Tuesday, August 31, 2021

W.O.C.K On Vinyl: Daddy Cool - Daddy's Coolest Radio Special [Track by Track Interviews] (1982)


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

Almost by accident, Daddy Cool became one of the most successful Aussie groups of the '70s and one of the icons of Australian rock. The group originated as an occasional, informal offshoot of Melbourne progressive-rock outfit Sons of The Vegetal Mother, but within twelve months it had completely eclipsed its parent band to become the most successful and popular act in the country, and the Daddy Cool story became one of the pivotal chapters in Australian rock history. Their debut single and LP were the biggest selling Australian records ever released up to that time, and they ushered in a whole new era of Australian rock. The records are perennial favourites, their signature tune, "Eagle Rock", has become one of the anthems of Australian popular music, and their recordings have been anthologised many times in many forms, with at least twenty compilations of their songs to date. One of these compilations was 'Daddy's Coolest: Greatest Hits', released in 1982 and was probably one of the best value compilations released, sporting over 60mins of music.

Daddy Cool may have appeared to be an overnight success, but of course the background to Daddy Cool's breakthrough was years of hard slog. Founders Ross "The Boss" Wilson and Ross Hannaford had played together around Melbourne since they were teenagers, first in the Pink Finks, then Party Machine. The rhythm section, drummer Gary Young and bassist Wayne Duncan, had been working consistently since the early 60s, mostly in instrumental bands backing solo singers -- notably as member of The Rondells, the backing band for pioneering beat duo Bobby & Laurie. [extract from Milesago]
L-R  Ross Wilson, Wayne Duncan, Gary Young, Ross Hannaford

When Daddy Cool uncoiled their first album it sold 60,000 copies - five times what a 'hit record' normally did in Australia. Led by the black blues man voice of Ross Wilson & buoyed by classic & cool material, Daddy Cool became one of the nation's most loved bands. This collection is packed with their classics, "Eagle Rock", "Come Back Again", "Hi Honey Ho", "Sixty Minute Man", "Teen Love", "Rock 'n' Roll Lady", "Bom Bom" & many more.

This month's WOCK on Vinyl post features a Radio Special recorded for their Daddy's Coolest' compilation, featuring several original members of Daddy Cool being interviewed by Paul Holmes from the 25M Radio Station in amongst the original songs The interview was released as a double album by the Wizard label in the same year and has quickly become a collectors item. I was fortunate enough to come across a copy and as far as I can tell, it has never been made available in digital format before.

The interview was conducted with Ross Hannaford, Gary Young and Wayne Duncan, and provides some interesting insights into how these tracks came about and their American tours back in 1971-1972

Due to the rarity of this Radio Special, I can confidently tick the Obscure option for this month's WOCK post and perhaps reclassify the W & C for Daddy Who? Daddy Cool !

I found this double album at the flee market some time ago (no cover, just the vinyl in plain cardboard covers) and nearly missed them, if it wasn't for the distinct Wizard Record Label that caught my attention. Ripped to FLAC this recording has been de-clicked in places, but overall is in great condition. Full label scans are included and home made artwork included.

Also included are 2 radio commercials used at the time to advertise Daddy's Coolest compilation

Thursday, August 26, 2021

REPOST: Focus - Hamburger Concerto (1974)

(Dutch 1969-1978, 2001-Present)
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Focus is a band I have always admired. They have a way of delivering calm orchestral yet stunning and sharp pieces of music, as well as simple acoustic songs. Focus is a Dutch rock band, founded by classically trained organist/flautist Thijs van Leer in 1969, and is most famous for the songs "Hocus Pocus" and "Sylvia".
In 1971, the group released 'Moving Waves', which brought the band international acclaim and a hit on both sides of the Atlantic with the radio edit of the rock rondo "Hocus Pocus". This rock classic consists of Akkerman's guitar chord sequence used as a recurring theme, with quirky and energetic interludes that include alto flute riffs, accordion, guitar, and drum solos, whistling, nonsensical (Dutch) vocals, falsetto singing, and yodeling. This album established Thijs van Leer and Akkerman as composers who could appeal to progressive-rock album listeners (a large audience in the early 1970s) and radio single buyers.

