair Game’ (pressing 500 copies) via the independent Zak label, produced by Joe Camilleri. It featured ‘Twist Senorita’ and earned a rave review from the high profile New Musical Express in the U.K., which drew comparisons between The Sports and early Rolling Stones. The July ‘77 review stated that “Steve Cummings out-Jaggers Jagger” - high praise indeed. It’s worth noting that a young singer called James Reyne (see previous post) would soon be fronting another popular local rock act called Australian Crawl, and it’s evident that Reyne took his queue from Cummings in terms of vocal style. ‘Twist Senorita’ had been penned by Ross Wilson (Daddy Cool/Mondo Rock) and was one of three tracks The Sports contributed to the various artists compilation ‘Debutantes’, released on Wilson’s own Oz label in mid ‘77 (this featured a selection of up and coming Melbourne artists). Soon after The Sports added a second guitarist to the roster when they recruited ex-Myriads (R&B/country combo) player Andrew Pendlebury in August ‘77. Pendlebury had also been a budding young artist, and had held a number of successful exhibitions of his paintings, which apparently boasted impressionistic style landscapes. Before the end of the year The Sports had been signed to the prestigious Mushroom Records label and began work on their debut full length album.

The lead out single was the catchy Cummings/Bates number ‘Boys! (What Did The Detective Say?)’, which reached a modest #55 on the Australian charts following its April ‘78 debut. The album ‘Reckless’ (also produced by Camilleri) hit the stores in May ‘78 and soon after hit the Australian charts, eventually peaking at #43. Like The Sports’ live gigs, the album featured a mix of covers and originals. The second single was a cover of the classic ‘When You Walk In The Room’ (1964 hit for both Jackie DeShannon and The Searchers). The Sports’ version fell just short of the national top 40 (#42), but further consolidated the band’s profile nationally. ‘Reckless’ was well received by critics but it apparently fell short of capturing the fervent atmosphere of the band’s high energy live shows.

In mid ‘78 original guitarist Ed Bates was shown the door, and his replacement was ex-Bleeding Hearts member Martin Armiger (who also added to the vocal mix). Cummings viewed the band as having substantially more commercial potential, and Armiger was viewed as a key component in honing The Sports’ sound to a more radio friendly profile. In September they scored a prize gig when they supported Graham Parker and the Rumour (see June post) on an Australian tour. Parker was suitably impressed and helped arrange for The Sports to travel to the U.K. in early ‘79 to support him there.

In the interim The Sports laid down the tracks for their second album, this time with Pete Solley (ex-Fox - see future post) at the production helm. The lead out single was the Cummings/Pendlebury song ‘Who Listens To The Radio’. It was an instant classic and encouraged plenty of people to listen to their radios when it was added to station play lists. ‘Who Listens To The Radio’ hit the Australian charts in November ‘78 and soon tuned in to #35 nationally. Just prior to departing for their U.K. tour, The Sports made that appearance on Countdown to showcase the second single, and title track, from their new album ‘Don’t Throw Stones’ (OZ#26). Yet another Cummings/Pendlebury composition, the song is very indicative of the late 70s new wave/London rock sound, and it’s surprising both it and The Sports didn’t make more of an impact in Britain. The Sports signed with the influential Stiff Records label in the U.K. (label stable to Elvis Costello and Ian Dury), who in early ‘79 released a four track EP titled ‘So Obvious’, featuring ‘Who Listens To The Radio’. Whilst in the U.K. The Sports recorded the four track EP ‘O.K., U.K!’ which included a frenzied take on the 1965 Easybeats’ masterpiece ‘Wedding Ring’. Meanwhile, the album ‘Don’t Throw Stones’ climbed relentlessly up the Australian charts to eventually peak at #9. The album was repackaged (with a different cover and track listing) for a U.S. release in mid ‘79 (on Arista). 1979 was proving a hectic year for The Sports, as they made the transition from local pub-rock band to potential high profile international act.