Introduction to Air Supply
Air Supply is a soft rock duo consisting of Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock formed in 1975 in Melbourne, Australia. Early on they were considered a band with various musicians, but Russell & Hitchcock were always the key performers and eventually became a duo. Along with original member Chrissie Hammond, the two met in 1975 while performing in the Australian production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” and decided to start a harmony vocal group. Hammond soon left to start her group Cheetah, but Russell & Hitchcock continued on and quickly signed a recording contract and became popular in Australia and in a few short years across the world. Russell Hitchcock is lead vocalist while Graham Russell sings backing vocals, writes most of the duos songs and plays guitar & other instruments.
They had success in their homeland Australia, but in 1980 they became bigger in the US than in Australia with a three year run of hits including 8 Top 5 Billboard Hot 100 singles: “Lost In Love”, “All Out of Love”, “Every Woman in the World”, “The One That You Love”, “Here I Am”, “Sweet Dreams”, “Even the Nights Are Better” & “Making Love Out of Nothing at All”. After 1983 their crossover popularity dropped but they still charted well in the Adult Contemporary genre. The group continues recording and released a 2011 album “Mumbo Jumbo”. Russell Hitchcock has recorded 3 solo albums and Graham Russell has one of his own.Other “Air Supply” Hit Songs: “Love and Other Bruises”, “Do What You Do”, “Do It Again”, “What a Life”, “Just Another Woman”, Two Less Lonely People in the World”, “Just As I Am”, “Lonely Is the Night”, “Without You”, “Goodbye”, “Someone”, “The Way I Feel”, “Dance With Me”, “Young Love”, “Unchained Melody”, “Love Is All”, “The Earth Is”, & “Faith in Love”.
The formation of Air Supply
Their love songs are timeless and still speak to audiences, young and old. Air Supply has eight Top 10 singles, including seven consecutive hits, as well as numerous Top 40 singles. The core of the British-Australian group was Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock. Russell and Hitchcock met in 1975 while performing on an Australian production of Jesus Christ, Superstar in Sydney, Australia.
Air Supply quickly saw some success in Australia when their first hit single, “Love and Other Bruises”, peaked on the Australian Top Ten in 1976.
Success in the United States
In 1980, their single, “Lost In Love”, was included in the group’s 1979 album, Life Support. “Lost In Love” hit it big on the Australian and New Zealand charts. This caught the ears of Arista Records on the other side of the globe. The song was then remixed for its American release the following year and made it all the way to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The accompanying album, also titled Lost In Love, became a huge global seller.
After “Lost In Love”, the group went on to score six other consecutive US Top Ten hits: “All Out Of Love” (1980), “Every Woman In The World” (1980), “The One That You Love” (1981), “Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You)” (1981), “Sweet Dreams” (1981) and “Even The Nights Are Better” (1982). Their albums went multi platinum with Air Supply’s 1980 LP, The One That You Love, becoming the group’s most commercially successful album. It peaked at #10 on the US Billboard album charts and went double platinum.
“The One That You Love” was Air Supply’s only #1 Hit on the Hot 100 charts. The band’s singles did very well on adult contemporary rankings, generating three #1 hits and several Top 10 AC singles too. Air Supply’s last Top 10 single was “Making Love (Out Of Nothing At All) in 1983.
Still going strong
Russell and Hitchcock are still together and continue to play to sold out crowds in Asia and other parts of the world. In fact, Air Supply was one of the few foreign acts to have performed in communist Cuba. Air Supply’s website, http://www.airsupplymusic.com/, has a listing of all their upcoming performances and more information about the group and the latest news.