classic and rare Australian popular music from the 1950's, 1960's. 1970's and beyond..including rock and roll, pop, beat, rock, surf and progressive, plus contemporary artists, new releases, reviews and other fun stuff

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Monday, October 14, 2024

Billy Thorpe - A Collection

 


William Richard Thorpe AM (29 March 1946 – 28 February 2007) was an English-born Australian singer-songwriter, and record producer. As lead singer of his band Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, he had success in the 1960s with "Blue Day", "Poison Ivy", "Over the Rainbow", "Sick and Tired", "Baby, Hold Me Close" and "Mashed Potato"; and in the 1970s with "Most People I Know Think That I'm Crazy". Featuring in concerts at Sunbury Pop Festivals and Myer Music Bowl in the early 1970s, the Aztecs also developed the pub rock scene and were one of the loudest groups in Australia.

Thorpe also performed as a solo artist. He relocated to America from 1976 to 1996; after moving, he released the space opera Children of the Sun, which peaked in the top 40 of the Billboard Pop Album chart in 1979. He worked with ex-Aztec Tony Barber to form a soft toy company in 1987 and co-wrote stories for The Puggle Tales and Tales from the Lost Forests. Thorpe also worked as a producer and composed music scores for TV series including War of the Worlds, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Columbo, Eight Is Enough and Hard Time on Planet Earth.

Thorpe returned to Australia in 1996 and continued as a performer and producer, additionally he wrote two autobiographies, Sex and Thugs and Rock 'n' Roll (1996) and Most People I Know (Think That I'm Crazy) (1998). According to Australian rock music historian Ian McFarlane, "Thorpie evolved from child star, beat pop sensation and cuddly pop crooner to finally emerge as the country's wildest and heaviest blues rocker. Thorpie was the unassailable monarch of Australian rock music". Thorpe was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 1991. He died of a heart attack in February 2007 and was posthumously appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in June for his contribution to music as a musician, songwriter and producer.

This collection features Billy's releases post his 1960's career.



The Hoax Is Over (1971)


Live At Sunbury (1972)


Downunda with Warren Morgan (1973)


More Arse Than Class (1974, remastered 2006)


Million Dollar Bill (1975)



Pick Me Up and Play Me Loud (1976)



Children of the Sun (1979)


21st Century Man (1980)


Stimulation (1981)


East of Eden's Gate (1982)




Sunday, October 6, 2024

(When The Sun Sets Over) Carlton (Melbourne's Countercultural Inner City Rock Scene Of The '70s)

 


1-1 Skyhooks– Carlton (Lygon Street Limbo)

1-2 The Sports– Who Listens To The Radio?

1-3 Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons – So Young

1-4 The Dots – Lowdown

1-5 Stiletto – Middle Of The Bed

1-6 The Bleeding Hearts – Hit Single

1-7 Daddy Cool – Boy You're Paranoid

1-8 Mighty Kong– Hard Drugs (Are Bad For You)

1-9 Mondo Rock– Primal Park

1-10 Mark Gillespie – Suicide Sister

1-11 High Rise Bombers– Faster Than Light

1-12 The Toads – Eudil

1-13 The Pelaco Bros – Mechanics In A Relaxed Manner

1-14 The Relaxed Mechanics – Truckin' Casanova

1-15 Millionaires*– Gossip

1-16 The Kevins – Out At Night

1-17 Martin Armiger & Buzz Leeson – No Reason

1-18 Parachute – The Big Beat

1-19 Spare Change – Let's Get Rich Together

1-20 Glory Boys – The Ballad Of Good & Evil

1-21 Eric Gradman Man & Machine– Crime Of Passion


2-1 Martin Armiger– I Love My Car

2-2 The Bleeding Hearts – Boys (Greg Macainsh Demo Version)

2-3 Stiletto – Rozalyn

2-4 The Dots – I See Red

2-5 Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons – Only The Lonely Hearted

2-6 The Sports– Suddenly

2-7 Mondo Rock– Telephone Booth

2-8 Daddy Cool – Saturday Night

2-9 Skyhooks– Hey, What's The Matter (Steve Hill Demo Version)

2-10 Company Caine– Buzzin' With My Cousin

2-11 The Indelible Murtceps – Blue Movies

2-12 Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band– Roll That Reefer

2-13 Stephen Cummings & Dave Flett – The Third Degree

2-14 Rock Granite– You Got Me Where You Want Me

2-15 Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons – Someday It's Gonna Come To You (1976 Demo Version)

