Thursday, April 29, 2010

W.O.C.K on Vinyl - Haven't I Heard That Riff Before?

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Before things get too serious at Rock On Vinyl, I thought it might be fun to post a song at the end of each month, that could be considered to be either Weird, Obscure, Crazy or just plain Korny.....


For this WOCK on vinyl post, I thought I might cover some of the 'Riff Ripoffs' that have occurred in the music industry, which probably makes it a ROCK on Vinyl post after all!
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Firstly, the correct term for Rip Off is of course Plagiarism. Plagiarism is the act of copying someone else's written work and claiming it as your own. While the act can be illegal, as well as unethical, the term plagiarism is not used in law. Legally, it is one form of copyright infringement, so it enters into the arcane world of Intellectual Property law. When a musical composition is plagiarized, it's the copyright on the written musical score or arrangement that is being violated.
While accusations of music usurping show up in the news quite often, less than 100 cases have actually gone through the federal courts in the United States since the 1850s, according to the UCLA Copyright Infringement Project. As a plaintiff, you have to prove the other person copied a "substantial part" of your original work and you need to show a "substantial similarity" between the two works.
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The most widely known case of plagiarism in the music industry is of course "My Sweet Lord", which hit the charts on January 23, 1971 as George Harrison’s first solo single. It was released under the Apple label and enjoyed the number one spot originally for five weeks. It remained on the charts for a total of twenty-seven weeks. All of this is the good news. The not so good news involves a song called “He’s So Fine” recorded by the Chiffons in 1962 and then moved under the Bright Tunes Music Corp label in 1971. The Chiffon’s song did well in the United States and received a luke warm reception in the UK.
On February 10th, 1971, Bright Tunes filed a suit against George Harrison inclusive of his English and American companies. The suite also included Apple Records, BMI and Hansen Publications. Though an out of court settlement was approached, including an offer of $148,000, but it never reached fruition before the court case proceeded, as the attorneys for Bright Tunes Music Corp. wanted seventy-five percent of the royalties and the surrendering of the copyright for My Sweet Lord.
The case waited to be heard for five years, during which time George Harrison’s attorneys continued to try to settle out of court. The case was heard in court for the first time, in February of 1976, George Harrison’s attorneys tried to prove out the difference between the two songs, but with little success. The judge found that though he didn’t believe George Harrison purposefully plagiarized the song, the two songs were essentially the same, only displaying minor differences to note and chord. George Harrison was found guilty of ‘subconscious plagiarism’ and a judgment was filed against him in the amount of $587,000 of which the full amount was paid and the judgment dismissed in 1981.

.Another 'rip off' that is not so well known, is 'Black Knight' (1970) by Deep Purple which sounds very much like 'We Ain't Got Nothing Yet' by The Blues Magoos. I was personally mortified when I learned this fact many years after hearing Black Knight back in the 70's and my respect for Richie Blackmore diminished greatly thereafter. Actually, Wikipedia says: "The riff to Deep Purple's 1970 'Black Night' single was closely based off the riff to Ricky Nelson's 1962 'Summertime' (Deep Purple have said this themselves). In fact, the riff is a popular one to borrow. In 1966/67 the Blue Magoos had 'We Ain't Got Nothing Yet' around the same time that Status Quo had their own version. But the riff seems to stem back to Ricky Nelson's 1962 rock version re-working of the old George Gershwin standard 'Summertime'".
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Also not so well known is the case of Led Zeppelin lifting a riff from 'Taurus' by Spirit for their best-known song, 'Stairway to Heaven'. Spirit went on tour in 1968 with Led Zeppelin, who were their support band at the time and were heavily influenced by Spirit while they toured together. Spirit's guitarist Randy California was reportedly just happy to let Zeppelin use his riff! Led Zeppelin have also been accused of using old blues songs, uncredited as the basis of their own tracks. "Taurus" is from the band's first album in 1968 and Stairway to Heaven was released by Led Zeppelin on their famous 1972 album 'Led Zeppelin IV'.
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Finally, one of the more recent cases of Plagiarism to hit the headlines, are Australian rockers Men At Work who are facing hefty legal bills after a judge ruled they illegally used a popular children's tune in their 1980s hit "Down Under". Bosses at Larrikin music publishers in Sydney filed suit, claiming the flute solo on the track sampled parts of the "Kookaburra Sits In The Old Gum Tree", a song written by an Australian music teacher for the Girl Guides in 1934. Men At Work stand to lose up to 60 per cent of the income gained from their 1983 hit "Down Under"
However, in a statement, songwriter Colin Hay has denied any wrongdoing. He admitted two bars of 'Kookaburra Sits In The Old Gum Tree' are part of the "arrangement" of 'Down Under', but not of the "composition" itself.
"It is indeed true, that Greg Ham (not a writer of the song) unconsciously referenced two bars of 'Kookaburra…' on the flute, during live shows after he joined the band in 1979, and it did end up in the Men At Work recording.
What's interesting, is that Mr Lurie is making a claim to share in the copyright of a song, namely 'Down Under', which was created and existed for at least a year before Men At Work recorded it. I stand by my claim that the two appropriated bars of 'Kookaburra' were always part of the Men At Work "arrangement", of the already existing work and not the "composition".
Stop Press: It would seem that EMI has lost their appeal to dismiss the claim and will be obliged to pay out some hefty royalties (see article in The Australian)
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Well, there you have it - some of the more 'famous ripoffs' that have occurred in the music industry, and of course there are many more. If you have some examples that you would like to share with other visitors at Rock On Vinyl, then feel free to list them in the Comments.
I have included all of the tracks mentioned above as mp3 in the download, so you can make your own judgment about each Rip Off - with the exception of Men At Work V's Larrikin Music where I have provided a comparative news report (avi) video clip instead.
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Rip Off Link (32 Mb) New Link 29/06/2022
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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Jimi Hendrix - Capricorn Tape (2003) Ex Bootleg Studio Outtakes

