Billy Thorpe

This article is about the Australian musician. For further details of his band, see Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs.

Billy Thorpe
Thorpe performing "Most People I Know" on ABC-TV's GTK, 1972
Thorpe performing "Most People I Know"
on ABC-TV's GTK, 1972
Background information
Birth nameWilliam Richard Thorpe
Also known asLittle Rock Allen
Puff'n Billy
Born(1946-03-29)29 March 1946
Manchester, England
Died28 February 2007(2007-02-28) (aged 60)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
GenresRock, pop
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • guitarist
  • writer
Years active1956–2007
LabelsAtlantic, Festival, Mushroom, Liberation

William Richard Thorpe[1] AM (29 March 1946 – 28 February 2007) was an English-born Australian singer-songwriter, and record producer.[2] As lead singer of his band Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, he had success in the 1960s with "Blue Day", "Poison Ivy", "Over the Rainbow", "Sick and Tired", "Baby, Hold Me Close" and "Mashed Potato"; and in the 1970s with "Most People I Know Think That I'm Crazy".[2][3] Featuring in concerts at Sunbury Pop Festivals and Myer Music Bowl in the early 1970s, the Aztecs also developed the pub rock scene and were one of the loudest groups in Australia.[2][4][5]

Thorpe also performed as a solo artist. He relocated to America from 1976 to 1996; after moving, he released the space opera Children of the Sun,[2] which peaked in the top 40 of the Billboard Pop Album chart in 1979.[6] He worked with ex-Aztec Tony Barber to form a soft toy company in 1987 and co-wrote stories for The Puggle Tales and Tales from the Lost Forests.[7][8] Thorpe also worked as a producer and composed music scores for TV series including War of the Worlds, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Columbo, Eight Is Enough and Hard Time on Planet Earth.[2][9]

Thorpe returned to Australia in 1996 and continued as a performer and producer, additionally he wrote two autobiographies, Sex and Thugs and Rock 'n' Roll (1996) and Most People I Know (Think That I'm Crazy) (1998).[7] According to Australian rock music historian Ian McFarlane, "Thorpie evolved from child star, beat pop sensation and cuddly pop crooner to finally emerge as the country's wildest and heaviest blues rocker. Thorpie was the unassailable monarch of Australian rock music".[2] Thorpe was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 1991.[10][11] He died of a heart attack in February 2007 and was posthumously appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in June for his contribution to music as a musician, songwriter and producer.[12][13]

Unlike multiple other Australian artists, Thorpe gained musical fame internationally in countries such as Canada and the United States. His cult following, particularly after the aforementioned sci-fi themed album Children of the Sun came out, notably involved dramatic live performances outside of Australia such as with laser light shows playing inside multiple planetariums. That release alone sold approximately half a million copies worldwide.[14]

In 2009, Thorpe was announced as one of the Q150 Icons selected for historical commemoration by the government of Queensland, his influence being recognized during the Q150 celebrations. His musical legacy continues after his death, particularly around local areas that he frequently played within live.

  1. ^ "Song Catalogue Search Results for 'Most People I Know Think That I'm Crazy'". APRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association, Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society). Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Billy Thorpe'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
  3. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
  4. ^ Nimmervoll, Ed (2007). "Billy Thorpe (and the Aztecs)". HowlSpace: The Living History of Our Music (Ed Nimmervoll). Archived from the original on 14 April 2002. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  5. ^ Creswell, Toby; Samantha Trenoweth (2006). "Billy Thorpe". 1001 Australians you should know. North Melbourne, Vic: Pluto Press Australia. pp. 221–222. ISBN 978-1-86403-361-8. NOTE: On-line copy has limited view.
  6. ^ "Billy Thorpe > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". allmusic. Macrovision. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
  7. ^ a b "Search results for 'author:"Thorpe, Billy"'". catalogue. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 May 2009.
  8. ^ Google Book Search inauthor:"Billy Thorpe". 2009. Retrieved 24 May 2009.
  9. ^ "Billy Thorpe (I)". Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Retrieved 20 May 2009.
  10. ^ "ARIA 2008 Hall of Fame inductees listing". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 15 June 2008. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
  11. ^ "Winners by Award: Hall of Fame". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 8 June 2009. Retrieved 24 May 2008.
  12. ^ "Search Australian Honours result for THORPE, William Richard". It's an Honour Australia Celebrating Australians. Australian Government. 11 June 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  13. ^ "Thorpe receives posthumous honour". ABC Online. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). 11 June 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2007.
  14. ^ Tait, John (28 September 2020). Astonishing Rock Trivia. Melbourne Books. ISBN 978-1925556896.