THE PARTY BOYS
He's Gonna Step On You Again
(John Kongos - Christos Demetriou)
Australia 1987
#2 Sydney #1 Melbourne #3 Brisbane #1 Adelaide #1 Perth #10 NZ

Single on CBS by popular covers band formed in 1982 by former Mondo Rock bassist Paul Christie. Over the following decade The Party Boys' ever-changing line-ups included a number of well-known Australian and overseas musicians. These included Richard Clapton, Shirley Strachan (formerly of Skyhooks), Joe Walsh (Eagles), Marc Hunter (Dragon), Angry Anderson (Rose Tattoo), Kevin Borich, Alan Lancaster (Status Quo), John Swan (Swanee), Graham Bonnett, Eric Burdon (Animals), Ross Wilson (Daddy Cool, Mondo Rock) and James Reyne (Australian Crawl): the Who's Who of Australian Rock lists 35 band members. See Brendan Swift's account at All Music Guide.

Thanks to Terry Stacey for suggestion.
THE CHANTOOZIES
He's Gonna Step On You Again
(John Kongos - Christos Demetriou)
Australia 1987
#39 Sydney #28 Brisbane #31 Adelaide

Single on Mushroom label.

Melbourne pop band featuring TV actors Ally Fowler and Tottie Goldsmith on vocals and David Reyne (ex-Australian Crawl) on drums.

JOHN KONGOS
He's Gonna Step On You Again
(John Kongos - Christos Demetriou)
UK 1971
Original version
#4 UK #2 South Africa #70 USA #4 Sydney #15 Melbourne #3 Brisbane #8 Adelaide #2 Perth

South African singer-songwriter who from the early 60s recorded with Johnny Kongos & the G-Men. In 1966 he moved to the UK where he had two #4 hits, He's Gonna Step On You Again and Tokoloshe Man (both 1971).

He's Gonna Step On You Again was produced by Gus Dudgeon, producer of Elton John, with a number of personnel who also appeared on early Elton John albums. The record uses a tape loop of African drums, a pioneering use of sampling recognised by The Guinness Book of Records.

See Richie Unterberger's liner notes for the reissued John Kongos album Kongos. Don't miss the early career album covers at South Africa's Rock Files.

Later versions:

HAPPY MONDAYS
Step On
(John Kongos - Christos Demetriou)
UK 1990
Later version
#5 UK #57 USA

On 1990 album Pills'n Thrills and Bellyaches on Factory label. Also released as a single ['Stuff it in Mix'] earlier in 1990.

The Happy Mondays also have a version of the other UK hit by John Kongos, Tokoloshe Man, on their 1991 album Live.

 

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