W.O.C.K On Vinyl - Bruce Willis - The Return Of Bruno (1987)

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.
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.When I came across this album in an Opp Shop recently, I thought it was a joke - Bruce Willis (alias John McClane - tough guy) a singer - no way!
Now I gotta say, I was very surprised when I gave this album a spin on my turntable, the music and vocals weren't too bad at all.
Since the first “talkie” pictures in the 1920's, actors have wanted to sing and singers have wanted to act. Actors such as Harry Belafonte and Telly Savalas were as well known for their songs as they were for their movies, and singers like Isaac Hayes and Barbra Streisand became equally famous for their acting roles. Yet, for every one of these successful crossover artists, there are dozens who were never quite able to pull it off. Strangely enough, Willis isn't one of them.
Bruce Willis is an American actor and producer, whose career began in television in the 1980s and has continued both in television and film since, including comedic, dramatic, and action roles. He is best known for the role of John McClane in the 'Die Hard' series, which were mostly critical and uniformly financial successes. He has also appeared in over sixty films, including box office successes like Pulp Fiction, Sin City, 12 Monkeys, The Fifth Element, Armageddon, and The Sixth Sense.
Bruce Willis released his debut album, 'The Return of Bruno', in early 1987 on Motown Records. At 32-years-old, he recorded this collection of cover songs just a year before his performance in the film 'Die Hard' which launched his career as one of the top-grossing action stars of his generation. Nine out of ten tracks on the album are covers of Motown classics such as “Respect Yourself” (which peaked at #5 on the Billboard pop charts) and “Under the Boardwalk,” and feature backing performances by Booker T. Jones and The Temptations.
The lone original track is “Jackpot (Bruno's Bop),” which was co-written by Willis and producer Robert Kraft. He released a follow-up album in 1989 and contributed music to his 1991 flop 'Hudson Hawk', but ever since has chosen to concentrate on his acting.
Now perhaps while he's making his next Die Hard movie (are we up to #5 yet?) John McClane might consider bringing down the bad guys with some of his 'vocal talent' and who knows, he might even consider calling it Sing Hard Too......
So, enjoy this month's WOCK On Vinyl posting, which consists of a vinyl rip (320kps) along with full album/CD artwork. After listening to this album, I'm sure you'll be saying Yippie-ki-yay
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Tracklist
01. Comin' Right Up - 3:29
02. Flirting With Disaster - 4:29
03. Respect Yourself - 3:52
04. Down In Hollywood - 5:20
05. Young Blood - 4:12
06. Under The Boardwalk - 3:02
07. Secret Agent Man/James Bond I - 4:47
08. Jackpot (Bruno's Bop) - 4:11
09. Fun Time - 3:37
10. Lose Myself - 3:57
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Bruce Willis Link (92Mb) New Link 02/09/2015
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AC/DC - BBC Transcription Services (1980) - Ex Bootleg

(Australian 1973-Present)
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AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Although the band are commonly classified as hard rock and are considered a pioneer of heavy metal, they have always classified their music as rock and roll.
AC/DC underwent several line-up changes before releasing their first album, High Voltage, in 1975. Membership remained stable until bassist Mark Evans was replaced by Cliff Williams in 1977 for the album Powerage. The band recorded their highly successful album Highway to Hell in 1979.
Lead singer and co-songwriter Bon Scott died on 19 February 1980, after a night of heavy alcohol consumption. The group briefly considered disbanding, but soon ex-Geordie singer Brian Johnson was selected to replace Scott. Later that year, the band released their best-selling album, "Back in Black". And of course the rest is history, so I'm not going to bore you with the rest of their biography!
.As you are probably aware, there are literally hundreds of AC/DC bootlegs available for the hungry ACADACA fan, but few carry the stigma of the BBC Transcription Services LP which is a highly sought after bootleg.
According to a posting on the AC/DC Highway To Hell web site, these promotional only BBC transcription discs were issued to radio stations in 1976, 1978, and 1980. The originals are extremely difficult to find, as they were supposed to all be sent back to the company for destruction. Some of these didn't get sent back, and made it into circulation. There is only a handful of known copies in existence, and all have GREEN/WHITE Labels, (not black/white labels as found on Bootleg versions) and are valued $500 and up.
This 1980 bootleg (ripped from tape but also available on CD) is a combination of the 1976 and 1980 BBC transcription discs, as described below.
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BBC Transcription Services CN 2647/S Released 1976 (with Cue Sheet)
Side 1: Live Wire, It's A Long Way To The Top, Soul Stripper, High Voltage.
Side 2: Max Merrit & The Meteors live.
This very first AC/DC promo-only LP features their famous London Marquee concert of July 76 on side 1 (although the BBC broadcast also included "Baby Please Don't Go", not on the album), and Max Merit on side 2. Watch for the counterfeit copy issued in the late 80's, which features Def Leppard on side 2, and has a black & white label. The original BBC Transcription discs have the green & white label, and were issued in a plain yellow sleeve.
Two other AC/DC BBC discs exist, one issued in 78 with the London Oct. 77 performance (one side only), and the other includes the London Hammersmith Nov. 79 concert (full album) issued in 1980. The later has also been heavily bootlegged. The originals are worth $200 and are extremely rare.
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Concert Details
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1976 UK & Europe Summer Dates
Mon. 26 Jul. 1976 : London, UK (Marquee)
Set list: (Exact set list unknown, but certainly included most of these tracks).
# Live Wire
# Rock 'n' Roll Singer
# She's Got Balls
# School Days
# Problem Child
# The Jack
# Rocker
# High Voltage
# Baby Please Don't Go
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Line Up:
Angus Young - Lead Guitar
Malcolm Young - Rhythm Guitar
Bon Scott - Lead Vocals
Mark Evans - Bass
Phil Rudd - Drums
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Tickets: 0.75 Pounds
Capacity: 700
Note: First date of the band's residency at the Marquee, where they regularly break the attendance record.
[details sourced from http://www.ac-dc.net/archives/date.php?date_id=597]
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1979 "Highway To Hell" UK Tour
Fri. 2 Nov. 1979 : London, UK (Hammersmith Odeon)
Set list:
# Live Wire
# Shot Down In Flames
# Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be
# Sin City
# Walk All Over You
# Bad Boy Boogie
# The Jack
# Highway To Hell
# Girls Got Rhythm
# High Voltage
# Whole Lotta Rosie
# Rocker
# If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
# Let There Be Rock
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Line Up:
Angus Young - Lead Guitar
Malcolm Young - Rhythm Guitar
Bon Scott - Lead Vocals
Cliff Williams - Bass
Phil Rudd - Drums
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Supported by: Def Leppard
Promoter: M.C.P.
[details sourced from http://www.ac-dc.net/archives/date.php?date_id=1428