2-16 Mark Gillespie – Comin' Back For More

2-17 Autodrifters – Locked Out Of Love

2-18 Fabulous Nudes– I'll Be A Dag For You, Baby

2-19 The Pelaco Bros – Truckdrivin' Guru

2-20 Peter Lillie & The Leisuremasters– Hangin' Round The House

2-21 The Sports– Live, Work & Play (Nightmoves Live Version)

2-22 High Rise Bombers– Radio Show

2-23 Eric Gradman Man & Machine– The Bright Boy

2-24 Skyhooks– This Is My City


(When The Sun Sets Over) Carlton


Wednesday, October 2, 2024

All Fired Up - The Lost Treasures Of Australian Music 1970-1990

 


All Fired Up is a collection of Australian rock rarities released by ScreenSound Australia, the National Screen and Sound Archive, which features "hits, near misses and obscurities" of Australian music. The lineup includes famous Australian acts such as Mondo Rock, Icehouse, Redgum, Richard Clapton, John Paul Young, Ted Mulry and Goanna, and is especially welcome for the inclusion of some long-lost rarities by cult acts like Friends and Mandu.

The compilation presents an eclectic sampling of OzRock from the 70s to the 90s, and many tracks, most lifted from the B-sides of rare singles, have never before been released on CD. These include the original Australian version of the Pat Benatar hit All Fired Up (performed by Rattling Sabres), the Franklin Dam protest song Let the Franklin Flow performed by members of bands Goanna and Redgum, and the novelty song How About a Beer for the Horse performed by John Paul Young and the All Stars under the jokey guise of 'Sandshoe Willie and The Worn Out Soul Band'. The tracks were selected by Canberra music historian and radio presenter Paul Conn, author of 2000 Weeks: The First Thirty Years Of Australian Music And Then Some.



1 Rattling Sabres– All Fired Up
2 Sharon O'Neill– Power
3 Friends – B B Boogie
4 Richard Clapton– Goodbye Barbara Ann
5 The Chinless Elite – I Heard It Through The Grapevine
6 Sandshoe Willie & The Worn Out Soul Band– How About A Beer For The Horse
7 Mario Millo– Rebecca
8 Gordon Franklin And The Wilderness Ensemble– Let The Franklin Flow
9 Mondo Rock– Il Mondo Cafe
10 Redgum– Roll It On Robbie
11 Mandu– To The Shores Of His Heaven
12 Doug Parkinson– Arcade
13 Split Enz– Two Of A Kind
14 Ted Mulry– So Much In Love
15 Flowers – Sorry

Thursday, September 19, 2024

The Clarion Set (The Story Of Australian Independent Label Clarion 1965-1974)

 


Compilation of the pioneering 60s/early 70s Australian independent Clarion label. A smorgasbord of driving R&B, sunshine pop, studio psychedelia and progressive rock recorded in Perth, Western Australia. Based in Perth, teenager Martin Clarke was working at a local radio station when he converted a spare bedroom into a makeshift recording studio. That modest early venture evolved into Martin Clarke Recording Studios, which opened in 1962 to become Perth's first professional recording facility. By the time the studio purchased a four-track in 1966, Clarke had launched the Clarion label, working with a constant stream of solo singers and beat/R&B groups. With a raised profile after Perth TV personality Johnny Young had a national hit with the Easybeats-penned 'Step Back', Clarion signed a number of promising new acts that included The Valentines (featuring a pre-AC/DC Bon Scott) and Young's TV colleague Robbie Snowden. Clarion went on to have a number of regional and national successes, releasing interesting music into the 70s (British expatriates The Birds and Chalice, plus local progressive rockers Fatty Lumpkin) before Clarke wound down the label and relocated to England. 

