Rock On Vinyl

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Before things get too serious here at Rock On Vinyl, I thought it might be fun to post a song / album at the end of each month, that could be categorized as being either Weird, Obscure, Crazy or just plain Korny.
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This month's W.O.C.K On Vinyl is the result of something that was brought to my attention by a regular blog follower (Dave). I was mortified to learn that The Angels' iconic anthem "Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again" is so much like Status Quo's B-Side single "Lonely Night" which was released 2 years earlier, that one can't but conclude that their song is a rip off.
Originally a slow acoustic ballad about death, the Angel's song became immortal thanks to an expletive-laden chant grafted on to the chorus by the band's fans when audiences began shouting “No way! Get fucked! Fuck off!” in the empty space in the chorus after Neeson’s lingering question.

In an article written by Darryl Mason for The Guardian, he states "Bassist and vocalist Bernard ‘Doc’ Neeson came up with "Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again", and a version was recorded for the band's debut album. Vanda and Young were convinced it would be a hit, but its likeness to a Status Quo B-side, "Lonely Night", became impossible to ignore. So the Angels re-recorded the song, speeding it up, and adding the "ambulance siren" opening guitar riff.
Released in March 1976, the single stalled at No 58 in the charts. A third version was recorded in 1978 for US release and also flopped. However, subsequent songs like No Secrets, Take a Long Line and I Ain’t the One succeeded where See Your Face Again had failed, and by the late 70s the Angels were in the front rank of Australian rock.
"Back in the 80s, Neeson told reporters that the song began its life as a slow, acoustic ballad. The inspiration for the lyrics, he said, came from hearing a friend describe his grief following the death of a girlfriend in a motorcycle accident. He didn’t mention Status Quo’s Lonely Night, or its remarkably similar key line, “I never thought I'd see or hear you again.”
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Ian Brock has commented on YouTube that "In the book 'The A-Z of Status Quo' by Dave Oxley, it tells the story - An international tribunal ruled, based on evidence by a musicologist, that The Angels song was a mere copy of the original Quo version which was written and recorded almost 2 years before. A percentage of all income from the Angels is paid to Status Quo. This is one Aussie who knows the true story".
However, Denis Mac has commented on YouTube that "Actually Quo don't get royalties from the Angels. John Brewster from the Angels was later in a band with Alan Lancaster called 'The Party Boys' and the royalties are all fiction and the supposed 'coincidence' was first brought to the attention of the world through a Parody Website."
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.No matter what the situation was, there is no disputing that both tracks are very, very similar both in melody, rhythm and words, as elaborated in the following YouTube clip:

The reason why very few people know about this plagiarism I think is because Quo's single was a B-Side track (to Break The Rules) and did not appear on any of their albums. Now there is no taking away the fact that the Angel's rendition of this tune was one of the most popular songs ever played in pubs around Australia back in the 70's and 80's but the iconic status of this anthem is up for review in my opinion - what do you think?
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This post consists of MP3 (320kps) of both tracks in question along with label scans for each single, and the C in W.O.C.K on Vinyl this month could very well stand for Copyright breach.

Angels V's Status Quo Link (16Mb)

(Australian 1968 - 1974, and beyond)
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Chain are an Australian blues band formed in Melbourne as The Chain in late 1968 with a lineup including guitarist, vocalist Phil Manning; they are sometimes known as Matt Taylor's Chain after lead singer-songwriter and harmonica player, Matt Taylor. Their January 1971 single "Black and Blue", which became their only top twenty hit, was recorded by Chain line-up of Manning, Taylor, drummer Barry Harvey and bass guitarist Barry Sullivan. The related album, 'Toward the Blues' followed in September and peaked in the top ten albums chart.

Chain had various line-ups until July 1974, they separated for several years then reformed in 1982 for a one-off concert and more permanently from 1983–1986. Further line-up changes occurred with some forms called Matt Taylor's Chain, from 1998 Chain members are Harvey, Manning, Taylor and Dirk Du Bois on bass guitar. Both Manning and Taylor have also had separate solo careers. In 2005, Chain released, 'Sweet Honey' and continued touring irregularly; on 3 May 2009, they performed at the Cairns Blues Festival.
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Chain 1999

Full Biography
The highly acclaimed band formed originally in 1967 and early members included Wendy Saddington, Claude Papesch and Tim Piper. As is the case with many super groups, they were plagued with membership changes and featured over thirteen different line-ups.
Throughout 1969 they established themselves as Australia's top blues band and, in October, they released a single called 'Mr. Time'. Then, early in 1970, they added Glyn Mason (ex-Rebels - guitar, vocals) and recorded their amazing Chain . . . Live album. Before the album was released they announced that they had split up, with Glyn going to London and Warren joining the Aztecs.
However, Phil and the two Barrys went to Brisbane. By the time the album was released in September, they had reformed with Matt Taylor (ex-Genesis — harmonica, vocals). The new Chain was quick to record a heavy blues song called "We're Groaning", which was released early in 1971 under the title of "Black And Blue". It became their biggest single. The record was snubbed by radio stations, but sold mainly as a result of audience reaction to their live performances of the song. It was also released in the US on United Artists' Avalanche label.

A follow-up single, "Judgement", came in July 1971 accompanied by more rumours of a split. The reports proved to be well founded as Phil departed to be replaced by Charlie Tumahal. The following month Barry Harvey dropped out and Lindsay Wells took over.
The new format didn't seem to click and finally disbanded in October 1971.
However, just like the cat with nine lives, in January 1972 a new Chain surfaced as a trio featuring Warren Morgan, Laurie Pryor and Barry Sullivan. They relied on dominant piano as a substitute for guitar. Then, early in '72, another album, 'Chain Live Again', was recorded, but it actually featured a re-union of old Chain members (Glyn Mason, Warren Morgan, Phil Manning, Barry Sullivan and Barry Harvey). Due to mixing difficulties, the album was not released until later in the year. Meanwhile Chain's quorum formed a group called Mighty Mouse. This new band was not successful. Yet again, in early 1973, another Chain surfaced with the two Barrys, Ian Clyne, Mal Capwell and Phil Manning.
In its '73 form, the band released singles including "I Thought You Were My Friend" (August), "Gonna Miss You Babe" (December), and the 'Two Of A Kind' album (December).
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Then, in January 1974, whilst the group were touring Queensland, Barry Harvey decided to leave and stay put. He was replaced by Tony Lunt (organ, moog). The following month both Mal Capwell and lan Clyne left and, although Chain again regrouped, the band met its final death midway through 1974.
Phil went on to work solo and formed the Phil Manning Band in 1975. Then, in 1977, Phil formed a new band called, simply, Manning.
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This post consists of MP3's (320kps) ripped from a bootleg taped recording and includes custom artwork (thanks to WoodyNet from Midoztouch). Appropriately titled - 'Chain Live at Top of The Cross' this recording was made during the Toward The Blues 30th Anniversary Tour in 2001, but the exact date is unknown. Because it is an audience recording, there was a lot of digital noise on the last 2 tracks which really detracted from the whole gig, so this post is short by 2 tracks. Otherwise, this is a historic recording that has captured Chain making a huge come back in the 21st Century.
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Track Listing
01 - Run With Willy (6:11)

02 - Magic Zipper        (5:12)
03 - Boogie            (12:15)
04 - Albert Goose        (5:21)
05 - Eternal Heart Attack    (5:13)
06 - Booze Is Bad News Blues    (4:28)
07 - Spring Hill        (6:17)
08 - Band Introductions        (1:18)
09 - I Remember When I Was Young (9:27)

Line up for this Gig:
Matt Taylor - Vox / Harp
Phil Manning - Guitar
Barry 'little goose' Harvey - Drums
Barry 'big goose' Sullivan - Bass
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Chain Link (127Mb)
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(Irish 1976 - Present)
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This Bootleg CD released by AMCOS captures U2 live at the Hammersmith Palais on December 6, 1982, during the very limited “Pre-War” tour. All of the classic early U2 live staples are present, as well as some of the best tracks from their soon-to-be-released War album at the time. The encore even contained a very rare live performance of the 1982 single “A Celebration,” and that alone makes this bootleg a must for any U2 fan. Note: I sourced this additional track from the web, as it was not included on this AMCOS release.
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Concert Review
This was the first gig I went to - a gangly 14 year old clutching a ticket that says "over 18s only". I put on a jacket that made me look, oh, 15 easily, but they never even gave me a glance at the door. I was in.
I'd not heard of support act 'The Alarm' - a dreary band playing to an indifferent crowd. After an interminable wait, U2 appeared (or at least I thought) and the place erupted like the Brixton riots. I was getting trashed in the mosh pit, mostly facing the wrong way... eventually I realised that I didn't even recognise the song, and they looked and sounded different. Escaping upstairs to the balcony, I eventually figured it out - THIS was The Alarm (already with a mysteriously huge fanbase) and the dreary band before had been the unbilled Zerra 1.

"If this is how the crowd are for The Alarm", I thought, "what on earth are U2 gonna be like?"

Eventually I got my answer. It was indescribable (he said, before trying to describe it). From the balcony, the entire floor below bounced as one from the first note to the last. I remember New Year's Day for the first time, the spotlight on The Edge for his solo. Gloria... I Will Follow... no, it's no good I can't describe it. For a first gig, for a 14 year old, it was complete overload.

Needless to say, it was the best gig I'd ever seen, as time has subsequently proved. Nothing beats the first time, I guess, but even so. I saw U2 again a few months later at the Odeon, 5 minutes walk away, and it was a pale imitation, with its raked seating. The Hammersmith Palais remains holy ground to me, despite all the clear evidence to the contrary.

Footnote 1: The gig was recorded and broadcast by Radio 1 for their In Session series. Radio London used to simulcast Radio 1 in the evenings, so I got a good quality stereo recording (fantastic mix too, really captured it), which I played to death until I left my bag on the train one day losing both Walkman (whatever) and Cassette (nooooo!). A few tracks made their way onto the October Special Edition CD... one day I might get hold of the full hour again, you never know.

Footnote 2: 18 years later I was working for the BBC on Top Of The Pops. U2 were on in the studio, the first time since I'd worked there, playing Beautiful Day. I couldn't help myself. I hung around and managed to barge in for a quick chat with Bono. I told him about the first and greatest gig of my life - he asked the date and venue, and said "oh YEAH, that was rockin'!" Who knows if he really remembered, but it was enough for me. Incidentally, Bono had asked me who else was on the show that day and I told him - Doves "Oh wow!" and a new band called Coldplay (I'd played Yellow obsessively) - "oh, Edge really likes them", he said. Later I told Chris Martin, who was watching U2 rehearse... he looked at me bug eyed and blurted out "you're shitting me?!!!".

Always been proud to have been the person that told Coldplay that U2 liked them. Sorta. [Review by Guy Rowland]
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The full set list for this concert was:
    -Out Of Control
   - Twilight
    -Surrender
    -I Threw A Brick Through A Window
   - A Day Without Me
    -An Cat Dubh
    -Into The Heart
    -Sunday Bloody Sunday
    -The Cry
    -The Electric Co. / Send In The Clowns
    -I Fall Down
    -October
    -New Year's Day
    -Gloria
    -I Will Follo
    encore(s):
    -Fire
    -A Celebration
    -11 O'Clock Tick Tock / We Wish You A Merry Christmas (snippet)
    -The Ocean
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This post consists of MP3 (320kps) ripped from an AMCOS CD release and includes full album artwork for both Vinyl and CD releases of this bootleg. Note: Golden Stars (Italian bottleg) released this concert on vinyl (with a distinctive red cover) in 1991 as a double LP set and copies of this bootleg have recently fetched $150 +
This concert has also been released under the title of 'Live At Hammersmith 1981 - Bloody London ' with an obvious 'year release' error in its title, and by Mainline Music under the title 'U2 Live Unlicensed'.
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Track Listing
01. Surrender
02. I Threw A Brick Through A Window
03. A Day Without Me
04. An Cat Dubh
05. Sunday Bloody Sunday
06. I Fall Down *
07. The Electric Co
08. October
09. New Year's Day
10. Gloria
11. I Will Follow
12. Fire
13. A Celebration (Bonus Track)
* Track 6 is mislabeled "I'm A Believer" on the cover
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U2 Live Not Authorised (135Mb) New Link 30/08/2015
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(Australian 1977 - 1980)
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Laurie Stone, after his time with the Carol Lloyd Band and Railroad Gin, went on to form a musical partnership with local musician Peter Moscos who had previously been with the successful groups The Sect, Burke & Wills and Chicks Incorporated. Together as Moscos & Stone they recorded a string of singles and two albums. There is also thought to be a solo recording by Laurie Stone entitled "Life's A Carnival" done sometime in 1977 but this recording has yet to surface and is thought by some to be simply rumour. It is around this same time he co-produced singles for local acts Moonlight, Jamie Dunn and Chicks Incorporated. In more recent years Stone has stepped out of the performing spotlight to carve a name for himself as a composer of film and television themes and scores with fellow Brisbane musician Garry MacDonald (no relation to the actor Gary McDonald a.k.a.

'Norman Gunston'). Garry who had been musically involved on both Moscos & Stone albums had also worked on two albums for radio identity Russ Tyson. Some of their credits to date include music for TV shows / films such as "Ocean Girl", "The Flying Doctors", "Thunderstone", "The Henderson Kids", "Sahara", "Tales Of The South Seas", "The New Adventures Of Flipper"& "Cybergirl" [extract from Carol Lloyd's tribute website]
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Peter Moscos and Laurie Stone had a great music partnership and by 1980 were destined to spread out across Australia with their catchy melodies which they had crafted in their home town of Brisbane. They were on Countdown and other shows promoting their first single “Captain Captain” which was a hit and has since been released on C.D. But their glory days were short lived. The second single “Trouble In The City” was a minor hit but their string of subsequent lesser singles sank quickly. Peter Moscos had been one of the members of the pop group The Sect and had participated in hits such as "Lonely Road" and "St. John's Wood".

Moscos & Stone On Countdown

He was next in a group called the Platterpushers who evolved into another group called Burke and Wills. They had the singles "Thank You" and "Come With Me". Peter was a member of the group Hands Down with Tony Worsley and a drummer called Jamie Dunn. Jamie Dunn went onto fame as the voice of Agro (the TV puppet and singing star). Peter Moscos wrote and produced songs for the Agro show and albums as well as the TV show Pugwall. Since Peter’s pop career stalled in the 1980s he worked behind the scenes and wrote songs for many Australian artists and TV productions. One of his most memorable was the theme for the TV drama "Flying Doctors". In the early 90's his soundtrack work took him to L.A. Peter born 1948 died in 2003 of cancer in Sydney.

