Returning after a bit of a forced holiday.

 Had a forced layoff my PC finally crapped out so decided to do a long over due upgrade on my PC so after longer than expected I'm up and running again. Quite a few requests for new links so I will get to these.

Kate Ceberano - 1989 - Young Boys Are My Weakness [12 Inch] FLAC

 Young Boys Are My Weakness/ Brave/Young Boys Are My Weakness [Blacksmith Remix]

 

 "Young Boys Are My Weakness" is a 1989 song by Australian singer Kate Ceberano. It was released as her debut solo single in the UK in July 1989, and in Australia as the third single from her third solo album, Brave. It was released in October 1989 on the Festival Records label in Australia and on London Records internationally. The song is a slightly re-worded cover version of The Commodores' 1974 song "Young Girls Are My Weakness", taken from their album Machine Gun.

The song, along with album track "Obsession", was recorded with Phil Harding and Ian Curnow at PWL Studios, with Harding recalling, "for us to work with such a great singer was an unusual treat." In Australia, it was released as a double A-sided single with "Brave".

It spent fifteen weeks in the top 50 and peaked at No. 15 on the Australian singles chart, and No. 98 in the United Kingdom. This is Ceberano’s only song to make the top 100 in the United Kingdom. Ceberano now refuses to perform the song, due to its controversial lyrics — feeling her present age now makes it inappropriate.  Thanks to Sunny.

The In-Sect - 1966 - In-Sect A-Sides FLAC

  Let This Be A Lesson/Take It Easy/I Can See My Love/More Than I Can Say/I Am Waiting/Down And Out/I Ain't Got You/Hallelujah I Love Her So/Over Under Sideways Down/ I Can't Stop Loving You/Sloop John B/El Cumbanchero

 

 Formed in Adelaide, South Australia.
 

The In-Sect rock band was formed in Adelaide in 1965 and was an instant hit in the Australian market as a showband. Their performances were legendary and were such that they could successfully perform to ‘teeny-bopper’ crowd, nightclub or cabaret circuit. This was regarded as quite unique at the time.

 

The In-Sect was an early Adelaide pioneer of the local recording industry enjoying a number of chart successes on the W&G Label. ‘Let This Be a Lesson’ was the biggest hit written by local songwriter Simon Paul and given heavy airplay by top 5AD DJ Bob Francis and then the others followed suit making it as a chartbuster. The In-Sect also fostered at the time then unknown DJ John Vincent’s recording career by also arranging a contract with W&G. The rest is history with ‘Ow Ya Goin’ racing away as a cult smash hit too.  One of the few bands of this era to release an album. Titled 'Insect A Sides' it was the first album recorded by an Adelaide rock band . The album, and apparently their stage show, was a mix of middle of the road, top 40 covers, showband or wild R&B/freakbeat. The band had a six-nights-a-week gig residency for 2 ½ years at the Arkaba Hotel. After this they ended up doing novelty singles and appearing in cabaret nights.

 

Sherbet - 1974 - Slipstream FLAC RE POST

  Slipstream/Endless Place/Wild Love/Another Hustler/What Is It All About/Freedom/Silvery Moon/Handy Mandy/When The Sunshine Turns To Grey/Earthquake In My Head/So Glad You're Mine


 
Sherbet was formed in 1969 by Clive Shakespeare with members of three Sydney bands. He had been in a band called Downtown Roll Band. With fellow members Doug Rae on bass & Danny Taylor on drums, he recruited Sam See on keys from Clapham Junction and Dennis Laughlin from Sebastian Hardie Blues Band on lead vocals. Like a lot of bands their lineup was fluid in the early days but by 1972 the first classic lineup of Daryl Braithwaite on vocals, Clive Shakespeare on guitar, Garth Porter on keys, Alan Sandow on drums and Tony Mitchell on bass.

 They toured relentlessly and were known as one of the hardest working and most professional acts of the time. All the while Daryl Braithwaite was having solo success as well. He was named “King Of Pop” from three years running from 1975 – 1977 and Sherbet were voted Best Australian Group five years in a row from 1973 to 1978.

 

In 1976 Clive Shakespeare left due largely to the heavy pressure and relentless touring. He was replaced by Harvey James, who had been successful in both Mississippi and Ariel, just as the band were hitting peak popularity. Like too many bands of their era they tried to break into the U.S. market but never quite pulled it off. They changed their name to “Highway” to try and get away from their previous bubblegum pop image but despite having some great local success the band decided to fold in late 1979.

The break was brief, however, and they were back in 1980 as “Sherbs” with the same lineup. A couple more years of touring saw them again call it quits in 1984 although they have performed at various one off events like the Harvey James Tribute Concert.



Slipstream is an album by Sherbet released in 1974. According to the Kent Music Report, it spent 35 weeks in the Australian Charts reaching a highest position of No. 3.

After a heavy touring schedule during the summer of '73 / '74, Sherbet packed a couple of guitars, and the electric piano, bathers, fishing lines, assorted goodies and recording equipment and headed off down the south coast of New South Wales to unwind in Clive's sea side house. Most of the songs on this album were written or conceived during this period.

Daryl Braithwaite: lead vocals
Tony Mitchell: bass guitar & vocals
Clive Shakespeare: guitars & vocals
Garth Porter: keyboards & vocals
Alan Sandow: drums

Produced by Sherbet and Richard Batchens
Recorded at Festival's Studio 24, Sydney, Australia June - August 1974

All tracks remastered by William Bowden, Festival Studios

Sherbet - 1975 - In Concert FLAC RE POST

 Cassandra/Wishing Well/Another Hustler/Jungle Jiver/Do It/Freedom/Medley - Can You Feel It,Baby-You've Got The Gun-You're All Woman/Hound Dog/Medley - Au Revoir-Goodbye


In Concert is a live album by Sherbet, released in 1975. It reached number 11 on the Kent Music Report in Australia. To promote the album, "Freedom/Wishing Well" was released as a single. Recorded live on Sherbet's National '74 Spring Tour at the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne Festival Hall.Engineered, mixed and edited at Festival's 'Studio 24', December 1974.


Bass Guitar, Harmony Vocals – Tony Mitchell, Drums, Percussion – Alan Sandow, Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar, Harmony Vocals – Clive Shakespeare, Lead Vocals, Tambourine – Daryl Braithwaite, Organ [Hammond], Grand Piano [Steinway Concert], Mellotron, Electric Piano [Wurlitzer], Harmony Vocals – Garth Porter

Production  Producer – Roger Davies, Sherbet,  Produced, engineered, mixed and edited by Richard Batchens  New Link Added

Albatross - 1973 - A Breath Of Fresh Air FLAC UPGRADE

 Full Moon/The Drowning Song/Escher's Door/Drop Me A Line/Bouzouki Boogie/A Breath Of Fresh Air/The Games Cards Play/Nimbin Stopover/Mermaid/A Message To You/Seashell Secrets/Wings Of The Albatross/ The Angel And The Boy



Albatross formed in September 1972, after the split of legendary Sydney band Tamam Shud. The initial lineup was a trio, comprising Bjerre and Baron (both ex-Shud) and drummer Kim Bryant (ex-Country Radio).

While bands like The Aztecs and The La De Das and were mining the rich veins of blues, boogie and heavy rock, Albatross took a different tack, exploring a mellower, acoustically-based style that was a development from the quieter side of Tamam Shud's Shud's progressive/psychedelic sound. Albatross' music incorporated elements of folk and country music, as were a number of other contemporary Australian groups like Country Radio, The Flying Circus and The Dingoes. Lyrically, the band's material continued Bjerre's concerns with sprituality, nature and environmental issues. 


The band's home-base was on Sydney's northern beaches, and during the year of its existence Albatross played regularly at the Memorial Hall in the Sydney beachside suburb of Mona Vale. At New Year 1972-73 Albatross played at the ill-fated Bungool Festival near Windor, NSW, which was poorly attended due conflict with the local council, which led to the
first day of the event being cancelled.

