Thursday, March 31, 2016

The Hawking Brothers - Twenty One Years (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.
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In the early 1960’s Alan & Russell Hawking were already established on the Australian Country Music Scene.  Later they decided to form a band which became one the greatest bands in Country Music history – they had an excellent career for over a decade ‘The Hawking Brothers & The Wildwoods.’ 
The Hawking Brothers band included – Peter Cohen, Garry Newton, George Xanthos, Joe Attard, Peter Hayes, John Faubel, Leo Dalton and Doug Foley.

The Hawking Brothers & The Wildwoods were supporting band on the Johnny Cash and Buck Owns tour of Australia in early 1970’s and late 1970’s toured with Charlie Pride.  The highlight of their career was being the first Australia group to appear on the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, 1975. Later they would revert back to the Hawking Brothers.
Their biggest hits were: Hand in the Hand, Catfish John, The Melbourne Cup and Eighteen Yellow Rose.  There were a total of 16 LP’s cut by the brothers before the untimely death of Russel on November 2, 1976.

Alan decided to carry on with the band – and 4 more albums were released – which included their biggest hit ‘One Day At A Time’.  In 1971 the Hawking Brother’s fan club was founded by a Dianne Johns
The Hawking Brothers arguably won more awards than any other Australian country group.   When the band started to have promotional problems and difficulties which saw the group falling to pieces, in 1981, Alan Hawking decided to go solo.

Alan’s solo recordings include:- RCA single ‘Just For Today’ and an LP of the same title. In 1983, Alan received a Gold Guitar for best instrumental. Up until his death, Alan recorded his own tracks in his home studio on multi track recording system.
Alan was very talented:- playing – guitars (acoustic & electric), five-string banjo, mandolin, dobro, steel guitar, auto harp, bass and fiddle (who needs a band!)
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The Hawking Brothers and The Wildwoods.’ 
 For this month's WOCK on Vinyl, I have decided to post something that pays tribute to these two great artists who pioneered Aussie Country music, paving the way for artists such as Slim Dusty, John Williamson and the Bushwackers to name but a few. This 'greatest hits collection' on the Fable label spans the Hawking Brothers music from 1955 to 1976, when Russell sadly exited the stage for the last time.  As a bonus, I have also included one of their popular covers - "Me And Bobby McGee" from 1972 which was strangely omitted from this compilation.  Oh, and it's in Glorious FLAC Format.
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Track Listing
01 - Homestead On The Farm
02 - Will Hank Williams Meet Jimmie Rogers
03 - The Crooning Bachelor
04 - Old Pal Of My Heart
05 - Barefoot Days
06 - Mexacali Rose
07 - The Picture Of The Wall
08 - My Old Pal Of Yesterday
09 - Sweet Angeline
10 - Under Your Spell Again
11 - Stolen Moments
12 - Five String Special
13 - Stop Teasing Her
14 - Beer Drink Music
15 - Melbourne Brew
16 - The Door Is Always Open
17 - My Other Love
18 - Truck Driver's Lament
19 - (Bonus Track) Me And Bobby McGee

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The Hawking Brothers FLACs (283Mb)
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Monday, March 28, 2016

Rick Springfield - Living In Oz (1983) plus Bonus Live Tracks

(Australian 1962 - Present)
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Rick Springfield has certainly come a long way from Richard Lewis Springthorpe, born in the Sydney suburb of Guilford on August 23, 1949 and educated at Merrylands High School. Now at a very youthful 34 years of age, he is the most popular male pop performer in America.
In an age when the traditional 'teenage idol' is very much a thing of the past, Rick has managed to cultivate an awesome predominantly-female following who view him in much the same light as the girls of the fifties did Elvis. Actor, singer, songwriter, live hard rocker, pin-up poster hero — Rick covers all bases with style and real talent.
Rick began playing rock'n'roll music when he was 14 and within a few years had through such long-forgotten bands as Moppa Blues, X-Group, Daniel James Ensemble, Jordy Boys, Pete Watson's Rockhouse and a later formation of MPO Ltd. His recording career began with a Brisbane group called Wikedy Wak; he sang lead on the single Billie's Bikie Boys — produced by Molly Meldrum and written by Johnny Young.

Rick Springfield Promo Poster 1972
In 1969, Rick joined the Zoot, replacing guitarist Roger Hicks. He immediately turned the band from bubblegum to tough rock and they scored a gold single with "Eleanor Rigby". Other members of the band included Beeb Birtles (now with LRB) and spunky Darryl Cotton.
When ambitious Rick had represented Australia at the 1972 Tokyo Song Festival he decided to try his luck in America and by September of that year had cracked the U.S. top twenty with "Speak To The Sky". His album Beginnings sold over 300,000 copies.
Over the next decade Rick worked hard in America, making more albums (Comic Book Heroes, Wait For Night), scoring three more moderate hits, undertaking acting roles in television shows, and writing songs. His return to rock prominence came when he landed the role of Dr Noah Drake in the soap opera General Hospital. The show shot to-number one and when Rick put out a new single it did exactly the same thing!
"Jessie's Girl" became one of the biggest hits of 1981, winning Rick a Grammy for Best Rock Performance. When Rick showed up at the glittering event to collect his prize he insisted on performing the song red hot rockin live.