To help put the London Marquee Concert into context, I am including the following transcript taken from the recent AC/DC biography by Murray Engleheart and Arnaud Duriex called 'AC/DC Maximum Rock & Roll', which refers to these famous Marquee concerts.
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The first day of AC/DC's European gig, London's Sun ran a full-page feature on the band under the headline 'Power Crazy!' Given a landmark residency at the Marquee had been secured for every Monday from 26 July until 23 August, the article couldn't have been more perfectly timed had it been paid advertising.
Carson had secured the residency after he approached Jack Barry, who ran the legendary club.
Phil Carson: 'The first time [at the Marquee a few weeks earlier], there were about 15 Swedish au-pair girls that somehow had heard of AC/DC — God knows why — and 20 or 30 other people, because people would go there anyway, because it was a rock club. But after the third week you couldn't get a ticket. That's how quickly they caught on. We still didn't sell very many records in the beginning, but they did something to a live audience, which they managed to keep doing all this time. And they built their own audience.'
Before long, a line of fans began to assemble as early as five in the afternoon, all desperate to be among a sea of more than a thousand bodies compressing themselves into the sweltering 700-capacity club to see AC/DC blast away at nine. The situation got to the point where the police had to control the crowd and local TV crews arrived to cover the mayhem. After the show, fans would emerge near naked after stripping down to try to combat the intense heat, which was many times higher than the scorching summer temperatures outside.
The band were forced to do likewise, long before they got back to the Marquee's tiny dressing room. Angus would routinely end up playing in his underwear and even played completely naked on one occasion.
'The place looked like a nudist colony by the time we finished,' Bon told Debbie Sharpe at the Melbourne Herald on 4 September 1976.
The Australians smashed the Marquee's attendance record on more than one occasion and, towards the end of their stay, additional nights were put on in an attempt to cope with demand. Little wonder that Jack Barry was quoted as saying AC/DC were 'the most exciting band I've seen play at the Marquee since Led Zeppelin'.
Michael Browning: 'I saw a documentary on the Marquee — which had been around for a while, admittedly — where the owners were talking about bands that had played there and they totally excluded AC/DC, which I found extraordinary. They broke the house record there — what they had there was definitely historic. I've never seen a place as packed and I've never seen so much perspiration pouring down walls. It was literally like there was a hose around the top of the walls.'
Among those who put themselves through the physically taxing experience of seeing AC/DC at the Marquee were, surprisingly, two former members of Creedence Clearwater Revival, who were on a reconnaissance mission.
Michael Browning: 'The guys from Creedence Clearwater — the rhythm section — came down, because Atlantic were talking to me about those guys getting involved in the production with AC/DC.'
The proposed alliance didn't get any further than the preliminary planning stage for unspecified reasons.
Others who crossed paths with AC/DC at the hallowed club threw down a challenge rather than a business proposition. Their rivals for supremacy at the Marquee were Eddie and The Hot Rods, who had recorded a blazing seven-inch single called 'Live At The Marquee'.
Hot Rods singer Barrie Masters recalls the battle for the famed venue.
'With Hendrix and the Stones, it was the prestige really of the name the Marquee. To take the record in there was something else. We was close to the record a couple of times and we never did take it at first, and the guv'nor then, Jack Barry, kept winding us up. When we did finally take it we had a big celebration and a big drink-up afterwards, because we thought, great, our names will be in books and everything! Then literally it was only one week later and AC/DC took the record from us!
'The crush was so much at the front there, especially towards the end of the set, it was just getting silly. It was so hot in there, it was absolutely unbelievable. People were just passing out and the ambulance people couldn't get in to get people out. So, literally, if people passed out or were hurt, people were just picking them up and carrying them over their heads. That's the thing at the AC/DC gig I remember; people being carried out!'
Some of Angus' other antics at the Marquee did little to shut down the media headlines that tied the band to native Australian animals: like his special audience treat of stripping off and hopping around the stage like a naked perspiration- and snot-covered kangaroo, a trick he claimed he learnt from Bon.
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This post (sourced from the www some time ago) consists of an MP3 rip (192kps) taken from cassette tape (some spooling problems can be detected in the first 2 tracks but are only minor) and includes limited artwork and all photos featured above (sourced from 'AC/DC Max Rock & Roll' with thanks).
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Track Listing
(26 July 1976 @ Marquee, London)
01. Live Wire
02. It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock & Roll)
03. Soul Stripper
04. High Voltage
(02 November 1979 @ Hammersmith Odeon, London)
05. Live Wire
06. Shot Down in Flames
07. Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be
08. Sin City
09. Walk All Over You
10. The Jack
11. Highway to Hell
12. The Girl's Got Rhythm
13. High Voltage
14. If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
15. Let There Be Rock
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AC/CD Bootleg Link (103Mb)
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Goanna - Oceania (1984) + Bonus Tracks

