Down Under Nuggets - Original Australian Artyfacts 1965-1967..Various Artists

Down Under Nuggets is a collection of 29 gems from the heyday of Aussie sixties music. From garage to punk, surf, mod, beat, psychedelic and just plain groovy! Many well known artists like The Easybeats, The Atlantics, Bobby and Laurie, Bee Gees, Wild Cherries, Cherokees, The Loved Ones, Purple Hearts, Missing Links, MPD LTD plus a few more lesser known for you to discover. I'm not going to say much more about this release so I'll let the track listing do the talking. Enjoy!

The Master's Apprentices– Buried And Dead 2:39

The Elois– By My Side 2:15

The Black Diamonds– I Want, Need, Love You 3:00

The Atlantics– Come On 2:54

The Purple Hearts– Early In The Morning 2:08

The Missing Links– Wild About You 2:36

The Creatures – Ugly Thing 3:18

The Lost Souls– This Life Of Mine 2:41

The Moods – Rum Drunk 2:19

Derek's Accent– Ain't Got No Feeling 2:14

The Bee Gees*– Like Nobody Else 2:35

Barrington Davis– Raining Teardrops 2:29

The D-Coys– Bad Times 2:54

The In-Sect – Let This Be A Lesson 2:42

Steve & The Board*– I Want 2:37

Toni McCann– No 1:49

Peter & The Silhouettes– Claudette Jones 2:04

The 5*– There's Time 2:18

Bobby & Laurie*– No Next Time 2:25

MPD Ltd*– I Am What I Am 2:25

The Cherokees – I've Gone Wild 2:41

The Loved Ones – The Loved One 2:51

Phil Jones & The Unknown Blues*– If I Had A Ticket 2:39

The Throb – Black 3:11

The Blue Beats – She's Comin' Home 2:24

The Easybeats– Sorry 2:35

Bobby James Syndicate*– Hey Hey Hey 2:31

The Wild Cherries– Krome Plated Yabby 2:58

The Sunsets – The Hot Generation (Soundtrack Version) 5:29

Down Under Nuggets

The Charade...lost gem of an album from Australian vocal group from the late 1960's

A regular reader and contributor of this blog was kind enough to share this rare gem of an album, and it's been sitting on my hard drive for some time, almost forgotten. Unfortunately, I don't have much information on the group themselves, but if anyone out there knows any other details I would be more than appreciative.

The Charade released this one album on EMI back in 1969. They were a vocal group consisting of the following personnel: DAVID COOPER gtr vcls, BRIAN O'TOOLE gtr vcls, SIOBHAN SHEPPARD vcls. The album was produced by Gus McNeil, and arranged by The Charades and Gus McNeil. It was engineered by David Woodley-Page and John Taylor.

Several of the tracks on the album were written by Paul Williams/Roger Nichols, 3 of which were from Paul Williams' early band The Holy Mackerel. There are also covers of "Cinderella Rockefella", "Classical Gas", "Windy" and Gene Clarke's "Train Leaves Here This Morning". The vocals and instrumentation of the group are nothing short of superb, and the production of the album is as good as anything similar from the era. 

Their sound is akin to the likes of The Seekers, Peter, Paul and Mary and The Mamas and The Papas. 

1.BITTER HONEY
2.THE LADY IS WAITING
3.CINDERELLA ROCKFELLA
4.L.A.BREAKDOWN
5.TO PUT UP WITH YOU
6.WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE
7.CLASSICAL GAS
8.PEACE OF MIND
9.TRAIN LEAVES HERE THIS MORNING
10.HAND-ME-DOWN MAN
11.CYCLES
12.WINDY
13.OUT ON THE SIDE
14.LOVE SO FINE
15.SONG TO RAYMONDO
16.TAKIN' LIFE EASY

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There is also a podcast link from Southern FM which tells the Charade story as told by Charade member David Cooper.

