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

The Clarion Set

Singer-songwriter Elena b Williams new album release "Feet in the Sand"..world/soul/folk

Elena b Williams is a Samoan Australian singer/songwriter originally from Perth, Western Australia, now in Byron Bay, whose music encompasses world, soul and funk music. She started playing music at her father's poetry readings in Perth when she was 15. She was interested in music as a child and says her mother is a fantastic ukulele player and was always singing traditional Samoan Island songs when she was growing up. Her parents had an amazing music collection of all kinds of music, so that was a great introduction to world sounds. Some of her favourite artists are Nina Simone, Tracey Chapman, Tom Waits, Patti Smith and Bob Dylan. 

Elena's career highlights are many, varied and impressive. Here are a few so far:

• Toured with well known band The Waifs in 2015
• 
  
• Sang with Toni Childs for The Rebuild Nepal Concert on May 30th 2015 at Crystal Castle, Mullumbimby NSW.
• 
  
• Two songs featured on ABC 2014 TV series "The Gods Of Wheat Street", songs from the show "Time" and "Wish" available on iTunes with Elena's EP "The Rose".
• 
  
• Featured on Pete Murray's album "Summer at Eureka" on the track "Sugar".
• 
  
• 3 time MusicOz Finalist for songs "Different Kind of Water" 2013, 
• "The Long Intro" 2012, and 2007 "Capital Clown".
• 
  
• Has released independent albums in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016.
• 
  
• Writes music for film and television and enjoys bringing life to moving images.

Elena's new album "Feet in the Sand" is out now and available on iTunes. $3 dollars from every album sold goes to a youth surf program in the Byron Shire. 

You can stream and sample Elena's music on her reverbnation page: https://www.reverbnation.com/elenabwilliams

She also has her own independent label, "Tauia Records", her mother's family name.

Marty's review: Elena's unique and distinctive vocals are something you just have to hear and experience. The diction and timbre resonate on every note and suit her musical styles that combine folk, soul and world music sounds. Her lyrics come from within and she reaches deep down into her soul to tell you a story that you know has been carefully and beautifully created.


             

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Supernaut....debut album from 1976..Glam/Punk Rock from Perth

Supernaut were a glam/punk rock band from Perth, Western Australia. They formed in 1974 by British immigrants Gary Twinn and brothers Chris and Joe Burnham and were signed to Polydor Records upon a recommendation from Ian "Molly" Meldrum. They entered the Australian charts at no.16 on July 1976 with the single "I Like It Both Ways". The song was banned by most commercial radio stations because of its controversial lyrics, but strong TV performances on Countdown and Bandstand forced radio to give in to public pressure and "I Like It Both Ways" hit the Number 5 spot on most Australian charts (and Number 1 on the Bandstand Top Ten).

A follow up hit, "Too Hot To Touch", came in November 1976, reaching No.14 on the charts. Their self-titled debut album was a Christmas hit, achieving double gold sales. The group was presented with two TV Week King of Pop awards for best new band and best video performance of 1976.

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Chain..Toward the Blues...Classic Album from 1971

Any student of Australian rock music would be hard-pressed to argue against the pure fact that, since its inception in the late sixties, Chain has remained our foremost blues-rock band. In keeping with its hallowed name, there are many links to the Chain story…throughout its six year heyday over the early seventies the band, in its many permutations, commanded an undisputed dominance in the blues idiom. Chain has seen many varied line-ups, no less than 40+ different musicians passing through its ranks. There isn't enough space on this humble little blog to tell the full Chain story, even in a brief form, so I'll just give the starting point and you can go to Milseago for the complete story.

Over the years, Perth has provided the setting for a thriving blues-rock scene, spawning many future stalwarts of the idiom who have gone onto greater national success. The original Chain grew out of this hotbed, forming from the ashes of The Beaten Tracks, who won the Perth heat of the 1967 Hoadley's Battle Of The Sounds. The band at that time comprised Warren Morgan (keys), Dave Hole (guitar), Ace Follington (dr), Murray Wilkins (bs) and Ross Partington (vcls); they moved to Melbourne in early 1968 to avail themselves of their prize, ostensibly recording and touring opportunities in the eastern states.

While in Melbourne, Dave Hole (long recognised as one of Australia's top blues perfprmers) quit The Beaten Tracks, to be replaced by Tasmanian guitarist Phil Manning (formerly of Tony Worsley & the Blue Jays, The Laurie Allen Revue and Bay City Union, among others) and the band returned to Perth, where they lost the services of Partington.

