Harvey James

Harvey James born Harvey William James Harrop (20 September 1952 – 15 January 2011) was an English-Australian rock guitarist. He was a member of the bands Mississippi (1973–74), Ariel (1974–75), Sherbet (1976–80, 1980–81) and the Party Boys (1982–83). James was diagnosed with lung cancer in July 2010 and died on 15 January 2011, aged 58, leaving behind his three children, Gabriel, Alexandra and Joshua.

Harvey James
Birth nameHarvey William James Harrop
Born(1952-09-20)20 September 1952
Sheffield, England
OriginAdelaide, South Australia, Australia
Died15 January 2011(2011-01-15) (aged 58)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres
  • Rock
  • pop
Occupation(s)Musician
Instruments
  • Guitar
  • backing vocals
Years active1972–2010
Associated acts

Biography

Harvey James was born in Sheffield, England as Harvey William James Harrop in September 1952.[1] His parents are Jim and Vera Harrop, and his sister is Veronica.[1] The family migrated to Australia in the early 1960s.[1] He attended Lyndale High School and joined a local group, Sayla, on guitar with John Lee on drums.[1]

In March 1973 James (ex-Clydehouse, Sayla) joined harmony pop group, Mississippi to replace Kerryn Tolhurst on lead guitar, alongside Beeb Birtles on guitar and vocals, Graham Goble on guitar and vocals, Derek Pellicci on drums and Charlie Tumahai on bass guitar.[2][3] He played on the band's hit single, "Will I" (early 1974), and was part of their appearance at Sunbury Pop Festival in January 1974.[1] Mississippi sailed to the United Kingdom in April 1974, working on the Sitmar Line ship, Fairsky, but stagnated there soon after arriving. Back in Australia James left the group in June, while Birtles and Goble reconstituted the band, with Pellicci, in early 1975 recruiting new members and changing their name to Little River Band.[2][4]

James, on guitar, joined progressive rock group, Ariel, in July 1974, in Melbourne, with former bandmate, Lee on drums, Bill Putt on bass guitar and Mike Rudd on guitar and vocals.[5] He returned to the UK with that group in October, where they recorded their second album, Rock & Roll Scars (1975), at Abbey Road Studios.[5] They returned to Australia in early 1975, by which time the band had added a fifth member, singer-guitarist, Glyn Mason.[5] That line-up recorded another album, Goodnight Fiona (1976) and issued a single, "I'll Take You High", in January of that year.[5]

James joined a pop band, Sherbet (also performed as Highway and as the Sherbs), in Sydney in early 1976 to replace Gunther Gorman (ex-Home), on lead guitar, backing vocals and slide guitar.[3][6] His first recording with the group was their biggest hit single, "Howzat", which peaked at No. 1 on the Kent Music Report Australian singles chart and reached the Top 5 on the UK Singles Chart.[7][8][9] James co-wrote subsequent singles, "Rock Me Gently" (1976), "Beg Steal and Borrow" (1978) and "Angela" (1979), with various band members.[10] He remained with the group until late 1982.[3][6] James returned to Sherbet for various reunions (including some alongside original guitarist, Clive Shakespeare).[6]

In 1979, during Sherbet's hiatus, he was a member of Marc Hunter and the Romantics, which backed Hunter on his solo album, Fiji Bitter (November 1979), and for the associated tour to promote it.[3][11] In 1982, after leaving Sherbet, James became an original member of the Party Boys, a Sydney-based cover versions group, with Graham Bidstrup on drums, Kevin Borich on lead guitar, Paul Christie on bass guitar, drums and backing vocals and James Reyne on lead vocals (on loan from Australian Crawl).[3][12] James played on the Party Boys' first two live albums, Live at Several 21sts (March 1983) and Greatest Hits (of Other People) (November 1983).[3][12] He participated in a reunion of Ariel in August 1997.[5]

Illness and death

James was diagnosed with lung cancer in July 2010. A benefit gig, Gimme That Guitar, was organised by friends and supporters, in Melbourne on 18 November.[13] James performed with a reformed line-up of Ariel.[13] A second concert had been planned for Sydney on 17 February 2011. Harvey James died on 15 January 2011, aged 58.[14] He was survived by his three children from his first marriage, Gabriel, Alexandra and Joshua[1][15]

His family wrote on their Facebook page, "Dad passed away peacefully at 8.15pm tonight. We would like to thank everybody for all the wonderful support over the past 6 months. The love has been overwhelming. Rest in peace my gorgeous, funny, amazing father. We will miss you everyday forever."[14] Sherbet lead singer, Daryl Braithwaite, posted a message, "Rest in peace Harvey James, you will be sadly missed by everyone that saw you play and knew you. My condolences to your family and friends."[16]

References
General
  • McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Whammo Homepage". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 5 April 2004. Retrieved 6 October 2017. Note: Archived [on-line] copy has limited functionality.
Specific
  1. Brown, Jen Jewel (3 February 2011). "A witty larrikin who used his Fender to put the fizz into Sherbet". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
  2. McFarlane, 'Mississippi' entry. Archived from the original on 1 October 2004. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  3. Entries at the Australian Rock Database:
    • Mississippi (1973–74): Holmgren, Magnus; Warnqvist, Stefan. "Mississippi". hem2.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 16 January 2004. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
    • Sherbet/Sherbs (1976–80, 1980–81): Holmgren, Magnus; Sather, Gary; Hart, Alison; Cahill, Anthony. "Sherbet". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
    • Marc Hunter & the Romantics (1979): Holmgren, Magnus; Miller, Chuck. "Marc Hunter". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 22 September 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
    • The Party Boys (1982–83): Holmgren, Magnus; Meyer, Peer. "The Party Boys". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
    • Swannee (1982): Holmgren, Magnus; Creswell, Toby; Meyer, Peer; Lawrence, Michael; Ashton, Gwyn. "Swanee/John Swan". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
    • Richard Clapton Band (1982, 1984): Holmgren, Magnus; Meyer, Peer; Bouchard, Gary. "Richard Clapton". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  4. McFarlane, 'Little River Band' entry. Archived from the original on 15 June 2004. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  5. McFarlane, 'Ariel' entry. Archived from the original on 8 March 2004. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  6. McFarlane, 'Sherbet' entry. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  7. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book Ltd. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. Note: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) created their own charts in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.
  8. "Sherbet – Artist". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 17 February 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  9. Adams, Cameron (17 January 2011). "Tributes flow from rock heavyweights Herald Sun 17 January 2011". The Advertiser. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  10. "'Rock Me Gently' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 7 October 2017. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' or 'Performer:'
  11. McFarlane, 'Marc Hunter' entry. Archived from the original on 12 July 2004. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  12. McFarlane, 'The Party Boys' entry. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  13. "Gimme that Guitar - A benefit for Harvey James". Fender Australia. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  14. Cashmere, Paul (16 January 2011). "Sherbet Guitarist Harvey James Loses Battle with Cancer". Undercover.fm News. Paul Cashmere, Ros O'Gorman. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  15. McCabe, Kathy (17 January 2011). "Cancer Kills Sherbet Pop Legend Harvey James". The Daily Telegraph. News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  16. Cashmere, Paul (17 January 2011). "Daryl Braithwaite Posts Message for Harvey James". Undercover.fm News. Paul Cashmere, Ros O'Gorman. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
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