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
Western Sydney-based R'n'B artist A.GIRL recently unveiled her stunning debut single ‘2142’ - produced and mixed by Taka Perry (Ruel, M-Phazes). Opening with its steadfast beat and arpeggiated guitars, the endearing and intricate cadences of A.GIRL float effortlessly above, as the track builds into its brooding chorus of warped bass-infused synths. The track takes cues from the likes of Urban luminaries SZA, Jhené Aiko and Jorja Smith, and samples the actual recording of a young woman known to A.GIRL being arrested by police. It’s an all too common scene in the 2142 postcode area. "The song is about the area I was exposed to and the things I saw first-hand. As much as it represents 2142, it’s an anthem for all people from all areas that have been through the same” says the vocalist.
A.GIRL is the moniker of 19-year-old Hinenui-Terangi Tairua. Although she calls Australia home, the connection to her family’s Maori homeland of Te Hapua in the north island of New Zealand runs deep. When she’s not writing and recording music, A.GIRL volunteers for the OzHarvest Food Bank, where she helps deliver food to people in need across Western Sydney.
Second Thoughts, released in 1976, was Split Enz' second album. It was recorded in London with Roxy Music's guitarist Phil Manzanera producing the album. Four of the songs on the album were reworked versions of songs from their 1975 debut album Mental Notes. Two other songs on the album had been first recorded during the Mental Notes sessions, but left off and re-recorded for Second Thoughts. There were two new songs, both written by Phil Judd, and a re-recording of an early Judd/Finn composition ("129"), which for the Second Thoughts version, was renamed "Matinee Idyll".
Dizrythmia, Split Enz' third album, released in 1977, was the first Split Enz album without co-founding members Phil Judd and Mike Chunn. Neil Finn and Nigel Griggs, the first being the younger brother of band leader Tim Finn, replaced them respectively. Meanwhile, Nigel's old friend and former band mate Malcolm Green took the place of Emlyn Crowther who also left around this time. The album was released domestically by Mushroom Records, and overseas by Chrysalis Records.
The single "My Mistake" was a hit in New Zealand and Australia, but failed to make much impact overseas. "Bold as Brass" was the second single. The album is regarded as the start of the band's breakthrough, and marked a shift from art rock to more pop-oriented songs.
The album's title comes from circadian dysrhythmia, more commonly known as jet lag. The back cover was originally intended as the front cover. Both were designed by Noel Crombie, who also designed the band's costumes.
Tim Finn coughs forty-four seconds into "Nice To Know", a feature erroneously left in the final mix. Both Tim Finn and Eddie Rayner were disappointed with the final mix of "Charlie" feeling that the vocals sounded very flat. Geoff Emerick, the engineer for the album thought it was a beautiful vocal however, so it stayed.
Split Enz formed in 1972 in New Zealand, by founding members Phil Judd and Tim Finn. One of the most successful New Zealand musical acts of the late 1970's and early 1980's, the band would go on to achieve chart success in New Zealand, Australia and Canada – most notably with their 1980 single "I Got You" – and built a cult following elsewhere. Their musical style was eclectic, incorporating influences from art rock, vaudeville, swing, punk, rock, new wave, and pop. Split Enz established a reputation for a distinctive visual style, thanks partly to their colourful, offbeat costumes and hairstyles. The group's career falls into two phases. They began as an acoustic folk band in the early 1970's and by the time they recorded their first album they had changed to electric instruments and took on a progressive rock sound. From 1977 onward, with the departure of songwriter/guitarist Phil Judd and the arrival of Neil Finn, Split Enz' sound began to move from progressive rock towards new wave and pop. In two weeks during May/June 1975 Split Enz recorded their debut album Mental Notes at Festival's Studio 24 in Sydney. It was produced by David Russell, who was also their tour manager in 1975 – 76. The engineer was Festival staffer Richard Batchens. After its release in July it sold 12,000 copies in Australia, reaching No. 35 on the album chart for one week, and peaking at No. 7 in New Zealand. It was also a critical breakthrough. Much of the material derived from Tim Finn's and Phil Judd's fascination with the work of English writer and artist Mervyn Peake – notably "Spellbound", "Stranger Than Fiction" (their concert centrepiece) and "Titus", named after the hero of Peake's Gormenghast trilogy. The album cover was painted by Phil Judd in 1973–74. The original painting is now in the collection of Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