 In early 1973 the band was augmented by Lindsay's wife Simone on vocals and in April they were joined by multi-instrumentalist Richard Lockwood, formerly of Tully, who had also played with the last version of Tamam Shud. This augmented lineup recorded the group's only LP, A Breath Of Fresh Air (Warner Reprise), which also included session contributions from Gary Frederick (slide guitar), Pirana organist Keith Greig and Country Radio's Chris Blanchflower (harmonica). It's a fine album, and long overdue for reissue. Bjerre's unusual voice is perhaps an acquired taste but the album is full of excellent material, beautifully played and very well recorded. The pacy opening track "Full Moon" is a road song that opens with an innovative string arrangement, moving into a heavier style that recall Tamam Shud, and it's decorated with some very tasty "Layla"-style slide guitar from Gary Fredericks. Other highlights include the rollicking "Bouzouki Boogie" and "Nimbin Stopover", a commemmoration in song of the 1973 Aquarius Festival, which features the inimitable harmonica stylings of Blanchflower. 

Another sought-after Warner album from this period, Total Union by Band Of Light, has been recently reissued by Gil Matthews' Aztec Music label, so there is some hope that the Albatross album will eventually be remastered and re-released on CD. Meanwhile, the original LP -- which presumably sold few copies -- has become highly collectible, with copies now changing hands for over $100.

Albatross gained important exposure with a prestigious support spot on Frank Zappa's his first Australian tour in July 1973, but the band did not last out the year, and had already broken up by the time the LP was released in November. 

Lindsay Bjerre spent the next few years pursuing spiritual interests and travelling; he also wrote a (never-performed) rock opera and studied mime in England with theatrical legend Lindsay Kemp. He re-emerged in 1977, with a new performance persona, simply called Bjerre, and with support from Countdown he scored a surprise hit with the single "She Taught Me How To Love Again".

Magic Dirt - 2008 - Girl FLAC

 Get Ready To Die/Emerald Green/Romy/Six Feet Under/Always/White Boy/Full Of Rope/Tremor/Cupids Bow/More

 

 Magic Dirt are an Australian rock band, which formed in 1991 in Geelong, Victoria, with Daniel Herring on guitar, Adam Robertson on drums, Adalita Srsen on vocals and guitar, and Dean Turner on bass guitar. Initially forming an alternative underground band called Deer Bubbles which split and formed into the much heavier, rock based group called The Jim Jims, they were renamed as Magic Dirt. Their top 40 releases on the ARIA Albums Chart are Friends in Danger (1996), What Are Rock Stars Doing Today (2000), Tough Love (2003) and Snow White (2005). They have received nine ARIA Music Award nominations including four at the ARIA Music Awards of 1995 for Life Was Better – their second extended play. Turner died in August 2009 of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (a soft tissue cancer). From 2010 to November 2018, the band were on hiatus. 

 Girl is the sixth studio album by Australian alternative rock band Magic Dirt. The album was released on 5 July 2008. The album features ten new songs already familiar to their fans from rigorous road testing on tours through the past year.To promote the album, the band embarked on their biggest national tour to date; completing a 42-date run across Australia between July and December 2008

Various Artists - 1983 - Ugly Things #2 FLAC

 Bobby and Laurie - Jump Back/Derek's Accent - Ain't Got No Feelin'/Barrington Davis - Raining Teardrops/The Birds - Dust in My Pants/The La De Da's - Little Girl/The Blue Beats - She's Comin' Home/The Jet Set - What Did the Man Say?/The 5 - There's Time/Grandma's Tonic - Lost Girl/The Sunsets - The Hot Generation/The Atlantics - It's a Hard Life/The Purple Hearts - Just a Little Bit/The Throb - I Need You/The Clefs - I Can Only Give You Everything/Vyt - Why Do I Cry?/Laurie Wade's Cavaliers - To Win Your Love/Tony Worsley - Talk About Love/Tony Cole - Beat It/The Cherokees - I've Gone Wild/Ray Columbus and The Art Collection - Kick Me (I Think I'm Dreaming)

 

 

  Premliminary studies of the unique garage dwelling Antipodean marsupial mutant known commonly as UGLY THING (Uglidendrom Thingamibob) were commenced with volume one of this folio (Raven RVLP-02). This second volume, representing further study of the species by the Ugly Things Unit of the Raven Institute of Advanced Rockology, is the culmination of two years of extensive research, excavation and restoration. Though by no means a definitive thesis on the subject, it does shed educated light upon the species' habitat, lineage, behaviour and mating.

By close perusal one can build up a composite picture of this rare and precious creature which failed to survive foreign substances introduced into its diet during the later stages of the nineteen sixties and subsequently tumbled into oblivion and extinction. Nocturnal, congregational, given to bursts of intense excitement bordering on frenzy, remarkably hirsute, carnivorous, barely intelligent but surprisingly cunning, the mysterious Ugly Thing takes its place alongside the Unicorn, Dodo, Kiwi, Honest Politician, Dinosaur, Self-Programming Disc Jockey, Teenage Virgin and Pterodactyl on the
World Heritage listing of extinct creatures. Denied its presence in this decaying world, we can glean much for our own survival from the remnants of its brief reign of existence. Accordingly, further notes are provided hereunder regarding the choicest examples of the species.

The tempestuous duo BOBBY & LAURIE hold a revered position in Australian rock. Their January 1965 recording of I Belong With You, produced by Englishman Roger Savage (engineer of the Stones' Come On) was the very first, real 'beat' recording done in Melbourne, following swiftly upon Sydney's ground breaking effort- Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs' Poison Ivy. After a string of vibrant, boot-stomping hits on the Go!! label, Bright and Allen were snapped up by Sydney's Albert Productions and became stablemates to their good pals the Easybeats. This pulverising version of Rufus Thomas' Jump Back (also recorded in NZ by the La De Das) was included on their second album, the first for Alberts.

And speaking of the LA DE DAS, New Zealand's finest r&b/beat exponents of the centre sixties, this humble platter is pleased to present their very first single, issued on the long-evaporated Talent City label in April 1965. Penned by guitarist Kevin Borich and bassist Trevor Wilson, Little Girl is as exhilarating as garage rock came in that amazing year ...

But to get back to our opening act, Melbourne guitarist Laurie Allen (now a leading country performer), before he joined up with Bobby Bright and after he played with Malcolm Arthur & The Knights, was guitarist-cum-organist with Brisbane instrumental combo THE BLUE JAYS, the group chosen by entrepreneur Ivan Dayman to back wild Sydney singer TONY WORSLEY. With outrageously long hair and a gruff sensuality, Worsley became a hot teen idol and supported the
1965 Kinks/Manfred Mann tour. Talk About Love is perhaps the most strenuous of his handful of fiery beat recordings (five more of which can be found on Raven album RVLP-03).

The Blue Jays are of course not to be confused with the Blue Streaks, Blues Syndicate, Blues Rags & Hollers or Sydney's most interesting BLUE BEATS, remembered for the world's finest version of Summertime Blues and a support gig to the Rolling Stones when they came to town in 1965. Comprising Wayne Poll, Brian Patterson, Mike Gibbons, Barry Dessaux and John Petro, they were managed by hotshot Sydney OJ John Melouney, whose influence did nothing to stop their three singles stiffing. Just to confuse matters, Patterson was once a member of the Blue Jays.

Some parallels can be drawn with Brisbane's THE FIVE, who also cut three thumpin' singles for the Sunshine label in 1965-66. Like the Blue Beats, their exemplary efforts were very much in vain, so far as the charts were concerned. After bombing with a killer rendition of Jimmy Reed's Bright Lights, Big City and the steaming original There's Time, the band dissolved, with members Andy Paradise and Pete Thompson joining up with ex-Loved One I an Clyne in Excalibur. The Five were of course mere apprentices compared to the northern city's Princes of Punk, the ferocious PURPLE HEARTS. Led by
revolutionary guitarist Lobby Loyde, their impact upon Australian rock is still being realised. Full biographical notes can be found on the jacket of Raven album RVLP-05, which does not include the riff-laden Just A Little Bit, also recorded by the aforementioned Tony Worsley and by England's The Undertakers.