.This post consists of FLACs and MP3's (320kps) ripped from my pristine vinyl, picked up at a garage sale recently. As usual, full album artwork and label scans are included. I bought their "Captain, Captain (Part I)" single when it was first released in 1979 and always regretted not pursuing the album, so I thought I'd share my find with you. As an extra bonus, I have included two B-Side singles "Stoned On Love" and "The Girl's In Love" which did not appear on the album.
Note: This post is dedicated to a long departed friend, Dennis Cherry, who absolutely loved the "Captain, Captain" single. I'm sure he's singing along to the chorus at this very moment.....

Track Listing
01 - Empty Horses
02 - Trouble In The City
03 Saturday Night In Mexico
04 - Baby What's The Matter
05 - A Little Bit Easier
06 - Make You Mine
07 - Tropic Line
08 - Captain, Captain (Part 1)
09 - Captain, Captain (Part 2)
10 - Loving You Ain't Easy
11 - Caught In A Heatwave12 - Song For You
13 - Strike Up The Band
14 - Captain, Captain (Reprise)
15 - Stoned On Love (Bonus B-Side Single)
16 - The Girl's In Love (Bonus B-Side Single)
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Musicians:
Peter Moscos - Guitar, Vocals
Laurie Stone - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Trombone, Vocals
Garry Mc Donald - Guitar

Don Lebler - Drums, Percussion
Paul Doo - Drums
Buzzi & Friends - Percussion
Jenny Clark, Louise Art, Maree Goon, Andrea Lees - Backing Vocals
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Moscos & Stone FLACs (260Mb)

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Moscos & Stone MP3's (102Mb)
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(Australian 1966 - 1978)
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Original line-up: Carole King (vocals); Brian King (piano, organ); Keith Leslie (vocals, saxophone); Garry King (saxophone, vocals); Dudley Hood (guitar); Rhys Clark (drums).
Sydney based group The Executives formed in the latter half of 1966 and quickly became Sydney's most highly rated band. Their musical expertise was unequaled. Between them they could play a total of thirty one instruments — anything from violin to harpsichord.
The band began releasing singles virtually straight away with 'You're Bad' and 'Wonder Boy' (which sold well in Sydney). Meanwhile, changes were taking place in the line-up. The most important being Ray Burton replacing Dudley on guitar, and Gino Cunico replacing Keith. (Other membership changes included Brian Patterson.) In July 1967, they experienced their first national hit with "My Aim Is To Please You". It was followed by "Sit Down I Think I Love You".

L-R Carole King, Rhys Clarke, Brian King (seated)
Gary King, Ray Burton, Gino Cunico

They soon became known as Australia's top sophisticated rock band, and in 1968 they left for the US to have a crack at the American market. Whilst in the US, they scored a recording contract with the Buddah label. Back home, they continued to record. By mid '69, they had released six singles, three EPs and one album. Unfortunately, most of their chart success was primarily in Sydney (one of the bigger latter hits being 'Windy Day').
In the spring of '69 they returned to the US and changed their name to Inner Sense, but they became bogged down. By the following year, the group had disbanded. Ray joined Ayers Rock (and co-wrote 'I Am Woman' with Helen Reddy); Gary and Rhys stayed in America and worked as session musicians; Gino went on to work solo (he later released an album); and Carole and Brian formed a new group called Transition. The new group was just that — a transition. In other words, it was an interim band until they could find the right combination of musicians to reform the Executives.

Finally, in June 1974, they hit on the right line-up with Alan Oldman (bass); Ron Smith (guitar); Brian Kirby (drums); Jonne Sands (vocals); Carole (vocals); Brian (keyboards). They signed with Polydor and subsequent releases included "On The Road Back" (July 74); "Let The World Go Round" (April 76); and "Tinker Tailor" (October 76). By the end of 1977, they were still working solidly at hotels and clubs.
After The Executive's folded for good in 1978, Brian and Carole King continued to team for studio sessions. Sands resumed a moderately successful solo career, mainly as a club performer. Bassist-guitarist Alan Oldman (formerly a member of legendary Lithgow band The Black Diamonds) continued with session work, contributing to Nuclear and wrote the music for the 1979 film Alison's Birthday. [extract from Noel McGrath's 'Australian Encyclopedia of Rock', Outback Press, 1978, p106-107]
The Executives left behind a body of fine records that are highly sought after by collectors of quality sixties Aussie pop, although it has to be said that they have been lamentably overlooked in terms of CD reissues. Nevertheless, The Executive should be remembered for their sophisticated and inventive sound, those gorgeous vocal harmonies, their accomplished musicianship and their mastery of the three-minute pop single idiom. [extract from Milesago Website]

Album Linear Notes:
The Executives are the top pop group in Australia today.
The group has had great success at dances, discotheques and store promotions all around the country. They have appeared on many of Australia's top television shows and their records have done very well, especially in the eastern states, where "My Aim Is To Please You" and "Sit Down I Think I Love You" (both included on the record) reached positions two and three respectively.
They are a dedicated group of true musicians, each with long.family traditions of musical lore, and each with personal backgrounds of intensive training and rare instrumental techniques . . a highly individual and dramatic sound has been developed by this talented combination.

The members are...
Carole King-a very attractive brunette, has been singing as long as she can remember. Was in her school drama club and opera group, and training in singing was evident throughout her school career. With her sister and other girls formed her own singing group. Has been singing with The Executives since their inception and sees her musical career bound up with the group's success. Gino Cunico-lead male vocal, is the youngest and latest member to join The Executives. Born of Italian parents, he commenced his musical career as a boy vocalist and appeared on most of Australia's pop television programmes, including the top rated show "Bandstand"
Brian King—started musical training at the age of five, and gave his first public recital at the age of eight. Was playing professionally when only 13, later played through hotel circuits and night clubs— hard going that develops concentration, stamina and experimental techniques as well.
Ray Burton-lead guitar. Ray has been in Australian show business for around six years. His first professional engagements were with a very successful group, The Delltones, later he joined The Executives and has appeared with the group during the past eight months.
Gary King-bass guitar is Gary's specialty, and his free approach and versatility make a solid contribution to the distinctive 'Executive' sound and quality.

From: Tomorrow Is Today - Australia In The Psychedelic Era 1966 - 1970

Rhys Clark-like the Trapp Family all Rhys' family are musical, helped along with a strong streak of Welsh ancestry. Rhys' musical quota is rhythm, drums all the time, heightened with a boyhood period spent on Cooke Island, north of New Zealand, where native rhythms and drum techniques provided a unique background-for his later adventures in sound. Bought his first full drum kit at 13 and soon formed a youthful group of piano, trumpet, sax and of course his own drums. Securing professional engagements while still at school. Then followed years of engagements at ballrooms, night clubs, coffee lounges—years in which techniques in drumming and additionally in singing were polished to recording standards —for Rhys already has successful records to his name.

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This post consists of FLACs and MP3's (320kps) ripped from my trusty vinyl copy and includes full LP artwork, along with label scans. Although a low budget album release (typical of the Summit record label), I really like the tracks on this album, in particular the tribute medleys to the Mamas & Papas and the Hair Soundtrack. Sure, the music is dated but they still sound good to me.
(Thanks to Jae and Woodynet for the two B&W photos above)
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Side 1
1.     Mamas And Papas Medley:
(A)    Monday, Monday
(B)    Dream A Little Dream Of Me
(C)    Dedicated To The One I Love
(D)   Creeque Alley
2.    Hair Medley:
(A)    Hair
(B)    Air
(C)    Walking In Space
(D)    Aquarius
(E)    Let The Sunshine In
Side 2
1.     It's A Happening World
2.     Bad Reputation
3.     Sit Down I Think I Love You
4.     Wander Boy

5. My Aim Is To Please You
6. Moving In A Circle (Aust. Comp.)
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The Executives were:
Dennis Allgood (bass, vocals)
Ray Burton (guitar, vocals)
Rhys Clark (drums)
Gino Cunnico (vocals)
Brian King (keyboards)
Carole King (vocals)
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The Executives FLACs (200Mb)
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The Executives MPS's (76Mb)
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(Australian 1981 - 1987)
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Following the split of 'The Runners', Mark Edwards signed with WEA Records and released one album in 1986 entitled ‘Land Of The Living’. His only foray into the Australian singles chart was with the advance single ‘Worlds Away’ (#70, early ‘86). Several other singles were released including the title track and my favourite tracks from the album "Somebody Like You" and "World's Away". Also featured on these brilliant tracks were acclaimed session man Ricki Fataar and legendary backing singer Venetta Fields (ex-Boz Scaggs, John Farnham). Sadly, the album failed to sell well and Edwards never recorded a follow up. [extract from rqsretrouniverse]
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Album Review
"Polished Pop By Edwards"

With Land Of The Living, his debut solo album, former Runner's front man Mark Edwards lays himself a solid foundation for an enduring career as a songwriter and performer.
Edwards, now a resident of Newport Beach, spent two years writing, performing, and producing Land Of The Living with collaborator Michael Hegerty.
Land Of The Living is a collection of fine pop songs showcased well by production that is clean and polished.
The songs, while impressive from the first spin, insinuate themselves with each successive hearing. But they really come to life live where their most positive aspects are given a chance to shine. Paul Berton's guitar is prominent throughout and often gives a distinctly surfy feel. [Review taken from Morning Sydney Herald, Entertainment Section, Dec 4, 1986]
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This post consists of FLAC's and MP3's (320kps) ripped from my virgin vinyl and comes with album artwork for both LP and CD releases. I've also managed to source cover artwork and labels for all single releases taken from this album, as well as rips of the non-album tracks "Back in the Land of the Living" and newly arrived "Moonbeam" (thanks to Rainman at Midoztouch2).
In my opinion, this album is OK but lacks the magic and dynamics that Hitting The Wall captured when Edwards was singing upfront for the Runners.
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Tracklist

01. Land of the Living
02. World's Away
03. So Listen
04. Something New
05. Candy Baby
06. Wedding Ring
07. Only a Love
08. Life and Times
09. Time Goes By
10. Somebody Like You
11. Back in the Land of the Living (Bonus Track)
12. Moonbeam (Bonus Track)

Band members were:

Mark Edwards - vocals, keyboards, guitars, bass, drum programming
Peter Bondy - keyboards
Mathew Sloggett - keyboards
James Morrison - trumpet
Tony Buchanan - saxophone
Paul Berton - guitars
Michael Hegerty - bass, keyboards, piano, drum programming, backing vocals
John Pryor - drums
Ricky Fataar - drums
Mark Kennedy - drums, percussion

Hanuman Dass - additional drum programming
Rick Chadwick - programming, keyboards
Vanetta Fields - backing vocals
Sharon O'Neill - backing vocals
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Mark Edwards FLACs (338Mb) New Enhanced Rip 12/07/2015
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Mark Edwards MP3's (136Mb) New Enhanced Rip 31/08/2015
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(U.K 1970-1979, 1991-1998, 2010-Present)
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E.L.P (Emerson, Lake & Palmer) Keith Emerson keyboards, Greg Lake bass, guitar, vocals, Carl Palmer drums.

One of the first big super groups, formed by ex-members of Nice, King Crimson and Atomic Rooster in 1970. Characterized by their fusion of classical music with rock and noted for their spectacular live performances they were an archetypal progressive-rock band of the early Seventies.
An early plan to link up with Jimi Hendrix and Mitch Mitchell proved abortive (in fact Emerson, Lake aborted it themselves when a "wigged-out" Mitchell came to see them with two bodyguards) and Carl Palmer, ex of Atomic Rooster, completed the trio. As such, they made debut at Isle of Wight Festival 1970.

Keith Emerson had already established unique reputation as organist supreme, coupling natural ability with daring acrobatics involving flung daggers, organ-vaulting, Hammond-raping and general musical sadism towards his equipment - all of which made him the most spectacular rock showman since Hendrix.
Greg Lake, from Bournemouth, a sedate South England coastal resort, had cut his vocal teeth with Crimson, while Palmer had played with Chris Farlowe's Thunder-birds at the age of 16, subsequently joining Crazy World Of Arthur Brown and Atomic Rooster.
All were beginning to stagnate in previous roles and the new partnership gelled immediately into a unique and dynamic trio, firmly dedicated to musical finesse and showmanship. From beginning, they established a reputation as furiously active trio of unsurpassed technical ability - though some critics felt their music as evidenced on debut 1970 album didn't compensate for a certain lack of feeling exacerbated on successive collections.
Signed to Island Records, their self-titled debut album was an immediate success, making the Top 5 in the UK and the Top 20 in the US, while their live rendition of Mussorgsky's 'Pictures At An Exhibition' made the Top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic in 1971.

ELP 1992

Nevertheless, there were signs that a change of style was necessary, however, when the 1972 set Trilogy failed to equal success of predecessors (though, like Pictures, it did eventually go gold in U.S.). Experiments with effects machinery, including trial of a fully-portable stage, failed to lift group out of musical rut which - with hindsight - was inevitable from beginnings of band.
After the successful 'Brain Salad Surgery' (1974) overlong, self-indulgent solos became commonplace especially on 'Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends', a triple album recorded on their 1973-4 US tour.
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A three-year gap ensued, Lake and Emerson scoring surprise solo chart placings with 'I Believe In Father Christmas' and 'Honky Tonk Train Blues' in 1975 and 1976 respectively. Regrouping in 1977 with 'Works Volume 1', they found it increasingly difficult to recapture their former glory, and disbanded in 1978 following the poorly received 'Love Beach' album. Unsuccessful re-formations occurred in the late Eighties: 1992 finally saw the trio touring again and releasing their best album in years, 'Black Moon'. It is this tour from which this Bootleg recording has been made, taking place at the Jones Beach Amphitheater, Jones Beach, Wantaugh, NY on July 25th, 1992.
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Concert Details

This AMCOS bootleg is from Jones Beach in Nassau County, Wantaugh, NY, on the summer evening of July 25th, 1992. This is the second night of the tour and is sourced from a very good audience recording. It was previously available unofficially on Carillon (RPCD 1104) and Live At Jones Beach (Continental Sounds SIAE CS.CD5-511) both issued soon after the event. The short “Karn Evil 9 - Part 2" reference starts the show. It lasts only ninety seconds, just enough to sing “welcome back my friends to the show that never ends” before segueing into the “Tarkus” snippet. The new songs sound magnificent against the older songs.