After Jessie's Girl came the hits "I've Done Everything For You" and "Don't Talk To Strangers"; as well as the albums 'Working Class Dog' and 'Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet'. When he scheduled a concert at New York's famed Carnegie Hall every ticket was swept up in just three hours! In the words of the New York Post, "Rick Springfield has fashioned a role for himself that Is winning all the way",
Rick is in the studio right now working on a brand new album, to be titled 'Living In Oz'. This time he's working with producer Bill Drescher, rather Keith Dfsen who has been responsible for all his recent hits. The "new sound" will be interesting to hear, Rick has also wrapped up an appearance, in a new film called Travelling Light, directed by Ray Stark.

Rick's only problem at the moment is that people keep confusing his name with that of Bruce Springsteen. In fact, he recorded a funny song about the dilemma, called Bruce. It has only ever appeared on the Australian release of the Working Class Dog album. [Feature article from Countdown Magazine - Vol.1 No.9 March, 1983]
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This post consists of FLACs ripped from my vinyl which I bought in the 80's, following the huge success with "Jessie's Girl" and his 'Working Class Dog' LP.  "Affair of the Heart" was a top 10 single at the time and everything that Rick touched seemed to turn to gold.  Full album artwork and label scans are also included as usual. To add cream to the cake, I'm also including four live bonus tracks that I ripped from YouTube clips.
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Track Listing
01 - Human Touch
02 - Alyson
03 - Affair Of The Heart
04 - Living In Oz
05 - Me & Johnny
06 - Motel Eyes
07 - Tiger By The Tail
08 - Souls
09 - I Can't Stop Hurting You
10 - Like Father, Like Son
Bonus Tracks
11 - Gloria (Live)
12 - Alyson (live)
13 - Affair Of The Heart (Live)
14 - Living In Oz (Live)


Band Members:
Lead Vocals - Rick Springfield
Guitars - Rick Springfield, Tim Pearce
Drums - Mike Baird
Bass - Rick Springfield, Mike Seifrit & Denis Belfield
Keyboards - Mitchell Froom, Alan Pasqua, John Philip Shenale, Brett Tugle & Gabriel Katona
Percussion - Michael Fisher
Electric Drums - Jack White
Saxophone - Richard Elliot
Background Vocals - Rick Springfield, Tom Kelly & Richard Page

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Rick Springfield FLACs  (379Mb)  New Link 29/01/2017
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Friday, March 25, 2016

Steve Miller Band - Live! (1983)

(U.S 1966 - Present )
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Born Dallas, Texas, on Oct 5, 1943, Steve Miller led his first group, the Marksmen, at age of 12. In 1961, while attending the University of Wisconsin, Steve and another ex Marksman, Boz Scaggs, started a white soul group called the Ardells, which also included Ben Sidran.
After college, Miller headed for Chicago, and after several near misses, including the potentially successful Goldberg/Miller Blues Band, the former half of which was Barry Goldberg (4 Electric Flag), decided to check out the fast-growing San Francisco scene. He acquired a fine bass player in Lonnie Turner (who rejoined him in the mid-'70s) and sent for Tim Davis, leader of the Ardells' rival group in Wisconsin, who brought with him James "Curley" Cooke.

Following the apprenticeship on the Chicago blues circuit, Miller had his first real break fronting his band at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival.  A deal with Capitol Records was forged on the strength of their performance, resulting in the well-received debut album 'Children Of The Future' in 1968.
As the Steve Miller Band, the quartet of Miller (gtr, vcls), Turner (bs, vcls), Davis (drms, vcls), and Cooke (gtr, vcls) contributed three tracks to the sound track of the film "Revolution" in 1968, this being their recording debut. (The other tracks on the album are shared between Mother Earth and Quicksilver Messenger Service.)

This combination lasted from late 1966 until autumn of 1967, although organist Jim Peterman joined during that time, and is included on Chuck Berry's Live At The Fillmore album, for which the Miller Band provide backing.
When Curley Cooke decided to leave in September 1967, Miller sent for his old friend Boz Scaggs, who had become a noted folksinger in Scandinavia in the meantime, and the line-up of Miller, Scaggs, Peterman, Turner and Davis recorded two albums which are still regarded as milestones: 'Children Of The Future' and 'Sailor'. The former was regarded as perhaps the best example of progressive rock to emanate from 1968, while 'Sailor' was one of the earliest albums to use stage-setting sound-effects to enhance the music. Many still consider it Miller's finest hour.

In August 1968, Scaggs left to pursue a solo career, and at the same time Peterman decided to become a producer, leaving Miller, Turner and Davis as the nucleus of the band.
With the addition at various times of Ben Sidran from the Marksmen, and British session-star Nicky Hopkins, both playing keyboards, 1969 produced 'Brave New World' and 'Your Saving Grace', before Turner left at the end of that year to be replaced by Bobby Winkelman, while Hopkins threw in his lot permanently with Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Sidran left to become a producer, in which capacity he assisted Miller on the 'Recall The Beginning' album three years later.