(U.S 1967-70)
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Here's one of my favourite Hendrix bootlegs of studio outtakes - mainly because the recording quality is excellent and it has a great track selection. This could pass as a Dagger Record release any day, in fact, these tracks were prepared and / or considered for the official release CDs ":Blues" and "Voodoo Soup". The 'Capricorn Tape' was first circulated in 2003 but the origin of its' name is unknown.
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1. Getting my heart back together ( 8:14)
Record Plant, New York City, New York, USA
Composite of two takes.
First half:
Wednesday 21 May 1969 Engineer: Dave Ragno
Buddy Miles: drums, Billy Cox: bass, Unknown: congas
Second half:
Unknown date & location (1970?)
Mitch Mitchell?: drums, Billy Cox?: bass
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2. Belly button window (2:28)
Electric Lady Studios, New York City, New York, USA
Saturday 22 August 1970. Engineer: Eddie Kramer
Recorded on 1/2 inch 4-track, complete alternate take, the wah guitar part has probably been added from another take by Alan Douglas.
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3. Villanova junction (19:41) / (aka Jam / Country blues)
Record Plant, New York City, New York, USA
Friday 23 January 1970
Engineer: Bob Hughes, 2nd Engineer: Dave Ragno
Don: harmonica, Buddy Miles: drums, Billy Cox: bass
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4. Mother (7:53) / (aka Georgia blues)
Record Plant, New York City, New York, USA
Wednesday 19 March 1969 Engineer: Gary Kellgren
Drums: Jimmy Mayes, Bass: Hank Anderson, Organ: John Winfield, Vocals & Sax: Lonnie Youngblood, Congas: unknown
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5. Lover man (2:47)
Record Plant, New York City, New York, USA
Friday 15 May 1970
Engineer: Eddie Kramer, 2nd Engineer: Tom Flye
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6. New rising sun (8:28)
Studio B, TTG Studios, 1441 N.McCadden Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
Wednesday 23 October 1968
Jimi - guitar, Jimi - drums
Engineer - Angel Balestier, Second engineer - Mark Kauffman
According to the "Voodoo Soup" liner notes by Michael Fairchild "the tape itself is a nine minute reel" recorded entirely by Jimi with him filling four of the tracks with drum overdubs.
Thus this version probably is the unedited complete take.
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7. Midnight ( 8:19)
Olmstead Studios, New York City, New York, USA
Tuesday 1 April 1969
Mitch Mitchell: drums, Noel Redding: bass
Engineer: Eddie Kramer
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Rip found somewhere on the web in mp3 (320kps)  Album artwork provided with alternatives provided.
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Jimi Hendrix Link (132Mb) New Link 23/04/2020
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Sunday, April 25, 2010

Sherbet - Slipstream (1974)

