Friday, November 30, 2012

W.O.C.K On Vinyl - The Partridge Family: EP (1971)

.
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.
. 
In 1970, the Partridge Family was among the top-selling recording acts, not to mention one of the top-rated TV shows of its time. Either way, it made David Cassidy a successful teen idol until the show's cancellation in 1974. The Partridge Family consisted of Shirley Partridge (keyboards, vocals) and her five kids: Keith (lead vocalist and guitar), Laurie (keyboards, vocals), Danny (bass guitar, vocals), Chris (drums), and Tracy (tambourine). Rounding out the cast was their on screen manager, Reuben Kincaid.
With the exception of Shirley Jones and David Cassidy, none of the actors on the show actually sang or played on the group's records. In fact this was done by professional studio musicians and singers, with the family lip-synching to the tracks on camera. In fact, David Cassidy was originally hired for his looks, but when the producers found out that he could sing they realized that they could use him in the real band.

Many of the episode plots draw upon the comedic relationship between Reuben (Dave Madden) and Danny (Danny Bonaduce). These two were good friends both on and off the set. Other plot devices were Keith's good looks and popularity at school, Laurie's 70's style activism and some of the strange encounters that the family had when on the road in their bus.
The Partridge Family was true wholesome family programming. At the time Shirley Partridge was one of the the first single mother's to be featured on a television show. Originally the scripts called for her to be divorced, but this was changed to describe her as a widow.And of course, unlike other shows on TV at that point, "The Partridge Family" was a built-in hit machine fueled by the good looks and bubble gum charm of Cassidy.
The "group's" first No. 1 hit single, "I Think I Love You," was released to coincide with the debut of the show. Only Cassidy and Jones sang on the song and were backed by several famed studio musicians including Hal Blaine and Louis Shelton.
On Aug. 31, 1974, the curtain came down on "The Partridge Family."
In 2010, Cassidy, whose poster image was pinned up in thousands of teenage girls' bedrooms in the 1970s, toured in concert in America and worldwide -- and was a guest on the Oprah show in the same year.
.
OK - I'll admit that I was a big fan of the Patridge Family back in the early 70's when it aired on Australian T.V, but more because of the cheeky antics that Danny got up to each week, especially while teasing  manager 'Reuben Kincaid'.  The Patridge Family's music was catchy and I, like so many other young teenagers at that time enjoyed their big hit "I Think I Love You".
Needless to say, the show was Korny but at the time it was accepted and like the Monkees or the Banana Splits, T.V shows mixing music, comedy and sitcom were popular. If you don't agree with the Korny label for this WOCK posting, then the K can stand for Reuben Kincaid instead.
The Post is a 320kps MP3 rip from my 7" Vinyl EP which I've owned all these years and includes artwork and label scans. Condition of the vinyl is fairly good considering it is over 40 years old !
Oh, and if there are any enterprising producers out there reading this month's WOCK on vinyl, thinking about trying to make a "Partridge Family" reunion happen, take note that you'll need to go through their longtime manager, Reuben Kincaid first. 
.
Side A
01 - I Think I Love You
02 - Doesn't Somebody Want To be Wanted
Side B
03 - I'll Meet You Halfway
04 - I Woke Up In Love This Morning

.
The Patridge Family Link (30Mb) Link Fixed 17/07/2022
.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Russell Morris And The Rubes - Almost Frantic (1980) + Bonus Tracks

(Australian 1966-Present)
.
Originally a member of Melbourne's Somebody's Image between 1966-68, guitarist and vocalist Russell Morris struck out on his own in 1969. Morris' career started in September 1966 with the formation of the Melbourne group Somebody's Image, which rose to prominence with a local hit version of the Joe South song "Hush." He then achieved a No. 1 hit in 1969 with the Johnny Young song "The Real Thing" which was pruduced by the guru of Aussie Rock 'Ian Molly Meldrum'. "Real Thing" remained at No. 1 for weeks and was the largest selling Australian single in 1969. The song itself was a seven-minute epic moving from a gentle beginning through full-on psychedelia with sound effects and phasing (ending with a 'Zeig Heil' and a nuclear explosion!). His follow-up "The Girl That I Love"/"Part Three Into Paper Walls", also topped the charts in which it spent a total of twenty-one weeks. He set off for the U.K. to promote his singles (unsuccessfully) and recorded "Rachel", which made No. 25 in Australia, whilst there. He enjoyed several subsequent hits, including three Top Ten ones with "Mr. America", "Sweet, Sweet Love" and "Wings Of An Eagle". His debut album in 1971 also did well, narrowly missing the Top Ten. He later lived and toured in the U.S.A.. He continued to record into the nineties and went on to front several Melbourne bands after the timeframe of this book:- Russell Morris Band (1978-84), Russell Morris and The Rubes (1980-81), Russell Morris and The Lonely Boys (1986-89) and Russell Morris and The World (1990) [extract from Borderline Books]
.
Russel Morris And The Rubes On Countdown 1980
Russell Morris has experienced all the ups and downs of the rock 'n' roll industry. These included a lean period in the 1980s when he struggled to get 30 people to a gig and promoters stopped returning his calls.
There is a lot of information about Russell on various sites about his early career, but not much about what Russell has been doing in later years.-----Played the part of Riff Raff in the Rocky Horror Show ----1992 Played Simon Zealotes in Jesus Christ Superstar ---- 2000 The Real Thing and Wings of an Eagle included in the soundtrack of the Australian film "The Dish" ---2001 - Named in APRA's Top 20 "All Time Australian Greats" ---- March 2001 Russell took part in the "Gimme Ted" benefit concert ---- 2002 Russell took part in the Long Way to the Top extravaganza. ---- 2003 Russell was part of the Hard Road concert with Stevie Wright (EasyBeats). ---- The 25th Annual As A Songwriting Competition Awards Ceremony at Club Ashfield on 2 June, 2005. On that night Russell Morris was inducted into the ASA Hall of Fame, with Ian 'Molly' Meldrum providing the induction speech. ---- June 2005 - Joined John Schumann & the
Russell Morris With 'Peace Glasses' 2002
Vagabond Crew with the Lawson Project. ---- August 2006 - Singing with the Stars - Concert Series. ---- August 2006 - Lobby Lloyd’s Benefit Concert ---- March 2007 - Russell Morris & Brian Cadd
"Unplugged". Two incredible nights performing with the Queensland Conservatorium students. ---- September 2007 - Wings of an Eagle included in the film of "The December Boys" ---- October 2007 - Concert for Max - Benefit concert for music legend Max Merritt. ---- October 2007 - Entertained the troops employed on Operation ANODE in the Solomon Islands. -------1 July 2008 - Inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. - - - - July 2011 Brian Cadd & Russell Morris release a Country & Western album "Wild Bulls & Horses" - - - - 8th Nov 2011 - Russell presented with Support Act's Excellence in Community Support Award. ------- New Russell Morris blues album "Sharkmouth" official release Friday October 12, 2012...  [sourced from a Russell Morris Fan Page]
.
Russell Morris And The Rubes - Mushroom Evolution Concert 1982
.
The album featured here - "Almost Frantic" is not a bad album at all, sporting a remix of his earlier hit "Hush" along with his other single "In The Heat Of The Night". Overall, the album is hard hitting and has some great moments, including some great sax work by guest artist 'Wilbur Wilde' (from OL 55).