However, it is their 1974 album "Hamburger Concerto" which really caught my attention as it is nothing short of being a 'masterpiece'. The selftitled track “Hamburger Concerto”, is a brilliant composition which manages to maintain sounds of both classical instruments and of modern rock instruments as well. "Harem Scarem" picks up the pace a notch and has some really great keyboard and guitar work - my favourite track on the album by the way. They do a terrific job at not drowning out different instruments with their assortments of synthesizers and guitars. It really does sound great, but that's not all this album has.
“La Cathedrale de Strasbourg” is a nice change of pace, providing a slow piano drawn piece, featuring some great accompaniment and general good musicianship. “Birth” is an upbeat tune with some great Ian Anderson-esque flute work and nice whining solos. The CD release of the album ends with the bonus track “Early birth”, which carries themes from birth including the flute and guitar and puts them in a great dramatic ending, something only leaving you wanting more. This track was released as the B-Side single to their single "Harem Scarem". 
This is a great instrumental album. If you can't listen to 5 minutes without lyrics, then this is not the album for you, and progressive rock is probably not the genre for you anyhow.
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The rip here was taken from a CD remastered copy in brilliant FLAC format and includes full album artwork.

Track Listing
01. Delitae Musicae
02. Harem Scarem
03. La Cathedrale de Strasbourg
04. Birth
05. Hamburger Concerto:
I) Starter
II) Rare
III) Medium I
IV) Medium II
V) Well Done
VI) One For The Road
06. Early Birth (bonus B-Side Single)
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Band Members:
Thijs van Lee(Flute/Organ/Piano/Harpsichord/Recorder/Mellotron/Vibes/Accordian/Whistling/Vocals)
Jan Akkerman (Guitar/Lute/Timpani)
Bert Ruiter (Bass/Auto Harp/Triangles/Chinese Finger Cymbals/Swiss Bells)
Colin Allen (Drums/Conga/Tambourine/Castanets/Cabassa/Chinese Gong/Timpani/Flexatone).

Focus Link (270Mb)   New Improved RIP

Friday, August 20, 2021

Billy Idol - 67 Inches of Billy Idol [12 inch singles] (2021)

(U.K 1973 - Present)

Along with Duran Duran, Billy Idol was one of the first young pop/rock artists to achieve massive success in the early '80s due to the advent of MTV. Mixing his bad-boy good looks with an appealing blend of pop hooks, punk attitude, and dance beats, Idol quickly rocketed to stardom before hard living briefly derailed his career and almost proved fatal. Born William Michael Albert Broad on November 30, 1955, in Middlesex, England, the youngster relocated with his family for a brief spell to New York before returning back to England. After a stint at Sussex University only lasted a year, Broad found himself part of a group of teen punk rockers who befriended and followed the Sex Pistols, informally known as the Bromley Contingent. (Another member of the group was Siouxsie Sioux, eventual leader of Siouxsie & the Banshees.)

It wasn't long before Broad realized that he too could be the frontman of a punk band, and assumed the name Billy Idol shortly thereafter. After a stint playing guitar in a group called Chelsea (interestingly, the group featured future Clash guitarist Mick Jones and future Damned guitarist Brian James), Idol put down the guitar and picked up the mic; he then recruited bassist Tony James, drummer John Towe, and guitarist Bob Andrews to form Generation X in 1976. Named after a 1960s paperback, the band signed a recording contract with Chrysalis shortly thereafter (Towe replaced with new drummer Mark Laff) and released the anthemic "Your Generation" late in 1977. An appearance on Top of the Pops helped the single and their 1978 self-titled debut, the latter produced by Martin Rushent. The band released two more LPs, Valley of the Dolls in 1979 and Kiss Me Deadly two years later before splitting up.