(Australian 1969 - 84)
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Sherbet was Australia's top pop group in the 1970s, with a fan base largely made up of teenage girls. They were the first band to reach AUS $1M in record sales in Australia; pioneered the concept of massive regional tours; and turned its merchandising into a huge industry.
Sherbet were formed in Sydney in 1969 by guitarist Clive Shakespeare with members of his former band Downtown Roll Band. Initially they started out as a soul band doing Motown material. They released their first single "Crimson Ships" the following year. In 1971 they won Australia's prestigious national rock band contest Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds. In the same year they had their first hit with the Ted Mulry song "You're All Woman" and from then on they had a string of hits. They became the darlings of Australia's teenyboppers and did regular appearances on the top TV pop show Countdown.
During the seventies no act was more popular on Countdown than Australia’s premier pop band, Sherbet. Sherbet made more appearances on Countdown than any other band in the program’s 13 year history.
Sherbet had a clean-cut boys-next door image; a big contrast to the bad boy persona favoured by their peers. There were often scenes of screaming, shirt-ripping and general girl-fan mayhem on the Countdown set when the band appeared. Sherbet’s first Countdown appearances coincided with their 'Slipstream album', which earned them five gold records. 'Slipstream' reached Number 5 in October 1974 in the Australian Charts and went on to sell over 100,000 copies. 'Life is for Living' and a greatest hits album soon followed. [extract from www.countdown.com.au]
For the better part of the Seventies, Sherbet were the Kings of Pop in Australia. By mid-decade they were undisputed rulers of the Australian charts and stages, and only with the appearance of the mighty Skyhooks was Sherbet confronted with its first serious rival.
Michael Gudinski (Skyhook's Manager) is quoted as saying "Like the Beatles and the Stones, despite the public rivalry, privately, the bands were good mates". He recalls - "Funnily enough, we got on really well with Sherbet. Roger Davies (Sherbet's Manager) and I were already friends and we stayed good friends. Both bands used the rivalry thing to their advantage. People used to think 'Oh, they hate each other' and the fans would be fighting. Yet Sherbet actually helped us out. The first gig Skyhooks ever did in Sydney was at the Opera House with them, and we did quite a few shows together. But there'd be radio polls where listeners would vote for their favourite, either Skyhooks or Sherbet. It was an exciting time, a great era for Australian music" (Taken from Ego Is Not A Dirty Word: The Skyhooks Story by Jeff Jenkins, 1994, p 60)
Davies, vigorously marketed Sherbet as a teen-oriented singles band, producing some polished, highly commercial pop/R&B. In terms of teen adulation (especially with girls), they were the true successors to The Easybeats, with lead singer Daryl Braithwaite unquestionably the most popular male performer of the period. Their popularity reached Beatle-esque heights, with regular riots, mobbings and scenes of crowd hysteria. Exposure to a national television audience on Countdown vastly increased their popularity across the country. Sherbet avoided some of the excesses of glam, such as heavy make-up, but were partial to satin, velvet and custom-made bomber jackets.
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Although sometimes criticised (at the time) as lightweight, they were a classic pop band whose success was solidly founded on great musical ability and sheer hard work, not just marketing hype. Sherbet remains one of the best-selling and most successful bands in Australian music. They produced some great original material and enjoyed a record-breaking string of hits, with an amazing run of sixteen consecutive Top 40 singles between 1971 and 1977. They also hold the unique honour of being our first band to score an overseas hit with a song written, recorded and produced entirely in Australia - "Howzat"
In concert, Sherbet were outstanding. As their live recordings attest, they were tight, disciplined, consistent and highly professional. They were also one of the hardest working bands in the business. They kept up a punishing touring schedule throughout their career and visited almost every part of the country at one time or another, completing around 20 national tours. In an industry well-known for tantrums and "no shows", Sherbet missed only one gig in fifteen years of touring, according to Sandow! Sherbet was also the first Australian band to be able to maintain a large-scale, permanent touring operation which included "specially-designed stage clothes, 3 1/2 tonnes of stage equipment, a 2000-watt amplifcation system, and an integrated light show which included ... pyrotechnic effects." [extract from Milesago.com.au]
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[Thanks to Debbie Krugger for the 'Live Photos' above]
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Sherbet had the best tour books of any group around in those days, local or international. The "On Tour" book, written about the band's "Around Australia in 80 Days" tour, sold at newsagents and apparently was the biggest selling book on a pop group in its day.
In 1977 Sherbet went back overseas and – other than a quick trip home over Christmas/New Year to see family and do free concerts for 2SM and 3XY — stayed away for a year. When they returned, Daryl had a beard, Tony had tamed the afro, and the music sounded all grown up. The "Another Night on the Road" tour was in smaller venues than previous tours, and more musically satisfying, although the guys seemed frustrated that the fans still wanted to scream and hold up signs saying "DARYL U SPUNK" rather than listening to the lyrics of songs that they had sweated over in Canada and California. [extract from DebbieKruger.com]
From 1978, the band spent several years attempting (without success) to make an impact in the United States. The last studio album from 1978 'Sherbet' was issued in the United States under the name Highway and titled 'Highway 1'. After making little headway in the US market the band broke up for a short period before reconvening with new wave sound as The Sherbs and releasing 'The Skill' which made the US Top 100, 'Defying Gravity' and the mini-album 'Shaping Up'. Harvey James left towards the end of 1982 to be replaced by Tony Leigh. They decided to call it a day in 1984, reverting back to the Sherbet moniker for a farewell tour and final single "Tonight Will Last Forever".
Following the group's break-up, lead singer Daryl Braithwaite went on to a successful solo career in Australia, and Garth Porter became a successful record producer.

The rip provided here was taken from Vinyl at 320kps and includes full album artwork (thanks to Brett from Midoztouch for the artwork) Some choice photos of the band in the 70's are also included. As a bonus, I have also added an avi videoclip of Sherbet performing 'Slipstream' on the Paul Hogan Show in 1974.
The one track that first attracted me to this album when it first came out was "Wild Love", a real funky, hard base line 12 bar blues - but I would never have admitted this in front of my mates at the time! The title track "Slipstream" and "Freedom" (not the same track that Hendrix did by the way) were also personal favourites, but as a whole the album is probably one of their best releases. Something to watch out for (and it only took me 35 years to pick this up) is the teeny bopper track 'Handy Mandy' which contains some rather interesting lyrics!
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Track Listing
01 - Slipstream
02 - Endless Place

03 - Wild Love

04 - Another Hustler

05 - What's It All About

06 - Freedom

07 - Silvery Moon

08 - Handy Mandy

09 - When the Sunshine Turns to Grey

10 - Earthquake in My Head

11 - So Glad You're Mine

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Band Members:
Daryl Braithwaite (Vocals)

Clive Shakespeare (Guitar, Vocals)

Tony Mitchell (Bass)

Garth Porter (Keyboards, Vocals)

Alan Sandow (Drums)

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Sherbet Link (114Mb) New Link 04/09/2015
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Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Sunbury Backroad Music Festival (April 10th, 2010) CONCERT REVIEW

(Australia, Victoria - Sunbury)
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Well - I never thought I'd get a second chance to attend a legendary 'Sunbury Concert' but after 37 years, the dream is about to come true. I picked up my ticket today for the 'Sunbury Backroad Music Festival' which is to be held this Saturday (featuring the legendary bands Madder Lake, Spectrum and Chain)
I was only 14 years old when the first Sunbury Concert was held in 1972 and I was not allowed to attend any of the 4 annual concerts because my parents said I was too young. To rub salt into the wounds, my brother (who was 4 years older) was allowed to go and went to the legendary Sunbury 73 concert. I was green with envy when he told me about some of the antics he got up to with his mates and the fantastic Aussie rock he got to hear and see.
So now it's finally my turn and I can't wait to see some of my all time favourite bands from the Seventies hit the stage and pump out some of those classic tracks that I have listened to (over and over again) for more than 35 years.
My kids think I'm crazy and my wife just laughs, but hey, I reckon I've got the biggest laugh cause' my bother is currently overseas on holidays, and can't get back in time! So it will be my turn to make him green with envy.
For more details on the concert and how to purchase a ticket, go to the Backroadfestival website
Another interesting link is a newsletter entry for Jan 2010, from Mike Rudd and Bill Putt's newsletter called The Bloody Newsletter
Although the concert is only a one day event (unlike the original Sunbury concerts that ran over a long weekend) I reckon it will be worth every dollar of the $75 ticket (see displayed)

