Back in the late seventies and early eighties Tony Faehse, along with Jeff Burstin were an incredibly powerful guitar combination in Joe Camilleri’s band Jo Jo Zep and The Falcons, as we’ve said before … one of the best live bands on the planet. The band not only delivered legendary stage performances but also hit records such as Shape I’m In, Hit & Run and So Young to name a few. A little known fact is that prior to joining The Falcons, Tony Faehse was a guitarist in UK pop singer Alvin Stardust’s band. Since Tony’s band days he has released six original instrumental albums of his own, including Flow recorded in 2020 during the covid pandemic.
Throughout Tony’s music career, he’d also been a talented painter and from August 26 – September 7, he’ll be displaying his artwork in an exhibition at SOL Gallery at 420 Brunswick Street Fitzroy. An official launch will take place on Wednesday 27 August from 6pm-8.30pm and he’d love to see Melbourne’s musician community at the event.
“Drawing and painting was my thing, and I thought art teacher was to be my career,” Tony says. “However while still at school I started playing guitar in rock bands and that led instead to a career in music. And later another in vintage furniture retail. In between I kept doing art, but always part time.”
“Finally in recent years I’ve been able to go back and finally realise my painting dreams.
This exhibition of new work draws its subjects from what’s most important to me.. the people I’ve loved, the cats I’ve known, and my guitars, a source of endless material and inspiration.
The sensual shape of the guitar in all its forms has for me totemic power. Whether as two or three dimensional images rendered impressionistically “real”, or abstracted into stylised overlapping shapes where colours rule, or in juxtaposition with the female form.
The images of people I’ve chosen to evoke an emotion in the viewer.. hopefully joyful.
It’s the fleeting moment in time that I’m wanting to save and savour.
And cats.. well, what can you say?”
PROJECT ROOM :TONY FAEHSE
Exhibition Dates : 26 August – 7 September 2025
Opening Reception : Wed 27 August 2025, 6:00 – 8:30 pm
Tuesday 26 August 2025,11:00 am
Sunday 7 September 2025, 6:00 pm
SOL GALLERY
420 Brunswick StreetFitzroy, VIC, 3065Australia (map)
Tony Faehse (pronounced Fayzee) as guitarist and songwriter is best known for his work with Jo Jo Zep & the Falcons 1977-1983 (ARIA HALL OF FAME 2007), before that London 1973-1977 including touring Europe with Alvin Stardust. 1996-2019 with wife Wendy trading in Mid Century Modern furniture and design at their shop Retro Active in Northcote, Melbourne.
All of Tony’s music is available on streaming sites and CDs available from his website. https://tonyfaehse.com
Check out our interview with Tony about his Flow album from 2020 HERE