John Farnham Un-Retires

“I’m tired of being retired!” John Farnham said during a media call May 27 when announcing a 20-date Australian theatre run Sept. 3 to Oct. 24.

The veteran singer, whose 1986 Whispering Jack is Australia’s biggest-selling domestic album, turns 60 next month.

He did two “farewell tours,” in 2003 and 2007, before retiring to raise horses on his farm outside Melbourne.

In March he was coaxed back to the stage by Coldplay to sing his signature tune “You’re The Voice” for the Sound Relief fundraiser to benefit Australia’s bushfire and flooding victims.

Being on stage and hearing the audience sing along to his hit made him realize how much he missed live work, he said.

During his absence, Pink broke his record for most shows (12) at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena.

The American singer plays 15 shows at the venue (selling a total of 156,000 tickets) for her Funhouse tour through Michael Coppel Presents, which sold 525,000 tickets total in Australia.

Farnham brooked no grievances at his record being broken.

“It think it’s terrific,” he said. “She must be very happy. That’s a serious amount of shows. Bloody good on her!”