(Australian 1977 - 1985, 1998)
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The Goanna Band formed in the Victorian city of Geelong during 1977, surrounding the heart of the band Shane Howard. Howard was already an established singer/songwriter on the local folk-rock scene. The original line-up comprised Howard (vocals/guitar), Mike Biscan (guitar), Richard Griffiths (bass) and Rod Hoe (drums). Over their first couple of years the line-up changed numerous times, with Howard remaining the constant rock around which other members anchored themselves.
A future key member Rose Bygrave (vocals/ keyboards) joined Howard during 1979, along with Warwick Harwood (lead guitar/vocals), Ian Morrison (vocals/harmonica), Carl Smith (bass) and Gary Crothall (drums), to establish the line-up of the Goanna Band which would record their first material in the studio. Country/blues singer Broderick Smith produced the four track EP ‘Livin’ On The Razor’s Edge’, which was released on the EMI subsidiary label Custom Press.

The band were quickly establishing a strong fan base on the live circuit, and were becoming well known for songs that featured a strong social voice. By 1981 the Goanna Band had become just plain Goanna, soon after signing with WEA.
In October 1982 Goanna released the single ‘Solid Rock’. Musically it was a surging anthemic pop-rock song, featuring a relentlessly thumping drum track, overlaid with searing guitars, sublime vocal harmonies and haunting didgeridoo played by Billy Ida . Lyrically it was a damning indictment that poured scorn upon the European ‘invasion’ of Australia, and subsequent mistreatment of its indigenous peoples. With a #3 hit on the Australian singles charts (going on to chart for 26 weeks - also #31 U.S. Mainstream Rock Chart) Goanna quickly released their debut full length album ‘Spirit Of Place’ in December 1982 and debuted at #1 on Melbourne’s charts, going on to reach #2 nationally within two weeks of its release.
By late 1983 Goanna’s line-up had once again morphed to include new guitarists Ross Hannaford and Russell Smith (seems like anyone who played guitar professionally during the 80s would likely have Goanna listed on their C.V.), while Robert Ross was replaced by Geoff Bridgeford on drums.

The much anticipated ‘Oceania’ (#20) was released in April 1985. Shane Howard once again handled most of the song writing duties, giving the set a folk-rock flavour, but in places Goanna dared to incorporate elements as diverse as funk, reggae, and orchestral arrangements. The finely crafted ‘Common Ground’ was the lead out single in late ‘84 and climbed to #42 nationally, but the follow up ‘Dangerous Dancing’ didn't do as well (#91).
Throughout 1985, the band toured relentlessly in support of the album, with a constantly revolving line-up of members along the way, including at one stage ex-Little River Band drummer Derek Pellici. But whilst ever Howard was in the driver’s seat it seemed that Goanna had a future. That all changed during September 1985 when Shane Howard was reported missing, resulting in the cancellation of over $20,000 of concert bookings. Having become disillusioned with the relentless touring schedule and commercial demands of the band, together with the incessant fragility of the band’s roster, Howard had taken off to parts unknown along with didgeridoo player Bart Willoughby. With Howard out of the mix, Goanna immediately folded.
Shane Howard then went on to record as a solo artist, producing some notable albums throughout the late 80's and 90's - 'Back On Track' , 'River' , 'Time Will Tell', 'Live In Ireland' and 'Clan'.
Howard revived his role with Goanna with the 1998 album release ‘Spirit Returns’, featuring Rose Bygrave and Marcie Howard on vocals, touring Australia in support of their new work. His latest album is 2006’s ‘Songs Of Love And Resistance’. [ extracts from RetroUniverse ]
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There are several reasons why I've posted this out of print LP. Firstly, in response to a request made by a fellow blogger, but also to acknowledge the brilliant performance made by Shane Howard at this year’s Dreamtime at the ‘G match last Saturday Night between Essendon and Richmond (to coincide with the start of its 2012 AFL Indigenous Round campaign).

