The album has a great cover (designed by Con Aslanis), featuring Bill's disembodied head, Wizard of Oz style over the Yellow Brick Road of the Australian Outback, wearing Dame Edna-style kangaroo glasses.
Although Billy reunited with some of his Aztec crew to make this album after releasing his first solo album in 1975 'Million Dollar Bill', he really had reached a pinnacle in his musical career by this stage, with his sights set on a new start in America.
As the summer of 1976 cooled off, Thorpie was in an unusually introspective place. Never one to allow himself to be overwhelmed by negativity, he nonetheless had to reassess his position. There was a story going around the Australian press that Billy had returned from his recent US trip immensely dissatisfied with his career and had decided in a fit of pique to disband the Aztecs.
In fact, Billy was not behind the earlier split of the group — it had simply been a matter of money. The costs of touring Australia were huge, and only exacerbated by the very popularity of the band. But it’s also likely that the US trip had set in his mind the idea that the Aztecs were on their last legs musically. Juke’s Christie Eliezer posited the idea in an article in 1976, saying that ‘the Aztecs’ disintegration was nothing to weep about: the band had been musically treading water for far too long’.
It’s doubtful that Billy would have agreed with Eliezer’s precise wording, but he probably would have registered the truth behind it. The instability of the Aztec line-up continued as players came and went; in recent years only Gil had been the constant. Gil was dedicated to all aspects of the band—even when he wasn’t producing the albums, he was still playing a pivotal role in addition to his seat behind the kit.
Billy's desire to move to America partially stemmed from the acceptance of ‘Captain Straightman’ into the first annual American Song Festival semi-finals back in 1973, where it went on to win in its category. Billy had gone to the US specifically to play the song at the festival, and the way he was treated there, being feted by US record company people, set Billy to thinking about making the move. He had always been quite open about his intention to relocate anyway, but England had proved barren ground and he was looking for further opportunities in a country where there were no limits—in America there were more cities to play, with more venues, the chance to tour with better-known acts and the possibility to build yourself a large following in the process.
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| L-R: Billy Kristian, Derek Griffiths, Billy & Rats |
In late 1976, after the release of his solo album 'Million Dollar Bill', Billy decided to revive the Aztecs and go straight back into the studio to record another album, 'Pick Me Up and Play Me Loud', produced and engineered by Gil Matthews. During the album’s production Billy confided to Gil that his heart was no longer in the Australian record industry.
Where could he go from here but down, he asked his old friend. It was a question that Billy must have given much consideration to. He couldn’t ignore the trend his singles and albums were taking, particularly since his fans were often confounded by the semiregular release of some cash-in compilation of his older material that only offered them the opportunity of buying something they already owned.
Again, creatively restless and feeling discouraged, Billy put his songs through many layers of inspection—he pulled apart "Most People I Know" and gave it an overhaul, and the heavy funk of
"Bass Balls" and "Movin On a Sound" showed further evidence of an attempt to ‘Americanise’ the Aztec sound. What quite a few people failed to initially notice was that the cover of Pick Me Up actually called it a ‘Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs’ album, rather than another solo effort à la Million Dollar Bill. The cover, a painting of Billy with his glasses morphing into two kangaroos on either side of his head and yet another kangaroo hitchhiking with a guitar, seemed contrived, as though he was conspicuously attempting to nail his ‘Aussie’ credentials to the mast for an overseas market.
The album was released in September 1976, and toured on almost immediately following the recording. In spite of everything, he still loved performing. The simple pleasure of delivering a song to an audience was the most enjoyable part of the day. The hours when he wasn’t onstage were always brimming over with promotion, rehearsals, examining contracts, proofreading artwork for a new album or simply sitting down with his guitar to write or jam with Warren Morgan, or anyone else who happened to be close by.
But even though there were plenty of shows that year, the reviews were mainly lack lustre. Critics panned the performances, carping at what they perceived as Billy’s ‘excessive’ posturing and his steadfast refusal to cave in to trends, even though he was not above a radical image change every six months or so. His heart was not in Australia for the remaining months of 1976, even as the Aztecs traipsed around the country for what would be the last time for nearly ten years. Then, suddenly, it was over, and in November Billy quickly left Melbourne for Adelaide with Lynn and Rusty.
Where could he go from here but down, he asked his old friend. It was a question that Billy must have given much consideration to. He couldn’t ignore the trend his singles and albums were taking, particularly since his fans were often confounded by the semiregular release of some cash-in compilation of his older material that only offered them the opportunity of buying something they already owned.
"Bass Balls" and "Movin On a Sound" showed further evidence of an attempt to ‘Americanise’ the Aztec sound. What quite a few people failed to initially notice was that the cover of Pick Me Up actually called it a ‘Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs’ album, rather than another solo effort à la Million Dollar Bill. The cover, a painting of Billy with his glasses morphing into two kangaroos on either side of his head and yet another kangaroo hitchhiking with a guitar, seemed contrived, as though he was conspicuously attempting to nail his ‘Aussie’ credentials to the mast for an overseas market.
