Randall Waller is one of those Aussie rock legends …
Randall Waller is one of those Aussie rock legends that many people have never heard of, but everyone has heard him play guitar.
During Randall Waller’s long musical career, he has performed guitar and backing vocals for Shania Twain, Billy Thorpe, Bonnie Tyler, Sharon O’Neill, Jon English, Rose Tattoo, Rodney Crowell, and Keith Urban, amongst others.
Randall Waller is an accomplished Australian guitarist and vocalist, and song writer, recording engineer and producer. Randall was a regular guitarist with Frankie’s House Band at Frankie’s Pizza until its demolition in 2024, and other venues around Sydney. Before that, he had a regular stint in a band called Rose Tattoo from 2011 until 2015. Randall has recently played with new Australian ‘supergroup’ The Filthy Animals and is on rotation as their line-up varies.
Randall Waller performing with Avion. © Mark Anning photos 1984
STOP PRESS – Randall Waller’s new album “MORE” is now available!!
Two world tours with Shania Twain
Australian guitar legend Randall Waller performed with Canadian country music singer Shania Twain for 6 years between 1998 and 2004. Randall rocked on guitars and backing vocals on 2 world tours, including singing tight 2 part ‘duet’ harmony with Shania Twain.
The 1998-99 “Come on Over” tour with Shania Twain included over 170 live performances worldwide, TV appearances on Leno, Letterman, CMA Awards, Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, plus several TV/DVD specials including Live DVD in Dallas, another live DVD in Miami with Backstreet Boys and Elton John, and a Live Thanksgiving Day Special from Texan Stadium.
Shania Twain’s Come On Over album became the best-selling studio album by a female act in any genre, the best selling album by a Canadian and the best-selling country album of all time, selling over 40 million copies worldwide. It is the ninth all-time best-selling album in the United States, and worldwide.
Come On Over produced twelve singles, including “You’re Still the One“, “From This Moment On“, “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” and earned Twain four Grammy Awards. The Shania Twain Store our Amazon
The “Up!” World Tour during 2002-4 included more than 100 live shows worldwide, a live DVD in Chicago, a show in Hyde Park, London to 65,000 people, and more TV performances. A career highlight was performing at the 2003 Superbowl.
Shania Twain’s Up! album spawned eight singles, including “I’m Gonna Getcha Good!“, “Ka-Ching!” and “Forever and for Always“, selling over 20 million copies worldwide
The American country music scene was good for Randall Waller – he also performed with Keith Urban from 1999 until 2001, with Rodney Crowell (Feb 2001 – Jun 2002), and with SheDaisy (the three Osburn sisters) from May until December 2002.
After Shania Twain released her Greatest Hits album in 2004, which produced three new singles including “Party for Two“, she took time off touring and recording, revealing years later that diagnoses with Lyme disease and dysphonia led to a severely weakened singing voice.
Randall and his wife Suzie Mackenzie returned to Australia in 2005 to start their business Smack & Run Entertainment.
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How did it start for Randall Waller?
Playing guitar for Shania Twain at the Superbowl wasn’t a fluke or a one off for Randall. He’s been an important cog in the wheel of the Australian music scene for decades.
Avion – from left: Evan Murray, Randall Waller, Martin Toole, John Waller, Kendall Waller.
© Mark Anning photos 1983
Avion (1980’s Aussie pub rock band)
Avion were an Australian pub rock band formed in 1981, originally named Lionheart. Randall Waller had previously issued two solo albums: Oasis (1978) and Midnight Fire (1980) before forming Lionheart and then Avion.
At the heart of Avion were three Waller brothers: Randall Waller (lead vocals and lead guitar), John Waller (drums), Kendall Waller (bass guitar) plus Evan Murray (keyboards), and Martin Toole (guitar).
© Mark Anning photos 1983
Avion released two albums, the self titled Avion – in September 1983 on RCA Records; and White Noise in 1987 for EMI Records.
Avion’s single releases off their first self-titled album were: `I Need You’/`Once Bitten Twice Shy’ (March 1983), `Diamond Eyes’/`Warrior’ (September 1983) and `Never Let Me Go’/`Where Do We Go From Here?’ (October 1983).
Their debut single – ‘I Need You’ – reach No.61 on the charts nationally and No.40 in Sydney in April 1983. The single `Still The Night’/`Southern Cross’ was not released on an album, but came out as a single in August 1984.
The Avion album was mixed by Bob Clearmountain, a well known American recording engineer and record producer, at the Power Station (now called Avatar Studios) in New York. Clearmountain has worked with major acts, including the Rolling Stones, Toto, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams, with whom he has a very long association.