The Dreamtime at the ‘G event included a spectacular line-up of performers including Shane Howard and his band along with Dan Sultan, Amy Saunders, Emma Donovan, William Barton, Bart Willoughby and Tjimba Possum Burns.The pre-match presentation featured a contemporary ceremony drawing on traditional customs and rituals, featuring a Wurundjeri creation story, dance, puppetry and lighting, while Howard and his band played a fully rearranged version of their hit single 'Solid Rock' which was both haunting and moving.
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Bart Willoughby, Tjimba Possum Burns and Shane Howard (middle) with Essendon’s Indigenous players Leroy Jetta, Courtney Dempsey, Alwyn Davey, Nathan Lovett-Murray and Patrick Ryder (L-R)

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The post consists of  FLAC rips taken from CD and includes full album artwork for both vinyl and CD (thanks to Keith at Midoztouch for the artwork). I have also included some bonus tracks: the non-album B-Side track "Shadow Of Your Love", a 12" Extended version of "Common Ground" and Howard's one off protest song entitled "Let The Franklin Flow", released in 1983.
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Track Listing
01 - Oceania
02 - Common Ground
03 - Zanzibar
04 - Dangerous Dancing
05 - Every Passing Day
06 - Hideaway
07 - Utopia
08 -This Time Yr' Runnin'
09 - Some Kinda Magic
10 - Jinny
11 - Shadow Of Your Love (Bonus B-Side Single)
12 - Let The Franklin Flow (Bonus A-Side Single)
13 - Common Ground (12inch Extended Mix)
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Band Members:
Shane Howard (Vocals,Acoustic Guitar, Synthesisers)
Ross Bygrave (Keyboards, Backing Vocals)
Robbie Ross (Drums and Percussion)
Leyland Sklar, Joe Creighton, Peter Coughlan (Bass)
Marcia Howard, Ian MorrisonRose Bygrave, Veneta Fields (Backing Vocals)
Guest Artists: Sam See, Billy Payne,Ross Hanaford
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Goanna Link FLAC (368Mb) New Link 23/10/2015
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U2 - Rock's Hottest Ticket (1987) - Ex. Bootleg

(Irish 1976-Present)
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Dubbed by Rolling Stone magazine as 'the band of the 80's' and the 'rock's hottest ticket' by TIME magazine, U2 entered domineeringly among the world rock stars
Their album 'Joshua Tree' topped Billboard's album chart for 11 weeks with two No.1 singles ("With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For") and another Top 15 ("Where The Streets Have No Name")
As for their 18-month world Tour, U2 sold tickets faster than Springsteen did on his record-setting 'Born In The USA' tour of 1984/85.
This incredible success cannot be explained only by a reached maturity of the band and by the mythical fame of their live concerts.

