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.

https://youtu.be/VQ1VRO30F30

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.

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Country singer-songwriter Hayley Marsten debut album release Spectacular Heartbreak

Singer-songwriter Hayley Marsten recently released her debut album Spectacular Heartbreak. It comes off the back of ever-increasing exposure and popularity as singles off the album, including ‘Wendy’ and ‘Red Wine, White Dress’, strike a chord with listeners across the country.  Marsten has found herself reaching an unprecedented audience and connecting with people through her sometimes sassy, always heartfelt personality. 

Speaking about Spectacular Heartbreak, Marsten says it’s ‘as dramatic as it sounds. I had two really clear visions coming in: I only wanted to work with people I was friends with so I could be as honest and exposed as possible, and I wanted the album to sound like my personality: big, and a little dramatic, but still fun with a bit of risk. I think those visions were realised.’

 From ‘Wendy’, a tribute to the strength and guidance of Marsten’s mother, to ‘Pretty’, which takes aim at the expectations of aesthetic beauty, Spectacular Heartbreak takes listeners on a journey that’s both universal and incredibly personal. “It was tragic, confusing, it was more than I could take,” sings Marsten on the title track and it’s the perfect way to describe the album itself: tragic, confusing, magic and moving. The biggest gut punch comes last with ‘Time I Have’, which finds Marsten addressing her priorities after playing at a friend’s wake after their unexpected death.

The album was recorded with ARIA Award and Golden Guitar winning producer Matt Fell at Love HZ Studio in Sydney in what’s been an ongoing and successful professional relationship. ‘He really flipped for my vision of the album,’ says Marsten, ‘and totally ran with my ideas.’ Those ideas included bringing strings into the studio and letting Arna Georgia, her friend and fellow country musician, whistle on one of the tracks.

https://youtu.be/3GNigehWDUg

 ‘I think that at first glance you could probably write this as just another break-up album,’ says Marsten, ‘but it’s much more than that. With a name like Spectacular Heartbreak you’d be correct in assuming I’ve run into a few heartbreaks over the past two years, but I don’t hear sadness or defeat in this record. It’s about strength and acceptance, about standing up for what you believe is right and living like you don’t how much time you have. I think it’s the perfect representation of me as a young woman finding her place in the world and trying to find the spectacular in the heartbreak.’


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Queensland singer/songwriter Robert Cini new single ‘Different Road’ from debut album "Imaginary Fun"

Award-winning Singer/Songwriter from Far North Queensland Robert Cini announces his new single ‘Different Road’ off the soon-to-be-released debut album "Imaginary Fun".

The sunny Jack Johnson like island vibes captivate a listener into a toe-tapping free-fall of melodic bliss. This is in part contrast to the weighty-personal inspiration behind the infectious tune, stemming from Robert’s struggles with feeling ‘Different’ to those around him due to his vision impairment, something he’s had since birth. The lyrical content is however made fun, light and widely accessible.

Robert says “Different Road” is both a very personal and relatable song”.  “Anyone that feels a little different and out of place, or has life a bit tougher than normal, I think will relate to this song”.

Marty's review: this instantly infectious song from Robert Cini has an upbeat and positive vibe about it that will draw listeners in and create a spark in the brain. With an island/reggae feel to it, the production is crisp and bright and Robert's songwriting skills are fresh and focused. There is certainly something in that far-north Queensland air!

https://youtu.be/g4J-Febachg

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Hunters & Collectors first 2 albums H&C (1981) and Fireman's Curse (1983)

Hunters & Collectors formed in 1981. Fronted by founding mainstay, singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Seymour, they developed a blend of pub rock and art-funk. Other mainstays are John Archer on bass guitar, Doug Falconer on drums and percussion. Soon after forming they were joined by Jack Howard on trumpet and keyboards, Jeremy Smith on French horn, guitars and keyboards, and Michael Waters on trombone and keyboards. Also acknowledged as a founder was engineer and art designer Robert Miles. Joining in 1988, Barry Palmer, on lead guitar, remained until they disbanded in 1998. The group reformed in 2013 with the 1998 line-up.