Miller's initial sound was marked by a fusion of Psychedelic Rock with Blues Rock, which contained heavy jamming, improvisation and occasional bits of other genres like Country Music and Folk Music. This style, as showcased on every album between Children of the Future and Recall the Beginning, proved reasonably popular and well-received, with a couple of hits in songs like "Space Cowboy" and "Living in the USA", decent chart placements, and positive reviews.
After attempting to record an album in San Francisco, Miller took Davis and Winkelman to Nashville, where they completed Number Five, released in July 1970, with the help of the celebrated Nashville sessioneers. After that, Davis left to launch a solo career, and Winkelman returned to the sessions from which he had come, their replacements being Ross Vallory (bs) and Jack King (drms).
This combination recorded Rock Love, with occasional assistance from David Denny (gtr), and lasted until the end of 1971, when Recall The Beginning ... A Journey From Eden was recorded, with a nucleus of Miller, Jack King (drms), Dicky Thompson (kbds), and Gerald Johnson (bs).
At around the time it was released, Miller became seriously ill with hepatitis, and after a layoff of six months re-convened the band, with John King replacing his namesake Jack on drums, and Lonnie Turner standing in for Gerald Johnson, who was also ill, plus Miller and Dicky Thompson.
This combination, approximately the seventh Steve Miller Band, recorded The Joker, which became Miller's biggest album, with the title track reaching No. 1 in U.S. singles charts.
In May 1974, Miller decided to take a year off after almost nonstop gigging for nearly eight years, and little was heard from him during 1975, with the exception of a British visit with a pickup band for a festival appearance.

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In 1976, Miller issued 'Fly Like An Eagle', an album of straightforward rock numbers that, with the aid of bestselling singles such as "Rock 'n' Me" and the title-track, went platinum, proved his strongest commercial offering ever, and enabled him to reach new heights of popularity. Back in harness with a regular band (Lonnie Turner (bs), David Denny (gtr), Gary Mallaber (drms) and Norton Buffalo, ex-Commander Cody (harmonica)), Miller toured throughout the year. His eagerly-awaited follow-up, 'Book Of Dreams', proved uncomfortably similar to Fly Like An Eagle, but it shipped gold anyway.
Almost four years elapsed before the low-key 'Circle Of Dreams' was released, but just six months later 'Abracadabra' emerged to resurrect his career once more, the title track reaching Number 1 and 2 in the US and UK respectively.

Subsequent albums saw a gradual decline in sales, until 'The Joker' became a UK Number 1 for the second time in 1990, following its use in a Levi jeans commercial. At its best, Miller's blend of rock and blues was a potent brew.
The band's popularity entered a downward slide after Abracadabra, and they eventually retired from making albums after 1993, but they still tour every now and then.
They finally emerged from their hiatus in 2010 with a new Cover Album, Bingo!.   [extracts from 'The New Musical Encyclopedia Of Rock', Salamander Press, 1977 p158, Wikipedia]
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Review
Originally released in 1983, (and released again in 1988 and 1993), Steve Miller Band: Live! is culled from a concert, or several concerts, that Steve Miller Band gave on the supporting tour for 'Abracadabra'. They run through all the big hits -- the most obscure this gets is "Mercury Blues," from their most popular album, 'Fly Like an Eagle' -- in performances that pretty much stick to the record. There's not much here that's different and, accordingly, there are zero revelations, but this is still  pleasant and enjoyable to listen to.

 There's no real reason to race out and hunt down this record, since it isn't really infused with much live energy, but once it's playing, it's easy to get sucked into the Greatest-Hits set list. By the way, the town where Steve Miller Band performed is not listed in the liners, but the crowd does give a hearty cheer for "Detroit City" in "Rock 'n Me," which therefore implies that's where it was cut.
Further research shows that this concert was recorded at Pine Knob Amphitheater, Detroit, September 25, 1982 and released April 1983. It's Top Billboard Chart Position was #125 (7 weeks)
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This post consists of MP3's (320kps) ripped from my CD copy and includes full album artwork for both vinyl and CD, and label scans.
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Track Listing
01 - Gangster of Love
02 - Rock 'N Me
03 - Living in the U.S.A.
04 - Fly Like an Eagle
05 - Jungle Love
06 - The Joker
07 - Mercury Blues
08 - Take the Money and Run
09 - Abracadabra
10 - Jet Airliner 

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Steve Miller Band are:
Steve Miller – vocals, guitar
John Massaro – guitar
Kenny Lee Lewis – guitar
Norton Buffalo – harmonica
Byron Allred – keyboards
Gary Mallaber – drums, percussion, keyboards

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Steve Miller Live Link (93Mb)  New Link 02/01/2024
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Sunday, March 20, 2016

Various Australian Artists - Building Bridges (1989)

