New Seekers: Marty Kristian

When actress Emma Chambers was asked if she remembered the first record she'd bought, she recalled:

"It was definitely by dreamy David Cassidy (he of the Partridge Family). He was the most beautiful man in the world as far as I was concerned - apart from Donny Osmond, and of course Les and Andy from the Bay City Rollers. Ooh and the blonde guy from the New Seekers and... Ohh! Hormones, Hormones!"
(The Mirror, 20th December 1997, page 3, interview by Chris Hughes)

In the early and mid 1970s it was hard to find a pop magazine that didn't have a pin up of "that blonde guy from the New Seekers". Along with David Cassidy and Donny Osmond, Marty Kristian was one of that era's teen idols.

Biography
Discography
Further Reading
YouTube

Marty Kristian

Singles

We Didn't Ask To Be Brought Here (Bobby Darin) /
She's Everything (Lapham / Howard)
(CBS BA-221318) 1966
AMR (Australian Music Report) highest chart position: 47

I'll Give You Love (Crispian St. Peters) /
I Still Love You (Crispian St. Peters)
(CBS BA-221358 / CBS 202638) February 1967
AMR (Australian Music Report) highest chart position: 49
The Book: Top 40 Research highest chart position: 53

It Comes And Goes (Neil Diamond) /
You Stood By Me (Marty Kristian)
(CBS BA-221420) 1967

The Innkeeper's Daughter (Marty Kristian) /
It's Got To Change (Marty Kristian)
(CBS BA-221505) 1968

Crying In The Rain (Howard Greenfield / Carole King) /
A Woman Grows (Marty Kristian)
(Polydor 2058 394) August 1973

Albums

Echoes
February 2011

A great collectors' item for New Seekers' fans, featuring demo recordings from the 1970s and 1980s, many of them recorded by Marty Kristian in his loft studio. Eight of the songs were written by Marty; the others were co-written with Mick Flinn, Paul Layton, Trevor Spencer or Peter Doyle.

Also on the album is a song by Marty's son Oliver, written for his mum as a present for her birthday on 11th January 2011.

Tracks: I Know It's Love (Marty Kistian) | Love On Your Mind (Marty Kristian / Trevor Spencer) | A Women Grows (Marty Kristian) | Women We've Got To Change (Marty Kristian) | Say The Word (Marty Kristian / Mick Flinn) | Here I Am Again (Marty Kristian) | It Won't Be The Same (Marty Kristian / Paul Layton) Calling Out To Me (Marty Kristian) | Reason To Stay (Marty Kristian / Peter Doyle) | Open Heart (performed and written by Oliver Kristian) | Surburban Paradise (Marty Kristian) | No Matter Where You Go (Marty Kristian) | Touch Of Love (Marty Kristian / Trevor Spencer) | Still In Love With You (Marty Kristian / Paul Layton) | Just Another Lesson (Marty Kristian)

Echoes 2: Beginner At Love
May 2012

A second album of demo recordings from the '70s and '80s.

Tracks: Powder Dry (Marty Kristian) | One And Only Lonely One (Marty Kristian) | Love Of My Life (Marty Kristian) | Beginner At Love (Marty Kristian) | Sad Song (Marty Kristian) | One In A Million (Marty Kristian) | Invitation (Marty Kristian) | Walk On Say Yes (Marty Kristian) | Fadin' Away (Marty Kristian / Mick Flinn) | The Ride Is Over (Marty Kristian) | Hurt So Good (Marty Kristian) | Do It All For You (Marty Kristian / Petrina Lorden)

Saints & Sinners
2nd December 2013

Tracks: Just Lean On Me (Marty Kristian) | Everything Aint Enough (Marty Kristian) | Beyond My Reach (Marty Kristian / Petrina Lorden) | Ace In The Pack (Marty Kristian) | Bring The Curtain Down (Marty Kristian) | Saints And Sinners (Marty Kristian) | Bring The Boy Back (Marty Kristian) | Rather Be Here With You (Marty Kristian) | Girls Love Shopping (Marty Kristian / Peter Goulding / Mark Smith) | If Only You Knew (Marty Kristian) | Ain't Gonna Beg (Marty Kristian) | On My Way Home (Marty Kristian)

Passing Parade
30th November 2018

Tracks: Somewhere Along The Road (Marty Kristian / Peter Lennon) | Heart Let It Go (Marty Kristian) | Karma Game (Marty Kristian) | Bet Your Life (Marty Kristian / Glenn Money) | Too Much (Marty Kristian) | Ice Cream (Marty Kristian / Peter Lennon) | Right Time Right Place (Marty Kristian) | Rock Me Baby (Marty Kristian) | Missing You Already (Marty Kristian) | Loaded Ticket (Marty Kristian) | Would It Still Be The Same (Marty Kristian) | Passing Parade (Marty Kristian)

