Tony Worsley and The Fabulous Blue Jays..Ready, Steady, Let's Go

Tony was born Anthony Asheen Worsley in England in 1944 and emigrated with his family from his hometown of Hastings to the sunnier climes of Brisbane when he was 15. Tony had already set his sights on a show biz career. As a lad he won several amateur talent quests in England including one judged by Lonnie Donegan and Tommy Steele, which carried first prize of a Decca recording contract.

The Blue Jays were already well established in Melbourne and one of the city's leading dance groups. They had formed in 1959. They cut a series of swingin' instrumental singles and EPs for the Crest label, and a delightfully titled LP, "The Arthur Murray Twist Party Featuring The Blue Jays Big Dance Beat".

The Blue Jays teamed with Tony Worsley at the start of 1964, and with their name enhanced by the suitably glamorous prefix Fabulous the group immediately set about creating a dynamic stage show, centred on Tony's gritty tenor voice, good looks and dynamic showmanship. Tony's 'take-no-prisoners' attitude was backed up by one of the tightest and most competent bands in the country and the Blue Jays trademark 'fat' sound blended sax and guitar in a potent lead instrumental assault, giving them a powerful attack and they soon earned a reputation for upstaging the main acts.

Bio notes from Milesago (http://www.milesago.com/mainframe.htm)

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Shake, Rattle & Roll...Australia's Crest Label 1961 - 1964

Melbourne's Crest Records (no relation to the American label of the same name) operated from around 1961 into the mid-1970s. Crest's releases covered a wide range of music including pop, folk, jazz, Jewish traditional and liturgical music and novelty titles. Catalogue numbers indicate that there are more Crest titles to be identified, but since many of its releases are evidently outside the pop-rock genre boundary they are not listed in the major pop discographies.

One of Crest's first 7" single releases (October 1961) was by renowned Melbourne band The Blue Jays, which became famous in the mid-1960s as The Fabulous Blue Jays, the backing group for vocalist Tony Worsley. The third single, also by The Blue Jays, featured vocals by Laurie Allen (of Bobby & Laurie fame) who was a member of the band at the time. 

Other early Crest singles were by Malcolm Arthur & The Knights, one of Melbourne's first rock'n'roll bands, and singer Kenny Arnott.

This 31 track compilation covers tracks from the early sixties. It features Laurie Allen, The Blue Jays, Johnny and The Wildcats, Malcolm Arthur and His Knights, The Martells and more. Also includes 2 interviews from DJ Stan Rofe.

1 Laurie Allen– Wolfman

2 Laurie Allen– I Left My Heart In Broken Hill

3 Laurie Allen– The Monster

4 The Fabulous Blue Jays– Buckeye

5 The Fabulous Blue Jays– Peppermint Twist

6 The Fabulous Blue Jays– Sheba

7 The Fabulous Blue Jays– Old Spinning Wheel Twist

8 The Fabulous Blue Jays– John Peel

9 Frankie Brent– Shakin' All Over

10 Lyn Langford– Mama Don't Want

11 Allan Easterbrook– Long Pony Tail

12 Johnny And The Wildcats– Funiculi Funicula

13 Johnny And The Wildcats– Moonshot

14 Johnny Cosgrove– Early In The Morning

15 Lyn Langford– Dance With A Dolly

16 Malcolm Arthur And The Knights– The Reason

17 Malcolm Arthur And The Knights– Please Understand

18 Malcolm Arthur And The Knights– Cross My Heart

19 The Knights – Jezebel

20 The Knights – Like Greensleeves

21 Beverly Trim– What'd I Say

22 Mick Ellis And The Dymonds– Sixteen Candles

23 Mick Ellis And The Dymonds– Don't Care Too Much

24 Laurie Allen– T-W-I-S-T

25 Laurie Allen– Let's Twist Again

26 Laurie Allen– Do The Twist Some More

27 Des Kelly And The Wildcats– Suzanne

28 The Martells – Yes I Do

29 The Martells – Farmer John

Bonus Tracks

30 Stan Rofe, The Fabulous Blue Jays– Stan Rofe Interviews The Bue Jays/Everybody Loves Saturday Night

31 Stan Rofe, The Fabulous Blue Jays– Stan Rofe Interviews The Bue Jays/The Maori Farewell

Shake, Rattle & Roll