Alastair Riddell - 1975 - Space Waltz (2002) FLAC

Fraulein Love/Seabird/Out on the Street/Angel/Open Up/Scars of Love/And up to Now/Love the Way He Smiles/Beautifull Boy



 From New Zealand in 1975 comes this fantastic no.1 album of Bowie influenced visionary rock.

Moving on from a band he formed in '72 (that included drummer Paul Crowther and guitarist Wally Wilkinson) Riddell began writing songs of sci fi imagery and named his new project Space Waltz. Enhancing the imagery by designing and tailoring dramatic costumes from acres of curtain material, like Bowie, it was not for him the de-rigeur denim uniform of the day.
His debut single Out On The Street with an irresistible bad attitude "she'll vamp around town, trying so hard to be cool." visceral yet voyeuristic, hit no.1 in New Zealand.

Alastair Riddell and Space Waltz. L to R: Brent Eccles, Peter Cuddihy, Alastair Riddell, Greg Clark, Eddie Rayner





So too the album, released by EMI NZ, as Alastair Riddell won a New Faces style TV contest towards the end of 1974 and toured extensively on the back of it.

A New Zealand review:
"The characters in the songs of Space Waltz populate an imagined world, it is androgynous and disquieting, a planet that shifts on its tectonic plates as Alastair's guitar modulates from ferocity to tenderness. In a land that has neither flag nor borders and its citizens dream of cyber-love, to the strains of keyboardist Eddie Rayner's synthesizer. It is Godzone, yet devoid of god; a paradise comprising metal-flake, eyeliner and nine precocious idylls created by a guitar virtuoso from the back of beyond."

Given this is the early 70's at a time of Ziggy Stardust, the Spiders from Mars, Space Waltz is everything you want from an album of the period and a parallel to the UK scene. The album created a major impact down under. One of the runners up in that 'New Faces' contest were the group Split Ends, who by now included Crowther and Wilkinson in their line up. When Space Waltz had scored and been toured, the Keyboardist, Eddie Rayner, joined Tim Finn and that group took off supporting Roxy Music. 

Margaret Urlich - 1989 - Safety In Numbers FLAC

Escaping/Number One (Remember When We Danced All Night)/Only My Heart Calling/Give Me Some Credit/Guilty People/The Tide Keeps Rolling In/Your Love/Open Up/Slip On By/Deep Down/God Bless The Child


Margaret Urlich (born 24 January 1965 in Auckland, New Zealand) is an ARIA Award-winning[1] musician based in New South Wales. Urlich moved to Sydney, Australia, in 1988 to pursue her singing career. Her debut solo album, Safety in Numbers, released in 1989, was highly successful and won "Breakthrough Artist - Album" at the 1991 ARIA Awards, Its follow-up Chameleon Dreams was also a success when released in 1992. Urlich has been successful Trans-Tasman, selling over 400,000 albums during her career, ranking her as one of New Zealand's most successful recording artists.

Safety in Numbers is the debut solo album by Margaret Urlich, released in 1989. The first single, "Escaping", was number one for three consecutive weeks in New Zealand and peaked at number 17 in Australia. Urlich won an ARIA Award in 1991 for Best Breakthrough Artist - Album for Safety in Numbers. The album achieved platinum status in New Zealand and triple platinum status in Australia. Safety in Numbers has sold over 265,000 copies.

Marc Hunter - 1994 - Talk To Strangers FLAC

Get So Rough/One Of The Good Guys/Song Of New Devotion/Spellbound/Never Give Up/Southern Cross/Ever Since You've Gone/Never Be The Same/Talk To Strangers/Desires Of The Heart



 Marc Alexander Hunter (7 September 1953 – 17 July 1998) was a New Zealand rock and pop singer, song writer and record producer. He was the lead vocalist of Dragon (1973–79, 1982–89, 1995–97), a band formed by his older brother, Todd Hunter, in Auckland in 1972. They relocated to Sydney in May 1975. He was also a member of the Party Boys (1985). For his solo career he issued five studio albums, Fiji Bitter (November 1979), Big City Talk (August 1981), Communication (September 1985), Night and Day (August 1990) and Talk to Strangers (late 1994). During the 1970s Hunter had developed heroin and alcohol addictions; he was recklessly outspoken and volatile on-stage: in November 1978 during the band's United States tour, supporting Johnny Winter, they performed in Dallas, Texas, where "he made some general stage observations about redneck buddies, illegal oral sex and pick-up trucks" and called the audience members, "faggots". Upon return to Australia, in February 1979, he was fired from the group by his brother, Todd.