Originally, Hunters & Collectors were influenced by Krautrock and productions of Conny Plank, featuring strong percussive influences, noisy guitar, and driving bass lines. Their sound was in the vein of the Talking Heads album, Remain in Light (1980). Hunters & Collectors utilised Plank to produce two of their early albums, The Fireman's Curse (1983) and The Jaws of Life (1984), but neither charted into the Top 50 of the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. 

Their first Top 10 album, Human Frailty (1986), also featured their logo, a H & C symbol, where the "&" consists of twin snakes entwined around a hunting knife, a variation of a caduceus. Later Top 10 studio albums were Ghost Nation (1989), Cut (1992), and Demon Flower (1994). Their hit singles were "Talking to a Stranger" (1982), "Throw Your Arms Around Me" (1984), "Say Goodbye" (1986), "When the River Runs Dry" (1989), "True Tears of Joy" (1992), and "Holy Grail" (1993). They became one of the best live acts in Australia and according to musicologist, Ian McFarlane, their "great achievement was to lay bare human emotions in the intensely ritualistic milieu of the pub-rock gig".

                                                        

Divinyls...Desperate..1983 debut album

Divinyls formed in Sydney in 1980. The band primarily consisted of vocalist Chrissy Amphlett and guitarist Mark McEntee. Amphlett garnered widespread attention for performing on stage in a school uniform and fishnet stockings, and often used an illuminated neon tube as a prop for displaying aggression towards both band members and the audience. Originally a five-piece, the band underwent numerous line-up changes, with Amphlett and McEntee remaining as core members, before its dissolution in 1996.

Amphlett was the cousin of 1960's Australian pop icon Patricia "Little Pattie" Amphlett, who had been married to Keith Jacobsen—younger brother of pioneer rocker Col Joye and leading promoter Kevin Jacobsen. In her autobiography Pleasure and Pain (2005), Amphlett described breaking into the music scene from the age of fourteen, being arrested for busking when seventeen and travelling in Spain, and how her performances drew upon childhood pain.

At the start of their popularity, Divinyls were considered to be a hard rock band. At some point many fans referred to Amphlett as the female Angus Young, as both had similar mannerisms on stage and wore black and white school uniforms while performing in the early 1980's. The band's image gradually changed after the release of the What A Life! album when the band began wearing elaborate clothing and producing more songs in the pop music genre. By the time of the release of their Temperamental album, the Divinyls' image had changed to a glamour fashion style where they produced modern pop music.

In May 2001, the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Science Fiction" as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time. The band was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 2006 and in late 2007 Amphlett and McEntee reconvened to record a new single and begin working on a new album. The band played a short series of live gigs in Australia in late 2007 and early 2008.

Divinyls released five studio albums—four placed in the Top 10 Australian chart, while one (Divinyls) reached No. 15 in the United States (US) and No.33 for 3 weeks in Canada. Their biggest-selling single "I Touch Myself" (1990) achieved a No. 1 ranking in Australia, No. 4 in the US, No. 10 in the United Kingdom (UK), and No. 13 in Canada.

"Desperate", released in 1983, contained the hits "Boys in Town", "Only Lonely", "Science Fiction" and a cover of The Easybeats' "Make U Happy".

Aged 53 years, Amphlett died on 21 April 2013 at her home in New York City, USA, after a protracted battle with breast cancer. Amphlett had been unable to receive radiation or chemotherapy treatment for the cancer because she concurrently suffered from multiple sclerosis.

See also Chrissy Amphlett tribute post on this blog.

