Post 767 - Hans Poulsen - 1968 - 1973 Singles

 

Hans Poulsen was born in Melbourne, Australia on 7 March 1945. His parents, Vic and Nellie Poulsen, played two instruments, lap-steel guitar and ukulele with their styles of Hawaiian music, as well as bush ballads, country and western music and folk.

Poulsen has in error often been stated to be born in Denmark, although his descent is Danish, his paternal grandfather had migrated to Victoria, from Denmark during the early 20th century and being proud of his heritage, Poulsen took the first names of "Hans Sven" while still a teenager. It is possible that he took the name as a stage-name when he started his school band in 1961 called the Rimfires; at this time he played around the Frankston area, an outer suburb of Melbourne, and around the Mornington Peninsula region on the coast. It was here that he learnt his craft and became known for his interpretation of the music and songs of Buddy Holly. In 1965, Poulsen formed the first version of a Melbourne group called '18th Century Quartet", which played original material (mostly by Poulsen) and performed in a style that later came to be known as world music; the group also differed from most of its contemporaries with its use of diverse acoustic instruments including mandolin, autoharp and bouzouki. The second incarnation would be a more pop orientated sound.

After embarking on a solo career in 1967, Poulsen had two Australian pop hits with the songs "Boom Sha La La Lo" co written with Seekers Bruce Woodley and "There's a Light Across the Valley". He also had success as a songwriter with hits written for other artists, including "Rose Coloured Glasses" for John Farnham, "Lady Scorpio" for The Strangers and "Monty and Me" for Zoot. One of his best-known and most successful compositions, "It's Only a Matter of Time", was the much-played B-side of the single "The Real Thing" by Russell Morris. He also wrote the theme music for GTK (standing for "Get to Know") was an Australian popular music TV series of ten minute episodes, produced and broadcast by ABC Television from 1969 to 1975.

Poulsen died on 17 February 2023, at the age of 77. Thanks to Henry DeRooy for the art work. Flac