Step behind the curtain and into Brendan Callinan's personal archive, where the grit and grime of 1980s AUSSIE rock meets candid backstage moments, industry highlights, and unforgettable memories.
‘I’M WITH THE BAND!’
The earliest band shot I have, sitting at my prized Crumar electronic piano, 1976, at 16 years of age
17 years old, playing the Tully Park Golf Club, Goulburn 1977
Our teenage art rock / prog band, Abbey, playing outdoors in Goulburn, circa 1977. We're not all left handed. The photo is inverted.
2SM's Concert of the decade, Sydney Opera House, 4th November 1979. We opened the show as one of the new generation of bands (alongside Mi Sex and Mental As Anything) to an estimated 200,000 packed concert goers!
Trying to break Melbourne, once again - 1980.
Powderworks Records promo shot, 1981, shot at the Diplomat Hotel in St Kilda, Melbourne. L-R: Chris Tagg, BC, Geoff Turner, Fess Parker, Brian Nichol
Still trying to break Melbourne, mid 1980
Parramatta Park (that's a guess) - circa 1980. Photo by Bob King
The Wurly and the Yamaha CS40M synth place this around 1982
On stage at the Save the Magpies benefit concert, Lidcombe Oval, October 1983. Photo by Bob King
Brian in 'Numbers' mode
Brian Nichol - Save the Magpies benefit, October 1983. Photo by Bob King
Brian (vocals) and Geoff (bass) - Save the Magpies, October 1983. Photo by Bob King
Selected as the ‘Mirror Male’, The Daily Mirror, in the run-up to Narara. Sydney, 1983.
Hordern Pavillion, 1983. Photo by Bob King
Backstage, Narara?, 1983. Photo by Bob King
Then on stage, Narara '83. Photo by Bob King
EMI Records promo shot 1983
An advert for Scream of the Real from RAM magazine, 1983
EMI Records promo shot, 1984.
Warner Music Publishing released the song ‘You’ as sheet music circa 1984
Fess Parker, in silhouette
Backstage, pre show. Hordern Pavillion? Photo by Bob King
At an equestrian event, Los Angeles, 1984.
Me at the keyboards, circa 1985
Me on keyboards, circa 1985. The shirt is from the US Boy Scouts
The Radiators play Darwin, circa 1985. That's Brian crossing the street, under the banner
One of several very serious social cricket matches we held, circa 1984. This one features former staff of EMI Records along with Rads members, friends and associates
St George Sailing Club made Wednesday the new Saturday
Straight after the show - hot, sweaty and still buzzing
The cancelled 1984 New Year’s Eve show in Bundaberg, Qld, as the rain bucketed down before a note could be played
The rain comes in sideways - cancelled 1984 New Year’s Eve show in Bundaberg, Qld.
Fess Parker and Mick Buckley - NYE 1984 after our cancelled show
An ad for The Venue (Dee Why Hotel) around 1986. I wonder if the consecutive programming of Chris Bailey and Ed Kuepper was intentional or not?
Someone left a wig backstage. Nasty Habits era merch
Mick, Brian, Russell Thomas (independent record promoter), Clive Hodson (Polygram Records A&R Director) and John Tagg (Manager), decked out in promotional denim jackets at the Nasty Habits launch - Melbourne, March 1987.
The live action shot from the back cover of Gimme....Live
The Radiators enjoy a day sailing on the Apollo, off Cairns circa 1987.
Drummer Jeffrey Shapiro, recording with The Radiators, Ground Control Studios, Santa Monica 1989.
The first incarnation of Modern Primitives. L-R: Mick Buckley, Rohan Cannon, BC, Nowmi Elk and Bill Jacobi, circa 1989
An early Modern Primitives gig - L-R: Mick Buckley, Rohan Cannon and BC
Modern Primitives promo shot, 1990 - L-R: Charlie Dlask, Mick Buckley, Nowmi Elk, Cleve Judge, Brendan Callinan
Modern Primitives on stage, Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney 1990 - BC, Nowmi Elk, Cleve Judge
Former Rads drummer, Chis Tagg, reunited with his gold record for Scream of the Real, April 2021. With thanks to Mal Brown
Ted Mulry and I, Modern Primitive's era around 1990