In terms of hierarchy, Sydney's THE ATLANTICS, who made an appearance on Ugly Things Vol. 1, are definitely upper echelon. Having previously recounted their credentials, might we point out that the original It's A Hard Life is another killer example of their post-surfbeat recording work, and that a detailed anthology of the group is currently in progress. THE SUNSETS are also a return booking, having impressed greatly with I Want Love on volume one. Their soundtracks for the surf movies A Life In The Sun and The Hot Generation were as innovative as the flicks themselves. The title song
for the latter appeared on a soundtrack album in this and a much longer (6 min.) version.

From Newcastle a direct south western tangent takes us to Adelaide, home of the hard drivin' CLEFS, sort of a southern version of the Purple Hearts. These dance haunt heroes were Tweed Harris, Barrie McCaskill, Les Turner, Bruce Howe and Vince Jones. Suburban thrush Bev Harrell sometimes guested with them, as she did with the Harts and Vibrants. I Can Only Give You Everything, first cut by Them, has also been committed to vinyl over the years by The MC5, Little Boy Blues, Iguanas, Troggs and Spitballs, among others. Not long after the Clefs' version appeared the group disintegrated, with McCaskill forming the soulful Levi Smith's Clefs with Les Stacpool and Gil Matthews. Organist Tweed Harris became part of supergroup The Groove and is now a leading MOR arranger.

Venturing over the Nullabor to the far flung western city of Perth, best known for swans (in cans or on lakes), we encounter THE BIRDS, a fascinating cul-de-sac of Anglo-Antipodean rock. The discerning ear will possibly note that Dust In My Pants was recorded sometime after the other tracks on this album, though it possesses the same manic energy. The story is: two British musicians, guitarist Terry Clarke and bassist Brian Curtis, emigrated downunder in 1969 and, laying claim to being members of (Ronnie Wood's) Birds in the Old Dart, signed up to Clarion Records, with Aussie drummer John Goldsmith. They even cut the real Birds' No Good Without You for a debut single. The original track included herein was the flip of the third and final single by this highly questionable entity.

GRANDMA'S TONIC were questionable in a different way. This Melbourne outfit were lightweight all the way down the line, for a time backing Peter Doyle in straw boaters and tweeds. The. closest they came to a hit was with a cover of the dipsy Hi Hi Hazel, and yet, to their credit, they managed to leave behind a much raunchier Troggs cover in Lost Girl. Fellow Melbournites THE CHEROKEES are also rather unexpected guests on this disc. A solid all-round pop outfit who first formed in 1961 and supported the Monkees on their 1968 Australian tour, their singles were covers of songs by Cab Calloway, The Crests, The Impressions and Beau Brummels. The ripping I've Gone Wild was the flip of their seventh and final Go!! label single, by which time the line-up was Doug Trevor, Marty Van Wynk, Max Sliney, Peter Tindal and Kevin Ross. (Five more Cherokees chestnuts can be found on Raven album RVLP-09).

Beat It! is the obscure but dynamite first single by Melbourne schoolteacher TONY COLE, who resurfaced in 1972 in London with two David McKay produced albums, released in America by 20th Century Records, which sounded, in parts, remarkably like Leo Sayer, a couple of years before anybody had ever heard Mr Sayer and which featured the musical contributions of Terry Britten from the Twilights, Kevin Peek and Alan Tarney from Kevin Broome & The Handels, and
John Farrar from the Strangers.

BARRINGTON DAVIS was a popular Sydney beat singer around 1966 who recorded on the Down Under label out of the St. Clare Studio in Hurstville, home base of the young Bee Gees and their producer Nat Kipner. Raining Teardrops was one of a handful of songs penned by Kipner and Maurice Gibb, who at that time was vainly trying to match the achievements of older brother Barry. The POWER PACT was a fairly impermanent unit which boasted whizz guitarist Dennis Wilson and eventually evolved into Mecca. The Down Under stable also included such obscure notables as The Mystics, Rick & The Bad Boys, The Second Thoughts, Kevin Bible & The Book, The Soul Agents and DEREK'S ACCENT, led by young Derek Lee, whose entire vinyl output was one single - the A side of which is included herein. And if that data seems sketchy, it is positively voluminous compared to what we have been able to muster concerning Sydney band THE JET SET, who embody the true garage ethic of obscurity and brash enthusiasm.

However, on two other Harbour city entities, we can shed some light. LAURIE WADE'S CAVALIERS first recorded in 1964 for the Linda Lee label (home of Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs, Johnny Noble & The Mods/Incas, Jackie Weaver), as a surf instrumental act (Cloudburst). A year later they turned up on CBS complete with vocals and a definite 'beat' approach. This was the second of two CBS singles, their third altogether.

VYT & THE WORLD, best remembered for the delightful Flower Children also recorded at the St. Clare Studio and in fact recruited the young Brothers Gibb for backing vocals on this killer cover of the Remains' Why Do I Cry? Vyt, whose real name is about three miles of Lithuanian and best left undisturbed, faded from sight, but not so guitarist Chris Eggleton, who surfaced recently as a producer/writer/performer of considerable talent, with a single on Parole and an album, recorded in LA, for WEA.

Before we leave Sydney, we must check out the grimy 'n' gungy THROB, who were represented on an earlier Raven EP (RV-05). Sadly, this brain-numbing quartet left behind just two singles. Happily, two unissued tracks have recently been unearthed, of which the pulverising Kinks cover I Need You is one. To keep the family tree intact, member Marty Van Wynk was also in the Cherokees, as heard elsewhere on this pleasant platter.

Finally, we move over the Tasman once more to New Zealand for a curio of considerable delight. Kick Me appeared on the flip side of a 1967 American reissue of Ray Columbus & The Invaders' 1964 Australasian number one single She's A Mod. Totally out of context with the familiar body of Columbus' work in the sixties (i.e. fine beat pop), it is a blitzkreiging effort long overdue for attention.

Until next time.

Various Artists - 1980 - Ugly Things #1 FLAC

 The Missing Links - You’re Driving Me Insane/The Black Diamonds - I Want, Need, Love You/The Elois - By My Side/The Moods - Rum Drunk/The Easybeats - Goin’ Out Of My Mind/The Vince Maloney Sect - No Good Without You/The Sunsets - I Want Love/The Wild Colonials - Get The Picture/The Creatures - Ugly Thing/The Cult - You’re Just My Kind/The Atlantics - Come On/The D-Coys - Bad Times/Trev Gordon & The Bee Gees - Little Miss Rhythm & Blues/The Four Strangers - Sad & Lonely/The In-Sect - I Can See My Love/The Jackson Kings - Watch Your Step/ Running Jumping Standing Still - She’s So Good To Me/The Vacant Lot - Wake Me Shake Me/The Hergs - Style Of Love/Jeff St.John & The Id - Sunaroid ’67

 

 

 The writing of liner notes for this album is a task of relative ease. Though we are most desirous of conveying illuminating data and succinct facts, there is really not a great deal that can be told about most of the 20 Australian rock groups of the mid-60's inhabiting this album.

To be sure, this is not a greatest hits album. Nary a track contained within was every in sneezing distance of any top 40. Rather, these tracks are the final remnant of a vast surging third-level of Australian beat groups. These are (in most cases) the garage and church hall bands who somehow wrangled a chance to cut a solitary single. When it went nowhere, so did they.

