John FarnhamOne of the biggest Australian albums of all time is getting the anniversary treatment, with a new vinyl pressing among the goodies on offer as John Farnham celebrates 40 years of Whispering Jack.
Originally released on September 29th, 1986, Whispering Jack is the very definition of an Australian success story.
With the chart success that earmarked his early days having waned, years spent as Johnny Farnham necessitated a rebrand under his birth name. While 1980's Uncovered hit the national top 20, it would largely be the last fans heard of Farnham as a solo act for some time, with a stint spent as the vocalist for the Little River Band beginning in 1982.
Departing the group in 1985, Farnham started looking toward his next solo record. Famously, manager Glenn Wheatley would remortgage his house just to afford the $150,000 recording fee for the album.
It was a gamble that paid off. Lead single You’re The Voice saw Farnham achieve his first No. 1 since his debut track almost two decades earlier, and Whispering Jack swiftly became a chart-topping record.
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It stayed at No. 1 for 25 weeks, and would go on to sell 1.6 million copies as of 2006. To date, it remains the highest-selling album by a local artist in Australia, and as of 2020, had become the second best-selling album in the country overall, eclipsed only by Meat Loaf's Bat Out Of Hell.
It won Farnham six trophies at the inaugural ARIA Awards in 1987 (including Album and Single of the Year, and Highest Selling Album and Single), and the record has since been viewed as one of the greatest local records of all time.
As part of its 40th anniversary celebrations, a batch of special items have been announced, including a limited edition, individually-numbered (out of 2,500) expanded edition of the original record, featuring inverted artwork.
Pressed on black and white vinyl, it's also paired with a vinyl edition of Whispering Jack Live, a 1987 live recording of the album which was previously issued as a DVD-only release. The live concert is also included in new CD editions of the album, too.
Additionally, a new merchandise range has also been offered up to celebrate 40 years of the record, with iconic photos of Farnham across apparel, T-shirts, mugs, and accessories.
One week before the album turns 40, a special concert event – The Songs of John Farnham: A Living Legend – will be held at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on Sunday, September 20th.
A raft of Australian and international acts will appear and honour Farnham, including Jimmy Barnes, Tina Arena, Jon Stevens, Kate Ceberano, Jessica Mauboy, Diesel, Mahalia Barnes, Ross Wilson, Human Nature, Jack Jones, and more. Additionally, Richard Marx, Keith Urban, Celine Dion, and Hugh Jackman, with the latter two performing via satellite.
Farnham himself will not be performing, having confirmed he will never perform on stage or in a public forum again, citing his experience with mouth cancer and subsequent surgeries as making the task “impossible.”
“We can rule that out,” Farnham told The Herald Sun. “Because of the surgeries to my mouth and face over the past few years, singing on stage is not something I can consider again. It’s just not possible.”
The new Whispering Jack anniversary merch range will release on September 18th, with pre-orders available now.