This post consists of a FLAC rip taken from my Vinyl copy of Almost Frantic and includes full album artwork for both LP and CD.
I have also included a live rendition of the hit "Hush" from a 1980 episode of Countdown as a bonus track. Likewise, live versions of  "In the Heat Of The Night" and "Roar Of The Wild Torpedoes" have also been added, sourced from the infamous Mushroom Evolution Concert held at the Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne, in 1982.
As an extra special treat, I'm also including a YouTube clip of Morris doing "Hush" at the 'It's A Long Way To The Top Concert Spectacular'. Take note of his very cool 'Peace Glasses"

Note:  Although Sandman Records re-released this album on CD, it is no longer in stock  
.
Track Listing
01 - So Tough     3:20   
02 - Radio Active     3:18   
03 - Walk Don't Run     2:54   
04 - The Roar Of The Wild Torpedoes     3:12   
05 - Don't Want To Talk About It     3:26   
06 - Somebody's Watching The House     3:13   
07 - I Don't Like The Night     2:12   
08 - In The Heat Of The Night     3:42   
09 - Don't Look Over Your Shoulder     2:20   
10 - Hush   3:00
Bonus Tracks

11 - In The Heat Of The Night Live / Roar Of The Torpedoes (Mushroom Evolution Concert 1982)    7:53
12 - Hush Live (Countdown 1980)    2:47

Russell Morris and The Rubes were:
Russell Morris - vocals, guitar
Rich Puchala - drums
Max Chazan - guitar
Graham Thompson - bass
Bruce Haymes - keyboards
Wilbur Wilde - saxophone
Max Parker - backing vocals

.
Almost Frantic Link (303Mb) New Link 15/10/2023
.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Paul McCartney - Live Unapproved (1993) Bootleg

(U.K 1957-Current)
.
After the Beatles disbanded in 1970, all four launched solo careers. George, after tremendous initial success, gradually retired from the scene, as did Ringo who concentrated first upon a film career, then took life easy, content to be a jet-set celebrity. John, living in the USA, had an uneven solo career before leaving the music business to become a house-husband; he had just released a comeback album, Double Fantasy, when he was murdered. Paul McCartney however, remained in the public eye. He fulfilled his ambition to go back on the road by forming Wings and playing surprise gigs at university dances. Before long Wings grew into a fully-fledged rock band of the seventies variety, undertaking enormous stadium tours of the United States, selling millions of records and ensuring that a new generation of fans grew up who would know Paul more as a former member of Wings than of the Beatles.

Many Years From Now 1997
Throughout the seventies and eighties, Paul released dozen of albums, first of all with Wings, then as solo projects. After John's death he stopped touring, and spent thirteen years off the road, though the hit records kept coming. In the nineties he did two more world tours, once again breaking attendance records, and this time playing many of the songs he wrote for the Beatles. Interest in Beatles still remained high, and with the release of the three Anthology double-CDs of out-takes and unreleased songs, the group once again shot to number one on the charts, twenty-five years after disbanding. A television documentary series was screened all over the world and released as a boxed set of eight videos. It was if the Beatles had never been away: the magazines and newspapers were filled with interviews with the surviving members and the instantly recognisable faces of their youth flickered across television screen once more. They had become a British institution. [extract from Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now by Barry Miles, Published by Seeker and Warburg, 1997 - p599-600]
.
Based on the track listing of this bootleg, I am fairly certain that this recording came from "The Paul McCartney World Tour" which started 26 September 1989 and finished on 29 July 1990. In total, McCartney played 104 shows.
The Paul McCartney World Tour was his first major tour outing in ten years, since Wings UK Tour 1979, and his first appearances in North America in thirteen years, since the 1976 Wings Over America Tour. It was also his first tour under his solo name.
While the tour coincided with the release of his 'Flowers in the Dirt' album, it was thematically more about him finally embracing his Beatles past, including for the first time, in any of his tours, a substantial number of Beatles songs in the set list.
The tour was documented by the 1990 live albums 'Tripping the Live Fantastic',  'Tripping the Live Fantastic: Highlights!', and the 1991 film 'Get Back'. The album 'Tripping The Live' fantastic entered the Music Week Top 75 on 17 November 1990 and peaked at number 17, leaving the charts after eleven weeks. It peaked at #10  on the NME chart. A one-hour tour documentary was also aired on Channel 4 TV in the UK, called "From Rio to Liverpool" [extract from wikipedia]