Recording was a much easier and cheaper process in the days before 24 track desks, $100 an hour studios, 'star' producers, and phasers, flangers, noise gates, aural exciters and digital delays. In 1965, a record company or a studio could whip a new band in a 2 track studio with a resident engineer, cut a stack of tracks and stick a couple out on a single -without expending a great deal of money, effort or concern at all. Chances could be taken.

In a commercial sense, most of the chances taken on these artists were failures. In a musical sense, they render the financiers as patrons of the arts. For this is where the howling, seething, fang-bared face of Australian rock is to be found. Music which was executed with scant regard for the dictates of commerciality. Rock for the sake of rock itself-the only truly productive climate. It seems that the further removed from the source 'beat' rock was, the more primal it emerged. New Zealand's R&B Chants probably represent the white r&b outfield, with the acts on this album skirting the same boundary. Despite Australia's predilection for 'cover hits', only a fool would deny the existence of a truly unique indigenous antipodean rock 'sound'. Less polished and harmonic than the US & UK strains, it was a gruffer, harsher, more working class handling of the basic rock principles.

So little seems to be known of the hundreds of non-hit Australian recording acts of the 60’s both in and out of the country. Our damned national inferiority complex led us to believe that it was all weak, derivative fluff .....until albums/EP's like Nuggets, Pebbles, Psychedelic Unknowns, Boulders etc left us smirking at the frankly unimpressive quality of so many tracks deemed as 'classics of their era' in foreign lands. The rock on this album can hold its head loftily in the company of any non-hit English or American rock.

Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Newcastle acts are represented here; each carrying the unmistakeable stylistic markings of their locale. The internationally famous Easybeats, represented here with a track from their Volume 3 album, are the only really 'national' act.

You're Driving Me Insane is from the second lineup of Sydney's Missing Links(Baden Hutchens, Ian Thomas, Chris Gray, John Jones, Doug Ford, Andy James) and has been revived twice (for the 1976 'Oz' film soundtrack and by The Saints). Guitarist Doug Ford went on to Running Jumping Standing Still and The Masters Apprentices. The Black Diamonds hailed from the NSW Blue Mountains area and comprised Colin McAuley, Glenn Bland, Brian Wilkinson, Alan Oloman and Banzai Keogh. This snarling piece of plastic was actually out of character for a fine pop act who went on to have two records in the charts at once - as Tymepiece and Love Machine.

Melbourne's Elois are an unknown entity who cut but one extraordinary single for W&G Records .....The Moods were formed by three schoolchums inthe Melbourne suburb of Richmond, around 1965. With a Stones/Kinks/Pretty Things approach,a carefully cultivated (almost mod) visual appearance, and management by Go-Set founder Peter Raphael, they swiftly arose as a major entity on the inner-city discotheque circuit (Berties, Biting Eye etc). Rum Drunk was one of their two mighty non-hit singles and today commands a sizeable value among collectors. It was penned by 15 year old guitarist John Livi. Other Moods were Kevin Fraser, Carl Savona, Mick Hamilton and Peter Noss. Hamilton joined up with The Vibrants when they moved over from Adelaide in 1967.

Pioneering Sydney rock guitarist Vince Maloney had recorded with The Vibratones, Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs and The Blue Jays before forming Vince & Tony's Two with fellow ax-Aztec Tony Barber in 1965. This unit cut one (never issued) single for Alberts and then evolved in The Vince Maloney Sect, with a lineup of Vince, Jimmy Thompson, John Shields and Billy Taylor. Resident on Melbourne's Kommotion TV show, the group scored one moderate hit with She's A Yum Yum, though their cover of Ron Wood & The Birds' No Good Without You was easily their best recording. Thompson & Shields formed the Little Bits to back Peter Doyle, Taylor went on to Flake & Blackfeather. and Vince was summoned to England to become a Bee Gee.

After two singles as The Four Strangers, Lindsay Bjerre, Danny Davison, Zac Zytnik and Eric Connell became The Sunsets -Newcastle's number 1 band. Regular trips to nearby Sydney for gigs at Surf City, the Star Club and Ward Austin's Sunset Disco commanded them a loyal following and their five singles. though not hits, were solid sellers. Their soundtracks to the surf movies A Life In The Sun and Hot Generation were simply excellent, establishing Bjerre as a major writer/musician - a promise which he later fulfilled in Tamam Shud and Albatros. Davidson went on to Kahvas Jute and Band of Light.

Melbourne's Wild Colonials were a much-worked discotheque band comprising Dave Panther, Lindsay Shah, Peter Nicol (from The Flies) and Mick Flynn (later in The Mixtures). They cut three fine r&b-styled singles, highlighted by this 1966 rendition of The Pretty Things’ Get The Picture ..... If the white suburban r&b boom came to a natural end around 1966, nobody told Sydney's Creatures about it because they regurgitated this piece of sublime mania toward the end of 1967 -complete with an opening grunt which defies translation. At a time when moderate long hair was becoming acceptable, these guys dyed their tatty locks to bilious pastel shades and invited the media to react with appropriate horror. Keith Matcham, Greg Laurie, Richard White, and Herman & Rudolph Marcie first recorded for the tiny Sound 66 label, before coming to RCA for this highwater mark in Australian rock recording. Lawrie went on to play with Carson and Daddy Cool.

All attempts at uncovering even the tiniest piece of information concerning The Cult have failed. All we know is that You're Just My Kind was cut as a private demo acetate in a Newcastle suburban studio around 1965. Come out, come out who/wherever you are ..... Known generally as the CBS surfing instrumental band who made global impact with the classic Bombara, The Atlantics were one of the most extraordinarily talented rock groups Australia has ever produced. Unable to shake their original image, they cut one staggeringly original tough-rock single after another for Festival around 1966-67. During this period the lineup of Peter Hood, Thea Penglis, Bosco Bosonac & James Skiathitis was augmented with (50's rock hero) vocalist Johnny Rebb. The group went on to form its own record company and recording studio.

The De-Coys, from Adelaide, were led by a fine songwriter called Alistair Innes. The makers of three EMI singles, they were remarkably adept at producing both great pop and great punk on either side of the one single- more will be heard from them at a later date ..... Brisbane TV host Tevor Gordon was a firm friend of the Brothers Gibb, who lent their names, voices and songs to some four recorded tracks in 1964/65 - all now impossibly rare Miss Rhythm & Blues was also recorded by Steve & The Board, Bryan Davies, April Byron and Judge Wayne . As detailed a little earlier, Newcastle's Four Strangers (not to be confused with John Farrar's Melbourne Strangers) became The Sunsets around 1965. Before the change they cut one highly regarded surf instrumental single for Astor (The Rip/Pearl Diver) and this vocal track for Festival. Sad & Lonely sports a screaming falsetto in the Larry Henley (Newbeats) mould.

Melbourne's In-Sect have the rare distinction of having cut an actual, whole, complete album - with the clever-as-shit title In-Sect-A -Sides. They comprised Frank Sebastyan, Phil Wooding, Peter Manuel, Allan Sands & Geoff Pretty, and left one obscure but classic track - I Can See My Love on W&G ..... Apart from this one killer single A side, The Jackson Kings are remembered for little else than providing Brian Cadd (Caine) & Ronnie Charles for The Groop. However, it is known that members Chas Brown and Neville Ray went on to play in Issy Di's Treo + 1 .. Feedback kings Running Jumping Standing Still were a wild, uninhibited offshoot of the equally anarchic Missing Links-instigated by Doug Ford & Andy James. Over just two (stunning!) singles, the ever-changing lineup included Jamie Byrne (Black Pearls, Groove), Denny Burgess (Throb, Masters Apprentices), Peter Newing (Pieazers) and Doug Lavery (In Focus, Valentines & Axiom). After disintegration midway thru 1967, Andy
formed The Andy James Asylum. Worth hearing is the RJSS's Diddy Wah Diddy (on ·so You Want To Be A Rock & Roll Star Vol 2' LP).