This first video on YouTube is them performing "Keep the Customer Satisfied" on Australian Bandstand. The line-up is noted as Linda Keene, Brian O'Toole and David Cooper.

This second video is "Hand-Me-Down Man" from the album

There are several other videos on YouTube including their covers of "Melting Pot", "California Soul" and "Carpet Man". Just search on "The Charade Live on Bandstand".

There are also several clips of Linda Keene and Brain O'Toole performing at the memorial concert for Greg Quill.

Peculiar Hole In the Sky..various artists..top notch Oz 60's psych, freakbeat and pop...many rare tracks

Another classic compilation of rare and classic musical gems from the 60's. You will recognise some names here like Normie Rowe, The Valentines, Jeff St John, The Wild Cherries and The Cam-Pact, but there are many you may not have heard of. A collection of psychedelic pop that will certainly take you back.

1. Peculiar Hole In The Sky - The Valentines
2. Imagine This - The Iguana
3. Still I Can Go On - The James Taylor Move
4. I Can't Help Thinking Of You - The Bucket
5. Going Home - Normie Rowe
6. House Of Bamboo - Peter Wright
7. Gained For A Fall - 1863 Establishment
8. Emily On Sunday - Clapham Junction
9. Unforgotten Dreams - King Fox
10. Long Live Sivinanda - Inside Looking Out
11. Girl In The Garden - Hugo
12. Moving In A Circle - The Executives
13. Eastern Dream - Jeff St. John & The Id
14. Zoom Zoom Zoom - The Cam-Pact
15. King Of The Mountain - The Proclamation
16. Upstairs, Downstairs - Jon
17. Krome Plated Yabby - The Wild Cherries
18. Magic Eyes - The James Taylor Move
19. Brass Bird - Lloyd's World
20. Walking & Talking - R Black & The Rockin' V's
21. Mr Guy Fawkes - The Dave Miller Set
22. Picture Of A Girl - 1863 Establishment
23. Sitting By A Tree - The Escorts
24. Morning Sun - Inside Looking Out
25. Drawing Room - The Cam-Pact
26. Hey! Watch Out - Hugo
27. Tell Me Love - Marty Rhone

Peculiar Hole In the Sky

Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs...Don't You Dig This Kind of Beat..2 albums from 1965 and 1966

This is a double treat for fans of the original Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs. These 2 albums were released at the height of their popularity in the mid 1960's. They show why they became so big, so fast. The tracks on these albums were a combination of beat, pop, rock 'n'roll and rhythm'n'blues, which highlight the versatility and talent within the group. 

They covered numbers from the likes of The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Ray Charles and capitalised on the beat boom from Great Britain. Listening to these again after nearly 50 years of their original release, you can see what the excitement was all about.

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See also 2 other previous posts from this blog on The Aztecs:
http://theaussiemusicblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/billy-thorpe-and-aztecs-1964-75its-all.html
http://theaussiemusicblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/billy-thorpe-and-aztecsmore-arse-than.html

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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Raven Records Sixties Downunder Series Volumes 1 to 4...Essential Collections for Aussie Music Fans

These collections from Raven Records have been posted on this blog previously and I wanted to bring them back again to reiterate what a classic collection of tracks they feature and also for anyone who may not have seen the original posts. They are essential for any serious Australian music aficionado. Here they are again:

volume one

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volume 2

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volume 3

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volume 4

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The Strangers..1961-1973...A Band With A History That Connects With the Who's Who of Australian Music

The Strangers were a Melbourne based Australian band that existed from 1961 to 1975. The band started out playing instrumental songs in a style similar to The Shadows with influences from Cliff Richard. The original lineup included Peter Robinson (bass), Graeme ('Garth') Thompson (drums), Laurie Arthur (lead guitar) and Fred Weiland (rhythm guitar). Robinson had previously played with The Thunderbirds, and went on to replace Athol Guy in The Seekers from the late 70s.

