Joe Camilleri facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joe Camilleri
Joe Camilleri at Mordialloc Festival, March 2006 Photo: Mandy Hall
Background information
Birth name	Joseph Vincent Camilleri
Also known as	Jo Jo Zep
Born	(1948-05-21) 21 May 1948 (age 77) Crown Colony of Malta
Genres	Rock, R&B, blues
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments	Vocals, saxophone, guitar
Years active	1964–present
Associated acts	The Pelaco Brothers Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons Black Sorrows The Revelators Adderley Smith Blues Band

Joseph Vincent Camilleri, also known as Jo Jo Zep, is a famous singer, songwriter, and musician from Malta and Australia. He was born on May 21, 1948. Joe Camilleri has released music as a solo artist and as a member of popular bands like Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons and The Black Sorrows.

His band, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, had a big hit with "Hit & Run" in 1979, which reached number 12 on the music charts. Later, his solo song "Taxi Mary" hit number 11 in 1982. With The Black Sorrows, "Chained to the Wheel" became a top song, reaching number 9 in 1989.

Joe Camilleri has also helped other artists make their music as a record producer. He worked with bands like The Sports and Paul Kelly & the Dots. A music writer named Ian McFarlane called him "one of the most genuinely talented figures in Australian music." In 2007, Joe Camilleri was added to the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame as a member of Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons.

His album Saint Georges Road with The Black Sorrows in 2021 was his 50th music release!

Joe Camilleri's Life and Music Journey

Early Life and First Bands

Joe Camilleri was born in Malta in 1948. He was the third of ten children. When he was two years old, his family moved to Australia. Joe grew up in Port Melbourne and loved listening to rock music on the radio. His mother called him "Zep," and that's how he got the nickname Jo Zep. He has five children.

Joe started his music career in 1964. He was literally pushed onto a stage to sing with a band called The Drollies! In the mid-1960s, he played blues and R&B music with The King Bees. After that, he joined the Adderley Smith Blues Band. In 1968, the lead singer of that band had to join the army during the Vietnam War. Joe stayed with Adderley Smith for about a year. He enjoyed playing with the band, especially with guitarist Kerryn Tolhurst. However, another music writer, Ed Nimmervoll, said Joe was fired because he sounded too much like Mick Jagger and was stealing the show! After Adderley Smith, Joe played in other bands, including The Pelaco Brothers from 1974 to 1975.

Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons: A Soaring Success

Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons formed in 1975. This is where Joe Camilleri became widely known. He was the lead singer, helped write songs, and played the saxophone. Other important members included Jeff Burstin (guitar), John Power (bass), Gary Young (drums), Tony Faehse (guitar), and Wilbur Wilde (saxophone).

The band mixed different music styles like blues, R&B, soul, punk rock, new wave, and reggae. They became very popular in Australia. Some of their hit songs were "Shape I'm In" and "Puppet on a String." Their biggest hit was "Hit & Run" in June 1979, which reached number 12 on the charts.

In 1981, most of The Falcons left the group. The band's name was then shortened to Jo Jo Zep. The song "Taxi Mary" was released under the name Jo Jo Zep and reached number 11 in September 1982. The group became very large, with up to 11 members, and eventually broke up in 1983.

The original 1976–1981 band members got back together in 2001 for a special show. They decided to stay together and released a new album called Ricochet in 2003. As we mentioned, Joe Camilleri was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 2007 because of his work with Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons. The band still performs live shows today!

The Black Sorrows: Joe's Longest Journey

After Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons ended in 1983, Joe Camilleri found even greater success with another long-lasting band, The Black Sorrows. This group started in 1984 as a casual, mostly acoustic band playing blues, R&B, and zydeco music.

The Black Sorrows often had different musicians joining and leaving. Three former Falcons members – Jeff Burstin, Wayne Burt, and Gary Young – were part of the band at different times. Later, the talented sisters Vika and Linda Bull joined as singers, along with lyricist Nick Smith. Joe Camilleri himself has been the only member who has stayed in the band since the beginning.

