PBS is incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of Ollie Olsen, a prominent multi-instrumentalist in Australia's post-punk scene.
For over four decades, the influential Ollie altered the underground scene forever. Known for pushing boundaries, Ollie was the mastermind behind '70s post-punk bands The Young Charlatans and Whirlywirld, and countless bands and projects to follow, including Orchestra of Skin and Bone, NO, Third Eye, Hugo Klang, Taipan Tiger Girls, and Max Q, alongside INXS singer Michael Hutchence.
PBS and the Melbourne music community will dearly miss Ollie and will be forever grateful for the music he has left with us. We extend our deepest sympathies to Ollie's family and extended family of collaborators, musicians and artists in Naarm/Melbourne’s music community.
Vale Ollie Olsen.
From Peter Bramley (Club It To Death):
"R.I.P. Ollie Olsen
"A true artist who innovated, experimented, and inspired. A legendary legacy.
"Ollie had such a warm smile and presence. When we met a couple times, he was genuinely humbled that someone was taking an interest in him. I showed Ollie a found signed copy of the Third Eye - Ancient Futures C.D. (via his influential Psy-Harmonics label). He beamed with joy for a moment, as though taking him back to a particular time - a record he seemed much proud of.
"Ollie’s care for others was evident in the way he would ask engaging questions and be an active, curious listener. He led by example and was a trailblazer often, both in his creative pursuits and as a compassionate human. If Whirlywirld was his only contribution to Australian music, that would have been a timeless statement in itself. Thankfully there’s much more to explore.
"The iconic Ollie is now sadly gone, yet we celebrate his rich and fascinating sonic world - the window is always open.." - Peter Bramley
Peter paid tribute to Ollie on the October 17 edition of Club It To Death, you can listen back here.
Four years ago, Peter Bramley uploaded live audio of Whirlywirld to YouTube, with Ollie Olsen's permission - you can find this below.
The live audio was recorded at Whirlywirld's first show at the legendary Crystal Ballroom in St Kilda, 1979. A (presumed) stereo feed from the mixing desk recorded by Alan Bamford.
This is a rare and important piece of Melbourne underground history for various reasons and is shared here for archival purposes (with permission). Image from Roadrunner magazine published September 1979. NOTE: this is a mono mix / low fidelity MP3 copy of the original tape