Of particular note is “Black Moon” which crawls upon the stage much like “Tarkus” did in the early days of the band.Missing on this release, Emerson begins but then stops “Creole Dance.” 'Sorry, I have to reconnect my midi' he explains bring shades of the rehearsal in Philly a couple nights before. This segues into his own solo tune “Close To Home” (also missing from this release) which in turn serves as an introduction to “From The Beginning” which emphasizes Greg Lake.“Lucky Man” sounds beautiful in this recording with Palmer underlying the soft ballad nature of the piece. The show ends with “Pictures At An Exhibition” which lasts almost twenty minutes and includes Palmer’s drum solo in the middle. The encore is a medley of “Fanfare For The Common Man,” “America” and “Rondo” with references to Bach thrown in all lasting about fifteen minutes long [extract from collectorsmusicreviews]
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This post consists of MP3's (320kps) ripped from my AMCOS CD release and includes full album artwork for both CD and Cassette Tape (which I also own). As mentioned above, four tracks from the full concert have not been included (see left), I assume because AMCOS wanted to restrict this to a single CD release due to length constraints. Determining the source of this concert was not easy, but both Bootleg Zone and Covers At An Exhibition confirm my conclusion with track lengths matching those listed by these sites.
The equivalent vinyl release for this concert was called 'Jones Beach 25th July 1992' released by Sanctuary Records (see cover below).
The recording on this bootleg is excellent - so get it now !
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Tracklisting
01 - Karn Evil 9 (First Impression)
02 - Tarkus

03 - Knife Edge
04 - Paper Blood
05 - Black Moon
06 - From The Beginning
07 - Affairs Of The Heart
08 - Romeo & Juliet
09 - Lucky Man
10 - Pictures At An Exhibition
11 - Fanfare For The Common Man, America, Rondo
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Band Members:
Keith Emerson (Keyboards)
Greg Lake (Bass, Guitar,Vocals)
Carl Palmer (Drums, Percussion)
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Emerson, Lake and Palmer (175Mb)
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It was September 8, 1966.
On the surface, a day like any other, but in fact it was the day when the beloved character, Mr. Spock, first appeared on T.V screens. And with that appearance, a love affair was sparked between the public and the man who portrayed him, Leonard Nimoy.

In December of 1966, Dot record executives approached the producers of Star Trek with the idea of releasing a Star Trek themed album. There were already Star Trek toys, cereal prizes, model kits and every other kind of product that a kid would want, so why not a record? Desilu Studios executive, Herbert F. Solow, responded to the Dot proposal with the following memo:

"I think we should push any record company that wants to do an outer space or Vulcan or any other single record or album, be it straight dramatic music, weird music, Nichelle Nichols singing, William Shatner doing bird calls or even the sound of Gene Roddenberry polishing a semi-precious stone on his grinder."

For Nimoy this resulted in the release of five LPs on Dot Records, a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures, from 1967 to 1970.

'Leonard Nimoy Presents Mr. Spock's Music From Outer Space' was his debut album, recorded in his Mr. Spock persona. It was released in June, 1967 by Dot Records. The album capitalized on the popularity of the Spock character on Star Trek. The songs also contain many outer-space elements along with science fiction-themed narrations, and space sound effects. Nimoy co-wrote track six with arranger and producer Charles Grean, who is largely responsible for the high quality of this record.

The album utilizes the popularity of the Spock character on Star Trek and it seems likely that the main audience is children who where fans of the television series. The songs contain many outer-space elements complete with science fiction-themed narrations. The album was also heavily promoted, and fans by the thousands flocked to his autograph signings and appearances. There was a single released and contests appeared in popular magazines. Nimoy was quickly becoming a teen idol.

The record is extremely enjoyable on an adult level as well. Many of the tracks are done in the 60s Space Age lounge style adopted by many of the performers and conductors of the era. Stand out tracks: Theme From 'Star Trek', Alien, and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Earth.
Nimoy's second album 'Two Sides Of Leonard Nimoy' was released shortly after Mr. Spock's Music From Outer Space, only this time Nimoy was allowed to perform songs that may be considered unfitting for a Vulcan.

This months W.O.C.K on Vinyl post features a 1995 CD release of Nimoy's debut album and also includes side one from his 2nd album. Files are in MP3 format (320kps) and full album artwork is included for both LP and CD releases. I guess this album not only fits the Weird category but also adds an Out of this World flavour as well. I'll let you be the judge, if you choose to go where no man has gone before..... LOL.

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                      Track Listing
                      01. Theme From Star Trek
                      02. Alien
                      03. Where Is Love
                      04. Music To Watch Space Girls By
                      05. Beyond Antares
                      06. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Earth
                      07. Mission Impossible
                      08. Lost In The Stars
                      09. Where No Man Has Gone Before
                      10. You Are Not Alone
                      11. A Visit To A Sad Planet

Bonus Tracks
12. Highly Illogical
13. The Difference Between Us
14. Once I Smiled
15. Spock Thoughts
16. By Myself
17. Follow Your Star
18. Amphibious Assault
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Mr. Spock's Music From Outer Space (42Mb) New Link 30/08/2015
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(Australian Artists 1971)
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Go-Set was the first Australian weekly newspaper which focused on Australian teenage popular music, culture and fashion. Its role was to bring these aspects of Australian life to its readership, Australian youth aged between 14 and 20 years old. In performing this role it also established and developed as an institution through which rock music journalists and writers in popular culture could flourish. Go-Set was able to provide this environment while being produced and published independent of the other mainstream presses at the time.

It was the first sixties newspaper to explore an emerging and developing Australian popular music industry. Go-Set did not remain locked in its 1960s persona and shifted its appearance and musical tastes to keep up with the changes that were taking place within its areas of interest. The dynamics of these changes were so strong that by the early seventies Go-Set was a significantly different paper in appearance to what it had been in 1966. Its decline and demise in 1974 was as much a condition brought on by crisis as had been its life in keeping in touch with, and reporting on the state of the Australian and overseas music and fashion. [extract from Milesago"Life and Death of an Australian Pop Magazine", by David Kent]
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Australian Pop Awards
In Australia, Rock Music Awards have had a somewhat haphazard existence. Looking back on the 1967 King Of Pop Award, Ed Nimmervoll wrote:- 'Normie Rowe was the first King Of Pop, although accidentally rather than officially. "Go Set" was the big teen magazine of the day and in 1967 they conducted a standard pop poll to arrive at the most popular personalities and groups of the day .. When those awards were announced on the Go!! Television Show, in a moment of fun it was decided to close the show with a mock crowning of the King Of Pop'. (from Juke Magazine, 28 October 1978).

3rd July, 1971

Such was the beginnings of the king of pop awards which evolved into the T.V. Week King Of Pop Awards (also known as the T.V. Week Rock Awards). But well before all that was the National Battle Of The Sounds.
The Battle Of The Sounds was the most important event of the year for Australian bands during the late sixties and early seventies. Apart from the prizes (which included trips to the UK, and the US and cash), the contest was highly respected and being judged top group in the country for the year was a great honour.
The major prize was awarded following a series of semi-finals held on a country area and state level. Hoadleys were the main organisers and sponsors.
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National Awards Show Trend To Australian Talent
(Article from Billboard Magazine, August 7, 1971)
Sydney, Australia - The 1971 National Pop Poll Awards conducted by Go Set magazine for the past six years and now televised nationally, showed a marked trend towards original creative music reflected in the mushrooming success of the local industry over the past twelve months.

Voting in the International sections of the poll saw the Beatles after five years on top of group poll slipping to the number five position. Creedence took out the top spot in this section. Individually, however, the Beatles showed up well in the voting as composers, performers and musicians. George Harrison's 'All Things Must Pass' won the best album award. Deep Purple and Free, who both toured Australia earlier in the year and broke box office records, polled extremely well in all sections.
In the Australian section for the first time there was more than a handful of local albums to vote for. The Master's Apprentices 'Choice Cuts' took out top placing. This album, released in the U.K under the title of 'Master's Apprentices', gave the group their second award in a row. They previously won the best group section in 1970.
Daddy Cool won the best group award this year and took out second placing in the best single category with "Eagle Rock". Their success is the most meteoric in the history of the poll, the group having been formed for a mere three months before polling.
Daddy Cool also won a new section in the awards, the Industry Poll along with managing director and producer of Fable Records Ron Tudor. This section of the poll was conducted by sending a special voting form to 300 key executives in the Australian music business.
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10th July, 1971

This post consists of FLACs and MP3's (320kps) ripped from my precious vinyl, which is in extremely good condition considering its age. Full album artwork and label scans are included as usual. This album was given to me by a close friend recently, in amongst a box load of Aussie LP's and 45's.
While researching the Go-Set Pop Awards it became apparent that this release was missing an important track from the most popular band in 1971, as voted by the Go-Set readers - Daddy Cool's "Eagle Rock"
Why Daddy Cool wasn't featured on this album is a mystery - perhaps there were problems getting SPARMAC to release it to EMI for inclusion. So I have taken the liberty of including "Eagle Rock" as a bonus track. This is a great compilation of classic Aussie hits from the start of the 70's and was a fitting tribute to the home grown musical talent that was starting to emerge amongst the well established International acts.
If you're interested in viewing some more Go-Set magazine covers, take a look at the Go-Set Magazine website
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Track Listing
01 - Acapulco Sun (Johnny Farnham)
02 - Eleanor Rigby (Zoot)
03 - Because I Love You (Master's Apprentices)
04 - Going Home (Spectrum)
05 - Falling In Love Again (Ted Mulry)
06 - Black And Blue (Chain)
07 - Sweet, Sweet Love (Russell Morris)
08 - I'm Your Satisfier (Master's Apprentices)
09 - I'll Be Gone (Spectrum)
10 - Evil Child (Zoot)
11 - Put Your Hand In The Hand (Allison Durbin)
12 - As Long As Life Goes On (Johnny Farnham)
Bonus Track
13 - Eagle Rock (Daddy Cool)
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Go-Set Pop Poll Awards FLACs (306Mb)
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Go-Set Pop Poll Awards MP3's (118Mb)
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(U.K 1970 - Present)
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Born April 23, 1949, in Jarrow, John Miles was no overnight success. A singer and guitarist who also plays piano, he played with local bands in the Newcastle area for several years before leaving to try his luck in London. His luck wasn't good: leading the John Miles Set, which he had formed in Jarrow in 1970, he released a string of undistinguished singles on manager Cliff Cooper's Orange label before it was decided to trade in Miles' effete hairdresser's- apprentice image and reincarnate him as a blond "James Dean" - this despite the massive incongruity of his material and despite his total physical unsuitability to the part.

Nevertheless his singles, "Highfly" (first released in U.K. 1975) and "Music" (1976), both artfully crafted slices of MOR Pop-Rock of equal parts catchy riff and melodramatic arrangement, at last gave him hit singles and a following on both sides of the Atlantic.
His single "Music," truly established him and gave him tours with people like Elton John, the Stones, and Jethro Tull, and was one of the best songs and records of 1976. And he had his own show at the Apollo in Glasgow to prove it. His album, "Rebel," was in the U.K top ten for four months, a quite astonishing achievement.
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Music Maker Interview (1976)
[Author Unknown]
When John Miles hit our charts with "High Fly" towards the end of last year, more was said of his James Dean appearance than his music, and John found that people were expecting him to live up to the rebel image of the mean, moody and arrogant star. But that was never the real John as Robin Tucek discovered when he interviewed him recently. John did choose the image, but that was built-up only to complement the music. If the soft spoken, polite 26 year old from Jarrow was going to take his chance of stardom when he heard that "High Fly" was in the charts and TV appearances had been booked, he would have to make a quick decision. Up till then John had had long, shoulder length, blond hair (pictured left) but that took the chop from the barber's scissors and in came the Jimmy Dean haircut and with it the image, although that was an afterthought. Then came "Music", destined to be one of the sounds of 1976.

How long have you been playing professionally?
"I've been playing professionally for seven years, most of that time in local clubs in the North East. Then two years ago Bob Marshall, the band's bass guitarist, and I decided that to get to the top we would have to come to London first. We stopped live work for about a year and concentrated on writing."

In all that time, did you ever think of giving up?
"I only once thought of packing it all in. That was about three years ago, during a period when nothing was happening at all - that was when I started thinking about moving away from Newcastle. Bob was keen on the idea, but it took me about six months or so to make up my mind, then we moved to London. I wish we had done it sooner." In London, John lives with his wife, Eileen, in a flat in Highgate, although he is now looking for a house.

How long have you known Bob Marshall, and how important an influence have you been on him?
"I've known Bob for about four years now, and we've been writing together for about three of them. Bob's a great influence on me, because basically I'm a bit lazy. He's pushed me along. Bob is a Sunderland fanatic, and we both used to go and watch them nearly every week. He still does! In fact, he even bought his car from Sunderland's Billy Hughes. Bob lives with us in London, and he's unbearable if Sunderland lose - if they win, he's ecstatic! "After Sunderland had won the F.A. Cup in 1973, my Dad gave him a mug with the dates Sunderland won the cup on it. My Dad's a Newcastle supporter, and he bought me one with their winning dates on it. That didn't please me however, as Newcastle have won it six times to Sunder land's two!

Which do you prefer - appearing on TV or in front of a concert audience?
"I find TV appearances, especially "Super-sonic", more nerve racking than performing live at a concert. You go over your number so many times that, when you finally get to record the show, it's easy to panic. When you're appearing on TV. you're in the Studio for a long time. You can even be there at 10 o'clock at night if things are running late. Once your audience has accepted you at a concert, you can relax.

You write with Bob, but do you find writing songs comes naturally, or does it take a lot of time shut away?
"One day I find it easy, but there are others when I just can't seem to begin."

How would you describe the music you write?
"That's difficult, but I prefer songs to be melodic like Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder, but I wouldn't really like to compare my songs to those they write."

When did you first take an interest in music?
"I started playing the piano when I was five. It was the usual thing, my parents sending me to a classical music teacher, but I didn't really enjoy it. I wish I had carried on longer then and learn't more. It wasn't until I was at grammar school that I started to take an interest in the classics, and I feel that they have influenced me subconsciously."

You used to play soul music, and had admitted an influence from Stevie Wonder. Now that you have developed your own style of music, do you see its direction changing again?
"Certainly as far as singing goes, I was very much influenced by Stevie Wonder, but if was not a conscious thing. I like the idea of having the backing of a full orchestra, with lots of violins. I hope other artists will record our material; it keeps you fresh if you don't only write for yourself. It's not a good thing to do that."

"Rebel" has won acclaim with the critics, but are you happy with the album itself?
"Yes, I'm happy with it. It was the sort of album I wanted to do. I've never been one of those musicians who could play rock all night - I like variety in music. It's the same when listening to albums. That's why we've tried to put plenty of variety in ours."

