Angry Anderson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Angry Anderson AM
Anderson with Rose Tattoo at Wacken Open Air 2022
Background information
Birth name	Gary Stephen Anderson
Born	(1947-08-05) 5 August 1947 (age 77) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died	Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day
Genres	Hard rock, blues rock, rock and roll
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter actor television personality
Years active	1971–present
Labels	Mushroom/Festival
Associated acts	Buster Brown, Rose Tattoo, The Party Boys

Gary Stephen "Angry" Anderson (born August 5, 1947) is a famous Australian rock singer, songwriter, TV star, and actor. He's best known as the lead singer of the hard rock band Rose Tattoo since 1976. He also had a big solo hit called "Suddenly" in 1987.

On Australia Day in 1993, Anderson was given a special award, becoming a Member of the Order of Australia. This was for his work helping young people. Music experts say he changed from a "rock'n'roll bad boy" to a well-known Australian media personality. In 2006, his band Rose Tattoo was added to the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame, which is a huge honor in Australian music.

About Angry Anderson

Early Life and Music

Gary Stephen Anderson was born on August 5, 1947, in Melbourne, Australia. His nickname "Angry Ant" came from his energetic and sometimes fiery personality when he was young. He grew up in a suburb called Coburg.

He first wanted to be a blues guitarist, like his heroes Bob Dylan and John Lennon. But he found he was better at singing. He joined a band where the other two members were better guitarists, so he became the singer.

From 1971 to 1973, Anderson led a rock group called Peace Power and Purity. He became more widely known as the lead singer of Buster Brown. This hard rock and blues rock band started in 1973. Phil Rudd, who later joined AC/DC, was their drummer for a while. In 1975, Buster Brown released an album called Something to Say.

Rose Tattoo and Big Hits

In 1976, Angry Anderson moved to Sydney and joined a new band called Rose Tattoo. He became their lead singer. Their song "Bad Boy for Love" was very popular in Australia in 1977. Rose Tattoo even toured Europe in 1981, playing at big music festivals.

Angry Anderson also started acting. He had a small part in the movie Bullamakanka (1983). Later, he played a character named Ironbar Bassey in the famous film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985).

In 1985, he joined a group called The Incredible Penguins to record a charity song, "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)". This song helped raise money for research on little penguins. In 1987, he even played Lenin in a musical called Rasputin.

Solo Success and TV Work

Rose Tattoo stopped performing for a while in 1987. Around this time, Angry Anderson started appearing on TV shows like The Midday Show and A Current Affair. He became known for talking about important social issues.

In 1987, he had his biggest solo hit with the song "Suddenly". This song became famous because it was used as the wedding theme for popular characters Scott and Charlene in the TV show Neighbours. The song was very popular in Australia and even reached number three on the UK charts in 1988.

Anderson in Wagga, New South Wales, January 1993

In 1990, he released another solo album called Blood from Stone, which included the hit song "Bound for Glory". He performed this song at the 1991 AFL Grand Final, arriving in a vehicle that looked like the Batmobile!

In 1992, Anderson acted in a stage show of Jesus Christ Superstar. In 1993, Rose Tattoo got back together for a short time to support the band Guns N' Roses on their Australian tour.

Community Work and Later Years

Since 1994, Angry Anderson has used his connections to help charities. He has organized "Challenges" where communities and businesses work together to complete projects. These have included building playgrounds for children with disabilities, helping farmers during droughts, and providing Christmas presents for disadvantaged kids. He also helped build places for people with HIV/AIDS and delivered artificial limbs to landmine victims in Cambodia.

Rose Tattoo reunited again in 1998 and has continued to perform. Sadly, five former members of the band have passed away from cancer. In 2006, Rose Tattoo was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

Left to right: Hamish Rosser, Anderson, Matt Sorum, Sarah McLeod, DJ Lethal at opening of Darling Harbour's Hard Rock Cafe in December 2011

Angry Anderson has also been involved in many charity events. In 2002, he played at a concert to help victims of the Bali bombing. He is also involved with the Dunn Lewis Youth Development Foundation, which honors two young Australians who died in those bombings. In 2003, he appeared in the film Finding Joy, singing "Suddenly" at the end.

In 2011, Anderson appeared in the Australian movie Suite for Fleur. He also performed with other famous musicians at the opening of a Hard Rock Cafe in Sydney. In 2014, he was a judge on the TV show Bogan Hunters and acted in the movie Fat Pizza vs. Housos.

Political Views

Angry Anderson has shared his opinions on different topics. In 2010, he spoke to a government committee about violence among young people. He said that "Aussies use their fists" when they fight and that "weapons were introduced by other cultures."

In 2011, he joined the National Party, a conservative political group. He even considered running for election under his birth name, Gary Anderson. He has said he supports same-sex marriage, showing he has some different views from his party.

In 2012, Anderson took part in a TV show called Go Back To Where You Came From. In this show, Australians with different views on asylum seekers traveled to see what refugees experience. At first, he believed people who arrived illegally should be sent back. But after meeting refugees and visiting war-torn Kabul, he changed his mind. He said he didn't want to turn away people who needed safety, but he still didn't want them to come by boat.

Personal Life

Angry Anderson met Lindy Michael in 1982. They had a daughter, Roxanne, in 1983, and later three sons: Galen, Blaine, and Liam. They married in 1986 but later divorced. Angry Anderson is a single father and lives in Sydney. He attends the Baha'i temple regularly, finding spirituality there.

Because many of his Rose Tattoo bandmates passed away from cancer, Angry Anderson has become a strong supporter of men's health. Sadly, in 2018, his son Liam was killed in an attack.

Discography

Anderson performing with Rose Tattoo at the 2006 Meredith Music Festival

Rose Tattoo

Buster Brown

Solo albums

Singles

See Also

• "You're Not Alone" (Australian Olympians song)

Filmography

• At Last... Bullamakanka: The Motion Picture (1983) – Senator's Aide
• Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) – Ironbar Bassey
• Scuff the Sock (1987, TV movie) – Plasterer
• Finding Joy (2002) – Kris Quaid
• Fat Pizza (2003) – Bikie
• Pizza (2005, TV series) – Bikie Leader / Tattooist / Captain / Vietnam Vet
• Swift and Shift Couriers (2008–2011, TV series) – Aaron 'Agro' Smith
• Suite For Fleur (2011)
• Housos vs. Authority (2012) – Angry
• Go Back To Where You Came From (2012, TV series documentary) – Himself – Participant
• Housos (2011–2013; 2020, TV series) – Angry
• Fat Pizza vs. Housos (2014) – Angry
• Bogan Hunters (2014, TV series) – Himself – Celebrity Judge
• Dumb Criminals: The Movie (2015) – Angry
• Fat Pizza: Back in Business (2019–2021, TV series) – Angry
• Darradong Local Council (2023, TV series) – Patto

Awards

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards are yearly awards that celebrate achievements in live entertainment in Australia. Angry Anderson has won one of these awards.