Zoot’s final performance filmed during the Rick Springfield and Friends Cruise in November, 2011 will be released on CD and DVD.
Zoot was Rick Springfield, Beeb Birtles, Darryl Cotton and Rick Brewer. The band formed in Adelaide in 1965 and relocated to Melbourne in 1968. Their best-known hit was their acid rock cover of The Beatles’ ‘Eleanor Rigby’ in 1970 but by 1971 it was all over.
Springfield relocated to the USA and became a solo star with ‘Jessie’s Girl’, ‘Affair of the Heart’ and ‘I’ve Done Everything For You’ as well as successful actor General Hospital and more recently Californication.
Birtles formed Mississippi with Graeham Goble and had a hit with ‘Kings Of The World’ and ‘Will I’. The pair then became founding members of Little River Band with Glenn Shorrock.
Rick Brewer formed The Ferrets and scored a Top 10 hit in Australia with ‘Don’t Fall In Love’, produced by Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum.
Darryl Cotton became a solo star in Australia with the Top 10 hit ‘Same Old Girl’ and then a kids TV star as host of The Early Bird Show.
In November 2011, Birtles, Springfield, Cotton and Brewer reformed Zoot for the first time since 1971 for the Caribbean cruise. There would have been more shows but tragedy struck. Daryl was diagnosed with liver cancer in May, 2012 and passed away July 27, 2012.
The historic ‘Zoot Live – The Reunion’ recording will be released on CD and DVD on the Fanfare Classic label on August 9, 2013.