Concert Review (13th April)

Well, it's official, I can honestly say I made it to a Sunbury Concert and what a concert it was!
Not only were the heavens kind (although it threatened many times to bucket down) but the organisation was also top notch with every amenity and service one could ask for. A far cry from the original concerts I believe! and a credit to Bernard Lakey who was the key organiser of the 2010 festival.

One of the highlights for me were the local wines that were available for sampling (at reasonable prices), and definitely helped to keep me focused on the music!
The concert was filmed for Asylum by several Channel 31 camera crew of which highlights will be shown over the next couple of weeks. Rod Quarrel (who presents a radio segement on 3NRG Sunbury Radio on Saturday mornings) was the MC for the day and provided the audience with interesting background information for each of the bands. On ya Ron !
I will try to give as full an account of each band that played over the 12 hour period, but as many bands were new to me, song titles may be somewhat inaccurate. I also missed the opening act (Sunbury Divas) as I was running a little late, so no details for the opening act - sorry Divas.
My only regret for the day was that I didn't organise a better camera - my whimpy Kodak digital was next to useless at night, so most of my shots of Spectrum, Madder Lake and Chain were too dark. I was very envious of those in the crowd who came armed with SLR's and Nikons!
I am told by Bernard that the official number of attendees was 530 (give or take a few gate crashers) which was probably a little disappointing for Bernard and the bands based on the amount of effort that was put in by everyone. However, this did not discourage anyone from having a great time on the day and soaking up the wonderful sounds made during this truly nostalgic music festival. Let's hope there are many more to come !

Tempting Fate
Play List: Rock N Roll, Takin' You Down, Wake Up Call, You're Bitter, Crash and Burn, I'm Restless, Best Of Me

A young four piece rock band from Sunbury featuring Brianna Ridge on vocals, Dave Cutting on drums, Robbie Cutting on lead guitar and Kieran McNamara on bass. From their opening song (a Led Zeppelin cover 'Rock N Roll') these kids caught my attention immediately and proceeded to belt out 5 originals while Brianna commanded the show with her strong and confident lead vocals. Robbie Cutting was also very impressive on lead guitar (looking a lot like Jimmy Page) showing incredible skills for a 17 year old. Favourite tracks were a ballad entitled 'Your'e Bitter' and a hard rock number which I think was called 'Crash & Burn'
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The Red Jane Show
Play List: Lips On Fire, Give Me What I Want Tonight, Give It To Me, Barry Hodson Street Light, Bohemian Rhapsody

A 5 piece ( 2 girls / 3 guys) theatrical and very visual funk rock band, their 5 part vocal harmonies and animated stage act were a breathe of fresh air.
All members of the group wore face masks while performing well rehearsed actions in unison and I was somehow reminded of crazy Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come stage act from the 70's.
Best tracks for me were Barry Hodson Street Light and their brilliant cover of the Queen classic 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Such a hard song to pull off - and they did it so effortlessly.
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Rick Steele
Play List: It's Off The Hook, White Ghetto, Next Time The Blues Comes Around, A Charlie's Daniels Band cover?, Goin' Up The Country, Jessica, Clyde


Opps ! - forgot to take a photo - I was so engrossed in Rick's performance. That's how good he was - his repertoire of blues and country rock was astounding and was aptly backed by Mark Gordon on slide guitar.
Rick has been in the music industry for more years than the early Sunbury concerts can boast and has passed on his musical talent to both his children, in particular his son Luke who is currently enjoying international stardom with the band Emperor Of The Sun.
Rick chattered between songs, giving a wonderful insight into the life he has lead while following his musical passion in life - living the blues. Highlights for me were his covers of the Canned Heat and J.J Cale classics, 'Goin' Up The Country' and 'Clyde' respectively.
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BenziNe 
Play List: Meet Me On The Corner (Lindisfarne), Next Year (Foo Fighters), The Unkindness Of Truth, Strange Land, The River And The Sea, Falling, Dawns And Departures (all originals), Breakfast At Tiffany's (Deep Blue Something) and Way Out West (Dingoes) - thanks to Greg Judd for supplying an accurate playlist.

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The only International band to play at this Sunbury concert, BenziNe are a folk-rock band based in Hong Kong. Although their music was enjoyable, I found it hard not to question why it was necessary to have a non-Aussie band playing at this festival at all. I'm sure there would have been plenty of local bands who could have filled the bill just the same. I think the same question was asked of the 1974 Sunbury concert when Queen performed and Deep Purple headlined Sunbury 75. However, I can't take away the fact that this band played some diverse music and a wide range of instruments. In particular, Scott Hughes was incredibly skilled at playing guitar, mandolin and alto sax; while Nick Benzie held his own on vocals and guitar. The remaining members of the band were Greg Judd (an ex-Melbournite) on Lap Steel guitar, Joshua Knight on bass, Pete Benzie on backing vocals and guitar and Dave Tonn on drums and percussion.
Although I wasn't happy about the band choice, there was some retribution when they chose to finish their set with the Dingoes classic 'Way Out West'.
Note> having received some feedback from a Greg Judd (see comments) regarding my opinion about the choice of an International band for the concert, I would like to qualify that at no stage was it meant to be a criticism of the band itself and I hold the utmost respect for them as musicians and their performance on the day. I apologise for any offense that my review might cause.

