(Kevin Clancy - Peter Rechter)
Australia
Original version
Claudette Jones was written by Silhouettes lead singer and keyboardist Peter Rechter with lead guitarist Kevin Clancy.
Essential reading: Jason Barnard’s 2024 interview with Peter, at the website of UK podcast Strange Brew.
The Silhouettes, from Bendigo in Victoria, were formed in 1964. Claudette Jones was one of two Silhouettes tracks included on The Scene … Northern Victoria, a 1966 LP recorded in Melbourne by various artists from Bendigo and nearby towns.
In 1966, with a partially changed line-up, The Silhouettes became The Tol-Puddle Martyrs, whose keyboard-driven r&b sound and lyrics of social commentary made them one of the hippest and most popular bands in their region. They recorded two still highly-regarded singles, Time Will Come/Social Cell (1967) and Love Your Life/Nellie Bligh (1968).
♫ Time Will Come at YouTube
In recent years there has been renewed interest in The Silhouettes and The Tol-Puddle Martyrs, especially by aficionados of overlooked 60s beat/garage bands. Reissues, broadcasts and remakes of Claudette Jones have come from a number of independent sources, often beyond Australia.
The Silhouettes’ original version of Claudette Jones is on the collection Tol-Puddle Martyrs, along with all four original sides of The Tol-Puddle Martyrs’ 1960s singles. Also included is a later recording of Claudette Jones by Peter Rechter’s band Secrets(see below).
Update 2024: Peter Rechter has continued to write and record, and in recent years has released further Tol-Puddle Martyrs albums. The latest, Houdini in Reverse was released in 2023. See also, for example, Brain Fade (2019) and Under a Cloud (2021).
Early Tol-Puddle Martyrs tracks have added some 1960s ambience to several film and TV soundtracks, including for What We Do in the Shadows (2019), The Oath (2019), and the trailer for A Very English Scandal (2018).
Further reading: 1. Tol-Puddle Martyrs at Facebook. 2. Tol-Puddle Martyrs biography by Richie Unterberger at All Music.
Peter & the Silhouettes, as seen on the album
cover of The Scene … Northern Victoria.
(Kevin Clancy - Peter Rechter)
Italy
Later version
On Teen Trash Vol. 9 on the Music Maniacs label, by Italian “60s garage punk band” formed in Turin, 1989.
♫ Listen at YouTube
(Kevin Clancy - Peter Rechter)
Netherlands
Later version
Dutch sixties-style rock/surf band. On 7″ EP Special Request on Teenscream label. Also on the Firebirds’ album My First Sonny Weissmuller Album (2000) on Ahoea label.
♫ Listen at YouTube
Not the same band as the 1960s American Sidekicks.
7″ single, Big Town Redneck / Claudette Jones, released on Melbourne label Corduroy #060.
Recorded in London March 1999 (Discogs.com). A 1999 release seems to fit into Corduroy’s chronology (45cat).
A London based outfit on an Australian record label with an Australian 60s punk song. Josh Collins is the singer. He organised the Wild Weekend Festivals, the Frat Shack parties and many more around the turn of the century and now he lives in … Australia. Fantastic screaming garage punk stomper from 1999 on Corduroy Records.
Dirk Roeyen
at Ungawa!
(Kevin Clancy - Peter Rechter)
Australia
Later version
Peter Rechter’s post-Tol-Puddle Martyrs band, first formed in 1977 as Ginger, became The Secrets in 1979. They disbanded in the 80s but were re-formed in 1996 by Peter with Graham McCoy, and were still releasing fresh material into the early 2020s.
This was recorded at a Secrets session but has also been distributed with the old Tol-Puddle Martyrs name.
Now available on the retrospective album Tol-Puddle Martyrs, along with original 60s tracks by Tol-Puddle Martyrs and Peter & The Silhouettes.
(Kevin Clancy - Peter Rechter)
Australia
Later version
Track by Melbourne post-punk band on the various artists album Wild About You! A Tribute to the Australian Rock Underground (1963-1968), on Weather Records. The album also included a version of The Tol-Puddle Martyrs’ Time Will Come by Pink Stainless Tail.
A project of Melbourne community radio station 3CR.
(Kevin Clancy - Peter Rechter)
Belgium
Later version
On EP Fast Girl.
The release is on Belgian label Cherry Bomb by female rock’n’roll band from Melbourne Australia. The band was formed in 2004 with influences including 60s Garage punk and 70s power pop.
The name DollSquad (also seen as DollSquaD, DOLLSQUAD or Dollsquad) is a tribute to the 1973 film of that name.
Co-writer Peter Rechter from Peter & The Silhouttes is heard on keyboards.
Further reading: 1. Detailed interview with band founder and frontwoman Joey Bedlam (in German). 2. DollSquad discography at Discogs.com.
Discovered by Philippe, merci.
(Kevin Clancy - Peter Rechter)
Australia
Later version
On album Contact by garage/punk/folk band on the Off The Hip label, by the record store of the same name at 381 Flinders Lane (via Tavistock Place), Melbourne.
♫ Listen at YouTube
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Website by Lyn Nuttall. © Lyn Nuttall 2004-2024. Chart positions courtesy of Gavin Ryan’s Australian Chart Books and Dean Scapolo’s Complete NZ Music Charts. Special thanks to Terry Stacey for information, corrections and suggestions. Thanks also to Tony Watson, Philippe Edouard, Dave Overett.., More…