New World (band)

New World
Origin	Brisbane, Australia
Genres	Pop
Years active	1965–1976, 1988[1]
Labels	Parlophone, Decca, RAK, EMI
Past members
John "Fuzzy" Lee Mel Noonan John Kane

New World was an Australian pop group that existed from the mid 1960s to the late 1970s. They are best known for their Top 10 hit single, "Tom-Tom Turnaround", which was released in 1971.^[2] Most of their biggest successes were written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman.^[3]

Career

The band was founded in Brisbane in 1965,^[4] by John "Fuzzy" Lee (born 9 March 1944, Ashtead, Surrey, England) and the Australian Mel Noonan (born 10 November 1943, Sydney). In 1968 John Kane (born 18 April 1946, Glasgow, Scotland) joined the group, and by the end of the decade they were one of Australia's most popular acts. They were originally billed as The New World Trio.^[4]

At the beginning of the 1970s, songwriters Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman booked the group on television. They also took the band to Europe, where record label owner Mickie Most signed them immediately to his imprint RAK. Their first single for RAK, "Rose Garden", hit #15 on the UK Singles Chart in 1971.^[2] At the same time, country singer, Lynn Anderson, released a cover version of this song which was an international #1 hit.

The group's biggest hit was a version of "Tom-Tom Turnaround", also recorded by Sweet. This was followed by "Kara, Kara", which was a hit in the UK and Germany; although a German language version of the tune was a bigger hit for Peter Orloff. They had a fourth hit in the UK with "Sister Jane", but their next release, "Living Next Door to Alice", was a flop. This song would later become a worldwide hit for Smokie in 1976.^[2][5]

In the early 1970s, New World were musical guests on the BBC shows, The Two Ronnies in 1971 and The Morecambe and Wise Show in 1973.

The group appeared on the UK talent show Opportunity Knocks, but were tried at the Old Bailey for receiving one bogus vote (obtained after performing at a girls' college when one girl put in a vote for a friend who had gone to bed). They were subsequently acquitted.^[6]

New World's last releases were issued in 1976.

Discography

Singles

• "Feed the Birds" (1969) (Parlophone A-8952) (Australia only)
• "Try To Remember" (1969) (Parlophone A-8589) (Australia only) - AUS #11
• "I'll Catch The Sun" (Decca F13031)
• "Something's Wrong" (Decca F13086)
• "Rose Garden" (1971) (RAK 111) - UK #15
• "Tom-Tom Turnaround" (1971) (RAK 117) - UK #6, GER #10, AUS #12
• "Kara, Kara" (1971) (RAK 123) - UK #17, GER #31, AUS #39
• "Sister Jane" (1972) (RAK 130) - UK #9, AUS #15
• "Living Next Door To Alice" (1973) (RAK 142) - AUS #23
• "Rooftop Singing" (1973) (RAK 148) - UK #50
• "Old Shep" (1974) (RAK 165)
• "Do It Again" (1974) (EMI 2158)
• "Sweet Dreams" (1974) (EMI 2194)
• "I'm A Clown" (EMI 2234)
• "Sitting in the Sun" (EMI 2312)
• "But Not Afraid To Dream" (EMI 2464)
• "Homemade Sunshine" (EMI 2547)^[2]

Albums

• New World (RAK SRAK 502)
• Believe in Music (RAK SRAK 506)
• Yesterday's Gone (EMI EMC 3702)
• Tom Tom Turnaround (CD - 2001)
• Best of New World (Repertoire - CD - 2002)^[7]

References

1. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QOiulB25XQ
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 392. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
3. ^ Sundownpublishing.com - accessed January 2010
4. ^ ^{a b} Discogs.com - accessed January 2010
5. ^ Allmusic.com discography^{[dead link]}
6. ^ UKgameshows.com
7. ^ Allmusic.com review @ Barnesandnoble.com