Absent Friends (band)
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Defunct | 1990 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
Key people | Sean Kelly, Wendy Matthews, Garry Gary Beers, Geoffrey Stapleton, Andrew Duffield, James Valentine |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Absent Friends was a Sydney-based Australian ensemble active between 1989 and 1990. The band featured prominent artists including Sean Kelly (previously with Models and The Dukes), Andrew Duffield and James Valentine (both formerly of Models), Garry Gary Beers (INXS), Geoffrey Stapleton (GANGgajang), alongside Wendy Matthews.
Biography
Following the breakup of Models in 1988, Sean Kelly embarked on a solo path, releasing the single "Thank You, Goodnight" in March 1988, which did not achieve commercial success. Early in 1989, Kelly assembled a casual group initially named Sean Kelly and His Absent Friends, bringing together several well-known Australian musicians for live gigs starting in May 1989. The lineup featured Kelly (vocals/guitar), Wendy Matthews (vocals), Garry Gary Beers (bass), Nicole Ainslie (keyboards/vocals), Andrew Duffield (keyboards), James Valentine (saxophone), Michael King (guitar), and John Mackay (drums). By July 1989, they were performing as support for Crowded House at the 'Rock For Land Rights' event.
Towards the end of 1989, the band recorded original songs and issued their debut single as Absent Friends, "Hallelujah," which reached number 100 on the ARIA Charts in January 1990. Their follow-up single, "Hullabaloo," climbed to number 46 in March 1990. The album Here's Looking Up Your Address was launched through rooArt in April 1990 and peaked at number 7 on the ARIA Charts.
Their third release, a rendition of Eddie Floyd's "I Don't Want to Be with Nobody but You," became a significant hit, attaining number 4 on the Australian charts in July 1990 and earning gold status. It secured the ARIA Award for Best Single in 1991. Another track from the album, "Harmony," reached number 92. Throughout 1990, the band toured across Australia and released a promotional live EP titled Networking Live.
Later that year, Absent Friends joined INXS for an eight-week tour across Europe. During this time, Ron Francois took over bass duties from Beers, Geoffrey Stapleton replaced Duffield on keyboards; meanwhile, Ainslie and Valentine departed. They performed in major European venues, including five concerts at Wembley Arena.
Shortly after completing the tour, Sean Kelly disbanded Absent Friends. Wendy Matthews proceeded to release her first solo album Émigré, while Kelly and Stapleton went on to create The Dukes in 1991.
Members
- Wendy Matthews – lead vocals (1989–1990)
- Sean Kelly – lead vocals/guitar (1989–1990)
- Michael "Mick" King – lead guitar/vocals (1989–1990)
- Garry Gary Beers – bass/vocals (1989–1990)
- Ron Francois – bass/vocals (1990)
- John Mackay – drums/percussion/keyboards/vocals (1989–1990)
- Geoffrey Stapleton – keyboards (1990)
- James Valentine – saxophone (1989)
- Andrew Duffield – keyboards (1989)
- Nicole Ainslie – keyboards/vocals (1989)
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Here's Looking Up Your Address
|
7 | ARIA: Gold |
Extended plays
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1990 | Networking Live
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Highest chart position | Certifications | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Hallelujah" | 1989 | 100 | Here's Looking Up Your Address | |
| "Hullabaloo" | 1990 | 46 | ||
| "I Don't Want to Be with Nobody but You" (credited as Absent Friends featuring Wendy Matthews) |
1990 | 4 | ARIA: Gold | |
| "Harmony" | 1990 | 92 |
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards celebrate outstanding achievement and creativity within the Australian music scene. In 1991, the band earned three nominations, including Single of the Year for "I Don't Want to Be with Nobody but You," which secured the win. Additionally, they were contenders for Breakthrough Artist – Single and Breakthrough Artist – Album for Here's Looking Up Your Address.