Maybe Dolls

Maybe Dolls were an Australian pop music band consisting of siblings Annalisse Morrow (bass guitar, lead vocals) and Chris Morrow (lead guitar, lead vocals).[1] The pair were former members of a power pop group, the Numbers.[1][2] They had issued a single, "A Five Letter Word", in mid-1980, which reached No. 40 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart.[1][3]

Maybe Dolls
OriginSydney, New South Wales, Australia
GenresPop
Years active1991 (1991)–1993 (1993)
Labels
Associated actsThe Numbers
Past members
  • Annalisse Morrow
  • Chris Morrow
  • Paul Wheeler
  • Tim Powles

Formation

The Morrows formed Maybe Dolls in 1991 in Sydney as a pop music trio with Paul Wheeler on drums (ex-Icehouse).[1] Tim Powles (ex-Venetians) later took over on drums.[4] In July 1992 Chris Morrow reflected on the differences between the two groups, "With our former band, The Numbers, I used to write most of the material. I tended to focus on lyrics and guitar riffs but being a singer Annalisse broadens the songs melodically. Now the voice is serving the lyrics and vice versa — the songs have got both form and content."[5] The Canberra Times' reviewer felt that "Annalisse's unique vocal style — equal parts pixie and banshee — has been enriched by stints singing jazz and blues in small clubs and even some techno-funk dabblings."[6]

Their debut single, "Nervous Kid", was released in August 1991, and reached No. 32 on the ARIA Singles Chart.[7] It was featured in the Australian TV soap opera, E Street. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1992 "Nervous Kid" was nominated for Breakthrough Artist – Single.[8]

A second single, "Cool Jesus", reached No. 31 in February 1992,[7] followed by their only album, Propaganda (2 March 1992), which reached the top 30.[7] To record the album the Morrows were joined in the studio by Paul Gray on keyboards (ex-Wa Wa Nee), Peter Kekel on keyboards (ex-Jimmy Barnes Band), Justin Stanley on keyboards (ex-Noiseworks), and John Watson on drums.[5] Annalise explained that "the songs were written over a three year period so they cover lots of ground. I guess lyrically they're all about applying personal politics to the world outside. A lot of them work on a number of different levels so they sort of keep people guessing what they may be about."[5]

Break-up

After disbanding Annalisse left the music industry and Chris became a design teacher in northern New South Wales.[9] In January 2008 Annalisse told The Sydney Morning Herald's correspondent that "'The one thing I miss is singing,' she says, adding with a laugh, 'And I still can't get used to getting up in the morning... It got to the point where I couldn't listen to anybody singing for quite some time'."[9]

Discography

Studio albums
List of albums, with Australian chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart
positions
AUS
[7]
Propaganda
  • Released: 2 March 1992[10]
  • Format: CD
  • Label: BMG
 25

Singles
Year Title Peak chart
position		 Album
AUS
[7]
1991 "Nervous Kid" 32 Propaganda
1992 "Cool Jesus" 31
"Never Look Back" 114
"Only Love" 207
1993 "Goodbye" — non-album single
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

References
  1. McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'The Numbers'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 28 June 2004.
  2. "Discogs > The Numbers". discogs.com. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  3. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 220. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. Thomas, Brett (22 December 1991), "Decade of change for dolls", Sun Herald
  5. "Maybe Dolls magic at Crown". Times. 87 (4, 041). Victor Harbor. 10 July 1992. p. 11. Retrieved 27 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "The mystery of the Maybe Dolls". The Canberra Times. 67 (21, 018). 29 October 1992. p. 19. Retrieved 27 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. Australian (ARIA) chart peaks:
  8. "Winners by Year 1992". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  9. "More than the sum of their past – Music – Entertainment". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. 5 January 2008. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  10. The ARIA Report. 109. ARIA. 1 March 1992. p. 20.
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