                                                              

Midnight Oil....Midnight Oil (1978) and Head Injuries (1979)

Midnight Oil (also known informally as "The Oils" to fans) originally performed as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie. While vocalist Peter Garrett was studying at Australian National University in Canberra, he answered an advertisement for a spot in Farm,and by 1975 the band was touring the east coast. By late 1976, Garrett moved to Sydney to complete his law degree,and Farm changed its name to Midnight Oil by drawing the name out of a hat.

Important to their development was manager Gary Morris who was able to negotiate favorable contracts with tour promoters and record companies and frustrate rock journalists. Guitarist Martin Rotsey joined in 1977 and Midnight Oil, with Morris, established their own record label Powderworks, which released their debut eponymous album in November 1978, and their first single "Run by Night" followed in December. Founding bass guitarist James, forced to leave due to illness in 1980, was replaced by Peter Gifford. Gifford was himself replaced by Bones Hillman in 1987.Through a long and distinguished career, the band became known for its driving hard-rock sound, intense live performances and political activism, particularly in aid of anti-nuclear, environmentalist and indigenous causes.

                                                      

INXS.....INXS (1980) and Underneath the Colours (1981)...origins of a legendary band

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INXS formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney.They began playing covers in Western Australian pubs and clubs, occasionally playing some of their original music. Mainstays were main composer and keyboardist Andrew Farriss, drummer Jon Farriss, guitarists Tim Farriss and Kirk Pengilly, bassist Garry Gary Beers and main lyricist and vocalist Michael Hutchence. For twenty years, INXS was fronted by Hutchence, whose "sultry good looks" and magnetic stage presence made him the focal point of the band. Initially known for their new wave/pop style, the band later developed a harder pub rock style that included funk and dance elements.

The origins of the band began with Andrew Farriss convincing his fellow Davidson High School classmate, Michael Hutchence, to join his band, Doctor Dolphin. The band contained two other classmates, Kent Kerny and Neil Sanders and a bass player, Garry Beers and Geoff Kennely, from a nearby high school, Forest High School. In 1977, Tim Farriss, Andrew's older brother, invited Andrew, Hutchence and Beers to join him and his schoolmate Kirk Pengilly. Tim and Pengilly had been playing together since 1971 as either an acoustic duo, Kirk and Tim, or as a four-piece band called Guinness (named after their bass player's dog). Together with younger brother Jon Farriss they formed the Farriss Brothers, who consisted of Garry Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar, Geoff Kennelly on drums, Michael Hutchence on lead vocals and Kirk Pengilly on guitar and saxophone.The band made their debut on 16 August 1977 at Whale Beach,40 km north of Sydney.

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Taste...Tickle Your Fancy and Knights of Love...Glam-Hard Rock from 1976/77

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Taste were a glam/hard rock band that formed around 1975. The line-up consisted of Ken Murdoch ( Lead Vocals / Guitar), Joey Amenta (Guitar / Vocals), Michael Tortoni (Bass Guitar) and Virgil Donati (Drums). The boys paid their dues in pubs and "shitholes" until they got their lucky break and released their first album "Tickle Your Fancy" in 1976. They were an instant hit, especially with the younger music fans, and appeared regularly on Countdown and just about every other TV show of the time.

They supported international artists including Queen, on their second Australian tour, Suzi Quatro and The Sweet. They also performed alongside the who's who of Aussie rock including Sherbet, Kevin Borich, TMG, Skyhooks and Hush.

Their songwriting and musicianship were critically acclaimed, and their original 2 albums, "Tickle Your Fancy" and "Knights of Love" have become hard rock classics. Due to some bad management and not so good marketing, Taste never achieved the recognition they deserved, and split around 1977. They reformed in 2007 and released the album "Rock Dead".

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The Boys Next Door...Door, Door...1979 album..the origins of Nick Cave

The Boys Next Door (later changed to The Birthday Party) were an Australian post-punk band, active from 1978 to 1983. Despite limited commercial success their influence has been far-reaching, and they have been called "one of the darkest and most challenging post-punk groups to emerge in the early 80's." The group's "bleak and noisy soundscapes" which drew irreverently on blues, free jazz and rockabilly, provided the setting for vocalist Nick Cave's disturbing tales of violence and perversion. 