Falloe
Play List: Gravedigger, Diamond and the Thief, Sometime My Lover, Winter Time, Ballad of Jimmy James, Let Dead Dogs Lie
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OK - now this was more like it. From the start of their set with 'Gravedigger' I new that this band had all of the credentials to be part of this festival. The band can only be described as an electric folk/roots band lead by a very talented and extroverted vocalist and acoustic guitarist (Wade F Piva), who could easily pass as a Ned Kelly look alike. Speaking of look a likes, the double bass player (Neil Tolentino) looked like Guy Sebastian from a distance while Rennie Paonessa and his dreadlocks could pass as a Bob Marley sibling.
Their music (all originals) was incredibly catchy and portrayed a rich colonial atmosphere that typified what this festival was about. Best songs were definitely their Ballad Of Jimmy James and Gravedigger.
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Jan Preston
 Play List: Unfortunately, many songs played were not named (only the styles) and being unfamiliar with Jan's music I can't provide an accurate list, except for Black And White Rag (the theme to Pot Black shown on ABC during the 70's)

Jan Preston played Boogie Woogie electric piano while her husband provided rhythm backing on brush & snare running through a multitude of boogie and 12 bar blues tunes during her set, including some Winifred Atwell classics. However, not really my cup of tea I'm afraid and this tired old rocker broke for refreshments and a pit stop before the next act came on.
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Jarrah Thompson
Play List: Woke Me Up In My Mind?, ?, Hold On?, On My Own, I Am The One - most tracks coming from his new Stargazer album.
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From the first fuzzed out wah-wah (Joe Walsh) rock riff to fingerpicking folk to guitar/flute jams, I new this band was something special. Jarrah had a real Billy Miller (from the Ferrets) look about him, especially while thrashing out his guitar solos and displayed a true professional presence throughout his set. However, the female member of his 4 piece band 'Asha Henfry' nearly stole the show in my opinion, as she gained more and more confidence throughout the set, displaying some brilliant flute interplays that were reminiscent of Jethro Tull in many ways. Her double tonguing technique and command of chromatic scales was nothing short of brilliant.
What can only be described as ‘experimental flute / rock blues’, Jarrah Thompson's band is destined to be the next big Australian act in my opinion.
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Bronnie Gordon
Play List: Stranger In My Bed, Whatcha Doing Tonight, I'm On Fire, Ball and Chain (again, many songs played were not named and being unfamiliar with her music, so I can't provide an accurate list)

Bronnie had no inhibitions at being out front on vocals and with a voice that soars and sweeps up the soul emotions, she gives the band a sizzling edge. Bronnie is no stranger to the stage, and was in complete command throughout her set, belting out R&B and soul tunes in fashion similar to Janis Joplin and Etta James. Her voice was both powerful and vibrant, and her backing band consisted of seasoned musicians: Mick Rohotas, Ray Moon, Ian Logie, and John Longo. Judging by Bronnie's response to the 'wind up' call she was getting from Ron, it was clear that this lady doesn't take 'crap' from anyone - on ya Bronnie !
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Spectrum
Play List: I'll Be Gone, Jamaican Farewell, Launching Place (Part 2), I'll take You Higher, (I am) The Laughing Man, Some Good Advice, Silicon Valley, I Just Wanna Make Love To You.....
What can I say - simply brilliant. By starting off with their first hit single "I'll Be Gone'" they cleared the way to play their other material, leaving the audience wondering what they would finish their set on. Not only did Mike Rudd and Bill Putt sing some classic Murtceps_Spectrum tracks but they also threw in several Ariel tunes for good measure.
Mike's nasally voice and harp work was spot on, sounding no different to when he first sang 'I'll be Gone' back in 1971. And of course Bill Putt stood out amongst the others with his tall stature and oversized moustache, playing some of his great bass lines. Peter ’Robbo’ Robertson fitted in nicely on drums while Daryl Roberts provided some nice backing harmonies on keyboards.
Highlights for me were '(I am) The Laughing Man' which must have gone on for at least 15 mins and their final song, a Foghat cover "I Just Wanna Make Love To You". So, what more can I say - simply Indelible!

Madder Lake

Play List: Salmon Song, One Star & The Moon, Goodbye Lollipop, Mothership, Money Honey, Calling, Drive My Car?, Song For Little Ernest, 12 lb Toothbrush

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I gotta be honest and say that Madder Lake was the one band I really wanted to see the most. Having not had the chance to see them play back in the 70's and Stillpoint is my favourite album, I really thought I had missed the boat !
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l, this Sunbury reveler stood gob smacked for the whole hour they played, it was like a dream come true. Mick Fettes was still the extraverted, crazy guy that I remember seeing on T.V, although he's much shorter than I imagined he would be, and of course all of his curly hair has disappeared. Brendon Mason showed that he was the master of guitar and was able to reproduce many of the sounds that we associate with Stillpoint and Butterfly Farm. Kerry McKenna was also sensational on both bass and guitar while Andy Cowan produced sounds on his keyboards that typifies the Madder Lake sound. Highlights? - well there weren't any because every song they did left me breathless and grinning from ear to ear.
To top it off, who should join them on stage to do a few Na,Na,Na,Nanna,Na's while singing their hit single but the great man himself - Matt Taylor.
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Chain

