Brian Cadd

Cadd was born and raised in Perth, Western Australia, and was a child prodigy: winning a TV talent quest when 12 and offered his first professional job as a pianist for a children's TV program.[5] His family relocated to Tasmania and then Melbourne, where Cadd became involved in jazz music of the early 1960s, playing with the Beale Street Jazz Band [Rick Mabin, tpt; Frank Turner, d.] and The Castaways. He was also widely renowned for his zany hats.[2][3][5] By 1965 The Castaways became The Jackson Kings playing R&B, with Cadd on piano and Ronnie Charles on vocals they recorded two singles "Watch Your Step" and "Watermelon Man" by April 1966.[3][5]

The Groop formed in Melbourne in 1964 and 1965 and had recorded singles, an EP and an LP, before Cadd and Charles were asked to join in October 1966 along with guitarist Don Mudie.[3][5][8] On advice from pop magazine Go-Set writer Ian "Molly" Meldrum Cadd changed his surname to Caine, before changing it back after his family protested.[3][5] The new line-up was: Cadd, Charles, Mudie and Max Ross on bass and Richard Wright on drums.[2][5]

The first single for this line-up was "Woman You're Breaking Me" (written by Cadd and Wright)[9] which reached No. 6 in Melbourne[10] and No. 12 in Sydney in July 1967.It was also a hit in parts of the USA. Melbourne singer Ronnie Burns had a local hit with "When I Was Six Years Old"[10] written by Cadd (who also produced)[2] and Ross.[9] The band won a trip to UK from the 1967 Hoadley's National Battle of the Sounds;[8] publishers sent "When I Was Six Years Old" to England where it was recorded by Manfred Mann's lead vocalist Paul Jones.[5]

The Groop arrived in UK as the single was released and managed to get a deal with CBS, then they toured there and in Germany.[8] Band members had written most of their hits in Australia, but CBS decided they would cover an Italian ballad, "What's the Good of Goodbye", which failed to chart. The Groop returned to Australia by October 1968 and Ross left,[8] they released two more singles, including "Such A Lovely Way" before disbanding in May 1969.[8] Their last recorded work was an uncredited appearance as instrumental support on Russell Morris' No. 1 single "The Real Thing".[2][5][8][11]

Following the break-up of The Groop, Cadd and Mudie formed Axiom in May 1969 with Glenn Shorrock (ex-The Twilights) on vocals, Doug Lavery (ex-The Valentines) on drums and Chris Stockley (ex-Cam-Pact) on guitar.[2][3][5] Cadd and Mudie were the primary songwriters for Axiom including their three hit singles.[5][9] They signed with EMI and released their debut single "Arkansas Grass" which reached No. 7 in December 1969, followed by "A Little Ray of Sunshine" (although Cadd did not write 'A Little Ray of Sunshine' this song was written by The Groop following the birth of a members daughter, pre Axiom, however the deemed it to be "not rock and roll enough" and allowed Cadd to record) at No. 5 in April 1970.[11] Axiom travelled to England and attempted to enter the UK market but had no chart success.[3] Then, relocating to the US, they released their single "My Baby's Gone" in January 1971, this was followed by their second album If Only... in September.[3] However, Axiom had already disbanded by March and Cadd returned to Australia.[3] Shorrock later became the lead singer for Little River Band and Stockley joined The Dingoes.[2]

Cadd and Mudie, as a duet, released "Show Me the Way" which reached No. 15 in early 1972.[3] Cadd turned to producing other acts and recording solo material on his own Bootleg Records label which was set up under Ron Tudor's Fable Records.[5] "Ginger Man" was the first single from Cadd's self-titled debut album, released in November 1972 on Bootleg Records.[5] Bootleg was based along similar lines to US pianist Leon Russell's Shelter Records – signed artists recorded and toured together as a The Bootleg Family Band.[12] Studio musicians used by Cadd became the Bootleg Family Band and had their own hit single by covering Loggins and Messina's "Your Mama Don't Dance", where Cadd provided lead vocals.[12][13] Cadd also won the composer's section of Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds for 1972 with his song, "Don't You Know It's Magic", this became a top 20 hit for John Farnham (known then as "Johnny" Farnham).[11] The song also won the 'Most Outstanding Composition' award at the Tokyo World Popular Song Festival, with Cadd performing there live. Cadd released a second album, Parabrahm, in 1973, and followed with the theme song and score for the 1973 movie Alvin Purple (Australia's first R-rated comedy)[14] and its sequel Alvin Purple Rides Again in 1975.[15] After releasing his third solo album, Moonshine in 1974, Cadd left Australia for the US.[5]

Cadd arrived in Los Angeles in 1975 and began working on a record with Chelsea Records. The recorded label was forced into bankruptcy and ultimately ceased, and Cadd signed with Capitol Records. He released his fourth studio album in 1976 titled, White On White. The album was mixed and produced to have a 'pop sound' along the lines of Elton John and Billy Joel, but performed poorly in the US. In 1978, Cadd released Yesterdaydreams, but also performed poorly and the contract with Capitol Records ceased. The track "Yesterdaydreams" was covered by Bonnie Tyler.

