The Loved Ones

The Loved Ones were an Australian rock group of the 1960s, formed in Melbourne in 1965. In the wake of the British Invasion. Gerry Humphreys, Ian Clyne and Kim Lynch defected from the youthful "Trad Jazz" band Red Onions Jazz Band (Humphreys and Lynch had played clarinet and tuba respectively) and recruited drummer Gavin Anderson and ex-Wild Cherries guitarist Rob Lovett. They were renowned as an exciting, if erratic, live act in a Stones/Animals mould, and quickly rose to prominence in the local club scene. They signed to the In label, a subsidiary of W&G records, and had Australian hit singles with "The Loved One" (an Australian hit again in 1981 when covered by INXS), "Ever Loving Man", "Sad Dark Eyes", and a reworking of Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill". Each of these captured an emotional intensity and musical inventiveness which marked them out from their peers.After some personal crises, pianist and musical director Ian Clyne left the group and moved to Sydney. He was replaced by Treva Richards.They released an album in 1967, titled Magic Box, collecting their previous singles, and split the same year. Magic Box is considered a classic recording and to this day in Australia it enjoys cult status and has reportedly never been out-of-print since it was released.The band reformed for one live tour in 1987 with Melbourne session drummer Peter Luscombe sitting in for Gavin Anderson. The album Live at Blueberry Hill followed, on Mushroom Records.Lead singer Gerry Humphreys died of a heart attack in December 2005 in London.