Kevin Bloody Wilson
An unapologetically crude Aussie bard, he turned blue humor and working-class slang into a global cult phenomenon through riotously funny songs.
Born 1947 (age 79)·Australian comic singer-songwriter·Birthday: February 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Kevin Bloody Wilson is the patron saint of politically incorrect, laugh-out-loud Australiana. Emerging from the mining towns of Western Australia, he began recording and selling cassette tapes of his original songs from the trunk of his car, building a grassroots following that record labels initially shunned. His music—a raucous blend of folk storytelling, rock rhythms, and unabashedly explicit lyrics—struck a chord with audiences who recognized their own pub culture and vernacular in his work. Tracks like 'Living Next Door to Alan' and 'Hey Santa Claus' became anthems not through radio play, but through word-of-mouth and relentless touring. Wilson’s success proved there was a massive, often overlooked market for comedy that spoke directly to everyday experiences with unvarnished honesty and a mischievous grin. He remains a fixture on the international touring circuit, his shows less concerts than communal, cathartic celebrations of not taking life too seriously.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Kevin was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kevin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Kevin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the ARIA Award for Best Comedy Release in 1994 for his album 'The Christmas Album'.
- Achieved multi-platinum sales in Australia through independent distribution, bypassing major record labels.
- Built a sustained international touring career across the UK, South Africa, and New Zealand for decades.
- His 1984 song 'Living Next Door to Alan' became a breakout hit and remains one of his most requested tracks.
Did You Know?
He worked as a diamond driller in the mining industry before his music career took off.
The 'Bloody' in his stage name was added by a pub manager who introduced him that way on stage, and it stuck.
He performed a private concert for Australian troops stationed in the Sinai Peninsula in 1993.
His fan club is officially called the 'K.W. Wankers Club'.
“You can't be a smart arse if you're a dumb arse.”
