John Farnham Alleges Former Manager Drugged Him for Years

In excerpts from his memoir The Voice Inside, printed by The Australian, Australian music legend John Farnham has made surprising allegations in opposition to his late former supervisor, Darryl Sambell.

Farnham, who rose to stardom within the Sixties, claims he was secretly drugged “for years” by Sambell through the early years of his profession.

“He drugged me for years and I had no f—ing thought,” Farnham wrote in his memoir. “I caught him at some point. I used to be consuming a cup of espresso and there was a capsule solely half-dissolved within the backside. After I requested him what it was, Darryl replied, ‘That’s simply one thing that can assist you keep awake.’”

Farnham, greatest identified for his hit “You’re The Voice,” mirrored on the long-lasting influence of this discovery, expressing remorse over his silence on the time. “I really feel so ashamed of myself for not realising what Darryl was as much as or talking up extra typically to place him again in his place. I didn’t query any of it, I simply went alongside as if nothing was off-key.”

He added, “I nonetheless don’t know why I didn’t react extra. I put it all the way down to being younger, underneath stress, drained and feeling not sure and insecure about my very own instincts.”

Farnham claims that Sambell’s want for management dominated each facet of his life throughout their skilled relationship. He claimed that for years, Darryl managed “the place and after I labored, what I sang, what I wore, what I ate.”

Reflecting on the trauma of these years, Farnham admits how tough it has been to come back to phrases together with his previous.

“A few years have handed since then and, up till now, I’ve discovered it very onerous to unpick what occurred to me. However now that I’ve confronted on it, I look again on that point with sorrow. I’m irritated at myself for being so gullible and trusting.”

“I gave away management of my profession, my course and my life. I used to be a younger bloke and I wanted a supervisor.”

Sambell managed Farnham’s profession till 1976, when the singer lastly ended their skilled relationship. The cut up marked a turning level in Farnham’s life, permitting him to rebuild his profession with supervisor Glenn Wheatley.

Beneath Wheatley’s steering, Farnham launched Whispering Jack in 1986—a defining second that propelled him to worldwide acclaim and noticed him peak at No. 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report albums chart.

Farnham’s storied profession is stuffed with accolades that spotlight his lasting influence on music. He’s received 21 ARIA Awards from 60 nominations, together with Album of the Yr for Whispering Jack and Single of the Yr for “You’re The Voice” in 1987. His albums—Whispering Jack, Age of Purpose, Chain Response, and Then Once more—have all been honored as Highest Promoting Albums in Australia, and he’s been acknowledged as Finest Male Artist a number of instances. In 2003, he was inducted into the ARIA Corridor of Fame.

Past the ARIAs, Farnham has earned Mo Awards for Finest Male Vocal and Entertainer of the Yr, and a Logie for Finest Teenage Character early in his profession. He acquired the JC Williamson Award in 2004 for lifetime achievement in reside efficiency, and was named Australian of the Yr in 1987. His contributions to music and charity earned him the Officer of the Order of Australia in 1996, and he was inducted into the Music Victoria Corridor of Fame in 2015.

Extra not too long ago, John Farnham: Discovering The Voice—launched by way of Sony Photos with a companion soundtrack through Wheatley Data/Sony Music Australia—grew to become Australia’s highest-grossing feature-length music documentary of all time. The soundtrack debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA Chart, marking Farnham’s twentieth prime 10 look. The documentary additionally received the 2024 AACTA Award for Finest Documentary and the 2024 TV Week Logie Award for Finest Documentary.

From his childhood in Melbourne to his latest battle in opposition to most cancers, The Voice Inside delves into each the highs and the numerous challenges which have formed Farnham’s life. You’ll be able to pre-order the e-book at Hachette Australia.