So what has John Miles got in store for us now?
"At the end of May, the band starts a British headline tour, covering major towns, and there should be another album out in the Autumn." If that album is as good as "Rebel", then John Miles and Bob Marshall will find that everyone wants to record their songs, which will be nice. Their talent is enormous and they deserve their success - certainly no music critic can deny it to them!
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Album Review
(by Stephen A Carson)
The first track is "Music" and is only one of two tracks, on the album, penned by John without Bob. Melody Maker said that "Music is a dynamite track, one of those tunes you find yourself humming and loving - then hating for its familiarity." In a way I believe Music is John Miles albatross, the one song he is pigeon holed with against which all his other work is measured.
"Everybody wants some More" is more often than not referred to as reminiscent of the early Kinks or the Beatles. My view is of the latter with its "multi-flavoured vocals and good tempo changes" per Jester with touches of "Yellow Submarine" (megaphone effects) per Melody maker.
"You have it all"was described by Rolling Stone as bathing "Yes-styled modal fragments in lush orchestration. I have no idea what that means but I like it.
"Rebel"& "Highfly" have already been touched on. However, Rolling Stone states "Rebel dramatically interposes a Tango for electric guitar and synthesiser with a string quartet." While Melody Maker called it " a chunky, beefy scorcher."
"When You Lose Someone So Young" is a very strong track lyrically. As such some reviewers have criticised it for too much backing as it could be a stand out song with just an acoustic guitar. While I do not wholeheartedly agree I can see the point especially as it would have made it a contrast to the rest of the album. There are shades of fellow Geordie Alan Price and also Elton John in this song.
"Lady of My Life" makes me think of Stevie Wonder, who I know is one of John's musical influences. This was also picked up upon by almost every review I have read. It is "softy and delicate" to quote Melody Maker and there is a terrific sax solo by Phil Kenzie. It is the 2nd song written solely by John and it is beautiful. I think he probably wrote it for his wife, Eileen.
"Pull the Damn Thing Down" is apparently reminiscent of the Kinks per Record World. I agree with Melody Makers view that it "His guitar solo is a killer, refreshingly lacking in clichés". Earlier in their review they describe the track as "a blazing commentary on the pollution of the environment by the architectural planners". I am sure that I have read that one of the influences for this song was his own background as his parents live in the High Street in Jarrow, an industrial town in the North East of England, where there was a lot of redevelopment.

Top Of The Pops - 1976

Hopefully the impression I have given you was that there were few criticisms of Rebel or of John and plenty praise and expectation of great things to come. His biography at the time placed him with the "new" songwriters of the time, Leo Sayer and David Essex as well as noting similarities with established British songwriters, Bowie and Elton. Even Noel Edmonds, in his time as a BBC Radio 1 DJ had Rebel as his album of the week. Billboard magazine said, "Miles could potentially fill the gap that has long existed between some of the more electronic rockers and AM play". Almost as an after thought they ended with "Good guitarist as well". What an understatement!
So it got good write-ups. But did it sell? For a debut album it did really well peaking at number 9. In the states for a time it was retitled "Highfly" after his first hit but did not match its UK success. One of John's prize possessions is the gold disc he received (presented to him by Jimmy Saville a UK disc jockey) for the sales achieved. [extract from Stephen Carson's website]
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John Miles - 2012

Ripped from my trusty Vinyl, this post consists of MP3 (320kps) and includes full album artwork for both LP and CD. This album has been long deleted and finding digital copies on the net is near impossible, and thus the reason for this post. I purchased John's hit single back in 1976 but stupidly sold it at a record fair, and now regret not having the non-album B-Side "Putting my new song together". As an added bonus, I'm including a YouTube rip of a recent rendition of "Music" from Night of Proms, 2012 as a bonus track and only confirms that he still has the goods - a ripper version indeed.
The lyrics to Music are special to me and speak volumes to what this blog is all about.....

Music was my first love
And it will be my last,
Music of the future
And music of the past.

To live without my music
Would be impossible to do,
In this world of troubles
My music pulls me through.

Track Listing
01 - Music
02 - Everybody Wants Some More
03 - Highfly
04 - You Have It All
05 - Rebel

06 - When You Lose Someone So Young
07 - Lady Of My Life *
08 - Pull The Damn Thing Down
09 - Music (Reprise)
10 - Music (Bonus Live - Night of Proms 2012)
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John Miles Band (formerly the Set):
John Miles (Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Synthesisers)
Bob Marshall (bass)
Barry Black (drums)
* Phil Kenzie (Sax)
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John Miles Link (123Mb)
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(Australian 1981–1997, 2003–present)
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In the early 1980s college radio dominated the rock industry. A loose network of campus stations across the US was breaking guitar rock from the likes of R.E.M. and The Replacements into the charts. This style of aggressive post-punk rock suited many Australian bands of the time. The Hoodoo Gurus, Died Pretty, The Church and The Celibate Rifles all found welcome on the college circuit. The Hoodoo Gurus in particular spent some years playing US campuses.
By the time they recorded the first album, Stoneage Romeos, Dave Faulkner had restructured the Gurus from a party band to a tight, powerful rock machine with the addition of guitarist Brad Shepherd and bassist Clyde Bramley whilst drummer James Baker was soon replaced by Mark Kingsmill. With their roots still firmly in the style of garage punk rock, Faulkner expanded his palette as a songwriter to pen a number of hit songs. Unlike so many of his contemporaries, Faulkner had no interest 4 in an inner-city elitism and he led the Gurus out to the suburbs on punishing tours. Within a couple of years the group had established a size able following on both sides of the Pacific. [extract from The Real Thing 1957 - Now, p159]

The Hoodoo Gurus continued to be a popular live act through the 1980's and '90's. Dave Faulkner became a production partner in Trafalgar Records and made some interesting records with a variety of artists. Faulkner also branched out into film scores.
Hoodoo Gurus had a string of acclaimed pop-rock singles including “Leilani” (1982), “Tojo” (1983), “My Girl” (1983), “I Want You Back” (1984), “Bittersweet”, “Like Wow – Wipeout!”, and “What’s My Scene?”. After touring the United States from 1984 onwards they gained popularity on the U.S. college rock circuit with singles “Come Anytime” (1989) reaching #1 and “Miss Freelove ‘69? (1991) reaching #3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
Gurus’ biggest Australian hit single was their 1987 Top 3 hit song “What’s My Scene?” or, as modified for the National Rugby League 2000s theme, “That’s My Team”. [extract from Juice magazine]
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Early Hoodoo Gurus

Hoodoo Gurus learned the hard way exactly how difficult it is to keep the old band together. Back in 1998, still at the peak of their prowess and popularity, Faulkner and his fellow Gurus - guitarist Brad Shepherd, bassist Rick Grossman and drummer Mark Kingsmill - decided it was time to call it a day and broke up the band. They all went off to perform and record with other people, but soon missed each other so much that they formed a new band together, the Persian Rugs, which they insisted for years had nothing to do with the Hoodoo Gurus, except that the two bands coincidentally shared exactly the same line-up for a time.

Thankfully, in 2003, they put an end to that charade and reformed as the Hoodoo Gurus."The real wake up call for me was when the band broke up for six years," says singer Dave Faulkner. "I had never questioned what it was like being in the Hoodoo Gurus because I always was. After about four years, we did a one-off show at the Homebake festival in Sydney. We went up on stage and played and there was that exact same chemistry there - a more powerful entity than just the four of us on stage, a shared identity that was larger than all of us. The champion team versus the team of champions. None of us are the greatest musicians on Earth individually. It's just when we get together, we add something to each other and harmonise in certain ways."

Live in Sydney

Since reforming, the Gurus have recorded two more critically-acclaimed studio albums, Mach Schau [2004] and Purity Of Essence [2010], which now sit seamlessly alongside the band's pre-split classic recordings: Stoneage Romeos [1984]; Mars Needs Guitars! [1985]; Blow Your Cool! [1987]; Magnum Cum Louder [1989]; Kinky [1991]; Crank [1994] and In Blue Cave [1996].

In 2012, they released a brilliant all-new summary of an extraordinary career thus far, the best-of companion, 'Gold Watch'. It should be noted that this is not the Hoodoo Gurus' first greatest hits collection. Way back in 1992, to mark their 10th anniversary, the Gurus released Electric Soup - The Singles Collection, which went on to achieve triple-platinum sales and became one of the most successful albums in Australia at that time. But that collection only told part of the story. Gold Watch is the first compilation to represent all nine of the Gurus' studio albums, and then some.

Gig Poster 2012

As elder statesmen of Australian rock & roll, the Hoodoo Gurus are held in the same high esteem by their peers as they are by their fans. In 2007, the group was inducted into the ARIA Hall Of Fame. Two years earlier, a cross-section of the Australian music community paid the band the ultimate homage by lovingly producing a tribute album of Gurus covers entitled Stoneage Cameos. It included contributions from the likes of You Am I, Spiderbait, The Living End, Grinspoon and, most bizarrely, the Persian Rugs.

Dave Faulkner says he remains amazed and eternally thankful that, three decades on, the music of the Hoodoo Gurus still holds such resonance with the Australian public. "I'm very grateful that we've got away with it for so long,' he says with a laugh. "Obviously, I'm proud of the songs and, as a writer, I'm so chuffed they've been adopted by people as part of their lives. They're not really my songs anymore; they're everyone else's. I just played a part in the beginning in raising them."

Since their debut recordings as Le Hoodoo Gurus at the start of the 1980s, through to their chart-topping successes throughout the '80s and '90s, their international triumphs and countless sold-out local tours, from their break-up through to their comeback, the Hoodoo Gurus have been and remain one of the most popular and successful musical acts Australia has ever produced. [extract from the Hoodoo Gurus Website]
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This post features James Baker's last show with the band. Recorded in the Silver Spade Room at the Cheveron Hotel, Sydney on July 18th, 1984. The concert was later broadcast as part of the "Impossible Music Festival" on May 27, 2007 on Triple J FM.
This is a Soundboard Recording Concert ripped from CD and consists of MP3's (320kps) with full album artwork. Although the quality of the recording is exceptional the track listing featured on this bootleg is not totally reflective of what was played on the night which is a shame (see Setlist right).
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Track Listing
01. Who Do You Love?
02. Dig It Up
03. I Want You Back
04. Death Ship
05. Tomorrow That Was Yesterday

06. I Want You
07. My Girl
08. Because You're Mine
09. Leilani Pt. 2
10. Be My Guru
11. I Was A Kamikaze Pilot
12. Rock 'n' Roll (Part 2)
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The Hoodoo Gurus were:
Dave Faulkner (vocals, guitar, keyboards)
Brad Shepherd (guitar, vocals, harmonica)
Clyde Bramley (bass, backing vocals)
James Baker (drums)
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Hoodoo Gurus Link (88Mb)
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(Scottish 1967-1975, 1991, 2001 - Present)
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One of the finest bands signed to the Charisma label during its early-'70s heyday, Scotland's String Driven Thing originally formed as a trio in 1969, led by the husband-and-wife team of Chris and Pauline Adams, plus percussionist John Mannion. Locally popular at the tail end of the 1960s, the band faded from view shortly after releasing a self-titled debut album in 1970. They continued playing, however, with the lineup expanding to include bassist Colin Wilson.

In early 1972, Chris Adams journeyed to London, hoping to interest the Strawbs' management with a three-song demo. Finding himself with some free time, he was flicking through the record labels section of the Yellow Pages when he spotted Stratton Smith Enterprises. He called and found himself in conversation with the head of Charisma chief Tony Stratton Smith's publishing company, Mooncrest Music. Within a week, Stratton Smith himself was in Glasgow, for a String Driven Thing showcase at the Burns' Howff pub; a week after that, the band signed with his label.

Shedding Mannion around the same time, the group returned to Glasgow with a princely retainer of 20 pounds per week, to rehearse. A month later, they went back south for their first ever live shows as a "signed" band: a community hall in the town of Tunbridge Wells, where Strat had his country retreat, and the 1972 Reading Festival. It was an audacious entry, but it worked and the group quickly set to work on its first Charisma album, to be titled — like its independent predecessor — String Driven Thing.
Recorded in two weeks in August 1972 with producer Shel Talmy, the album landed rave reviews across the music press, with Melody Maker in particular leaping onto the group's side. (Amusingly, it later transpired that the album's distinctive gatefold sleeve, designed by Po of Hipgnosis, cost more than the actual recording sessions!)

The band continued pushing forward. Visiting France, they stopped by the renowned Chateau D'Heuroville studios (the Honky Chateau of Elton John fame), where they were filmed recording some songs with a French producer, who later claimed he'd done a better job than Shel Talmy ("he had a point," mused Adams); December 1972, meanwhile, saw the band fly to New York to support Genesis at that band's first ever American show, at the Philharmonic Hall.

String Driven Thing 1974

When Chris and Pauline Adams left String Driven Thing after the release of "The Machine that cried", the heart of the band essentially went with them. To his credit, Grahame Smith rebuilt String Driven Thing from scratch, but the truth was that this was a completely different band using the same name (per Fleetwood Mac). The new line up recorded two albums - 'Please Mind Your Head', recorded by engineer Tony Taverner at Escape Studios in Kent, and 'Keep Yer A'nd On It', produced by Andy Johns at Island's Basing Street studios.

Vocal duties were taken on by Kim Beacon (here referred to as Kimberley) who was the principal vocalist on Tony Banks' first solo album. Beacon's vocals represented a fundamental change from those of Chris and Pauline Adams, implying an immediately apparent change of sound for the band. This, combined with a general move towards a more orthodox pop rock direction alienated many of String Driven Thing's original fans.

Things start off brightly enough with "Overdrive" a mid-paced pop song with a fine harmonic chorus.. Songs such as "Without you" try to be more adventurous, with Smith's violin and viola contributions moving the songs on. Vocalist the late Kim Beacon was one of the finest rock singers of his day, his voice being a cross between Paul Rogers and Rod Stewart. Standout tracks are "Overdrive", and the instrumental "Timpani for the devil". This instrumental piece draws in brief classical influences as Grahame Smith gets loose on his violin while drummer Colin Fairley expresses himself...[extract from SpaceRitual]

The Break up
Their American tour of 1975 highlighted issues which the new lineup had with continuity and finding an appropriate audience. In October that year, they opened for Lou Reed, after which drummer Colin Fairley left the band and Charisma withdrew their support. Fairley went on to have a career as a studio engineer and record producer, for Elvis Costello and The Bluebells among others. Andy Roberts became guitar tech for Jeff Beck and Stevie Winwood, while Jimmy Exell still plays in Denmark. Beacon sang lead on Tony Banks' solo debut, A Curious Feeling, in 1979 and also had solo material issued. He died in 2001.

