The importance of being Jeff Duff
Image: Jeff Duff. Image: supplied
To paraphrase Sir Winston Churchill, Jeff Duff is the ‘riddle wrapped in an enigma’ of Australian music.
Duff is a singer who has had groundbreaking moments in his career; someone highly regarded by his peers and, fifty years on from the start of his career, is still able to attract an audience.
But he has never been accepted into the pantheon of Australian music greats, which begs the question, why?
Duff first had an inkling that he could sing when as a child, listening to his mother playing piano, he found himself singing the songs of the day, such as Mel Torme ballads.
Taking singing lessons from vocal coach Viola Ritchie, who was also John Farnham’s singing teacher, Duff’s taste in music changed on hearing one song.
“I eventually got into singing what I call stylistic pop when I heard Scott Walker sing “The Sun Ain’t Going to Shine Anymore” with the Walker Brothers,” Jeff Duff said.
His journey in music began at around age 17 when he was at Swinburne Art College and he started with Melbourne band, Kush.
“The Kush thing was modelled on Blood, Sweat and Tears and Chicago, and we were quickly on the Paul Hogan Show” Duff said.
“With Kush we didn’t have a game plan, but we released an album Snow White and the Eight Straights, which Molly (Meldrum) named because he had seen me singing wearing a wedding dress in front of these guys in T-shirts and jeans.”
From that album the hits, “Easy Street” and “MacArthur Park” emerged during an era of prog rock and performances in front of 45,000 at the ’74 Sunbury Festival.
By this time the antics and looks of the skinny white kid out front of a band consisting of Melbourne’s finest musicians was gaining attention.
“I have never deviated from the way I dress or the way I behave. It is just me,” Duff said.
“I didn’t know what androgyny meant. I wouldn’t call myself androgynous, I would just call myself Jeff Duff, and I have been this way from the day that I was born.”
Management at the time decided London might better suited for his personality, and three months after a quick signing to independent label Beggars Banquet, Duff had a hit.
“I was so determined, and I did it the wrong way, but I created a bit of a storm there for a while,” Duff said.
It was enough of a storm to catch the attention of David Bowie, who appeared in Duff’s dressing room one night.
“It was during his coke period (and) I think his vision of me was distorted, but after that the Bowie website began promoting my gigs after I decided to come back to Australia,” Duff said.
Forming the all girl lineup of the Jeff Duff Orchestra, Duff went on the have hits with covers of “Walk On The Wild Side” and a reprise of “MacArthur Park”, while astounding sedate daytime TV’s Mike Walsh Show audiences by appearing in outfits such as a diaphanous top and trousers accentuated by strong backlighting.
For many reasons the Orchestra folded, economic viability being just one. Duff looked to his inspirations and started the Ziggy shows, which quickly put him back in demand nationally.
The Ziggy shows later evolved into Bowie Unzipped and the Ground Control to Frank Sinatra shows.
“I loathe the fact that David Bowie has been paying my rent for the last 30 years and I think ‘what the fuck is happening to music?” Duff said.
“I pride myself being an original artist and all of a sudden the whole world is about tributes, and it annoys me. I probably work more than most in Australia, but when I get booked I get ‘Can you do a David Bowie tribute?’”
Since returning to Australia, Duff has produced 12 self-financed albums, including his latest one, Being Jeff Duff. They are mainly sold at gigs, and to date, all have recovered costs and more.
“I have just maintained, while many others have fallen into quicksand,” Duff said.
When not on the road or rehearsing for a new show, Jeff Duff is in constant motion, playing summer cricket with the Northbridge Cricket Club or in the winter tennis competition at Rushcutters Bay.
