Rolf Harris and Golden Tonsils wobble the ARIA Hall of Fame

Citysearch was on hand to see the latest crop of old rockers join an even older shock jock, and a legendary artist and performer to be honoured as the latest inductees into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

Rob Hirst & Russell Morris

Editorial Review

The red carpet snappers came alive when the first of the 2008 ARIA Hall of Fame inductees, old Golden Tonsils himself, John Laws arrived in all his preened, prigged glory followed by a trail of old rockers and one ex federal Labor leader enjoying a leisurely amble on the red carpet.

The show opened in a blaze of ARIA glory thanks to the Living End doing their version of Johnny O'Keefe's The Wild One. The boys told Citysearch they were most looking forward to playing in front of the wobbler himself, Rolf Harris. In fact, it was clear from the start, while Harris was joined by impressive luminaries including Dragon, Russell Morris, Max Merritt, the Seekers and John Laws (there to pick up an lifetime achievement award), it was the man who brought us Six White Boomers, Two Little Boys and Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport that the people had come to see.

Posthumous inductee Marc Hunter from Dragon was represented on the night by his daughter and band mates. In an emotional acceptance of their award, the boys thanked the '35' people who had been in the band and the fans who stuck with them. James Reyne then joined Ian Moss onstage with the remaining Dragon members for a rousing rendition of April Sun in Cuba.

Kasey Chambers teamed with Aussie soul man Max Merritt for a stirring rendition of Slippin' Away, with Merritt telling Citysearch: “Kasey makes me look good.” Inducted by Midnight Oil's Rob Hirst, Russell Morris received a standing ovation from a crowd that included Aussie rock stalwarts Ian 'Molly' Meldrum, who told the crowd Meldrum-produced The Real Thing was “literally a gimmick song”. Morris was then joined by a super band comprising members from The Church, The Whitlams and Powderfinger in an awesome rendition of The Real Thing.

In a video message from the UK, 2007 inductee Nick Cave paid tribute to former touring mates, The Triffids. Steve Kilbey from The Church joined the band to perform the band's classic tune Wide Open Road.

But as Perth boy and former ALP leader Kim Beazley was there to attest, the night belonged to Rolf. Preceded by the Whitlam's Tim Freedman paying tribute to Rolf with his take on the moving Two Little Boys,.

The classic moment of the evening belonged to a couple of the oldest blokes in the room when Rolf Harris and John Laws, clearly enjoying themselves, didn't quite hang out backstage, but instead took an unexpected stroll into the media room for the evening's best photo opp. “We're having a great time”, said Harris . “The last time we worked together was about 17 years ago - we did a radio interview together - I still haven't forgiven him,” laughed the fit looking 78 year-old.

And what better tune to close the ARIA Hall of Fame 2008 induction than the greatest iconic Aussie tune of all time - Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport, sung by the Aussie wobbler himself, Rolf Harris, backed by possibly the coolest Aussie retro band in the land - The Seekers.

Cath Pope, Managing Editor, Citysearch.

Photo credit: Kris Darmody