Like the Elois and The Cult, the origins and activities of The Vacant Lot (Sydney) and The Hergs (Adelaide) are outside of our grasp at this time - any illuminating information would be most eagerly accepted . . ... Like Max Merritt's Levis advertsing jingle. the Jeff St. John & The ld super-cool scat-rock Sunaroid '67 sunglasses ad-track proved so popular that it was issued on a promo disc by mail order. The ld, resident group at Here -Sydney's first licensed rock disco, were David Bentley, Peter Anson, John Helman and Don McCormack. Anson was an original Missing Link,while Bentley went on to lead Python Lee Jackson and pen 'In A Broken Dream'.

Side One
1. THE MISSING LINKS You're Driving Me Insane
2. THE BLACK DIAMONDS I Want, Need, Love You
3. THE ELOIS By My Side
4. THE MOODS Rum Drunk
5. THE EASYBEATS Goin' Out Of My Mind
6. THE VINCE MALONEY SECT No Good Without You
7. THE SUNSETS I Want Love
8. THE WILD COLONIALS Get The Picture
9. THE CREATURES Ugly Thing
10. THE CULT You're Just My Kind

Side Two
1. THE ATLANTICS Come On
2. THE DE-COYS Bad Times
3. TREVOR GORDON & THE BEE GEES
4. THE FOUR STRANGERS Sad & Lonely
5. THE IN-SECT I Can See My Love
6. THE JACKSON KINGS Watch Your Step
7. RUNNING JUMPING STANDING STILL She's So Good To Me
8. THE VACANT LOT Don't Let Me Sleep Too Long *
9. THE HERGS Style Of Love
10. JEFF ST. JOHN & THE ID Sunaroid '67

* Please note that this track is mis-labelled as “Don’t Let me Sleep Too Long” on the cover. It is really a cover version of “Wake Me, Shake Me” by The Blues Project (which uses some lyrics from the song of the same name by The Coasters.

 

Various Artists - 1987 - Ugly Things #3

 The Loved Ones - Everlovin' Man/The Pleazers - Hurtin' All Over/Machine Gun Kelly's Rejects - I'm Going Back/The Others - Why Can't She Be Mine/The Twilights - I'm Not Talking/Tony Barber - I Want Her Too/The Lost Souls - This Life of Mine/The Throb - One Thing to Do/The Modes - Baby Please Don't Go/The La De Da's - How Is the Air Up There/The Chants R&B - Neighbour, Neighbour/ Blue Stars - Social End Product/Larry's Rebels - Flying Scotsman/14 Steve & The Board - Farmer John/The Bobby James Syndicate - Hey Hey Hey/The Showmen - Naughty Girl/Russ Kruger - Keep Me Satisfied/The Easybeats - For My Woman

 

 

 

 The preliminary studies of the unique garage-dwelling Antipodean marsupial known commonly as UGLY THING (Uglidendrom Thingamibob) which were commenced with volume one of this folio (RVLP-02) and continued with volume two (RVLP-13), have now reached a critical stage. We at the Ugly Things Unit of the Raven Institute of Advanced Rockology are greatly concerned by the escalated pace of extinction of the species and the paucity of choice examples of its primal utterances. Accordingly, research for this folio, due to be completed in 1984, was not able to be brought to a satisfactory conclusion until 1987. However, the location, excavation and restoration programme, although denied government funding, remains high on the institute's priority list and further folios, monographs and definitive statements on the matter can be expected during 1988. Meanwhile, footnotes to our research follows.

If Melbourne's Loved Ones had left us with nothing more than the magnificent Loved One, they would have been enshrined in Oz Rock history books. That they were able to come up with a second classic as cataclysmic as the first is a cause for both wonderment and celebration. This legendary ensemble began life as the Red Onions Jazz Band, moving over to 'beat' music when jazz engagements became a little thin on the ground. Gerry Humphreys' undeniable charisma and the band's deep, mysterious blues base gave the Loved Ones a primal appeal that has not diminished in two decades ............

The half Kiwi-half Oz Pleazers formed in Brisbane but came to fame in New Zealand, where they scored a string of hits on the Zodiac label around 1965, including Last Night, Gloria and Like Columbus Did. Bass player Ron Peel was the most notable member, ending up in the latter edition of the La De Das and his own Rockwell T. James & The Rhythm Aces. Hurtin' All Over is the meanest track the prolific outfit laid down ............

From Auckland we move to Adelaide, where Rick Morrison was emerging as a guitar hero equivalent to Brisbane's Lobby Loyde. After searing ears in the original Masters Apprentices, he formed blues-rock Others, who were poorly represented on disc by one Festival single, Dancing Girl. In fact, the band had another single ready for release but it was deemed too raucous and never saw the light of day. Why Can't She Be Mine? is one side of that lost single, made available by Ian Nancarrow, who leads the band to this day. After leaving the Others, Morrison put together Machine Gun Kelly's Rejects, a pile-driving unit never officially captured on disc. From the sounds of the demo tape I'm Going Back, that was a great shame ............

Adelaide's incredibly vibrant beat scene was dominated by the all-powerful Twilights, a consummate pop outfit who could handle hard-edged rhythm & blues as well as any maniacal garage band. Fronted by the venerable Glenn Shorrock, and powered by guitarist/songwriter Terry 'What's Love Got To Do With It' Britten, the musically superb Twilights left behind a few thunderous thumpers, Mose Allison's I'm Not Talking being one ..............

Englishman Tony Barber was the hip lad who turned Billy Thorpe onto what was going down in the British Isles, r&b-wise, in 1964. As a member of the ofiginal Aztecs he wrote quality songs, such as Blue Day and (for Ray Brown & The Whispers) That's Evil. He scored a big solo hit with Someday and cut one fine beat album for Spin, from whence I Want Her Too has come. Tony married Go-Set reporter Sue 'Pretzel' Peck in April 1967 and, when last heard of, was a partner in Billy Thorpe's 'Sunshine Friends' cuddly toy project. He is not and has never been a quiz show compere ............

Bassist Bill Putt began his recording career in New Zealand with Mike Rudd in the monumentally magnificent Chants R&B, who may possibly be the world's most ferocious garage band, ever. After driving the dials off the meters with I'm Your Witchdoctor (coming on vol. 4) and Neighbour, Neighbour, the band headed for the lucrative Melbourne disco scene and disintegrated soon after. By 1966, Rudd had popped up in the Party Machine with Ross Wilson, while Putt was leading The Lost Souls, winners of 3AK's Star Seeker quest (look for an EP of unissued tracks, on the Kavern 7 label). Putt and Rudd reunited in Spectrum which in turn led to Ariel, Instant Replay, the Heaters and W.H.Y . ............

One Thing To Do is the last of our cache of unreleased tracks by Sydney quartet The Throb, comprised of John Bell, Marty Van Wynk, Peter Figures and Denny Burgess, the various activities of whom have been well documented on other Raven albums ............

Not so documented is The Modes, a little known band from the rural Victorian city of Shepparton who made it through to the grand final of the 1966 Hoadley's National Battle of the Sounds (won by The Twilights) and should have been nationally famous. From that event comes a ferocious version of Mary Johnson's blues classic Baby Please Don't Go, which is at least as good as Them's and almost as good as AC/DC's. If you're out there fellas, please write for your royalties! ............

The superb La DeDas dominated the New Zealand pop/rock scene in 1965-66 and must be the only band in the world to take a Blue Magoos song to number one. That's exactly where their killer treatment of How Is The Air Up There? ended up, although Australia managed to ignore it. Axe master Kevin Borich is now part of The Party Boys with Status Quo's Alan Lancaster ...........

Of the Blue Stars we can tell you little, except that they recorded on the long-defunct Allied· label in New Zealand and that Social End Product is so good it's unbelievable ............