Disappointed with Generation X's demise, Idol relocated to New York City, where he pursued a career as a solo artist. Hooking up with Kiss manager Bill Aucoin, Idol issued the 1981 EP Don't Stop (comprised of a cover of Tommy James' '60s hit "Mony Mony" and a pair of remixed Generation X tracks), which helped the singer score another record deal with his former band's label, Chrysalis. Idol found the perfect collaborator and partner in guitarist and Johnny Thunders look-alike Steve Stevens, and issued a self-titled debut in July of 1982. A pair of eye-catching videos for the tracks "White Wedding" and "Dancing with Myself" (the latter a remake of a Generation X composition) scored major air time on MTV, with both clips focusing on Idol's spiky, peroxide-blonde hair and Elvis-like sneer. The debut eventually obtained gold certification, and set the stage perfectly for Idol's big commercial breakthrough, 1984's Rebel Yell.

Rebel Yell became the singer's best-selling album of his career (eventually going double platinum), spawning such big-time MTV/radio hits as the album's anthemic title track, "Eyes Without a Face," and "Flesh for Fantasy," establishing Idol as an arena headliner stateside. But with massive success came its many distractions, which prevented Idol from issuing a new studio album until three years after Rebel Yell.

Billy Idol Interview 

By Alexander Laurence
(6/02/2008)

Billy Idol is a punk legend. He was the singer in Generation X, one the original London based punk bands. They were the first punk band to be on Top of The Pops and tour Japan. He was also one of the first UK rock stars to move over to the USA and have another solo career over here. He became one of the first stars of MTV, with his signature blonde spiked hair. His album, Rebel Yell (1983), was a major success.

Billy Idol, now 52 years old, looks as good as ever. He plans to release a greatest hits collection with four new tracks, and more tours in the summer of 2008.

I asked him if he ever saw any of the Bromley Contingent. He said that he played with Siouxsie and The Banshees a few years ago at Inland Invasion. It was an early morning for Billy. He was waking up and we were chatting during his wardrobe changes and makeup.

He was born William Broad in 1955. England was still bleak back then, still affected by World War II. When Idol was three years old, his family moved to Long Island, New York for five years. He remembered America back then having much more color. He said “We had two channels on TV, and in America you had five.”

When he returned to the UK, Billy was a Beatles fan. The first single he bought was “She Loves You” in 1963 and it was number one for two months. He was depressed when the Dave Clarke Five knocked it off the top of the charts. Back then, Billy told me, there were no record stores. So you bought records at places that had washing machines for seven pence.

He remembered a time when JFK visited London and he saw him driving by. Billy Idol had also seen Black Sabbath before they came out with their first album.

When they started Generation X, Tony James was 24 and the guitar player Bob Derwood was 17. Back then Tony James seem much older. They called him “Old man Tony.” Generation X was on the Marc Bolan show. They got to meet Marc Bolan. Their gear didn’t arrive to the studio so they were able to borrow gear from the other bands. Derwood got to use Marc Bolan’s guitar on the live version of “Your
Generation.” Most of the producers were more worried about David Bowie, who was living in Berlin, and was doing his TV show in a while. Marc made sure that Generation X still went on. Bolan died a few weeks later.

I have always wondered who invented the spiked hair look. Idol claimed that Johnny Rotten was the first one to do it. Billy Idol is definitely one of the originators of the punk movement.
Generation X is one of the few bands that young kids discover year after year when they get into the punk rock culture.  [extract from portable-infinite blog]

This post consists of FLACs ripped from five 12" and one 7" single in my collection, featuring extended versions of his most popular hits, including "White Wedding", "Hot In The City" and "Mony Mony".  Full artwork and label scans are included for all singles, along with a custom made cover for my 67" compilation (see left).
Not sure where the title comes from? Then just do the Maths ! 
My only regret is that I never bought the 12" release of "Flesh For Fantasy", but did buy the 7" release.  
I played White Wedding to death when it was first released in 1982 and it was my first introduction to Mr Idol (Generation X were not on my playlist at the time). 
I have decided to make each single available for download, for those of you looking to fill holes in your collection. Otherwise, you'll find all singles in my 67" compilation.