.
The 1989 Paul McCartney World Tour was the first time Paul had played the US since Wings Over America in 1976. He took the road with a new band; Paul Wix Wickens (on keyboards and piano) Robbie McIntosh (guitar, once of the Pretenders) Hamish Stewart (guitar, formerly of the Average White Band) Chris Whitten on drums and of course Linda McCartney (keyboards) whom Paul would always introduce as Gertrude Higgins. The 1989/1990 Tour had 104 Tour dates, 45 in the United States, 6 in the New York area. A free 98 page Tour booklet was given out at each show with profiles of the band, Paul’s career & Tour stats.

Paul sported long hair and wasn't afraid to play Beatles songs, like in his Wings days. The Tour began in September in Norway, after rolling through Sweden, Spain, Europe and the Netherlands; it hit Los Angeles on November 23, for five nights. Passing through Chicago and Canada, it arrived in New York at Madison Square Garden for four sold out shows on December 11th, 12th 14th & 15th. The tour resumed after the holidays with 18 shows in England including 12 nights at Wembley arena. The Tour came back to the to the US for large Stadium shows throughout the summer. I attended another Giants Stadium show in July 1990. The Tour ended in Chicago on July 29, 1990.
Paul had just released the Flowers in the Dirt album, that June. It was his best work since 1982s Tug of War, the album went gold but only peaked at #21 on the charts. The single My Brave Face got a lot of rock radio airplay and reached #25 in the US Top 40. George Martin did some work on the album, as did Elvis Costello and David Gilmour. Other notable songs on the album were Figure of Eight (which usually opened shows on the Tour); Put It There and Rough Ride. The tour was documented by a live double album Tripping the Live Fantastic, and the 1991 film Get Back.
During the Tour Paul had added a John Lennon tribute doing a medley of Strawberry Fields/ Help / Give Peace A Chance. He also did Maybe I’m Amazed and Matchbox at some shows. [extract from centrefieldmaz.com]
.
As mentioned, I have not been able to find any other recording that matches this one based on the song listing and order, but suspect this bootleg is simply an extract from one of manyother bootlegs taken from the 1989-90 World Tour. Although the quality of the recording is excellent, I found the atmosphere of the concert to be alittle dull with the McCartney crew simply going through the motions and Paul really not trying to connect with the audience. Nevertheless, the inclusion of many Beatles tunes makes this bootleg special, especially if you haven't heard 'Tripping the Live Fantastic' release.
The post consists of MP3 ripped from CD at 320kps and includes full album artwork, typically sporting the generic MOJO design.

Track Listing
01 - Rough Ride
02 - Let 'Em In
03 - Band On The Run
04 - Go To Get You Into My Life
05 - The Long And Winding Road
06 - Fool On The Hill
07 - Can't Buy Me Love
08 - I Saw Her Standing There
09 - Seargent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
10 - Good Day Sunshine
11 - Put It There
12 - Things We Said Today
13 - Eleanor Rigby
14 - My Brave Face
15 - Back InThe USSR
 .
The Band
Paul McCartney – lead vocals, acoustic, electric and bass guitars, piano, keyboards

Linda McCartney – backing vocals, keyboards, percussion
Hamish Stuart – backing vocals, acoustic, electric and bass guitars
Robbie McIntosh – backing vocals, electric guitar
Paul "Wix" Wickens – backing vocals, keyboards
Chris Whitten – drums, percussion
.
Paul McCartney Link (134Mb) 

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Brian Cadd - Yesterday Dreams (1978) + Bonus Tracks

(Australian 1965-Present)

In the early Seventies Brian Cadd established himself as one of Australia's first "album artists".
Raised in Perth, at the age of ten Brian George Cadd was given the choice between lessons in tennis or piano. He chose the latter and studied seriously for two years. At the age of twelve his entry in a TV talent quest resulted in Brian being offered the pianist role in a junior band on a children's program. After that, Brian worked in his cousin's hotel group, and a pop band formed with school mates.

The family subsequently moved to Tasmania, and then Melbourne, where Brian continued his music career, first with the Beale Street Jazz Club and then with the Castaways who, in 1965 became r&b group the Jackson Kings. Brian and the Jackson Kings' singer joined the second version of the Groop. He joined as Brian Caine. A close associate of the band, Ian Meldrum convinced him that Cadd was no name for a pop musician. When his family objected to the change Brian quickly changed back. It was with the Groop that Brian Cadd developed his songwriting.

In May 1969 Brian and his Groop songwriting partner Don Mudie left to join "super" group Axiom, and stayed in Australia only long enough to record and release an album before embarking on the reason for putting the band together, to try their luck overseas. Brian had already enjoyed a little recognition in England with Manfred Mann singer Paul Jones recording his 'When I Was Six Years Old'. Axiom hoped to build on that, but broke up two years later, back in Australia.

For a while Brian kept himself busy as a hired hand in the recording studio, renewing his association with Russell Morris. He'd played the piano and delivered the "Hitler" speech on Russell's 'The Real Thing'. Brian now provided some of the backing on Russell's 'Bloodstone' album, acted as his musical director for a tour supporting the Bee Gees, and wrote Russell's 'Live With Friends' single.