In 1966 The Strangers became the resident backing band on the Melbourne based teenage television pop show The Go!! Show in which they appeared each week from 1964 to 1967. After The Go!! Show ended, they became the resident vocal group on HSV-7's Sunnyside Up program. In all, the band appeared on television at least once a week for nine years straight.

At the end of 1962 they signed with Ron Tudor's W&G Records after working as studio band for artists including The Seekers, Frankie Davidson, and Johnny Chester. In 1964 they supported Colin Cook and released an LP called Colin Cook and the Strangers. Charting songs in the Stranger's own name included their first single Cry of the Wild Goose (an instrumental by Terry Gilkyson) / Leavin' Town which was released in January 1963 and reached number 12 on the Melbourne charts. This was followed by three original instrumentals in Torlido / The Outcast and Undertow, which were released in 1963, and two of which reached the Top 40. Other singles included Happy Without You (Kenny Laguna, Shelley Pinz. 1968), Melanie Makes Me Smile (Tony Macaulay, Barry Mason. 1970), Looking Through the Eyes of a Beautiful Girl (1970), If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody (Rudy Clark, 1965) and Western Union (Mike Rabon, Norman Ezell, John Durrill. 1967).

During the mid-1960's, the band changed labels from W&G Records to Go Records and then to Philips and finally in 1970 onto Fable.Arthur left the band in early 1964, and was replaced on lead guitar by John Farrar who later married Pat Carroll. Carroll and Olivia Newton-John appeared on The Go!! Show as singers. Farrar later joined British post-Shadows group Marvin, Welch & Farrar and then the re-formed Shadows.

Also in 1964, the band supported Roy Orbison and Paul and Paula on an Australian tour which featured The Surfaris and The Beach Boys. These support gigs influenced some early vocal recordings in Poppa Oom Mow Mow, Sunday Kind of Love, If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody and later In My Room, a Beach Boys ballad. They had two singer guitarists around 1968, Bill Pyman and Johnny Cosgrove, before Terry Walker joined. In February 1967 Terry Walker replaced Fred Weiland, who left to join The Mixtures. During 1969 Melanie Makes Me Smile made #16 in Sydney, #9 in Melbourne and #7 in Brisbane.

Throughout the band's 14 years, The Strangers underwent numerous membership changes and provided backing for many local and overseas acts. These included: Johnny Farnham, Russell Morris, Johnny Young, Neil Sedaka, Johnny O'Keefe, The Seekers, Merv Benton, Ted Mulry, Lynne Randell, Ross D. Wylie, Yvonne Barrett, Grantley Dee, Pat Carroll, Little Gulliver, Barry Crocker, Buddy England, Ronnie Burns, Town Criers, Masters Apprentices, Axiom, Hans Poulsen and Lionel Rose.

The Strangers set an exceptional standard for live sound, using the best and 'cleanest' equipment they could procure: German Dynacord microphones and public address systems, multiple guitar effects units, an exponential horn for the bass guitar, and carefully selected and matching guitars (e.g. Rickenbacker 6 and 12 string, Maton El Toro) and amplifiers.

Farrar, who married Pat Carroll and moved to USA, wrote a number of hits including 'Hopelessly devoted to you' sung by Olivia Newton-John.

This 2-CD, 50 track compilation contains all their hits plus covers of many other popular songs of their time. 

The Strangers One

The Strangers Two

The Groop..The Best and the Rest..1965 to 1969...A Band Made in Two Phases

The Groop, Mark I, 1964-66 
Peter Bruce (guitar) 
Peter McKeddie (vocals) 
Max Ross (bass) 
Richard Wright (drums, vocals) 

One of many "two-phase" groups that featured in the Aussie rock scene of the 60s, the first incarnation of The Groop emerged from Melbourne's thriving performing circuit in 1966, with a unique sound which hinged around a mixed repertoire of soul classics, big beat numbers and whimsical originals from all four members.

