This week, Ira Sternberg spoke with Graham Russell. Air Supply has kicked off its "Air Supply Lost In Love Experience Tour,” bringing them to The Orleans Showroom May 24-26.
In this 30-minute episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Russell talks about the emotional impetus for beginning to write songs at age 11; the influence of the Beatles from an early age; why “All Out of Love” is his favorite song; how he met Russell Hitchcock and their natural harmonies; why he likes his time alone in-between gigs; and knowing that, as the songwriter for Air Supply, he has to be ten steps ahead of everybody.
Russell & Russell Hitchcock met on May 12, 1975, the first day of rehearsals for “Jesus Christ Superstar” in Sydney, Australia; they became instant friends with their common love for The Beatles and, of course, singing.
After the shows’ performances at 10:30, they would play pizza parlors, coffee bars and night clubs with just one guitar and two voices. They quickly gained a reputation for great harmonies and for original songs that Graham was constantly writing. They made a demo on a cassette of two songs, “Love and Other Bruises” and “If You Knew Me” and took it to every record company in Sydney. Everyone turned it down but one — CBS Records — who admired their unique style.
They made a single in one afternoon and it shot to number one on the national charts. Air Supply was born. The trademark sound of Hitchcock’s tenor voice and Russell’s songs created a unique sound that would always be known as Air Supply.
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