(Various Australian Artists 1980's)
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The Building Bridges mob came together in February 1988. The following, after months on the telephone, was the result:
It was their inspiration to gather some of Australia's most influential acts together for an album that would draw attention to the plight of the original inhabitants of this country — the people who have an understanding of this land that few of us can comprehend — and provide an insight into the visions enjoyed by some of our premier artists.
The aim of this project was to provide funds to the National Coalition of Aboriginal Organisations (NCAO), a group representative of Aboriginal people throughout Australia. Funds raised through this record and other projects were used for peaceful projects aimed at enabling the NCAO to represent the Aboriginal peoples in consultation and negotiation with Australian governments in the pursuit of a just settlement. Funds were also set aside to seed projects aimed at bringing understanding and harmony to relations between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Australia.
The response to the proposal was overwhelming, evidence of the notion that our contemporary artists are concerned about the treatment of Aboriginal people and, along with their support personnel, were prepared to donate their time and talent to repairing the damage of the past.
This album marked the desire for a fair and equitable settlement with the indigenous peoples of Australia. If Australia is to move forward with any dignity, the time to act is now. If non-Aboriginal Australians take this opportunity to consult, listen and change, we will be taking those first vital steps toward the creation of an Australian society we can all be proud of. This was a voluntary project all the way through.


Building Bridges was the theme of a concert held at Sydney's Bondi Pavilion on January 24,1988. Organised as an expression of solidarity and support for Black Australia in our struggle for recognition during White Australia's bicentenary, the concert was a great success as thousands of Australians of all nationalities rocked on in a spirit of harmony, unity, friendship, happiness and mutual respect.
It is to that spirit of peace, harmony and mutual cooperation and respect that this album is dedicated. On the day of the Building Bridges concert, both myself, co-compere Peter Garrett, and the many great Aboriginal musicians and performers who appeared that day, all expressed the hope that one day perhaps all of Australia would be like that magical moment at Bondi. Those sentiments were echoed two days later when Australia's biggest ever march and rally of Aboriginal people and their supporters gathered again peacefully, harmoniously and with a sense of unity and purpose. Again Aboriginal leaders from all over the country expressed the desire to build a better Australia for all women, children and men, where the scourges of racism, sexism and exploitation would not exist. A dream? I don't think so. I have seen many apparently impossible dreams come true in my last 20 years in the Aboriginal peoples' struggle for justice, but we all have a long way to go. This album is an attempt by both Black and White Australians to "bridge" the gulf between us. It is only through better mutual understanding that we can proceed with the task of creating a more tolerant, compassionate, humane and equal Australian society. I hope this album inspires you to join with us who believe it can be done, or if not then be a mindless, apathetic bastard and at least enjoy the music!   Yours in the struggle - Gary Foley (Project Co-ordinator).

Paul Kelly
PAUL KELLY: "SPECIAL TREATMENT" - Written after a visit to Aboriginal communities in the Kimberleys region of Western Australia, "Special Treatment" makes its vinyl debut here. This live recording comes from the ABC program 'Blah Blah Blah'.Says Paul,"Complaints I've heard about special treatment given to Aboriginal people in this country gave me the idea for this song." And yes, it's a tongue in cheek song.

LES SHILLINGSWORTH &. FRIENDS: "JUSTICE WILL BE DONE" - Les comes from the northern N.S.W. town of Brewarrina. Money raised from the original independent cassette release of this song (recorded at 4AK Toowoomba) went to the Committee To Defend Black Rights and towards the creation of a Lloyd James Boney Memorial Park in Brewarrina. Lloyd James Boney died in police custody in Brewarrina on August 6,1987.

Goanna
GOANNA: "SOLID ROCK" - One of the first mainstream songs to deal with the plight of Aboriginal people, this was a major hit in 1982. Songwriter Shane Howard, who spends his time in Melbourne and Kuranda and points in between, maintains a strong connection with Aboriginal people, one that's evident on his latest album, 'Back To The Track'.

HUNTERS & COLLECTORS: "BREAKNECK ROAD" — Inspired by the New Zealand government's declaration that no ships of the U.S. navy would be permitted to dock in N.Z. ports without first indicating whether or not they were carrying nuclear weapons. (The Yanks refused to confirm or deny and the Kiwis are now nuclear-free.) Says singer Mark Seymour, "Although Breakneck Road is not specific to the overall theme of this album, it touches on the idea that politics can be affected by the beliefs of a society determined to survive. Building Bridges is, above all, about changing the perception that blacks and whites have of each other ... because we are part of the same nation and our freedom can only be secure if we understand the effect that political power has on our lives ... how it moulds our understanding and our prejudice."

CAL' CALLAGHAN: "DO IT RITE" - Former Riptides and GANGajang vocalist Mark 'Cal' Callaghan addresses the question of our relationship with the traditional owners of this country with this, his first solo outing. Released in late "88, it's taken from his debut solo album, Sailors and Mermaids. "Most Australians," says Cal of his reasons for writing the song, "feel there's not a lot they can do about it — they have no power because they feel this is an historical problem. I recognise that and this is why this issue has to be resolved, because young white Australians feel very distant from the cause of this problem. It's a difficult issue, but it must be settled."

