W.O.C.K On Vinyl - Australia Day: The Happy Hour Brigade (1977)

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

On Australia Day we come together as a nation to celebrate what's great about Australia and being Australian. It's the day to reflect on what we have achieved and what we can be proud of in our great nation. It's the day for us to re-commit to making Australia an even better place for the future.

With respect to Australia's Music Industry, we can be very proud of the contributions that our Aussie Musos have made in entertaining people from every nation with music and song, with many of our artists achieving world wide aclaim.

Back in the mid 70's, Aussie Rock was really starting to take off in the States, with artists like Billy Thorpe, Brian Cadd and Russell Morris becoming household names while working overseas. 

The Happy Hour Brigade

It was around this time that a group of Aussie expatriates working in Los Angeles decided to get together and record an impromptu ditty based on the American 'Happy Hour' for which they were christened 'The Happy Hour Brigade'. 

The clip was recorded in L.A in Jan 1977 with Daryl Cotton (ex Zoot), Steve Kipner (producer and song writer for Olivia Newton John), Ray Burgess (host of Flashez way back in 1977), Billy Thorpe (aka Aztecs), Brian Cadd, Russell Morris and Rick Springfield (ex Zoot). 

A lament for all the Aussie expats, the song was never released, however, a video recording of the performance was made and has been preserved on YouTube.  Rick Springfield and Billy Thorpe were some of many Aussie rockers who moved to LA in the 70's to live. Most of the others in the clip came home once they got their Green Card work permit. 

Ray Burgees, Billy Thorpe and Brian Cadd - Drinkin' Tinies

                                                              Main Chorus

Well we flew in from Australia, we were aussie one and all, and we thought that we were poets so we wrote it on the wall.

Now all of us expatriates, we thought we'd form this club, cause Los Angeles is a long long way from the Ettamogah pub...

Well it seems that in America, it is the thing to do, go drinking in the afternoon, although that's nothing new!

But they do it with a difference, and they do it with some class, but the drinks are cheap from 4 till 6, knock you on your ass

So, for this post I have included both an MP3 rip of the Happy Hour Brigade lament plus the Videoclip itself. Also included are screen shots of the boys in action, but nothing quite compares to watching the videoclip itself. 

'Happy Australia Day' From The Happy Hour Brigade

Happy Hour Brigade Link (24Mb)
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