'The Clarion Set' assembles the pick of the label's roster, with choice selections from the aforementioned acts as well as female-fronted folk rockers Gemini, powerhouse R&B/soul vocalist Ray Hoff, pre-Valentines garage band The Spektors and in-house psychedelic experiment The Vegetable Garden. (Amazon review)

1965-1967

1-1 Russ Kennedy And The Little Wheels– I've Got My Eyes On You (And I Like What I See)

1-2 The Times – Glad, Not Sad

1-3 Ray Hoff & The Off Beats– Bama Lama, Bama Loo

1-4 The Spektors– Gloria

1-5 Johnny Young– Cara-lin

1-6 Mort And The Mobees– Choose Who I Like

1-7 Terry Walker With The The Hi Five– Long Time Gone

1-8 Ray Hoff & The Off Beats– The Uncle Willie

1-9 Glen Ingram With The Hi-Five– Skye Boat Song

1-10 The Kompany– Tell Her No

1-11 Russ Kennedy And The Little Wheels– I've Been Watching You

1-12 Ray Hoff & The Off Beats– My Good Friend Mary Jane

1-13 The Spektors– On My Mind

1-14 Johnny Young– Step Back (demo)

1-15 Russ Kennedy And The Little Wheels– Little Wheel

1-16 Maggie Hammond– Go Laddie

1-17 Glen Ingram With The The Clan – Take This Hammer

1-18 Colin Cook– Cry I Do

1-19 The Valentines – Every Day I Have To Cry

1-20 Ray Hoff & The Off Beats– Looking For My Pig

1-21 Mort And The Mobees– Can't You See

1-22 Maggie Hammond– High Flying Bird

1-23 The Valentines – I Can't Dance With You

1-24 Johnny Young– Good Evening Girl

1-25 Ray Hoff & The Off Beats– Tossin' And Turnin'

1-26 Russ Kennedy And The Little Wheels– Too Much Monkey Business

1-27 Glen Ingram With The The Clan (8)– That It's Me

1-28 Robby Snowden– No One Really Loves A Clown

1-29 Maggie Hammond– You Won't Be Leaving

1-30 Ray Hoff & The Off Beats– Ain't Doin' Too Bad Pts. 1 And 2

1967-1969

2-1 Johnny Young– Hold On

2-2 The Proclamation– King Of The Mountain

2-3 The Valentines – Love Makes Sweet Music

2-4 The Kompany– The Family Way

2-5 The Clan – Peeping Tom

2-6 Chris James – Da Doo Ron Ron

2-7 Ray Hoff & The Off Beats– Love, Love, Love

2-8 Johnny Young– Come On Up

2-9 Robby Snowden– Talkin'

2-10 Glen Ingram– I'll Be Doggone

2-11 The Birds– No Good Without You

2-12 The Valentines – Sookie Sookie

2-13 Johnny Young– Craise Finton Kirk (Royal Academy Of Arts)

2-14 Robby Snowden– Sunshine Rides On A Trolley

2-15 The Troupadours– Come Home Baby

2-16 Colin Cook– You Baby

2-17 Ray Hoff & The Off Beats– I've Got To Get You

2-18 The Soul Purpose – Hip Huggin' Mini

2-19 Robby Snowden– Do You Want To Dance

2-20 The Troupadours– Near To Me

2-21 The Valentines – Peculiar Hole In The Sky

2-22 Johnny Young– Geno Pts 1 And 2

2-23 The Clan – Sunday Afternoon

2-24 Robby Snowden– Just A Little

2-25 The Troupadours– Little Boat

2-26 The Kompany– Little Joe The Boxer

2-27 Strawberry Fair– Come Back And Shake Me

2-28 The Proclamation– Tea And Sympathy (Don't You Worry)

2-29 Johnny Young– Every Christian Lionhearted Man Will Show You

2-30 The Valentines – She Said

2-31 Colin Cook– Riot In Cell Block Number 9

1969-1974

3-1 The Birds– Magic Words

3-2 Chalice – In My World

3-3 Swingshift – Somebody To Love

3-4 The Vegetable Garden– Hypnotic Suggestion

3-5 Gemini – Sunshine River

3-6 Willpower – Soul Finger

3-7 The Soul Purpose – Boogaloo Down Broadway

3-8 Strawberry Fair – Things We Said Today

3-9 The Vegetable Garden– Even Stevens

3-10 Fatty Lumpkin– Got To Get Back T' Nellie

3-11 Chalice – Ebenezer

3-12 The Birds– Dust In My Pants

3-13 Gemini – Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming To The Canyon)

3-14 Chalice – Mr. Won't You Help Me

3-15 The Soul Purpose – Share

3-16 Willpower – Spinning Wheel

3-17 Swingshift – We Can Work It Out

3-18 The Birds– Rene

3-19 Fatty Lumpkin– Don't Knock My Boogie

3-20 Chalice – Nearly Gone

3-21 Gemini– Butterfly Wings

3-22 Swingshift – Here, There & Everywhere

3-23 The Birds– I See The Rain

3-24 Chalice – Nine To Five Girl

3-25 Fatty Lumpkin – Millionaire




Monday, September 16, 2024

Blog resurrection and re-uploads of dead links

     




I've had many requests to re-post dead links on old posts so I'm resurrecting this blog for a short time. I will also be adding some new posts of releases which have not been added before and which I hope will be of interest to Aussie music fans.