We can tell you all about Larry's Rebels, the inheritors of the La De Das pop crown in the land of the long white cloud. Led by Larry Morris they could turn their hands to just about anything, from religious Christmas hymns to great garage gunge. While supporting the Yardbirds around New Zealand, they were taught the chords to Train Kept A Rolling by Mr Jimmy Page himself and then proceeded, with his blessing, to transform them into their own instrumental piece, Flying Scotsman ............

Steve 'Physical' Kipner, like Terry Britten, used 60's Oz Rock as a springboard to international songwriting success. The son of record producer Nat Kipner, his Steve & The Board landed a deal with Nat's Spin label (funny about that!) and had some small success with Giggle Eyed Goo. Drummer Colin 'Smiley' Peterson was summoned to London to join the Bee Gees in 1966. Steve & The Board's version of the Premiers' Farmer John is immeasurably tougher than the Searchers'........

The Bobby James Syndicate were a straight 'clubby' looking quintet on the Go!! label who left behind one strong side in HeyHey Hey. After that, zilch ............

The considerably accomplished Showmen beat out 57 other hopeful bands to take out the 1965 Battle of the Bands at Sydney Stadium and land the support role on the Dave Clark 5 tour. lan Hamilton and Baden Hutchinson ended
up in the Missing Links while Tony Hamilton remerged in (Gus &) The ·Nomads and Pirana. Naughty Girl has been on the Ugly Things short list since vol 1 ............

Big voiced Russ Kruger the lesser-known brother of Johnny Rebb, is generally seen as a 50's style performer, despite his fine sides with the Atlantics. Keep Me Satisfied may well reorientate some erroneous conceptions .....

Finally, the bravest debut Australian single of the 60's. Signed to a plum recording deal, the young Easybeats could have played it safe and done a cover version or even a cute catchy original (which they could knock out in their sleep) to announce themselves. Instead, their calling card was a piece of harsh, uncompromising self-penned r&b, which dared radio to take them as they were. In fact, For My Woman did initially fail, though it became a late hit after She's So Fine took off. No wonder we loved 'em so!

Various Artists - 1989 - Ugly Things (Down Under Dreamtime) #4 FLAC

  James Taylor Move - And I Heard The Fire Sing/Wright Of Waye - Sun God/Inside Looking Out - Long Live Sivananda/The Easybeats - Peculiar Hole In The Sky/Wild Cherries - Krome Plated Yabby/Jeff St. John & The Id - Eastern Dream/House Of Nimrod - Slightly Delic/The Vegetable Garden - Hypnotic Suggestion/The Bucket - I Can't Help Thinking Of You/Hi-Revving Tongues - Tropic Of Capricorn/The Master's Apprentices - Living In A Child's Dream/Procession - Listen/Larry's Rebels - Halloween/Vyt & The World - Tiny Timothy/Simple Image - Spinning, Spinning, Spinning/The Twilights - Time & Motion Study Man/The Love Machine - The Lonely Hearts Club Christmas Party/The Questions - And Things Unsaid/Terry Britten - Bargain Day/The Dave Miller Set - Mr. Guy Fawkes

 

 

 More than ten years ago, in the liner notes to the double Festival album So You WannaBe A  Rock'n'Roll Star Vol. 2, I observed that, in Australia, "Mind-expansion failed because of the poor quality of raw material it had to work upon". What I was trying to say was that psychedelia was very much an alien concept in a frontier nation where brawling at a Saturday night suburban dance was closer to the prevailing community spirit than sniffing flowers or pondering eastern philosophies.

From 1967 to 1970, Australian rock, along with its creators, was swept along by the tide of history, with only a peripheral understanding of the forces at play. Pop music moved out of Melbourne's steamy discotheques into Sydney's thriving dances and finally onto open acreage. We intently observed
Monterey and Woodstock and then, following a long tradition of apeing the rest of the world, tried rock festivals ourselves.

Off we trooped to Ourimbah, with painted faces and lank locks, professing undying love for fellow man. However, it took only a few years of sitting in muddy fields dodging beer cans, watching stoned, hirsute guitarists gaping at their sandalled feet during twenty minute solos, for us to give the whole thing up as a bad joke and retreat to the more comforting strains of relentless pub boogie.

Given the stifling conservatism of radio and the recording industry in those years, it is hardly surprising that few remnants of Australia's psych years have survived. Many legendary entities, such as The Haze, The Trip, The Knack, The Square Circle, The Revolution, Nutwood Rug Band, Knomes Of Obelia,
The Optronic Eye, Sons Of A Vegetal Mother, Luke's Walnut, Compulsion, Plastic Tears and Molten Hue, did not make it to vinyl at all. Yet, as a few years of diligent detective work has revealed, there was considerably more to Australasian cosmic consciousness and feedback frenzy than we all might have supposed. This album, first thought to be an EP if it was lucky, filled rapidly with worthy inclusions. So much so, that a second volume might well be possible.

We begin with the plainly Hendrix-inspired And I Heard The Fire Sing, the A-side of a single flipped over to reveal the eventual local hit, Magic Eyes, Adelaide quartet The James Taylor Move was assembled by a sharp disco owner to cash in on the rising popularity of Hendrix and Cream. Leader Robert Taylor was joined by Trevor Spencer and, freshly returned from England, former Johnny Broome & The Handels members Alan Tarney and Kevin Peek (the latter a founding Twilights member). With Twilight Terry Britten (represented here with one side of his 1969 solo single -Bargain Day) in place of Taylor, the outfit later recorded in London as Quartet During his days in the Glenn Shorrock-led Twilights, Britten had been responsible for some fine pyschedelic moments, such as Comin' On Down, Patemosta Row and, included here, Time & Motion Study Man.

Tarney, now Cliff Richard's creative mainstay (and former producer of Bow Wow Wow and Leo Sayer), was also the producer of a fascinating one-off single by The Bucket, a band of impeccable pedigree. There was Ian Nancarrow (guitar) and Geoff Gurr (bass) from The Others, Albert Sawyer (drums) from Blues Syndicate, and Andy Wilkinson (vocals/harmonica) from Blues Rags & Hollers. I Can't Help Thinking Of You was written by the great Mick Bower of the Masters' Apprentices, who of course also penned that group's third national hit, Living In A Child's Dream (which in turn inspired the now-legendary Child's Dream Ball at Sydney University).

Certainly Adelaide (also base of Inside Looking Out) is well represented on this collection, but not quite as strongly as Sydney, Australia's undisputed psychedelic centre. It was in the harbour city that The Questions, gruff Doug Parkinson's second recording band (after The A-Sound) tossed aside
rudimentary r&b and pop and went in search of heightened awareness with the brooding And Things Unsaid, a real curio. Meanwhile over at the dank Here Disco in North Sydney, the blues-besotted Jeff St. John & The Id (soon to become the ultra-cosmic Varna) were delving into an Eastern Dream, to
the detriment of their mortal souls.

Vyt & The World, powered by songwriter/guitarist Chris Eggleton were responsible for the unashamed hippie cash-in Flower Children. The gentle, nursery room-whimsical Tiny Timothy is a rarer later single for the band who crashed through a mighty version of the Remains Why Do I Cry? on Ugly
Things #2. The Love Machine are best known to us as The Black Diamonds, whose I Want, Need, Love You was the undisputed highlight of Ugly Things #1. They later became Tymepiece and were then renamed Love Machine by producer Pat Aulton for the recording of the timely hit The Lion Sleeps
Tonight (to co-incide with the 1968 opening of the Warragamba Uon Park). The Blue Mountains band hung onto their new moniker long enough to record an album and an EP, which carried the phased (everyone wanted their own ltchycoo Park) Lonely Hearts Club Christmas Party.