Brian's own recording comeback came in the shape of his December 1971 hit single in partnership with Don Mudie, 'Show Me The Way', released on the Fable label. Brian released one more single with Don ('Rolling And Tumbling Down') and then offered three solo recordings for the soundtrack to the surf movie soundtrack 'Morning Of The Earth'. Robin Jolley's 'Marshall's Portable Music Machine' was as near to a Brian Cadd solo single as you could get. It was his song, his sound, but Robin's voice and name on the record.

His "official" solo career was launched with the release of the single 'Ginger Man' in October 1972. The song was based on the JP Donleavy book of the same name. Brian had convinced Fable Label boss Ron Tudor to bankroll Brian's own label, Bootleg, along the lines of Leon Russell's Shelter label, where Bootleg's house band would back Brian and all the other artists on the label - singer songwriter Stephen Foster, jazz singer Kerrie Biddell, and the harmony group Mississippi. The Bootleg Family toured together, and even released its own singles, having hits with their versions of 'Your Mama Don't Dance' and 'The Shoop Shoop Song'.

However it was Brian Cadd's own records which were most spectacularly successful, the first time an Australian singer-singwriter had managed a major breakthrough. In a music scene depending almost solely on live work, it was hard going for that kind of performer. With the Bootleg concept behind him Brian was able to transcend all that and see his albums into the top ten, headlining his own concerts, having TV specials made to feature his music, writing a TV theme ('Class Of 74'), a movie soundtrack ('Alvin Purple') and hits for others ( Johnny Farnham's 'Don't You Know It's Magic).


After three hit albums in a row, 'Brian Cadd', 'Parabrahm', and 'Moonshine', once again Brian Cadd was tempted to leave everything behind for an all-out attempt on international success, this time aiming at America. There had been earlier forays into America under the Bootleg banner, but this was "serious". Brian planned to live and stay until he cracked it there. Rod Tudor was left with what was left of the expensive Bootleg adventure. In America Brian achieved recognition as a songwriter rather than for his own recordings.

After signing a new deal with the Interfusion label, Brian moved to Los Angeles, and over the next 15 years he worked variously in the U.S., Europe and Australia as an artist and producer as well as writing material for other performers. Interfusion issued Brian's albums White on White and Yesterdaydreams, plus the singles "White On White", "Longest Night" (1976), "Yesterdaydreams" (October 1978), "Skating on Thin Ice" (April 1979) and "Very Very Long Time" (May 1980).

After six years in Nashville, from 1981 Brian started to make regular performing trips back to Australia. He released an album and toured as the 'Blazing Salads' with Glenn Shorrock.

He formed a performing partnership with another Australian living in America, Max Merritt. In the Nineties Brian decided to bring his American family back to Australia to live. In 2002, Brian appeared as part of the all-star lineup of the hugely successful "Long Way To The Top" concert tour, and he has continued to tour, record and produce. [taken from howlspace.com]
.
While researching Brian's career, I came across the following story regarding a song that Brian had written for Ringo Starr.

[Article originally published at Undercover.fm]

Brian Cadd Song For Ringo Starr Remains In The Vault 

 By Paul Cashmere

Fri, 26 Nov 2010
A 70’s Ringo Starr recording of a Brian Cadd song could have been the “anthem for all drunks and druggies around the world” but it was never released.
“Ringo had just given it all up,” Cadd told Undercover.fm. “He was dry and clean and fabulous and just joyous about the whole thing. So, we wrote a song called ‘Some Folks Do’ which was about drug taking and the fact that Ringo was now clean. Then he recorded it and we thought ‘this is it. It is going to be the anthem for all drunks and druggies around the world’”.
Cadd wrote the song for Ringo with John Beland from the Flying Burrito Brothers. Apple Records USA manager Ken Mansfield signed on as producer. Mansfield had worked with The Beatles from ‘The White Album’ as well as Apple artists James Taylor, Mary Hopkin and Badfinger. It would have been the first single off his next album in 1976.
“Then he changed producers to Van Dyke Parks and Van Dyke Parks virtually stopped using all the stuff he had done before and did a whole lot of other stuff,” Brian says. “But Ringo loved the song. He was quite happy for it to have been the first single”.
The album Ringo fans got instead was ‘Rotogravure’ and the Cadd song has been locked away in a vault somewhere ever since.
Brian has not used for the song for himself or anyone else but says it was pure Ringo. “It was fabulous. It’s him. It’s our demo only played better with Ringo desperately trying to remain in tune, like all his records”.

Brian Cadd recalls this story and many more in his new book ‘From This Side Of Things’, available from his official website.
Also worth noting is that ARIA Hall of Fame Inductees Glenn Shorrock and Brian Cadd have reunited for a studio album called 'The Story of Sharky' and the Caddman, also available through his website.


This post consists of a FLAC rip taken from my Vinyl. Full album artwork and label scans are included along with 2 bonus tracks taken from the 'Morning Of The Earth' Soundtrack, which Cadd contributed to in 1972.  I quite like this album, inparticular the title track and the last track "Lonely Is The Roadrunner" where Cadd sings about the hardships that 'truckies' endure while away from their families.
.

