History
Until we’ve finished updating this site, folks, please visit the Zarsoff Bros MySpace site (via ‘links’)
Formed in 1979 Style R&B Original line-up: Peter Knox (aka Izzy Foreal, bass, vocals, kazoo; ex-69ers), Greg Deane (aka Bernie Zarsoff, piano, vocals, kazoo), Tony Grose (aka Bluey Zarsoff, guitar, sax, vocals), Tony Verhoeven (aka Terry Zarsoff, drums) Albums: Rude Awakening (Browneye Gramophonics, 1984), Chockablock Full of Live Zarsoffs (Browneye Gramophonics, 1985).
History
The Fabulous Zarzoff Brothers played R&B, blues and rock mixed with lowbrow, cabaret-styled, schoolboy humour. Dubbing themselves `The Marx Brothers of rock’n'roll’ the band became a popular Sydney attraction before breaking up in late 1988. The Who’s Who of Australian Rock (3rd edn) lists at least 13 different line-ups. The original line-up lasted from October 1979 until May 1981. Deane and Grose later formed The Eddys.
Some of the other, numerous members included Garry Dale (aka Smoky Zarsoff, lead guitar), Warwick Kennington (aka Rocky Zarsoff, drums; ex-Fabulous Nudes), Danny Haynes (aka Rory Zarsoff, guitar, vocals), Daryl McKenzie (aka Lefty Zarsoff, drums; ex-Nutwood Rug), Dave Wray (aka Rudi Zarsoff, sax), Peter Kekel (aka Cranky Zarsoff, keyboards), Peter Northcott (aka Arfur Zarsoff, guitar), Sam See (aka Smoky Zarsoff II, guitar; ex-Fraternity, Stockley See Mason Band) and Bruce Allen (aka Zippy Zarsoff, sax; ex-Ol’55, Dynamic Hepnotics). The Fabulous Zarsoff Brothers recorded two EPs, Bumsweat and Other Popular Filth (Pirana Bros. label, 1981) and `Nose Picking Boogie’ (Pirana Bros, 1981), one single, `Handy Man’/ `Workin’ It Out’ (Pirana Bros, 1983), plus two albums.
Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop / Ian McFarlane 1999
under licence from Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd
This is not the full story. Three members of The Zarsoff Bros (Izzy, Bernie and Terry) were playing as The Robin Lee Sinclair Band in 1979, backing a singer (Robin Lee Sinclair)doing disco versions of every kind of song that moved. The band was very popular in the club circuit, but Izzy started to yearn for an outlet for his comedy material. The three future Zarsoffs started doing some low key gigs away from Robin Lee Sinclair, as The Likker Act. When Robin found out, he demanded exclusive loyalty. Izzy, Bernie and Terry got pissed at the Royal Sheaf Hotel in Double Bay one afternoon, and went to visit Robin. Izzy Told him where to stick his exclusive loyalty, and the 1979 version of The Zarsoff Bros was born.After a few gigs, the boys decided they needed a fourth member. There was a Bluey who rehearsed a lot with the band and did maybe one gig, but he proved to be too serious a musician and wasn’t too fond of the bizarre onstage antics of the other members. He soon departed and the real Bluey Zarsoff joined, just before the band headed to Cairns for a six week stint at Caesars Palace. In fact, this Bluey only did one gig before Cairns, at The Bondi Tram, then feel headfirst into the mayhem.This was the 1979 version of The Zarsoff Bros because, unknown to Izzy Foreal, there was a band with this name who recorded a single some time in the early 1970s. This band consisted of members from popular bands of the time, who got together to release a record under the name The Zarsoff Bros. This band never performed live as far as is known, and the whole thing was meant to be a one-off joke.The Zarsoff name, of course, has been around as a joke for ages. Many of Izzy’s road crew members had Zarsoff names in previous bands. In fact, Dave Ovenden, drummer with The 69ERS when Izzy was known as Peter Knox and that band’s bass player, used to often call out over the microphone: A message for Mister Bluey Zarsoff, please refrain from leaving skid marks in the car park.Anyway, it was the 1979 Zarsoff Bros who went on to carve themselves a reputation as a rude, crude, offensive, irreverent and extremely funny band throughout the 1980s. The 1979 line up came to an end when Izzy went to Tweed Heads to play bass with The Bullamakankas. After about eight months and one Bullamakankas album, he returned to Sydney and formed the next version of The Zarsoff Bros. This version featured Rocky on drums, Smokey on lead guitar, Izzy on bass and Bernie on keyboards. Bluey returned after a few months, and Rudi joined on saxophone not long after. This classic line up carved its way through the Sydney live scene for some time, creating the legend that still lives on in many drug addled minds.
Frontman and bassist Izzy Foreal put the band to sleep some time in the early 1990s. He was asked to put a lineup together for “The Boys Are Back In Town” tours towards the end of the 1990s, which he did using various combinations of past band members. The vibe was so good that the version of the band in the photo above decided to write an album of new material and continue the mayhem. So, The Legendary Zarsoff Bros were back on the road with a new second guitarist, recording a new album and touring to promote it. Stay tuned to this site for updates on live shows, album release dates and other Zarsoffian insanity.
The last Zarsoffs gig with the line up in the picture was at the Bull N Bush (Sydney), September 22, 2001. Long-time drummer Lefty & airkeys player Buster departed soon after. The next gig at the Lewisham Hotel (January 18, 2002) featured fill-in drummer Squeezie. The remaining members then began rehearsing with a new drummer, to continue as a 4-piece.