Early in 1980, Caddn toured France with the "French Elvis", Johnny Hallyday. He recorded solo albums for Interfusion, his songs were also recorded by Gene Pitney, Glen Campbell, Dobie Gray, Cilla Black, Wayne Newton, Bonnie Tyler, Joe Cocker and Ringo Starr.[3] His biggest success occurred when the Pointer Sisters covered "Love is Like a Rolling Stone" as a B-side for their version of "Fire" which reached No. 2 on the US pop singles charts. In the mid 1980s, Cadd ran a small label called Graffiti Records and worked with Daryl Somers and was the first person to sign Tina Arena.

He released a 1985 album titled No Stone Unturned. The Charlie Daniels Band covered his song "Still Hurting Me" from that album on their October 1985 album, Me and the Boys.

Cadd travelled to Nashville in 1989, joined the Flying Burrito Brothers in 1991 and toured with them for two years,[16] returning to Australia in 1993.[3]

In 1993, Cadd teamed up with fellow Axiom member, Shorrock and released an album under the title The Blazing Salads and completed a two-year tour.[5] On tour Cadd played his hit songs, along with those of Axiom accompanied by Shorrock.[5] Veteran rocker Max Merritt had also toured Australia with Cadd.[5] In 1997, he built a recording studio Ginger Man Sound. In March 1998 he took over as CEO of The Streetwise Music Group in Brisbane, eventually becoming a co-owner. The company, which is distributed through Warner Music, now has some 20 acts spread over three labels (Streetwise, Stallion and Belly Laugh).

Cadd is the chairman of the Music Industry Advisory Council (Australia),[17] President of the Australian Music Foundation[17] and on the board of the musicians' benevolent organisation, Support Act.[18] Cadd lectures at universities as well as continuing to record and perform, he independently released an album of new material Quietly Rusting in 2005[19] featuring musicians like Mark Meyer, Tony Naylor, Wilbur Wilde and Ross Hannaford together with some of Australia's hottest new players including Paul White, Damien Steele-Scott and James Meston.[20]

In 2007 Cadd was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, his acceptance speech included:

"I've had forty incredible years in this world of music. During that time I have had the honour to write and record with many fabulous creative people and to perform in front of many wonderful audiences. I can't really imagine how it could have been much better or any more fun. Now being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame absolutely puts the icing on the cake for me. I truly appreciate this honour so very much".[21]

— Brian Cadd, 2007

2007 also saw Cadd inducted into the Australian Songwriters Association (ASA) Songwriters Hall of Fame in recognition of his lifetime of songwriting achievements.[22]

In November 2010 Cadd released his Autobiography "From This Side of Things".[23] In the book Cadd tells the stories of his upbringing in Western Australia where he won an TV talent quest at the age of 12 and worked on a Children's TV program as a pianist, Tasmania and Melbourne where he played jazz with the Beale Street Jazz Band and the Castaways who would become the Jackson Kings. Having success with both The Groop and Axiom as well as his solo success in Australia, working in the USA & Europe for over 20 years and being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2007 by Jimmy Barnes.[23]

In 2011 Cadd released a country album with lifelong friend, Russell Morris, titled, Wild Bulls and Horses.

In November 2016 Cadd released a new studio album with The Bootleg Family Band, titled Bulletproof,[24] which was credited to Cadd and The Bootleg Family Band.

In January 2019, Cadd will release a new solo studio album titled Silver City.[25]

Cadd, his then partner, and her daughter, were caught in the flash flood of the Mudgeeraba River (Gold Coast, Queensland) in February 1999, when their car was washed off a causeway.[26] All three escaped the sinking car through its windows, but Cadd and his wife were swept away before they could get ashore. They were subsequently rescued by a local resident.[26]

During the 2002 Long Way to the Top Tour, Cadd developed a relationship with one of the promoters, Amanda Pelman, and they are still happily together.[27] Pelman was a judge on It Takes Two between 2006 and 2008, and is a producer, director and TV personality.[28]

• Official website
• Brian Cadd at Australian Rock Database
• Brian Cadd at Miles Ago
• Listen to WITH EYES CLOSED at the National Film and Sound Archive