The Pelaco Brothers
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1974 in Melbourne, Australia |
| Defunct | 1975 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Music recordings, live performances |
The Pelaco Brothers (also known as The Pelaco Bros.) were an Australian rockabilly ensemble formed in 1974 in Melbourne. The original lineup included Joe Camilleri (saxophone, vocals), Stephen Cummings (lead vocals), Peter Lillie (guitar, vocals), Johnny Topper (bass), Karl Wolfe (drums), and Chris Worrall (guitar). Subsequent additions to the group featured Ed Bates (guitar) and Peter Martin (slide guitar). Although their tenure lasted just 18 months, they significantly influenced the local music scene with a uniquely Australian interpretation of American-inspired rockabilly, focusing on themes like truck drivers and open roads. The band dissolved by late 1975, leaving behind a six-track extended play titled The Pelaco Bros. released in 1976. Afterward, Camilleri went on to establish the blues-rock outfit Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, while Cummings and Bates formed the new wave band the Sports in 1976.
History
The Pelaco Brothers emerged in 1974, incorporating musicians from notable Melbourne groups such as King Bees and Sharks. Their name was inspired by a sign advertising a local shirt manufacturer. Musically, they fused rockabilly, country swing, and R&B elements infused with an Australian sensibility. After disbanding in late 1975, their post-breakup output included the live six-track EP The Notorious Pelaco Brothers Show (alternatively titled The Pelaco Bros.) released by Ralph Records in 1976, alongside three studio recordings featured on the 1978 compilation The Autodrifters and The Relaxed Mechanics Meet The Fabulous Nudes and The Pelaco Bros issued through Missing Link Records.
Following the band's split, Camilleri founded Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, while Cummings and Bates initiated the Sports. Peter Lillie collaborated with other Melbourne musicians to form Relaxed Mechanics, and Johnny Topper established The Fabulous Nudes; both groups eventually disbanded. Subsequently, Lillie and Topper joined forces to create The Autodrifters, which also included Wolfe and additional members.
Lillie continued to impact Melbourne’s music landscape by releasing three solo singles between 1979 and 1981, later compiled into the album Peter Lillie's Guitar Method. His sophomore solo release, Poetry & Western, arrived in 1997. The band's tracks were featured in the 1982 suburban horror movie This Woman Is Not a Car. Peter Lillie died in September 2012 at age 61 due to liver disease. Chris Worrall passed away on 9 May 2024.
Extended plays
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| The Notorious Pelaco Brothers Show |
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