Violinist Graham Smith joined Charisma labelmates Van der Graaf in 1977 and also featured on some Peter Hammill albums. He later joined the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, and put out three solo album in Iceland, later reissued on CD by specialist progressive label Ozit Morpheus Records.

All early String Driven Thing, Chris Adams and Graham Smith albums are available on CD (Ozit Morpheus Records). Some live material and some hard to find tracks and outtakes appear on a German CD called Dischotomy with some alternate takes and rare material not found anywhere else. There are several BBC transcription discs of String Driven Thing live performances featuring both line-ups and two of these sets are on a German live bootleg CD called It's a Game.

Reformation and career
After 15 years of silence, Chris Adams released a solo album, The Damage, in 1991 and subsequently reformed String Driven Thing for a German tour, the Berlin leg of which was released on Ozit as $uicide, Live in Berlin. Variations of that band toured sporadically throughout the 1990s, but since 2001 the lineup has stabilised, with Andy Allan on bass, Richard Drake on drums and either George Tucker or Chris' son Robin Adams on guitar, with Pauline Adams and Graham Smith occasionally joining them in concert.

In 2007, the band released Moments of Truth, their first studio album in over 30 years, featuring twelve new Adams songs. April 2009 brought the Americana-tinged Songs From Another Country (released for contractual reasons as String Driven) on Backshop Records. The new material was first heard publicly at Fifestock in March 2009 and their new website was launched at the same time as the album release. In 2010, the Adams's gigged with original member John Mannion to celebrate the first album's 40th anniversary. As 2012 was the 40th anniversary of String Driven Thing's signing to Charisma and touring with Genesis, the band did some English gigs with Graham Smith and Pauline Adams. Bass player Colin Wilson died in 2013. [extract from http://www.nickdrake.com]

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Album Review by Bad Cat Records
With Grahame Smith the only holdover from the earlier String Driven Things line-ups, the revamped band featured the talents of singer Kimberly Beacon, bassist James Exell, drummer Colin Fairley, guitarist Alun Roberts, and cello player Clare Sealey. With most of the band contributing to the writing chores, 1974's 'Please Mind You Head' found the group shifting towards a more contemporary pop and FM friendly blues-rock sound. Assuming they'd gotten over the departure of creative mainstays Chris and Pauline Adams, longstanding fans were almost certainly appalled by tracks like the Bad Company-styled rockers "Overdrive", "Without You", and "Black Eyed Queen".

If that didn't get under their skin, then Faces-flavored tunes like "Mrs. O'Reilly" and "Man of Means" almost certainly did. Seriously, if you'd deleted Smith's violin work, a significant number of these nine tracks wouldn't have sounded out of place on a Bad Company, or Faces album. As a big '70s AOR fan I didn't find the change in direction all that bad. Yeah, the revamped band lost much of their unique identify, but Beacon was an impressive singer - criminally overlooked.   Always liked the goofy Hipgnosis album cover ...

"Please Mind Your Head"
(Side 1)
1. Overdrive   (James Exell - Alun Roberts) - 3:10
With Kim Beacon turning in his best Paul Rogers impression, 'Overdrive' was a surprisingly impressive blues-rock number. Powerful, tuneful, and quite commercial, it would have made a nice single.
2. Without You (Kim Beacon) - 4:00
Anyone hearing the rollicking 'Without You' was bound to wonder why these guys were so often dumped under the progressive sales plank.   Once again Beacon sounded like a slightly easier going Paul Rogers while Alun Roberts displayed some tasty lead guitar chops.   Another track that would have made a dandy FM single.
3. Josephine   (Colin Fairley) - 4:10
Always loved James Bell's churning bass line on this one ... nice Bad Company-styled blues-rocker that should have provided the band with a massive AOR commercial success.
4. Mrs. O'Reilly   (Colin Fairley) - 3:40
There's something about this one that's always reminded me a bit of a Faces track - overlooking Grahame Smith's violin, there was a certain charming sloppiness to the performance that bore more than a passing resemblance to Rod Stewart and company.   The song was released as a single in England and German.
5. Man Of Means   (James Exell - Alun Roberts) - 2:46
'Man of Means' sounded even more like a Faces tune, though this time around the reference was Rod Stewart singing a Ronnie Lane composition.   High compliment in my book.

(Side 2)
1. Black Eyed Queen   (James Exell - Alun Roberts) - 4:43
'Black Eyed Queen' started side two with another enjoyable Bad Company-styled blues-rocker, though the mid-song doo-wop detour was disconcerting.
2. Keep On Moving   (James Exell - Alun Roberts) - 3:18
Decent boogie tune, but nowhere near as impressive as some of the other numbers. rating: *** stars
3. Timpani For The Devil (instrumental) (Grahame Smith) - 4:15
Smith's lone composition, the instrumental 'Timpani For The Devil' was unlike anything else on the album - essentially a showcase for his violin, it wasn't particularly melodic, or enjoyable and simply went on far too long. The album's most progressive oriented tune, but it sounded totally out of place on the album.
4. To Know You Is To Love You (Syreeta Wright - Stevie Wonder) - 6:25
Technically I guess this wasn't a Stevie Wonder cover since it was actually written and recorded for Wonder's then wife Syreeta Wright and appeared on her 1972 debut album "Syreeta".   Regardless, you seldom hear a good Stevie Wonder cover, so this was one of those isolated exceptions.   With Beacon handling the lead vocals, the band seldom sounded as good as on this blazing blued-eyed soul adaptation.   Strange to say, but slinky and easily one of the album highlights.
[extract from Bad Cat Records]
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This post consists consists of FLACs and MP3's (320kps) ripped from my Bargin Bin Vinyl (yes folks, I paid a mere $1.99 for this album a short time after it was first released, from the bargin bin at Brash Suttons in Geelong. I also remember picking up other bargins like Eric Claptons "E.C was Here" and Dragon's "Universal Radio"& "Scented Gardens For The Blind", all for the same price. That was a day I'll never forget). Of course, full album artwork is included along with label scans - just love that Famous Charisma Label logo !
This was the first time I'd heard String Driven Thing and was pleasantly surprised by their 'fresh new sound' - especially with the violin featuring in most tracks - and what a voice Kimberley Beacon has !
This album comes highly recommended.
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Tracks
01. Overdrive
02. Without You
03. Josephine
04. Mrs. O'Reilly
05. Man of Means
06. Black Eyed Queen
07. Keep on Moving
08. Timpani for the Devil09. To Know You Is to Love You

Band Members:
*Grahame Smith - Violin, Viola
*Kim Beacon - Vocals
*James Exell - Bass, High Vocals
*Colin Fairly - Drums, Perc, Low Vocals
*Alun Roberts - Guitar, Banjo, Bass Vocals
*Pete Wood -- Keyboards
Additional Artists
*Harry McDonald - Keyboard
*Alan Skidmore - Sax
*Cuddley Juddley - Flute, Bagpipes

String Driven Thing MP3 (92Mb)

String Driven Thing FLACs (224Mb)

(Australian 1970 - Present).

Marcia Hines was born in Boston, USA on July 20, 1953. As a small child she began singing at church. She made her first solo appearance at the age of nine at a church festival. Three years later, Marcia had started singing with rhythm and blues groups around Boston at dances and church socials.
Her big break came while she was still only sixteen when she was flown to Sydney after signing with Harry M. Miller to appear in the first Australian production of Hair. She toured with the show. The quality of her performance led to her winning the role of Mary Magdalene in Miller's production of Jesus Christ Superstar. By now Marcia had won herself a reputation for her professionalism. After Superstar came an offer to tour with the Daly-Wilson Big Band. The tour even included performances in the Soviet Union.

Marcia's recording career started with the signing of a recording contract with the Wizard label early in July 1974. Her first single, "Fire And Rain", was released in March 1975. It zoomed into the top ten two months later. The follow-up single, "From The Inside"/"Jumpin' Jack Flash", was released in conjunction with her debut album, Marcia Shines, in October '75. The album was an instant success and within one week it had sold 7,000 copies. Over the next eight months it topped the 50,000 sales mark.

In February 1976, she toured with Gene Pitney. Then, in May, came her third single, "Don't Let The Grass Grow"/"You Gotta Let Go", which didn't make the charts. Hot on the heels of her first successful album, Marcia left for Los Angeles midway through 1976 to record her second at the Arbee Studios. The album was called 'Shining', and was released in October '76. Within one month it had gone gold. That same year she was crowned TV Week Queen of Pop for the first time. In September she released her biggest selling single to date, "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", which stayed in the charts for an amazing twenty one weeks.
Marcia's next national tour came early in 1977. It was promoted as her Shining Over Australia Tour. It was so successful that an 'encore' tour was scheduled for March '77, covering twenty eight additional venues. At this stage, her basic backing unit (which was supplemented by other musicians) consisted of fiance Mark Kennedy (drums); Jackie Orszaczky (bass guitar, musical direction); Stephen Howsden (guitar); and Warren Ford (keyboards). In the meantime, sales of the Shining album were still rising and by the end of March '77, they had topped the 150,000 mark (triple platinum status).

Then, in April, Marcia spent most of her time in the studios recording her third album. It was a slightly more mellow record although it did reflect her diversified vocal ability. The album was called 'Ladies And Gentlemen . . . Marcia Hines'. Amazingly it went gold only two hours after it was shipped to two states. By the end of 1977 it had sold over 50,000 copies. Pre-empting the album was a single from it entitled "What I Did For Love". The song was from the stage show, A Chorus Line, and entered the charts at the end of July. At the same time Marcia embarked on her biggest tour ever, which spanned one hundred and thirty days and included eighty six shows. It also covered both South East and Far East Asia.

Marcia on Countdown 1979

To top off 1977 she was again crowned TV Week Queen of Pop and another single from her album, 'You', was released in October. At the end of the year, Marcia recorded a Christmas special for the ABC network. Her plans for 1978 included more TV specials for the ABC and the possibility of a trip to the USA and Europe early in the year.
With only three years' recording behind her, Marcia has become probably Australia's biggest selling, locally recorded female artist ever. Quite an achievement!
About the greatest recognition a female vocalist can get in Australia is to be voted Queen of Pop at the TV Week King of Pop Awards. Marcia was crowned in October '78 for the third time in a row — a feat which has been equaled by only one other female artist, the first Queen of Pop, Allison Durbin.

Marcia's 1977 number one single, "You", continued in the charts for the first two and a half months of 1978. In February, she released a new album, Marcia Hines Live Across Australia, recorded during her international tour in '77. Thanks to her producer, Robie Porter, the result was a studio-class sound; by April it was declared double platinum (over 100,000 copies sold). A single from it, "Music Is My Life", provided Marcia with her seventh national hit. It was followed by 'Imagination', another track from the live album (released mid '78), and in December by a special single featuring "Let The Music Play" and "Empty", issued on brown vinyl and sporting a picture cover.

Marcia entered television during 1978 with her own ABC network series, Marcia Hines Music. The show was so successful that she was signed to do a second series for early in 1979.
Marcia also returned briefly in autumn '78 to her role as Mary Magdalene in the revival for the Sydney club circuit of Jesus Christ Superstar, but missed some performances due to throat and respiratory ailments. In September, she contracted bronchial pneumonia, but fortunately recuperated in time to set off with manager, Peter Rix, on a promotional trip of the US, Canada and Europe. She also completed a tour of the Far East.

Marcia on Countdown with Molly Meldrum

It was an important year for establishing herself as an international artist. She signed a big UK-based recording deal with the new Logo label and "You" was released throughout Europe (with the exception of England where other tracks were being considered).
She recorded her next studio album 'Ooh Child' early in 1979 for release midway through the year, and consequently undertook a 63 date national tour from April through to July, to promote her first soul/funk album. [extract from Noel McGraths Australian Encyclopedia of Rock, Outback Press, 1978 p143-145; 1978-79 Yearbook p24-25]

Marcia stopped recording in the early 1980s until she returned with 'Right Here and Now' in 1994, the same year she became an Australian citizen. "What a Feeling" was released in 1999 and is a single taken from the album 'Time of Our Lives' it made it to #66 here in Australia and #23 in New Zealand.

The success continued into the millennium with the Australian Olympic Team choosing Marcia's new single "Rise" as their official team song. "I am incredibly honored and inspired that 'Rise' has been chosen by the athletes as the official Australian Olympic Team Song," Marcia says. "The athletes are the true heroes of the Olympic Games and I hope this song promotes inspiration and success for our elite athletes during the Games."

She was the subject of the 2001 biography 'Diva: the life of Marcia Hines' which coincided with the release of the compilation album, 'Diva'. Commencing in 2003, she was a judge on the TV music talent show Australian Idol, and her elevated profile led to a renewed interest in her as a performer. Her 2006 album, 'Discotheque', peaked at #6 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) albums chart.

Marcia is the mother of singer Deni Hines, with whom she performed on the duet single "Stomp!" (2006). She now lives near Newcastle, New South Wales with Christopher Morrissey, her husband since 2005. Her status in the Australian music industry was recognised when she was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame on 18 July 2007

Maybe you could call Marcia Hines a survivor but it's more a case of just being - being your best at all times. Whether it is taking center stage at the Fox Studios Australia Opening, the Stadium Australian Opening or her sell-out concert tours throughout Australia and New Zealand, there is no doubt that Marcia Hines will continue to remain at the peak of her recording and performing career rewarding old fans and embracing new ones. [extract from the Australian Jazz Agency]
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I've always thought very highly of Marcia Hines during her career as a singer, a T.V personality and ambassador of Australia. She is such a genuine person and has been a wonderful mentor for many other Australian Musicians. As she sang back in the early 70's "Music Is My Life" and it has been this philosophy that has made her such a success story. For your enjoyment, I am posting one of her lesser known albums 'Ooh Child' which was her first overseas recordings, and features some famous international artists such as Lee Ritenour (guitar), Mike Pocaro (Bass) and David Hungate (Bass).

