Paul Kelly is an Australian rock musician. He started his career in 1974 in Hobart, Tasmania and has performed as a solo artist, in bands as a member or has led bands named after himself. Some backing bands recorded their own material under alternate names, Professor Ratbaggy and Stardust Five, with Kelly as an individual member. As of September 2017, Paul Kelly's current band members are Cameron Bruce on keyboards and piano, Vika and Linda Bull on backing vocals and lead vocals, his nephew Dan Kelly on lead guitar and backing vocals, Peter Luscombe on drums and Bill McDonald on bass guitar.
Current members
Paul Kelly
Active: 1974–present
Instruments: vocals, rhythm guitar, electric guitar, piano, keyboards, harmonica
Short bio: Paul Kelly performed solo from 1974–1976, he joined the Debutantes in Melbourne in 1976 and then became a member of The High Rise Bombers. Release contributions: Entire Paul Kelly discography
Dan Kelly
Active: 2002–08; 2012–14, 2017–present
Instruments: guitar, backing vocals
Short bio: Dan Kelly is the second oldest of six children, the nephew of Paul Kelly. He grew up in Queensland and learnt the guitar at thirteen, studying Environmental Science at University, in Brisbane, in 1990. He formed his first band, Nord, and moved to Melbourne in 1996, where in 2000 he started playing solo shows, under the name Dank Alley, not wanting to trade on his famous uncle's name. In 2003 he released his first solo EP, Man O Mercy. The next year he formed a new band, Dan Kelly and the Alpha Males, with Gareth Liddiard (The Drones), Christian Strybosch (The Drones) and Tom Carlyon (The Devastations), with Liddiard and Carlyon travelling to Europe with their respective other projects Aaron Cupples, Dan Luscombe and Lewis Boyes joined the Alpha Males in 2005. In 2007, he disbanded the Alpha Males to allow the individual members to focus on other projects; and left the Paul Kelly band in 2008 to work on his solo material and collaborations with the Ukeladies. Dan returned to playing in Paul's live band in 2012, following the release of Spring and Fall. During 2015 and 2016 Dan had left Paul's band to record and then promote his solo album, Leisure Panic! (October 2015). He returned after Life Is Fine (August 2017) to rejoin Paul's touring band.
Release contributions: 2004: Paul Kelly – Ways and Means 2006: Stardust Five – Stardust Five 2007: Paul Kelly – Stolen Apples 2010: Paul Kelly – The A-Z Recordings 2012: Paul Kelly – Spring and Fall 2014: Paul Kelly – The Merri Soul Sessions
J. Walker
Active: 2012–present
Instruments: guitars
Short bio: Greg Walker, aka J. Walker is an Australian multi-instrumentalist and producer, best known for his work under the moniker Machine Translations. He has also worked as a screen composer, sound engineer and arranger. Some of the artists and clients Walker has worked with include Baz Luhrmann, C.W. Stoneking, Clare Bowditch, The Whitlams and Angie Hart. Walker worked with Paul Kelly on his nineteenth studio album, Spring and Fall. He served as a producer and also contributed upright bass guitar, dobro, violin and harmonica to the album. He then joined Paul's live band as a guitarist.
Release contributions: 2012: Paul Kelly – Spring and Fall
Zoe Hauptmann
Active: 2012–13
Instruments: bass guitar, acoustic bass, vocals
Short bio: Zoe Hauptmann is an Australian upright and acoustic Bassist and also the Artistic Director for The Sydney Improvised Music Association SIMA She has toured with the artists including Missy Higgins, Neil Finn, Katie Noonan, Tim Rogers (musician), Bill Chambers, Justine Clarke, All Our Exes Live in Texas, Lanie Lane, Lisa Mitchell and Wendy Mathews. Hauptmann first toured with Kelly during his national tour with Neil Finn in 2012.
Bree Van Reyk
Active: 2013
Instruments: drums
Short bio: Bree Van Reyk is an Australian drummer, percussionist, vocalist and songwriter. She is best known for her work with Holly Throsby. She has also performed live with Youth Group and Seeker Lover Keeper, where she also co-wrote their song "Rely on Me." Other artists Van Reyk has performed with include Darren Hanlon, Toby Martin, Grand Salvo and Butterfly Boucher. Van Reyk began touring with Paul Kelly in 2013.
Former bands/members
High Rise Bombers (1977–1978)