Dragon formed in Auckland, New Zealand in January 1972 with a line-up that featured Todd Hunter on bass guitar, guitarist Ray Goodwin, drummer Neil Reynolds and singer/pianist Graeme Collins. All had been in various short-lived bands in Auckland, Collins is credited with using I Ching to provide the name. By 1974 several personnel changes had occurred, with Todd Hunter's younger brother Marc Hunter joining on vocals and Neil Storey on drums. They relocated to Sydney in May 1975. Keyboard player Paul Hewson wrote or co-wrote most of the group's 1970' hits: "April Sun in Cuba" peaked at #2 on the 1977 Australian singles chart; "Are You Old Enough?" reached #1 in 1978; and "Still in Love with You" reached #15 also in 1978. On the recommendation of fellow NZ expatriate Mike Rudd, CBS house producer Peter Dawkins went to see the group at the Recovery Wine Bar in Camperdown, Sydney in early 1976 and he was so impressed by their performance and Hewson's material that he immediately signed them to a contract with CBS Records. Between 1977 and 1979, the classic Dragon lineup - the Hunter brothers, Taylor, Hewson and Jacobson - had a string of major hits on the Australian charts with singles "April Sun in Cuba", "Are You Old Enough?" and "Still In Love with You" and albums Sunshine, Running Free and O Zambezi. These releases, and their dynamic concert performances, made them one of Australia's most popular rock acts. See also previous post: first 2 albums...Universal Radio 1974 and Scented Gardens For the Blind 1975
On paper, Fanny Adams looked like a dream team, with four of Australasia's best musicians combining in a 'supergroup' and intent on conquering the world. Given the talent involved, this should have been a great group who did grand things, but, as so often happened in OzRock, the reality proved to be drastically different. Vince Maloney, Johnny Dick, Teddy Toi and Doug Parkinson were veterans of some of Australia and New Zealand's top bands of the 1960s: Vince Maloney had been in the original 1963-65 lineup of The Aztecs, but quit in '65 (along with the rest of the band) after a financial dispute. He and fellow Aztec Tony Barber then formed a shortlived duo, followed by a stint with Tony Worsley & The Fabulous Blue Jays. Vince then formed his own band The Vince Maloney Sect, which became the house band on the mid-'60s pop show Kommotion. Moving to England, he spent several years as lead guitarist in the late-60s UK lineup of The Bee Gees with drummer Colin Petersen Johnny Dick had joined Max Merritt & The Meteors in 1963 in New Zealand and came to Australia with them in '65, alongside Teddy Toi. After the original Aztecs split from Thorpe, he and Teddy jumped ship and joined the "new" Aztecs, which lasted until 1966. He later teamed up with 'Parko' in the highly-regarded Doug Parkinson In Focus Teddy Toi was a highly respected bassist, already a rock'n'roll veteran whose CV went back to New Zealand in the late '50s with Sonny Day & the Sundowners and included a stint in the second lineup of The Aztecs in 1965-66. Doug Parkinson was (and still is) one of Australia's finest male singers. He started his career in a high-school band The A Sound, followed Newcastle pop outfit The Questions, which evolved into Doug Parkinson In Focus with Johnny, Duncan McGuire and Billy Green, scoring a Top 20 hit in '68 with their superb rendition of The Beatles' "Dear Prudence" and winning the Hoadley's Battle Of The Sounds in '69. Fanny Adams were, unfortunately, short lived. Due to various issues within the band and resistance from a sceptical public, they went their separate ways, but left us with this, now rare, album which showed the enormous talent that was within. text courtesy of Milesago
During their short but illustrious career, Spectrum were in the vanguard of progressive rock in Australia, and they left a legacy of innovative and imaginative music. The central figure in Spectrum was singer/songwriter/guitarist Mike Rudd (no relation to Kevin!), one of the many outstanding expatriate New Zealand performers who have contributed so much to the Australian music scene. Mike arrived in Australia in 1966 as rhythm guitarist for the NZ group Chants R'n'B. Chants only lasted a short time after they arrived in Australia, but Mike remained in Melbourne, where he soon teamed up with young singer-songwriter Ross Wilson and guitarist Ross Hannaford. Their first band The Pink Finks (which had also just broken up) worked in a similar vein to Chants, and had some local chart success in Melbourne. Mike was invited to be the bass player in a later lineup of their next band, the short-lived but legendary Party