Track Listing 
 01 - Yesterday Dreams
02 - Ol '55
03 - Skating On Thin Ice

04 - Thousand Different Ways
05 - Pale Fire
06 - Next Time I See You
07 - Send In The Violins
08 - Long Time Till The First Time
09 - Crazy Lady of Silver Spoon
10 - Lonely Is The Roadrunner

Bonus Tracks
11 - Making It On Your Own (Morning Of The Earth) 
12 - Sure Feels Good (Morning Of The Earth)
.
Artists:
Vocals (Brian Cadd)
Keyboards (Brian Cadd, Mike Finnegan, Mark Jordan, Larry Knackel)
Guitar (Stephen Beckmere, John Berland, Richard Bennett, David Kalish)
Slide Guitar (Jesse Ed Davis)
Steel Guitar (J Mannis) 
Mandolin (Davey Johnson)
Bass (Reg McBride, Mike Pocaro, David Winteur)
Drums (Richie Hayward, Doug Lavery, Jeff Pocaro, Alvin Taylor)
Percussion (Oliver Brown)
Synthesizers (Jay Graydon)
.

Brian Cadd FLAC (257Mb) New Link 27/11/2016
.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Moon Martin - Escape From Domination (1979) + Bonus Tracks

(U.S  1971-1999)
John "Moon" Martin (born October 31, 1950, Oklahoma) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Martin gained recognition in the 1970s as a pop artist and composer. Originally a rockabilly artist, he wrote the songs "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)", made famous by the English singer Robert Palmer, and "Cadillac Walk", made famous by the American singer Willy DeVille.
Martin scored two minor hits of his own with "Rolene" (#30 Billboard Hot 100) and "No Chance" (#50), both in 1979. His 1982 song, "X-Ray Vision" was an MTV hit music video. It has been reported that he was given the nickname "Moon" because many of his songs had the word "moon" in the lyrics, however, Martin gives his own reason for the nickname (see Interview below).
Moon could turn out three minute pop novels like few others, and did so with excellence on his Capitol albums. Moon's music was extremely accessible, and 7 or 8 tracks from each album could easily have been singles. However, in the realities of the record business, having talent and producing great records does not necessarily equat commercial success.
Moon's live performances were great, he had the tightest band you could see in the late 70's/early 80's, and the songs were there. For some reason, though, commercial success evaded Moon almost entirely in the US. Very few countries around the world fully discovered Moon's brilliant pop records when he was at his best. And today his music is often referred to as "cult" or non-commercial.
.
In November of 1979, Moon Martin was interviewed by the German Magazine Musik Express just prior to his German Tour and the following is a transcript from that interview:

Reporter: You're currently on a promotional tour to introduce your second record "Escape From Domination" to the American audience. How are the record and tour doing?
.
Moon Martin: Oh, I'm very, very pleased. The record will for sure climb up to number 90 on the US charts, and the single of it, "Rolene", reached number 30, so far. The tour, as well, started quite fine.
.
Reporter: How big are the halls you are playing at?

Moon Martin: Mostly, theatres with approximately 1000 seats if we're the headliners of the show. Personally, I prefer to be the supporting act for better known bands, which gets me the chance to reach far more people. We toured, for instance, with Cheap Trick and Joe Jackson. Each night we had 15,000 kids at the concerts, and they liked us. You have to have good relations with the headliner. In this case, it's more effective for a band like us to be the support act.

Reporter: Robert Palmer released a very successful cover of your "Bad Case Of Lovin' You". Did you know him prior?

Moon Martin: No, I haven't met him before, but knew all his records. To be very honest, he was and is my favorite singer and you can imagine how much I appreciated it that he covered "Bad Case".

Reporter: How were the critic's reviews for the new album?

Moon Martin: They were excellent throughout. I haven't read a bad one so far. Nearly each critic wrote that "Escape" is more compact than "Shots From A Cold Nightmare". Well, I'm really satisfied.

Reporter: Now, it's for sure your success in the States came via your European success. It's a strange development, isn't it?

Moon Martin: No, not at all. Look, if you want to bring a record here among the masses, especially as a newcomer, you have to prostitute yourself for the radio stations. In every bloody state, in each village, at each station, you have to bring your little record saying, "Hi, I'm Moon Martin and this is my new LP. It would be nice if you could play it. Blah, blah, blah." 

In Europe, it goes like this: the DJs have your record already and if they like it, they have played it already. You won't make any points here with the usual beggary. You could add here, a bit ironically, that a U.S. musician has to be successful first in Europe, before you're accepted in the states, but first, I like it and second, other bands and musicians share this experience.

Reporter:  I know you'll hate the next question, but especially American critics tend to categorize each artist. What's the writing on your drawer?

Moon Martin:  Mainly, they called it New Wave.

Reporter:  What? New Wave?

Moon Martin: Yes, really. But, they don't mean Punk here (in the States), when they call it that way. The meaning is rather that we don't play any kind of sugar-pop or easy-listening-country.

Reporter: How would you classify your music by yourself?

Moon Martin:  I would call it straight, earthy Rockabilly. But, these categories are a horror to me anyway.

Reporter: What will you do after this U.S. tour ?

Moon Martin: On November 17th, we'll start our German tour. Next, we tour Sweden, France and England.
Reporter: And will you bring the same band you toured with in Germany, in 1978?

Moon Martin: Yes, they are the old Ravens: Rick Croy, his brother, Dennis, and Jude Cole. This time, we do it without a second guitarist.

Reporter: What about your plans for a third LP? It's a bit early, but maybe you could tell us something already....

Moon Martin: Yeah, at the moment I'm quite happy that the second is doing so fine, but honestly, I wrote a few songs for the third LP already.

Reporter: One final question. Basically, you're regarded everywhere, in the USA too, as a newcomer. Only a very few of the so called critics and experts know that you played in the past, in a band called "Southwind". Could you please tell us a few words about Southwind?