In reality we can say that everything started with U2's performance at LIVE-AID in 1985. During that show, U2 showcased "Bad", a song dealing with the horrors of drug addiction. In front of millions of television viewers worldwide, Bono leapt into the huge audience, plucked two girls out of the crowd and embraced each one in a poignant symbol of affection for the crowd. It was that moment which gave rock audiences a strong impression the U2 had become a "band of the people" [Reviewed by JT Griffith, Rovi]
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Rock's Hottest Ticket is considered by some die-hard U2 fans to be the band's best unofficial live recording. Until the subsequent release of official live material such as Hasta la Vista Baby, Popmart, and Zoo TV: Live From Sydney, it was also the best way to get a solid full concert. Beware, however: There are two bootleg releases called Rock's Hottest Ticket. This version was recorded in Chicago, IL, on April 29, 1987, at Rosemont Horizon. The other (inferior version) is from Croke Park on June 27, 1987, in Dublin, Ireland. That version is often labeled as "Rock's Hottest Ticket, Vol. 1" or "Rock's Hottest Ticket, Vol. 2" and only contains about half of a show. Check the liner notes for recording location to be safe.
This concert from Chicago is one of the best audience recordings out there, and this performance is one of the band's best from the early Joshua Tree tour (which would stretch for 18 months). At shows later in the tour, Bono's interaction with the crowd seemed rote, like he has only an average connection with the audience. In this show, however, the band seems very excited to have recently landed on top of the world.
The show opens like many of their concerts with "Where The Streets Have No Name" and it slides fluently and emotionality along the lines followed by "Joshua Tree" touching most of the popular tunes of their career: "I Will Follow", "MLK", "The Unforgettable Fire", "Gloria" and their all time classic "Sunday Bloody Sunday". To be noticed is the rare execution of "Springhill Mining Disaster" by Peggy Seeger and of "Mothers Of The Disappeared" [taken from CD Linear Notes]
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Interview with Bono - Rolling Stone #413 Dec, 1987
.(This interview was conducted with Bono by ROLLING STONES David Breskin at Bono's home outside of Dublin. It was first published in RS41J on December 1987. Explosive sales of U2's "Joshua Tree" LP and the ensuing 'Out of our Tree' world tour had made the band superstars. In this excerpt, Bono grapples with his new role as rock-star spokesperson)
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"I'm on top of the world, it's just that something else is on top of me. I think maybe it should be said that a lot of artists never grow up," Bono says, laughing. "I think it's certainly true in rock & roll. Rock & Roll gives people a chance not to grow up — it puts them in a glass case and protects them from he real world of where they're gonna get their next meal. But n the end, I don't know if being a pop star is any less real than being a city clerk. Is suburbia the real world? Is the real world half the population of Africa that is starving? I haven't worked it out yet. I always wondered, 'What am I? Am I Protestant or Catholic? Am I working class or middle class?' I always felt like I was sitting on the fence." 
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You were the first funk in your class - haircut, pants, chain, etc. Did you really feel it, or was it just theatre?
.It was theatre. I had gotten interested in Patti Smith and then the Sex Pistols. And the great thing about the Ramones was you could play Ramones songs all in three chords — which was all I had then and, in fact, is about all I have now (laughs). Before that I was interested in Irish folk music. It was around my family. There was a lot of singsong. And my brother taught me those three chords. He used to play (the Kenny Rogers and the First edition classic) "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town." I'm still fascinated by that song. And my old man was into opera, which as far as I was concerned, was just heavy metal. I like those bawdy opera songs; the king is unfaithful to the queen, then he gets the pox, they have a son, the sons grows up and turns into an alligator, and in the end they kill the alligator and make some shoes for the king. But because it's sung in Italian, people think it is very aloof. Not at all.
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You claim you're socially inept..
I'm very awkward. I'm not a very good pop star." (At this point, room service knocks. A young attendant brings in six Heinekens, and seeing Bono, he almost drops his tray. He nervously asks for an autograph and is obliged.)
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See, your regal presence totally disarmed this poor guy. You seem like a perfect pop star.
.Well, I don't feel like a pop star, and I don't think I look like one.
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What's a pop star supposed to feel like?
.Well I don't know. At the moment, actually, I 'm going for bastard lessons...........
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........In 1979 you said, "We're determined to achieve a position where we have artistic freedom and where we can affect people the way we want to affect them. That position derives from money and success, and we'll work very hard to get there." So you did and now you're here: pop stars.
.It's true. We did work long and hard to jet rid of the anonymity that we now need in order to live. It's an interesting irony. I can remember thinking back in '77 "Yeah, we are going to take this all the way." Do other people think those things? Was it blind faith or just stupidity? And if your dream comes true, is it dangerous to think that all your dreams will come true?
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Well, two things can happen: one is not to get what you want, and the other is to get what you want.
.Yeah. But we really haven't gotten what we want. You see, we live in a culture where the biggest is often equated with the best. And now people say we're the biggest band in the world. So what?
That means nothing to me. No, it must mean something. But our want is to be worthy of the position we've been put in. To be the best to make music that hasn't been made before. And I don't know that we'll get to that point.
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Can you assume it's even possible to get there, playing to crowds of 60,000 people? Aren't there limitations imposed on communicating to that many people contrary to the notion of experimentation? In this context you become a "product" no matter what your intentions.
.Well, live is not the place to experiment. U2 has always been a very different act live than in the studio. Part of rock & roll is about raw power, and that's what we are about live. In the studio we have experimented, and we will continue to. I suppose what we're looking for is a better synthesis of the two... I must say, there is a real thrill to being onstage in front of 50,000 or 6o,000 people. The event is much larger than the group and the audience. It's an amazing thing to see people in agreement even if only for an hour and a half.



But you clench your fist in a particular and all 60,000 will clench their fists accordingly. Is there not something within this gesture that gives you pause?
.When a Japanese man bows to another, and the other man bows in response that's nothing but a sign of consent. When people respond, or when they sing a song I've asked them to sing, they are just being part of a bigger theatrical event. The idea that they are moronically being lemmings, following Adam, Larry, Edge and Bono off the cliff's edge with their fists in the air, does not pay them enough respect.
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You've stated a number of times that the goal all U2 songs is to make people think for themselves
 To inspire people to think for themselves. But that's not why I'm in U2: I'm in U2 because it inspires me. I'm here because I couldn't find work anywhere else. And the real reasons to be in a rock roll band are probably much closer to ego, and to be onstage and have people look at you and think you're a great guy. Those arc the real reasons — at least when you're 15 and singing into a microphone.