Timing
(MK Music MK006) 1st October 2020

Tracks: Timing (Marty Kristian) | So Close (Marty Kristian / Shaun Perry / Victoria Horne / Luke Palmer) | Band Played On (Marty Kristian / Glen Monie) | Southern Country Pride (Marty Kristian) | Straight From The Heart (Marty Kristian) | Shake Me (Marty Kristian) | First Up The Mountain (Marty Kristian) | Copy Writer (Marty Kristian) | Love Tonight (Marty Kristian / Peter Lennon) | Roll On (Marty Kristian) | Cell Block No. 9 (Marty Kristian / Michael Louvieris) | Bitcoin Day (Marty Kristian) | Bring The Curtain Down (Marty Kristian)

Cool Hand
(MK Music MK007) 21st November 2021

Tracks: Spread A Little Kindness (Marty Kristian) | Seventeen (John Bryant) | Beautiful Eyes (Marty Kristian / Alan Glass / Tim Fraser) | Cool Hand (Marty Kristian / Alan Glass / Tim Fraser) | Look Behind Leon (Marty Kristian / Arlene Johnstone) | Set 'Em Up (Marty Kristian / Alan Glass / Tim Fraser) | Good News Bad News (Marty Kristian / Alan Glass / Tim Fraser) | Love Is A Token (Marty Kristian) | Up Stream Treadin' Water | (Marty Kristian / Alan Glass / Tim Fraser) | Begging You (Marty Kristian / Alan Glass / Tim Fraser) | We're All In The Game (Marty Kristian) | The Man Who Had Everything (Marty Kristian / Alan Glass / Tim Fraser)

Compilation Albums

Australian Pop Of The 60s, Volume 3: The Real Thing
Various Artists
(Sony Music 88 697 653972) 13th July 2010

Disc 1: Russell Morris, The Real Thing | The Purple Hearts, Of Hopes And Dreams And Tombstones | The Delltones, Hangin’ Five | |Lynne Randell, Heart | The Twilights, What’s Wrong With The Way I Live | The Executives, It’s A Happening World | Mike Furber and The Bowery Boys, Just A Poor Boy | The Love Machine, Get A Little Dirt On Your Hands | Dinah Lee, Don’t You Know Yokomo | Marty Rhone, Village Tapestry | Axiom, Arkansas Grass | Marty Kristian, I’ll Give You Love | The Seekers, A World Of Our Own | The Easybeats, Wedding Ring | Tony Worsley and The Blue Jays, Missing You | Johnny Young, Craise Finton Kirk | The Cherokees, A Woman With Soul | Ronnie Burns, Coalman | Maria Dallas, Ambush | The Groop, The Best In Africa

Disc 2: The Groove, Soothe Me | Peter Doyle, Stupidity | Pastoral Symphony, Love Machine | Jon Blanchfield, Baby, Get In The Groove | Masters Apprentices, Living In A Child’s Dream | Bobby and Laurie, High Noon | Flying Circus, Run, Run, Run | Johnny O’Keefe, She Wears My Ring | Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs, My Girl Josephine | Ray Brown and The Whispers, 20 Miles | M.P.D. Ltd, (Remember) Walkin’ In The Sand | The Loved Ones, Everlovin’ Man | Johnny Farnham, Friday Kind Of Monday | Python Lee Jackson, Um, Um, Um, Um | Steve and The Board, Giggle Eyed Goo | Tony Barber, Someday | The Valentines, Knick Knack Paddy Whack | Normie Rowe, It’s Not Easy | The Questions, Sally Go ‘Round The Roses | Digger Revell and The Denvermen, My Little Rocker’s Turned Surfie

Australian Pop Of The 60s, Volume 4: Shake Baby Shake
Various Artists
(Sony Music 88 697 966282) 31st January 2012

"Recording locally for CBS Records (one of the very few local signings the label had during this part of the decade) Marty managed three hits of varying degess of success for the label around 1967. The others were the Crispian St. Peters produced I'll Give You Love and We Didn't Ask To Be Brought Here. After this trio of Melbourne based hits dried up, Marty felt more could be achieved by heading overseas, so he departed for the UK on the Fairstar and like another Aussie, Peter Doyle, would find himself as a key player in the New Seekers during the early 1970s."