This post consists of both FLACs and MP3's (320kps) ripped from vinyl and includes full album artwork along with 'Miracle' label scans. The album was also released in the states by Logo records using a different cover (see above).
The album has a strong Soul / Funk feel to it and demonstrates the amazing versatility in Marcia's voice. The only oddity on the album is her cover of Dragon's "April Sun In Cuba" which she combines in a medley with the Drifter's "Save The Last Dance For Me". What the two songs have in common escapes me and the pairing doesn't really work in my opinion.
Otherwise, this is an enjoyable album that should not be overlooked. Enjoy.
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Track Listing

01 - Ooh Child
02 - Something's Missing (In My Life)
03 - You're So Good
04 - Moments
05 - I Wanna Make It With You Tonight
06 - Dance You Fool, Dance
07 - April Sun In Cuba / Save The Last Dance For Me
08 - Where Did We Go Wrong
09 - Let The Music Play
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Musicians:
Bass : Mike Porcaro & David Hungate
Guitar Solos : Lee Ritenour
Guitars : Lee Ritenour, Tim May, Fred Tackett, Rick Springfield, Bob Mack & Paul Sabu
Drums : Willie Ornelas & Ed Greene Keyboards : Jaï Winding, Al Camps & Terry Young
Marimba / Vibes : Julius Wechter
Rhythm Percussion : Robie G. Porter, Steve Forman, Bob Conti & Carl Friberg
Synthesizer Program : Jan Lucas
Strings led by Sid Sharp

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Ooh Child FLACs (244Mb)

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Ooh Child MP3's (95Mb)
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One of the most curious U.S. Top 50 hits of the very curious skinny-tie new wave era—a woman named Deborah Stickland recites, in a stark monotone, mercenary Berry Gordy lyrics that everybody from The Beatles to The Supremes to Waylon Jennings had sung since Mississippi soul man Barrett Strong first unveiled them (“the best things in life are free, but you can give them to the birds and bees, I want money”).

An Irish-born experimental composer named David Cunningham, schooled in Marxist theory and sound collage, offers cavernous dub echoes, swirling sounds, stereo-demonstration samples, and blurting horn farts while, supposedly, throwing rubber toys, phone books, Chopin sheet music, and ashtrays at a piano.

The Flying Lizards do sound like they are trying to collide every sound they can make into their rhythmically uneven tracks, while still maintaining a stripped down sound. You get drums sounds more akin to banging on trashcan lids but even with the occasional burst of static-y radio noises, they never loose their tight control. It’s insanity, but the kind that feels like it operates within dystopian level limitations.

Money was number 4 in the UK and number 3 in the USA as well as getting to number 1 in Australia in 1979. Strangely, Money has not been out of the public eye since, being regularly used in TV programmes about the Thatcher years and even a stint on the BBC's Money programme ... also their interesting documentary on the Monet exhibition. It has been used in a number of commercials, regularly played on the radio and used in three recent films, Empire Records, The Wedding Singer, and most recently Charlie's Angels. So in the USA the Flying Lizards seem to be something of a cult figure as are many of the Punk, Post-Punk and New Romantics of that time. At Occidental College in L.A., a young Barack Obama is said to have enjoyed blasting this record in his dorm [extract from mstation.org ]

So why did I choose to post this single for this month's WOCK on Vinyl? Simple - its Bizarre, it's Crazy, it's Money, and that's what I want !
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Flying Lizards Link (44Mb) New Link 30/08/2015
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(U.K 1968 - 1976, 1984 - Present)
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Pioneers of heavy metal – together with Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple were known as The Unholy Trinity of Hard Rock – Deep Purple have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. According to the 1975 Guinness Book of Records, they were also the loudest band in the world.
Their best-known anthem, "Smoke On The Water", has long been a favourite for air guitar aficionados, and the band are often cited as the primary inspiration behind heavy metal spoof film 'This Is Spinal Tap'.
Yet for more recent generations Deep Purple remain as associated with the Seventies as platform boots and lava lamps.

Ian Paice, the group’s drummer and the only original member left in the line-up says: “I am not sure why in the past we haven’t been invited to headline festivals or play at gigs such as the Jubilee celebrations or the Olympics. In the UK and the USA the music television stations decided we are not hip. We don’t fit in and are not asked to play. It may also be because the UK wants classic nostalgia from its bands and we are not interested in that. Whatever the reason we are very rarely invited to play in Britain.”

Deep Purple 1970

Yet for many slightly older fans, Deep Purple remain an object of deep affection. Many who were in their late teens or early 20s in the Seventies will remember Deep Purple 'In Rock', the album that was as influential as The Beatles’ 'Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band'.
No record collection was complete without the record, with its absurdly grandiose cover depicting the band members’ heads carved into the rock of Mount Rushmore. Stereo systems juddered to the 10-minute "Child In Time", a song that alienated every parent in the land and kicked off heavy metal and the cult of head banging. “Every band was doing things differently and we took the hard rock road,” recalls Ian, now 65, who insists he will continue drumming until he stops enjoying it. “It was extraordinary. Everything we did was having an effect on millions of people.”
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Deep Purple - 1970

The group was put together in 1967 by businessman Tony Edwards who recruited Ian Paice, classically trained organist Jon Lord and respected guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, all of whom had been in a variety of Sixties pop bands before joining up.
They chose the psychedelic name Deep Purple (over the proposed alternative Concrete God) and recorded a debut album Shades Of Deep Purple. It did well in America but not in Britain and after a second under-
performing album the band introduced singer Ian Gillan and recorded Concerto For Group And Orchestra which – depending on one’s view – was either an innovative fusion of rock and classical music or pretentious folly. It turned out to be the group’s first UK chart success. It was a change of direction and the follow-up 1970 album Deep Purple In Rock which sent them into the rock stratosphere.
As Rolling Stone magazine later observed: “The interplay between Blackmore’s guitar and Lord’s distorted organ coupled with Gillan’s howling vocals gave Deep Purple a unique identity that codified the heavy metal genre.” Or as Jon Lord said: “Deep Purple is a damn good band and we’ve made a niche in rock and roll history.”

Glover & Gillan - Stuttgart, Germany. 1972

For the next six years Deep Purple produced a series of chart-topping albums and toured relentlessly. But the departure of Blackmore in 1975, mixed reviews to their album Come Taste The Band and the arrival of punk spelled the beginning of the end. In July 1976 Deep Purple disbanded.
It was eight years before a reunion took place with the classic lineup of Gillan, Lord, Blackmore, Paice and bass guitarist Roger Glover. The tour that followed not only out-grossed every other artist in the world, with the single exception of Bruce Springsteen, but also played to 80,000 fans at Knebworth – their last massive British gig.
Since the late Eighties Deep Purple has, with a variety of different line-ups, continued to release albums and to tour, particularly in Europe and the Far East. “France has become a huge market in the past few years,” says Paice. “We are big in Germany, Japan, Asia and South America. It is only in the States and Britain that we are overlooked.”
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Deep Purple - Stuttgart, Germany 1972

Jon Lord died of pancreatic cancer last year aged 71. The keyboard player, who co-wrote many of the band’s greatest hits had retired in 2002 but his influence on the group remains to this day.
“Jon’s creativity can still be heard on the new album,” says Paice who is looking forward to linking up once more with old friends Gillan and Glover, both now 68. “Some musical interludes on the new album were created when Jon was in the band and his spirit is entrenched in it. It is a fresh album that we cut in just three months with an immediate sound.”

Deep Purple were finally nominated for the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in the US last year. This year it’s the new album Now What?! and a British tour. And next year? Perhaps the pensioners of Deep Purple could yet get to play Glastonbury. [extract from Express.co.uk]

If any self respecting 'heavy rock' fan saw the following cover promo, they'd buy the bootleg in an instant - I did !

Image caption to the right reads: Richie Blackmore: “I yell and scream at home, too.” The text below this reads: “Loudest Pop Group. The amplification for Deep Purple on their 10,000 watt Marshall P.A. system attained 117 decibels. This was sufficient in the Rainbow Theatre, London, in 1972, to render three members of their audience unconscious.”
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This post consists of MP3s (320kps) ripped from my near perfect vinyl bootleg which I bought as an impressionable teenager and have treasured ever since. The cover is typical of the 'Amazing Kornyfone Label' (under the trading name of Rodan Records) with record labels exhibiting no distinguishable markings other than Side One & Two, This bootleg is a wonderful snapshot of what Deep Purple was doing on stage between 1970 and 1972. Taken from three different concert dates and locations, this album is indicative of the powerhouse performances that they were producing at the time. There have been other releases of this album by other Bootleg distributors (eg. Ducks Hits & Altintas to name but a few) but from what I can gather, this is the first pressing released.
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The quality of the recordings is probably rated as Very Good Mono and confers with what 'Hotwacks' ranks this bootleg. For the average listener, this bootleg is OK, but for the hardened Deep Purple enthusiast, this bootleg is priceless ! So get it while you can.
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Track Listing
Side 1
01 - Lucille (5:25) - 12th Dec 1970, Stuttgart, Germany
02 - Mumblin’ Thing Blues (8:29) - Muelheim Sporthalle, Cologne, Germany, 4th April, 1970 (Progressive Pop Festival ’70)
03 - Into the fire (4:16) - 12th Dec 1970, Stuttgart, Germany
Side 2

04 - Space Truckin’ (19:02) - Sporthalle, Stuttgart-Boeblingen, Germany, 10 Feb, 1972
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Deep Purple were:
Vocals – Ian Gillan
Bass – Roger Glover
Drums – Ian Paice
Guitar – Ritchie Blackmore
Keyboards – Jon Lord
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Deep Purple Link (90Mb)
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(U.S 1970 - 1980)
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Although considered a mid-'70s phenomenon, and often misidentified in peoples' memories as a one-hit act, England Dan & John Ford Coley actually charted six Top 40 pop singles, four of them Top Ten, in just four years. Their history actually goes back a decade prior to their first and biggest hit, "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight." The duo first met in high school in Dallas, TX, during the early '60s.

Dan Seals, as he was known formally and as he later re-established himself as a country artist in the 1980s, came from what, by anyone's definition, could be considered a musical family. Born in McCamey, TX, in 1948, he was the son of E.W. "Waylon" Seals, a pipe fitter and repairman for Shell Oil who also played guitar and bass, and was an alumnus of bands led by Ernest Tubb and Bob Wills. Dan learned to play upright bass at age four and soon after, he was playing in the family band founded by his father. His older brother, Jim Seals, enjoyed a considerable career of his own as a member of the Champs from 1958 through the mid-'60s. His other brother is successful country musician Eddie Seals (of Eddie & Joe), while his cousins included composers Chuck Seals (author of "Crazy Arms") and Troy Seals (who later married rock & roll singer Jo Ann Campbell), Brady Seals (of Little Texas), and country singer Johnny Duncan.

John Colley was a classically trained pianist and attended the same school. The two began working together as members of a series of local cover bands, including Playboys Five and Theze Few. They took an early run at recording success in association with Shane Keister in a series of demos done in Nashville as the Shimmers, but the death of their producer before he could secure a recording deal ended their prospects.
It was as members of a group called Southwest F.O.B. that the pair first emerged as a formal duo. The band, with Colley on keyboards and Seals playing sax and singing, played a mixture of rock and R&B and became popular locally in Dallas. They were signed to Hip Records, an imprint of Stax/Volt, and got to number 56 in 1968 with a single called "Smell of Incense," which later yielded an album of the same name.

Seals and Coley had begun writing songs together around this time and recognized that they were moving in a different direction from the rest of the band, more toward Paul Simon than Jimi Hendrix. They were soon opening shows for the band with an acoustic set featuring their harmony vocals, warming the crowd up before the entire Southwest F.O.B. took the stage, and it was from there that their formal work as a duo began. They remained with the group until 1969, when they decided to head to California and try and land a recording contract.

Originally known as Colley & Wayland (Seals' middle name), the name didn't quite work and a change was needed as proposed by Jim Seals. "England Dan" was a reference to the fact that Dan Seals, when the Beatles first hit in America in 1964, had fixated on the Liverpool quartet and briefly affected an English accent; "Ford" was added to John Colley's name, and the spelling of his last name shortened to "Coley" to assure its proper pronunciation. England Dan & John Ford Coley not only scanned well, but were unusual enough to merit a second look from programmers, reviewers, and promoters, as well as the general public, even if they'd never heard any of the duo's music.

England Dan & John Ford Coley were signed to A&M Records in 1970 with the assistance of guitarist Louis Shelton, who'd played with Jim Seals in the Dawnbreakers (and would be part of Seals & Crofts band), and who had brought the duo's demo to Herb Alpert. A pair of LPs, a self-titled debut album and Fables, both produced by Shelton, resulted in very modest sales, a minor chart entry with the song "New Jersey" at number 103, and a number one Japanese hit single ("Simone"). Those albums and singles featured a somewhat rough-textured version of the sound for which they would later become known and an array of Los Angeles session men, including Larry Knechtel, Tommy Morgan, and Hal Blaine, not to mention string arrangements by Marty Paich.

The pair were dropped by A&M in 1972 and for the next four years, they were without a recording contract. They busied themselves performing and Coley also played on a couple of Seals & Crofts albums during this period. Fate took a hand in 1976, however, when their manager heard a demo of a new song authored by a Mississippi-based composer named Parker McGee. The duo cut their own demo of the song with Shelton producing and began shopping it around to different record labels. Ironically, it was after an executive at Atlantic Records turned it down that Doug Morris of Big Tree Records, having heard it through the wall of his adjoining office, offered them a contract. The version of the song that was released was produced by Kyle Lehning, a Nashville-based engineer who had recorded McGee's demo. The result was a number two pop single (number one on the adult contemporary chart) in the spring and summer of 1976, which ultimately sold two million copies. It was the sheer ubiquitous nature of that song on the radio that, despite their subsequent Top Ten singles, leaves many people convinced that the duo were one-hit wonders.

July of 1976 saw the release of England Dan & John Ford Coley's debut Big Tree album, 'Nights Are Forever', also produced by Lehning. Their second Big Tree single, "Nights Are Forever Without You," also written by McGee, soared to number ten. They were now a hot commodity on radio and on tour, but neither of their hit singles did more than scratch the surface of their sound. A listen to their album gave a hint of the sheer diversity of music that they created. Along with the smooth harmony based pop/rock of their two hit singles, England Dan & John Ford Coley played and composed catchy country-rock ("Showboat Gambler"); serious topical songs ("The Prisoner," about the founder of the Baha'i faith, to which both belong); upbeat, effortlessly catchy mid-tempo rock ("Westward Wind"), and romantic pop/rock ("Lady").

They slipped with ease into the singer/songwriter ethos of the mid-'70s. Though they never had another hit as big as "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight," they sold records by the hundreds of thousands, attracting not only older listeners (those "adult contemporary" chart placements) but many hundreds of thousands of younger listeners who didn't feel like waiting for the next time that either low bank balances or the stars and planets moving into the right position caused a Crosby, Stills & Nash reunion. Additionally, the two musicians' writing styles were just different enough, yet compatible, to make their music and their collaboration consistently interesting and enjoyable. Moreover, even if their biggest hits were authored by other composers, England Dan & John Ford Coley had a knack for capturing an elusive yet reassuring component of life in the 1970s. If one was in college or just out of it in the mid-'70s, their music seemed to say that life (and love) were these wonderful components of existence worth exploring and experiencing, slowly and not frantically. Their lyrics sang of an innocence in the air, before the Iran hostages, AIDS, the schisms of the Reagan era, and the open cultural warfare of the 1980s.

