Welcome to your history lesson: please open your books at Sydney, 1989...

Location: Hurlstone Agricultural High, Sydney and 4 lads are on stage, singing a song "Earth Angel" One's standing on a box, considerably shorter (and younger!) than the others. They're about 16 years old.

This was the beginnings of the group that has come to be known as Human Nature. Phil Burton, Andrew Tierney and Toby Allen all met in classes at school: eventually, for a performance the 4 pulled together and Andrew did a vocal arrangement of "Earth Angel". Of course, that's only 3...the one on the box was Andrew's younger brother Michael.

For about 5 years, the foursome performed together as 4-Trax, doing covers in clubs and cruises *?* They even won a few Mo awards for their trouble. However, they soon got bored and started to write their own tracks. They sung their way into the hearts of Sony Australia (well. bombarded them with tapes, and rung up every few days saying "Have we got a record deal yet?") and the first album, "Telling Everybody" was released in 1996. It stayed in the Australian charts for over a year and is multiple platinum.

The guys have toured internationally with Michael Jackson, Eternal and Celine Dion (who loves them!) and in Australia with Janet Jackson and have done 2 big Australian arena tours on their own. They also recorded with Australian legend John Farnham on the track "Everytime you cry" and toured with him for his 50th birthday tour in 1999.

"Counting Down", the 2nd album, went straight to number 1 in 1999 and a string of successful singles followed. Also they managed to squeeze in performing as The Naturals in arena musical "Happy Days", where, appropriately they went back in time 10 years and performed "Earth Angel". A performance of "Waltzing Matilda" a cappella at the AFL grand final was another year highlight.

However, always ready to go one bigger, an ambition of theirs was to sing at the 2000 Sydney Olympics- an ambition fulfilled as they sung the Australian national anthem "Advance Australia Fair" in front of an audience of, literally, millions.

For the first single-"He don't love you"- from the third album, they did a week-long performance slot on Neighbours .  A 3rd album was released in December 2000, simply titled "Human Nature". The guys are to tour with Ronan Keating (boyzone) in the UK in May 2001.

And the participants in this historic journey?

Andrew Tierney

Brother to Michael and the one who really brought the group together, Andrew combines cute smile with voice to die for. His birthday is June 20th, 1974 so that makes him a 26 yr old Gemini. Probably his weirdest moment when a fan cut his head out of a poster, put it on a stick, and got 'married' to him. He tied the knot for real with Heather in secret in 1999 (sorry girls!). His most embarrassing story? probably setting off fireworks in a Japanese hotel. A fan gave him what he thought was a sparkler. Because fireworks are banned in Australia, he decided to light one in his hotel room. Well, you guessed it, it wasnt a sparkler... The place filled with smoke, the fire service was called out, and not knowing any Japanese...well, lets just say they're not going back to that hotel in a hurry!
 
 

Michael Tierney

Aww. Little baby Michael! He's the youngest in the group (starting at age 12!) and was born on 18 January 1977. Old pictures of him show his long curly hair - something Andrew constantly used to tease him about (brothers, eh?). Mike sings lead quite a bit, although the band are quick to point out that there's no set lead singer. As well as being the youngest he's still the shortest, but there's no more standing on boxes for him! He's the only one to have taken drama classes: must have come in handy for that Neighbours stint! Mike is (sorry again..) engaged to girlfriend Andrea, who is the sister of Heather, who is married to Andrew! (Confused yet? you will be...)

Phil Burton

Phillip Burton is the serious one: the one who does all the vocal arrangements, plays piano on stage and err, has no hair? Phil cut off his hair in Jan 2000, and looks just as yummy. He was born on 13 March 1974 so he's a Pisces. He's probably the most musical one-he studied music at University and learned piano from a very young age. His voice is very distinctive- it's softer than that of the Tierney brothers and higher than Toby's, and his song "We can fly away" appeared on the "Counting Down" album as a hidden track (tip: it's BEAUTIFUL) He loves his music collection and his wife Kate (yes, he's married too...*siiiiiiigh*)

Toby Allen

Gorgeous Toby may be the oldest (born 8 August 1973) but he sure doesn't act it! He's a bit of a laugh, always smiling and having fun. One thing about him seems to change every other week- his hair colour. It was blond last time i checked but god knows what it'll be next! He's the only one of the group not to be born in Sydney- he was born in Papua New Guinea and moved to Sydney when he was one year old. He's also got a tendency to crash cars-uhoh!