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Sherbet were the quintessential Seventies pop band. In 1969, when the original Sherbet was formed, Australian popular music was at something of a crossroads, ripe for a revolution. If they were still around the original Australian pop stars of the sixties were going 'progressive' - forming bands like Axiom, or in Billy Thorpe's case, taking up blues. Sydney's pop scene was virtually non-existent, swallowed up by nightclub entertainment geared towards American marines on Rest And Recreation from their duties in Vietnam. The soul and r&b music they favoured filtered on through the Sydney music of the day. And then, during the latter half of 1970, a dispute between Australian radio and the record companies saw a bunch of independent record labels spring up, favouring soft pop acts who could record the songs radio wasn't able to play in its original versions. It was in that environment that Sherbet evolved. English-born guitarist Clive Shakespeare formed the original Sherbet in April 1969, combining the remnants of his earlier group, Downtown Roll Band, and another band, Clapham Junction. Three months in, the original drummer was replaced by Alan Sandow, part of the attrition as Sherbet spent eight months for four nights a week, seven hours a night, as the resident band at Jonathan's discotheque, Sydney's R&R heartland. Sherbet released its first single 'Crimson Ships' (a Badfinger song) on March 1970. By the time it was released the singer on that single, Dennis McLaughlin, had also defected, replaced by ex-Samael Lilith singer Daryl Braithwaite. As only the strong survived during the Jonathan's stint, Sherbet evolved the hard-working ethic which would become their trademark. Work hard was all they could do. With the record ban now in place a new band like Sherbet had no hope of record company support. In October original keyboard player Sammy See left for the ranks of Flying Circus and was replaced by New Zealand born Garth Porter. The second Sherbet single didn't appear until August 1971, seventeen months after the first. On the way Sherbet had captured the attention of booking agent Roger Davies. As roadie for Gulliver Smith's Company Caine Davies had relocated from Melbourne to Sydney with that group, and when gigs were hard to come by, he found himself a job at a booking agency, hoping to be able to pass on the odd gig to his group in the process. Working at the agency, Roger Davies discovered Sherbet and that willingness to work anywhere, anytime, whatever it took. He passed on work to them also, and eventually he became their manager. The singles 'Can You Feel It Baby' and 'Free The People' both reached the lower reaches of the national chart, but in January 1972 a rift within the group nearly caused a major change, if not the end. Singer Daryl Braithwaite and bassist Bruce Worrall were planning to leave and form another group. In the end, Braithwaite agreed to stay, while Worrall left, and was replaced by Tony Mitchell. It was this Sherbet line-up which would dominate the charts with an unprecedented string of fifteen more hit singles over the next five years. Under the guidance of Roger Davies, Sherbet were the first Australian act to mount headlining tours travelling to all parts of the country. Their third album, 'Slipsteam' consolidated the band's own songwriting powers. Daryl Braithwaite managed to fit in a solo recording career (including a #1 hit with his version of 'You're My World') which only added to his and the group's popularity. Sherbet even weathered the storm of Skyhooks' dramatic burst to success in 1975 and both bands saw in the Countdown years.
In January 1976 founder Clive Shakespeare left for personal reasons, replaced intitially by Gunther Gorman, and then in April, by Harvey James. The new guitarist's first recording with the band was 'Howzat', their fifteenth hit, and first #1. The album of the same name also reached the top. It was time for Sherbet to look internationally. 'Howzat' was released around the world, and on September 17, 1976 Sherbet boarded a plane bound for London, where 'Howzat' was becoming a major hit. Also on that plane, also headed overseas for the first time, was Little River Band. In London 'Howzat' was rapidly heading for the top of the charts, but the local musicians' union stepped in the band's way and prevented them from undertaking all the promotional appearances they had planned. As a direct result, 'Howzat' stalled at #4. In the meantime the band moved on to the US and South-East Asia where their single was also showing signs of becoming a hit. On their return to Australia the band and its manager formed their own label, Razzle Records. Another studio album and a live record later, in June 1978 the group recorded an album in Los Angeles, marking what was to be the next chapter of their career by naming the album simply 'Sherbet'. The American release didn't happen until seven months after the album's Australian release. America had also decided the band needed a name change. "Sherbet" was too sugary and poppy for the sophisticated band the RSO label (home of the Bee Gees) wanted to promote. Their name was changed to Highway. For their subsequent Australian album the group shortened its name to the Sherbs. They released three albums under that name. America had lost interest almost straight away. In Australia the band had been away from their fans too much, had tampered with their success formula too much. While the Sherbs' records were a personal, creative triumph for the band, they had lost the attention of their legion of fans. In late 1984 the band announced it was breaking up and released a final single, 'Tonight Will Last Forever', as Sherbet. After a four year hibination Daryl Braithwaite embarked on a proper second again successful solo career. Gartb Porter would go on to make his name as one of the prime movers behind a new generation of Australian country performers (Lee Kernaghan and others). Sherbet's manager Roger Davies remained in America where he has guided the careers of artists including Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, Janet Jackson and Pink.
Sherbet reformed in January 2001 for Ted Mulry's benefit concerts, for the first time playing with both guitarists Clive Shakespeare and Harvey James.
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