Disc 1: Johnny O'Keefe, Shake Baby Shake | The Twilights, Needle In A Haystack | Cam-Pact, Something Easy | Masters Apprentices, Undecided | Dinah Lee, Do The Blue Beat | Jeff Phillips, Everything I Touch Turns To Tears | The Atlantics, Bombora | Bev Harrell, What Am I Doing Here With You | M.P.D. Limited, Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder | Ray Brown, The Same Old Song | Tony Worsley & The Blue Jays, I Sure Know A Lot About Love | The Executives, Windy Day | The Easybeats, I'll Make You Happy | In-Sect, I Can See My Love | The Seekers, On The Other Side | Ronnie Burns, When I Was Six Years Old | Judy Stone, 4,003,221 Tears From Now | Jon Blanchfield, Lavender Girl | The Loved Ones, Sad Dark Eyes | Purple Hearts, Long Legged Baby

Disc 2: Johnny Young & Kompany, Cara-lyn | Jimmy Hannan, You Make Me Happy | Johnny Farnham, One | Grandma's Tonic, Hi Hi Hazel | Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs, Hallelujah I Love Her So | King Fox, Unforgotten Dreams | Marty Rhone, She's Coming Home | Merv Benton, I Got Burned | The Groop, Sorry | Normie Rowe & The Playboys, Que Sera Sera | The Id featuring Jeff St John, You Got Me Hummin' | The Valentines, Getting Better | Little Pattie, I'll Eat My Hat | Bobby and Laurie, Someone | Maria Dallas, Tumblin' Down | Russell Morris, Part Three Into Paper Walls | Rev Black & The Rockin' Vicars, Down To The Last 500 | The Groove, Simon Says | Marcie and The Cookies, You On My Mind | Marty Kristian, It Comes And Goes

Australian Pop Of The 60s, Volume 5: Age Of Consent
Various Artists
(Sony Music 88 843 053162) 15th August 2014

Disc 1: Ronnie Burns, Age Of Consent | The Delltones, Walkin' Along | Allison Durbin, Don't Come Any Closer | Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs, Don't Cha Know | Lynne Randell, That's A Hoe Down | Tony Worsley & The Blue Jays, Just A Little Bit | The Throb, Believe In Me | Barry Gibb & The Bee Gees, Wine And Women | Grandma's Tonic, Lost Girl | Grantley Dee, Let The Little Girl Dance | Python Lee Jackson, Hold On I'm Coming | The Pacifics, Barracuda | Johnny Devlin, Stomp The Tumberumba | Jonne Sands, Change Of Mind | Bill & Boyd, Chulu Chlulu | The Cicadas, I'll Prove It | Ross D Wyllie & The Escorts, Short Skirts | Little Pattie, Dance Puppet Dance | Marty Kristian, We Didn't Ask To Be Brought Here | The Insect, More Than I Can Say | The Iguana, Good News

Disc 2: The Easybeats, Come And See Her | Steve & The Board - Rosalyn | Peter Doyle, Plastic Dreams And Toy Balloons | Dinah Lee, Reet Petite | Tony Barber, No No No | The Seekers, The Carnival Is Over | The Strangers, Lady Scorpio | Johnny O'keefe, Ooh Poo Pah Doo Pts 1 & 2 (67 Version) | The Atlantics, The Crusher | Bobby And Laurie, You'll Come Around | Normie Rowe, Ooh La La | Nineteen 87, Engagement Party | Masters Apprentices, Brigette | Somebody's Image, Hide And Seek | The Groop, Lovin' Tree | Mike Furber & The Bowery Boys, That's When Happiness Begins | The Loved Ones, A Love Like Ours | Anne Hawker, Timothy | Ray Brown & The Whispers, (Ain't It) Strange | The Purple Hearts, You Can't Sit Down

Jukebox Hits Aussie Mega 4CD Pack
Various Artists
(Universal Music Australia 5348739) 2014

Disc 1: Johnny O'Keefe, Move Baby Move | Normie Rowe & The Playboys, Que Sera Sra (Whatever Will Be Will Be) | The Flying Circus, Hayride | Judy Stone, 4.003,221 Tears From Now | Pastoral Symphony, Love Machine | Ray Columbus & The Invaders, 20 Miles | The Atlantics, Bombora | The Master's Apprentices, Living In A Child's Dream | Russell Morris, Sweet Sweet Love | Bee Gees, Born A Man | Frankie Davidson, Have You Ever Been To See Kings Cross | The Loved Ones, The Loved One | The Strangers, Melanie Makes Me Smile | Alison MacCallum, Superman | Don Lane, You're Everything | The Executives, My Aim Is To Please You | Little Pattie, Stompin' At Maroubra | Rob E.G., 55 Days At Peking | The Groove, Simon Says | Hans Poulsen, Boom Sha La La Lo