The nucleus of the band first met at the private boys school Caulfield Grammar in suburban Melbourne, in the early seventies. A rock group was formed in 1973, with Nick Cave (vocals), Mick Harvey (guitar), and Phill Calvert (drums), with other students John Cocivera, Brett Purcell and Chris Coyne (on guitar, bass and saxophone respectively). The band played under various names at parties and school functions with a mixed repertoire of David Bowie, Lou Reed, Roxy Music, Alice Cooper and the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, among others.

After their final school year in 1975 the band decided to continue as a four-piece group, with friend Tracy Pew picking up the bass. Greatly affected by the punk explosion of 1976, The Boys Next Door, as they were now called, began performing punk and proto-punk cover versions, such as "Blitzkrieg Bop" and "Gloria", and a few original songs. The Boys' second guitarist, Rowland S. Howard, joined in 1978, and about this time, the group's sound changed dramatically. The addition of Howard's guitar was certainly a catalyst. 

The Boys Next Door's best known song, "Shivers", written by Howard, and first performed and recorded by his band The Young Charlatans, was banned by radio stations because of a reference to suicide. Their first album Door, Door was released in 1979.

After recordings and moderate success in Australia (including hundreds of live shows) they headed for London in 1980, changed their name to The Birthday Party and launched into a period of innovative and aggressive music-making.

See also: http://www.punkjourney.com/boys-next-door.php

...and: http://i94bar-dev.info/ints/lethalweapons.html

                                                                      

Stiletto...Licence to Rage...1978 album

Stiletto formed in early 1976 and quickly gained a reputation of being a strong feminist band. At that point, their line-up included singer/songwriter JANIE CONWAY on guitar and vocals and Marney Sheehan on bass. Shortly after Chris Worrall joined the band", Janie left. 

They first appeared on vinyl in July 1977 when they provided the B-side, 'Nights In Parlour', to Red Symon's single "Only A Flipside'. Later in the year, they gained prominence with the release of the Oz Records compilation album, Debutantes, to which they contributed three songs. Their first wholly Stiletto single, 'Bluebirds', written by Andrew, was followed in August '78 by their debut album, 'Licence to Rage' — unfortunately to become their only LP. Two tracks from the album, 'Goodbye Johnny' and 'Woman In A Man's World' were released as a single (Oz label) in the same month.

In November it was announced that one of their songs, 'Women In Trouble', was to be used on a film soundtrack (other tracks by the band had been used previously on movies). This news was accompanied by some not so good tidings — they were dropped by their record company, EMI. Regrettably, this seemed to precipitate their dissolution. Chris Worrall left to join Paul Kelly and the Dots. He was replaced by CHRIS DYSON (ex-High Rise Bombers) and briefly the band seemed to rejuvenate, and even appeared as special guests on Elvis Costello's Melbourne show; but early in 1979 the final decision to split was made.

Line-up: 
ANDREW BELL (guitar); 
JANE CLIFTON (vocals); 
CELESTE HOWDEN (bass, vocals); 
EDDIE VAN ROSENDAAL (drums, vocals); 
CHRIS WORRALL (guitar, vocals). 

(Chris had previously worked with Pelaco Bros, Captain Matchbox and Bleeding Hearts; Eddie, Jane and Andrew with Toads.)