In August 1982 Hunter returned to the line-up of Dragon and continued with the group while also maintaining his solo career. They disbanded in 1997 when he was diagnosed with throat cancer, he died on 17 July 1998. Benefit concerts were held to provide for his widow, Wendy Hunter, and children. On 1 July 2008, the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) inducted Dragon into their Hall of Fame. His biography, Chasing the Dragon: the Life and Death of Marc Hunter, was published by Jeff Apter in October 2011.

Mi-Sex - 1980 - Space Race Cassette FLAC

Space Race/Pages And Matches/Living In September/I Don't Know/Slippin' Out/ It Only Hurts When I'm Laughing/People/Good Guys Always Win (Satire)/Ghosts/ Burning Up/Ice Cold Dead


  Mi-Sex (also styled as MiSex) is a New Zealand new wave rock band that was originally active from 1977 to 1986. Led by Steve Gilpin as vocalist, Kevin Stanton as guitarist and songwriter and Don Martin as bassist. They provided top ten singles, "Computer Games" in October 1979 (No. 1 in Australia, No. 5 in New Zealand) and "People" in 1980 (No. 6 and No. 3, respectively). Their first two albums both reached the New Zealand top 10, Graffiti Crimes (July 1979) and Space Race (No. 1, June 1980). They were known for their cutting edge production and dynamic live shows. Gilpin died in January 1992, two months after a serious car accident from which he never recovered.

For their second album, Space Race (June 1980), the label provided a "massive promotional campaign for which 'Are you a clone? . . . No, I'm in the Space Race' was the slogan, and little rubber mannequins of the alien featured on the front cover popped up all over the place." Ed Nimmervoll of Howlspace website felt that the album was "talking about overpopulation, environmental issues, genetic engineering and other issues of great importance for the future."

Dawkins produced the album, recording it in January 1980. In New Zealand it peaked at No. 1 and in Australia it reached No. 6. Space Race provided another top 10 single, "People", which reached No. 3 in New Zealand and No. 6 in Australia. The title track was the next single and peaked in the top 20 in New Zealand and top 30 in Australia. Although Mi-Sex toured Australia and New Zealand through 1981 – performing 366 gigs in that year – the group "found its popularity in slow decline."

Burns told The Australian Women's Weekly's Susan Moore that "When we arrived new wave was very full-on and we had pretty much a street image. Then when we did Space Race, which we felt was an extension of what we were doing, I guess some people didn't like the idea of a concept album ... we copped a lot of flack."

Mi-Sex - 1984 - Where Do They Go (Australian Release) FLAC

Only Thinking/Where Do They Go/Antipodes Army/Blue Day/I Lose Control/Don't Look Back In Anger/5 O'clock In The Morning/Why Did You Leave/Stranger In You/Delinquent Daddy/Lady Janice




It was New Zealand that gave birth to Mi-Sex. A name and a sound in 1977 that grew out of combining the collective creative energies of a cabaret singer Steve Gilpin, an art-rock Bass player Don Martin, a talented Southern drummer Richard Hodgkinson, a frustrated guitarist/song writer Kevin Stanton and a funk/dance keyboard player Murray Burns. Together Kevin & Murray forged a song writing partnership that anchored Mi- Sex throughout its four albums. These five new connections quickly dissolved their pasts, as they reinvented themselves, passing into the new era of new wave/electronic music and uniting fully as the sound that was to become Mi-Sex... Mi-Sex (the name originating from a song they performed by the British group Ultravox), recorded their début single, “Straight Laddie” in New Zealand. A punk parody with hints of Ian Duryesque vocals and a snatch of The Stranglers in the keyboards.