Peter Garrett with  Midnight Oil

MIDNIGHT OIL: "WARAKURNA" - In 1986 the Oils embarked on the "Blackfella-Whitefella" tour, a four week journey through the Aboriginal communities of the Northern Territory. Aspects of that tour were encapsulated in the album "Diesel & Dust". This song
was written after a visit to the Ngaanyatjarra community of Warakurna in the Western Desert, a land of open spaces, sacred places and strict rules.

JOE GEIA: "YIL LULL" - Originally from Palm Island, Joe Geia was an early member of seminal Aboriginal band No Fixed Address. The Pacific-flavoured "Yil Lull" is the title track of his first solo album. Dedicated to Paul Pryor, a brother who played didgeridoo on this track and died in the struggle last year, Yil Lull was among the best independent releases of 1988.


SCRAP METAL: "BROKEN DOWN MAN" - Scrap Metal are a hybrid child of the ever-fertile Broome music scene. A coastal town with a rich multicultural heritage, Broome's idyllic lifestyle has yielded some of the pearls of Australasian reggae. From the roots of that strange tropical plant have emerged the diverse styles of Scrap Metal. "Broken Down Man" is the title track of their second album. Recorded in Subiaco, it's been released by the infant Broome independent Jigil Records.

Do Re Mi
DO RE MI: "THAT HANGING BUSINESS" ... "1988 celebrated 200 years of white rule in Australia, but 1988 did not acknowledge 200 years of black repression. A sad bi-product is the many young Aboriginal deaths in jail even in the midst of a royal commission into their deaths. Awareness is half the battle and we must act now. Our donation to this record is a belief that projects like these prompt people to ask the pertinent questions."

THE GRAVY: "SPIRIT OF THE LAND" - Originally recorded by Jo Jo Zep, this passionate version of the Martin Kellock composition was recorded last year by Gravy for his first solo album. A passionate supporter of the Aboriginal cause who worked in the Melbourne rock scene as a roadie and manager, the Gravy died in a car accident in October '88. Ross Hannaford did the mix. 


V. SPY V. SPY: "INJUSTICE" - In their early days, the Spys toured the Aboriginal communities of western New South Wales with Gil Weaver's Roadshow. Their observations were subsequently encapsulated in this song.

CROWDED HOUSE: "MANSION IN THE SLUMS"-It was drummer Paul Hester who made the initial connection. Upon hearing about the Building Bridges project he was keen to become involved. Hence the donation of this Neil Finn song from one of the world's most popular acts.

INXS
INXS: "ORIGINAL SIN" - This one topped the Australian charts in January '84. It was subsequently banned in parts of the U.S.A. because it infringed on the moral boundaries of traditional racial segregation. INXS responded to such ignorance by becoming one of the world's most popular acts.

GONDWAN ALAND: "BULL ANT" - Gondwanaland's didjeridoo player Charlie McMahon has spent a lot of time working with the Luritja and Pintupi people of the Western Desert, sinking bores and establishing outstations for the traditional owners of those lands.

Dragon
 DRAGON: "SPEAK NO EVIL" - A band with more hits than Jeff Fenech, this one, says songwriter Johanna Pigott, "is about Australia's loss of innocence". After years of racist and derogatory talk about Aborigines, it's time we treated these indigenous peoples with the respect and humanity they deserve.

SWAMP JOCKEYS: "STRYCHNINE" - A dynamic act from delightful Darwin, the Swamp Jockeys have spent much of their time working with Aboriginal people across the Top End. Strychnine, from the mini-album Bones Of Contention, deals with the poisoning of Aboriginal people in Alice Springs in the mid '80s.

The Saints
THE SAINTS: "SWING FOR THE CRIME"-Originally released on The Saints 1978 album Prehistoric Sounds is one of the most progressive post-punk elpees, Chris insisted on its inclusion because his new brother-in-law is a blackfella "and in some respects so am I."


ROSS WILSON: "LIVING IN THE LAND OF OZ"-An Australian classic from one of the country's most respected songwriters, musicians, vocalists and producers, Living In The Land Of Oz was first released in October '76. "This song articulates the sentiment of the Building Bridges project."

No Fixed Address
NO FIXED ADDRESS: "WE HAVE SURVIVED" -Coming out of South Australia, No Fixed Address were among the prime movers of contemporary Aboriginal music. With the release of Wrong Side Of The Road, a film that dealt with the racism faced by touring Aboriginal bands, they established the essential political direction of Aboriginal rock. This version of "We Have Survived" is taken from the film soundtrack.