A return to Melbourne in December 1968 saw the group recruit ex-James Taylor Move singer Wendy Saddington, and the first incarnation of (The) Chain was established. Saddington was a blues/soul 'belter' in the vein of Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin, and it was she who came up with the band's name, derived from Aretha's classic hit, "Chain Of Fools". Sadly, this line-up of Chain never recorded, Saddington having departed by May 1969 to join Copperwine, and later to forge an erratic but compelling solo career.

Chain relocated to Sydney in August and recruited bass player Tim Piper (ex-Chants R&B, Electric Heap, Wild Cherries) and legendary blind keyboardist Claude Papesch (who was also from Electric Heap, and who had been a member of Johnny Devlin & The Devils in New Zealand in the early '60s). This line-up stayed together long enough to record Chain's first single for Festival with house producer Pat Aulton -- "Show Me Home" b/w Morgan's "Mr Time", which was released in September. The single, while not a strong charter, convincingly displayed the group's abilities, and showed the strong and unmistakable influence of The Band -- who profoundly affected so many Aussie acts at the time -- as well as particularly showcasing Manning's fluid guitar style. The single is regarded by many as the earliest example of the "progressive" stance developing rapidly on the OzRock scene around this period.

Follington, Piper and Papesch left Chain late in '69, to form Savage Rose, and each went on to reputable careers in a number of other prominent bands. Chain moved back yet again to Melbourne, where its core hooked up with the ex-Wild Cherries rhythm section of Barry Sullivan (bass) and Barry Harvey (drums). Nick-named, respectively, "Big Goose" and "Little Goose", the two Barrys injected a 'fish-arse-tight' cohesion into the band's sound, and helped unveil what was to become the classic, and best-remembered Chain configuration, gaining considerable notice in the southern capital's burgeoning blues-rock performing circuit in the process. (text courtesy of Milesago)

click here to continue the full Chain story...

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Sid Rumpo....Rhythm and Blues band from Perth...First Offense album from 1974

Sid Rumpo were an Australian R'n'B group which formed in Perth in November 1971. They issued their debut album, First Offense, in April 1974 on Mushroom Records/Festival Records but disbanded by the end of that year. The band were formed by John Hood on lead guitar and harmonica (ex-Jelly Roll Bakers, Juke); Noel Herridge on drums (Adderley Smith Blues Band); Owen Hughes on bass guitar (Jelly Roll Bakers); Robert Searls on lead guitar and vocals; and Ken Wallace on piano. In 1972 they won the Western Australian state final in the Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds. 

They appeared at both the 1973 and 1974 Sunbury Pop Festivals. According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, "one of the unique features of the band's sound was the use of dual, harmony guitar lines which had the effect of enhancing the natural spaciousness of the music. To top it off, Searls was one of the great gravel-throated blues wailers of the day".

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Bakery...Rock Mass For Love and Momento...underground progressive rock from 1971-72

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Bakery was formed in Perth at the start of 1970. Regarded as one of the leading "underground" groups of their day, they are remembered for their superb studio album Momento, the innovative Rock Mass for Love LP and the powerful single "No Dying In The Dark".

The original lineup was John Worrall, "wild-haired guitarist" Peter Walker (ex-Jelly Roll Bakers), Mal Logan (ex-The Rebels), Eddie McDonald and Hank Davis. McDonald and Davis were both ex-members of the NZ Avengers.

In the words of encyclopedist Vernon Joyson, Bakery's work: "... blended hard rock and country with jazz using complex arrangements. Their main strength was the variety of their music which could switch from gentle acoustic passages to booming heavy progressive assaults on the senses within the same song." 

Bakery released only two singles, but both were impressive heavy rock efforts. The first, released on the RCA label, was "Bloodsucker" / "Leave Scruffy Alone" (February 1971). By the time they released their second single in July 1971, Bakery had signed with the Melbourne-based Astor label, who issued "No Dying in the Dark'" / "Trust in the Lord".

Both singles displayed the band's main stylistic influences, primarily the new wave of "heavy" bands spearheaded by British groups Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. "Bloodsucker" was in fact a Deep Purple cover, sourced from their In Rock LP. "No Dying in the Dark" was very successful in Perth, peaking at #9 on the local chart, and it's the track for which they are now best remembered.

The B-side of the single was a track from their Rock Mass For Love LP. This unusual project was a significant thematic departure from Bakery's usual progressive/hard rock style. Recorded live at a mass at St George's Cathedral, Perth on 21 March 1971, it was one of the first Australian musical musical works of its kind, preceding the first Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar by almost a year.

Rock Mass for Love was issued in August 1971, narrowly missing the national Top 20, and it was also issued in the USA on the Decca label. After the LP came out, Mark Verschuer (ex-Barrelhouse) replaced Tom Davidson on vocals. Verschuer sang lead vocals on their fantastic second album, the studio LP Momento released a year later in August 1972. Ian McFarlane lauds it as "a fine example of European-influenced, heavy progressive rock" and Vernon Joyson reserves particular praise for the track "The Gift", written by Peter Walker, which he describes as "an eight-minute barrage of bombastic riffs, arse-kicking solos and swirling Hammond organ in the mould of acts like Deep Purple and Leaf Hound".

