Billy Thorpe - 1966 - Twilight Time WAVE RE-POST

Twilight Time/Hello Josephine/Baby Hold Me Close/Hallelujah, I Love Her So


Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs were an Australian pop and rock group dating from the mid-1960s. The group enjoyed success in the mid-1960s, but split in 1967. They re-emerged in the early 1970s to become one of the most popular Australian hard-rock bands of the period. Thorpe died from a heart attack in Sydney on 28 February 2007. Twilight Time released in Australia in 1965 reaching #3 Sydney #2 Melbourne #3 Brisbane #2 Adelaide #2 Perth. In Sydney, Brisbane and Perth this was a double-sided hit with My Girl Josephine.

Billy Thorpe - 1964 - Poison Ivy RE-POST

Poison Ivy/Broken Things/Blue Day/You Don't Love Me



Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs were an Australian pop and rock group dating from the mid-1960s. The group enjoyed success in the mid-1960s, but split in 1967. They re-emerged in the early 1970s to become one of the most popular Australian hard-rock bands of the period. Thorpe died from a heart attack in Sydney on 28 February 2007.

Originally a four-piece instrumental group who had put out one surfing instrumental, "Smoke & Stack", they formed in Sydney in 1963. With the advent of the Merseybeat sound, they added a lead singer, Billy Thorpe. His powerful voice and showmanship (which made him one of the most popular and respected rock performers in Australian music), completed the original line-up, which consisted of drummer Col Baigent, bassist John "Bluey" Watson and guitarists Valentine Jones and Vince Maloney (who later played with The Bee Gees). Valentine Jones left the band shortly after Billy Thorpe had joined and was later replaced by Tony Barber.
Chart success
The group broke through in mid-1964 with a massive nationwide hit, their cover of the Leiber and Stoller classic "Poison Ivy", which famously kept The Beatles from the No. 1 spot on the Sydney charts at the very moment that the group was making its first and only tour of Australia—a feat which resulted in Thorpe being invited to meet the Fab Four at their hotel.

Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs - On Stage FLAC

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah/I'm A Hog For You Baby/Jenny Jenny/What'd I Say

RE POST


 Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs were an Australian pop and rock group dating from the mid-1960s. The group enjoyed success in the mid-1960s, but split in 1967. They re-emerged in the early 1970s to become one of the most popular Australian hard-rock bands of the period. Thorpe died from a heart attack in Sydney on 28 February 2007.

On Stage was the third EP released by Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs in April 1965 on Parlophone.

Billy Thorpe - 1965 - Stand By Me

Stand By Me/Half As Much/My Babe/High Heel Sneakers



Three tracks taken from their second album "Billy Thorpe And The Aztecs" released in 1965 while the 3rd track My Babe only appeared on this EP.

Billy Thorpe - 1965 - I Told The Brook

Over the Rainbow/That I Love/Funny Face/I Told the Brook



Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs were an Australian pop and rock group dating from the mid-1960s. The group enjoyed success in the mid-1960s, but split in 1967. They re-emerged in the early 1970s to become one of the most popular Australian hard-rock bands of the period. Thorpe died from a heart attack in Sydney on 28 February 2007.

The band was signed by Ted Albert to his newly established Albert Productions, a local record label devoted exclusively to recording Australian pop artists. Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs had national chart success, their record sales and concert attendances rivalling those of The Beatles, with hits like "Mashed Potato", "Sick and Tired" and Wizard of Oz tune "Over the Rainbow" in the top ten of the record charts in most state capitals.

The original Aztecs lineup split from Thorpe at the beginning of 1965 over a financial dispute, so he created another set] with Johnny Dick (drums), Mike Downes (rhythm guitar, vocals), Colin Risbey (lead guitar, vocals), Jimmy Taylor (piano), Teddy Toi (bass guitar), Tony Buchanan (saxophone) and Rocky Thomas (brass). This lineup achieved further success with pop ballads such as "I Told the Brook", "Twilight Time" and "Love Letters


I Told the Brook was released in Australia in 1965 reaching #1 Sydney #3 Melbourne #1 Brisbane #1 Adelaide #2 Perth - double-sided hit in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with "Funny Face".

Released in Australia 1964 reaching #1 Sydney #6 Melbourne #1 Brisbane #1 Adelaide. Over The Rainbow was on Australian charts from the end of December 1964 until June 1965. Oz Net Music Charts shows it peaking at #1 nationally for two weeks in January 1965 B-Side was  That I Love.

Billy Thorpe - 1865 - Sick & Tired

Mashed Potato/About Love/Don't You Know/Sick N' Tired



 Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs were an Australian pop and rock group dating from the mid-1960s. The group enjoyed success in the mid-1960s, but split in 1967. They re-emerged in the early 1970s to become one of the most popular Australian hard-rock bands of the period. Thorpe died from a heart attack in Sydney on 28 February 2007.

Mashed Potato 1964 #7 Sydney #7 Melbourne #9 Brisbane #2 Perth, Don't Cha Know B-Side of Mashed Potato, Sick And Tired 1964 #3 Sydney #7 Melbourne #3 Brisbane #5 Adelaide #2 Perth, About Love 1964 #3 Sydney #7 Melbourne Double-sided hit with the A-side, Sick And Tired.

Billy Thorpe - 1967 - Love Letters

Wee Bit More of Your Lovin'/Love Letters/The New Breed/Dancing in the Street



 By 1966 many pundits were predicting that the so-called "Beat Boom" was coming to an to end. Sensing the change, Billy decided to expand his horizons to become an all-round entertainer. Backed by the "Mark II" Aztecs, he notched up further hits with "Twilight Time", "Hallelujah I Love Her So", "Love Letters" and "Word For Today".

 Released in Australia in 1965 "Love Letters" reached #2 in Sydney, #2 in Melbourne, #6 in Brisbane, #3 in Adelaide and #3 in Perth - a double-sided hit in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth with 'Dancing In The Street'. "The New Breed" released 1966 hit #11 Sydney #20 Brisbane #5 Perth Double-sided hit in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth with The Word For Today which charted alone in Melbourne and Adelaide. "Wee Bit More Of Your Lovin'" also released in 1966 only charted in Perth at #58