The Black Sorrows gained many fans and received great reviews for their albums and live shows. They started as a band that played cover songs (songs by other artists) but grew into a full electric band that wrote their own music. They released many successful albums in the 1980s and 1990s. Some of these albums include Dear Children (a Top 20 album in 1987), Hold On to Me (reached No. 7 in 1988), and Harley & Rose (reached No. 3 in 1990).

Their top hit singles were "Chained to the Wheel" (which reached No. 9 in 1989), "Harley + Rose" (1990), and "Never Let Me Go" (1990).

For the first few years, Joe Camilleri used the name "Joey Vincent" when performing with The Black Sorrows. However, he always used his real name for writing and producing the music. He stopped using the "Joey Vincent" name before the Harley & Rose album came out in 1990.

The Black Sorrows, with various line-ups, have continued to release music throughout the 1990s and 2000s, and they are still active today!

Other Exciting Music Projects

The Revelators: A Return to Roots

While still with The Black Sorrows, Joe Camilleri also played with The Revelators. This band went back to playing mostly cover songs in a country and R&B style, similar to how The Black Sorrows started. The Revelators often had the same musicians as The Black Sorrows.

They released their first album, Amazing Stories, in 1991. They followed this with two more albums: The Adventures of The Amazing Revelators (2000) and The Revelators (2002). The Revelators performed live from about 1989 until 2012.

Bakelite Radio: Acoustic Adventures

Bakelite Radio was another one of Joe's side projects in the early 2000s. This group focused more on acoustic music, still with a country and R&B feel. They mostly played cover songs, and like Joe's other bands, the members often changed.

The group released four albums between 2003 and 2009. They were active as a live band from 2001 to 2007. After a long break, Bakelite Radio returned in 2020 with a new album called Rosary of Tears.

The Voodoo Sheiks: New Orleans Vibes

The Voodoo Sheiks are a ten-piece band led by Joe Camilleri and John McAll. They celebrate the exciting music of New Orleans. The band has a big brass section and plays many cover songs. They started performing around 2011 and became a popular project for Joe.

The Voodoo Sheiks haven't recorded an album under their own name yet. However, one song on The Black Sorrows' 2014 album Certified Blue is called "The Return Of The Voodoo Sheiks" and features the Voodoo Sheiks band members.

Here Comes The Night: A Tribute to Van Morrison

"Here Comes The Night" is a special project where Joe Camilleri pays tribute to the famous musician Van Morrison. Joe leads this project with Vince Jones and Vika Bull. Since 2013, the group has performed many live shows across Australia, celebrating Van Morrison's music.

Working Behind the Scenes: Production and Session Work

Starting in the late 1970s, Joe Camilleri also became a record producer. This means he helped other artists record their music. He produced records for bands like The Sports, Paul Kelly & the Dots, Renée Geyer, and Ross Wilson.

You can also hear Joe playing instruments or singing on recordings by many other Australian artists. These include bands like Skyhooks, Icehouse, and Mondo Rock.

Joe Camilleri's Solo Music

Joe Camilleri has not released many solo albums. His first solo project was a single called "Nosey Parker" in 1980, released under the name "Joey Vincent." He released two more singles in the 1980s and a special maxi single called "All Saint's Hotel" in 1995.

Solo Albums

Compilation Albums

Solo Singles

Awards and Special Recognition

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are big awards in Australia that celebrate the best music each year. They started in 1987.

Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame

The Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame was created in 2004 to honor the amazing achievements of Australia's best songwriters.

Mo Awards

The Mo Awards were Australian awards that celebrated live entertainment from 1975 to 2016. Joe Camilleri won one of these awards.

Music Victoria Awards

The Music Victoria Awards are an annual event that celebrates music from the state of Victoria, Australia. They started in 2006.