Disc 2: Blackfeather, Boppin' The Blues | Bev Harrell, What Am I Doing Here With You | The Groop, Such A Lovely Way | Air Supply, Love And Other Bruises | Russell Morris, Wings Of An Eagle | The Delltones, Hangin' Five | Billy Thorpe, Somewhere Over The Rainbow | Jeff St. John's Copperwine, Teach Me To Fly | John Williamson, Old Man Emu | Chain, Black And Blue | Cheryl Gray, You Made Me What I Am | Col Joye, Bye Bye Baby | Johnny O'Keefe, I'm Counting On You | The Master's Apprentices, Because I Love You | Ross D. Wyllie, Funny Man | Steve And The Board, Giggle Eyed Goo | G. Wayne Thomas, Open Up Your Heart | Johnny Chester, The World's Greatest Mum | Colleen Hewett, Day By Day | Country Radio, Gypsy Queen

Disc 3: The Delltones, Come A Little Bit Closer | Daddy Cool, Eagle Rock | Hush, Bony Moronie | Johnny Young & Kompany, Caralyn | Little Pattie, He's My Blond Headed Stompie Wompie Real Gone Surfer Boy | Ronnie Burns, The Coamman | Normie Rowe, Ooh La La | Russell Morris, The Girl That I Love | Jimmy Little, Royal Telephone | Doug Parkinson, Dear Prudence | Mark Holden, Never Gonna Fall In Love Again | Lucky Starr, I've Been Everywhere | Johnny Devlin, Doreen | Max Merritt And The Meteors, Slipping Away | Ray Hoff & The Off Beats, Tossing And Turning | Jay Justin, Proud Of You | The Master's Apprentices, Think About Tomorro Today | Marty Kristian, I'll Give You Love | The Loved Ones, Blueberry Hill | Liv Maessen, Knock Knock, Who's There?

Disc 4: Ray Brown & The Whispers, Fool Fool Fool | The Strangers, Happy Without You | The Groove, Soothe Me | Ronnie Burns, Age Of Consent | Slim Dusty, G'Day G'Day | Noeleen Batley, Barefoot Boy | Ross D. Wyllie, The Star | Russell Morris, Rachel | Spectrum, I'll Be Gone | Bee Gees, I Am The World | The ID featuring Jeff St. John, Big Time Operator | The Twilights, What's Wrong With The Way I Live? | Jeff Phillips, Baby It's You | Johnny Ashcroft, Little Boy Lost | Tony Barber, Birds Eye View | Col Joye, Oh Yeah Uh Huh | The Master's Apprentices, Turn Up Your Radio | Johnny O'Keefe, She Wears My Ring | Tony Worsley & The Blue Jays, Velvet Waters | Rob E.G., When You're Not Near

DVD

The Go!! Show
(thevideobeat.com)

The Go!! Show was Australia's answer to Britain's Ready Steady Go! and America's Shindig! This DVD features three episodes of The Go!! Show from 1966, one of which included a live performance by Marty Kristian.

Tracks:
THE GO!! SHOW 1966
11th July 1966. ATV Channel 0, Melbourne.
Compered by Ian Turpie.

Tony Shepp, Security | Yvonne Barrett, Off And Running | The Cherokees, A Woman With Soul | Ian Turpie, I Would Never Do That | Mike Furber, You're Back Again | Terry Dean, Wigglin' And Gigglin' | The Cherokees, I'll Give You Love | Tony Shepp, Sweet Pea | Merv Benton, King Of Love | Mike Furber, You Stole My Love | Toni & Royce, You're The Only One | Ian Turpie, Another Saturday Night | Terry Dean, Sticks And Stones

THE GO!! SHOW 1966
1st August-1966. ATV Channel 0, Melbourne.
Compered by Ian Turpie.

Ian Turpie & The Strangers, It's Not Unusual | Marcie Jones, That Hurts | Bobby & Laurie, You'll Come Around | Yvonne Barrett, Send Her Away | Buddy England, Question | Tony Shepp, Come To Your Window | Merv Benton, (I Do The) Shimmy Shimmy | The Strangers, Put Yourself In My Place | Marty Kristian, One Too Many Mornings | Normie Rowe, Que Sera Sera | Joy Lemmon, From The Shadows To The Sun | Terry Dean, Sunny Afternoon | Ian Turpie, Sunny | Ian Turpie, New Orleans

THE GO!! SHOW 1966
19th September 1966. ATV Channel 0, Melbourne.
Compered by Ian Turpie.

