Over a decade following the passing of legendary Australian rock trailblazer Chrissy Amphlett, three previously unheard recordings she cut in 1998 are finally set to debut globally this Friday, after being unexpectedly unearthed from a private garage storage space.
Amphlett, the iconic powerhouse frontwoman of 1980s and 1990s rock group Divinyls, built an enduring legacy through her signature gritty, husky vocals and magnetic, unapologetic stage presence. Her career delivered a string of globally celebrated hits, including the 1990 chart-topping single *I Touch Myself*, 1985’s *Pleasure and Pain*, and the 1981 breakout track *Boys in Town*. She passed away in 2013 after a years-long battle with illness, leaving behind a massive fanbase and an indelible mark on the international rock landscape.
The three newly recovered tracks were created during a collaborative studio session between Amphlett and Tim Finn, the former lead vocalist of iconic New Zealand band Split Enz, nearly 26 years ago. Long believed to have been lost forever after the project was never completed, the master tapes were only rediscovered by Finn in his own garage during a 2023 clearing out, decades after he stored them away following the initial recording session.
Recounting the 1998 recording sessions in Sydney during an interview with ABC’s flagship documentary series *Australian Story*, Finn explained that the collaboration came at a pivotal moment for Amphlett. “It was a good time for us to meet because she was looking for something new, something different in her life musically,” Finn shared.
Per the documentary, the late 1990s marked a period of major personal and professional transition for Amphlett: she had recently separated from Divinyls co-founder and guitarist Mark McEntee, following a long and turbulent professional and romantic relationship, and had begun growing close to drummer Charley Drayton, who she would later marry. Drayton even joined the 1998 session, laying down drum tracks for all three new songs across the several-day writing and recording retreat.
Finn, who has long been an outspoken admirer of Amphlett’s work, recalled being blown away by her work ethic and artistic focus during the sessions. “She was so focused. She just wanted to get it right… I was in the presence of great talent, great charisma,” he said. In a social media post shared earlier this week, Finn added that the pair had never met prior to the session, but immediately connected as former frontpeople of two influential rock acts. “We hadn’t met previously but instantly felt a bond, a camaraderie of shared history as ex-lead singers of two brilliant bands,” Finn wrote.
After the sessions wrapped, Finn took the raw master tapes back to his home with plans to finish production on the tracks, but the project was never finalized, and the recordings were forgotten. Last year, Drayton reached out to Finn to ask about the long-forgotten 1998 sessions, prompting Finn to search through his stored belongings. “I thought they were lost to the universe but remarkably found the two-inch tape in my garage,” Finn wrote in his social media post. “It was still in perfect condition and we are now able to share these songs with you.”
The three recovered tracks will be released this Friday as a limited extended play (EP) under the title *Some Times*, marking the first new official Amphlett release in more than a decade, giving fans a rare new glimpse into the artistic depth of one of rock’s most revered frontwomen.