The National Coalition Of Aboriginal Organisations
The National Coalition of Aboriginal Organisations (N.C.A.O.) was formed in April 1986 to provide a strong voice at the national level for Aboriginal community-based organisations. It is a collective organisation respecting the autonomy of its member organisations. Its membership now includes national Aboriginal organisations in such areas as Health, Land Rights, the Law, Child Care and Community Administration. Membership is open to all Aboriginal organisations which are community, rather than government, initiated and controlled.
By donating their songs to this project, the artists have waived their standard performance and songwriting royalties. In a show of solidarity, their record companies and publishing firms have also waived their mechanical royalties. The results of their generosity will, no doubt, be evident in the years to come.
For further information on the N.C. A.O. write to P.O. Box 229, Glebe, N.S.W. 2037.


This post consists of FLACs ripped from my CD copy of this double album (have the vinyl also) and includes full artwork from both media types. This compilation of White Australian and Indigenous artists is a who's who of Aussie musicians that have played a key role in building not only the Australian Music Industry but also highlighting the importance of our cultural heritage.
I trust you will appreciate the significance of this release when you listen to it and acknowledge the importance of our Indigenous music.
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Track Listing
01 - Special Treatment (Paul Kelly)
02 - Justice Will be Done (Shillingsworth)
03 - Solid Rock (Goanna)
04 - Breakneck Road (Hunters & Collectors)
05 - Yil Lull (Joe Geia)
06 - Warakurna (Midnight Oil)
07 - Strychnine (Swamp Jockeys)
08 - That Hanging Business (Do Re Mi)
09 - Injustice (V. Spy V. Spy)
10 - Do It Rite (Cal Callaghan)
11 - Original Sin (INXS)
12 - Broken Down Man (Scrap Metal)
13 - Speak No Evil (Dragon)
14 - Mansion In The Slums (Crowded House)
15 - Spirit Of The Land (The Gravy)

16 - Bullant (Gondwanaland)
17 - Swing For The Crime (The Saints)
18 - Living InThe Land Of Oz (Ross Wilson)
19 - We Have Survived (No Fixed Address)

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Building Bridges FLACs (480Mb)
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Monday, March 14, 2016

Mountain - The Best Of (1973) plus Bonus Track

(U.S 1969–74, 1981–85, 1992–98, 2001– present)
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The Best of Mountain is the first compilation by American hard rock band Mountain. It consists of material recorded throughout 1970-1971, culled from their first three LPs. On April 15, 2003, the album was remastered and reissued in an expanded edition with new liner notes and four bonus tracks, two of which are taken from Leslie West's first solo album, 1969's Felix Pappalardi-produced "Mountain", the project which eventually led to the formation of the band.
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LOUD and PROUD
Between 1969 and 1971, when the US spawned a wave of bands playing in the loud and proud mould of blues rock/psychedelic hard rock/proto-heavy metal - Grand Funk Railroad, the James Gang, Iron Butterfly, Steppenwolf, Blue Cheer, Alice Cooper, the Amboy Dukes, Cactus etc - it was Mountain that stood loudest and proudest. For a start the band boasted the mighty Leslie West (born Leslie Weinstein, 1945, in Queens New York), owner of a roaring, barrel house vocal bawl and a phenomenal guitar style that allowed him to switch with ease from heavy riffs and rampaging power chords to passages of remarkable grace and melodic flair.

The second part of the equation was multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and producer Felix Pappalardi (born 1939. m the Bronx New York) who not only contributed a thick, cranked-up bass sound but also co-wrote (with his wife Gail Collins) and sang in a conventional, tuneful voice the band's more sensitive and complex songs. Thirdly, drummer Corky Laing (born 1948, in Montreal Canada) laid down a titanic beat that also relied on an adroit sense of time change and polyphonic rhythm to help set the band apart. With added keyboard colouration from Steve Knight, West and Pappalardi were able to combine all these elements into a unique whole. The band's studio work was tightly focused while in the live situation their forte was the extended improvisation that could see a song like 'Nantucket Sleighride' extrapolated beyond 30 minutes as the mood arose.

The classically trained Pappalardi initially worked as an arranger and session musician around the Greenwich Village folk scene before finding fame as producer of the Youngbloods' 'Get Together' and finally international recognition as producer for Cream on their Disraeli Gears (1967), Wheels Of Fire (1968) and Goodbye (1969) albums. Pappalardi had also produced the final (flop) single for West's soul/R&B band the Vagrants in late 1967. By 1968, West had fallen under the spell of Eric Clapton having seen Cream play at the Fillmore East (then still known as the Village Theater).


Ironically, as Cream broke up and Clapton eschewed the heavy blues rock route. West was determined to maintain the tradition. Pappalardi recognised West's vast talents and agreed to produce and play on his debut album, Leslie West - Mountain. Issued in September 1969, it boasted many fine examples of Cream inspired blues rock. West and Pappalardi had already decided to form a band, their fourth gig being an appearance at Woodstock that August. Straight after that, original drummer Norman D. Smart was replaced by Laing in time to record Climbing!  Laing immediately hit his stride by not only delivering in the drumming department but also contributing lyrics for 'Mississippi Queen', 'Silver Paper', 'Never in My Life' and 'For Yasgur's Farm'.

