By MICHELLE HERBISON
EIGHTIES pop divas The Chantoozies are back to entertain audiences old and new, with touring and recording plans in the pipeline.
Female vocalists Eve von Bibra, Angie La Bozzetta, Tottie Goldsmith and Ally Fowler have remained close friends since the group’s peak in the mid-80s to early ’90s.
“It’s a bit like just putting on a very comfortable old pair of slippers. Well, sequin slippers,” Fowler told the Independent with a laugh.
She denied the group’s renewed activities were the result of “a big conscious decision to reform”.
“Eve and Tottie were doing a few corporate gigs around town while Angie and I were both living in Sydney,” she said.
When Fowler returned to Melbourne from Sydney, Goldsmith suggested she join them to perform some Chantoozies songs.
“As long as there were three of us that was fine, that’s within The Chantoozies brief,” Fowler explained.
The women then teamed up with their original publicists to book some gigs and are now performing together again at least once a week, singing old favourite and new covers.
The Chantoozies released two albums, in 1987 and 1991, featuring hits such as Witch Queen, Wanna Be Up and Kiss’n’Tell.
Fowler revealed that audiences could expect to hear covers including Rev it Up, Take a Little Piece of My Heart, Under the Milky Way and Why Did You Do It, Fowler revealed.
“We prefer to stay away from the really modern stuff. We see this whole ’80s thing as a window of opportunity that’s not necessarily an ongoing thing.”
The Chantoozies were also planning to record an original song and accompanying video clip to release online via their website and iTunes, Fowler said.
“We’re not really interested in doing a whole album but hopefully our live audience will grow.
“We have an enormous amount of fun on stage and we want to put on an entertaining show with tunes that bring back memories for people that they like dancing to.”
The Chantoozies will join an array of local and visiting artists at Geelong’s inaugural Motor City Music Festival, from 7 to 9 March.
More information and tickets are available at motorcitymusicfestival.com.au
