Club Veg

Australian comedian and radio presenter

Radio show
Club Veg
Other namesThe Morning After Show
GenreComedy, talk radio
Country of originAustralia
Home stationTriple J, 2SM, Triple M
Hosted byVic Davies, Mal Lees
Created byVic Davies, Mal Lees
Written byVic Davies, Mal Lees
Original release1984 –
2002

Club Veg (initially called The Morning After Show) was an Australian radio show created and presented by comedy duo, Vic Davies and Mal Lees (with writing contributions in the early years from Stephen Quinn). The show began on Triple J (1984–86), then moved to 2SM (1986–1988), and then the duo's first run on Triple M Sydney (1988–1994) saw them hosting nights and then breakfast, before leaving the station for Triple M Perth (1994–95). After a few years apart, the duo returned to Triple M Sydney again in 1998 and remained there until the show's cancellation in 2002.

History

Vic Davies and Mal Lees met at radio station, 2KA, Katoomba in the mid-1970s.[1] After having worked together at 2WS Sydney, where they wrote and produced comedy for Mad Mel, the duo recognized they could write better for themselves than for others. Lees then made contact with an executive at Triple J and introduced him to a new form of radio comedy, subsequently starting development of The Morning After Show in 1984.[2]

The duo hosted theme nights at The Tivoli in George Street, Sydney and because their listeners referred to them as "The Veggies" (due to their mock-vegetative presenting style) the theme nights named were Club Veg. When their Saturday breakfast show was moved to drive time, the The Morning After Show title could no longer fit and the show was rebranded as Club Veg.[2]

The duo parodied several people including radio presenter, John Laws, and Jack Jones (who sang the Love Boat theme). After 18 months rival station, 2SM, offered the Club Veg team the drive shift and soon after the breakfast slot, before Triple M Sydney offered them a contract for the nighttime show late in 1987.[2]

With Club Veg, Triple M introduced the first FM nightly countdown, "Rock Poll". It was during this period when Club Veg recorded the highest 7PM–10PM results in Australian radio history and on their second stint at Triple M Sydney (1998–99), Club Veg was the first show to break Laws' long reign over the 9AM-12PM slot.

The show was awarded 1987 New York Radio Comedy Award, and the Australian Radio Award (later known as an ACRA) in 1990 for Best On-Air Team. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1989 their debut album, Members and Guests and Things was nominated for Best Comedy Release. Their second album, We Suck, was nominated in the same category in 2000.[3]

The partnership ended in 2002 after their contract with Triple M Sydney ended.[1][4]

Radio Stations

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart
positions
AUS
[6][7]
Members and Guests & Things
  • Released: July 1988
  • Format: LP, CD
  • Label: Virgin (VOZ2016)
72
We Suck! The Best of Sucked in Calls
  • Released: May 2000
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Sick Day Records (VEG 001)
53

Awards and nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1989 Members and Guests & Things Best Comedy Release Nominated
2000 We Suck – The Best of Sucked in Calls Nominated

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Javes, Sue (7 October 2003). "Breaking up is hard to do". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "Club Veg Radio Host Loses Cancer Battle". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australian Associated Press (AAP). 8 November 2009. Archived from the original on 8 November 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  3. ^ "ARIA Awards: Search Results for Club Veg". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  4. ^ SMH 22 November 2002 "Veggies go off as the Ms try tripling their music" retrieved 15 October 2007
  5. ^ 2PR FM Sydney Radio: The way it used to be, retrieved 15 October 2007
  6. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 67. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 61.