67" of Billy Idol [Compilation]  (569Mb) Link
                                    
                                        All links below refreshed 17/12/2023

White Wedding  (12" Single)
A - White Wedding (Parts 1 & 2) [Extended Version]
B - White Wedding (Part 2)




Rebel Yell (12" Single)
A - Rebel Yell
B1 - White Wedding (Parts 1 & 2)
B2 - Crank Call



Dancing With Myself (12" Single)
A- Dancing With Myself [Extended Version]
B - Love Calling [Dub Version]




Eyes Without A Face (12" Single)
A - Eyes Without A Face
B1 - The Dead Next Door
B2 - Hot In The City [Extended Version]



Mony Mony (12" Single)
A - Mony Mony [Hung Like A Pony]
B1 - Shakin' All Over [Live]
B2 - Mony Mony [Live]



Flesh For Fantasy (7" Single)
A - Flesh For Fantasy [Edit]
B - Daytime Drama

Saturday, August 14, 2021

REPOST: Sid Rumpo - First Offense (1974) + Bonus Tracks

(Australian Band: 1971-74)

Sid Rumpo was a fairly polished pub-rock band which formed in Perth in 1971 and unfortunately disappeared into the mists of time in 1974. They are probably best remembered as one of a long line of Mick Elliot's bands. Mick is an accomplished blues-rock guitarist that has been around the Aussie blues & rock scene forever (in bands like Levi Smiths Clefs, Jim Keays' Southern Cross, They Accidentally Sued Themselves and Western Flyer), but rarely seemed to stay in a band long enough to record more than one album. 'First Offense' - Sid Rumpo's one and only offence as it turned out - features the twin guitar riffing of Elliot and Rob Searls on some very catchy boogie and blues-rock songs.

While there aren't any jaw-dropping "guitar hero" solos, all the songs pump along with the assistance of some tasty electric piano chops from Ken Wallace over the tight grooves laid down by Noel Herridge on drums and Owen Hughes on bass.
But for me, it's Rob Searls' bluesy vocals that stamp First Offense with it's appealing, distinctive 70's, Aussie Rock sound. I think though, that it's the songs themselves that are the real strength of this album. It is a cohesive album where nothing sounds out of place, and yet might be unpredictable enough in places to interest fans of progressive blues and rock (review courtesy of Midoztouch).

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( 'Spider Curry' with Sid Rumpo Photo Gallery)
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Sadly, Sid Rumpo didn't make another record. Why, is anybody's guess but after this First Offense - maybe Mick Elliot got time off for "good behaviour". He must have done something right, because mint vinyl copies of the album are fetching almost $200 at some online auctions. All the more reason to treasure my own mint copy - Ok, so I've played it a few hundred times but there's not a scratch on it and it still sounds as good as the day I bought it in the mid seventies. My favourite track would have to be 'Sailing' with its up tempo boogie beat, brilliant dueling guitar riffs, and memorizing piano licks by the talented Ken Wallace.  It was their brilliant live rendition of this track at the Sunbury 73 concert that first brought this band to my attention, This is truly a classic Aussie album which belongs in every rock collection.