These PR photos of the band called Avion were done with the permission and assistance of QANTAS who lent us a 747 ‘jumbo jet’ and their historic AVRO aircraft, and Sydney Airport who allowed access to the DC3 aircraft used as the firefighters training aircraft at Mascot airport.
The photo on the right is using a fish-eye lens. © Mark Anning photos 1983
In 1985, Paul Gannell replaced Martin Toole on guitar and Avion left RCA Records for a new contract with EMI Records. Avion released their next album, White Noise, in 1987.
Three singles from the White Noise album were: `We’ve Got Secrets’/`Bigger They Are’ (September 1985), `Celebration’/`Ransom’ (September 1986) and `Berlin Wall’/`On and On’ (April 1987)
© Mark Anning photos 1983
Avion had a strong following on the 1980’s Australian pub rock circuit and their rock music was tight, loud and easy to dance to. However, despite everything, the radio stations didn’t give the band airtime and the music press largely ignored the band. Record sales and chart success eluded the band.
“Outside a strong cult following, Sydney band – Avion’s brand of melodic, American-influenced Adult Oriented Rock (AOR) met with virtual indifference at home” – Ian McFarlane, music historian wrote in the Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop (1999)
“… its overwrought AOR sound and simplistic lyrics failing to secure significant sales,” AllMusic wrote on their Avion biography
Late in 1987, Avion’s keyboardist Evan Murray died in a car accident while the band was on tour. His death, and a lack of airplay for the band’s singles, led to Avion’s break-up at the end of the year.
Sharon O’Neill Band
After Avion, Randall Waller was a member of the Sharon O’Neill Band for a year. Sharon O’Neill was one of the hottest acts from New Zealand in the 1980s and, due to a dispute with her record label CBS, had not released any records for five years until she signed with Polydor in 1987 and her new band hit the road.
Sharon O’Neill released the single “Physical Favours” in September 1987 which reached the top 40 in Australia and New Zealand. Her album ‘Danced on the Fire’ was released in October 1987. Randall Waller joined Sharon O’Neill soon after.
London calling Randall
After a stint as guitarist for another New Zealand band, Dragon, Randall left Australia to work as a producer and engineer in the UK between 1988 and 1993.
He was a member of the Bonnie Tyler Band in 1989. Bonnie Tyler’s hits at the time included ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart‘, and her songs became major hits for other artists: “Hide Your Heart“, “Save Up All Your Tears” and “The Best” (Tina Turner).
In 1992, Waller laid down vocals for the “Surrender Absolute” album by David Zaffiro for Intense Records.
Festival of Sydney New Year’s concert at Sydney Entertainment Centre © Mark Anning photos 1985
Billy Thorpe Band
Back in Australia, Randall joined Billy Thorpe’s new band in 1996.
Thorpe had left Australia for the USA in 1976 and had even given up live performances to concentrate on other endeavours, including starting an electronics consulting company, a soft toy company and releasing children’s songs – at least five years before The Wiggles formed.
Thorpe returned to live in Sydney in 1996 and formed the Billy Thorpe Band with Andy Cichon (bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals), Steve Edmonds (guitar, vocals), Paul DeMarco/Mick O’Shea (drums) and Randall Waller (guitar, vocals, keyboards), and they toured Australia in July that year.
Randall wrote and recorded `Side by Side‘ which was a dedication to the victims of the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.`Side by Side‘ was issued as a single in February 1997 with all proceeds going to the Port Arthur Appeal Fund.
In 1998 Randall moved to the USA to take up his gig with Shania Twain.
© Mark Anning photos 1983
Australian rock group, Avion
Photographic portfolio done for rock group Avion in 1983-85. The job required live shots on stage (done at the Tivoli and Sydney Entertainment Centre) and PR photos done with the assistance of QANTAS and Sydney Airport (the DC3 used is the firefighters training aircraft).
Personal life
Randall Waller is married to long time partner, Suzie Mackenzie, aka Suzie Mack, a television presenter at TVSN Channel Pty Ltd. and they have three children.
If you need a laugh, follow Randall Waller on FB – his occasional series about his marriage to Suzie, called “The Wife Zone” is hilarious!
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We have an exclusive review of Randall Waller’s new album “More” its filling the Christmas stocking of dad’s who drive and need a CD of high driving Aussie rock and roll. Please leave a comment below if you saw Avion on Sydney’s pub rock circuit in the 1980s.
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