Ted Mulry

Martin Albert Mulry (2 September 1947 – 1 September 2001), known professionally as Ted Mulry, was an English-born Australian singer, songwriter, bass player and guitarist. As a solo artist, his second single, "Falling in Love Again" (February 1971), reached No. 11 on the Go-Set National Top 60. From September 1972 he led his own band, Ted Mulry Gang, which were also credited as TMG. They had a number-one hit single on the Kent Music Report with "Jump in My Car" (September 1975) and top ten appearances with a cover version of "Darktown Strutters' Ball" (February 1976), and with "Jamaica Rum" (January 1977) and "My Little Girl" (May). Their second album, Struttin' (May 1976), also reached the top ten. The group disbanded in 1986, although periodically reformed. Mulry announced in February 2001 that he had been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. In the next month numerous music artists responded with Gimme Ted, a series of benefit concerts, which were recorded for a 2×DVD video tribute album, Gimme Ted – The Ted Mulry Benefit Concerts (May 2003). Mulry died of his brain tumour in September 2001.

Martin Albert Mulry was born on 2 September 1947 in Oldham, Lancashire, England.^[1][2][3] His younger brother, Steve Mulry, was also a musician. Mulry started learning guitar from the age of ten. On 5 April 1966 Mulry arrived in Sydney as a cotton weaver intending to work at Carinya Farm, Bargo.^[3] By 1969 he was working for the Department of Main Roads, driving a bulldozer.^[4][5]

He sent a demo tape of his own compositions to Albert Productions in Sydney and intended to gain work as a songwriter.^[6] The company persuaded him to release his own recordings.^[5] He gained notice as a solo singer-songwriter with his pop ballad, "Julia" (February 1970), which reached the Go-Set National Top 40 in mid-May.^[4][7][8] However, the single's airplay and charting was adversely affected by the 1970 radio ban, which was a "pay for play" dispute and prevented commercial radio from playing some works (including Mulry's).^[9] Mulry's next single, "Falling in Love Again" (February 1971), was written by Vanda & Young (ex-the Easybeats), which reached No. 11.^[10]

During his solo career Mulry was typically backed by ad hoc groups.^[6] For the Canberra Day Pop Concert, in March 1971, the line-up was local musicians Russ Corkhill on piano and organ, Bob Martin on guitar, Paul Reynolds on bass guitar, and Tony Simon on drums.^[11][12] In June of that year he supported visiting English pop group, the Kinks at a performance in Canberra.^[13] He used the same backing musicians, who The Canberra Times' Michael Foster described as "very good Canberra musicians."^[13] He also felt that "Best of his presentations were probably 'Julia' and 'Louisa', with everyone happy to hear 'Falling in Love Again'. I would have enjoyed 'Take Me Back', if it had finished when the statement had been made."^[14]

Mulry released his debut solo album, Falling in Love Again (September 1971), and returned to England in the following month. While there he issued a single, "Ain't It Nice" (May 1972), as Steve Ryder for the Blue Mountain label.^[4] It did not chart and he returned to Sydney by mid-1972. Mulry was a prolific songwriter and provided material for other artists, including John Farnham and Alison MacCallum. Pop band Sherbet had a top 20 hit with a cover version of his song, "You're All Woman" (August 1972).^[4][15] He issued his second solo album, I Won't Look Back (February 1973).^[4][8] Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, described how "[it] featured a rockier sound than heard on [his] early singles, and augured well for the future."^[4]

Mulry, on lead vocals and, initially, on rhythm guitar, formed his own backing group in Sydney, which became Ted Mulry Gang (TMG), in September 1972.^[4] Other founders were Les Hall on lead guitar, Steve Hart on bass guitar and Herman Kovacs on drums.^[4][5] Hall and Kovacs had been members of a "popular suburban dance band", the Velvet Underground (not the US band of the same name), which had formed in Newcastle in 1967 and had relocated to Sydney in 1969.^[4][6] They had previously included Malcolm Young (later of AC/DC) on rhythm guitar.^[4][6] One of TMG's first performances was in September 1972 at the Waitara Festival, Newcastle.^[4][16] Hall, Hart and Kovacs backed Mulry on ABC-TV's popular music series, GTK, in 1973 to promote his own version of "You're All Woman".^[5]

During a 1974 gig Hart stormed out leaving his bass guitar behind, Mulry picked up the instrument and finished the show on vocals and bass guitar.^[5][6] Ted Mulry Gang signed with Albert Productions in that year and released their first album, Here We Are (November 1974).^[4][8] Before the album appeared they recruited Gary Dixon on rhythm guitar (ex-Fat Harry).^[4][8][17] It reached the Kent Music Report top 100 albums chart.^[18] Its first single, "Sunday Evenings" (March 1975), also appeared in the lower reaches of the singles chart top 100.^[18] Due to low sales the record company wanted Mulry to go back to his solo career,^[17] however, with his band's support he adopted a harder rocking style.

Their first major hit, and the biggest of their career, was the next single, "Jump in My Car" (September 1975), which spent six weeks at No. 1.^[18] According to McFarlane, "[it] set the tone for subsequent releases with its simplistic, 12-bar boogie guitar riffs, thumping beat, Mulry's gravelly, gregarious vocals and tongue-in-cheek lyrics."^[4] Over the next two years they achieved a string of top ten singles including a rocked up version of an old jazz song, "Darktown Strutters' Ball" (February 1976); followed by "Jamaica Rum" (January 1977) and "My Little Girl" (May).^[18]

Many of TMG's songs, including "Jump in My Car", were co-written by Mulry and Hall. By late in 1980 their chart success had ended but they remained popular performers on the Australian pub circuit until they disbanded in 1986.^[19] With his music career side-lined he started a business with his mechanic.^[19] In 1989 Ted Mulry Gang briefly reformed, with Mulry, Hall and Kovacs joined by sometime Rose Tattoo guitarist Mick Cocks.^[19][20] They released an album, Re-Union for Albert, on Sony. This marked their first on compact disc. Other CD reissues followed in the early 1990s. In 1998 Mulry, as a solo artist issued a CD, This Time, featuring songs co-written by himself and his brother, Steve.

In February 2001, Mulry announced that he had been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. Gimme Ted, two tribute concerts were organised for the following month, with numerous Australian musicians paying homage.^[21][22] Included was a reunion of the Ted Mulry Gang with Steve as lead vocalist. A double-DVD, Gimme Ted – The Ted Mulry Benefit Concerts, was released in 2003.^[22] Mulry died of his brain tumour on 1 September 2001 in Sydney, one day away from his 54th birthday.^[23] Steve later fronted a rock band, Black Label,^[24] which performed in New South Wales and Victoria, including supporting the Angels.

In January 2006 actor David Hasselhoff recorded a cover version of "Jump in My Car", whilst in Australia. Hasselhoff's version was released in the UK and went to No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart in October. It also went No. 24 in Ireland.

The Go-Set Pop Poll was coordinated by teen-oriented pop music newspaper, Go-Set which had been established in February 1966. It conducted an annual poll from 1966 to 1972 of its readers to determine the most popular personalities.^[26]

• Ted's Official Facebook Page
• Ted Mulry Gang Feature Pop Archives Site
• Ted Mulry discography at Discogs
• Ted Mulry Gang discography at Discogs