The Atlantics
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The Atlantics were an Australian surf rock band in the early 1960s. Most well-known for their hit "Bombora", their later recordings such as "Come On" are examples of 1960s garage rock. In 2000 the group reformed with three of the original members, and they are actively releasing new material and performing live.
Members
- Peter Hood - drums
- Theo Penglis - guitar
- Bosco Bosanac - bass
- Jim Skaithitis - guitar
- Martin Cilia - guitar (new member, replaced Theo in current group)
History
Formed in Sydney, Australia in early 1961, the group began performing locally and soon gained an enthusiastic following. In early 1962 they appeared on a local television show New Faces, where they were voted "Most Promising Group of 1962." They signed a deal with booking agent Joan King, who convinced the members to quit their day jobs and produce a demo, which she shopped to a variety of record labels. After several rejections, they were signed to CBS Records in 1963. The A&R representative for CBS was especially impressed by the groups' original compositions. Most instrumental rock bands of the time merely covered material from The Shadows or The Ventures.
In February 1963 CBS released the first single, "Moon Man" b/w "Dark Eyes". "Moon Man" was an original song written by Peter Hood, and "Dark Eyes" was a traditional tune reinterpreted by the band. While the single was not a hit, it did gain enough attention for CBS to agree to continue to support the group.
In July 1963 they released the single that would become their biggest hit and most well-known song. "Bombora" was written by Peter and Jim and was named after an aboriginal term for large waves breaking over submerged rocks. The B-side was "Greensleeves", another tradtitional tune rearranged by the band. This single became a national hit, and also gained attention in America and Europe.