Bill Cate & Boyd Robertson "Companions" 1979

...In New Zealand, the song seemed unavoidable in 1975-76, not just through radio play, but also television advertising placed by Stewart Macpherson, the promoter whose record label Stetson released it in New Zealand. (On the Stetson 45, the sub-title is spelt “chauvenest”.)Almost inevitably, the novelty song was a huge hit in Australia and New Zealand. It made #6 across the Tasman, and #5 in New Zealand after a 20-week journey through the charts. If it was an answer song to Helen Reddy’s ‘I Am Woman’, then it’s no wonder she responded with ‘Ain’t No Way to Treat a Lady’...
...After over 15 years playing together, Bill & Boyd were at the peak of their career, performing on a Dinah Shore TV special filmed at the Sydney Opera House, and touring with Glen Campbell. This connection led to Campbell producing an album for the duo in Los Angeles, using his own backing band. When Companions was released they were dividing their time between England and the US, but they still regarded themselves as New Zealanders. On the TV show Dinah they agreed to perform only if a National Film Unit clip on New Zealand was screened while they were singing. “That clip was so long,” Cate told Gordon Campbell, “that we must have gone through about 50 repeats of ‘Pōkarekare Ana’.”
In 1978 Bill & Boyd hosted their own variety series on TV1, featuring songs, skits, dancing, and overseas guests such as Kate Bush, Graham Bonnet, and the Hues Corporation alongside local acts, among them Sharon O'Neill and the Rodger Fox Big Band.
Bill & Boyd continued to perform together until 1989, more than 30 years after they first traded harmonies. In Australasia at the time, perhaps only the Bee Gees could claim a longer career – but they were brothers. As John Dix wrote a year earlier in Stranded in Paradise, “Schoolmates at Wellington’s Naenae College, Bill Cate and Boyd Robertson must really like each other.” Bill Cate passed away on 29 November 2020, aged 80. - audioculture
trax:
01 Companions 02 Universal Law 03 Where There's A Love There's A Way 04 I See Love 05 Colleen 06 This Is Getting Funny 07 Let's All Sing A Song About It 08 Roll On Brother 09 Fool Ya 10 At Times I Wonder Why That The Lord Has Chosen Me 11 Santa Never Made It To Darwin (Bonus Track)
…served by Gaius…