Machine (1967-69). This was followed by the more experimentally-oriented Sons of The Vegetal Mother (1969-71). Sons of the Vegetal Mother was an occasional project rather than a full-time band, but Mike was apparently involved on a regular basis, even after the formation of Spectrum, and he played bass on the Vegetal's only recording, an ultra-rare EP called The Garden Party, of which only about 250 copies were ever pressed. Although close connections between them continued, by 1970 Wilson and Hannaford were concentrating on the Vegetals new offshoot Daddy Cool, so Rudd decided to put together his own band, continuing down the progressive path he had been following with Party Machine and the Vegetals. Although Mike later described the formation of the band as "incredibly haphazard", his choices were all fortunate ones. Bassist Bill Putt, from Melbourne bands Gallery and The Lost Souls formed a lasting friendship and musical partnership with Mike, and they worked together until Putt's recent passing. Organist Lee Neale happily left his current band, Nineteen 87, who were apparently scornful of his lack of 'pop image'. A hotshot young drummer called Mark Kennedy, who had already worked with Putt in Gallery, completed the lineup. Kennedy's musical strength helped carry the band through a difficult first year, during which time the band honed their skills and found their sound. Initially, Spectrum drew on the work of contemporary bands like Traffic, Soft Machine and Pink Floyd and they played covers of these groups in the early days, but they soon outgrew these formative influences, developing their own highly individual style. Many elements contributed to this –- their synergistic playing style, the rock-solid yet supple rhythm Putt-Kennedy rhythm section, Lee Neale’s superb keyboard playing, Mike's skewed, rather Goonish sense of humour, which was manifested in his wry song titles and lyrics, his expressive finger-picked guitar, and of course his voice, one of the most distinctive in Australian music. See full story here at milesago.com
Mike Rudd (vocals, guitar, recorder, harmonica) Bill Putt (bass) Mark Kennedy (drums) 1969-70 Ray Arnott (drums, vocals) 1970-73 Lee Neale (keyboards, vocals) 1969-72 John Mills (keyboards) 1972-3
Talented, sexy, sophisticated, adventurous, dynamic, innovative -- just some of the many tags that have been been attached to The La De Das' name. But one word was always associated with them more than any other - the La De Das were cool. Their career spans the entire '64-'75 period. Formed in New Zealand at the very start of the beat boom, they were already major stars at home when they relocated across the Tasman a couple of years later. They're practically the only major group (on either shore) to emerge from the beat boom of 1964-65 who managed to ride out the massive musical changes of the Sixties and adapt to the new scene in the Seventies, emerging as one of Australia's most popular hard rock groups during the first half of the Seventies. There are a lot of similarities to their Aussie contemporaries The Masters Apprentices. Both were touted as their country's answer to The Rolling Stones. Both survived for so long in that mercurial era because they had tons of talent, determination and the ability to adapt their sound and look to align with prevailing trends. Both groups went through major personnel changes -- by the time the Masters split, singer Jim Keays was the only remaining original member, and by the time of their final 1973-74 'power trio' incarnation, only guitarist and singer Kevin Borich remained from the original La De Das lineup. Like the Masters, they started off as blues/R'n'B purists, and their original style leaned heavily on British R'n'B practitioners - The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - and on the American originals like John Lee Hooker, Elmore James and Muddy Waters. They moved into their 'mod' period - with covers of Ray Charles, Motown and Northern Soul favourites, replete with tartan trousers, satin shirts and buckle shoes. Then they plunged headlong into psychedelia (the obligatory concept album, covers of songs from West Coast outfits like Blues Magoos, paisley shirts, sitars, long hair and moustaches). They almost came unstuck after the inevitable -- and ultimately futile -- attempt to "make it in England". But it's here that the stories diverge -- the Masters fell apart in England in 1972, but the Las De Das survived (just) limped back to Australia, regrouped, and bounced back with a mature and reinvigorated take on their R'n'B roots. Their final incarnation as a hard-rockin', no-frills, blues & boogie band carried them very successfully through to the mid-70s. Here are there first 3 albums which were all originally released in the sixties.
