The Affair (band)
| Company type | Pop ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1966 |
| Founder | Gino Cunico |
| Defunct | 1970 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Music recordings, live performances |
The Affair was a pop ensemble that originated in 1966 under the name The Gino Affair. Although their period of activity yielded only moderate acclaim, the band is recognized for propelling several of its members to widespread national and international recognition.
History
The group was initially fronted by lead vocalist and former child actor Gino Cunico, with Tony Bolton and Keith Jackman (UK) handling drums, Jim Kelly on guitar, and Paul Wheeler playing bass. Following Cunico's exit in 1967, the band abbreviated its name to The Affair; Derek Fitton and later Kerrie Biddell assumed lead vocal duties by 1968.
Early in 1968, Mike Howlett took over bass responsibilities from Wheeler, while Rory Thomas joined the lineup on Hammond organ the subsequent month. In 1969, The Affair secured victory in the Vocal Group grand final of the national band contest Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds. Their second single, "Money Can't Buy Me Love," was released in October that year. Winning the competition awarded them a trip to London, leading to their relocation there in mid-1970; however, the band dissolved a few months afterward, with most members returning to Australia.
After the group's dissolution, Kerrie Biddell embarked on a successful career as a solo artist and educator. Jim Kelly became a highly regarded session guitarist and went on to establish the influential jazz-rock-fusion group Crossfire during the late 1970s. Paul "Sheepdog" Wheeler played bass for Billy Thorpe's heavy rock ensemble Aztecs between 1969 and 1973. Mike Howlett stayed in the United Kingdom, joining the progressive rock band Gong from 1973 to 1977 and later forming Strontium 90 with future members of The Police. Throughout the 1980s, Howlett gained prominence as a record producer for new wave bands such as A Flock of Seagulls (Grammy award recipient), Martha & The Muffins, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Gang of Four, Comsat Angels, and produced Joan Armatrading's Secret Secrets album in 1985.