 
 Now setting house records in New Zealand Mi-Sex decided to take their new found sound & look to Australia. Within a very short time, on the strength of their highly energized and semi-theatrical live shows, were soon one of Sydney’s most popular bands. Mi-Sex were signed by A&R/record producer Peter Dawkins to CBS. This relationship proved highly successful, and in 1979  released their début vinyl LP, “Graffiti Crimes” with singles “But You Don’t Care” and the prophetic single, “Computer Games” going top ten in New Zealand, Canadian, German & South African charts. Thanks to strong  initial support from the ABC's Double Jay radio station and its nationally televised pop show ''Countdown'', Mi-Sex went number one in Australia.  In November 1979 this culminated in a landmark performance at the Sydney Opera House in the ''Concert of the Decade'' Quote: “Credit must go to this New Zealand band for its international hit single, "Computer Games," which preceded the glut of similar-sounding British chart entrants by a year or more.” 

A follow up album, 1980's “Space Race”, was also a multi platinum hit, with singles “People”, “Space Race“ and “It Only Hurts when I’m Laughing”. 1981 Mi-Sex undertook a ground breaking tour of America & Canada, playing venues with “The Ramones” and “Iggy Pop”, also selling out most of their own East & West coast shows. During this time, back in Australia, MiSex were awarded 'Most Popular Album', 'Best Australian Single' and 'Best New Talent' in the 1980: TV Week/Countdown Music Awards. The band was greeted at the airport with a televised presentation of these awards by Molly Meldrum when they arrived back from America/Canada... In 1981 drummer Richard exited, replaced by Paul Dunningham who spurred the infectious single “Castaway”. Their third album “Shanghaied” was released in 1982 which included “Falling in and Out”and the brooding single “Shanghaied” sung by Kevin Stanton. In 1983 Mi-Sex decided musically to become a 6 piece adding new member Colin Bayley, a previous Wellington band mate of Murray Burns, and songwriter of "I Wanna Be with U" from the “Graffiti Crimes” album. Colin added second guitar, vocals and with Murray, co- wrote the timeless “Blue Day”. 

 This new line up carried on to record album No 4 “Where Do They Go”, produced by Bob Clearmountain. The singles “Blue Day” &  “Castaway” both had strong chart success in several states of the USA & Canada. 1984 Mi-Sex semi-retired from touring & living on the road as one identity. They agreed to take a well deserved break and to seek solo ventures. Always remaining the very closest of friends they came  back together in the late 80’s for two more Australian tours. The summer 1990 saw the band collectively begin writing fresh material and talking of recording again... Sadly that was just before Steve Gilpin’s fatal car crash in November 1991, lapsing into a coma from which he never recovered. Steve died in Southport Hospital on January 6, 1992.... Shortly afterwards the cream of Australian artists and performers collaborated to hold consecutive concerts in Sydney & Melbourne to farewell & celebrate Steve Gilpin’s wonderful life & achievements. Mi-Sex became the sleeping giant laid to rest with Steve.

Ray Columbus And The Invaders - 1985 - Anthology FLAC

I Wanna Be Your Man/She's Back Again/Willie And The Hand Jive/Till We Kissed/Ku-Pow/  Shake/Yo Yo/Money Lover/She's Gone/Long Tall Sally/She's A Mod/Orbie Lee/Swim Like A Fish/ Tonight Is The Time/James Bond Theme/Made You/The Rise And Fall Flingle Bunt (Live)/It's All Over Now (Live)/ If I Fell (Live)/She's A Mod (Live)



 Ray Columbus tried putting together his first band around 1959 when he was aged 17. On drums was his friend Peter Ward, along with Billy Karaitiana (also known as Billy Kristian) on bass. Someone else played guitar, until they found a more competent guitarist in Andy Joines. As a quartet they tried playing to anyone who would listen around the Christchurch area.

They didn't last long as a group and shortly afterwards, Billy and Peter left to join Saki and the Jive Five. They began playing around Christchurch and became stiff opposition for Max Merritt and the Meteors, who had the local scene well to their liking. Max checked them out and soon after Billy moved into a permanent position with Max Merritt and the Meteors. At that point Peter Ward left and secured a position with the Downbeats.


