Normie Rowe

Australia’s biggest pop star of the sixties, Normie Rowe defied the logic of the times. His period of peak popularity came when the Beatles were dominating the charts around the world. It was the period of popular music where most established solo singers were suddenly banished from the charts, and young singers were joining or forming bands. And yet, here was this Melbourne teenager creating pop riots and becoming the first Melbourne recording artist to achieve a national Australian No.1.

Born on February 1, 1947 Normie emerged to stardom with one leg planted in the past, and the other stepping into the future. In those days the way into a music career was to attend a music school. Normie had already sung in the local church choir and performed in a high school band when at the age of 14 he appeared at his music school’s concert and was spotted by the concert’s compere, prominent Melbourne radio personality Stan Rofe. Impressed, Stan made the appropriate introductions to dance promoters. By the time he released his first single Normie already had several years of experience behind him, in the traditional dance circuit where (as in the Big Band era) several featured singers stepped up to perform in front of the house band. The Beatles era changed all that, but Normie had served his apprenticeship that way. At the same time, he was one of the first Melbourne entertainers with the ‘long hair’ of the new Beatles-influenced music era. Famously, Normie had to choose between his hair and his job with the PMG. He chose his hair and singing.

EMI had its chance to sign Norm, but Sydney said he couldn’t sing. Festival, through Brisbane independent Sunshine Records offered him the chance instead. The first single, on a suggestion from mentor Stan Rofe was a version of the ‘Porgie And Bess’ stage musical song ‘It Ain’t Necessarily So’. Rofe had heard an updated version on a Searchers’ album from England. In Normie Rowe’s hands it drove a wedge right through the generation gap. Not only was he long haired, he was suggesting that “the things in the Bible” weren’t necessarily true. Controversy! The fact that the song came from an established musical meant it couldn't be dismissed out of hand. It became a top ten hit.

For his second single Normie dived into Stan Rofe’s vast record collection and came up with Ben E King’s ‘I Who Have Nothing’. Another top ten. The third single took the nation by storm. On one side the pop singer revived and energized Doris Day’s ‘Que Sera Sera’; (YouTube) on the other side he recorded English rock’s only pre-Beatles classic, ‘Shakin All Over’. Both sides received massive airplay and carried the single to No.1 nationally, accompanied by the constant “Normie Rowe riot” headlines generated by the singer’s live performances.

The head of Sunshine records, Ivan Dayman, also Normie’s manager, ran a long-established string of national venues. He knew the art of promotion. Legend has it that the security guards hired to protect Normie from his enthusiastic fans were also under instructions to trip the singer or push him off stage into the arms of his fans, ensuring those “riots”. Venues were also crowded beyond capacity, resulting in fans fainting from more than Normie Rowe worship. However it happened, it all made for great pictures and headlines in the newspapers. The hits kept coming.

Normie Rowe and his group The Playboys became the star attraction of the Sunshine tours which criss-crossed the eastern coast of Australia, Normie on a bus with all the rivals for his crown as Australia’s No.1 King Of Pop – Tony Worsley, Mike Furber – anxious to upstage him.

In September 1966 Normie travelled to England, where he recorded four tracks, including ‘Ooh La la’, another big hit for him at home, and scraping into the lower reaches of the English charts. He promoted his second English single ‘It’s Not Easy’ touring with Gene Pitney and the Troggs, and toured America with Roy Orbison.

By now the Beatles and world music had gone from mop tops to Sgt.Pepper and Normie was finding the hits harder to come by. The biggest challenge to his career came at the hands of the Australian Government. The nation was involved in the Vietnam War, and 20 year olds were liable to the annual army conscription. Normie Rowe's name came up in the 1968 intake. Most conscripts were selected by a ballot of birthday dates Normie's was not one of those that was drawn out. The discrepancy resulted in years of speculation that Normie Rowe might have been called because of who he was.

In the meantime Normie Rowe had served time in Vietnam, and was one of the lucky ones to return. But those two years away from his fans cost him dearly. Australia had a new King Of Pop in Johnny Farnham. Normie scored his last hit in May 1970 just after his release from the Army.

He has continued to perform ever since, and record sporatically. In 1987 Normie Rowe stepped back into the spotlight when he landed the lead role in the musical ‘Les Miserables’. Due to personality differences with the producers he did not stay with the long-running show when it moved from Sydney to Melbourne.

Normie Rowe has become a leading advocate and spokesman for the Vietnam Veterans.