Play List: Texas, Cold Wind Blowin', Northern Song, Grab A Snatch, Slow 2.30 In The Morning Type Blues, Black and Blue, I Remember When I Was Young, A Tribute to Muddy Waters

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Let me first qualify that I may have missed a few songs because Chain played a lot of new material that I wasn't familiar with. That's the price you pay when you're stuck in the 70's !
Having said this, their newer material was great and although it was typical R&B, it had a fresh and exciting feel to it. Matt's ability to spill out flawless lyrics with interplay harp work is pure magic and their 15+ minute epic 'Slow 2.30 In The Morning Type Blues' was no exception. Phil Manning's guitar work was sheer magic and only confirmed what everyone knew beforehand, that he is the Australian king of blues guitar. Dirk DuBois on bass was quite bemused by the whole affair but still put on a solid bass line for the rest of the boys to follow.
Barry Harvey played his drums while stripped down to a singlet top (even though the temperature had dropped quite considerably in the later stages of the evening) and maintained the R&B rhythm without a hiccup. One of the highlights would have to be 'Black and Blue', but not because it is such a classic, but because Brendon and Kerry from Madder Lake joined Chain on stage to sing along with the chorus, as did everyone in the audience - no matter how young they were. With Brendon and Kerry both assisting on guitars, they then proceeded to play a 20 minute rendition of 'I Remember when I was Young' in varying musical styles - a reggae version, a disco version, a rap version, a death metal version, a punk version to list but a few!
How good was this. But just when we thought the concert was over, Matt told the MC to stuff it and broke straight into a Tribute To Muddy Waters which covered the classic 'Rollin' and Tumblin' and other familiar tunes whose titles escape me at present.


It was 12.15am when the music came to an end, and this happy Sunburyite Camper packed his belongings and headed off home - content with the thought that he had finally made it to a Sunbury Concert.
12 hours of great, Aussie Music and entertainment and a lifetime of memories to cherish.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Matt Taylor - Straight As A Die (1973)

(Australian 1973-75, 1983)
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Taylor has been at the forefront of Australian Blues, performing solo as the great American blues often did, since 1972. He was able to personalise his experiences among Australian settings using the blues idiom. He is still unable to 'retire' without returning to play with some more younger artists wanting to learn the blues. Matt is currently back with some of his fellow Chain members doing the occasional reunion gig - Sunbury 2010 being the latest.
.An Australian blues legend, Matt Taylor has been playing his brand of Australian-twinged blues music since the mid-'60s. His first band, the Bay City Union, was formed in March 1966 and was one of Australia's first traditional Chicago blues bands. They issued one single, "Mo'reen"/"Mary Mary," in April 1968 before breaking up in July 1968 due to a general lack of interest in blues bands.

Taylor briefly sang with the Wild Cherries before forming the Horse, and then briefly stepped in as lead singer with Cam-Pact for a two-week tour of Sydney during early 1970. He then joined blues band Genesis in February, who released a collaborative single with Carson County Band, titled "Bad Luck Feeling"/"Back Home" under the banner the Meating. They toured until August 1970 when Taylor left to join Chain; the move proved fruitful with the hit single "Black and Blue"/"Lightning Ground" (March 1971) and the groundbreaking album 'Toward the Blues' (September).
Taylor left Chain in October 1971 and spent the next year living on a farm in Beechworth, Victoria. In January, Taylor performed at the 1973 Sunbury festival and the track "From Brisbane to Beechworth" appeared on Mushroom's triple live album set 'The Great Australian Rock Festival Sunbury 1973'. Another live performance, "Roberta" (recorded June 1973), appeared on the album 'Garrison the Final Blow Unit 2', and his performance with Chain on "Grab a Snatch and Hold It" also made it on the album.

His debut solo album, 'Straight as a Die', was released at the end of 1973. The single "I Remember When I Was Young"/"Krishna Loves You, Too," which had been recorded in an open paddock at Kingston Park Farm, hit the Top Ten in Melbourne. Note that his single "I Remember When I Was Young" didn't actually appear on the vinyl release in 1973 (even though a longer version of "Krishna Loves You, Too" did), but was included on the CD release in 1997. The single edit version of "Krishna Loves You" is available from Tom Mix Music. The album reached number 15 on the national charts and Taylor toured the country, performing at Sunbury 1974; the live track "We'll Never Do the Same Again" appeared on the various artists album 'Highlights of Sunbury '74 Part 2'.

His second album, 'Music', was released in August 1974 and he supported Jethro Tull on their Australian tour in August 1975. His third solo album, 'Old, New, Intuitive', was released in September 1975, before Taylor once again retired to a commune, this time at Balingup, Western Australia. He formed a new band, Western Flyer, in 1977 and played with them until August 1979. He then formed the Matt Taylor Band with legendary slide guitarist Dave Hole and they toured Australia during the next year.
In December 1980, Taylor and Phil Manning formed the Matt Taylor Phil Manning Band, which issued the Oz Blues album in June 1981 and the single "Spring Hill"/"The Line." They supported U.S. guitarist Roy Buchanan on his Australian tour before disbanding in December 1981. In January 1982, Chain re-formed for the Mushroom Evolution Concert to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Mushroom Records. Taylor then re-formed the Matt Taylor Band which released the album 'Always Land on Your Feet' (February 1983). The Matt Taylor Band broke up in December 1983, and Chain re-formed yet again. Chain would tour on and off until 1995.