Moon Martin: OK, we started around 1970 in Oklahoma. At that time, and in this area, there were
only two kinds of music: heavy rock and country music. Maybe this was the reason that our music went totally unnoticed. You know, exactly at the wrong time, exactly at the right place. Nevertheless, we made two LPs. For that time, it was quite a mess, but in '72, we finally broke up and split. I moved to L.A., then jobbed as a truck driver for some time, and wrote songs in my spare time.

Reporter: Just one, final question. How did you get you nickname, "Moon"?


Moon Martin: They gave me the nickname after the split of Southwind. I jobbed by day and wrote by night, in the moonshine, of course. I have a special relation to this celestial body, as you may hear, in some of my songs. Well, then one day, suddenly, nobody called me John no more. Everybody who knew me, called me "Moon". I like this name.
[Interview sourced from Moon Martin's Website]
.
In late 1978, rock 'n' roll discovered its roots. On the heels of this revolution emerged an artist by the name of Moon Martin. With his debut album 'Shots From A ColdNightmare', "Moon Martin made the most impressive debut album of the year (1978)" wrote Ken Tucker of the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, adding "Martin gets more mileage out of a tersely-phrased non sequitur than anyone short of Elvis Costello"
Well, Moon returned in 1979 with the aptly titled 'Escape From Domination'. What shots promised, Domination fulfills...bringing a whole new dimension to the phrase "basic roots of rock 'n' roll". This is Moon Martin: the singer, the songwriter, the album ...not to be missed.
The post consists of an mp3 rip (320kps) taken from my vinyl copy (which was recently acquired still sealed in its shrink wrap and in absolute mint condition) along with full album artwork and select publicity shots taken from Moon Martin's website with thanks.  I have also chosen to include a rip of his hit single "X-Ray Vision / Deeper In Love" taken from a 12" single release which I bought many 'Moons' ago from an import shop - LOL

Track Listing
01. I've got a reason 2:59
02. She made a fool of you 3:38
03. Dreamer 3:02 
04. Gun shy 3:02
05. Hot house baby 3:15
06. The feeling's right 3:54
07. Rolene 3:35
08. No chance 2:40
09. Dangerous 2:53
10. Bootleg  woman 2:58
11. X-ray vision (Bonus track) 4:03
12. Deeper into love (Bonus track) 3:26


Vocals & Guitars - Moon Martin
Guitars & Vocals - Jude Cole
Bass Guitar - Dennis Croy
Drums - Rick Croy
Keyboards - Craig Leon
Bass Guitar on "dangerous" - Rob Stoner
Drums on "dangerous" - Howie Wyeth
.
Moon Martin Link (95Mb)  New Link 05/07/2022
.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Various Artists - Midnight Blues (1991)

(Various Australian Artists)

Midnight Blues is exactly that - a compilation of blues tracks  (with a mix jazz thrown in) performed by some of Australia's greatest vocalists. These performances are so laid back you would swear the artists are singing in your own living room. The duets are especially magical with Kate Ceberano with Wendy Matthews almost stealing the show, while Marc Hunter shows a more intimate side of his vocal finess and simply oozes pure soul.  The role call continues with Vince Jones, Grace Knight, Tania Bowra and Slim Dusty's daughter Anne Kirkpatrick.
Below is a run down on each of the artists featured on this amazing compilation, released by ABC Music in 1991.
.
Kate Ceberano
Kate first found fame with her funk band ‘I’m Talking’, a group that was managed by Ken West, who went on to found the Big Day Out with partner Vivien Lees. The group’s album produced three top ten singles, went Platinum and won Best New Talent (1984) at the Countdown Awards. Kate won Best Female Vocalist (1985) at the Countdown Awards as well as Best Female Singer (1985) at the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Awards. However after just one album, the group broke up and Kate went solo, and it was in the late 80s that she started to gain reputed success for her soul, jazz and pop repertoire.
Kate’s first solo album was the live set Kate Ceberano and Her Septet (1987). Her following album You've Always Got The Blues (1988) earned her an ARIA Award for Best Female Artist (1988). One year later, she won another ARIA for Best Female Artist (1989), as well as one for Highest Selling Single (1989) for Bedroom Eyes from her triple platinum album, Brave.  At the end of 1990, she received three prestigious MO Awards for Jazz Performer, Female Rock Performer and Contemporary Concert Performer of the Year. 
In 1992, Kate performed the role of Mary in Jesus Christ Superstar. The show (which also featured John Farnham) toured nationally, and the album was the biggest hit of the year - going an incredible 4 times Platinum.  In 1993 Kate won a Loggie Award for Most Popular Music Video for ‘Everything’s Alright’ taken from the show.
Kate followed this with her own late-night cabaret-style show on ABC TV called Kate Ceberano And Friends (1993-1994). In 1996 Kate released her next solo album Blue Box, which went Gold and saw her nominated for another Best Female Artist ARIA. In 1997 Kate wrote and released what has become an Australian classic - Pash. It went Gold and established Kate as one of our leading female songwriters.

In 2007, Kate saluted the 80’s with her album Nine Lime Avenue, a tribute to a decade that she holds close to her heart. 2008 saw the release of 'So Much Beauty', the summation of everything that has made this Australian singer exceptional in the past and makes her exceptional still. In 2009 Kate released ‘Bittersweet’ built on a shared musical connection with Mark Isham.

