Actor and singer Ally Fowler: My life on the road with The Chantoozies
In the 1980s Ally Fowler was one of the best-known celebrities in Australia, starring on soaps and singing in The Chantoozies. Still active on stage and screen today, she remembers what life was like in 1989.
Ally Fowler spent much of 1989 living life to the full on the road.
Having formed three years earlier, The Chantoozies were at their peak, playing gig after gig on their Wannabe Up tour.
“There was probably a little bit of sex, there might have been the odd drug and there was a lot of rock‘n’roll,” the popular singer and actor told Confidential.
“We were girls so we were probably a little more tame than some of the boys out there.
“It was just too much ridiculous fun.
“We were all great friends, so it was a bit like being on school camp or something.”
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She added: “It was great having a bunch of girls in the band because if you ever forgot anything, there was always a spare pair of tweezers lying around, or even undies … we all took care of each other.”
Fowler was already a huge star when the group formed in 1986, thanks to playing Angela Keegan on hit TV series Sons And Daughters.
The Chantoozies — Fowler, Eve von Bibra, Angelica La Bozzetta and Tottie Goldsmith — were signed to Mushroom Records when they released their first single, a cover of 1970s hit Witch Queen.
They went on to sell hundreds of thousands of copies of their songs, including hits Wannabe Up, Love The One You’re With, He’s Gonna Step On You Again, and Kiss ‘n’ Tell.
David Reyne played drums and provided backing vocals for the Bananarama-style pop group.
“It was one of those things that sort of took off a bit like a bushfire,” the 57-year-old said.
The group broke up in 1991 but remained close friends, and in 2014 released their first single in 23 years with Baby It’s You. Hugh Jackman, Anthony LaPaglia and Eric Bana appeared in the video clip.
Fowler has also been seen on our TV screens since the early ’80s, including stints on shows
The Flying Doctors, G.P., Big Sky, Heartbreak High, Farscape, All Saints, The Secret Life Of Us and, most recently, Foxtel prison drama Wentworth.
She’s also been busy on the stage, having recently wrapped production on Marg Downey-directed Lottie In The Late Afternoon.
Fowler is also a pottery artist, has further acting work on the cards, and The Chantoozies have a tour dates booked throughout 2019.
“I am a bit of a gypsy,” she said. “I do like to have a home base but a lot of my life has been spent in storage.”
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