Gerry Humphreys & the Loved Ones

The Loved Ones W&G EP front cover

I just heard of the passing of Gerry Humphreys, lead singer of the Loved Ones, one of the most distinctive bands of the ’60s. They formed in Melbourne and had just one lp. The Loved Ones IN 45 The Loved One

Other members were Ian Clyne piano, Rob Lovett (ex-Wild Cherries) guitar, Kim Lynch bass, and Terry Knott drums. Before recording, Terry was replaced on drums by Gavin Anderson. After their second 45, “Everlovin’ Man”, Ian Clyne left to be replaced by guitarist Treya Richards.

Several singles are excellent, including “Everlovin’ Man” and “Sad Dark Eyes”, but I think there’s nothing quite like “The Loved One” in all of 60’s garage and pop. It was a big hit in Australia, reaching #2 on the charts. The live tracks from Melbourne, 1966 that appeared on Raven’s reissue of Magic Box are just fantastic.

Rare video of “Sad Dark Eyes”, see it while you can!

Ged Fitzsimmons, a fan of the band, wrote in with some more information about the Loved Ones:

The Loved Ones did not form all of a sudden in 1966. Three members, Ian Clyne, Gerry Humphreys and Kim Lynch, had previously been The Red Onions Jazz Band for quite a few years, and had issued no less than three LP albums under that name.

Their musical skills enabled them to create blues recordings with unusual chord structures, rather than the normal 12-bar three-chord arrangement.

Ian Clyne, apart from singer Gerry Humphreys, was the group’s most important member, as it was he who composed the group’s first two big hits. Because of a democratic agreement, the other band members were listed as co-composers on “The Loved One” and “Everlovin’ Man”.

When Ian Clyne left the group, the band’s original material suffered dramatically.

I saw The Loved Ones in 1966 at Zondrae’s Disco in Keira Street, Wollongong, and they were every bit as good live as they were on record.

The band added a new lead guitarist, Danny De Lacey, who came from Los Angeles, USA.

Unfortunately, they seemed to go downhill rapidly after that. They put out an absolutely abominable and abysmal single called “The Loverly Car”, and it sold about two copies, as it deserved. In mid-1967, the boys went their separate ways. Gerry Humphreys formed a group called Gerry & The Joy Band, but they did not get enough publicity to become successful.

Gerry returned to England, where he spent his latter working days as a nurse in a London psychiatric hospital.

In the 1980s, The Loved Ones had a very brief comeback in Melbourne, but Gerry could not reach those high notes. The producers of a televised “live” appearance actually dubbed in Gerry’s wild verses from the original recording of “Everlovin’ Man” because he sounded woeful in person!

May I add that The Loved Ones, despite their very few recordings, have always meant a lot to me, and I have never been without a copy of their output in the last forty years.

Two LP albums were issued, The Loved Ones’ Magic Box and The Loved Ones Live and they have both been available as budget CDs for many years, still selling well in Australia.

Apart from the hit records, the highlights on their studio album include “Blueberry Hill”, “Shake Rattle & Roll”, and “The Woman I Love”.

The Loved Ones bios from sheet music

11 thoughts on “Gerry Humphreys & the Loved Ones”

  1. I knew Treva Richards really well and he never played guitar – he played piano with the Loved Ones later lineup after Ian Clyne left.

  2. I first heard of the band while researching a song I liked on the movie “Chopper” (great movie by the way). Found the song was “Everlovin’ Man”, I was stunned by the vocals. Gerry would have been world class with the right direction…

    Long live The Loved Ones!

    Rod

    New York

  3. I knew Gerry back in Melbourne between 1969 and 71, and hang around with him a little at Q Club and at the concerts with Chain, Spectrum, Doug Parkinson, Kelly, Billy Thorpe, Daddy Cool, and others. He was a great guy and remember his opening lines were always Janis Joplin’s Mercedes Benz.

    I guess that Old Man Time doesn’t miss anyone!

    Rock on Gerry – I hope that you have your banjo with you.

    Denis
    Malta

  4. I saw there Aria introduction on tv Saturday which re-introduced me to their music……..bought Magic Box today through Amazon……i hve played every U-tube vidio i could find today at least 10 times each…is there a DVD?Bob.

  5. i used to live up the road from him in Toorak .. I lived in a redone mansion done in 5 or 4 flats up the road from him between the railway crossover. He had dalmations and lived in a house just over the crossover. I understood that he was barry humphries brother?

  6. Later formed Gerry and the Joy Band in ’71 and had minor hits with Ongo Bong Man and a Buddy Holly cover

  7. Ian Clyne worked with me in a trio in London for a few months, around 1972. I lost touch with him after that. I was also in a rock band on the Melbourne scene in 1966. It was called The Grape Escape. Regards.

  8. I have played my copy of Magic Box thousands of times.
    I remember watching Gerry Humphreys on TV in the mid 60’s and swooning. My friends and I would sing the songs and copy his distinctive performing style.
    I heard them at the local dances quite often but their music was better to listen to, not dance too. I remember being sad hearing of Gerry’s passing away.

  9. Re: ‘ They put out an absolutely abominable and abysmal single called “The Loverly Car”, and it sold about two copies, as it deserved.’

    What a poor piece of judgement that critique is. This is a wonderful song.

    1. I like the song too, I’m sure it sold more than 2 copies. Might be biased, as my uncle is Rob Lovett, who was in the band.

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