Girl Overboard (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Founder | Lisa Schouw, Robin Gist, Brett McNaughton |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Studio albums, singles |
Girl Overboard originated as a pop rock ensemble initially named Separate Tables in 1985, founded by Lisa Schouw (contralto lead vocals), Robin Gist (guitar), and Brett McNaughton (keyboards). Following an expansion of their roster, they adopted the name Girl Overboard. The band produced two studio albums: Paint a Picture (released March 1990) and Go (1993), before dissolving in late 1993.
1983–1988: Formation
In 1983, Lisa Schouw (5 March 1958 – 2 October 2020) became part of the Melbourne-based group Pointz, collaborating with guitarist Robin Gist. The band later rebranded as Short Story and sought a publishing contract with Wheatley Records; however, the deal fell through and the group disbanded. After returning from New Zealand, Schouw joined forces again with Gist and keyboardist Brett McNaughton to establish Separate Tables in 1985, initially utilizing a drum machine for percussion.
The lineup grew to include Lee Davidson on drums, Dean Hilson on saxophone, and Jenny Milroy contributing backing vocals and percussion. They independently released the single "Long Dark Night" / "Wrap Your Arms Around Me." Upon signing with RCA/BMG, Separate Tables supported John Farnham during his Jack's Back Tour and were managed by the Neil Clugston Organisation. They released singles such as "When the Word Came Down" (February 1988) and "Change My Sex" (May 1988), though the latter received minimal radio exposure. Bassist John Favaro joined the group prior to the February 1989 release of "Wrap Your Arms Around Me." Additionally, the band contributed tracks to the soundtrack of the 1988 film Hungry Heart, which also featured Schouw in an acting role.
1989–1992: Paint a Picture
Recording sessions for their debut album Paint a Picture took place at Melbourne’s Metropolis Studios under the guidance of producer Ross Fraser. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1989, Fraser earned the ARIA Award for Producer of the Year for his work on Separate Tables’ "When the Word Came Down," John Farnham’s Age of Reason, and The State’s "Real Love." Doug Brady secured ARIA Award for Engineer of the Year for engineering "Change My Sex" and "When the Word Came Down" by Separate Tables among other projects.
In October 1989, coinciding with the release of their single "I Can't Believe," the band changed their name to Girl Overboard. Schouw explained to The Canberra Times's Kathryn Whitfield that this new name better represented their intensified, emotive style tailored for pub venues. Whitfield observed that Schouw, Gist, and McNaughton co-wrote all material, merging varied musical influences into a unified sound. The track "I Can't Believe" received a nomination for Breakthrough Artist – Single at the ARIA Music Awards of 1990. Their subsequent single "The Love We Make" (January 1990) reached No. 23 on the ARIA Singles Chart. Touring across Australia to promote Paint a Picture, the album peaked at No. 18 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Music historian Ian McFarlane characterized their style as a safe fusion of dance pop, light jazz elements, and American-inspired hard rock. In 1991, they toured both the United States and United Kingdom to develop new songs and connect with publishers and their label. Fraser earned another ARIA Award in 1991 partly for his production work with Girl Overboard.
1993: Go and dissolution
Their sophomore album Go, released in 1993, was produced by Charles Fisher who helped unify the project amid personnel changes that saw drummer Lee Davidson replaced by Tony Day. Singles from this album included "Chain of Fools", "Your Love", and "Jackie". Despite featuring richly layered pop arrangements highlighting Schouw's deep contralto voice, both Go and its singles failed to achieve significant commercial success, resulting in waning enthusiasm among members. Consequently, the band disbanded toward the end of 1993.
Passing
Lisa Schouw, lead vocalist for the group, passed away from cancer on 2 October 2020 at age 62 and was subsequently commemorated at the ARIA awards.
Members
- Lisa Schouw – vocals (deceased 2020)
- Robin Gist – guitar
- Brett McNaughton – keyboards
- Lee Davidson – drums (during Paint a Picture)
- Tony Day – drums (for Go)
- Jenny Milroy – backing vocals, percussion
- John Favaro – bass guitar
- John Farnham – guest appearance on Some Things Never Change
Studio albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Highest Chart Positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| Paint a Picture |
|
18 |
| Go |
|
91 |
Singles
| Year Issued | Single Title | Associated Album | Chart Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | |||
| 1987 | "Wrap Your Arms Around Me" / "Long Dark Night" (credited as Separate Tables) |
non-album single | — |
| "When the Word Came Down" (credited as Separate Tables) | 82 | ||
| 1988 | "Change My Sex" (credited as Separate Tables) | — | |
| 1989 | "Wrap Your Arms Around Me" (re-recorded) (credited as Separate Tables) | Paint a Picture | 71 |
| "I Can't Believe" | 43 | ||
| 1990 | "The Love We Make" | 23 | |
| "Permanent Friend" / "Some Things Never Change" | 85 | ||
| "In the Evening" | 130 | ||
| 1991 | "Who'll Stop the Rain" | non-album single | 59 |
| 1992 | "Your Love" | Go | 70 |
| "Chain of Fools" | 138 | ||
| 1993 | "Jackie" | 72 | |
| "If You're Going to Leave Tonight" | 218 |
Music Videos
| Year Released | Video Title | Corresponding Album | Video Director(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | "Long Dark Night" (as Separate Tables) |
non-album video release | Luigi Acquisto |
| "Blue Falls the Rain" (as Separate Tables) |
unreleased single and video project | ||
| "When the Word Came Down" (as Separate Tables) |
non-album video production | ||
| 1989 | "Wrap Your Arms Around Me" (as Separate Tables) |
Paint A Picture | director unknown |
| "I Can't Believe" | director unknown | ||
| "I Can't Believe" (alternate version) | |||
| 1990 | "The Love We Make" | Maurice Todman | |
| "Permanent Friend" | Kriv Stenders | ||
| "Some Things Never Change" | Jane Cole | ||
| "In The Evening" | Kriv Stenders | ||
| "In The Evening" (alternate version) | |||
| 1991 | "I Can't Believe" (US edition) | non-album videos | Grant Matthews |
| "Who'll Stop The Rain" | |||
| 1992 | "Your Love" | rowspan=3 | Go | rowspan=2 | Paul Elliott and Sally Bongers |
| "Chain Of Fools" | |||
| 1993 | "Jackie" | Paul Elliott |
ARIA Music Awards
Since 1987, the ARIA Music Awards have been held annually to honour outstanding achievement and creativity across all sectors of Australian music.
! |- | rowspan="2"| 1990 | "I Can't Believe" | Breakthrough Artist – Single | | rowspan="2"| [1] |- | Doug Brady for "I Can't Believe" performed by Girl Overboard | Engineer of the Year | |- | rowspan="2"| 1991 | "Permanent Friend" | Best Video | | rowspan="2"| [2] |- | Ross Fraser for producing "The Love We Make" by Girl Overboard | Producer of the Year | |-
External links
- Entry for Lisa Schouw
- ↑ "Winners by Year 1990". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
- ↑ "Winners by Year 1991". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 8 June 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2013.