Rose Tattoo
Australian hard rockers Rose Tattoo made their live debut on New
Years Eve 1976. In 1977 they recorded their debut single for
Alberts with producers Vanda and Young. Bad Boy For Love
was released in October - by which stage Ian Rilen had left the
band to form the infamous Australian punk outfit X.
The single peaked at Number 13 nationally (and Number 10 in
Sydney) setting the Tatts up as a solid rock draw card, competing
with the likes of Cold Chisel, Dragon, The Angels and Kevin Borich
Express on the (at the time) lucrative Oz pub circuit.
The group's self-titled debut album was finished in November
1978 and remains one of the classic Australian rock albums. Heavy
on the slide guitar, heavy on the aggression and heavy on the
attitude, the album was brimming with street anthems like Rock
'n' Roll Outlaw, One Of The Boys and The
Butcher And Fast Eddy.
Rose Tattoo changed line-up several times in the coming years
despite signing international record deals (with Rock 'n'
Roll Outlaw reaching Number 5 in Germany and Number 2 in
France). Unfortunately in the UK the Tatts were viewed as a punk
band but still managed to sell out two gigs at the Marquee Club
and appear at the Reading Festival. Most of 1981 was spent touring
Europe and the UK.
The band's fourth single, Rock and Roll Is King, and
their second album, Assault And Battery, reached Number 1
on the UK's heavy metal chart. The band's third album produced
three singles, including the mighty We Can't Be Beaten.
The Tatts did not slow down, embarking on a three month US tour
supporting Aerosmith and ZZ Top.
1984 brought the fourth Tatts album, Southern Stars,
and more line-up changes. The new line-up's first single was a
cracking version of Steppenwolf's biker anthem Born To Be
Wild. In 1985, Angry Anderson moved into movies and starred
as Ironbar Bassey in Mad Max III - Beyond Thunderdome
alongside Tina Turner and Mel Gibson.
The final Rose Tattoo album started out as an Anderson solo
album and was a more polished recording. It produced four singles
including the ballad Suddenly which was played during the
wedding of Charlene Mitchell (Kylie Minogue) and Scott Robinson
(Jason Donovan) in the popular soap opera Neighbours. The
single reached number one on the Australian charts in August 1987.
By the end of 1987, Rose Tattoo had broken up. When Guns N'
Roses toured Australia in 1993 they insisted that Rose Tattoo
re-form and act as their support act for two gigs. Accordingly the
line-up of Anderson, Wells, Cocks, Leach and drummer Paul DeMarco
(replacing the late Dallas Royal) re-formed.
Angry Anderson nurtured a successful TV career, becoming the
housewives and grandmother's friend on the Australian Mid-Day
Show.
Gary 'Angry' Anderson Vocals; Tony
Lake Vocals; Peter Wells Guitar,
vocals; Mick Cocks Guitar; Geordie
Leach Bass; Rob Riley Guitar; Dallas
'Digger' Royal Drums; Ian Rilen Bass; Lobby
Lloyd Bass; John Meyer Guitar; Greg
Jordan Guitar; Tim Gaze Guitar; Leigh
Johnston Guitar; Andy Cichon Bass; Jake
Landt Bass; Michael Vandersluys Drums; Robert
Bowron Drums; Scott Johnson Drums; Paul
DeMarco Drums; Rick Mellick Keyboards
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