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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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




Monday, December 2, 2019

Victorian Country/Pop duo Souly Us release debut album "Alive"...all emotions covered


Souly Us, the recipients of the 2019 APRA AMCOS New Songwriter of the Year award from the Tamworth Songwriters Association (TSA), recently released their debut album ‘Alive’. The release comes off the back of the duo’s Hello World EP, which peaked at #5 on the iTunes Country Music Charts. Their debut single ‘Meant to Be’ received widespread airplay across Australia, while its follow up single, ‘My Soldier’ reached #10 on the iTunes Country Music Charts.

Speaking of the album, Souly Us says, ‘Every single person will get something out of this album. Whether it’s a powerful break-up ballad, an uplifting song of strength, a love song or a song about life, this album is bound to capture listeners in more ways than one and covers all types of emotions.’

Comprised of Kate Appleyard and Ben Mawdsley, Souly Us recorded and produced ‘Alive’ in their home studio in Inverloch, Victoria, while it was mixed by ARIA and CMAA winner Matt Fell and mastered by Michael Carpenter at Love HZ Studios in Sydney. ‘With country music at heart and a twist of pop, every track on this album was written and produced by us with the assistance of Matt Fell’s final mixing touch and Michael Carpenter’s mastering at Love HZ Studios in Sydney,’ Souly Us says.




Taking inspiration from the world around them, ‘Alive’ features the soulful sound, powerful storytelling and captivating lyrics the young Victorian duo have been known for since forming in January 2018. With Kate’s warm angelic voice and Ben’s rhythmic and passionate artistry on guitar, the band share dreams, hope, love and connection through their latest release.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Friday, November 22, 2019

Sydney-based indie-rock artist Timi Temple New Single 'Quick Words, Long Trouble'



Sydney-based indie-rock artist Timi Temple has returned with another rousing anthem in ‘Quick Words, Long Trouble’, produced and recorded by the artist himself.

The track opens up with purring flange guitar lines and woody drum rims, before expanding into a frenetic pre-chorus enveloped by Timi’s psychedelic screams. The choruses open up like a classic lighter-in-the-air era Brit-Rock sing-along, highlighted by a swift change in tempo and chunking rhythm guitars.

Timi talks about the meaning behind ‘Quick Words, Long Trouble’:

“’Quick Words, Long Trouble’ is my first song about love. I’ve generally tried to avoid writing songs about love because I think it’s been rinsed enough times by other artists. However, this song was cathartic and therapeutic to me as it helped me through a long-term breakup. The phrase is something that my mother used to tell me, somewhat translated from Thai meaning ‘don’t do anything in heated anger because the repercussions will last forever’. It’s served me well, but also probably lead to me not fighting for a salvageable relationship because I was too cautious with my words. The spoken word poem in the bridge of this song reflects this”.




FOLLOW TIMI TEMPLE

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Reckless Kelly.....A Serious Motion Picture Soundtrack...music by various Australian artists


soundtrack to the 1993 movie starring Yahoo Serious featuring music by INXS, Yothu Yindi, The Dukes, Mental As Anything, Divinyls, James Reyne, Anthony Warlow and more.

Tracklist:
1 –Inxs Born To Be Wild 3:52
2 –The Dukes I Fought The Law 2:57
3 –Divinyls Wild Thing 4:15
4 –Alan Dargin, Yahoo Serious Awabakelly 1:18
5 –Yothu Yindi Djapana 4:03
6 –Mental As Anything Ride 3:16
7 –Anthony Warlow Handle The Fame 2:32
8 –The Dukes Happiness Is A Warm Gun 3:03
9 –Yahoo Serious Reckless Angels 0:39
10 –Single Gun Theory From A Million Miles 4:36
11 –The Dukes Faith 3:20
12 –Steve Kilbey As You Like It 4:28
13 –Succotash Bedazzled 3:52
14 –James Reyne Reckless 6:06
15 –Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Happy On My Way 1:59
16 –Yahoo Serious, The Victorian Philharmonic Orchestra Such Is Life
17 –Anthony Warlow Handle The Fame (Finale) 0:26







Tuesday, November 5, 2019

acoustic-folk artist Kim Churchill new EP release 'FORGETTING'..emotively-driven and solemn


Kim Churchill is proud to reveal his new EP; 'FORGETTING'. Produced by Colin Stewart (Yukon Blonde / Dan Mangan) and written and recorded entirely on Vancouver Island, 'FORGETTING' is the second in a four-part series, where each EP was written and recorded in a different country in collaboration with local artists and producers.

“Canada is a country of extremes”, says Kim. “The huge, dramatic cliffs on one side and a perfectly calm and tranquil lake on the other. The startling reds and oranges of the fall compared with the brilliant greens of summer, the blinding white of the snow in winter, Canada is a country that really showcases its natural beauty. I wanted to capture that feeling of being simultaneously awed and overwhelmed by the power of nature and the comfort and safety of being embraced by it”.





‘FORGETTING’ features six tracks of emotively-driven and solemn acoustic-folk, which at times largely shines a light on the beauty in cracks and flaws. It’s sonically rustic, mesmerising and carries a strong sense of bona fide endearment that Kim has become widely known for. A stunning cover of Coldplay’s ‘See You Soon’ is included on the record. 

A traveller as much as an artist, Kim has lived on the road for years, but it was no longer enough just to pass through; for Kim it was time to show that world in his songs. This is Kim showing the value of a new way of thinking, of writing … of living.

The exciting and unique project will also see Kim release an additional two EP’s over time, that were written and recorded in Australia and the UK respectively. This follows on from his critically acclaimed EP ‘I AM’ – the first record of the four-part series that was written and recorded in Berlin, Germany.




FOLLOW KIM CHURCHILL

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Newtown (NSW) punk rockers SCABZ New Single 'Feel Good Summer' ...a full-scale assault


Newtown’s self-proclaimed shittest band SCABZ have just revealed their striking new single ‘Feel Good Summer’ – produced and mixed by Daniel Antix at Defwolf Studios, Sydney.

Ringing feedback and pounding drums set the tone for SCABZ’s latest offering. The track wastes no time launching into a full-scale assault of raucous and gritty punk-rock, as singer and guitarist Siobhan Poynton belts out lyrics from the perspective of climate change deniers and the ridiculous points they make to justify their cause.

Poynton talks about the bands passionate stance on global warming:

There isn’t really an excuse to not care about climate change. We’re just at the point that we’ve realised nothing really matters if you’ve gone extinct”.




To coincide with the release, the band will traverse the East Coast on an eight-date tour, stopping by the Northern Beaches, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Canberra, Wollongong, Melbourne and of course, Newtown.

FOLLOW SCABZ
SCABZ
FEEL GOOD SUMMER TOUR

THU 31 OCT | CROWBAR, BRISBANE QLD
FRI 1 NOV | VINNIES DIVE BAR, GOLD COAST QLD
THU 7 NOV | THE CAMBRIDGE HOTEL, NEWCASTLE NSW
FRI 8 NOV | SLY FOX, NEWTOWN NSW
THU 14 NOV | TRANSIT BAR, CANBERRA ACT
FRI 15 NOV | YAH YAH'S, MELBOURNE VIC

WED 27 NOV | UNI BAR, WOLLONGONG NSW