The album was released in September 1976, and toured on almost immediately following the recording. In spite of everything, he still loved performing. The simple pleasure of delivering a song to an audience was the most enjoyable part of the day. The hours when he wasn’t onstage were always brimming over with promotion, rehearsals, examining contracts, proofreading artwork for a new album or simply sitting down with his guitar to write or jam with Warren Morgan, or anyone else who happened to be close by.
But even though there were plenty of shows that year, the reviews were mainly lack lustre. Critics panned the performances, carping at what they perceived as Billy’s ‘excessive’ posturing and his steadfast refusal to cave in to trends, even though he was not above a radical image change every six months or so. His heart was not in Australia for the remaining months of 1976, even as the Aztecs traipsed around the country for what would be the last time for nearly ten years. Then, suddenly, it was over, and in November Billy quickly left Melbourne for Adelaide with Lynn and Rusty.
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| Billy Thorpe 1976 |
There was no reason to wait for America’s invitation. Billy’s time had come. At age thirty, he felt he was hampered by his past, roped in with guitar leads, hemmed in by walls of amplifiers and the anticipation of a crowd wanting more of the same old pisssucking bullshit. But any artist who is content to stagnate in the past would never take the opportunities Billy was preparing to take. He left Australia in December 1976, finally bound for America, and ready for anything. [extract from 'Billy Thorpe's Time On Earth' by Jason Walker, 2009 p182-184]
Billy made a strong and sustained effort to break into the American music scene, utilising such famed US sessioneers as Leland Sklar and Earl Slick to create a series of ambitious concept albums, beginning with the highly successful space-rock concept album 'Children Of The Sun' (1976) which also marked the beginning of a long collaboration with producer Spencer Proffer. This was followed by '21st Century Man', 'Stimulation' (a particular favourite of this author's) and 'East Of Eden's Gate'. He also showed up in Mick Fleetwood's hobby band, Zoo, and returned occasionally to Australia for well-received spot appearances, often with a reunion of his old 70s Aztecs pals.
Billy made a strong and sustained effort to break into the American music scene, utilising such famed US sessioneers as Leland Sklar and Earl Slick to create a series of ambitious concept albums, beginning with the highly successful space-rock concept album 'Children Of The Sun' (1976) which also marked the beginning of a long collaboration with producer Spencer Proffer. This was followed by '21st Century Man', 'Stimulation' (a particular favourite of this author's) and 'East Of Eden's Gate'. He also showed up in Mick Fleetwood's hobby band, Zoo, and returned occasionally to Australia for well-received spot appearances, often with a reunion of his old 70s Aztecs pals.
In the early '90s, Thorpe and family came back to Oz for good. Rejuvenated interest in Billy's amazing body of work led to the successful launch of a 3CD retrospective, 'Lock Up Your Mothers' and national concerts again reuniting the classic Sunbury Aztecs line-up. Billy continued to record and found a lucrative sideline in advertising composition (like the "Friday Night Football" TV promo for the 9 Network). He also penned two highly entertaining (and essential) autobiographical books, and for someone who has done all he has in his life, he still looked remarkably trim and youthful as he neared his 60s.
Billy continued to wow audiences into the 21st century, playing clubs and festivals with as much verve and power as he put out in his twenties and with the incendiary power of his extraordinary voice still completely intact. Among his many appearances in this period, a highlight for the lucky fans who saw it was his electrifying performance at the all-star "Gimme Ted" benefit in Sydney in 2001, and in 2002 Thorpie reunited with the original Aztecs for one more thrilling go-round as part of the now fabled "Long Way To The Top" concert tour.
During late 2006 and into early 2007 Billy continued to tour and record, as he worked on a landmark new "unplugged" project in which he revisited the songs from his 40-year career in an acoustic format, as well as an ambitious concept album. The new CD was virtually complete when, to the shock and dismay of all, our greatest road warrior was felled by a heart attack on 28 February 2007. The 'unpluggged' album was subsequently released on Michael Gudinski's Liberation Blue label as Solo: The Last Recordings [Extract from Milesago]
During late 2006 and into early 2007 Billy continued to tour and record, as he worked on a landmark new "unplugged" project in which he revisited the songs from his 40-year career in an acoustic format, as well as an ambitious concept album. The new CD was virtually complete when, to the shock and dismay of all, our greatest road warrior was felled by a heart attack on 28 February 2007. The 'unpluggged' album was subsequently released on Michael Gudinski's Liberation Blue label as Solo: The Last Recordings [Extract from Milesago]
Tracklist
01 Movin' On The Sound 4:51
02 Blue Mary 4:02
03 Good Night Out 3:06
04 Most People I Know Think That I'm Crazy 6:10
05 Bassballs 3:28
06 See What I Mean 4:14
07 Let Yourself Go 4:40
08 You Keep Me Hangin' Around 4:06
09 Long Live Rock 'N' Roll 4:43
Billy Thorpe (Vocals & Guitar)
Gil Matthews (Drums)
Billy Kristian (Bass)
Derek Griffiths (Guitar)
Warren Morgan (Piano)
Play Me Loud Link (238Mb)
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