"Half man, half woman! C'est Stiletto, one of Melbourne's few truly underground bands, burrowing upwards toward the light of wider recognition. Stiletto, whilst pretending to a certain cool, are closet flamboyant. Lots of colour and imagery, scrambled genders, and a sort of shivering toughness which has definite appeal. Constant revolving in the club 'n' pub circuit has polished this sharp little gem of a band until crikey they can really rock. There's been the odd line-up casualty, but always the replacements have been well selected, eventually beefing up the band." taken from...Pub Bands - An Ocassional Guide (Article by Jenny Brown, 'Bottom Line' Newspaper - March / April 1978, p12)

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Radio Birdman...Burn My Eye EP plus Radios Appear LP...1977

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Radio Birdman were one of the first Australian punk bands, along with The Saints. They were formed by Deniz Tek and Rob Younger in 1974. The group influenced the work of many successful, mainstream bands, and are now considered one of the most crucial bands to Australia's musical growth, but their main legacy was their towering influence over Australian indie rock in the 1980's.

Deniz Tek and Rob Younger formed Radio Birdman in mid-1974 in Sydney, having recently left their bands 'TV Jones' and 'The Rats' respectively. The pair sought to begin a band that would have no commercial interest and break the norm at the time, so they recruited classical keyboard player Philip 'Pip' Hoyle, drummer Ron Keeley and bassist Carl Rorke . The band took their name from a misheard lyric from the Iggy and The Stooges' song "1970" (the actual lyric is "radio burnin'").

They recorded an EP, Burn My Eye,and their first album, Radios Appear, produced by John L Sayers and Charles Fisher at Trafalgar Studios in Annandale. Trafalgar Studios financed the recordings. Radios Appear was critically acclaimed, getting 5 stars in the Australian Rolling Stone edition. The album owed much of its style to Detroit bands of the late 1960's, such as The MC5 and The Stooges. The title of the album comes from a Blue Öyster Cult song "Dominance and Submission" from their 1974 Secret Treaties album, influences from which can also be seen in Birdman's creative output.

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Sales of this album were initially limited because they were recording using a private label Trafalgar Records. Shortly after initial release, Trafalgar Records leased the recordings to WEA who took on the album and gave it a wider release. When Sire Records president Seymour Stein came to Australia to sign up fellow punk band The Saints, he saw Radio Birdman play and immediately invited them to join his label. Under this new label, Radio Birdman released a new version of Radios Appear featuring a mixture of re-mixed, re-recorded and some new material. Comparisons between the two versions of the album are disputed, with some feeling that the second version is a more accurate reflection of the band's sound. Most fans however own both versions and simply treat them as two separate and different recordings.

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Kush...Presents Snow White and the Eight Straights...1974 album

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Kush was formed in 1971 with Jeff Duff on Vocals, John Santos (aka Montesante) and Colin Chapman on trumpet, Ron Anderson on piano and saxophone, Stephen Ball on keyboards, Tom Cowburn on guitar, harmonica and backing vocals, John Ellis on clarinet, flute and saxophone, Rob Matthews on bass guitar, and Graham McDonald on drums. They released covers of "Peter Gunn", "MacArthur Park" and "Walk on the Wild Side" as well as originals such as "(Livin' on) Easy Street".

Their 1974 album release "Presents Snow White and the Eight Straights" is a fusion of jazz meets progressive rock and showcases Jeff Duff's cabaret style tenor vocals. It is one of those forgotten gems of the 1970's that still sounds good today. Kush were together from 1971 to 1975 and are notable for performing to 45000 people at the 1974 Sunbury Pop Festival. 

Geoff "Jeff" Stephen Duff, or Duffo, has used various personae, wardrobe, and satire as features of his performance. Duff's show 'Ziggy' is a portrayal of the music of David Bowie, whom he met while Bowie was a Sydney resident. Duff is a regular performer on Australian television and continues to headline some of Australia's leading Jazz festivals.

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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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Mental As Anything...Get Wet...1979 debut album

Mental As Anything formed at an art school in Sydney in 1976 as a new wave/pop-rock band. Its most popular line-up (which lasted from 1977-1999) was Martin Plaza (birth name Martin Murphy) on vocals and guitar; Reg Mombassa (birth name Chris O'Doherty) on lead guitar and vocals; his brother Peter "Yoga Dog" O'Doherty on bass guitar and vocals; Wayne "Bird" Delisle (birth name David Twohill) on drums; and Andrew "Greedy" Smith on vocals, keyboards and harmonica.Their original hit songs were generated by Mombassa, O'Doherty, Plaza and Smith, either individually or collectively; they also hit the Australian charts with covers of songs by Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry.