Here are a few links to the original posts with re-posted links. There are more to come so stay tuned. 

Zoot Locker - The Best of The Zoot


Down Under Nuggets - Original Australian Artyfacts


Benzedrine Beat! (1964-1970) - Purple Hearts & Coloured Balls


Peculiar Hole in the Sky- Pop Psych from Down Under


Diggin' Up Down Under


Sunday, January 19, 2020

So You Wanna Be A Rock'n'Roll Star - various Australian artists...the last and first post

The Aussie Music Blog is winding down and I won't be posting any more. Thank you to all the visitors and readers who have stopped by over the years and left supportive comments, I do appreciate them. 

For this last post I am sharing again the very first post from this blog (originally posted in December 2012), the compilation album "So You Wanna be A Rock'n'Roll Star", one of the most popular posts from the blog. This now very rare 82 track compilation presents some of the more popular and obscure music from the 1960's and is the perfect anthology for fans of classic Australian music. This version is in FLAC with all artwork. The MP3 version can be found on the original post HERE.






 


Wednesday, December 25, 2019

100 Greatest Australian Singles of the '60's....by various artists


The 100 Greatest Australian Singles of the '60's as selected by David N.Pepperell and Colin Talbot for the book publication of the same title.

Featuring The Easybeats, The Seekers, Normie Rowe, The Bee Gees, Johnny Farnham, Russell Morris, Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs, Jimmy Little, Betty McQuade, Zoot, Lynne Randell, Bobby and Laurie, Johnny O'Keefe, The Twilights, The Masters Apprentices, The Loved Ones and more.










Thursday, December 19, 2019

Melbourne dirty blues trio Southbound Snake Charmers EP release "To the Bone"..bluesy swamp vibes



Melbourne dirty blues trio, Southbound Snake Charmers are back with their 4th release; The eagerly awaited To The Bone EP, accompanied by a music video for their new singleNo Land.

Conjuring up those old school bluesy swamp vibes reminiscent of a black and white voodoo film, To The Bone features the single “Through The Smoke” recently released on a limited edition 7” vinyl.

To The Bone is the bands’ first release since the much acclaimed “Rhythm and Rust” full length album back in January 2017 and includes remastered versions of “Ride On” and “Don’t Speak Too Soon”. The EP was recorded by Ash Ravens Music.




For fans of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jimi Hendrix, Radio Moscow and Graveyard.

official website: https://www.southboundsnakecharmers.com

To The Bone Track Listing:

1 . Through The Smoke
2 . Playin’ With Fire
3 . No Land
4 . My Crazy
5 . Ride On (Remastered)
6 . Don’t Speak Too Soon (Remastered)

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Melbourne Art-Rock artist Halfbeak LP release "Innocent Bystander"...ambient punk and electronica

Halfbeak is prolific Melbourne singer-songwriter Tim Gum. From his beginnings in the early 2000's as 3RRR demo of the month-winning “Snowbug” to his most recent EP “Things I Knew”, which was co-produced by fan and APRA award-winning composer Damien Lane, Tim Gum has written and recorded enough quality material to fill 25-plus LP's. “Innocent Bystander” is the first of many planned LP releases and consists entirely of music written in 2019. 

Promotional track “Curvature Of The Spine” is a meditative Sonic Boom-meets-Scott Walker number. The second promotional trackI’ll Be Your One-Way Mirror” is the dark alter-ego of “For The Benefit of Mr. Kite”. Elsewhere, the LP spans electronica, hip hop and art-rock, capturing a broad mix of influences including Kid A, Erik Satie, The Residents, Endtroducing and Blackstar. Lyrically, the LP explores some dark themes. Although decay, destruction, disease and death abound, the work retains the humorous and playful spirit that is core of much of Halfbeak’s backlog. Conceptually, the album comments on the bewildering life choices we sometimes make, and the feeling of powerlessness that some of us feel when the consequences spin out of control.

Genre: Art-Rock, Ambient Punk, Experimental Electronica




Website: www.halfbeak.bandcamp.com