.Let me play devil's advocate: its seems like standing among an audience of 60,000 people, all singing the same song, can in no way encourage one to think for oneself.
.I disagree. They do think for themselves is my point. But the problem is that in the world we live in, in the West, the doctrine of personal peace and prosperity prevails. If you've got a fridge, a car or two. a vacation once a year, you're okay. And you'll agree to anything, such as voting tor whoever can preserve this. People are subject to a lot of influences that attempt to send them to sleep. There is media People's reaction to violence onscreen: the difference between what is real on the news and what is surreal on Miami Vice has become blurred. We are in a big sleep, where I'm okay, you're okay. And we don't ask questions that have difficult answers. And if U2 is throwing some cold water over that kind of thinking and people are waking up ... that's fine. We're there because this is the way we feel about the world. And U2 is just one choice.
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Let's go back a few years. During the "War" tour, you said you thought rock ef roll was full of shit, and that you were fed up with it.
.And the question is do I still think it's full of shit? Yes, I do. For me, rock & roll has always been as black as a mine - but you could find a jewel down there that made it all worthwhile. At that time, we just didn't seem to fit in. I had to ask myself What is it about? Elvis Presley shooting at the television while reading his Bible; Jerry lee Lewis believing in God and playing the devil's music with his 14-year-old bride at his side; John Lennon at the peak of his success singing "Help". Rock & roll is almost about the confusion. So I see now that there is a place for my own confusion and my own contradictions — my own desire to do something relevant with my life, as well as my own enjoyment of driving down Park Avenue in a limousine.

.Do you feel lonely?
.More and more, over the last years. I feel cut off I used to go out the back of venues, and there would be some people hanging around, we'd chat, maybe sign some bits of paper and go back to their places and sleep on the floor, talk through the night. Or I'd have people come to my room. One time I had 13 people sleeping in my room, on the floor. Now I go out, and I don't know who 1 can talk to. I've got people who want to kill me, so they can sell their story to the newspapers, people who want to hate you or love you or take a bit of you. But I have fewer friends now than I did five years ago. I know more people. I'm a lot of people's best friend.
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Has this made you cynical?
.No, I don't want to be cynical. Maybe lesson number two in How to Become a Bastard will teach me to be cynical (laughs). I'm open.
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Have you ever felt dry? Like you were operating in a closed loop of your own devices and had nothing new to say or a way to say it?
.No. When I was at school, I remember we were talking about William Butler Yeats and the different periods in his life. And the teacher told us about a period when he felt he had nothing left to say, and how this often happens to poets. I said, "Yeah, but why didn't he write about the fact that he had nothing left to say?" And that is what 1 have always done, started with what I feel.
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You're never frustrated with your own limitations?
.I'm so undisciplined and untidy, and the everyday doings of my life are such a mess, that 1 get frustrated. I write on the bus, on the backs of cigarette packets or on the table mats in restaurants and lose them. 1 lost a song I wrote with Bob Dylan, in the early-morning hours after a gig in LA, during our last tour. I've got to own up to being a writer and just write. So now I'm trying to develop the craft of songwriting, so that what I do neither dries up nor blows up in my face.
And all of us are committed to thrashing about in the studio.

.Do you think you've gotten past shouting now and are finally a singer? 
I'm not a soul singer yet, but I've got soul. We are raw, but I think all I want is that soul. I'm not impressed with the jazz-man's technical ability, but rather impressed by the way he can use his skill to tell a story, to create a mood, to make me believe. That's the ability to reveal and not conceal, and that's what I want.

.Despite your interest in the band, are there other things you are interested in pursuing?
.I am writing a play with one of my best friends, Gavin Friday. We're writing a play called Melt Head. I'm interested in theater, in Irish theatre and Brechtian theatre and Kurt Weill's music. I also painted during the Joshua Tree. A friend and I are having a show together in a Dublin gallery. But instead of paintings, I am going to show some photos I took the last week I was in Ethiopia because I want to keep the awareness of that alive.
I'm interested in the mentality of violence. The idea that two IRA men were blown up because they stood too close to the bomb they had set because they wanted to see the carnage is beyond my understanding, and I'm fascinated by it. I am talking about the ability to knock on the door of a man's house in Belfast and when he answers the door, to shoot him 10 times in the head in front of his children. This is something that I would like to understand. I think I could play the part of a terrorist.

Are you ever at peace with yourself?.
I'm happy to be unhappy. I'll always be a bit restless, I suppose. I still haven't found what I'm looking for (laughs)
[Interview by David Breskin for Rolling Stone Magazine, 1987]
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This post consists of an MP3 (320kps) rip taken from CD and includes full album artwork and booklet. This is an absolute must for any U2 fan ! Ex. Soundboard.
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Track Listing
CD 1
01 - Where the Streets Have No Name
02 - I Will Follow
03 - Trip Through Your Wires
04 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
05 - MLK
06 - The Unforgettable Fire
07 - Bullet The Blue Sky
08 - Running To Stand Still
09 - Exit
10 - In God's Country
11 - Sunday Bloody Sunday

CD2
01 - Bad
02 - October
03 - Springhill Mining Disaster
04 - New Year's Day
05 - Pride (In The Name Of Love)
06 - Mothers Of The Disappeared
07 - With Or Without You
08 - Gloria
09 - 40
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Band Members:
Bono (vocals and guitar)
The Edge (guitar, keyboards and vocals)
Adam Clayton (bass guitar)
Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums and percussion)
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U2 Hottest Ticket Link (208Mb)  New Link 04/01/2024
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Matt Taylor - Always Land On Your Feet (1983)

