George Assang

George Assang
Also known as	Vic Sabrino
Born	1927 Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia
Died	1997 (aged 69-70) Nowra, New South Wales, Australia
Genres	jazz, blues
Occupation(s)	Singer, Actor
Instruments	Vocals
Associated acts	Red Perksey & His Orchestra, Graeme Bell and his Skiffle band

George Assang (1927–1997) was a singer and actor from Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia. He performed under his own name and the stage name Vic Sabrino. Assang was of Aboriginal, Pacific Islander, and Asian descent.

As Vic Sabrino he may have made the first Australian Rock'n'Roll recording. A single he recorded with Red Perksey and his orchestra included a version of the Rock Around The Clock. This single may have been recorded in 1955, before Johnny O'Keefe's Wild One in 1957.

As an actor Assang had a major part in the TV series Barrier Reef (1971–1972), appeared in episodes of Skippy and Hunter (1968), Spyforce (1971), Boney (1972 and Number 96 (1974). He also acted in several films, the 1969 film The Intruders, the 1973 film And Millions Will Die, and was one of the voices in the animated movie Dot and the Kangaroo (1977). Under the Vic Sabrino name he had a short-lived television series in 1958 called Vic Sabrino Sings.

Discography

George Assang

with Trevor Jones' Orchestra

• "Daughter of Mona Lisa" (1955) Mercury

George and Ken Assang

• Just A Closer Walk (1965) Philips
• "Songs From Down Under" - The Colonials (1967) Phillips PD 200

Vic Sabrino

• "Dust In The Sun / Who Needs You" Festival

with Red Perksey & His Orchestra and Sheila Sewell

• "The End Of The Affair/Drifting Along" Pacific AUS #19

with Red Perksey & His Orchestra

• "The Magic of Love/(We're gonna) Rock Around the Clock" (1955) Pacific
• "Merry-go-round/Time For Parting" (1955) Pacific
• "Blue Suede Shoes/Heartbreak Hotel" (1956) Pacific

with Dave Owens and his Blue Boys with The Blue Notes

• "Long, Long Lane/Painted Doll" (1957) Festival

with Gus Merzi's Orchestra and with Harry Willis Orchestra; and The Belltones & Iris Mason Singers

• "Fraulein/Hitch-Hiking Heart" (1957) Festival

with Graeme Bell and his Skiffle band

• "Sweet Georgia Brown/ Freight Train" (1957) Columbia
• "John Henry/Don't You Rock Me, Daddy-O" (1957) Columbia
• "The Gospel Train/Come Skiffle Chicken" (1957) Columbia
• "Gamblin' Man/Skiffle Board Blues" (1957) Columbia

References

• THE FIRST WAVE: Australian rock & pop recordings, 1955-1963 by Ross Laird (pdf)
• Australian Popular Music Recordings 1955-1969 by Ross Laird (pdf)

External links

• Pop Archives feature
• National Library of Australia Biographical cuttings on Vic Sabrino, actor and singer

• The Age 4 June 2005 Discovered: rock'n'roll's scratchy start
• Great Australian Television: Barrier Reef, http://www.classicaustraliantv.com/BarrierReef1.htm
• IMDb: George Assang, http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0039768/, accessed 22 August 2012