Doing what she loves most, making beautiful music; Kate Ceberano has released 18 albums over her 25  years of success in the music industry.  In November 2010 Kate re-released her beautiful ‘Merry Christmas’ album complete with stunning duets with Ronan Keating, David Campbell, Mark Vincent and Jimmy Little.  The album became the official National Breast Cancer Foundation album with proceeds from each sale going towards the foundation.  [extracts from Kate's website]

Wendy Matthews
Born in Montreal Canada, Wendy Matthews joined her first band and left home as a teenager, busking her way across the USA to Los Angeles where she met Glenn Shorrock who invited her to tour with him in Australia in 1982.
Wendy immediately became an in-demand session singer, appearing on many commercial jingles and backing vocals for the likes of The Models “Out of Mind Out of Sight” and became a semi-permanent member of the band.  She also sang on albums by Jimmy Barnes, Tim Finn, Richard Clapton and Icehouse.
In 1987, Wendy collaborated with Kate Ceberano on the ABC-TV soundtrack for the series ‘Stringer’.  ‘You’ve Always Got the Blues’ was released the next year reaching the Top 5 national charts. It is from this album that the 3 featured duets on this compilation CD come from.  She then contributed to the Rockmelons and Peter Blakeley’s respective albums.  She helped form Absent Friends and sang on the number one hit “I Don’t Wanna Be With Nobody But You” and the album “Here’s Looking Up Your Address”.

After touring with Absent Friends, Wendy went into the studio to record her solo debut.  The album “Émigré” (Double Platinum) spawned the hits “Token Angels”, “Lets Kiss” and “Woman’s Gotta Have It” and earned Wendy the Best Female Artist and Best Debut Single (for ‘Token Angels’) at the 1990 ARIA Awards.  Wendy was also voted Best Female Singer in the 1990 Rolling Stone Reader’s Poll.
This was followed up by the Triple Platinum album “Lily”  with the mega hit  “ “The Day You Went Away” plus  “If Only I Could” and  Friday’s Child”.
In 1992 Wendy picked up the ARIA for Best Female Artist and Best Single and again in 1993 Best Female Artist.  “The Day You Went Away” was the ‘highest selling single’ of 1993 and the ‘single of the year’.
Wendy then followed up with another two studio albums “The Witness Tree” and “Ghosts” including the hits “Love Will Keep Me Alive”, “Standing Strong”,  “Then I Walked Away”.  In 1999 to cap off an already outstanding career, Wendy released her first “Best Of…Stepping Stones” which not only included her former hits but also “Nobody But You” the massive hit from Absent Friends.

Not resting on her laurels, in 2001 Wendy released “Beautiful View” featuring the hauntingly beautiful title track and club favourite “Like the Sun”.
2004 saw the release of the mixed-up, chilled-out “Café Naturale” an eclectic suite of songs which immediately evoke a sense of familiarity. The Tropfest winning film “Lamb” by Emma Freeman features as the highly acclaimed video clip to the popular “All I Need”.
There are very few artists in Australia that can cite Wendy’s credentials, seven arias, a massive 19 singles , 7 top selling albums and most of all the love from her fans. [extract from Wendy's website]


Grace Knight
Grace Knight is one of the most enduring talents in Australian music. With Aria nominations and chart topping recordings in each of the past three decades, her career spans over thirty five years.
Acclaimed for her live performances, Grace is one of the finest interpreters of popular music in Australia today. Knight’s spellbinding performances touch the soul and lift the heart.  Her magical presence connects with audiences of all ages like few others can.
She blew audiences away throughout the eighties as lead singer of internationally successful band Eurogliders.  She captivated fans with her “Manic Ballerina” stage persona and Eurogliders took the charts by storm.
As a solo artist she transformed herself from Pop Princess to Queen of Cool and lit up the screen in ABC TV’s award winning mini-series, Come In Spinner. A string of successful solo albums followed. During her jazz career, Grace has done countless live shows including performances for  five Australian Prime Ministers, President Clinton of the United States, Princess Diana, and the Thai Royal Family
Her album 'Willow' was nominated for an ARIA award in 2008 and she has just released her seventh solo album, Keep Cool Fool [extract from Grace's Website] 
 .
Vince Jones
Australia’s leading jazz vocalist, Vince Jones, is also a remarkable interpreter and composer of songs in a contemporary jazz style – a style that appeals equally to listeners and his musical peers. As a vocalist he resists showing off technique to the detriment of feel – he’s confident in his musical literacy and sings like there’s nothing to prove. It’s a refreshing approach that gives us, the audience, the chance to be really moved. Vince Jones also plays trumpet and over the years his style has developed a distinctive reserve and subtlety – he plays a little less and draws a good deal more from it than he did in earlier days. A brief, thoughtful solo from Vince is worth a hundred notes played with less discretion.


Vince’s first album Watch What Happens, released in 1981, was a quiet, strong statement – showcasing his vocal and songwriting talent in tandem with stylish accompaniment. A loyal following developed and with each album and tour the Australian audience grew. Though never a mainstream artist, Vince Jones was actually very popular – demonstrated through album sales figures and audience numbers. Other more media-hungry performers may have filled the column inches and airwaves – but Jones was selling more records and tickets in the atmospheric venues and certainly making people listen and think. The second album, Spell, came out in 1983, followed by a new album each year until It All Ends in Tears in 1988. Five more albums were produced from 1992 until 1999’s Live recorded at the Basement in Sydney. Through the 1990s Vince Jones and his band found success on the European circuit making an impression on reviewers, audiences and promoters. They played to packed houses in Germany, London, Switzerland, Denmark and the Netherlands including the major festivals – the North Sea, Montreux, Aarhus – and a range of more intimate venues.[extract from Vince's Website]