(Australian 1973-75, 1983)
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Matt Taylor was born in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1948. He grew up in a working-class family in the suburb of Spring Hill. His father, who had emigrated from Liverpool, was a tram-driver.
Taylor began listening to blues records in high school, and taught himself the guitar and harmonica. In February 1966 he joined the Bay City Union, one of Australia’s first electric blues bands. They moved to Melbourne in December 1966 and achieved some success playing in dance halls and clubs. They recorded a single "Mo’reen" and "Mary Mary" released on the Festival label in 1968. Among the other members of this band was Glenn Wheatley, who was also their manager.
The Bay City Union broke up in May 1968. Taylor joined the Wild Cherries in October 1968, but left the following month. During 1969 and 1970, he played with progressive heavy rock / blues bands Horse and Genesis.

.From September 1970 to October 1971, Taylor was the front-man for the blues band Chain, which had a hit single ("Black and Blue") and album ("Toward the Blues") during this period. He then quit the music industry and went to live on a commune led by Fred and Mary Robinson at Beechworth.
In 1973, he returned to the music scene as a solo artist, releasing three albums over the next three years, and scoring a major hit with the single "I Remember When I Was Young". He was one of the first artists to record for Mushroom Records, and was managed by Michael Gudinski.
1975 was a bummer of year for Matt however. His second album Music, released earlier in the year didn't sell well and the negative response prompted Matt to drop out and travel to to Balingup, Western Australia, in 1975, to re-join the space freak, cum guru, cum whatever - Fred Robinson on a new commune. Midway through 75, Matt returned to civilisation and produced his third album 'Old, New & Intuitive' which also failed to achieve much sales response.
In August, a single from the same album was released - "Somebody Stole My Hair" and when that also failed Matt went back to the commune but was eventually expelled after serious disagreements emerged between Taylor and Robinson.

He then formed a new band, Western Flyer, with a more country-flavoured sound. Western Flyer produced two albums and had some success between 1977 and 1979.
Since 1976, Taylor has lived in Perth, Western Australia. He has continued to tour and record with various line-ups of Chain, as well as releasing two solo albums and touring as a solo artist.
Matt Taylor continues to front Chain in his entertaining laconic style, and collectively the band has the relaxed cohesion that comes from a lifetime of playing.
They are still as original as ever and are credited with establishing ‘Oz Blues’ as a bonafide stylistic variation of its American father.

Matt Taylor and Chain are a great live act and the experience of seeing and hearing Chain is something anyone interested in the roots of blues in Australia should have…. In fact, it is really a ‘must’!
Chain is honoured at each year’s ‘Australian Blues Festival’ (Goulburn, New South Wales) with the presenting of ‘Chain Awards’ to the various winning performers, albums and producers.
‘Toward the Blues’ is still on general release and probably the longest permanently available rock/blues album in Australia.
Recent albums are ‘The First Thirty Years’, a live recording, and ’Sweet Honey’ which is another totally original offering.
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In 1995, he toured Germany and England as well as classic blues terrain in the southern states of the US. Matt Taylor still plays nationally solo and with Chain. To many he's Australia's finest harmonic player and a songwriter with a great history of story-telling.
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, and the great Albert Collins, who is on record as stating:

~ 'Matt plays the blues, but it's like no other blues I've ever heard in my life'. ~
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In May 2010, Taylor was inducted into the WAM Hall of Fame [extracts from Wikipedia, RAM Magazine #22, Jan 1976 and Phil Manning's Website]
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This album is similar in many ways to his debut album in that it features no nonsense, good ol' rhythm and blues, some slow and some up tempo tracks - but there is one significant difference. In the last track on the album entitled "Bo Diddley On 33", Matt introduces straight dialogue into his music, where he 'tells a story' and has continued this approach with his music ever since. In this last track, Matt talks about how all the great musicians like Buddy Holly, The Rolling Stones, Tom Rush and even George Thorogood have taken the signature riff developed by Bo Diddley back in the 50's, to pen their own songs.
Overall, this album is a joy to listen to and attests to the notion that Taylor's solo career was as fruitful and successful musically, as the time he spent with his band 'Chain'.
This post consists of FLACs ripped from vinyl and includes full album artwork for both LP and CD, along with label scans.
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Track Listing
01. Always Land on Your Feet (3:35)
02. Runaround (3:50)
03. Feelings (5:36)
04. Talk To Me (3:50)
05. The Visit (2:54)
06. 21st Century Blues (4:12)
07. Kitchen Magacian (4:57)
08. Bompa 2 (3:35)
09. Bo Diddley on 33 (7:05)
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Band Members:
Matt Taylor - Harmonica & Vocals
Chris Finnen - Guitar
Roy Daniel - Bass
Paul Keane - Drums
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Matt Taylor Link (227Mb)  New Link 14/010/2023

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Black Sabbath - We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'N' Roll (1976)

(U.K 1968–2006, 2011–present)
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Black Sabbath started out in the late 60's as Earth, consisting of Ozzie Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (Guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums).
Black Sabbath has been so influential in the development of heavy metal rock music as to be a defining force in the style. The group took the blues-rock sound of late '60s acts like Cream, Blue Cheer, and Vanilla Fudge to its logical conclusion, slowing the tempo, accentuating the bass, and emphasizing screaming guitar solos and howled vocals full of lyrics expressing mental anguish and macabre fantasies. If their predecessors clearly came out of an electrified blues tradition, Black Sabbath took that tradition in a new direction, and in so doing helped give birth to a musical style that continued to attract millions of fans decades later.