The Groop originated as The Wesley Three, a folk trio formed by school friends from Melbourne's exclusive Wesley College, Peter McKeddie, Max Ross and Richard Wright.The Wesley Three signed with CBS Australia label in 1964 and released a single, an EP and an album. The Wesley Three evolved into The Groop in 1965 with the addition of English-born guitarist Peter Bruce, who was recruited through a 'musicians wanted' ad in a music shop window. 

The Groop drew on a range of diverse musical influences including jug-band and Cab Calloway-style "jump" music, as well as zany vaudeville/cabaret material. After signing to CBS in 1965 they released their first two singles, "Ol' Hound Dog" and the double-entendre laden "The Best In Africa". Although considered by some as frivolous novelty records, they proved very popular both with radio programmers and the buying public, and both made the Top 20 in Melbourne. Their self-titled debut album (CBS 1965) featured several witty originals, together with covers of staples like Them's "Gloria"; it sold in respectable numbers, particularly in their hometown, where they were feted as a top-drawer live attraction, strongly supported by regular airplay on Melbourne radio stations 3UZ and 3AK, TV appearances and consistently favourable and prominent coverage from the fledgling Go-Set magazine. 

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The Groop Mark II, 1966-69 

Brian Cadd (aka Brian Caine) (keyboards, vocals) 

Ronnie Charles (vocals) 

Don Mudie (guitar) (Oct. 68 - May 69) 

Max Ross (bass) ( - Oct. '68) 

Richard Wright (drums, vocals)

The new lineup made its recording debut in late '66 with a storming rendition of Solomon Burke's "Sorry" (b/w Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love"), scoring a national Top 10 hit. Both live and on record, Ronnie Charles' gritty, soulful voice was the undoubted focus (not to mention his dark, sultry looks that appealed to a growing contingent of young lady followers) but the new Groop proved to be an extremely tight, musically dextrous and creative pop band, each of whose members contributed to the songwriting.

In May 1967 saw the release of the soul-inflected, reverb-drenched "Woman You're Breaking Me" (b/w "Mad Over You", which was written by, and heavily featured drummer Richard Wright, with organist Brian Cadd. This was a major hit -- #6 in Melbourne, #12 in Sydney -- and even charting in some key American centres when it was put out by Columbia Records there. The single was followed by an album of the same name. It was a strong collection of originals and well-chosen covers that were mostly drawn from the band's current popular performing repertoire. It's also notable as one of the first Australian pop LPs to be recorded in stereo.

The peak of The Groop's career came in July, when they took out the grand prize in the Hoadleys' Battle of the Sounds, competition, ahead of other worthy finalists like The Questions, James Taylor Move and Gus & the Nomads. After their tenth single, a fine soul-inflected groover called "You Gotta Live Love" / "Sally's Mine", was ignored, The Groop abruptly broke up mid-year. In late 1969, Don Mudie and Brian Cadd teamed with former Twilight Glenn Shorrock to create one of Australia's first supergroups, Axiom, who achieved considerable success with a batch of strong singles and two superb LPs.

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Australian Pop of the 60s: Shakin' All Over..40 track collection

Being the Australia Day long weekend, what better than to share some pop classics from the sixties. This 40 track collection is perfect for your next barbecue or beach party.

Disc 1:
Shakin' All Over - Normie Rowe
The Dancer - The Allusions
My Aim Is To Please You - Executives
Minnie The Moocher - The Cherokees
Relax Me - The Groove
Fool Fool Fool - Ray Brown & Whispers
My Prayer - Digger Revell
Ciao Baby - Lynne Randell
La La - Flying Circus
The Fortune Teller - The Throb
No No No No - Marty Rhone
Georgy Girl - The Seekers
The Girl That I Love - Russell Morris
Rockin' Robin - The Henchmen
One In A Million - Bev Harrell
Sick And Tired - Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs
Somebody To Love - Jon Blanchfield
Without You - Doug Parkinson
The Star - Ross D Wyllie
My Old Man's A Groovy Old Man - The Valentines

