Zan Abeyratne

Suzanne Marguerite Abeyratne (born 1961), who performs as Zan or Xan, is an Australian-based singer born in London. Abeyratne was a co-lead vocalist of I'm Talking (1984–87), alongside Kate Ceberano. She provided lead vocals on their single, "Holy Word" (July 1986), which peaked at No. 9 in Australia, and No. 21 in New Zealand. Along with her identical twin sister Sherine (a member of Big Pig (1985–91)), Abeyratne has provided backing vocals for Models, INXS, and U2, and has toured the world with other bands.

Zan Abeyratne
Birth nameSuzanne Marguerite Abeyratne
Born1961 (age 59–60)
London, England
OriginMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
GenresPop
Occupation(s)Singer
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1978–present
Labels
Associated acts

After the demise of I'm Talking, Abeyratne had a solo recording career. Her 1989 single, "It's Your Move", appeared in the top 100 on the ARIA Singles Chart. She acted, briefly, in season one of Round the Twist (1989), a children's TV comedy series. In October 2018 Abeyratne confirmed that she is due to reform I'm Talking in support of Bryan Ferry's Australian tour from February to April.

Biography

1961-1988: Early life, Models and I'm Talking

Suzanne (later shortened to Zan) Abeyratne and her identical twin sister, Sherine Abeyratne, were born in 1961 in London.[1] Their Sri Lankan-born parents, also have two sons; their mother entertained her children by playing piano and with her dancing, while their father shared his admiration of Louis Armstrong and jazz music.[1] After moving from London family lived in Sri Lanka for "several years" before migrating to Australia.[1] Both sisters became vocalists in bands both together, and separately, from 1978. They were members of Grand Wazoo, Sherine left to become a backing vocalist for Jo Jo Zep and then INXS, while Zan became a member of Bang.[1]

From 1983 to 1985 Abeyratne provided backing vocals for fellow Melbourne-based group, Models, including their single, "God Bless America" (April 1984), and appeared in the related music video[2][3][4] and toured in support of that group's fourth studio album, Out of Mind, Out of Sight (August 1985).[3][4] The Abeyratne twins were in the music video for Models single, "Barbados" (March 1985).[1] The pair also worked on a record by Kids in the Kitchen.[1] During her time with I'm Talking they performed, "Lead the Way", at the Oz for Africa concert in July 1985.[5] They appeared before Charles and Diana at the Rockin' the Royals concert in Melbourne in November 1985, which was head-lined by INXS and included Models and Kids in the Kitchen.[5][6]

In 1984, Abeyratne joined Melbourne-based pop music group, I'm Talking.[7][8][9] That group had formed in the previous year by Kate Ceberano on lead vocals (ex-Expozay, Hoagy Cats), Stephen Charlesworth on keyboards, Ian Cox on saxophone, Robert Goodge on guitar, Barbara Hogarth on bass guitar and Cameron Newman on drums.[7][9] Cox, Goodge and Hogarth were all ex-members of Essendon Airport, an electronic, post-punk band. Abeyratne was recorded on I'm Talking's single, "Trust Me" (November 1984), with Ceberano on lead vocals. Abeyratne provided lead vocals for "Holy Word" (July 1986), the second single from the group's debut album, Bear Witness (August).[7][5] It peaked at No. 9 in Australia,[10] and No. 21 in New Zealand.[11]

Goodge described how Abeyratne was chosen for "Holy Word"'s vocals, "Kate wasn't available for the demos. Up until then Zan had resisted being a full time member, I guess we wanted to reward her as being part of the band and for all the work she'd done."[5] She recalled, "It was awesome for me to get to sing that song. It was a special song for me. It came out and we got whisked off overseas so I didn't get to fully experience it all."[5] Abeyratne toured internationally with the band and they returned for the Australian Made tour in December 1986 and the following January, before she left the group in March 1987.[7][9]