The heavily publicised Wright Of Waye was led by Missing Unks member John Jones (recently responsible for the screenplay of Amityville Horror 3) and renowned for frenzied stage performances. They cut two singles -one for the independent Natec label and one for Philips (Sun God). Unfortunately, good press couldn't keep them together and they disbanded without the fame they so richly deserved. The Dave Miller Set came together in New Zealand as The Byrds and crossed the Tasman around 1966. By 1969 the unit's strength lay in musical centrepiece John Robinson, a fearsomely inventive and impressive guitarist who had previously played with blues outfit Monday's
Children and was, by this stage, besotted by Jimmy Page. The overpowering Mr Guy Fawkes -an absolute highwater mark in pop production of the era was put down on a humble 4 track machine at Festival by the ever-clever Pat Aulton, having previously been recorded (with far less grandeur) by obscure British band Eire Apparent.

The more rock'n'roll orientated Melbourne came over to the psychedelic cause with a little less enthusiasm than Sydney, although it can claim the most commercially successful pop-psych single of all in Russell Morris' The Real Thing/Part Three Into Paper Walls. The city's only inclusion here is Listen by the magnificent Procession, an ambitious band which evolved from New Zealand's Librettos and Normie Rowe's 'new' Playboys. Fronted by later Manfred Mann Earth Band vocalist Mick Rogers and creatively powered by superb songwriter Brian Peacock, Procession made history by debuting with
an a capella single and a live album and eventually recorded in England under producer Mike Hugg. Listen was the group's second single.

Perth's Vegetable Garden were not quite so substantial. In fact they were non-existant In the wake of the number one success of The Real Thing, Clarion Records boss Martin Clarke instructed Times (later Strangers) leader Terry Walker to whip into the studio with a bunch of local musos and come up with a cash-in. Not only did Hypnotic Suggestion not work in Perth, it was not even released nationally via Clarion's arrangement with Festival Records (and is thus unimaginably rare!)

And so to the Shaky Isles. So many New Zealand sixties bands seemed determined to be louder, wilder, harsher and more extreme than any outfits from Dublin to Dallas (to wit Chants R&B). There seems to be no end to the surprises contained on Kiwi 60s vinyl. We can't find anyone who knows anything much about House Of Nimrod, except that they recorded for Festival NZ and, apart from the engaging Slightly Delic, are known for another psych killer called (we think) Psychothartic, Simple Image were a
little more prominent, to the extent of having a number one national hit with the Howard Gable-produced Spinning, Spinning, Spinning, yet another phasing phun phest The outfit later recorded under Peter Dawkins (Ulla) and provided a springboard to solo jazz and rock success for leader Barry Leaf.

Auckland's Hi Revving Tongues are best known in Australia as early 70s Sydney based band The Tongues, who stirred a little action with their cover of Aphrodite's Child's European hit Rain And Tears on the Chart label. However, Tropic Of Capricorn takes us back to the perfumed garden of 1967 and
stands as one of the better antipodean 'period pieces'. The bass player on this track, John Walmsley, found his way to America, where he became a member of major chart act The Lemon Pipers (whose Green Tambourine is quite a pysch classic in its own right).

The prolific Larry's Rebels, the subject of one of Raven Records' finest but least recognised anthology albums, were adept at more styles of rock than any Australian band of the era. From snarling garage punk to sacred Christmas hymns to very classy psychedelic pop/rock, the band performed
confidently and imaginatively over a period of five years. Halloween, from the pens of vocalist Larry Morris and guitarist John Williams was the tenth of 15 commercially released singles.

And that, all things considered, is that GLENN A BAKER

Album compiled by Glenn A Baker, Pete Shillito and Kevin Mueller. Released by exclusive arrangement with Festival, EMI, CBS, Polygram Records, and Albert. Martin Clarke and Benny Levin Productions. All tracks recorded in Australia or New Zealand 1966-69. Front cover design by Cody Anderson. Back cover art by ADCO. Special thanks to Dean Mittlehauser, Chris Eggleton, ian Nancarrow, Martin Clarke, Vera Rizzo, Steve Fahey, Peter Dawkins. Album mastered by Warren Barnett.

 

Shihad - 1995 - Killjoy FLAC

 You Again/Gimme Gimme/The Call/Envy/Debs Night Out/Bitter/For What You Burn/Silvercup/Get Up

Shihad are a rock band formed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1988. The band consists of founders Tom Larkin (drums, backing vocals, samplers), Phil Knight (lead guitar, synthesiser, backing vocals) and Jon Toogood (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), who were joined by Karl Kippenberger (bass guitar, backing vocals) in 1991. The band were known as Pacifier between 2002 and 2004.

Six of Shihad's studio albums have peaked at number one–The General Electric (October 1999), Pacifier (September 2002), Beautiful Machine (April 2008), Ignite (September 2010), FVEY (August 2014) and Old Gods (October 2021). They share the honour for most number-one records for any New Zealand artist with Hayley Westenra. As of 2014 Shihad had the most Top 40 New Zealand chart singles for any local artist, with 25; three of these reached the top ten. The singles "Home Again", "Pacifier", and "Bitter" are listed at No. 30, 60 and 83, respectively, in the Nature's Best compilation, an official collection of New Zealand's top 100 songs.

Stylus - 1992 - Collection FLAC

 Summer Breeze/World Of Make Believe/I'm Going Home/Movin' On Home/Love Is All We Need/Bush Walkin'/Kissin'/Look At Me/Work Out Fine/Hangin'/Colour Of Your Love/Shame On You/Byron Bay/Standing In My Shoes/So Much Love/If You Believe In Me

 

 Stylus were an Australian blue-eyed soul group formed in 1975. They were the only Australian act to be released by Motown Records in the USA. Stylus toured supporting George Benson, Average White Band, Ike & Tina Turner, and Little River Band. According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, Stylus "scored a number of hit singles and became very popular on the Australian pub and concert circuit". The group disbanded in 1979 and subsequently had various reunions. In 1998-99 Japan's Toshiba-EMI re-issued three Stylus albums on CDs (For the Love of Music, Best Kept Secret and Part of It All). Their reunions have resulted in a live album, Still Alive (2003); and a new studio album, Across Time (2010).  Thanks to Smackster

Linda George - 1973 - Neither One Of Us (Single) FLAC

 Neither One Of Us/ If It's Alright With You

"Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" is a song written by Jim Weatherly and recorded by him in 1972. It was then recorded by Gladys Knight & The Pips in 1973 later that same year by our Miss Linda George.  This version has a new arrangement by prolific Australian composer-arranger-pianist Peter Jones who was also producer.

Linda George was a Soul influenced singer, formerly with Melbourne band Nova Express, who went into session work after a successful solo career in the 70s. She later taught voice at the Victorian College of the Arts as well as in schools and privately.  Linda's version charted in 4 capital cities #21 Sydney, #11 Melbourne, #8 Brisbane and #6 Adelaide. Thanks to Mr. Purser

Daddy Cool - 1972 - Best Of (Vinyl) FLAC

 Daddy Cool/Bom Bom/Just As Long As We're Together/Long After Schooldays Are Through/At The Rockhouse/Blind Date/Eagle Rock/Please Please America/Don't Ever leave Me/Jerry's Jump/Donna Forgive Me

 

 Daddy Cool are an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne, Victoria in 1970 with the original line-up of Wayne Duncan (bass, vocals), Ross Hannaford (lead guitar, bass, vocals), Ross Wilson (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica) and Gary Young (drums, vocals) . Their debut single "Eagle Rock" was released in May 1971 and stayed at number 1 on the Australian singles chart for ten weeks. Their debut July 1971 LP Daddy Who? Daddy Cool also reached number 1 and became the first Australian album to sell more than 100,000 copies. The group's name came from the 1957 song "Daddy Cool" by US rock group The Rays. Daddy Cool included their version of this song on Daddy Who? Daddy Cool.

Daddy Cool's music was originally largely 1950s Doo-wop style cover versions and originals mostly written by Wilson. On stage they provided a danceable sound which was accessible and fun. Their second album, Sex, Dope, Rock'n'Roll: Teenage Heaven from January 1972, also reached the Top Ten. Breaking up in August 1972, Daddy Cool briefly reformed during 1974–1975 before disbanding again, they reformed with the band's original line-up in 2005. Their iconic status was confirmed when they were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame on 16 August 2006. At the Music Victoria Awards of 2014, Daddy Cool were also inducted into the Music Victoria Hall of Fame.