Before Dragon became the huge success they were in Australia, they recorded two albums in New Zealand that have now become very sort after.
Dragon originally formed in Auckland, New Zealand, in January 1972, with a line-up that featured Todd Hunter on bass guitar, guitarist Ray Goodwin, drummer Neil Reynolds and singer/pianist Graeme Collins. All had been in various short-lived bands in Auckland. Collins is credited with using I Ching to provide the name Dragon. Their first major gig was an appearance at The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival in early January 1973. By 1974 several personnel changes had occurred, with Todd Hunter's younger brother Marc Hunter joining on vocals and Neil Storey on drums. The band recorded two progressive rock albums in their native New Zealand, Universal Radio in 1974 and Scented Gardens for the Blind in 1975, both on Vertigo Records.
Their debut album "Universal Radio", a progressive rock style production, became a bestseller underground , and the group, meanwhile, had earned a reputation for their shocking concert paraphernalia . With a troupe of mimes, transvestites, pregnant strippers, a rotting pig's head on a microphone stand, as well as the musical mayhem and stage equipment - all worked to boost the scandalous reputation of the group.
Tracks:
01. Universal Radio - 8:33
02. Going Slow - 6:14
03. Patina - 11:45
04. Weetbix - 2:55
05. Graves - 6:56
06. Avalanche - 11:08
Bonuses:
07. Black Magic Woman (Unreleased Live) - 6:37
08. X-Ray Creature (Single A-Side of Marc Hunter, 1973) - 3:05
09. Dinghy Days (Single B-Side of Marc Hunter, 1973) - 3:30
The Avengers were a popular band in New Zealand in the mid to late 1960s. Wellington promoter Ken Cooper formed the band to play at his new club, The Place, and selected the musicians from other active bands - Clive Cockburn (last name pronounced "Co-burn") of The Mustangs, Dave Brown of The Wanderers, Eddie McDonald of The Strangers, all three of which were Wellington bands, and Hank Davis of Napier's The Epics. The band began their career performing Beatles covers, but soon branched out into other territory. They had a string of top ten hits in their homeland; their biggest hit was a cover of Episode Six's "Love Hate Revenge", which charted at number 2 in August 1968. The band failed to achieve prominence overseas, touring only twice outside New Zealand, both times in Australia. On the second tour, they took the name New Zealand Avengers to distinguish themselves from a Brisbane band that shared their name. In July 1969, the group disbanded; Clive Cockburn pursued a career in television while Hank Davis and Eddie McDonald remained active in music, relocating to Perth, Western Australia to be founding members of Bakery. Although The Avengers failed to achieve international fame, they established a lasting legacy in New Zealand, and in 1994, their debut single "Everyone's Gonna Wonder" was covered by The Pop Art Toasters, a supergroup of "Dunedin Sound" artists including Martin Phillipps of The Chills and David Kilgour of The Clean. Formed - June 1966, Wellington, New Zealand; Disbanded - July 1969 Members:Clive Cockburn (lead guitar, organ), Dave Brown (rhythm guitar), Eddie McDonald (bass), Ian "Hank" Davis (drums) Related Artists:Bakery, The Mustangs, The Wanderers, The Epics, The Strangers Also Known As:New Zealand Avengers, NZ Avengers Genres: Psychedelic Pop This 2 in one album combines their self titled "The Avengers" from 1967 and "Medallion" from 1968.