Marc Hunter
Marc Hunter (7 September 1953 – 17 July 1998) was a New Zealand rock and pop singer best known as the lead vocalist with Dragon, a band formed by his older brother Todd in Auckland in 1973.
Born in Taumarunui, Marc joined Dragon in 1974 and the band recorded two albums of progressive rock for Vertigo Records. The band moved to Sydney, Australia, in 1975. After suffering the heroin-related death of drummer Neil Storey, Dragon became a pop-rock act and went on to become one of Australia's biggest-selling bands, scoring a number of hit singles and successful albums, most notably 1978's O Zambezi. In the meantime, Hunter developed a serious heroin addiction and the following year, he was fired from the band.
Hunter bounced back immediately with his 1979 solo album Fiji Bitter spawning the hit single "Island Nights". Two years later the album Big City Talk and single of the same name were also hits and in 1982 Dragon reformed for a tour, deciding to stay together when the single "Rain" became a hit. The 1984 album Body and the Beat was a massive hit across Australia and New Zealand and the title track of Hunter's solo album Communication (1985) was also a moderate hit. While on a break between Dragon tours (during which Marc's former bandmate Paul Hewson died unexpectedly, in January 1985), Hunter joined The Party Boys for a sold-out national tour, recording the album You Need Professional Help.
Dragon split-up once again in 1988 but the break was short-lived and the band was touring again by mid-1989.

1990 saw the release of his 4th solo album on ABC Records, called "Night and Day". It was a great jazz album full of standards, and while completely different to Marc's usual style, it was well received and got quite a bit of airplay, especially on the ABC. One single, "Night and Day"/"Laura" was released from the album.
 Hunter and the band continued a mid-level career throughout the '90s with something of an AOR sound but the singer's years of hard living caught up with him and he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1997 and could no longer perform or tour. Friends immediately rallied round him and Renee Geyer organised a benefit concert to raise money for his treatment and provide for his children. The concert, Night Of The Hunter, was held in February 1998 at the Palais Theatre in St Kilda in Melbourne. The finale, "April Sun In Cuba" was performed by John Farnham and his band, with Todd on bass. The house erupted when Renee Geyer led Marc onstage and he joined in his signature tune for what proved to be his very last stage appearance.
Sadly, Marc finally lost his battle with cancer and died in Kiama on 17 July 1998 [extract from Wikipedia]

Tania Bowra
Tania first came to attention with the release of her 1989 debut ‘Heaven and Earth’ (ABC Records / Polygram) which won her an ARIA nomination for Best New Talent.
Tania’s professional career – spanning more than 20 years – has enjoyed some impressive highlights: while living in the UK in the mid 1990's Tania appeared at such prestigious venues as Edinburgh’s famous Spiegeltent, the 12bar club and The Garage in London, toured with ex-Fairground Attraction singer Eddi Reader in her band and, at songwriter Paul Brady’s request, joined him on a tour of the UK opening for him, including a night at the London Palladium.
Her voice is deep, alluring and always sympathetic to her songs, which often juxtapose personal quandaries with a broad environmental sensibility and place them in moody, atmospheric frames - Rolling Stone magazine
The featured track on this compilation "All True" was the B-Side to her single "Heaven and Earth. [extract from Joni Mitchell Tribute Website]

Anne Kirkpatrick
Singer songwriter Anne Kirkpatrick seemed destined to be a performer, being the daughter of country music legends Slim Dusty and Joy McKean.
During a career that started at the age of ten in her parents' travelling country show, Anne Kirkpatrick has been described as "a true revolutionary" and "the godmother of Australian new country".
Her 1991 release Out Of The Blue was heralded as a watershed album in Australian country music and her latest album Showman's Daughter was declared by Bruce Elder of the Sydney Morning Herald to be "a remarkable achievement that keeps Australian country music in the hands of the nation's first family".

There's been myriad accolades along her way six Golden Guitars, a couple of Mo Awards and, honoring Out Of The Blue as Best Country album, a coveted ARIA Award (in a year when she edged out the top male stars of the day Keith Urban, James Blundell, Graeme Connors and John Williamson). Early this year she became the 39th artist (since the great Tex Morton in1976) to have been listed on the Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown.
With this contribution to Midnight Blues, one is held in thrall by the artistry of a woman with an innate understanding of the essential qualities which can render truly great country music emotionally overwhelming.
[extract from Anne's Website]
. 
This post consists of an MP3 (320kps) rip taken from my CD copy (now out of print). Full album artwork included along with select photos of artists and relevant album, as displayed above.
 .
Track Listing
01 - Kate Ceberano And Wendy Matthews--You've Always Got The Blues *
02 - Marc Hunter--Moonlight In Vermont +
03 - Grace Knight--Sophisticated Lady  #
04 - Vince Jones--You Go To My Head  #

05 - Kate Ceberano--Sing To Me
06 - Marc Hunter--Night And Day +
07 - Grace Knight--The Man I Love  #
08 - Vince Jones--I Get Along Without You Very Well  #
09 - Kate Ceberano And Wendy Matthews--The Way You Look Tonight *
10 - Marc Hunter--Walk On By +
11 - Tania Bowra--All True
12 - Anne Kirkpatrick--A Bottle Of Wine And Patsy Cline
13 - Kate Ceberano And Wendy Matthews--Cry Me A River  *
.
* Taken from KATE CEBERANO AND WENDY MATTHEWS LP - "YOU'VE ALWAYS GOT THE BLUES"
# Taken from VINCE JONES AND GRACE KNIGHT LP - "COME IN SPINNER"
+ Taken from MARC HUNTER's LP - "NIGHT AND DAY"

.
Midnight Blues Link (109Mb) New Link 05/01/2024
/