Uncle Vic Simms

Childhood discovery

Vic was an enthusiastic supporter of the work of the National Film and Sound Archive, donating material, recording a fascinating oral history and appearing at events. We are honoured to have worked with him and proud to archive his contributions and showcase his incredible career.

Born on the La Perouse Mission in Sydney in 1946, Vic was a fiercely proud Bidjigal man. He discovered his love of music at a young age. When he was ten years old, he was singing at the Maroubra Rugby League Club and was heard by Sydney band leader Kevin Jacobsen, whose quintet was playing at the club. Kevin was so impressed by the young Vic that he sought him out, as this excerpt from Vic’s oral history relates:

Recording The Loner

Vic’s first single, Yo Yo Heart, was released when he was only 15. Through the early 1960s he was a regular on the music circuit and performed with stars such as Shirley Bassey, Johnny O’Keefe, Peter Allen and Col Joye. He was also a regular on early Australian television and one of the first Indigenous entertainers on the small screen, appearing on shows such as Bandstand, In Melbourne Tonight and The Johnny O’Keefe Show.

In the late 1960s Vic’s life took a turn and he found himself in Bathurst Jail; but his love of music continued to be a vital force in his life. As well as singing, he learnt guitar and started writing songs about his experiences and those of fellow inmates. This led to the prison authorities providing him with the use of a tape recorder, as Vic recounts:

This session resulted in the release of the 10-track album The Loner on RCA records in 1973. After leaving prison Vic became concerned that the album was being used by Prison Services as a PR stunt and refused to continue performing the songs live. This led to RCA being asked to discontinue pressing the album.

Considered to be the first Indigenous protest album released in Australia, The Loner is a hugely significant recording: in 2009 it was inducted into the NFSA’s Sounds of Australia registry. Due to its limited pressing, the original release is one of the rarest Australian vinyl records and is highly sought after. For many years the NFSA couldn’t find a copy, despite its curators constantly searching for one.

Visiting Vinyl Lounge

Thorsten Kaeding with Vic Simms at the NFSA's Vinyl Lounge, 2017.

After his release from prison Vic resumed his musical career, performing in clubs and festivals around Australia as well as touring jails around the country with many other performers. His later releases include tracks for the Koori Classics series and the CD From the Heart, released in 1988.

For many years the NFSA has held a regular event called Vinyl Lounge, where members of the public bring in vinyl records and choose a track to be played. In 2017, during a Vinyl Lounge highlighting Indigenous music, a member of the audience brought in a copy of The Loner they had purchased in 1973, and kindly offered to donate it to the NFSA.

When we let Vic know we had a copy in great condition to preserve in the national collection, he immediately wanted to thank the donor in person. So, in October 2017, on the fourth anniversary of Vinyl Lounge, Vic came to Canberra and spent over two hours regaling the audience with stories from his career and telling us about the recording of The Loner. His stories were funny, insightful, hugely entertaining and extremely moving. He gave so graciously and wholeheartedly of his time and his talent, and it was a privilege to have experienced such warmth and generosity.

Uncle Vic will be sorely missed, both as a seminal figure in Australian Indigenous entertainment and as a true gentleman.

Main image: Vic Simms is the special guest at the 4th birthday of the NFSA's Vinyl Lounge in October 2017.