REPOST: Greg Quill - The Outlaw's Reply (1975) plus Bonus Tracks

(Australian 1970 - 1978, 1999 - 2012)
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Gregory Raymond "Greg" Quill (18 April 1947 – 5 May 2013) was an Australian-born musician, singer-songwriter and journalist.

Quill stands as one of the foremost figures in the local folk-country scene, and his invigorating love of involvement with his music is one reason why he commands the respect of Australia's top musicians and music writers. He ran The Shack (a popular Sydney folk haven) for four years, and at the age of 19 took on the Warrngah Shire Council to the Supreme court when they attempted to close down the club. He was president of  the folk club at the University of Sydney where he graduated from with a BA in English Literature and Languages (shades of Kris Kristofferson). As a guitar teacher he has taught the music and written it (once a top-rate journalist for Go-Set and Daily Planet) (Extract from Go-Set Magazine, May 25, 1974 p6 - thanks to Woodynet)

He lived in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and was an entertainment columnist at the Toronto Star newspaper from the mid-1980s until his death in May 2013. In Australia he came to popular fame as a singer-songwriter for the country rock band, Country Radio (1970–73). Their biggest hit, "Gyspy Queen", was released in August 1972 and was co-written by Quill with band mate, Kerryn Tolhurst, which peaked at No. 12 on the Go-Set National Top 40. After getting an arts grant, Quill travelled to Toronto in 1974 and by mid-1980s had become a journalist at the Toronto Star. By 1983 he was married to Ellen Davidson, a public relations executive.

In 1974, Quill recorded a solo studio album, The Outlaw's Reply, with the financial backing of Sydney-based executive producer and Trafalgar Studios owner Charles Fisher. It was produced by John L Sayers and featured Country Radio alumni: Blanchflower, Bolton, Du Bois, Hinton and Tolhurst, plus former collaborator Jones on keyboards. Also appearing on the album were Barry Leef on backing vocals, Chris Neal on synthesisers and Peter Walker on guitar. Two singles from the album were issued during 1975: "She Do It to Me" (April) and "Blackmail" / "The Outlaw's Reply" (September).

The album included the Quill song "Almost Freedom", which had previously been covered by former Company Caine singer Gulliver Smith on his 1973 solo LP The Band's Alright But The Singer Is .... During 1974 Festival also released a compilation album, 'Gypsy Queen', credited to Greg Quill & Country Radio, contained selection of album tracks, and A- and B-sides of singles. It included Quill's cover of the country classic "Singin' the Blues", which featured Renee Geyer on backing vocals and Stacpool on guitar. In May 1975 Quill promoted the release of The Outlaw's Reply by a performance at the Sydney Opera House, backed by the musicians who had contributed to the album. The Dingoes and Richard Clapton were also part of the first all-Australian country-rock show to take place on the Opera House's main stage. It was Quill's final performance in Australia for almost four years. [extract from wikipedia]

Greg Quill died on 5 May 2013 at his home in Hamilton. His family announced that he had "passed away suddenly but peacefully from complications due to pneumonia and a recently diagnosed case of sleep apnea". Aged 66, he was still an entertainment journalist for the Toronto Star at the time of his death.

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This post consists of FLACs  ripped from Vinyl and full album artwork for both vinyl and CD.  If you were a fan of Country Radio and the Dingoes, then you will really enjoy this unique gem.  My interest in this album extends even further with the appearance of Ex-Bakery guitarist Peter Walker who adds some great backing guitar work.  Bonus tracks ripped from vinyl singles.
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NEW IMPROVED RIP + Additional Bonus Tracks

Track Listing

01 - She Do It To Me
02 - Terry's Tune
03 - Almost Freedom
04 - So Now, Lady
05 - Where Elephant's Go To Die
06 - Seven Years Of Silence
07 - Crazy People
08 - The Outlaw's Reply
09 - Blackmail

10 - Been So Long (Bonus Track) *
11 - I Wonder Why (Bonus Track) *

12 - Been So Long (Bonus remix)

13 - I Wonder Why (Bonus remix)
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* Greg Quill and Southern Cross

Producer: John Sayers.
Executive producer: Charles Fisher
Recorded at Trafalgar Studios Sydney, Australia, November 1974 - February 1975

.The Band:
Greg Quill, vox, acoustic guitars; 
Kerryn Tolhurst, lap steel, mandolin, dobro, acoustic and electric guitars; 
Tony Bolton, drums; 
John Bois, bass; 
Chris Blanchflower, harmonica; Peter Jones, keyboards; 
Peter Walker, electric guitar, clavier; 
Russell Hinton, acoustic and electric guitar; 
Terry Walker, pedal steel, 
Barry Leef, harmonies and harmony arrangements. 
String arrangements: Peter Jones.
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Greg Quill Link (321Mb) New Link 04/07/2025
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Country Radio - Country Radio Live (1972)

(Australian 1971 - 1973)
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In the early 70's, Country Radio headed up a small but impressive Australian country-rock community which included (post-bubblegum) Flying Circus, Axiom, Smaug, Sundown, Bluestone and a variety of Red McKelvie led outfits (including Powderhorn and Third Union band). Easily the most accomplished act of the genre, they scored hit singles, sold albums in reasonable quantity and appeared at the major rock festivals of the day (including Sunbury '73).

