The news today from New York that Aussie rock-star Chrissie Amplett, lead singer of The Divinyls, had died was a shock: she was only 53. Yet she had been battling MS since 2007; reports from the US aver that she was still performing, with a new husband in a new band. She refused to lay down and die.
She was unique, unparalleled, peerless: Christina Amphlett was the sui generis Aussie rock star. Just where did she get her massively energetic, pouting, style from? Rock historian Glenn A Baker reported that US audiences didn’t know what to think of her; her sexual allure was more up-front than the dynamic Janis Joplin (whose fleeting career just made it into the 70s before her suicide). 1981 was the year of their debut (even though Divinyls made five albums all told, they were really a singles band, and that’s how I will document their career). And what a debut “Boys in town” was. At 4 minutes it was long, but who cares when it’s a great song! Already patent was Chrissie’s dominance of the band. And notice the hair over the eyes and the Star Wars-type microphone stand, small signs of her latent aggressive nature. The next year the esoteric “Science Fiction” was released; another top song, it should have done better than #13 here. Just love her achingly high screeches toward the end—and they are in tune (listen to “Elsie” too). ’85 saw the huge “Pleasure & Pain” (at 4 mins again). By now she had added lots of theatricality to the performance: now lying on the floor, now doing an hysterical dance routine, now back on the floor. And how could I omit her famous pouting! Was this lady troubled? Maybe. Was it all an act? Maybe not. But we were now witnessing the mature Chrissie, as she virtually monopolizes the gigs—the guys simply provide her musical platform. Up there on the stage she says “Take notice of me, I’ve got things to say!” We obeyed! On to “Elsie”, an early hit with the fans. Uncategorically this time, Chrissie is disturbed, maybe demonic with her horrifying, Linda Blairesque outburst as she ambulated along the aisles..
Wikipedia categorises Divinyls as New Wave (that grouping which took in everything of the 80s that wasn’t mainstream) and Pop Rock. The latter is a good fit. These guys were responsibile for the some of the best songs in that category. Actually, I dare you to name another Pop Rock band from our shores. Gang Gajang were missing the “rock”; Split Enz were too pop; while INXS, Australian Crawl and Cold Chisel were all straight rock’n’roll bands. Ah ha, I’ve thought of a band: Dragon, the greatest Oz (yea I know, they’re Kiwis)pop rock band ever.
1990 was the big year for The Divinyls, all due to the song “I touch myself”. US crowds were shocked, mystified. Seems that noone in rock history had ever made masturbation the title of a song—Chrissie had no apparent boundaries. Shocked or not, the song went right up to #4 on Billboard; in Oz, where we always support out own, it was #1. The whole world took note of this song: we must be a sick lot to rejoice in such a fornicatory practice. “Boys”, “Pleasure” and “SF” were technically better songs, but it was the topic that the four songwriters latched onto that brought the huge sales.
Chrissie was reportedly suffering from two potentially fatal diseases: multiple sclerosis and recurrent breast cancer. She was the iron lady of rock; she willed her persona upon our stages. But not even her God-given strength could overcome these serious afflictions. I’ve just watched all of Divinyl’s big hits. One thing just struck me: Chrissie never smiled once. May she Rest in Peace.
Ralph's World of Music 