By 1977, they had a second album, 'Dowdy Ferry Road', which included a fascinating array of originals, among them the haunting "Soldier in the Rain," co-authored by Coley and lyricist Sunny Dalton, which was almost ahead of its time. Based not on the William Goldman novel of that name, "Soldier in the Rain," rather, dealt with the disillusionment and dislocation of returned Vietnam veterans. The album also yielded a pair of moderate hit singles ("It's Sad to Belong,""Gone Too Far") -- a self-penned Top 20 single such as the latter, however, didn't seem to satisfy the record label and the duo found themselves being pressured to find songs by other composers with which they could scale the Top Ten. They'd spent years perfecting a sound and two complementary styles of composition that would allow them to do things musically that were important to them, but both Seals and Coley found the most personal aspect of their work shunted aside and held out of the most prominent positions in their work.

Their third LP, 'Some Things Don't Come Easy', seemed to say more than was intended with its title. The 1978 album generated a Top Ten hit with "We'll Never Have to Say Goodbye Again," but it was the work of songwriter Jeffrey Comanor, rather than either Seals or Coley. Additionally, the album was mixed in New York, in contrast to their prior work, which was recorded and mixed out of Lee Hazen's studio in Hendersonville, TN, which pointed to the increasing need for a new sound and texture from the duo's work.
By the end of the 1970s, England Dan & John Ford Coley were beset by new pressures from all sides. The perception was that, between the burgeoning disco boom and the undercurrent of punk rock (which always got a lot more press than it actually sold records), their continuing with the brand of harmony based, melodic pop/rock in which they specialized was a losing battle. After some near-disastrous sessions in Los Angeles, they salvaged but a single song -- but that song proved to be their last Top Ten hit, "Love Is the Answer," written by Todd Rundgren. Released as part of a very regrettably titled album, 'Dr. Heckle and Mr. Jive', it was a beautifully arranged (by Gene Page) and produced record, and just about their last attempt at anything new and lasting.

England Dan & Ford Coley with Lee Hazen - The Ponds 1978

The duo split up in 1980, following the release of a best-of album on Big Tree. They made one last effort at selling their sweetly harmonized music in the guise of the single "Why Is It Me," and contributed one song "Part of Me Part of You," to the movie Just Tell Me You Love Me. Dan Seals initially pursued a career in pop/rock as England Dan on Atlantic (which had bought up Big Tree Records), and managed a low placement in the Top 100 with "Late at Night."

It was around this time, however, that the Internal Revenue Service began an action against Seals that resulted in the seizure of virtually all of his assets. He re-emerged, still produced by Lehning, as Dan Seals and reinvented himself as a top country performer. After hitting the country charts three times in one year with "Everybody's Dream Girl,""After You," and "You Really Go for the Heart," he moved into high gear with a six-year string of major hits, including nine number one country hits in a row and a string of Country Music Association awards to go with them.

John Ford Coley withdrew from performing after the split in their partnership, although he did return to A&M Records in 1981 to cut an album, Leslie, Kelly & John Ford Coley with singers Leslie Bulkin and Kelly Bulkin, on which Jim Seals' longtime partner Dash Crofts did some singing. During the early to mid-'90s, he re-appeared as a performing artist in Southern California. In 1996, Rhino Records released 'The Very Best of England Dan & John Ford Coley', a 16-song compilation that remains in print. As far as each of them may go, and whatever success they enjoy in reshaping their images and music, England Dan & John Ford Coley will always draw smiles, sighs, and warm feelings about a simpler, more innocent age for which they wrote a good deal of the prettiest part of life's soundtrack.
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This post consists of FLACs and MP3's (320kps) ripped from my vinyl and includes full album artwork for both LP and CD plus label scans. I have very fond memories of playing this album over, and over, and over again while undertaking my University studies, and am sure that some of these tracks have been etched into the brains of some of my college buddies while we smoked and drank to the relaxing vibes on this classic album, plus all the other students who lived on campus nearby!
And that's What Forever's For.............
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Track Listing

01 - Hollywood Heckle And Jive
02 - What Can I Do With This Broken Heart
03 - Another Golden Oldie Night For Wendy
04 - Broken Hearted Me
05 - Children Of The Half-Light
06 - Rolling Fever
07 - Love Is The Answer
08 - Only A Matter Of Time
09 - Caught Up In The Middle
10 - Running After You
11 - What's Forever For
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Dr Heckle And Mr Jive FLAC's (245Mb)
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Dr Heckle And Mr Jive MP3's (97Mb)
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(Australian 1975–1984, 2001-present)
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The hardest working man in Oz rock was Joe Camilleri, front man for Jo Jo Zep and The Falcons. Camilleri started with blues band King Bees while a teenager, moved to The Pelaco Bros and was a key figure in the Melbourne music scene in the '70's. He had tastes that ranged from Charles Parker through soul and reggae. His enthusiasm on stage was as boundless as his influences. Originally signed to Ross Wilson's label OZ in 1975, and then to Mushroom, The Falcons delivered inspired live performances and great records.
[Glenn A. Baker Archive]

Traveling back from touring in England, Jo Jo Zep called in at New Zealand on the 4th August, to play a one off concert at the Mainstreet Cabaret, while on their way back to Australia, finally arriving home on the 6th August. They then undertook a 7 week tour of Australia and then headed off to the States for another tour to promote their 'Hats Off Lively' album [ details from Countdown Interview with Jo Jo Zep, 3rd August London]. This post is a bootleg recording of this concert.
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Biography
The Pelaco Brothers were the seminal Melbourne band. On their demise in 1975, they spawned Melbourne's response to the punk revolution — the frantic Joe Camilleri and the romantic Stephen Cummings (from the Sports). They helped make Melbourne the capital of Australian rock in the late '70s.
As a live act, Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons were unbeatable. Joe Camilleri, is the son of Maltese immigrants. Camilleri could barely read when he quit school as a teenage bass guitarist to play the blues in The King Bees. Camilleri quickly moved to the horn section with his saxophone which put him in great demand with a number of Carlton rock bands in the early 1970s. When The Pelaco Brothers split he formed an R&B group called 'Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons'. The songwriting was from guitarist Wayne Burt while Daddy Cool alumnus Gary Young sat behind the kit.

Camilleri was like a man possessed by ambition. He was always somewhat modest, possibly to the point of insecurity, about his own abilities so he drove himself right to the limit of any opportunity. His knowledge of music was exhaustive from Charlie Parker's be-bop through the entire Rolling Stones catalogue, soul, jazz or anything with a melody. He expected the same standards of his bandmates.
On stage Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons were unbeatable, largely through the efforts of the group's singer. He jumped. He pounded. He stuck his head in the bass drum. He sweated and slaved for an audience. They never worked with a set list and could just as easily venture off into a fifteen-minute monologue about the nature of love during King of Fools or quite like a twenty-minute jazz improvisation. On a good night The Falcons could stretch the set to three hours of frantic R&B, but on a bad night Camilleri could just as easily throw a tantrum and march off the stage and into the Bondi night.
Having mastered the sax he moved on to guitar, keyboards and production. From playing R&B he went to disco, jazz, zydeco, pop.

In that sense Camilleri was a quintessential Victorian. Melbourne's music culture has always been more sophisticated than elsewhere in Australia. There is a place for almost any taste and an enjoyment of music's heritage that exists in Melbourne like nowhere else.
Mostly this phenomenon is due to the efforts of David Pepperell and Keith Glass who opened and operated import stores to cater to a wide variety of tastes. Throughout the '70s, Melbourne was an eclectic town where musicians dabbled in film and theatre and supported each other's bands. Anything was available from Ross Hannaford's mystic reggae band Billy-T, art-rock from The Bleeding Hearts to the feminist agit-pop of Stiletto, whose lyrics were penned by novelist Helen Garner. In the spirit of co-operation, Joe Camilleri and Martin Armiger helped out an old Adelaide friend, Paul Kelly, with his first album, Talk.
Original Pelaco Brothers Peter Lillie and Johnny Topper kept up the kitsch side of the Pelacos' style with a series of outfits that celebrated the kitsch side of modern Australia, generally to the tune of a country guitar. The style was dubbed 'ockerbilly' and some fine records (particularly from The Autodrifters) were made.
The other pillar of the Melbourne establishment was Keith Glass' partner in the Missing Link record store, Ross Wilson.

After the success of Daddy Cool and Skyhooks, Wilson was the king of Melbourne. His group Mighty Kong failed and he took a back seat from performance. EMI offered him his own record label, in partnership with Glenn Wheatley with the imaginative name of Oz Records. He signed the Falcons and produced their first album.

Their debut album 'Don't Waste It' is distinguished by the witty songwriting from Burt and the thoroughly polished performance from the band. Camilleri, however, hated the producer's studio perfectionism. He felt the record was stilted—and so did the public. The Falcons' real magic only ever came out on stage. Camilleri himself was a soulful dynamo, to match Johnny O'Keefe even, whose drive to succeed powered the group. A lack of chart success only drove him harder. Falcons' shows could be volatile, but the band meetings afterward could be far more so.
Camilleri's instincts paid off though as the group became one of the highest drawing acts of the decade on the basis of minimal airplay. [extract from The Real Thing, 1957-Now, by Toby Creswell & Martin Fabinyi, 1999. p114-116]

Despite the role call of bands Camilleri has led over the past few decades, and the rotating line-ups of each, he insists he not that restless musically.

“Not really. I think sometimes it’s pretty hard to play under the same badge, sometimes you wanna do something a little bit different. I cast a pretty wide net. I guess my interest in jazz music and free jazz, and pop music and all these things – maybe I’m a bit left of centre to a lot of people these days but I always thought it was part and parcel of what you do. Sometimes you’re playing with people who… for instance in Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, I didn’t realise how good they were until recently. I always liked playing in that band, but they didn’t wanna go anywhere, they just wanted to play R&B music, and the only reason they had a few hits was ‘cos I wrote a few songs that were a bit different, with the reggae stuff and so on.

“But they didn’t really want to go there, I just dragged them there, and you can only drag people for so long before you say ‘look, I’m happy for the hits and all that, but I have to cut myself loose ‘cos it’s not really what I signed up for, you know.’
[Extract from Interview with Shane Pinnegar from the 100% Rock Magazine, 2013]
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This post consists of MP3's (320kps) taken from a taped radio broadcast of this one off concert at the Mainstreet Cabaret in New Zealand, on the 4th August 1980. Album artwork is provided, thanks to the artistic talents of WoodNet at Midoztouch2 (cheers Woody). This is a great concert capturing the band firing on all barrels and features a full anthology of all their early hits and excellent sound quality. This is one bootleg not to be missed.

Track Listing

01 - Hit & Run
02 - Only The Lonely Hearted
03 - Puppet On A String
04 - Security
05 - Close To The Bone
06 - So Young
07 - Not A Woman, Not A Child
08 - Billy Baxter
09 - Rudy
10 - Shape I’m In
11 - All I Wanna Do
12 - Hand Me Down
13 - Don’t Keep It Up
14 - Don’t Go
15 - Don’t Wanna Come Down
16 - Open Hearted
17 - The Honeydripper

Jo Jo Zep were:
Joe Camilleri: Vocals, Sax, Guitar
Jeff Burstin: Guitar, Vocals
Tony Faehse: Guitar, Vocals
John Power: Bass, Vocals
Wilbur Wilde: Sax, Vocals
Gary Young: Drums, Vocals

Jo Jo Zep Link (158Mb)

(Australian 1962–1998)
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Born in 1954, Christie Allen was discovered by Mushroom Records while performing with her brothers in Perth in the late 1970s. she came to the attention of songwriter and record producer Terry Britten. Britten, a former member of The Twilights who would go on to a hugely successful song writing career, was impressed by Allen's vocal ability and bubbly personality. He began working with Christie and a recording contract with Michael Gudinski’s independent record label Mushroom Records resulted.

Mushroom Records made sure that their new pop artist got plenty of national radio support and television screen time on national iconic music television program; Countdown.

Christie Allen gave Countdown something it had been lacking - a local female artist to appeal to the teeny boppers. It is sometimes not appreciated just how successful Christie was. The first female artist to sign up to Mushroom Records since Renee Geyer, she released the single "Falling In Love" (April 79) which went top 20. Then came "Goosebumps" which went to number 3 nationally and was to that point Mushroom Records’ biggest-ever selling single. "He’s My Number One" (January 1980) outdid it and was the biggest-selling Mushroom single of all time until Split Enz ‘I Got You’ knocked it off three months later. Even as late as 1997, "He’s My Number One" was Mushroom Records 7th highest selling single with over 75,000 sales. Allen’s first album ‘Magic Rhythm’ went Gold. Christie was awarded the Most Popular Female Artist at the Countdown Music Awards in 1979 and in 1980’ - Dave Warner - 25 Years Of Mushroom Records

Also in 1979 and 1980, Allen was voted the country's most popular female performer at the Countdown Awards.

Christie went on to release another album ‘Detours’ and had a handful of singles in the early 1980s. A long illness prevented Allen from adequately promoting her career and forced her into subsequent retirement whilst she recovered. By the 1990s Christie had resurrected her singing career performing as a vocalist with country music bands.

1998 was a very happy year for Christie. In October, she married her partner Mark in October. Around the same time, Christie’s daughter Christa Lea heard an appeal on the Martin Molloy program on radio. Mushroom Records Michael Gudinski was trying to track down Christie to invite her to perform on the Mushroom Records 25th Anniversary concert. Christa Lea got in touch with them immediately and passed on Christie’s phone number. Michael Gudinski got straight on the phone and invited Christie to perform at the concert held on November 14th. Christie performed "Goosebumps" to a thrilled audience and a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground. Sadly this was to be the very last time Christie performed in public. She told her husband Mark that if the Mushroom 25th was to be her last public performance, what a huge high to go out on.

In 2006, Michael Gudinski asked Christie to participate in the Countdown Spectacular tour. Unfortunately, not being in the best of health at the time, Christie had to decline.