The Zarsoffs at Narara, 1983 (composite image)
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Hi Pete (I’m guessing it’s you),
Just got the internet back on at home after years of living without it. I did something I’ve never done before and typed my name into the search engine. Not only did I find 85,000 fucking entries dedicated to my name, but on the second page, I actually found one referring to me. This one. Does this mean I’m actually famous now? I’ve become a blast from the past.
I was amused to read our history and my brain sped back to those heady days in an instant. I’m here to verify it’s accuracy, cause it happened just like that. The Likker Act. Now there’s something I had forgotten.
It’s funny, I’ve got a friend visiting Cairns at the moment and I spoke to him while he’s there. Even on a phone line I could feel the vibe of Caesar’s Palace. How many fucking games of Five-Hundred did we play in that place? No doubt a massive highrise stands on the site now, but there should be a small plaque.
The thing I remember most about that period was our first gig in Sydney, after we returned. The old Tram in the Bondi Hotel. The last time we’d played there was with Robin, doing that awful disco shit and the room was filled with tight shirts and pants.
“Hello, Little Red Riding Hood.”
I swear to God all their mouths fell open. But we won them over, like we always did.
I was retrenched from 2UE in 2001, when the place was taken over and words like ‘downsizing’ and ‘rationalisation of our work resources’ found their way onto official bits of paper. I went home and discovered my computer and taught myself to use it. Then I started writing and I’ve now completed three novels. Never realised what a smartarse I really am. Nothing published, but I’m only just starting on that. But, you know, I was thinking, those early days wouldn’t make a bad story. How about that Donald Duck van? The fiasco in Winton alone wouldn’t make a bad story. Remember Robin arriving on a fucking plane? Jesus. But that’s kinda where it started. The Executives. What a fucking laugh. Did we actually ever end up learning one of their songs? I don’t remember.
Anyway, I’m rambling. I hope this finds you well.
Regards,
Terry.
Hey, Terry Zarsoff!
I sent a reply to the email address that came with your message – you get it?
Hey, Terry Zarsoff!,
Did you get the reply I sent?
I can’t fuckin believe it. Issy is that really you. Mate I just
typed in Zarsoff Brothers and bang here I am. I’m 52 now
and followed you blokes around sydney’s west. I was lucky
enough to sing on stage with you guys twice. Once at the
Cambridge Tavern in Fairfield when you decided to call an
Elvis competition. I sang Heartbreak Hotel, then again at
the old Stardust. Viva Las Vagas and an old Rolf harris song
called The Ladies of the Harem…. were the two numbers I
did that night. I bcame known in the area as Porky Zarsoff.
The Porky is still with me today. I’ve evan got the album
Bumsweet somewhere. I followed the Eddies around for a
while before getting married. Great to here your still
around.
Paul.
Hiya Pete!
Just talking about old times with Ralph Kellet and the subject of the Zarsoff Bros came up- so off we went to Google, as ya do and look what we found.
Best of luck and I suppose we should get together for a drink, before we suffle off!!!
Cheers mate
Chris
Hi Guys,
Far out man long time no see, just googled you up to find out what you all been up too. I have not seen a live gig in years, love to see you all in Sydney again. I remember back in the 80’s when you use to play at Sweet Hart’s Cabarmatta, we would bust a nut to get there to see you.
Izzy might rememmber the Nambucker purple head we had back stage in the dressing room, man that was bad arse weed. Hope to see you soon.
Cheers Bevo…….
Hey Izzy, “WoWEeee”, it’s GREAT to see you guys are still around !, I remmember see’n you guys at the Dee Why Pub back in the 80’s. I was going out with a hot blonde chick that you guys used to always perve on, (especially Bernie ) !! We would always hang out down the front right hand side of the stage at the BBQ-GRILL. I remmember you used to go through the crowd belting a can of beer with a set of drumstixs untill it opened !!! and once a bouncer stopped you and said “You can’t do that” ! so you stamped your feet all the way from the front door to the stage, and sang that ‘new’ song …..”Dee-Why’s Fucked” !!!, man that was the funniest thing I had seeen ! Cheeers , from Loz, Gold Coast.
Hey Loz,
I’m glad somebody else remembered the Dee Why incident – I was beginning to think it was just me making up stuff in my memory to somehow glorify my own history (and, of course, the past gets a bit foggier each year further away from it …). I don’t remember perving on your chick (or, at least, I thought I was able to appreciate the female form without anybody sussing what was going on …), but that doesn’t mean I’m not guilty – it was a long time ago. Planet Zarsoff has been populated with many good-looking people, as well as those with a different level of good-lookingness.
Izzy
Where can I get some free range carrots?
Wow, I was just reminiscing (or doing my best to) about the 80s and going to see bands in the pubs and clubs of Western Sydney. What a vibrant scene it aws then and what a pity excessive alcohol in those days has blurred some memories. I’m sure that Parra Leagues was the venue that I saw you fellas at. I remember the laughter thats for sure. Thanks for the blurred memories!
Hey Craig – The laughter was and still is the most important sound to my ears, and the abuse of all our preferred substances certainly created a blurring barrier between then and now, in both directions. (We were too out of it then to see the future, and now the past is somewhat out of focus …). I think I made some sense then, but correct me if I’m wrong.
Hey Rudi – Good to hear from you after such a long time. The imaginary chooks in my back yard here in Ulmarra lay free range carrots all the time, but I’m the only person who can see them (the story of my life …). There’s also a rather large rabbit named Harvey who sneaks in and eats them, but that’s another story. Just as a PS: I play the Frank Bennett ‘Cash Landing’ album through the PA during breaks at the Wide River Cafe regularly on Sundays – Nobody has told me to take it off, so we can assume it’s a hit with punters! Don’t you go changin’ now.
Hey Izzy, couldn’t have worded the blurring effect better myself. And yet would we live the past any differently?