The Aussies are amazing!
In 2011 Lorelei was looking to join a new band and figured the music she enjoyed performing most was that of Pink Floyd. Richard Wright, their premier keyboard player and founding member pass away in 2007. David Gilmour had been reported as saying he would tour no more as Pink Floyd. Lorelei recalled a massive billboard in Ireland advertising the Australian Pink Floyd while touring with Rod Stewart. After making inquiries with friends she was told they were, hands down, the best tribute. She wrote to them via their website. Their manager wrote back and said they'd be in the US in the fall and suggested Lorelei could make a guest appearance. After submitting a demo performing 'Great Gig' in the Sky' solo, she was hired full time.
Get it from our website
Ricky Howard (bass and vocals) and Chris Barnes (vocals) joined the Austrailian Pink Floyd in 2016. They are a great addition to an already outstanding line up of talent.
French guitarist Luc-Ledy-Lepine joined us in 2022. Founding member Steve McElroy has retired from touring to direct our show from home, after 35 years on the road. Luc too is a delightful new addition to our band.
American sax player Alex Francois is now touring with us after joining in 2022 from Chicago. Mike Kidson, our former sax player has retired from our agressive touring schedule to work locally in the UK.
One of my all time favorites is DARK SIDE OF THE MOON. Doing the ad libs during "Brain Damage /Eclipse" was a real joy for me. Here's a fan video from our show at the Los Angeles Greek Theater in 2017. T(Get the really professionally shot one on our DVD EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN.)
The Australian Pink Floyd tours allow me to reconnect with lots of friends and family. We play many of the same venues the best in a Rock play throughtout the world. One of my favorite songs is 'PIGS'. " The video Dave Fowler made for it was brilliant, comparing the pigs referenced in the lyrics to world leaders and in a truely Floydian way, offer subtle suggestions as to the true motives behind the screen.
Traveling on tour every year throughout Europe the US and Canada is a great way to make a living! That's what the Australian Pink Floyd have built up to doing since 1988. Nick Mason told me "The Australians have been on tour more than Pink Floyd ever was."
The Australian Pink Floyd backing vocalistists were sponsored by Mac Cosmetics for a few tours. I wrote a piece on the topic of beauty on the road in 2014.
All female backing vocalists (bvs) have to prepare for going on tour by gathering the right beauty products to travel with. This can sometimes present a special challenge for me as an African American, curly haired, brown skinned woman. I often bring many products for my hair and makeup from home. I love a brand called 'As I Am' (found here - http://www.asiamnaturally.com), a line I discovered through a Facebook ad. Since I prefer the 'curly afro' look these days, I find these products give my hair the texture and shine I really like. They are reasonably priced and sold online and at Walgreens and Target stores in the US.
My favorites are the DoubleButter Cream, Twist Defining Cream, Leave-In conditioner, Hydration Elation, CocoShea Spray, & the Curl Clarify shampoo. They also make many other products I haven't tried yet, but they make great products for people with curls.
Emily puts time into curling her hair with an electric curling rod for that sultry look, balancing the raw half-shaved head she sports. Lara usually gives her head a good shake and a toss and gets that "hot blond" look. Sometimes she likes to add a bit of pink to her locks to spice it up or she makes a quiff. Lara is a real rocker at heart!
One product I found in France that is not sold in America is WELL Body Galbe stockings (tights). They have a built-in elastic "body sculpting" panty that really holds your stomach in. I've never tried SPANX, but the WELL brand are lightweight and very durable! Two pairs lasted me for over a year, and for me that's a miracle! I can barely get through 2 shows without ruining my stockings.
