Bruce Woodley - Going Solo

Going Solo

Bruce's first solo venture was a production company called Pennywheel, which saw him release a number of products for children, including a "Build an Alphabet" set of blocks and the 1969 EP & board book "Friday St. Fantasy". In 1969 Bruce headed off to America to sell the songs he'd been writing, and was to remain there for several years. During this period he collaborated with a number of writers including John Farrar and Australian folk singer Hans Poulsen. Their composition "Boom-Sha-La-La-Lo" became a hit for Poulsen.

In 1971 Bruce released his first solo album, entitled Just Good Friends. In a reaction to the folk stereotype of the Seekers, the original album cover featured two naked models having sex. This was deemed too raunchy for Australia and the cover was replaced by a photo of Woodley. The original cover, however, was allowed in New Zealand, and this version of the album is a collectors item today. Three years later Bruce contributed to an Australian-themed album put out by Viscount cigarettes, called The Roaring Days Vol. 1 (after a Henry Lawson poem). A second volume never eventuated. He also had a hit song called "Love me tonight baby" The album featured Bruce performing the traditional folk song "Eumerella Shore" and some of his own compositions, including "The Bush Girl", which he would later re-record for a double album in 1987, with the Seekers in 1997 and 2000, and with daughter Claire Woodley in 2001.