This rip was taken from a CD pressing in FAC format and includes full album artwork. I have also included some live recordings from Sunbury 73 & 74 and The Garrison 73 plus the B-side single to The Riddle which was not included on the album. Thanks to George (Perth Bands 1960's-70's) for the photo of Sid Rumpo shown below. The CD release was reissued in 2013, however it is no longer available and is currently out of print. 
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Track Listing
01. Spotlight
02. Breaking My Back
03. Spider Curry
04. Sailing
05. The Riddle
06. Don't Bug Me Boogie
07. Song With No Trees
08. Poor Mans Orange
[Bonus Tracks]
09. Wang Dang Doodle (Live Sunbury 74)
10. Sweet Home Chicago (Live Sunbury 74)
11. Sailing (Live at Sunbury 73)
12. Now I'm Free (Live at the Garrison 73)
13. Forty Days and Forty Nights (Live at the Garrison 73)
14. Jump Down, Step Aside (B-Side Single)

Band Members
Rob Searls (Guitar, Vocals)
Mick Elliott (Guitar, Vocals)
Owen Hughes (Bass)
Ken Wallace (Acoustic and Electric Piano, Percussion)
Noel Herridge (Drums, Congos)
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Sid Rumpo Link (477Mb)   New FLAC Rip !


Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Grobschnitt - Volle Molle (1980) [Vinyl] + Bonus Track

 (German 1970 - 1989, 2007 - Present)

Grobschnitt
was a West German rock band which existed between 1970 and 1989. Their style evolved as time passed, beginning with psychedelic rock in the early 1970s before transitioning into symphonic progressive rock and finally pop rock in the mid-1980s. Grobschnitt, unlike other bands, utilised humour in their music in the form of unexpected noises and silly lyrics and concepts.

As was common with many German bands of the time, Grobschnitt sang in English until the early 1980s, despite touring exclusively in West Germany. The band accrued a loyal fan base through its live performances which included pyrotechnics and German comedic sketches. Highlight performances include Solar Music, an extended mostly instrumental piece which lasted up to an hour. Grobschnitt were also known for their stamina on stage, frequently performing shows in excess of three hours.

Grobschnitt 1981
Album Review
During the 70's and 80's I bought a lot of German progrock albums - bands like Eloy, Jane and Can. 
There were a number of Import Record Stores in the Melbourne CBD, and a particular favourite of mine was located in a small arcade between Little Flinders and Swanston Street. I spent a small fortune in this shop but this was how I heard these great German bands for the first time, and it was here that I heard Grobschnitt's  'Snowflakes' while browsing through the racks of European bands. It was also the amazing covers that often caught my attention, and Volle Molle's cover sealed the deal that particular day. Gee I miss those days.

This live album has a fold out cover and the inner sleeves contain many live pictures that showcases the great atmosphere during the concerts.  Grobschnitt were a amazing blend of progrock, theatre (masks, costumes) and humour, very unique!

On this album you can enjoy that humour from the very first moment but I'm afraid that only Europeans will understand the humour. They are very cynical about the impact from Coca Cola (a long and funny conversation in German on "Coke-Train-Show" which probably entertained the actors more than the audience - maybe you just had to be there) and the awful 'music' from the Village People (during the song "A.C.Y.M" they sing that 'only a dead Village People is a good Village People'). The music on this live album is a blend of pop, rock and symphonic rock, ranging from mellow featuring the Mellotron or romantic pop to prog 'n' roll with fiery electric guitar and powerful organ work. 

The intro song, "Snowflakes"is a brilliant opener and is the English version of their single Sonnenflug.  Awesome guitar and mellotron melodies accompanied by powerful vocals by Mollo. It is also prefaced by an early reference to the Village People which is continued in the followup track ACYM.
"Wuppertal punk" is a standoutish track with its swinging rhythm, a funny introduction of all the band members and a strong guitar solo, accompanied by Fender Rhodes piano.  In "Waldeslied" you hear duo-acoustic guitar play, which sounds very  warm. The highlight is a wonderful and strong 16 minutes version from their magnum opus "Rockpommel's Land", in fact this is the only part of this album that contains the great progrock sound from the Seventies.