1989-1994: Zan solo career

Abeyratne's debut solo dance/pop single, "It's Your Move", was released via Mushroom Records/Festival Records under the mononym, Zan, in February 1989.[7] It was co-written by Clyde Lieberman and Eliot Lewis,[12] and was recorded in Los Angeles with Richard James Burgess producing. It peaked at number 82 on the ARIA Singles Chart.[13] She followed with "Good Love", in November, but it did not reach the top 100.[7][13] It was written by Paul Francis Gray (of Wa Wa Nee) and was produced by Todd Hunter (of Dragon).,[7][14]

Her next single, "Nobody Else", appeared in January 1991, which was written by Ashley Cadell (ex-Flotsam Jetsam) and was covered by her next band, Mercy Mercy, which included her sister.[9][15][16]

1995-2017: Xan solo career

Abeyratne followed with "You're So Vain" in February 1995. Working as Xan, she released a solo album of the same name in 1995 via Amber Records/Polydor Records. It provided two singles, "Make It" and "Run Away Girl", in the same year. The album was co-produced by Abeyratne with Bob Brockmann. In October 2013 she was the featured vocalist on "Risin' Up" by StrictLove.

2018-present: I'm Talking reformation and tour

In March 2018 I'm Talking's album, Bear Witness, was remastered and re-released on CD as well as an expanded version of 2× CDs with bonus tracks.[17] October 2018 Abeyratne confirmed that I'm Talking is due to reform, in support of Bryan Ferry's Australian tour, from February to April 2019.[18][19] Joining her was Ceberano, Charlesworth, Goodge and Hogarth.[18][19]

Discography

Studio albums
Title Album details
Xan (by Xan)
  • Released: 1995
  • Format: CD, Cassette
  • Label: Amber Records/Polydor Records (529 022-2)

Singles
List of singles, with Australianchart positions
Year Title Peak chart
positions		 Album
AUS
[13]
Credited as Zan
1989 "It's Your Move" 82 non album single
"Good Love" 134 non album single
1991 "Nobody Else" - non album single
Credited as Xan
1995 "Make It" - Xan
"Run Away Girl" -

References
General
  • McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Whammo Homepage". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 5 April 2004. Retrieved 4 January 2010. Note: Archived [on-line] copy has limited functionality.
  • Spencer, Chris; Zbig Nowara; Paul McHenry; with notes by Ed Nimmervoll (2002) [1987]. The Who's Who of Australian Rock. Noble Park, Vic.: Five Mile Press. ISBN 1-86503-891-1.[20] Note: [on-line] version established at White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd in 2007 and was expanded from the 2002 edition.
Specific
  1. "Introducing Zan and Sherine Abeyratne" (PDF). Newsletter. Australian N. H. & M. R. C. Twins Registry. 1985. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 July 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  2. "Australian Rock by Memorable TV L to M". Memorable TV. Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  3. McFarlane, 'Models' entry. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  4. Nimmervoll, Ed. "Models". Howlspace. Archived from the original on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  5. Adams, Cameron (13 April 2018). "The History of I'm Talking". The Herald Sun. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  6. Murfett, Andrew (5 November 2010). "Model rocker Freud loses battle with demon in the bottle". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  7. McFarlane (1999). Encyclopedia entry for 'I'm Talking'. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
  8. Spencer et al, (2007) "Zan entry".
  9. "I'm Talking". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 23 June 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  10. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives: Australian Chart Book. p. 145. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  11. "charts.nz > I'm Talking – Holy Word (song)". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  12. "'It's Your Move' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 5 January 2019. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'
  13. Australian (ARIA) chart peaks:
  14. "'Good Love' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 6 January 2019. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'
  15. Holmgren, Magnus. "Big Pig". hem.passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  16. "'Nobody Else' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 6 January 2019. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'
  17. Kellman, Andy. "I'm Talking | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  18. Cashmere, Paul (17 October 2018). "I'm Talking Reform for 2019 Bryan Ferry Tour". Noise11.com. Paul Cashmere, Ros O'Gorman. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  19. Adams, Cameron (16 October 2018). "Kate Ceberano: 'I Never Thought this Would Happen'". The Herald Sun. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  20. "Who's who of Australian rock / compiled by Chris Spencer, Zbig Nowara & Paul McHenry". catalogue. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
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