Sherbs - The Skill

Name: Sherbs
Album: The Skill
Year: 1980
Style: Power Pop
Similar Bands: Journey, Genesis, New Musik
"One-Word" Review: Smooth, Slightly Eccentric Pop
Based Out Of: Sydney, Australia
Label: ATCO, Atlantic, Warner Communications Company

Cover, Record

Back, Record

The Skill (1980)

1. I Have The Skill 3:46 (single)
2. Back to Zero 3:22
3. Cindy is Waiting 4:16
4. Crazy in the Night 3:50 (single)
5. I'll Be Faster 3:43
6. Never Surrender 3:47 (single) /
7. No Turning Back 5:30 (single b-side)
8. Love You to Death 4:08
9. Into the Heat 3:14
10. I'm O.K. 3:31 (single)
11. Juliet and Me 4:16 (single)
12. Parallel Bars 4:08

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Garth Porter - Keys (Samael Lilith, Toby Jugg, Sherbet, Highway, Melanie Horsnell, Craig McLachlan, James Blundell, Colin Buchanan, Lee Kernaghan, Doc Neeson's Angels,  Jay Denham, Sinead Burgess)
• Tony Mitchell - Bass (Blackfeather, Sherbet, Highway, harry Young & Sabbath, Wheelbarrow, Rick Wakeman, Streets, Barry Andrews, Hepworth Band, Stewart D'Arrietta, Martin Erdman, John Waters)
• Daryl Braithwaite - Vox (Bright Lights, House of Bricks, Samael Lilith, Sherbet, Highway, Australian Olympians, Company of Strangers, Sony Music All Stars, Margaret Ulrich, James Reyne, Lisa Edwards)
• Harvey James - Guitar (Mississippi, Ariel, Sherbet, Highway, Party Boys, Richard Clapton, )
• Alan Sandow - Drums (Daisy Roots, Sherbet, Highway, Flash & the Pan, Dave Miller, )
• Richard Lush - Producer, Engineer
• Alan Ewart - Cover
• David Cafe - Engineer
• Neil Rawle - Engineer
• Warren Barnett - Lacquer Cut
• Roger Davies - Mgmt
• George Marino - Mastering

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. No real tells with the artwork, name or title, but it kinda reminds me of the bland early 80's style that many soft rock / power pop bands went for. Its interesting though that they have a lot of sports themes - specifically gymnastics on the cover and some song titles, with the "plot twist" that the red ball is oozing paint on the back.

Album Review: They were also know as Sherbet (1969-1979) and Highway, and were a huge Australian band in the 70's with a string of top 20 hits, 10 platinum albums, and were the first Aussie band to reach one million $$$ in domestic sales. They were a Motown/rock cover-band for their first 3 years, transitioning to original clean cut boy band pop rock after. The name Highway was crafted for a harder sound to try & break into the US market, which always eluded them and even failed with the change. They held on, maintaining the name, even in their homeland, but their popularity decline and failure lead to a short break up in 1979, where they reemerged as Shrebs in 1980 with a modified new wave / power pop sound and some slightly quirky effects. The trade off landed them minor success in the US, but eroded any success they previously saw in Australia- or anywhere else for that matter. They reverted back to Sherbet in '84 for a farewell tour, were inducted into the Aussie music HOF in 1990, and have had occasional reunions since 1998, despite the passing of James in 2011 due to lung cancer. 

Stand Out Track: I'm O.K.

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Tampa Bay Times 2016