Jeremy Saxon Oxley (born 15 November 1961) is an Australian songwriter, singer and guitarist. He is best known for his work with the 1980s pop-rock band Sunnyboys.
Biography
1961-1978: Early Life
Jeremy Oxley grew up in the northern
New South Wales
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, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
town of
Kingscliff
Kingscliff is a coastal town just south of Tweed Heads in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, and is a beach community offering a variety of holiday accommodations. Together with the villages of Chinderah and Fingal, it i ...
after his parents, Eric and Jan, moved from Sydney. Jeremy was the second oldest of five children, the others being older brother Peter, sister
Melanie
Melanie is a feminine given name derived from the Greek μελανία (melania), "blackness" and that from μέλας (melas), meaning "dark". Jeremy was a natural surfer, and at the age of 14 was Queensland's schoolboy surfing champion, he was also a talented soccer player and a gifted musician. Jeremy played the guitar and formed a high-school rock band with his older brother, Peter, and a primary school friend, Bill Bilson, called Wooden Horse.
1979-1991: Sunnyboys, Chinless Elite and The Fishermen
In 1979, Jeremy's brother
Peter
Peter may refer to:
People
* List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* Peter (given name)
** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church
* Peter (surname), a sur ...
, met Bil Bilson and Richard Burgman in
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
and formed a band, Shy Imposters, which broke up in early 1980. Jeremy joined and they formed a new band, Sunnyboys. The band's name came from a Sunnyboy, an orange-flavoured water ice in a tetrahedron shaped 'tetra-pack'. According to Richard Burgman, the band chose the name because it represented ‘bright, happy, young, fun’. The band's first public performance was on 15 August 1980, supporting The Lipstick Killers and Me 262, and it quickly became popular in the Sydney band scene.
The band were signed to
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records was an Australian flagship record label, founded in 1972 in Melbourne. It published and distributed many successful Australian artists and expanded internationally, until it was merged with Festival Records in 1998. Festival Mu ...
and between 1981 and 1984, released three top 40 studio albums. The band dissolved in 1984 following internal dissent, industry disappointments and Jeremy's health issues. It was later revealed that Oxley has
schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social withdra ...
.
Jeremy went on to form Chinless Elite with Luke Bendt (drums), Mark Fuccilli (saxophone) (Big 5,
Allniters
The Allniters are a Sydney-based Australian ska pop band, founded in 1980. Original line-up was Ted Ayers on saxophone, sax, Dave Bebb on drums, Stuart Crysell on guitar, Martin Fabok on guitar, Peter Hill-Travis on vocals, Graham Hood (The John ...
), Sean McElvogue (trumpet, saxophone) (Big 5), Marcus Phelan (Allniters, Hoi Polloi), John Schofield (bass)( Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls), Andrew Robertson (drums). The band exploring
cover songs
In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or Sound recording and reproduction, recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referr ...
of soul legends; like
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
,
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...
,
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. ...
and
Jimmy Cox James Cox (July 28, 1882 – March 3, 1925) was an American vaudeville performer, and songwriter famous for his Roaring Twenties hit, "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out
"Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" is a blues standard wri ...
/
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
. The Chinless Elite released a self-titled 12" EP and a 7" single, "I Got To Get to California"/"I Heard it on the Grapevine", on the Big Time label in 1985.
Oxley then formed The Fishermen in 1986, with Andrew Denison (vocals bass), Tony Gibson (guitar), Ian Patterson (drums), Melvin Stewart (vocals, bass). The band produced a 7" single, "Can't You Stop"/"City Opera" in November 1986 on the
Waterfront Records
Waterfront Records was an independent record label based in Sydney that released recordings by Australian bands during the 1980s and 1990s.
History
Waterfront records was started in 1982 by Steven Stavrakis who at the time was an employee of ...
label. recorded with Andrew Denison & Ian Potterton.
In 1987 Oxley attempted to revive the Sunnyboys name with a new line-up, as older brother Peter, Bilson and Burgman were all playing in other bands. The new line-up of Sunnyboys released a studio album ''
Wildcat
The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while the ...
'' and three singles. The band retired early due to an accident damaging Oxley's hand. Recovering in early 1990s, Oxley re-formed the original Sunnyboys line-up for a re-union in 1991 and subsequent reformation tour and released a
greatest hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
album, ''
Play the Best
''Play the Best'' is the first greatest hits album by the Australian power pop group, Sunnyboys. It was released in July 1991 and peaked at number 75 on the ARIA Albums Chart
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, iss ...
'' in July 1991.
1992-2007: Solo
In 1992, Oxley began to tour under the name Jeremy Oxley Band and in 1992, released his debut EP ''A Little Bit of You in Me'' as Jeremy 'Ponytail' Oxley. Shortly thereafter, Oxley suffered a recurrence of a previous illness, which effectively halted his work in music.
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as "The 'G", is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadiu ...
to celebrate the 25th anniversary of
Mushroom Records
Mushroom Records was an Australian flagship record label, founded in 1972 in Melbourne. It published and distributed many successful Australian artists and expanded internationally, until it was merged with Festival Records in 1998. Festival Mu ...
, organised by
Michael Gudinski
Michael Solomon Gudinski AM (22 August 1952 – 2 March 2021) was an Australian record executive and promoter who was a leading figure in the Australian music industry. Born and raised in Melbourne to Jewish Russian immigrants, Gudinski formed ...
.
Between 1998 and 2008, Oxley composed two unreleased albums, ''Sanctuary 9'', and ''Monastery''. In 2008, Jeremy found love and moved to Queensland. The couple have since married.
In April 2012, the Sunnyboys original line-up played as part of the Dig It Up concert series and have continued to tour periodically since. In 2019, Sunnyboys celebrated 40 year since the release of their self-titled debut extended play with a '' 40'' album and tour.