The bad news is that there's a lot of filler on the disc, at a mere 45 minutes already too brief by compact disc standards. The track "Beifall" is nothing more than 85 seconds of applause and quite frankly is overkill. Thankfully the CD release of this album allows you to easily skip this 'mundane track'.
"Volle Molle" (the title translates as "a full glass of beer", or words to that effect) is certainly not 
the best introduction to this unique band. But it makes a decent companion volume to the masterpiece of "Solar Music Live", presenting the other side of the schizophrenic Grobschnitt coin.

Although this is a good live album, I must admit that I prefer their more symphonic sounding "Solar music live".

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my pristine, vinyl (one of my many prized German pressings) and includes full album artwork and label scans. As a bonus, I have included an alternative live version of "Wuppertal Punk" which is longer and more of an instrumental jam, and fits in nicely with this set.

Tracks Listing
01. Snowflakes (4:45)
02. A.C.Y.M. (6:48)
03. Wuppertal Punk (8:02)
04. Beifall (applause) (1:25)
05. Waldeslied (4:37)
06. Coke-Train-Show (3:15)
07. Rockpommel's Land (16:36)
08. Wuppertal Punk (Alternate Jam) [Bonus Track]

Line-up / Musicians:
- Stefan Danielak (Wildschwein) / lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Joachim Ehrig (Eroc) / drums, metal sheet f/x
- Wolfgang Jäger (Popo) / bass
- Volker Kahrs (Mist) / keyboards
- Gerd-Otto Kühn (Lupo) / guitars
- Toni Moff Mollo / vocals


Friday, August 6, 2021

Silver Studs - Happy Days (1976) plus Bonus Tracks

 (Australian 1975 - 1978)

Original line-up : LANCE REYNOLDS, KEITH REED, GINO LATORRE

Later members: VIVIEN GRAYSOI, PAUL STEVENS

The trio was formed late in 1975 by Lance in Brisbane. Gino and Lance worked together in the stage production of Hair and Keith also had a theatrical background.

They first caught the public's attention in February, 1976 when they toured with the Hollies as their support act. At the same time they released their first single, "My Teenage Dream", on the Philips label.

Then in March '76 Keith left the group and was replaced initially by Vivien Graysol and a short time later by Paul Stevens.

Meanwhile, their second single, "Happy Days" (the theme from the popular television show), was released and began selling like wildfire. By mid-July it had sold in excess of 20,000 copies and peaked at number four on the national charts.

One of the most important factors in developing their popularity was the trio's vibrant stage act. Although it was based on fifties rock (complete with studded denim gear and silver boots) they also included dancing and comedy.

Their next single was "Dance With A Dolly", which was released in August and became their second hit. It was followed by their first album, which was entitled 'Happy Days' (released in October '76) and within one month it had gone gold, selling over 50,000 copies.

Early in 1977, Paul left the group to replace Frankie J Holden in OL' 55, where he performed under the pseudonym Mike Raffopne; and the other two decided to continue as a duo. They revamped their image and shortened their name to Studs. By April the Happy Days album was approaching double gold and at this point they switched to Wizard Records. In conjunction with Wizard they formed their own label called Big Time- Phonograph company and in June they released a new single entitled "Funky Feet".

The record was also released in England and Europe on the Riva label and in August they embarked on a brief trip there to promote it. They returned to Australia the following month and in October they set off once again for the UK and then on to America. In Los Angeles they commenced recording their new album, which was completed in December. The title chosen for the album was 'Loose Last' and its release was scheduled for March, 1978.

The boys returned to Australia in time for Christmas '77 and in the meantime another single, "Today I Met The Girl I'm Gonna Marry" / "I Don't Wanna Waltz Matilda With You", was released.

In January, 1978 they embarked on a national tour of Australia in order to consolidate their position here, and later released a second single "Dr Bop". [Taken from Noel McGrath's Australian Encyclopedia of Rock. 1978 p290-291]

This post consists of FLACs ripped from another Garage Sale gem, that I came across (just before the COVID lockdowns) and thought it was about time I shared it, so as to brighten up your day. The title track "Happy Days" (a cover of the popular theme song from the American sitcom 'Happy Days') is something we all need at the moment and god willing, they will return soon for everyone.