Disc 2:
Sorry - THe Easybeats
Velvet Waters - Tony Worsley & The Fabulous Blue Jays
Western Union Man - Max Merritt & The Meteors
Step Back - Johnny Young and Kompany
Baby It's You - Jeff Phillips
I Would If I Could - Marcie & The Cookies
Young Girl - The Twilights
Woman You're Breaking Me - The Groop
Little Boy Sad - MPD LTD
Alberta - Bryan Davies
Spicks And Specks - Bee Gees
Elevator Driver - Masters Apprentices
I Don't Want To Love You - Johnny Farnham
Hitch Hiker - Bobby & Laurie
The Loved One - The Loved Ones
1 X 2 X 3 X 4 - The Zoot
Love Me Again - Town Criers
Happy Without You - The Strangers
Pushing A Good Thing Too Far - Little Pattie
Big Time Operator - The ID/Jeff St John

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The summer of surf music 50 years later...article from National Film and Sound Archive

If you're into surfing music from the 60's, this article from the National Film and Sound Archive site is essential reading. 

                  

The summer of 1963-64, 50 years ago, was the summer of surf music in Australia. Sixteen Australian recordings with a surfing theme hit the charts, with The Atlantics’ 'Bombora’ and 'Hangin’ Five’ by the Delltones reaching No. 1 on the Sydney charts between August 1963 and April 1964. Another Atlantics instrumental, 'The Crusher’, and Little Pattie’s 'He’s My Blond Headed Stompie Wompie Real Gone Surfer Boy’ got to No. 2 while the other 12 made it into the Top 40 for at least a week or two. The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, The Surfaris and other American musicians joined them in the charts, but Australian surf music captured the public’s imagination in equal measure...read more here

Aussie Gems and Rarebits...various artists...52 tracks..B-Sides, Little Known Songs and Artists

There are 52 sensational tracks here from the 60s and early 70s. As the cover says: "Little known songs, hard to find B-sides and bands you may not have heard of". From Beat, Garage, Surf, Instrumental, Pop, Rock and everything in between. The download comes with all artwork too.

I've played it through a few times and just about every track is good if not great. Some artists you may know (or at least I do) are The Strangers, Python Lee Jackson, The Rondells, The Cherokees, Ian Turpie, Johnny Young, Marcie and The Cookies and Patsy Ann Noble. It will take you back to those TV shows of the 60s like Go! and Kommotion and have you groovin', stompin', rockin' and whatever other dance you care to remember!

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Ooh Poo Pah Doo (Parts 1 and 2) by Johnny O'Keefe

This song was made famous by Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs at Sunbury'72. Johnny O'Keefe recorded it before Thorpie in 1967. I've always loved Thorpie's version, but JO'K's version is worth a listen and, in my opinion, a real rocker!

Ooh Poo Pah Doo (Parts 1 and 2) was originally released in 1967 on the Leedon label (LK-1653). It was written by Jessie Hill, an American R&B and Louisiana blues singer and songwriter. The origins of "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" were apparently created from a tune played by a local pianist, who was known only as Big Four. Hill wrote the lyrics and melody, later expanding the work with an intro taken from Dave Bartholomew. It was further honed on stage, before Hill recorded a demo that he shopped to local record labels, finally recording a session at Cosimo Matassa's studio produced by Allen Toussaint. Upon its early 1960 release, it emerged as a favourite at Mardi Gras, selling 800,000 copies and reaching the Top 5 in the US Billboard R&B chart and a Top 30 slot in the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart.

It has been recorded by many artists including Wilson Pickett, Taj Mahal, Etta James, Ike and Tina Turner, Dr Hook and most famously by Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs. This JO'K version was taken from the 3CD set "Johnny O'Keefe...The Birth of Australian Rock and Roll".

download more Johnny O'Keefe here

..and here is one of Thorpie's versions..(from 1998 with Lobby Lloyde)

Bobby and Laurie...Hitch Hiker

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Dynamic vocal duo Bobby and Laurie was one of the leading acts in the first wave of Australian 'beat pop' 1964-67. They cut a series of fine recordings which rank alongside those of Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs, Ray Brown & The Whispers, The Easybeats, Normie Rowe and MPD Ltd as milestones of Australian pop in the mid-60s.