In April 1991, Taylor and Manning toured the country with other Australian blues legends before Taylor flew to Germany in 1993 to tour with a band called the Booze Brothers. He then played in the U.K., followed by the U.S., where he supported the John Heussenstenn Band and Walter Trout Band.
Taylor's fourth solo album, Pyramids and Spirals, was released in March 1995 followed by his fifth solo album, The Awakening, in 1997. Again working with Chain after its release, the band recorded a new album, 'The First 30 Years', and toured during 1998. A new Chain album, 'Mix Up the Oils', was released in July 1999. [ extract from Brendan Swift, All Music Guide ]
Taylor has played with a wide range of Australian artists, including: Phil Manning, Dave Hole, Lucky Oceans, Broderick Smith, Lobby Loyde and Greg Lawrie. He has supported major American blues artists like B.B. King, Albert King, Freddie King, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Willie Dixon, Albert Collins.

Albert Collins said of him: “You play the blues, but it’s like no other blues I’ve ever heard in my life”. [Quote from Burrows, Toby, and Phil Riseborough. “I Remember When I Was Young: the Matt Taylor Story” Nedlands, W.A.: The Hilliard Press, 2009. ]
. .Matt has always been one to express his social opinions in his music and this album is no exception. In 'Mother Nature' Matt sings that we should be living a simple life which doesn't harm our environment and that everything we need is provided by Mother Nature. A similar message is conveyed in 'Chickens' where Matt attacks the multi-corporations - in this case Colonel Sanders exploitation of the Chicken industry.
The blues 'Simple Decision' is a really nice acoustic steel guitar piece and puts the challenge to all of us to make the right decisions in life - it's that simple!
'We'll Never Do The Same Again' is a basic 12 bar blues (with a typical Chain sound) with a simple Armagedon story line. It has a nice guitar and harmonica lead break in the middle that gives the track some real personality.
"Krishna Loves You Too" is one of my favourite tracks on the album, mainly for the great guitar work by Phil Manning that wasn't included in the single release. It was evident from this song that Matt was looking for alternative spiritual answers in his life at this stage of his life.
The vinyl version of the album finished with an instrumental titled 'Dance' that features an interplay between Matt's harmonica and the Tabla played by guest artist Jibon D.Mandall.

The rip included here was taken directly from my CD at 320kps (although the bonus track "Fair Dinkum Aussie Blues" was sourced from Tom Mix Music with thanks) and comes with full album artwork. The original remastered CD only comes with one bonus track "I Remember When I Was Young" but this posting gives you both tracks to make it a 'double bonus' !
For a recent rendition of his hit single on the SBS Rockwiz show, follow this link
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Track Listing
01 - Mother Nature
02 - Brisbane to Beechworth
03 - Simple Decision
04 - We'll Never Do The Same Again*
05 - Chickens
06 - Hall Of Fame
07 - Krishna Loves You, Too
08 - Dance+
09 - I Remember When I Was Young (Bonus Track)
10 - Fair Dinkum Aussie Blues (Bonus Track)
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Band Members:
Matt Taylor (Vocals, Guitar and Harmonica)
Phil Manning (Guitar)
Greg 'Sleepy' Lawrie (Guitar)
Barry Sullivan (Bass)
Barry Harvey (Drums)
*Ian Winter (Guest guitarist)
+ Jibon D.Mandall (tabla).


Matt Taylor Link (103Mb) New Link 25/12/2023

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Split Enz - Live Colors (Pinkpop Festival 1980) Ex SB

(New Zealand 1972-84)
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Split Enz was a successful New Zealand band during the late 1970s and the early 1980s featuring brothers Tim Finn and Neil Finn. They achieved success with the music charts in New Zealand, Australia and Canada during the early 1980s and built a cult following elsewhere. Their musical style was eclectic and original, incorporating influences from art rock, vaudeville, swing, punk, rock, New Wave and pop.
Split Enz was the first New Zealand band to achieve worldwide success. First known as Split Ends, the group began as a progressive art-rock band fueled by the song writing talents of founders Tim Finn and Phil Judd. The group's career was marked by numerous changes in personnel. After the departure of Judd in 1977, Finn's younger brother Neil was recruited and the early 80's saw the release of a string of successful albums, making Split Enz one of the most popular Australasian groups of the era until their split in 1984.
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The band recorded their first single 'For You', in February 1973, performing on the New Zealand television contest New Faces later that year. Avoiding the pub circuit in their early career, the band toured university campuses and concert venues performing works in an eclectic mix of styles. The band's trademark was their 'look', an original visual identity complete with wild hairstyles, colourful costumes, makeup and sets designed by their spoons player and later drummer, Noel Crombie. Their name spelling was later changed to Split Enz to represent their New Zealand roots.
Moving to Australia in 1975, Split Enz signed with Mushroom Records and released their debut album, "Mental Notes". At this time all band members, except Judd, switched to using their middle names.

In 1976 the band recorded a new single 'Late Last Night', accompanied by their first video clip. Later that year they moved to the UK and Roxy Music's Phil Manzanera produced a re-working of their first album (with a slightly different track listing), titled "Second Thoughts". In 1977, the band went on a promotional tour of the United States after which Judd left the group. 1977 also saw the release of the band's third album "Dizrythmia".
Split Enz soon returned to Australia and in 1979 released their most successful album, the new wave pop hit LP "True Colours" which reached No. 1 on the Australian charts as did the single 'I Got You'. The LP True Colours was released on laser-etched vinyl in limited numbers in Australia making it very collectible, as well as being packaged in different coloured album covers (sporting the same design) in later releases. This concert posting was recorded at Pinkpop Festival, Maastricht, Holland on November 23, 1980 and captures the band during their European tour to promote their hit album.