The band grew out of what was essentially a folk trio together with Go-Set journalist Greg Quill to record a singer-songwriter album for EMI's Harvest label in 1970. With guitarist Oriando Agostino, harmonica player Chris Blenchflower and the group Pirana, Quill (who also ran folk haunt 'The Shack' in the Sydney beachside suburb of Narrabeen) recorded Fleetwood Plain, a stark and impressive collection of personal songs which drew strong reviews and gave Quill a base to move boldly into electric country rock.

Adding bassist John Walsh and drummer Dave Hahhagan, Quill took Country Radio onto the rock circuit and held his own. However, membership changes were frequent and by 1972, by which time the band signed with Festival's Infinity label, there was effectively a brand new Country Radio, comprising Blackfeather pianist John A.Bird, drummer Tony Bolto, bassist John Dubois and multi-instrumentalist (mandolin, pedal steel, guitar, vocals) Kerryn Tolhurst.

In late 1971, Infinity single "Listen To The Children" was not picked up by radio but, in August 1972, the band broke through with the polished "Gypsy Queen". On the heels of this came an album, Country Radio Live, recorded before an invited audience at TCS Studios in Melbourne on 4 October, 1972. Phil manning and Broderick Smith also made contributions to this live album while John French mixed and produced this live album. It was an all-original work, with the exception of two superb songs by American singer-songwriter John Stewart - "Some Lonesome Picker" and "Never Goin' Back" (which had previously been recorded by the Lovin' Spoonful). A single from the album, Wintersong, became a minor hit in April 1973.

Wintersong was essentially the peak of the major line-up of Country Radio which managed a short tour of Canada before disintegrating early in 1973. While Kerryn went off forming The Dingoes in Melbourne with Broderick Smith from Carson (which John Dubois would also join) Greg Quill put together a new quartet version of Country Radio and recorded the tracks "I Need Woman", "Singing The Blues" and "Bound For South Australia". When the latter (a thumping reworking of a traditional folk song) failed as a single, Greg abandoned the band concept and started work on another solo album. All the tracks not on on country Radio Live were later mopped up on the album Gypsy Queen.

During 1974, Quill recorded the exceptionally accomplished John Sayers-produced album The Outlaw's Reply, with the musical assistance of former Country Radio members and Barry Leaf, Terry Walker, Peter Jones and Chris Neal. It was not received with any great consumer enthusiasm and by 1975, Greg was working extensively in Canada, which proved far more responsive to his music. With various ex-members of the Dingoes, Flying Circus and Sherbet, he put together a backing unit called Southern Cross, which took him through to 1978, when the band toured Australia, released the Elektra single "Been So Long" and split. He then signed as a solo entity with Canada's Attic Records and effectively disappeared from our lives.

Still a resident of canada, Greg resides in Toronto, where he is the city's leading rock and television journalist. He has written a book on Michael Jackson and the Rolling Stones and is apprently working on a novel. Indeed, in the Northern Hemishere, his name is rarely directly associated with musical performance.
Down Under, he will long recall him as a fine singer, guitarist and songwriter who helped give a new dimension to a relatively narrow rock musician.

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my weary and tired vinyl. Because my copy has seen better days, I have had to undertake some serious cleanup processes to get this rip.  The end product is far from being perfect but it is what it is.  Full album artwork is also included (some of which has been sourced many years ago - possibly Midoztouch) along with select band photos and label scans.

Country Radio consisted of many stalwarts of Aussie Rock who formed the platform for the legendary country-rock band The Dingoes and therefore deserve Hall Of Fame status in my opinion. Hope you enjoy this classic recording.
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Track Listing
01 - Some Lonesome Picker
02 - Never Goin' Back
03 - Terry's Tune
04 - Listen To The Children
05 - Silver Spurs
06 - Gypsy Queen
07 - Last Time Around
08 - Wintersongs
09 - Observations From A Second Storey Window

Band Members:
Greg Quill - 6 and 12 string guitars, Vocals
Kerryn Tolhurst - Lead guitar, mandolin,dobro, steel guitar, vocals
John Dubois - Bass, vocals
Tony Bolton - Drums, vocals
John A.Bird - Acoustic and electric pianos, Hammond Organ
Chris Blanchflower - Mouth Harp 
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Country Radio Live FLACs (258Mb)
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