Vincent James Lovegrove (19 March 194724 March 2012) was an Australian musician, journalist, music manager, television producer and AIDS awareness pioneer. He was a member of 1960s rock 'n' roll band The Valentines, sharing vocals with Bon Scott whom he later introduced to heavy rock group AC/DC. As a journalist, he wrote for Australia's teen music newspaper Go-Set from 1971, and was based in London for Immedia! from 1994 for over eight years. As a manager, his former clients include pub rock singer Jimmy Barnes and rock group Divinyls.
Both his second wife, Suzi Sidewinder, and their son, Troy Lovegrove, died of HIV/AIDS; each was the subject of documentaries by Lovegrove, Suzi's Story (1987) and A Kid Called Troy (1993) respectively, which were telecast on Australian TV and internationally. He wrote A kid called Troy: The moving journal of a little boy's battle for life in 1993, and an unauthorized biography of INXS frontman Michael Hutchence in 1999.
Lovegrove died in a car accident near Byron Bay, New South Wales on 24 March 2012.
1966–70: The Valentines
Vince James Lovegrove was born on 19 March 1947 at the Devonleigh Hospital, Claremont, Western Australia, to Betty (née Fry) and Dudley Lovegrove and grew up in Applecross, Western Australia with his sisters Christine and Sue. He became a singer for Perth pop groups, The Dynells (as a 14-year-old Applecross High School student), The Dimensions and The Winstons, while working as a sales assistant at Pellew's Menswear. In mid-1966, he formed The Valentines, as co-lead singer with Bon Scott from rival band, The Spektors. Other original members were, Wyn Milson on lead guitar (Spektors), Ted Ward on rhythm guitar (Winstons), John Cooksey on bass guitar (Winstons) and Warwick Findlay on drums (Ray Hoff and the Off Beats). The Valentines recorded several songs written by George Young and Harry Vanda of The Easybeats. Their cover of the Arthur Alexander song "Every Day I Have to Cry" made the Perth top 5. In 1970, they gained a place on the National Top 30 with their single "Juliette". In September 1970, The Valentines were the first Australian band arrested for marijuana possession, each member received a fine of $150 and were put on a good behaviour bond. The Valentines disbanded due to artistic differences after the much-publicised drug scandal. Scott went on to join Fraternity and later AC/DC.
1970s: Journalism, band management and television production
Lovegrove moved to Adelaide in 1970 as a journalist for a magazine, and by 1971 he was writing for Go-Set, Australia's first pop music weekly newspaper, as a gossip and information columnist. In 1971, for a few months, he was the singer of the Abacus. He also had a brief solo career, with a single in 1971, "Livestock" (with b-side "Rented Room Blues") followed by "Get Myself Out of This Place" (with b-side "That's Alright Momma") in 1972. These songs were reissued in 2021 on Fraternity "Seasons of Change - The Complete Recordings 1970-1974" 3CD boxset. He was a vocalist for Mount Lofty Rangers in early 1974, which included members of Fraternity and his former bandmate Bon Scott. With his first wife Helen Corkhill, he also ran a band management and booking agency, Jovan, in Adelaide in the 1970s. According to Lovegrove, Scott was given odd jobs in their office and was recommended to Angus Young and Malcolm Young as vocalist for their band AC/DC. Jovan briefly managed AC/DC (now with Scott as vocalist) and Cold Chisel (with Jimmy Barnes, ex-Fraternity). Becoming a parent and other factors led him to concentrate on journalism and television production including compering local TV show, The Move. From 1977, Lovegrove helped develop and broadcast Australian Music to the World for Adelaide radio station, 5KA, and in 1978 produced a TV documentary of the same title. Lovegrove relocated to Melbourne, reported on youth issues for Nine Network's A Current Affair and produced The Don Lane Show in 1978.
1980s: Divinyls, Suzi, Troy and AIDS
In 1981, Lovegrove moved to Sydney and became manager for rock band Divinyls, he organised their transfer from WEA to Chrysalis and their first tours of the United States. Lovegrove had a minor role in the film, Monkey Grip (1982), with Divinyls' members Christina Amphlett and Mark McEntee supplying the soundtrack. As manager of Divinyls, he split his time between Sydney and New York City to promote them and during one of his many trips, Lovegrove met his future second wife, American-born actress Suzi Sidewinder.