Although perhaps not as well remembered today as some of their contemporaries, they were one of the most popular and successful acts of their day, and deserve a lot more recognition for their contributions. Bobby, Laurie and the members of their regular backing band, The Rondells, were all important figures in the development of the Melbourne rock scene, and their History is also a great illustration of the intricate (and sometimes confusing) interconnections between the many groups of the '60s and '70s.

This album "Hitch Hiker" was released in 1966 and showcases both their songwriting and vocal abilities. More in a pop format than their earlier beat sound with The Rondells, this had similarities to other vocal duos like The Everly Brothers and Simon and Garfunkel, but still had a uniqueness that identified with their own sound. A good mix of rockers and ballads too.

See also earlier post: I Belong With You

1. No Next Time
2. Jump Back
3. Sweet And Tender Romance
4. Not My Girl
5. Fallin'
6. You'll Come Round
7. Hitch Hiker
8. Tonight When I Come Home
9. Bless You
10. I've Learned
11. Down In The Valley
12. Trouble With A Woman

                                          

The Seekers...A's B's and EP's

Okay, so The Seekers were not exactly rock and roll, but they did dominate the music charts in the mid to late sixties with their infectious folk-pop sound. They appealed to listeners both young and old and were Australia's biggest musical export of the time. The soaring harmonies, the acoustic instrumentation and Judith Durham's angelic voice combined to produce a sound that was impossible to ignore.

They originally formed in Melbourne in 1962 and were the first Australian pop music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the United States. They were popular during the 1960s with their best-known configuration as: Judith Durham on vocals, piano and tambourine; Athol Guy on double bass and vocals; Keith Potger on twelve-string guitar, banjo and vocals; and Bruce Woodley on guitar, mandolin, banjo and vocals.
The group had Top 10 hits in the 1960s with "I'll Never Find Another You", "A World of Our Own", "Morningtown Ride", "Someday, One Day", "Georgy Girl" (the title song of the film of the same name), and "The Carnival Is Over" (their rendition of a Russian folk song which the Seekers have sung at various closing ceremonies in Australia, including World Expo 88 and the Paralympics, and is still in the top 50 best-selling singles in the UK). Australian music historian Ian McFarlane described their style as "concentrated on a bright, uptempo sound, although they were too pop to be considered strictly folk and too folk to be rock."

In 1968, they were named as joint Australians of the Year – the only group thus honoured. In July of that year, Durham left to pursue a solo career and the group disbanded. The band has reformed periodically, and in 1995 they were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. "I'll Never Find Another You" was added to the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia's Sounds of Australia registry in 2011. Woodley's and Dobe Newton's song "I Am Australian", which was recorded by the Seekers, and by Durham with Russell Hitchcock and Mandawuy Yunupingu, has become an unofficial Australian anthem. As from 2004, the Seekers have sold over fifty million records.

This 24 track compilation of their hits, including B sides, is one of the better collections of their output and is presented in glorious MONO!

                                       

The Twilights..first album from 1966...featuring Glenn Shorrock and Terry Britten

The Twilights were a rock-pop  group of the mid to late 1960s. Alongside their own career successes, The Twilights are also notable for the inclusion of vocalist Glenn Shorrock, who later fronted Axiom, Esperanto and Little River Band, and guitarist Terry Britten who went on to become an internationally successful songwriter and producer and pen major hits for artists such as Cliff Richard and Tina Turner.