...text courtesy of Milesago

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The Valentines..Peculiar Hole In the Sky..1967-68...popular Perth band and beginnings for Bon Scott

Perth pop group The Valentines were, for a brief period, one of the most popular bands in the country. Although they started out as an energetic soul/R'n'B band, their best known image was associated with the so-called "bubblegum pop" phenomenon of 1968-70. But there was a wild side to the band which was evident in their live performances (and their off-stage carousing). These days, of course, they're best known by reference to the fact that one of the singers ended up in a little band called AC/DC.

The Valentines formed in Perth in mid-1966, bringing together members of three leading local beat groups: Scott and Milson were from The Spektors, Lovegrove, Ward and Cooksey from The Winztons, and Findlay from top WA band Ray Hoff & The Off Beats. Playing a mixture of soul, R&B and mod covers, by the start of 1967 they were already Perth's top group. A major draw card was the double-vocal attack of dynamic front men Bon Scott and Vince Lovegrove, and within a few weeks of their live debut they were packing in crowds at their shows at venues like Canterbury Court and the Swanbourne Surf Livesaving Club (known locally as the Swanbourne Stomp).

It wasn't long before their local popularity came to the attention of Martin Clarke, who operated Perth's only record label in the 1960's, Clarion. The Valentines signed to Clarion in March 1967 and released their first single in May. The single was a good indication of where their early influences lay - the A-side was a cover of Arthur Alexander's "Every Day I Have To Cry", and backed by a cover of "I Can't Dance With You", an early track by British mod icons The Small Faces. It was a strong beginning, selling well locally and peaking at #5 on the Perth charts.

The second single was a Beatlesque Vanda and Young composition, "She Said", released in August '67. It didn't do quite as well but still made the lower reaches of the Perth Top 40. The song came their way because The Valentines had become friends with The Easybeats, whom they supported when they toured Western Australia. Vanda and Young went on to write two more singles especially for them.

Bruce Abbott (drums) early 1968
Paddy Beach (drums) May 1969-Aug 1970
John Cooksey (bass) 1968
Warrick Findlay (drums) 1966-July 1968
Doug Lavery (drums) July 1968-69
John Lockery (bass) 1966-68
Vince Lovegrove (vocals)
Wyn Milson (lead guitar)
Bon Scott (vocals)
Ted Ward (Ted Junko) (rhythm guitar)

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The Avengers..60's Psychedelic Pop Rock from New Zealand

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.

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The Floors..Blues-Rock from Perth...new single release "Built From Bones"

Fans of Perth’s dirty-blues-rock bastards The Floors will be stoked to hear that they can now drop the needle on a new vinyl-only release of an exclusive new single ‘Built From Bones’. The 7” single – a dirgy, threatening, ball-tearer of a song ‘Built From Bones’ again showcases Luke Dux’s ferocious howl and dangerous whisper, backed by ominous backing vocals and the mighty rhythm section of Ryan Dux [bass] and Ash Doodkorte [drums.]

Listen to the track here;  https://soundcloud.com/heapsawill/the-floors-built-from-bones

The Dux brothers - who play not only with The Floors but also with Kill Devil Hills, Timothy Nelson And The Infidels and Will Stoker And The Embers – took home West Australian Music Industry Awards (WAMI) for Best Guitarist and Best Bassist respectively, in both 2009 and 2010, all based on the strength of live performance. Together with Ash, as ‘Built From Bones’ clearly promises, The Floors are “here to build, destroy and fuck.”

The single’s B-side ‘Pick Up Your Bones’ - a jam from The Floors 2012 debut record Dead Beat – makes the morbid most of the tour theme, with a divinely filthy blues riff straight from the Delta, deep-belly drum’n’ bass bedrock and an assertion from a maniacal Dux that he ‘don’t need ya no more’. Warning bell, cue sirens.

The Floors rank among the best live performers Perth has produced in a decade. Having cemented their place as song-writers with their cracking debut album, Dead Beat, the trio have produced a sound so smoke-inducing The Music called them “near flawless” surely a reference to the sheer blackness of their blues. But it is not just this sonic bombardment that gives The Floors their power. For all of the volume and fuzz, The Floors are merely amplifying the original and most primal spirit of the blues. Something akin to the heart of a classic Delta bluesman residing in an electrified world where amplifiers go to 11.

Interview with The Floors here: http://killyourscene.info/the-floors-interview/