False eyelashes are often worn to help bring out the eyes on stage. We usually wear heavy eye makeup in general so it shows from a distance. My eyesight isn't so good and if I've been wearing my reading glasses before I "put my face on" sometimes doing my lashes is too difficult and I often opt to go without them. I have found some very inexpensive ones on Amazon, direct from China. (I figure most companies probably get them like this in bulk, repackage them, and jack up the price.) Saving on lashes also helps to balance the cost of makeup. Emily, Lara and I are big fans of Mac products, which we can easily find in Europe. They have loads of shades for all complexions, and they have shops in most airports. Pricey, yes but their under eye concealer and powder are very effective. I'm not too much of a foundation wearer and I don't wear makeup every day. It's hard on the skin. Emily, Lara and I also like Barry M eye shadows. The colors are vibrant and shimmery! Urban Decay makes a great primer for bright eye shadows. The color lasts longer. I like to wear Makari de Suisse caviar moisture cream under my makeup. I have dry skin and this product leaves my face silky smooth and never oily.
Another product I can't do without is perfume, and French scents are my favorite! My Mother and my Aunt Mary were huge fans of Joy by Jean Patou. It's pricey but it's also unforgettable. YSL's Parisienne is another must have for me. I discovered it in Verona, Italy, strolling the streets with my friend singer Bridget Cady. I also like Paris by YSL. They sell lots of fragrance oils on 125th Street in Harlem, New York and I like oils because they last longer. My earthly alternative - Nag Champa oil. I spent a great deal of my youth in meditation ashrams and love that smell.
Emily and Lara are very good about doing their nails. Bright fluorescent colors are a favorite for them. I tend to be lazy about painting my nails. I loved the way Emily's looked in the darkened lighting we sometimes dance in.
I tend to get easily bored with my hair so I try different styles. Even when I had braids I’d wear it up, down, and in between.
I actually convinced Lara to try cutting bangs (or a fringe as the Brits call it) last year.
See Emily’s shaved hair style close up. She said my sister Durga’s 80’s hair style was an inspiration.
Of course my jewelry case is heavy so I can make changes to complement our outfits. I’ve been making my own necklaces and earrings for years. It’s a really fun hobby. Thankfully David Domminney Fowler (our resident guitarist, singer, IT specialist and web designer) has made a fabulous site for me that many of our Aussie Floyd fans support. It’s called Jewelry By Lorelei - http://www.jewelrybylorelei.com. I do appreciate seeing the ladies who wear the jewelry they’ve purchased from me at our shows to let me see how pretty they look. Some people may think it’s a lot of vanity, but I figured out years ago women dress, wear makeup and worry about their weight far more to impress other women than men. It’s a pleasant pastime being a girly girl at times and the older I get the more I enjoy it.
Aussie Floyd Backing Vocalists 2017.
Returning to Moscow on the 2013 tour
Traveling back to Moscow to perform the music of Pink Floyd was a bit emotional for Lorelei. She had been there in 2010 with Rod Stewart, but the significance of Pink Floyd's shows was legendary in 1989. "The VIP treatment I received in Moscow was touching. I've even had several articles released about my trips to Russia and those historic shows." The Aussie Floyd has taken Lorelei and the band to some exotic and unual locations like Malta, St. Petersburg and Moscow. "Dark Side of the Moon" celebrated it's 40th anniversary in 2013. The band perform the entire album during most of the European tour and again in the U.S. in 2017. "It was so breath taking to hear the painstaking care the band put into re-creating it. I could not believe how great it sounded. Songs you rarely hear like 'ANY COLOUR YOU LIKE' or 'BRAIN DAMAGE/ECLIPSE' (on which I sang the ad libs) were fantastic to hear and perform. The production is awesome and canbe heard on our "EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN" video!" says Lorelei.
photo by Wendy Wilson
The city of Moscow has changed a great deal from the days of bread and meat lines Lorelei and Pink Floyd's band mates had seen in 1989. "In this millennium, Moscow is more like the rest of Eastern Europe. St. Petersburg was a bit 'old world.' Certainly the architechure is distinctly Russian and well kept, but I remember how old the cars and electricis were in 1989. It was like something out of the '50s. Now a days we went to The Hard Rock Cafe for dinner :) " I posted this banner I made on face book during the trip.
The best part of my trip was meeting Александр Железнов.who is a jouranlist who first saw me in 1989 with Pink Floyd. He interviewed me and gave me a rare vinyl copy of Dark Side of the Moon issued in Russia.
In 2014 I did this this interview -