His 45’s “You Stole My Love” and “That’s When Happiness Began” are famous, but some of his lesser know tracks are good too.
“Where Are You”, originally released on Kommotion KL 32030 in 1966. Available on the Festival CD “Mike Furber: Diddy Wah Diddy: A Tribute Anthology”, if you can find it.
Mike Furber was a popular 1960s singer in the “teen idol” mould. His appearance was very boyish, along the lines of Davy Jones, with similar small stature. His biggest hit single was “(I’m Just A) Poor Boy.”
When his popularity diminished in the later 1960s, Mike went into musical theatre, as shows like Hair, Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar became the in thing.
In 1973, an entirely new Australian musical called “Nuclear” opened in King’s Cross, Sydney, with Mike Furber as one of the featured artists. The reviews were terrible, and audiences stayed away.
The promoters sacked most of the cast, then rewrote the entire show, but it was still a huge flop.
Sadly, this was the last chance for Mike Furber in show business and he took his own life in that year.
Ged Fitzsimmons
Canberra ACT Australia.
Ged
I saw the play hair when I stayed at a motel over looking the bay on a hill in Kings Cross. There was big fountain where the water flowing creating a big ball shape. I was there on R&R from Vietnam Sept 1970. To see the play Hair and its nude cast sure hit this soldier boy who had been in the jungles for 9 months and havent seen that many nude woman hahahaha. I also attended a boat on the bay that had a live band…..I sang 2 Buddy Holly songs with the band on the boat, Peggy Sue and Oh Boy……my memories seem to recall they had members who later became the Bee Gees. I had a great 7 days in Sydney.
Dennis
Hi Dennis,
That was the El Alamein fountain in Kings Cross — it’s still there!
I didn’t see “Hair” in King’s Cross, but I saw it 2 years later in London.
The guys you sang with were probably Vince Melouney (ex-The Aztecs)on guitar and Colin (Smiley) Petersen on drums.
GED FROM CANBERRA
I seem to recall reading in an Auz 60’s zine in the 80’s that Furber was called up for National Service and discharged shortly afterwards for “mental issues”, any Aussies verify that? I always thought his life story would’ve made a good film because it had some many ups and downs and a very, sad and tragic ending.
hi there,my brother was mike paul wade ,bass guitarist with the bowery boys,i cant find any footage of the bowery boys my brother started the band mike furber later joined.the band started out as the the boys,then became the bowery boys then mike joined and their managed screwd them up yours gary wade
Maybe Mike Furber’s life story will feature in a book first and then if it’s become as a movie or TV-movie in Australia, I think David Lyons from Sea Patrol and ER or Matt Passmore from Underbelly:A Tale Of Two Cities will play as Furber.
hi gary… Iam a survivor from those halcyon of 60s Oz rock/pop. Furber was fantastic… listening to his stuff today it is possibly the best from that era…great production and he had a great voice…pissed all over Normie or Ray and most of his peers. Did you know a Brisbane band called “The National Representatives”…circa 1966. If so would like to contact them…cheers!!
Hi Steve, I can get you touch with the National Reps, http://primitifsounds.wordpress.com/category/national-reps/
This information is totally correct. I was in the army with Mike Furber. He was a tortured soul. Getting called up for National Service put his pop career on hold and he was headed places as he was quite a talented bloke. When he got out of the army in 1972 his moment as a star had passed him by and he was unable to cope and so sadly he hung himself
Hi Gary,
I’ve posted some info on my site here.
http://aintgotnofeelin.com/?p=155
There is more info from the Geoff Wilkes site, you could contact him (Geoff) from there. I have tried in the past but to no avail!
Hi Steve, I can get you touch with the National Reps, http://primitifsounds.wordpress.com/category/national-reps/
I saw Mike on Tv in 60’s and also saw him at a local country show about 1967/68 singing. He sang “Lovely Rita” that day.
I was thrilled ‘cos later he came over to me as I stood alone waiting for a friend, he had a big crowd of fans around him, and he asked me how I enjoyed his show and chatted. I was so flattered, he had a dazzleing smile and was really nice and friendly. I liked his singing then, but now when I listen I can hear and realise what a fantastic and beautiful voice he had. He could sing anything really, just a natural gift he had. So many beautiful singers have been lost from that era. Wish he, and they were all still with us.
I really loved Mike Furber in the 60’s and a few years ago bought a tribute CD which is the most played in my collection. I would dearly love if a book and film of Mike’s life were produced. Any takers?
i was totally “in love” WITH MIKE FURBER and he was the first of the pretty boys i was attracted to (Johnny Farnham was the last and the longest) but i recall Mike was cute coy and had a boy next door sex appeal.What a sad way to end his life though i had heard rumoured that he was shot by a jealous husband which appealed to me better…
I was so in love with Mike Furber back in the mid-late 60’s. (I was in love with a few others as I was only 14 in 1966. I loved MF’s singing, his voice.. he was talented. For his life to end in such a sad and tragic way is gut wrenching. I heard he was “maybe” murdered by underworld people… It would great to see a book about his life come out and a movie (even better)
Mike Furber was one of those really cute guys who shaped my preferences and aspirations during the 60s. I recently found out sadly that he had died earlier – such a sad ending to such a vibrant, promising life. Like those who knew him well, I feel that if I could have just let him know how much I thought of him (so cute,) he might have stayed a bit longer.
VALE, Mike – you stole my love!
Hi everybody………..how come we don’t hear much about Mike these days,there is no playing of his songs on Juke Box Saturday night or any thing on radio,I was a fan of his back when,like who got called up I missed out on National Service,It would be nice to hear his songs played on tv and radio.
Can anyone tell me where Mike Furber is buried?
I lived just around the corner from Mike in Inala. We walked to and from school together . He was very quiet then, he was picked on a bit by dickheads, but after he and I became friends that stopped thankfully. (I was a big kid ). After I left school, we lost touch until one night at a club in the Gabba. He and the band were playing there and as I watched, I realised that it was Mike doing the singing. After their set finished he came over to me and we had a good catch up. Never saw him again as I joined the Army in 1967. Very sad to hear of his death in 1973.