Jesus Christ Superstar (Original Australian Cast Recording)

Jesus Christ Superstar or Jesus Christ Superstar – Original Australian Cast Recording is an album released in late 1972 on MCA Records. Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera created by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1970. The earliest Australian version was staged from May 1972 to February 1974. This album features Trevor White (as Jesus), Jon English (as Judas) and Michele Fawdon (as Mary Magdalene). Together with other cast members they performed vocals for a studio recording. It was produced by Patrick Flynn, the show's musical director and a conductor for Opera Australia. The album peaked at No. 17 on the Go-Set Albums Chart in June 1973, while it reached No. 13 on the Kent Music Report and remained on its charts for 54 weeks. It appeared in the top 100 on the 1974 End of Year Albums Chart. In May 1973, the album was awarded a gold record for sales worth $50,000.

This stage production and resultant album featured a number of notable Australian musicians. Jon English became a popular entertainer both as an actor and singer. Fellow cast members, Mike Wade on guitar and Greg Henson on drums, were part of English's backing band. Stevie Wright (as Simon Zealotes) was a former member of The Easybeats and he formed a band, Black Tank, with fellow cast members Rory O'Donoghue (as Peter) on guitar and vocals and Ken Firth on bass guitar. Wright then pursued a successful solo career. O'Donoghe was also a TV personality (Thin Arthur) on Australian TV series, The Aunty Jack Show, and its spin-off, Wollongong the Brave. Firth and other musicians for the stage version, Phil Eizenberg on guitar and William "Billy" Miller on vocals, formed The Ferrets in 1975. Also on the soundtrack album were Levi Smith's Clefs' members Michael Carlos and Henson. Carlos, on organ and piano, was also the musical director of the backing band, The Superstars, for the stage show and album, alongside Henson, Wade (ex-Climax), Jamie McKinley on piano and Bruce Worral on bass guitar (ex-Sherbet). John Young (later styled as John Paul Young) who had the role of Annas became a successful solo artist and toured with various fellow cast members as his backing band, The Allstars. The 1992 release of this album won the Aria for Highest Selling Album and nominated for Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show Album.