                                                                      Ray and The Drifters, the band that would be renamed 
                                                                       Ray Columbus and The Invaders in February 1962


The Downbeats were an old-style dance band headed by Doc Foster. Members Doc Foster, Tony Athfield and Ross Clancy, had all played with the Saints. One night in 1960, Ray attended an engagement by the band and found that the lead vocalist, Jack Lark, wasn't there. Ray was given an opportunity to sing and was so successful he remained in that lead vocalist spot. Ray took the opportunity to introduce more rock'n'roll numbers into the bands repertoire. When someone left the band, Ray always organised a replacement. He introduced a bass player named Mac Jamieson, also from the Saints, and previously Bobby Davis and the Dazzlers. When Doc called it a day and guitarist Tony Athfield left, a 15 year old schoolboy, Dave Russell was recruited as lead guitarist. When the last of the Downbeats, Ross Clancy, left, he was replaced by a second guitarist Brian Ringrose.

Ray Columbus & The Invaders in 1962. 
Top: Ray Columbus, Mac Jamieson; 
Centre: Wally Scott; Bottom: Pete Ward, Dave Russell 

 This new line-up of Ray Columbus (Vocals), Dave Russell and Brian Ringrose (Guitars), Mac Jamieson (Bass) and Peter Ward (Drums) renamed themselves Ray and the Drifters. They began to make a name for themselves around Christchurch by late 1961. They performed mainly instrumental tunes with Columbus providing the vocals when necessary. The clubs in Christchurch at that time played host to numerous American servicemen stationed at Operation Deep Freeze. Their style and music interests had a major influence on Ray and his group.

In February 1962, because they were very popular in their hometown, they received a boost in their career by appearances on TV in a local Christchurch production called "Club Columbus". The four programmes were screened nationally, bringing greater exposure to a wider audience. Thanks to these TV performances they were invited to do a months work in Auckland. Lead guitarist Brian Ringrose was still at school so could not go. He was replaced by Wally Scott. Mac Jamieson also left and his place was taken by bassist Puni Solomon. This is the line-up that left for Auckland, changing their name on the way to Ray Columbus and the Invaders.

 They took Auckland by storm. With their Fender gear, fancy routines, matching outfits, Auckland audiences just stared in disbelief. Expecting to come to the big smoke and pick up a few tricks from the pros, they found that they were way ahead of the field. The Auckland groups sounded dated and were ignorant of American R&B and all lacked a lead singer as energetic and extroverted as Ray Columbus. In January 1963 they returned to Christchurch with almost every Auckland promoter dangling contracts.

An offer from Phil Warren was accepted and as they were preparing to return to Auckland, Peter Ward decided to get married and leave the Invaders. A replacement was soon found in Jimmy Hill. He came from Mataura, Wally Scott's hometown, where together they had played with the Flares in Invercargill.

In Auckland, they took up residency at the newly opened Monaco where they proved to be hugely popular. A recording contract was accepted with Zodiac and they soon recorded their first single. It was a double-sided original Columbus/Russell composition "Money Lover"/"So In Love". Released in April 1963, it went absolutely nowhere. Ray wrote the lyrics to "Money Lover" when he was 16 and two years later he completed the music with Dave Russell.

 The group was discouraged from recording their own material until they were established. Their second single was an obscure Danish instrumental called "Kupow" backed with another instrumental "Autumn Leaves". It sold reasonably well, thanks to radio airplay, but surprisingly sold even better in Sydney Australia after receiving even greater airplay.

Another single "I Saw Her Standing There"/"Just A Dream" came and went in 1963, but that didn't matter as Ray had his sights set on Australia. They had recorded an album called "Every Nite" and a new single "I Wanna Be Your Man" backed with instrumental "Cat's Eyes". In preparation for the Australian trip, Puni Solomon had been dropped and was replaced temporarily by John 'Yuk' Harrison, bassist with the Embers.

 Ray pursued Billy Kristian, who was still playing with the Meteors, and he accepted the role with the Invaders. So armed with their new album and new single they set off for Sydney in November 1963. They debuted at Surf City, Sydney's top teenage venue. Ray constantly did the rounds of talking to promoters, press agents, DJ's, journalists and television personalities. As a result "I Wanna Be Your Man" started receiving extensive radio play. Also in January 1964 they appeared on TV with appearances on Bandstand and Sing Sing Sing.