Pappalardi & West
The    band    entered    New   York's Record Plant towards the end of the   year.  Ever   the   perfectionist, Pappalardi   would  rehearse   them for ten hours a day, forcing them to   complete   multiple   takes   in order to get the best out of the songs. For such a relatively new band, 'Climbing!' proved to be an   incredibly   mature   and   cohesive   album. Released in March 1970, it reached #17 on the Billboard album chart, going on to sell over 500,000 copies.
"Mississippi Queen" kicked off the album in a blaze of hard rock fireworks. Featuring an instantly recognizable cow-bell intro leading into a driving, heavy beat which is matched by one of the great gonzo guitar riffs of all time, it peaked at #21 on the Billboard chart when issued as a single. A prime slice of loud, raucous blues rock, the song secured Mountain's position at the forefront of the American hard rock tradition. "Mississippi Queen" further attained cultural immortality when heard in the classic Simpsons' episode Homerpalooza (1996).

"Theme For an Imaginary Western" was a cover from Jack Bruce's recent solo album Songs for a Tailor (produced by Pappalardi), with Pappalardi taking the lead vocal. Although originally listed on each album as 'Theme For an Imaginary Western', this song has subsequently often been billed as 'Theme From an Imaginary Western'. Whatever the case, lyricist Pete Brown has been quoted as saying the song "was a romantic soundscape of music, full of longing and sadness", and indeed Mountain do justice to its beguiling and elegiac tone.

In a similar vein is "For Yasgur's Farm", a kind of tribute to Max Yasgur (whose farm provided the setting for Woodstock), framed in a universal message to love with a strong English traditional feel.


In the heavy rock corner, Mountain turned over more slabs of riff-rock in the shape of 'Silver Paper','Siting on a Rainbow'/Boys in the Band' and in particular the magnificent 'Never in My Life'. This is the kind of rampaging rocker that Mountain did best, full of West's huge downbeat riffs and crashing open chords. Furthermore, it comes on like a runaway steam train with Laing's driving double bass-drum kick and ingenious Latin feel. Like 'Mississippi Queen' and 'Nantucket Sleighride' it remained in the Mountain live set for years to come, and there's a particularly crushing version featured on the double live album Twin Peaks (1974).

With Mountain's tame arid popularity spreading fast, and a heavy year of touring out of the way, they were back at the Record Plant in early 1971 for their next album, Nantucket Sleighride did even better than the debut by reaching # 16 on the Billboard chart and approaching a million sales; it's probably the highpoint of the band's career. Monumental tracks such as "Don't Look Around", "Travelin' in the Dark (To E.M.P.)" and 'Nantucket Sleighride (For Owen Coffin)' - the epic tale of searching "for the mighty sperm whale" - were Pappalardi masterstrokes, with lyrics by his wife. They boasted odd melodies, jazz-like syncopated rhythms, a massive drum sound, Pappalardi's innovative and propulsive bass lines and West's trademark riffagc in equal measure.


'Nantucket Sleighride' was heard extensively in the UK as the theme tune for ITV's long running World in Action series, Nantucket Sleighride was almost an album of two halves, with West taking control on tracks like 'You Can't Get Away!', 'The Animal Trainer and The Toad' and the slide guitar showpiece 'The Great Train Robbery'. 'The Animal Trainer and The Toad' is how Rolling Stone magazine described the relationship between Pappalardi and West at the time.

Flowers Of Evil, the second 1971 album, was notable for its terrific ride track which I've added as a bonus cut. It's one of the band's great rock and roll tracks, with Pappalardi's vocals in the chorus fed through a Leslie cabinet which gives the whole a distinctly psychedelic edge.

In 1972, Mountain split for the first time; they reformed and then split again in late 1974.There are many more tales of high adventure to be told about Mountain - reformations, more albums, continual touring, alcohol and drug abuse - but we'll leave the history for now. West and Laing have continued to work together as Mountain periodically over the ensuing years. Sadly, Gail Collins shot Felix Pappalardi to death on 17 April, 1983. The music world lost one of its true visionaries. As West has said, "Felix changed the face of rock, alright". [lan McFarlane - Melbourne]
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This post consists of FLACs ripped from my Australian Pressing (Image Records) which I bought as a teenager when the album was first released. Since then I have accumulated most of their albums on the Windfall and CBS labels, but my trusty Image Labels are still the best !
Full album artwork for both Vinyl and CD are included. I was in two minds whether to keep the track listing true to the original release, but the absence of "Flowers of Evil" was too much to endure so I've added it as a Bonus Track.  The live version of Nantucket Sleighride on their live set 'The Road Goes Ever On' (1972) is probably one of the best recordings Mountain ever made, and it is my intention to post this album in the near future, so stay tuned.
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Track Listing
01 - Never In My Life
02 - Taunta (Sammy's Tune)
03 - Nantucket Sleighride
04 - Roll Over Beethoven
05 - For Yasgur's Farm
06 - The Animal Trainer And The Toad
07 - Mississippi Queen
08 - King's Chorale
09 - Boys In The Band
10 - Don't Look Around
11 - Theme From An Imaginary Western
12 - Crossroader
13 - (Bonus Track) Flowers Of Evil
 



Mountain are:
Leslie West - Guitar, Vocals
Felix Pappalardi - Bass, Vocals
Corky Laing - Drums
Steve Knight - Keyboards


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Mountain FLACs link  (284Mb)
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Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Jon English - Some People (1983) plus Bonus Track

(Australian 1972-Present)
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Jon English migrated to Australia from Essex, England, with his family in the 1960s. He launched his career with a garage band of schoolmates while still attending Cabramatta High in Sydney.

