An American update for old Aussie band

IF YOU GO

Who: Little River Band

When: 8 p.m. Saturday

Where: Cannery, North Las Vegas 

Tickets: $10.95 to $32.95; 507-5757 or www.showtickets.com

The Little River Band burst out of Australia and onto the American music scene in the mid-Õ70s with such hits as ÒItÕs a Long Way There,Ó ÒHelp Is On Its Way,Ó ÒReminiscingÓ and ÒLady.Ó

The band has sold more than 25Êmillion records and scored more than a dozen American TopÊ40 hits. ItÕs still considered an Australian group even though it has featured a mostly American lineup for years. After 15 or so incarnations and reincarnations, thereÕs only one Aussie, guitarist Greg Hind, and heÕs been with LRB only since 2000.

The original members were gone by the early Õ80s, tired of internal bickering and the grueling commute between Australia and the United States. (Three of the bandÕs original members and songwriters — Beeb Birtles, Glenn Shorrock and Graeham Goble — reunited in 2002. But they can no longer use the name Little River Band so they tour as Birtles Shorrock Goble or BSG.)

Las Vegas resident Wayne Nelson has been with the group longer than Hind and longer than the founders. The lead singer and bass player joined up in 1979.

ÒOne by one they drifted away,Ó Nelson says from a recent tour stop in Springfield, Mass. ÒGreg Hind is a perfect fit. HeÕs a classic Australian, with the accent and look. HeÕs our thread to the Outback.Ó

The latest version of the Little River Band will perform Saturday at the Cannery.

Nelson was tapped while he was touring with Jim Messina, shortly after Messina split with Kenny Loggins, and the group was opening for Little River Band.

ÒThe Messina band was playing some pretty complex rhythmic stuff and everybody was singing in the band,Ó Nelson says. ÒI didnÕt know it but Little River was looking for a singing bass player. At the time I wasnÕt aware how much conflict there was within the band. One of the songwriters was looking for somebody that could sing lead because he wanted a different interpretation of his songs.

ÒSo, with all that going on, they came out to watch Jim Messina because he was a legend to them, but in the meantime they started watching me, kind of auditioning me without telling me. So at end of the tour they made me an offer to come play, record, tour and if all went well become a band member.Ó

HeÕs been with band since, although he took a break from 1996 to Õ99.

ÒI lost a child in a car accident so it was not a time to be away from the family and on the road,Ó he says, adding that the continuing upheaval in the band kept him away for three years. ÒIt just wasnÕt worth going on the road. It wasnÕt a healthy atmosphere.Ó

Nelson started playing in the Wooden Angel Band in San Diego. Just as his new band was making noise, Little River called. ÒAlmost everyone quit and the only guy left called me back and said come back.Ó

The band has cut eight albums since, five with original material. The new blood made all the difference.

ÒEverybody was eager to put new songs in there,Ó Nelson says. ÒEveryone was eager to take the old songs and revamp them a little bit. I have the utmost respect for what the band created in 1975, but weÕre not going to widen our audience or stretch our boundaries by doing the songs the exact way they were done in 1975. People can put the CD on and listen to that.

ÒWeÕve added solos, modified songs, added intros. The heart of the song is still there, but weÕve lifted the hood on quite a bit of the set, virtually all of the hit songs, and tweaked them a little bit so they are more exciting live than if we were simply up there regurgitating the hits.Ó

Jerry Fink can be reached at 259-4058 or at [e-mail].