The band's debut album, Get Wet, was released on 1st November 1979. With support from nationwide TV pop show Countdown, "The Nips Are Getting Bigger" became the group's first Australian Kent Music Report top 20 hit, and also made No. 1 on the UK alternative charts when released there by Virgin Records and remains one of the group's most popular songs. Get Wet achieved a top 20 position on the Kent Music Report albums chart.

All of the early members are visual artists and have had combined studio displays, some have had solo studio displays with Mombassa's artwork also used as designs by the Mambo clothing company. The majority of the group's record covers, posters and video clips have been designed and created by themselves or their art school contemporaries. On 27 August 2009, Mental As Anything was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame alongside Kev Carmody, The Dingoes, Little Pattie and John Paul Young.

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Billy T (w/Ross Hannaford)...No Definitions....1977 album...Funk,Soul,Reggae

After the demise of Daddy Cool and Mighty Kong, Ross Hannaford formed Billy T with Joe Creighton in Queensland, and later joined up with Russell Smith (Company Caine) and Mick Holden (The Mixtures), playing a mixture of Reggae, Soul, Funk and Rock in Melbourne. They released 3 singles and their debut LP 'No Definitions'.

As their bass player Joe Creighton recalls on his blog: "..around 1975, I hooked up with Ross Hannaford and we formed Billy T. Billy T was a unique band in that it broke the mold of standard Aussie rock in pubs. With our own brand of blue-eyed soul and reggae we had quite a successful run in the Australian pub circuit. Our tour support with legendary US band 'Little Feat' cemented our profile as the band most likely to do it in '76. Unfortunately Ross and I kept floating off to the US and Europe to play for Maharaj Ji and Billy T suffered the consequences of our absences. The rest of the band basically got jack of it and I can't remember if we got sacked or if we called it quits. But whatever, the band eventually dissolved."

Band Members:
Ross Hannaford (Guitar, Vocals)
Joe Creighton (Bass, Vocals)
Mick Holden (Drums, Vocals)
Geoff Maling (Percussion)
Russell Smith (Guitar, Vocals)
Neal McPherson (Keyboards)

Billy T

Split Enz...Mental Notes...1975 release...underrated progressive rock album

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.

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Ayers Rock...Big Red Rock....1974 album

Ayers Rock were an Australian jazz fusion, progressive rock band which formed in August 1973. Ray Burton (guitar and vocals), Mark Kennedy (drums) and Duncan McGuire (bass), members of Leo de Castro and Friends, left to form the eponymous trio of Burton, McGuire & Kennedy. They added a guitarist, Jimmy Doyle, changed their name to Ayers Rock and invited Col Loughnan (saxophones and flutes) to join. The group signed with independent label Mushroom Records in December 1973. Burton left the following March, and was replaced by Chris Brown (guitar, vocals). With live appearances, coverage in print media and word of mouth the group had a high national profile despite little radio airplay, and journalists praised their musicianship, music and live energy.

The band's first album, Big Red Rock (November 1974), received positive reviews and peaked at number 32 on the Australian Kent Music Report album chart. It featured mainstream rock and three longer, instrumental tracks which introduced progressive styles, including jazz fusion. Label owner Michael Gudinski promoted Ayers Rock in Los Angeles and they signed with A&M Records, the first Mushroom Records artists to sign with an international label. 

The United States release of Big Red Rock in February 1975 was followed by a tour there, later that year. The band played to large crowds, supporting major international artists (including Bachman–Turner Overdrive) before 35,000 people – the first Australian band to perform in large US stadiums. Ayers Rock were named 1975 Musicians of the Year on RAM's "New Year's Honors List".

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