Max Merritt (born Maxwell James Merritt in Christchurch, New Zealand on 30 April 1941)is a New Zealand-born singer-songwriter and guitarist who is renowned as an interpreter of soul music and R'n'B. As leader of Max Merritt & The Meteors his best known hits are "Slippin' Away", which reached #2 on the 1976 Australian singles charts, and "Hey, Western Union Man" which reached #13. Merritt rose to prominence in New Zealand from 1958 and relocated to Sydney, Australia in December 1964. Merritt was acknowledged as one of the best local performers of the 1960s and 1970s and his influence did much to popularise soul music / R'n'B and rock in New Zealand and Australia. Merritt is a venerable pioneer of rock in Australasia who produced crowd pleasing shows for over 50 years. He has engendered respect and affection over generations of performers which was evident at the 2007 Concert for Max to provide financial support after it was announced he had Goodpasture's syndrome, a rare autoimmune disease. The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) recognised Merritt's iconic status on 1 July 2008 when he was inducted into their Hall of Fame. This is the definitive CD collection of the gravel-voiced soul king's recordings from his 1965 arrival in Australia through to his last single in 1982. An incredibly powerful collection of soul, R&B, funk, reggae and great rock – including ‘Fannie Mae’, ‘Shake’, ‘Western Union Man’, ‘Slipping Away’ and ‘Try A Little Tenderness’. During an era of wimpy teenyboppers, Max was the real thing - a mature rocker with musical integrity who imbued all his recordings with a great passion and sense of raw roots credibility. 1. FANNIE MAE 2. SHAKE 3. I CAN’T HELP MYSELF 4. I WANT SO MUCH TO KNOW YOU 5. RESPECT 6. LOUISIANA ANNA 7. GOOD FEELIN’ 8. I’VE BEEN AWAY TOO LONG 9. HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS 10. WESTERN UNION MAN 11. LIVE LEVIS 12. HELLO L.A., BYE BYE BIRMINGHAM 13. LET IT SLIDE 14. TO BE A LOVER 15. TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS 16. SLIPPING AWAY 17. A LITTLE EASIER 18. WHISPER IN MY EAR 19. MIDNIGHT MAN 20. AIN’T YOU GLAD YOU CAME? 21. A LOVER’S QUESTION 22. DIRTY WORK 23. PROVE IT
The La De Da's were a leading New Zealand rock band of the 1960's and early 1970's. Formed in New Zealand in 1963 (as The Mergers), they enjoyed considerable success in both New Zealand and Australia until their split in 1975. The band which eventually became The La De Das was started by three young musicians from the rural Huapai district, near Auckland in the North Island of New Zealand. Friends Kevin Borich, Brett Neilson and Trevor Wilson were all from Rutherford High School in Te Atatu. The Mergers formed in late 1963 as a Shadows-style instrumental group and began playing local dances and school socials, but The Beatles' visit in June 1964, and the emergence of The Rolling Stones, crystallised the need for change of style and a lead singer. Trevor Wilson suggested a friend from nearby Mt Albert Grammar School, Phil Key, who was invited to join as vocalist and rhythm guitarist. Key was a major addition to the group. According to NZ music historian John Dix, Key "has been generally underrated as a vocalist, and few people have appreciated as one of the best to come out of the Antipodes." It was Key's older sister, an avid record collector with an interest in obscure British groups, as well as hard-core American R&B, who provided the bulk of their early repertoire which is what this collection comprises. In Australia the band is probably best known as the launching place for the career of guitarist Kevin Borich, and for their recording of the first Australasian rock concept album, The Happy Prince (EMI, 1968).
Dinah Lee is the stage name of New Zealand born singer, Diane Marie Jacobs (born 19 August 1946), who performed 1960s pop and then adult contemporary music. Her debut single from early 1964, "Don't You Know Yockomo?", achieved No. 1 chart success in New Zealand and, across the Tasman Sea,in Australia. It was followed in September by her version of Jackie Wilson's, "Reet Petite", which also reached No. 1 in New Zealand and peaked at No 1 in Australia. The Australian release was a double A-sided single with "Do the Blue Beat". On her early singles she was backed by fellow New Zealanders, Max Merritt & The Meteors. Lee appeared regularly on both New Zealand and Australian television variety programs, including Sing, Sing, Sing and Bandstand. She toured supporting Johnny O'Keefe, Ray Columbus & the Invaders, P.J. Proby and The Beatles. According to Australian rock music journalist, Ed Nimmervoll, in the 1960's, "Lee was the most successful female singer in both her New Zealand homeland and Australia ... on stage and on record Dinah had all the adventure and exuberance for the time the boys had". Her music covered pop, rock'n'roll and rhythm and blues and was always fun and upbeat. This 34 track compilation contains all her hits from the 60's..