During December 1969, they went into the studios to record their first album entitled 'Black Sabbath'. It was at this point the band changed their name from Earth to Black Sabbath.
Their debut album sold and charted extremely well in countries such as France, Holland, Germany and Sweden. A few months later the album charted in the U.K and in June 1970, the album was released in the U.S and remained on the charts there for nearly 12 months.
It wasn't until their second album 'Paranoid' was released during 1970 that Black Sabbath charted in Australia with both the album and the single 'Paranoid'.
Five more albums, 'Masters of Reality', Black Sabbath Vol 4', Sabbath Bloody Sabbath', Sabotage' and 'Technical Ecstasy' were released with the original line up until the late 70's when Ozzie Osbourne decided to leave the band and pursue a solo career.
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When Black Sabbath signed with NEMS, the label which would release their 1975 album 'Sabotage' in the UK and Europe, NEMS acquired the band's back catalogue and wasted little time compiling this compilation release. Although the band had six studio albums to its name at this point, this compilation drew heavily on the first four albums: this would also be a feature of most of the Osbourne-era compilations later released.
'We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll' was originally released on December 1, 1975 in the UK and then on February 3, 1976 in the U.S. (Warner Brothers Records 2BS 2923). Note that my Cassette Tape was released in 1980.
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The original UK gatefold album, with a matte finish, had centre pages featuring shots of the band but this was omitted on reissues, which came in a glossy-finish sleeve. Additionally, the original record retained Geezer Butler's bass solo before "N.I.B", but this would be edited from later issues. Some U.S. copies of the LP do not actually include "Wicked World" on the label or on the record itself, though it does appear on the cover. In the UK, "Wicked World" had been only a B-side and was relatively obscure.
Despite the album being an official release, Iommi has been quoted as saying that the first time the band knew of it was when asked to autograph copies which fans presented after concerts!
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Album Review
Now, this should have been the greatest Black Sabbath album ever. A double-album compilation of stuff from the first six albums? How could they possibly go wrong?
How indeed. Well, let me start by saying that what's here is great, no doubt about that. But the song choice is very, very bizarre.
Why does it contain 35 minutes from the first record, but only two tracks from 'Master Of Reality'? And more disappointingly, why does it only have one track a piece from 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' and 'Sabotage'? Where the hell is "Hole In The Sky"? And "Symptom Of The Universe," for Christ's sake? And how the hell could they have skipped over "Supernaut"? Can someone please explain what Warner Brothers was thinking!
Everybody already owns the debut album; so we don't need to hear it again here. My only guess is that maybe it was difficult to locate the first album in 1976, so they decided to give people a break by including most of it in this collection? One can only wonder but one thing is for sure - I wouldn't sell my soul for this compilation but I might be tempted to put a down-payment on it.
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My cassette tape actually has 3 extra tracks to what was released on the single CD version - "Warning", "Wicked World" and "Laguana Sunrise" (these tracks were omitted to keep the release to a single CD).
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One irregularity is that the back cover of the CD release only refers to 2 missing tracks (Warning and Laguana Sunrise), yet the double LP release also had Wicked World.
Nevertheless, I have been able to squeeze in an absolute must have track by Sabbath - "Supernaut" as a bonus track and I am also including "Wicked World" for those of you who may not have the studio track.
The CD release has come in many forms, with both a single and double CD releases, and there has also been a wide variety of front cover designs (see collage below)

This post consists of a 320kps rip taken from my cassette tape, but the track listing has been rearranged to follow the standard CD release. Artwork for all formats are included along with my bonus tracks "Supernaut" and "Wicked World", which were ripped from Vinyl.

.Track Listing
01. Black Sabbath
02. The Wizard
03. Paranoid
04. War Pigs
05. Iron Man
06. Tomorrow's Dream
07. Fairies Wear Boots
08. Changes
09. Sweet Leaf
10. Children Of The Grave
11. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
12. Am I Going Insane (Radio)
13. Snowblind
14. N.I.B.
15. Supernaut (Bonus)
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Band Members:
Ozzy Osbourne (Vocals)
Tony Iommi (Lead Guitar)
Geezer Butler (Bass)
Bill Ward (Drums)
Guest Artists:
Gerald Woodruffe - Keyboards
Rick Wakeman - Keyboards on Track 11
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Black Sabbath Link (181Mb)  New Link 17/12/2023
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