Verne Condon - (I) Can’t Get Through To You (1967)

(John Merrill)
 Australia

Single on His Master’s Voice. The B-side Talk About Love was first released by Sandie Shaw on Pye EP Talk About Love. It was written by Chris Andrews who wrote five of Sandie Shaw’s eight biggest hits.

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Born in Burwood, Sydney in 1943, Peter Consandine trained as an actor with Hayes Gordon at the Ensemble Theatre and with Robert Levis at the Independent.

Using the stage name Verne Condon, he followed a career as a versatile singer, entertainer and compere .

Condon is a user-friendly version of Consandine. Actors’ Equity already had three Peter Condons on the books so Peter became Verne, a variation on Vene, his mother’s name.

From the mid-60s to the late-70s Verne Condon worked in pop, country-soul and vocal instrumental cabaret. Along the way he was backed by some of Australia’s biggest names in music including The Twilights, The Strangers, The Easybeats, The Chessmen and The Playboys.

Peter Consandine later furthered his studies, went into politics (he was a Strathfield alderman for a while) and became a prominent and untiring advocate for an Australian republic. He co-founded the Republican Party of Australia in 1982.

Of all the diverse music that Peter has encountered over the years, The Shadows remain unsurpassed for him. As he says, “Shadows music keeps me young.”

Thanks to Peter Consandine (Verne Condon).

Further reading.
Enjoy the historical vibe of these old news items, but they can get things wrong (one of them has Peter born in the wrong state).
1. “Hitchhikes on the way to the top”, Sun-Herald (Sydney), 11 July 1965, p. 76 (clipping, free view)
2. “Singer seeks voice in politics”, Sun-Herald (Sydney), 10 July 1977, p. 19 (clipping, free view)
3. “Battle Hymn of the Republican”, Sydney Morning Herald, 25 July 1992: (clippings p. 156, p.158, free views; paid sub for full article).
4. Soundtrack listing: Verne Condon TV appearance on Ernie Sigley Show (1974)