Glenn Cardier - An Everyday Maniac [The Festival File Vol.20] (1989) with Bonus Tracks

(Australian 1965 - Present)

Although his musical output has been primarily gentle, reflective and sensitive, the wry and unpredictable Glenn Cardier is a trashy rocker at heart. He began his career playing lead guitar in a Brisbane Hendrix/Cream acid rock band called The Revolution (see photo below taken at Hoadley's Battle Of The Bands in late 60's) and still burns a candle in the window for Eddie, Gene, Carl, Buddy, Jerry and Elvis. "I grew up with rock 'n' roll" he enthuses, "and my heroes are Pete Townsend, the Beatles and the like".

After two years as a school teacher, Glenn found his way into the recording game when his "Every Wounded Bird" was the winning Queensland entry in Bandstand's National Songwriting Awards.

Signed to Festival records in 1972, he moved to Sydney and cut his debut album, 'Days Of Wilderness';, which won him a Best New Talent Award from Australia's commercial radio stations (who ironically rarely played his records). It was a time when Carole, James, Joni and their like were murmuring meaningfully over their acoustic guitars, and Glenn dived into the angst stakes head first.

Unwillingly to be cast as a limp folkie, Glenn bravely went out on the road with the likes of the La De Das, Sherbet, Daddy Cool and Country Radio, and found himself on the bill of Sunbury '72 and Sunbury '73 [from which the bonus track was sourced]. He also opened for Frank Zappa (with Kevin Borich on acoustic guitar) and Manfred Mann's Earth band in Sydney, and undertook a fondly remembered campus tour called Woodsmoke & Oranges, in the company of Richard Clapton, Mike McClellan and Paul Pulati. "Those were the days when audiences, no matter who they came to see, were prepared to sit down and listen to you" Glenn recalls. "The music itself seemed more important at that time".

Taken at Sunbury 73' 

The truly superb tragi-comedy 'Only When I Laugh' album in 1974 displayed the strength and humanity of Glenn's highly individual, pathos-laden songs, with "The Darlings Of Market Street" and "Lovers Alias Fools" drawing considerable acclaim. Armed with a slew of fine reviews and one of 'Gough's grants', he set off to London that year, to record a third album (Glenn Cardier) under producer Labi Siffre, with musical assistance from Chas & Dave and The Shadow's Brian Bennett.

Moderate BBC airplay was forthcoming, as was tours with Fairport Convention and man. Olivia Newton-John recorded the touching "New Born Babe", while back in Australia, OL'55 included "Iridescent Pink Sock Blues" on their triple platinum 'Take It Greasy' album.

Glenn's English sojourn ended in 1978 and he relocated himself back in Sydney. Since then his musical activity has been spasmodic but always interesting. He was the alias 'Sydney Hill' singing "Establishment Blues" on the flip side of the double gold single "C'mon Aussie C'Mon" in 1979 [also added here as a bonus track].

Above photo shows Sydney Hills (aka Glenn Cardier) accepting his gold record from Peter Hebbes, on the right. Guess who's hiding beneath the Paper Bag !

The following year Glenn wrote and recorded 'Socka', the theme for the World Youth Soccer Championships, which was heard by 300 million people. He then undertook an Australian and Asian tour with Spike Milligan, which proved to be a perfect outlet for his offbeat sense of humour [I saw this stage show when it played in Melbourne - it was hilarious]

In more recent times he has been responsible for the delightful Christmas track "Reindeers on the Rooftop", singing under the alias Riff Raff, and has begun work on a new album 'Rust in The Tailfin' [but never eventuated. The title track eventually appeared on his 2002 album 'Rattle The Cage']. Over the years, his songs have been recorded by Jeff St.John, Broderick Smith, Margaret RoadKnight, Julie Anthony and others. He has led the road bands The cardinals and The Bel-aires.

This album presents the best of Glenn's three albums as well as a number of tracks - Tin Minstrel, Christopher Columbus, The Same Old Story, Ulysses (first version) and I Saved Annette From Drowning - which have not previously appeared on an LP. "Dance Numbers", recorded in England, is presented on disc for the first time, as is "Spaghetti Western" (from a Perth date on the 1980 Milligan tour).    [Liner notes by Glenn A. Baker - 1989]

This post consists of FLACs ripped from CD (supplied by Deutros with thanks) and includes full artwork and label scans. All photos featured in post were sourced from Glenn's Website.   I decided to post this 'best of compilation' in response to a request from a blog follower. It had always been my intention to post something of Glenn's, as he has always been the quiet achiever within the Aussie musical world yet he is such a strong writer of music and lyrics and deserves a lot more recognition.   I have also decided to include his B-Side hit single "Establishment Blues" and his iconic rendition of "Australia" from his Sunbury days, as Bonus Tracks.

Track Listing

01 Lovers Alias Fools 2:31

02 The Darlings Of Market Street 2:00

03 Anniversary 1:54

04 New Born Babe 1:49

05 Ulysses 2:35

06 Tin Minstrel 2:44

07 Every Wounded Bird 3:23

08 I Am The Day 3:18

09 Cars 2:19

10 Dance Numbers 3:13

11 Butterfly Net 2:56

12 The Iridescent Pink Sock Blues 1:53

13 Oh, Dear Saint Peter 2:01

14 Christopher Columbus 2:31

15 Love At First Sight 1:13

16 Please Don't Eat The Flowers, Dear 2:10

17 The Same Old Story 3:33

18 I Saved Annette From Drowning 3:35

19 I See A Comedy 2:34

20 Spaghetti Western (live) 3:34

21 Australia (Bonus Live Sunbury 73')   2:29

22 Establishment Blues (Bonus B-Side Single)    1:55

Glenn Cardier Link (321 Mb)