At the height of their fame in the 1990s, Melbourne pop-rockabilly trio The Sharp were a regular fixture in Geelong pubs.
Their blend of funky rock beats, 50s rock ‘n’ roll guitar, double bass and strong pop harmonies shot them to the top of the charts in Australia soon after their signing to Warner in 1992.
Their debut album This Is The Sharp went gold, they had a slew of tv and radio appearances and – the true mark of fame in those days – The Late Show parodied their single Scratch My Back.
Four years later the Sharp disbanded, claiming burnout and exhaustion after a gruelling two-year period of constant gigging, including a world tour in 1994.
Now, 30 years later, the trio has reformed as a quartet. With bassist and singer Allan Catlin electing not to be involved, fellow original members Charlie Rooke (guitar/vocals) and Piet Collins (drums/vocals) recruited Living End bassist Scott Owen and Melbourne vocalist Louie Lee Feltrin.
After touring the country last year, the new-look Sharp have recorded a new EP titled 4, featuring three studio tracks and a live version of Scratch My Back.
Collins said the band was enjoying the new lease on life “immensely”.
“Scott’s just an awesome player to work with, and Louie is a very seasoned frontman, performer… jumps around, has fun with the crowd, can sing all those high notes,” he said.
“The harmonies are bigger than ever, the sound is tighter than ever. It’s been a real joy to put the thing together again.”
The Sharp are at the Wool Exchange on Saturday, September 13, supported by Geelong’s own Lash78. Visit thewoolexchange.com.au for tickets.
