The ABC’s national youth radio network triple j has pulled off one of Australia’s biggest coups securing three of the four OG members of children entertainment group the Wiggles to perform on the broadcaster’s popular Friday morning segment Like A Version (LAV).
The Wiggles, which have become a global sensation since forming in 1991, were ranked number one in BRW’s Rich List as Australia’s top entertainment act from 2005-2008. They were subsequently knocked off that position by AC/DC in 2009 and in 2014 slid to third behind Kylie Minogue. They have also won a sack full of awards and recognition while simultaneously becoming a cherished household name. Tickets at one of their sold out show in New York’s Maddison Square Garden were reportedly scalped for as much as $500.
The original four Wiggles were Anthony Field, Murray Cook, Greg Page, and Jeff Fatt. With the exception Field, who remains an active member of the group, the original group had retired by 2012. Page retired in 2006 owing to ill health.
Triple j breakfast hosts Bryce and Ebony were challenged by a listener to obtain the services of the Wiggles who promised to allow the pair to brand him with a tattoo of their choice in a location of their choice on his body.
The LAV segment sees a different artist come into the Triple J studio each Friday morning to perform one of their own tunes and then cover another well know song. Past guests include The Arctic Monkeys, Lana Del Ray, Regina Spektor, Gang of Youths and The Hilltop Hoods.
Here’s how Triple J explained the whole affair:
Toot Toot! Bryce and Ebony finally got through to The Wiggles
So as you all know, Jack from Adelaide had a very special Like A Version request.
For anyone who hasn’t been tuning in to Bryce and Ebony on weekdays from 6-9am (…bruh ? ?) this all kicked off with ‘Fruit Salad’-flavoured suggestion: “Why not get the OG Wiggles in the studio?”
“Genius idea!” agreed Bryce, with his trademark enthusiasm and aggressive zest for life. But as he and Ebony soon found out, it’s not that easy to just “get the OG Wiggles”…
Not only were Bryce and Eb consistently working bts to get The Wiggles on The Big Red Blower, everyone and their mum started trying to find an in. Networks were being networked, uncles who knew a guy who worked with Jeff Wiggle once in the 80s were being hit up…
☏ If you get the OG Wiggles in for LAV, i will get a tattoo of your choice and you can do it. Zac, Gunnedah
And then today, it finally all changed. “We’ve got a lead,” revealed Eb. “We’ve got…a number.”
Okay so not only did they cold call said number, they cold FaceTimed motherwi*gling Anthony Wiggle (who was mid-shoot for a Halloween video called Happy Halloween Party)!
After getting the important stuff out of the way (Is he still friends with the OG Wiggles? “Absolutely!”) Bryce and Eb jumped in. Obviously he’s a busy guy, with very little wiggle room in the old schedule, BUT since Jack from Adelaide asked so nicely :))))))) ??????
“I’ve been getting random emails and ignoring them! I had no idea what they were about! But that all makes sense now.”
“…It’d have to be the new Wiggles and the OG Wiggles together because new Wiggles are all musical theatre people and I think the key to this is the OG guitar God: Murray Wiggle.”
This was sounding promising but they still haven’t actually got a solid yes or no yet :(
“Jeff goes along for the ride for anything – he’s a great fella. And the new Wiggles will understand more about [Like A Version]. And Murray loves rocking! But I’ll have to go and ask them first. I’ll even ask Dorothy the Dinosaur.