In 1972, he leapt from virtual obscurity when he joined the Australian stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar. He won the part of Judas over 2,000 other hopefuls and completed three separate stints in the role – In 1972, 1975 and 1978. He also appeared on the Original Cast album of 1972.

Jon performed with the studio band Duck on the soundtrack to the rock opera Ned Kelly, and released his debut album 'Wine Dark Sea'. His next album, 'It’s All A Game', yielded his first hit single – a cover version of the Bob Seger song "Turn the Page" – which peaked at #7 in Australia in February 1975. He then joined a new production of Jesus Christ Superstar and released his third album, 'Hollywood Seven'.

'Minutes to Midnight' followed and Jon toured with his recently formed Jon English Band. His next album, 'Words Are Not Enough', scored hits with "Words Are Not Enough", which peaked at #5 in July 1978 and "Nights in Paradise" which peaked at #21 in October.


English then starred in the Australian television mini-series Against The Wind as Jonathan Garrett – a transported convict freshly arrived in Sydney. He also composed, produced, and recorded the soundtrack album with Mario Millo, and the theme to the series – "Six Ribbons" – was released as a single and became the best-selling male pop single in Australia in 1979, peaking at #5 in January.

He won Best New Talent at the 1979 Logie Awards and Against The Wind later became a hit TV series in both Scandinavia and the UK.

A double compilation album, 'English History', peaked at #4 in August 1979, and Jon toured Australia and overseas with his new band, Baxter Funk. Two albums followed: 'Calm Before The Storm' (1980) and 'Inroads' (1981). He then undertook a sold-out tour of Scandinavia where the soundtrack to Against The Wind had sold over 100,000 copies.


A live double album, 'Beating the Boards', was released in 1982, followed by 'Jokers and Queens' – a mini-album with Marcia Hines. 'Some People', featuring John Dallimore on guitar and Jon's new backing band 'The Foster Brothers', was his next solo outing in 1983. Two singles "Some People" and "Tempted" were taken from the album in 1983 while a duet single with Renee Geyer, "Every Beat of My Heart", was released in 1984.

In the same year, English joined the stage production The Pirates of Penzance as the Pirate King. Several stage musicals followed over the next decade, including Rasputin (1987), The Mikado, and HMS Pinafore. Several singles were released during this time, as was the album 'Dark Horses' (1987).

In 1990, English released another album, 'Always the Busker'. An adaptation of Homer’s Iliad was released by WEA in the same year under the title of 'Paris' – a collaboration between English and producer David McKay that won the 1990 Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Award for Best Original Soundtrack or Cast Recording.

In 1993, English performed in the popular Australian comedy TV series All Together Now as Bobby Rivers, a washed-up rock relic. "All Together Now" was released as a single, as was the 'Best of Jon English' 20th Anniversary Album in the same year [extract from nostalgiacentral.com]
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This post consists of both FLACs ripped from my vinyl and includes full album for LP.
I have also chosen to include the bonus non-album track "Beating The Boards" which was the B-side to the single "Some People". Although this album didn't chart well and failed to produce a hit single, it is still a good all rounder and "Oh, Paris" on the flip side is the highlight for me. What really caught my attention when I first saw this album was the presence of John Dallimore (Redhouse), playing guitar and adding backing vocals. Along with the other members of the Foster Brothers, they provide Jon with a great sound and add value to Jon's powerful vocals and song writing capabilities.
Note: this album was also released in the States on the Frituna label in 1982, but with the track "The Leader" included instead of  "Coming Up" (see cover below)

I'm in shock and close to tears - Jon's passing, only hours after I had created this post has saddened me deeply. This post was meant to be a celebration of Jon's talent, and not a  'tribute'. RIP Jon English and condolences to his family and friends
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Track Listing
01 - Straight Ahead  (5:15)
02 - Some People  (3:51)
03 - Hell Or High Water  (4:56)
04 - Coming Up  (3:01)
05 - Waterloo  (4:40)
06 - Oh, Paris  (3:40)
07 - Tempted (3:00)
08 - I'm Yours  (3:09)
09 - She Was Real  (7:10)
10 - Given Time  (3:46)
11 - Beating The Boards (Bonus B-Side Single) (3:55)


Jon & The Foster Brothers: 
Jon English   - Vocals
Peter Deacon  - Keyboards, Vocals
Keith Kerwin  - Guitar, Vocals
John Dallimore  - Guitar, Vocals, Flute
Greg Henson   - Drums
John Coker  -  Bass, Vocals
Produced By David Mackay

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Jon English FLAC Link  (284Mb)