The Purple Hearts, Just A Little Bit | The Twilights, Bad Boy | Marcie Jones, You Can't Hurry Love | Billy Adams, Dancing In Your Eyes | The D-Coys, Bad Time | Billy Adams, Come On And Dance With Me | Johnny Young, Whatcha' Gonna Do Now | Marcie Jones, That Hurts | The D-Coys, You're Against | The Purple Hearts, Early In The Morning | The Twilights, If She Finds Out | The Twilights, Needle In A Haystack

Marty, Paul and Danny

Singles

Coming Alive Again (Marty Kristian / Paul Layton / Danny Finn) /
Water Lady (Marty Kristian / Ritchie)
(RCA 2486) 21st March 1975

"New (improved?) Seekers Marty and Paul with secret ingredient Danny Finn make their long-awaited debut - and it's a good one. The song is written by the three of them and it's not as syrupy as you might expect, featuring some punchy harmonies, spirited drumming and strident acoustic. Should get the trio off to a flying start." (Record Mirror, 29th March 1975, page 30)

Take Me Back (Marty Kristian) /
Dinkey (Paul Layton)
(RCA 2607) 12th September 1975

"It's a very easy, singalong number with that sax / brass chorus line that used to appear so often in the New Seekers' days. Chorus is quite strong, but possibly not just strong enough to make it a big hit." (Record Mirror, 20th September 1975, page 23)

Sweet Melinda (Paul Layton / Marty Kristian / Danny Finn) /
Holiday (Marty Kristian / Glenn Wheatley)
(RCA 2630) 14th November 1975

The News

Single

Boomerang (Mick Flinn / Brian Engel / Marty Kristian) /
Louise, Louise (Mick Flinn / Brian Engel / Marty Kristian)
(Megaphone MEGA 1) 1981

The B-side of this one-off single, Louise, Louise, later found its way onto the compilation Teenage Glampage! 80 Glambusters Rockers, Shockers And Teenyboppers From The 70's! [See the Brian Engel Discography for full details].

For more about Marty, try the following...

Australian Chart Book 1940-1969
David Kent
ISBN: 0 646 44439 5

Who's Who Of Australian Rock!
5th edition
Chris Spencer, Zbig Nowara and Paul McHenry
ISBN: 1 86503 891 1

Marty Kristian discography, page 217.


Marty Kristian - A Name To Remember
by Barry O'Callaghan
Albert Sebastian, No. 4, 1966, pages 24-25.

Local Boy Makes Good
by Beverley Cooper
The Australian Women's Weekly, Vol. 34, Issue 42, 22nd March 1967, page 51.

From the Music Capitals of the World
Billboard, Vol. 79, No. 13, 1st April 1967, page 54.

A news item announcing the UK release of the CBS single I'll Give You Love by Marty Kristian.

Marty Kristian for U.S.
Go-Set, Vol. 3 No. 24, 12th June 1968, page 6.

A news item in Australia's Go-Set that reported "a well-founded rumour about Marty Kristian embarking on an ambitious overseas trip."

Good-bye and good luck to Marty
Go-Set, Vol. 3 No. 32, 7th August 1968

The rumours are confirmed. Go-Set reported that Marty Kristian was leaving, not for the USA, but for England.

The birth of Kristian-ity
by Mike Ledgerwood
Disc, 25th November 1972, page 9.

Marty Kristian, the not-so-reluctant teen idol
by Gordon Coxhill
Music Scene, March 1973, pages 35-37

Marty the mouth
by Caroline Boucher
Disc, 29th September 1973, page 8.

International Turntable
Billboard, Vol. 87, No. 37, 13th September 1975, page 62

Billboard reported the news that Gerald W. Purcell had opened a UK office of Purcell Associates. "Purcell now represents Marty, Paul and Danny, who recently signed with RCA; Donna Jones and Mick Flynn [sic], both formerly with Springfield Revival; and Pussyfoot."

Scotsman Diary
by Simon Pia
The Scotsman, 7th November 2003, page 22.

An article about the MTV awards in Edinburgh, which recalled the New Seekers' appearance at the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest and some of the hysteria that followed Marty Kristian wherever he went.

"Lest we forget, the MTV awards are not the first big popular music event to hit Edinburgh. The city hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 1972. One of the ladies at Barclay Towers has been pulling rank with the young 'uns, recalling how she hung about outside The Balmoral (then the NB), screaming at the sight of Marty from the New Seekers."