In March 2008, Christie was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. She was very ill and lost a lot of weight, but still kept her inner strength. She knew that she was unlikely to recover and went to great lengths to ensure that her husband and family would be OK. Sadly, Christie passed away later that year, survived by husband Mark and her much loved daughter Christa Lea.
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This post consists of both FLACs and MP3's (320kps) ripped from my BLUE vinyl and includes full album artwork. Also included are publicity shots of Christie (thanks to Greg Noakes) and a feature article published in Rolling Stone, Sept 1994 (see above). I have also managed to source several B-Side singles which were not included on the album, and are included as Bonus Track.
Christie had an amazing voice, sounding a lot like Olivia Newton John and this album demonstrates what a talent she really was. I was sadden to hear that she is longer with us, but her music does live on and I still get Goosebumps when I listen to this album.
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Track Listing
01 - Magic Rhythm
02 - All Australian Female
03 - Only Yes Will Do
04 - Goose Bumps
05 - Falling In Love Only With You *
06 - My Number One
07 - Count Me Out
08 - Fallin' In Luv
09 - You Know That I Love You *
10 - Ships That Pass Through The Night *
11 - Nashville Tennesee (Bonus B-Side Single)
12 - Under Lock And Key (Bonus B-Side Single) *
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Musicians (UK Recordings):
Christie Allen - Vocals
Terry Britten - Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Billy Livesy - Keyboards
Graham Jarvis - Drums
Paul Westwood - Bass

Musicians (Aust. Recordings *):
Christie Allen - Vocals
Terry Britten - Guitar, Vocals
James Rigg, Geoff Skewes - Keyboards
Mike Clarke - Bass
Graham Morgan - Drums
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Christie Allen FLACs (243Mb)
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Christie Allen MP3's (94Mb)
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(Australian 1967-1997, 2006)
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Colleen Hewett is an Australian theatre and TV actress, and a popular Australian singer. Her top 40 singles on the Kent Music Report include "Super Star", "Day by Day" (both 1971), "Carry That Weight" (1972), "Dreaming My Dreams with You" (1980), and "Gigolo" (1981). Her version of "Day by Day" peaked at No. 1 on the Go-Set National Top 40 Singles Chart and was certified as a gold record.
At the TV Week King of Pop Awards she was voted Queen of Pop in both 1972 and 1973.

Early Years

Colleen Hewett was born on 16th April, 1950 in Bendigo. She has an older sister, Glenys Hewett, who was a pop vocalist from the early sixties to mid-seventies. Hewett began her music career at the age of 12 when she sang with The Esquires at the Bendigo YMCA. At about 13 years old she appeared on TV pop music series, The Go!! Show, fifty years later she recalled "I wasn't of an age at that stage where I could go out on tour with anybody ... I came down from Bendigo with a band I was working with there ... then I came down again around my 14th birthday and did a solo spot on it ... they were just cover versions. I was just a little singer from Bendigo who came down on the train with the boys and did this amazing show that everybody watched".
From 1964 to 1966 she regularly performed with The Esquires and, in 1967, she joined a vocal trio, The Creations, with her sister, Glenys, and Michelle Kennedy. That group also backed various solo singers including Billy Adams and then Buddy England, and thereby toured Australia. By April that year, with Kennedy, she joined a soul-based group 'Dice', which were renamed as Laurie Allen Revue. Other members were Laurie Allen (ex-Bobby & Laurie) on lead vocals, lead guitar and organ; Harry Henri on guitar (soon replaced by Phil Manning); Barry Rodgers on bass guitar (soon replaced by Wayne Duncan); and Gary Young on drums.
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In April 1967, Allen had told Go-Set: "I realized just a three piece group couldn't give me the sound I wanted, so I added two girl vocalists, Hewett and Kennedy, they are an act in themselves and combined to give us a distinctive sound which can't be done by any Australian group". As a member of the Laurie Allen Revue, Hewett was recorded on three singles, "Beautiful Brown Eyes" (August 1967), "Any Little Bit" (April 1968) and "As Long as I Got You" (June).
By mid-1968, Hewett had joined Ian Saxon and the Sound, with Saxon on lead vocals; Geoff Oakes on saxophone; Graeme Trottman on drums. In 1969 Hewett left the group and was replaced on vocals by Marlene Richards (ex-Ivan Dayman Band) before the group recorded their debut single, "Home Cookin'" (1970).

"Day by Day" to Queen of Pop
Hewett started her solo music career in 1970, appearing regularly on TV pop music series, Bandstand. Her popularity with viewers resulted in her winning Best Newcomer Female Singer at the Bandstand Awards in December. She signed with Festival Records and her debut single, which was a cover version of Delaney and Bonnie's 1969 track, "Super Star" was released in June 1971. It reached No. 30 on the Go-Set National Top 40 Singles chart. The track was also covered by United States group, The Carpenters.
From 15 November 1971 to 22 July 1972 Hewett acted in the Australian musical theatre version of Godspell, at the Playbox Theatre, Melbourne. She recorded two versions of the show's tune, "Day by Day". The first on Godspell - Original Australian Cast had Johnny Young producing the cast album, which appeared in March 1972.

The second version was produced by Ian "Molly" Meldrum and was issued as her second single, in November 1971. It peaked at No. 1 on the Go-Set charts and was certified as a gold record with shipment of over 50,000 copies. In April 1972 Hewett was the featured artist on a half-hour TV special performing "Day by Day", "By My Side", "Hey Jude" and "Jesus Christ Superstar".
After leaving Godspell, Hewett toured Australia performing in clubs and during TV appearances. Her debut self-titled album appeared in October 1972 and provided her next single, "Carry That Weight" - a cover of The Beatles track - which reached No. 29. She toured the United States and United Kingdom at the end of the year. At the TV Week King of Pop Awards she was voted Queen of Pop in both 1972 and 1973.

Stage and Theatre

Hewett's other musical theatre credits include Pippin, the rock opera Tommy and Return to the Forbidden Planet. While performing in Pippin, she and her co-star John Farnham also hosted the television variety show It's Magic, moving between the studio during the day and the theatre at night.

Television
During her music career in the 1970s, Hewett was also performing in a number of television dramas including Homicide, Matlock Police, The Truckies, Carson's Law, Division 4, Young Ramsay, Cop Shop and The Flying Doctors, many of which had an international release. She also appeared and sang on the Don Lane Show during the late seventies and during 1984 she guested as Sheila Brady in the TV series, Prisoner.

Recent
As of 2000, Hewett has been in semi-retirement, spending time in Melbourne, Bendigo and Fiji with family and friends. In 2006 she played Marion Woolnough, the mother of Peter Allen, in the Australian tour of The Boy From Oz headlined by Hugh Jackman. She also had a role as Matron "Mama" Morton in the musical Chicago with Caroline O'Conner and Craig McLachlan. In the 2011 movie The Cup she plays Pat Oliver, the mother of jockeys - Jason and Damian Oliver. [extract from MTV's website]
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This post consists of FLACs and MP3's ripped from my priceless vinyl and also includes artwork and label scans to go.
I've also chosen to include her single version of "Day by Day" and the non-album B-side "By My Side" as bonus tracks. This post was requested by Dave just recently, along with a couple of other Aussie rips in FLAC, which I will get to soon. My favourite tracks on this album are Mother, Carry The Weight and of course Day by Day.

Track Listing
01 - Day By Day
02 - Mother
03 - I've Got Love
04 - Don't Play That Song (You Lied)
05 - Danny Boy
06 - Carry The Weight
07 - Superstar
08 - Help
09 - Stay With Me Baby
10 - Reverend Lee
11 - So Long Ago
12 - I'll Be Seeing You
13 - By My Side (B-Side Single)

14 - Day By Day (A-Side Single)
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Colleen Hewett FLACs (310Mb)

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Colleen Hewett MP3's (127Mb)
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(U.K 1965 – present)
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One of the great storytellers, Ralph McTell, is now celebrating almost 50 years on the road. Known for his virtuoso guitar style, he is primarily a prolific and gifted songwriter. With a style that invites you into a unique world, he weaves a narrative that is both significant and poignant.

Ralph made his debut in 1968 with the album ‘Eight Frames a Second’ and in 1974 the release of "Streets of London" earned him an Ivor Novello Award. In 1993, Nanci Griffith recorded ‘From Clare to Here’ on her Grammy Award winning album and in 2002 he was presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. [extract from Ralph's website]

All tracks on this album were recorded live and selected from two of the concerts performed by Raph during 1976; the first at London's Royal Albert Hall in May and the second at the Sydney Opera House, Australia in August. It was recorded using the Stones Mobile both in London (Mick McKenna and Tapani Tapanainen) and in Sydney (David Connor and Chris Curtis). Mixing engineer was Mike Stavrou at Air Studios, London and was produced by Bruce May and Peter Swettenham.
The following is a review of Ralph's live album by Karl Dallas, published in Folk Roots Magazine in August, 1977

Folk Roots Review
The Live "in concert" album is one of the oldest clichés on the folk scene - indeed, there was a time in the early, populist, singalong days, when it was held to be the only viable form of folk recording. So we had a plethora of hootenannies and singaround albums, all of which actually failed to capture the elusive character of the music they were supposedly designed to trap on vinyl.
It is to Ralph McTell's credit that, with the eight albums under his belt, he has waited until now to do his live album. It's been worth waiting for.

The thing that makes most live albums such a bust is that the very nature of the medium makes for sloppy musicianship and a reliance upon phoney audience rapport to convey a sort of instant appeal. It takes a consummate artist like McTell to show how there are, indeed, things you can do with a live album that are impossible in the studio, how alternative readings of well-known lyrics can throw them into a new dimension.
The other thing that usually happens with a live album, especially when it comes this late in an artist's career, is that it becomes something of a "greatest hits" collection. This is, perhaps, inevitable, for a live performance by McTell that didn't include "Streets of London" would be somehow unbalanced - though he did, as a matter of fact, go off the song for a while. And though I haven't heard him do "Michael" in concert for quite a while, it is good to have it here again, with the added maturity that years have given this reminiscence of a disturbed childhood.

But Ralph has resisted the temptation to lean too heavily on the past, apart from the inclusion of some of the Blind Blake songs, which Ralph does so well, but which he has never committed to record before.
With the exception of "You Well-Meaning Brought Me Here" Ralph's albums have rarely been heavily produced. It's the sheer economy of his warm, light-toned voice and simple but clean guitar that is the thing that distinguishes this solo work, and makes one question the occasional flirtations with band accompaniments, which have given his live career such unpredictable ups and downs.
Among the new songs on the album are two apparent trifles, which repay more careful listening. "Big Tree" on side one is, at one level, another childhood reminiscence, a story of forbidden games between a boy and girl of kindergarten age, and of the loss of innocence resulting from an adult's prurient observation of them. But beneath the charm is an almost
Biblical allergy.

"Winnie's Rag" is a gentle story of abandoned love among the Cockneys, for which Ralph makes quite an unnecessary apology in his introduction. Quite apart from its intrinsic charm, one thing this song underlines is the way ragtime struck deep into urban popular culture in this country, which throws Ralph's re-creations of traditional rags into a completely different light.
What this album really does, however, is to define the importance of McTell's talent. The undiscriminating may be tempted to write him off with the rest of the singer-songwriter breed, unconnected with any real meaning of the word folk. That may be true with the majority of such writers, few of whom are able to trace any legitimate ancestry back through the folk bards like Guthrie, Tommy Armstrong and Leadbelly, but in Ralph's case such a write-off does both him and the listener scant justice.
If the folk tradition is more than mere archaism, something in which bricks and mortar are as important to the landscape as cocks of hay. then a singer like McTell, who mirrors in almost every line what it has been like to be a working class kid in the post-war years, may consider himself to be its offspring, with no apologies at all.

Ralph's Famous Guitar Case

One cannot always identify with his feelings: for instance, my reaction to the strangled poetry of Sylvia Plath may not be his, which seems to me rather soggy, but what touches about this song, "Sylvia," is not that it gives any particular insight into her tortured soul, but the use that Ralph himself has made of reading her work to explore his own psyche. Another song, not included here, the moving "Ferryman," gives a similarly distorted view of the work of Herman Hesse, which is none the less valid because of its very sincerity.
Often that word, sincerity, is a misnomer for sentimentality and megalomania, characteristics which distinguish most dictators and superstars. Despite his high status in the crossover world of pop folk. McTell is no superstar, thank God. His lyrics speak directly and unaffectedly for the ordinary guy, much more unpretentiously than any Emerson, Lake and Palmer reworking of Aaron Copland, playing a gentle fanfare for the common man. [extract from Ralph's website]
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Ralph McTell Today

Although his name is shackled to one song, Ralph McTell is certainly not a one-hit wonder. Several hundred high-calibre numbers written in the 40-odd years since "Streets of London" charged up the charts bear testimony to the singer and finger picking guitar stylist's enduring quality. Ralph's latest creations, to be heard on his first new studio album in a decade entitled 'Somewhere Down The Road', has been a long time coming, but fans will find it has been worth the wait.
Ralph only just recently toured Australia this year in April/May on his 'Farewell Tour'. Unfortunately, I have only just discovered this now while researching for this post, and would have loved to have seen him perform, if not only for that one amazing anthem!
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This post consists of MP3's (320kps) ripped from my newly acquired vinyl copy of this live album, found in amongst a pile of inconspicuous albums at the local flee market that no one else seemed interested in (it always pays to rummage just that little bit more in the search for vinyl gold). Full album artwork and label scans are also included, along with the alternative UK cover as shown below.
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Track Listing

01. First Song
02. Grande Affaire
03. Big Tree
04. Michael In The Garden
05. Dry Bone Rag
06. Zimmerman Blues
07. Maginot Waltz
08. Five Knuckle Shuffle
09. When I Was a Cowboy
10. Let Me Down Easy
11. Naomi
12. Sylvia
13. Streets of London
14. Sweet Mystery
15. Winnie’s Rag
16. Waltzing Matilda
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Ralph McTell Link (128Mb)
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U2 Live - Not Authorised Vol 1 (1993) Bootleg

Moscos & Stone - Selftitled (1978) + Bonus Tracks

The Executives - Now ! (1968)

Mark Edwards - Land Of The Living (1986) plus Bonus Tracks

Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Fanfare For The Common Man (1992) Bootleg

W.O.C.K On Vinyl - Leonard Nimoy: Mr. Spock's Music From Outer Space (1967)

Various Artists - Go Set Pop Poll Awards (1971)

John Miles - Rebel (1976) + Bonus Live Track

The Hoodoo Gurus - Live In Sydney (1984) Bootleg

String Driven Thing - Please Mind Your Head (1975)

Marcia Hines - Ooh Child (1979)

W.O.C.K On Vinyl - Flying Lizards: Money (1979)

Deep Purple - Unreasonably Loud (1977) Bootleg

England Dan & John Ford Coley - Dr Heckle And Mr Jive (1979)

Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons - Mainstreet Cabaret (1980) Bootleg

Christie Allen - Magic Rhythm (1979) + Bonus Tracks

Colleen Hewett - Selftitled (1972) + Bonus Tracks

Ralph McTell - Ralph Albert & Sydney (1977)