Alongside The Easybeats and The Masters Apprentices, The Twilights are widely considered to be one of the most significant Australian rock groups of the 1960s. Highly popular with teenage audiences, they were renowned for their musical excellence and live prowess, as well as their on-stage humour, and they were held in high respect by fellow musicians. The group is also notable as one of the few major Australian rock bands of the period to retain the same personnel for virtually all of its career. Like most of their contemporaries, they began as a cover band, playing accomplished renditions of hits by popular overseas bands of the era such as The Beatles, The Who and The Small Faces, and their early hits in Australia were all cover versions. The Twilights were noted for being on top of current musical trends, and their early repertoire was regularly updated with the latest British and American rock hits, which were regularly sent to them on record and tape by family and friends in the UK. Later in their career guitarist Terry Britten began to write original material but the group did not last long enough for this to have a significant impact on their career.

This album is the first of only two studio albums they released in their time and has now become a collectors' item. They do some covers on the album including "Diddy Wa Daddy", "Satisfaction" and "You've Got Soul". Their biggest hit "Needle In A Haystack" is also a cover and was originally recorded by a Motown group "The Velvelettes".

I remember my sister having the LP but I didn't take much notice of it at the time. Now I'm sorry I didn't grab it!

1. Sorry She's Mine
2. La La La Lies
3. It's Dark
4. Diddy Wa Diddy
5. Long Life
6. Needle in a Haystack
7. You've Got Soul 
8. Yes I Will
9. I'm Not Talking
10. Let Me Go
11. Lucky Man
12. Satisfaction

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Johnny O'Keefe - Rocker.Legend.Wild One...new book release by Jeff Apter

JOHNNY O’KEEFE: Rocker. Legend. Wild One. by Jeff Apter 

The colourful, warts and all biography of the Australian musical icon.

Johnny O’Keefe was a human dynamo, a rock ‘n’ roll powerhouse whose influence still looms large on the Australia musical landscape. He was brilliantly talented, but possessed a self-destructive streak, and suffered as many breakdowns as he did breakthroughs. Yet he played a huge role in establishing the Australian entertainment industry as we know it today.

O’Keefe may have been short in stature, but he was big on ego. ‘You can boo me and you can make fun of me,’ he once told a hostile audience, ‘but you all paid your money to see me because you love me.’ He was the ultimate performer, and thrived on being on stage, giving the music, and the fans, everything he had. O’Keefe died way too young, from a heart attack, at the age of 43, leaving behind a legacy of timeless hits, including ‘She Wears My Ring’, ‘She’s My Baby’ and ‘Shout’. He recorded 33 Top 40 hits during his lifetime.

Written with the active cooperation of the O’Keefe family and the JO’K Trust, Jeff Apter tells the colourful and evocative story of the life and times of one of Australia’s best ever performers. 

•         The definitive story of Australia’s first king of rock ‘n’ roll, a man simply known as JO’K.

•         The writer had the full support of the JO’K Trust and the O’Keefe family.

•         Colourful and nostalgic evocation of the life and times of an icon.

•         Perfect for Father’s Day promotions!

•         Did you know there is a Johnny O’Keefe statue in Coolangatta? Also that Andrew ‘Deal or No        Deal’ O’Keefe is Johnny’s nephew?

Jeff Apter is a freelance journalist and author (and co-author) of a number of books, including A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME (with Kasey Chambers) and SHIRL: THE LIFE OF GRAEME ‘SHIRLY’ STRACHAN.

 For any further information or to arrange an interview/extract please contact Jaki Arthur at Hachette publicity on jaki.arthur@hachette.com.au or 02-8248 0864

Division:    ORION

Imprint:     Hachette Australia

Pub. Date : 30 July 2013

ISBN:        9780733629341

Price:         $35.00 

Format:     Paperback - C Format

Extent:      352 pages

Tuesday 6 August

6 – 7pm                CONFIRMED EVENT: An evening with Jeff Apter

National Biography Week

Host of event: State Library NSW - Tuesdays at the Library program

Venue: State Library NSW

Venue name and address: State Library NSW

Venue capacity: 70

Ticket price: free

Event organiser: Samantha Hagan (9273 1766)