Ripped from this pristine vinyl, full album artwork and label scans are also included. As a bonus, I am also including their first single release "My Teenage Dream" and their post album single "Funky Feet" in MP3 format (thanks to Ozzie Musicman for these two tracks)

Although the Silver Studs never achieved the same recognition as their Aussie counterparts - Ol' 55 (featuring Frankie J. Holden and Wilbur Wilde) they were still a popular group both in Sydney and Melbourne.

Tracklist
A1 Happy Days 2:18
A2 Dance With A Dolly (With A Hole In Her Stockin') 2:28
A3 The Kangaroo 2:21
A4 I Only Have Eyes For You 3:12
A5 Lean Baby 2:27
A6 Abba Dabba Honeymoon 3:55
           Way Back In The Fifties(Medley):17:45
B1 Way Back In The Fifties
B2 (Bop Rock) Turn Back The Clock
B3 Rockin' Robin
B4 Shake Rattle And Roll
B5 Little Darlin'
B6 When
B7 Cry
B8 Personality
B9 Splish Splash
B10 Way Back In The Fifties (Reprise)
BONUS TRACK My Teenage Dream
BONUS TRACK Funky Feet


Monday, August 2, 2021

REPOST: The Goanna Band - Selftitled E.P (1979)

(Australian Band 1977 - 1998)
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.The Goanna Band was formed in the Victorian city of Geelong during 1977, surrounding the heart of the band Shane Howard. Howard was already an established singer/songwriter on the local folk-rock scene. The original line-up comprised Howard (vocals/guitar), Mike Biscan (guitar), Richard Griffiths (bass) and Rod Hoe (drums). Over their first couple of years the line-up changed numerous times, with Howard remaining the constant rock around which other members anchored themselves. A future key member Rose Bygrave (vocals/ keyboards) joined Howard during 1979, along with Warwick Harwood (lead guitar/vocals), Ian Morrison (vocals/harmonica), Carl Smith (bass) and Gary Crothall (drums), to establish the line-up of the Goanna Band which would record their first material in the studio. Country/blues singer Broderick Smith produced this rare 12" selftitled four track EP, which was released on the EMI subsidiary label Custom Press and recorded in York Street Studios, North Fitzroy, Melbourne.

Goanna's début album Spirit of Place won the ARIA Best Album of the Year for 1982, with their first major hit, "Solid Rock", winning Best Single of the Year. This song touched on the displacement of aboriginal tribes by the encroaching European settlers. It became a worldwide hit, and was the first rock record to feature extensive use of an Australian didgeridoo. Goanna also recorded "Let the Franklin Flow", a song about the ecological damage to be caused by damming Tasmania's Franklin River for hydroelectricity, and "Sorry", a song about Australia's "stolen generation" of aborigines.
The Goanna Band E.P consists of four tracks, with the track "Sometimes" having never being released on CD. The remaining three tracks are very different versions to those re-released in later years, with a much rawer sound lacking the production finess found on both Spirit Of Place and Oceania. I think I read somewhere that there were only 1,000 copies pressed, as Goanna was still very much an unknown 'Geelong - Surf Coast' band at the time.

This rip was taken from a vinyl pressing in FLAC and includes full album artwork and label scans. Thanks to Greg Noakes for the publicity shot of Goanna below.


Track Listing
1. Zanzibar
2. On The Platform
3. Sometimes
4. Living On The Razor's Edge*


Band Members:
Ian Morrison (Vocals, Harmonica)
Rose Bygrave (Piano, Synthesiser. Vocals)
Shane Howard (Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Vocals)
Warrick Harwood (Acoustic and Electric Lead Guitars, Vocals)
Gary Crothall (Drums and Percussion)
Carl Smith (Bass)
* Broderick Smith (Additional Backing Vocals)

New Improved Rip in FLAC

Goanna Band Link (128Mb)  <---- Fixed Link
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