The Vibrants - Don't Let Your Left Hand Know (1967 - 7'' Vinyl)

 Don't Let Your Left Hand Know/My Prayer

 

 

 Adelaide band The Vibrants started out as the backing group for singer Bobby James, with the original instrumental lineup comprising Geoff Skewes (organ), Terry Osmond (guitar), Terry Radford (guitar), Brenton Hay (sax), Jeff Gurr (bass) and Rick Kent (drums). In this guise they cut one single for EMI's Columbia imprint, "Jezabel" / "Tossin' and Turnin' ", in 1965, after which James left to form the Bobby James Syndicate. Ian McFarlane's article on the group also lists another James/Vibrants track "I've Learned" and a May 1965 single, "Furry Legs" / "Maybe Tomorrow" shared with Roger Dee and released on the W&G label.

Skewes put together a new lineup of the group in April 1966 with Rick Kent (drums), John (Rupert) Perry (vocals), Mike Wade (guitar), Bill Pfeifer (bass) and John Hossin (sax). All the members had previously been involved with other bands and Perry had worked as a soloist under the name Johnny Perry. They were a popular act in their hometown and frequently backed local and visiting solo artists such as Bev Harrell and Johnny O'Keefe.

In July 1966 they moved to Melbourne and signed with EMI's Columbia label, at which point Mick Hamilton (ex- The Moods) replaced Mike Wade on guitar. Their first single I've Got To Go (Sept. '66) did not chart, but the follow-up, a driving cover of the Four Tops’ "Something About You, Baby" (Jan. '67) was a Top 20 local hit in Melbourne, reaching #17. It has since become the track for which they are best known and has been anthologised on several compilations of Australian Sixties pop. It was followed in September by "My Prayer" / "Don't Let Your Left Hand Know", which was a major double sided hit in Melbourne (#5) but failed to chart elsewhere.

Perry left the band in February, 1968 to form his own outfit, the John Rupert Group, who recorded one single, "Put a Bar in My Car" / "Tightrope" (August 1968). He was replaced by Marc Leon (ex-Impulse). Bill Pfeiffer left not long after, with Barry Rogers taking over on bass. Their next single, a cover of The Bee Gees' "Terrible Way to Treat Your Baby" was released in March '68 sold only moderately in Adelaide and Melbourne and did not chart.

In October a major split took place, with Marc, John and Barry leaving to form a new group called Graduate. Mick, Geoff and Rick formed a new Vibrants with Penny Parsons (vocals) and Bob Flynn (bass). The new line-up developed a more sophisticated, club-style image for the rest of the Sixties. They released two Singles on the Air label including "I Can't Let Go Of Your Love", their biggest hit, which climbed to #55 in 1970 and charted for thirteen week stay, and "Give Me Just A Little More Time". In 1971 Ken Leroy (ex-John Rupert Group) replaced Flynn on bass and Trevor Courtney (ex-Chants R&B, Cam-Pact) replaced the long serving Rick Kent on drums. This last version of the band broke up at the end of 1971.   Thanks to Duckinthepond

The Vibrants - Danger Zone (1967 - 7'' Vinyl)

 Danger Zone/Something About You, Baby

 

  Single on Columbia label. Double-sided hit in Melbourne only with Something About You Baby which charted in its own right in Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.

Adelaide band that evolved from Bobby James and the Vibrants after Bobby James formed the Bobby James Syndicate. The Vibrants moved to Melbourne in 1966 and recorded their best-known songs, Something About You Baby and My Prayer. They survived major personnel changes in 1968, and had a minor hit in 1970 with I Can’t Let Go Of Your Love (by Buddy England, then a band member) before breaking up at the end of 1971.  Thanks to Duckinthepond

 

The Joy Boys - Smoky Mokes (1960 - 7'' Vinyl) FLAC

 Smoky Mokes/Kurrawatha

 

 Col Joye's backing band, The Joy Boys, which included his brothers Kevin and Keith, released several of their own singles, many of which charted, especially in Sydney where nine made the Top 40 from 1960 to 1963. They also had several Top 40 entries in the other major capital cities. ''Smoky Mokes'' was their biggest hit, followed by ''Southern 'Rora'', an original instrumental in honour of the Southern Aurora, a new Sydney-Melbourne express train (1962, ''Smoky Mokes''charted #5 Sydney #5 Melbourne #5 Brisbane #2 Adelaide). John Bogie died in 2012. Dave Bridge died in 2017.   Thanks to Duckinthepond

Col Joye with The Joy Boys & The Bradley Sisters - Goin' Steady (1961 - 7'' Vinyl) FLAC

 Goin' Steady/Naughty Girls

 

 

 

 Colin Frederick Jacobsen AM (born 13 April 1937) better known by his stage name Col Joye, is an Australian pioneer rock singer-songwriter, musician and entrepreneur (he has also recorded various other cross-over styles such as country music), with a career spanning some sixty years. Joye was the first Australian rock and roll singer to have a number one record Australia-wide and experienced a string of chart successes in the early Australian rock and roll scene, that was emerging from the US and the United Kingdom

Joye started his career as a jewellery salesman, after leaving school, before performing and recording with his backing band, the KJ Quintet, that would become the Joy Boys which included his brothers Kevin and Keith. Joye enjoyed a string of hits on the local and national singles charts of Australia beginning in 1959. Joye's first single, "Stagger Lee" was a cover of the Lloyd Price US original. However, his third single "Bye Bye Baby" reached No.3 on the Australian Kent Music Report charts in 1959, followed by "Rockin Rollin Clementine" also peaking at No. 3. His fifth single, "Oh Yeah Uh Huh", became his most successful, peaking at No. 1. He also had other charting singles, including "Yes Sir That's My Baby" peaking at No. 5 nationally.

Joye was an original member of Brian Henderson's Bandstand television program, and appeared regularly on the show for fourteen years. He toured Australia with fellow Bandstand acts, including Judy Stone, the De Kroo Brothers, Sandy Scott and Little Pattie. Joye's popularity levelled off after the changes to the music scene associated with the rise of the Beatles, and it was not until 1973 that he had another hit record, with "Heaven Is My Woman's Love" reaching No. 1 on the Go-Set charts in 1973.

On 8 June 1981, he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for his entertainment and philanthropic work.


Pauline, Gaye and Susan Bradley were a female vocal trio who performed on Australian television in the early sixties. They appeared on "Six O'clock Rock", "Bandstand" and most Australian television shows at the start of their career. They performed nationally with John Farnham, Olivia Newton-John., The Allen Brothers and many other famous aussies. They entertained the troops in Vietnam in the late sixties. After marrying, Pauline Bradley changed focus and worked behind the scenes (in wardrobe) on many television programs, commercials and major films including Mad Max2 and the Matrix.

  Thanks to Duckinthepond

Scrap Metal - 1990 - Make It Work (Single) FLAC

 Make It Work/Nobody Nobody

 

 Scrap Metal were a band from Broome, Western Australia who played rock music with elements of country and reggae. The members had Aboriginal, Irish, Filipino, French, Chinese, Scottish, Indonesian and Japanese heritage.

The band toured nationally as part of the Bran Nue Dae musical and with Midnight Oil, and were the first Aboriginal band to sign an international publishing deal. An ABC TV documentary From Broome to the Big Smoke was made about them. Scrap Metal won the 'Best Indigenous Act' award at the 1992 West Australian Music Industry Awards.

After Scrap Metal Alan, Stephen and Phillip Pigram joined up with their brothers David, Colin, Gavin and Peter to create The Pigram Brothers.

In 2006 Stephen and Alan Pigram were inducted into the Western Australian Music Hall of Fame.