The Invaders returned to New Zealand in February 1964 with "I Wanna Be Your Man" outselling both the Beatles and Rolling Stones versions, sitting in the lower half of the Australian Top 40, the first time a New Zealand recording had charted overseas. Another single with two songs from the album, "On My Mind"/"Theme From Dr No" was also released.

"She's A Mod"/"Poison Ivy" was recorded in May 1964 and released in June. It didn't attract much interest in New Zealand at the time as the Beatles were still visiting. It could have faded completely if the Invaders hadn't returned to Sydney. Billy Kristian was ill, so John 'Yuk' Harrison filled in for him.
 

 Following an appearance at the 2UW Radio Theatre, Sydney went mod crazy. "She's A Mod" went to number one on the Sydney charts and began to climb up the national charts. With this, expatriate Kiwi promoter Harry M Miller stepped in an began to organise a national tour. Billy wanted to be a part of this, so he rejoined them on the eve of the tour. The tour was very successful with audiences everywhere going wild. By the end of the tour, "She's A Mod" was at number one on the Australian National Chart, staying there for eight weeks. By now New Zealand had caught on and the song started topping regional charts throughout the country.

At the end of the tour the group stopped in at Phillips Studio in Sydney to record a follow up single. The group was determined to show they could write and record their own songs, so another Columbus/Russell composition was chosen. The song was "Yo-Yo" backed with "She's Gone". Recorded after ten weeks on the road, the song reflects a husky vocal from Ray. The song went to number one in New Zealand and was as popular with fans as "She's A Mod", but the R&B departure was not as well received in Australia especially in commercial radio. It hung around the top 40 there, but that was all.

 Back in New Zealand in early 1965, they received a heroes' welcome. They immediately went on another tour around New Zealand with the Rolling Stones, Roy Orbison and Newbeats. They generated as much hysteria as the visiting artists. Another cover was released while they were on tour. It was "C'Mon And Swim"/"We Can't Go Wrong", which was then followed by "The Cruel Sea"/"Spanish Holiday". Record sales were not good, so an EP "Now You Shake" was released. This didn't sell very well either and in fact record sales in Australia had already peaked despite going on another tour with the Dave Clark Five. The "She's A Mod" EP was released in Australia.

Ray was continually trying to get the band into the US, but was constantly rejected by the US Consul. So rather than go back to Australia they began work on another album. It was called "Original Numbers" and contained their next single, which was "Till We Kissed"/"She's Back Again". The song "Till We Kissed" had been previously recorded by a number of artists, including Gerry and the Pacemakers, under the title "Where Have You Been". It turned out to be Ray Columbus and the Invaders biggest New Zealand hit, selling over 50,000 copies in 1965.

Feeling that they were not making enough money to continue, Jimmy Hill and Billy Kristian decided to leave the Invaders and headed back to Australia to join up again with Max Merritt and the Meteors. Ray decided that he would call it quits and Ray Columbus and the Invaders were no more.

Even after their demise, one more single was released from the album. It was "All Through Pride"/"Tonight Is The Time". But the biggest coup was still to come. On November 24, 1965 "Till We Kissed" won the very first Loxene Golden Disk Award.

In 1966 a greatest hits album was released, and then an anthology album in 1981. This anthology album was re-released in 1985 on Raven and included some extra tracks. In July 1989, a very different revival of "She's A Mod" by Double J and Twice the T featuring Ray Columbus made it to number 2 on the National Charts.

After the Invaders split up, Ray Columbus pursued a successful solo career, and eventually got his wish. With his American wife, he shifted to California in July 1966, spending two years in the USA. Wally moved to Australia and toured through Asia before also settling in the US. Wally died of cancer in 1980. Jimmy, Billy and Dave all played with Max Merritt at various times and appeared in other bands, including Dave with the Layabouts and Jimmy and Bill showing up in Headband. Jimmy Hill died on 7th November 2000 of cardiac problems, aged 56.