On Monday Divinyls co-founder Mark McEntee announced he will tour a new line-up of his legendary band in 2019. While the announcement was met with scorn from Charley Drayton, the husband of his late co-founder Chrissy Amphlett, the fact remains that Divinyls is very much a part of McEntee’s legacy and he is well within his rights to honor that legacy any way he sees fit.
Mark graciously credited Chrissy when he made the announcement saying he was doing the tour in her honor. “This will be a celebration of what we did together,” he told Noise11.com.
Charley Drayton lashed out on Facebook saying “Anyone who would front the band “divinyls”- who’s name was not Chrissy Amphlett should seek some trust worthy advice as soon as possible.” However, that argument just doesn’t stand up.
Angus Young recently toured AC/DC with Axl Rose as lead singer and no other original members in the band. Australian acts Dragon, INXS, Mi-Sex and The Angels have carried on with new singers after the passing of their lead singers. Little River Band don’t even have any original members yet continue to tour and international band Foreigner’s line-up now only has one original member, guitarist and songwriter Mick Jones. To say Divinyls isn’t Divinyls without Chrissy Amphlett is to say that all of the above shouldn’t have happened as well.
Divinyls was always a band with moveable parts. Original member Jeremy Paul (formerly of Air Supply) was out before the first official album ‘Desperate’ in 1983. Original guitarist and keyboard player Bjarne Ohlin was gone after the second album ‘What A Life’. The only two people who sit Divinyls out from start to finish were Mark McEntee and Chrissy Amphlett.
McEntee’s legacy with the band stretches to the very creative centre. He and Chrissy wrote all nearly of the original hit songs. ‘Boys In Town’, ‘Science Fiction’, ‘Good Die Young’, ‘In My Life’, ‘Sleeping Beauty’, ‘Back To The Wall’ and ‘I Touch Myself’ were all co-written by McEntee. They are his songs.
Even songs McEntee didn’t write he put his stamp over. The Rascals cover ‘I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore’ was given a new and original guitar treatment from McEntee to make Divinyls version completely unique to The Rascals 60s hit song.
Accusing Mark McEntee of “ultimate disrespect” is in itself “ultimate disrespect” back to Mark McEntee because it is his legacy and he has the right to continue his legacy anyway he wants to.
Divinyls 2019 is McEntee on guitar, Frank Infante (formerly of Blondie and one-time Divinyls member on guitar), Malcolm Clarke and J. Cortez from The Sleepy Jackson on drums and bass and on vocals Los Angeles based singer Lauren Ruth Ward.
LISTEN TO THE MARK MCENTEE DIVINYLS INTERVIEW AT NOISE11.COM
https://www.divinylsofficial.com
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*Tickets on sale December 6th, 2018
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