Angry Anderson, rock star who soundtracked Kylie's wedding in Neighbours, dies aged 79

BySteven McIntosh Entertainment reporter.

Key points

• The band returned in 1998 for their own tour and were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 2006.
• Born in Melbourne in 1947, Anderson and Rose Tattoo first became known on Australia's rock scene, releasing five albums beginning with their 1978 debut.
• The musician, whose real name was Gary Anderson, rose to fame as the frontman of Rose Tattoo, one of Australia's most revered rock bands, from 1976.
• Anderson published two albums as a solo artist, before Rose Tattoo reunited in 1993 to backing Guns N' Roses on their Australian tour.
• His solo song Suddenly became a global hit after it was played during the wedding of Minogue and Donovan's characters Scott and Charlene in Neighbours.

Rock star Angry Anderson, whose music famously soundtracked the wedding of Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan's characters in Australian TV soap Neighbours, has died at the age of 79.

Notably, the musician, whose real name was Gary Anderson, rose to fame as the frontman of Rose Tattoo, one of Australia's most revered rock bands, from 1976.

His solo song Suddenly became a global hit after it was played during the wedding of Minogue and Donovan's characters Scott and Charlene in Neighbours. The wedding episode was watched by 20 million individuals in the UK alone in 1988.

Anderson remarked Minogue had been "adamant" that the track was employed for the scene, and he afterwards declared that Suddenly was the best song he had ever written.

Before his death, Anderson had a cardiac arrest while on Rose Tattoo's farewell tour in Europe last month.

He was treated in hospital before going home to Australia, and the band cancelled nine live dates.

For context, a joint statement, external from Anderson's family and Rose Tattoo remembered him as a "devoted father, and much-loved bandmate".

"His loss will be deeply felt by all those who knew and loved him both here in Australia and overseas, " it remarked.

"We thank everyone for their prayers and messages of love and continued support."

After the band split nine years afterwards, Anderson continued recording music as a solo artist, and co-wrote and issued Suddenly in the summer of 1987.

It was rapidly selected by Minogue for apply in Neighbours for her character Charlene Mitchell's wedding to Donovan's Scott Robinson.

Thanks in sizeable part to its apply in Neighbours, Suddenly reached the top three in both the UK and Australia.

Nevertheless, it was held off the number one spot in its home country by Minogue's own debut solo single, Locomotion.

For context, the band returned in 1998 for their own tour and were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 2006.

Anderson's other credits included playing Herod in an Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

He was created a Member of the Order of Australia in 1993, in recognition of service to the community, particularly his charity work and his work as a youth advocate.

Taken together, the developments around angry Anderson, rock star who soundtracked Kylie' s wedding in Neighbours, dies aged point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.