The band continued to find success with their next two albums "Corroboree" (1981) released outside Australia as Waiata, and "Time and Tide" (1982), featuring the hit 'Six Months in a Leaky Boat'.
In 1983, the group celebrated their 10th anniversary with a concert at Te Awamutu, New Zealand, and the record "Conflicting Emotions". The band's final album "See Ya Round" was released in 1984 with Tim Finn having announced his departure for a solo career. Neil Finn decided to fold the band following a farewell tour titled Enz with a Bang!, for which Tim rejoined the group.
Neil Finn, Paul Hester (a later member of the band) and Nick Seymour subsequently formed the band Crowded House [extracts from musicaustralia]

This concert rip was taken from tape in MP3 format (320kps) and includes full album artwork [thanks to original uploader Blog Kiln] along with choice photos of the band and records.
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Track Listing
01 - Poor Boy
02 - Missing Person
03 - My Mistake
04 - I Got You
05 - I Wouldn't Dream Of It
06 - I Hope I Never
07 - Nobody Takes Me Seriously
08 - What's The Matter With You
09 - I See Red
10 - You Can Lead A Horse To Water
11 - Shark Attack

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Band Members:
Tim Finn (Vocals)
Neil Finn (Vocals and Guitar)
Noel Crombie (Percussion)
Eddie 'The Prof' Rayner (Keyboards)
Malcolm Green (Drums)
Nigel Griggs (Bass)
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Split Enz Link (106Mb) New Link 02/01/2024
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Thursday, April 1, 2010

Jimi Hendrix & Eire Apparent - Stuttgart (1969) Bootleg

(U.S 1967-70)
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Eire Apparent (a band produced by Hendrix) supported the Jimi Hendrix Experience while touring Germany and France in 1969, between January 11th and 23rd.
During this period they played 11 venues (each with 2 shows) , including Stuttgart.
Now, there was some confusion about the venue that this concert came from. The information provided with the tape recording stated that the concert was taken from the 1st show held at the Liederhalle, Stuttgart on 19th of January, 1969.
However, the track listing doesn't match the listing for the Stuttgart concert, as reported by Tony Brown in his book "The Jimi Hendrix Concert Files", a usually reliable source for Hendrix concert dates published by Omnibus Press in 1999.
'Hey Joe' and 'Voodoo Child (slight return)' are not listed by Brown for the first show, but are for the 2nd show. Likewise, the dialogue spoken by Jimi between songs during the first show doesn't match up with that specified by Brown in his book. Now, because Foxy Lady is cut short in this recording, it is possible that some tracks listed by Brown were missed, such as 'Redhouse' and 'Sunshine Of Your Love'.
However, recent information by the original uploader of this concert (Olvator) see Comments has cleared this matter up. It would seem that Brown's concert details are in fact incorrect, and this concert is the Stuttgart Concert held on the 19th of January, 1969.
The recording itself is fairly raw, and I would classify it as a very good audience recording. Nevertheless it is particularly unique in that it is the only Hendrix recording that I know of that includes tracks from his support act, in this case 'Eire Apparent'.
They are given a fairly warm response by the audience (who were primarily there to see the great "Jimi Hendrix") and start with an old Everly Brothers standard 'The Price Of Love' which they manage to stretch out for 13 minutes, showcasing a somewhat average bass solo by Chris Stewart.
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They then break into another cover, Bob Dylan's 'Highway 61' which was popular at that time, but it is evident that Ernie Graham lacks the vocal strength of Dylan. The only original track in their set is a 'Blues' track which has a fast groove but is basically unforgettable. However, they finish off their short 35 min set with another standard 'Gloria' and is worth the wait. Their rendition of this "Them" classic is refreshing, and may have very well inspired Hendrix to do that studio recording of Gloria, which was eventually released in 1979 by Polydor as a 12" single.
Although this is not the greatest live recording of Hendrix from this era, it is the only bootleg which includes his support band's set (Eire Apparent) and is therefore a necessary item for any Hendrix collector.
The rip provided here was taken from tape at 320kps and includes full artwork for each of the concert sets, by 'Eire Apparent' and 'Jimi Hendrix'. [Thanks to Olvator for providing this rip]
Select photos of each band are also included, including a photo provided by blog follower - Perry Quici. Thanks mate.
Note: In May '69, Beat Instrumental reported that Eire Apparent were recording tracks for a new album, but nothing has ever surfaced. However they did do three tracks for a Top Gear session (20/4/69), which included 'Yes I Need Someone', 'Highway 61' and the popular 'Gloria'.
For more details about Eire Apparent, see my earlier posting
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Track Listing
Jimi At Stuttgart
(Photo - Perry Quici)




[Eire Apparent]
01. Intro
02. Price Of Love
03. Highway 61
04. Blues
05. Gloria
[Jimi Hendrix]
06. Intro
07. Come On Pt.1
08. Fire
09. I Don't Live Today
10. Hey Joe
11. Foxy Lady (cut)
12. Star Spangled Banner
13. Purple Haze
14. Voodoo Child

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Eire Apparent:
Chris Stewart - Bass
Ernie Graham - Vocals/Guitar
David 'Tiger' Taylor - Guitars
Dave Lutton - Drums

Jimi Hendrix Experience:
Jimi Hendrix - Guitar, Vocals
Noel Redding - Bass
Mitch Mitchell - Drums

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Jimi Hendrix and Eire Apparent Link (139Mb) New Link 30/01/2013
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