REPOST: Contraband - Selftitled (1979) + Bonus Single

(Australian 1973-1979)
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Initially formed in Sydney and originally called Stillwater, the band changed its name to Finch in 1973 and then, in mid-1978, they changed their name to to Contraband. Owen Orford was the only remaining member of the original 1973 line-up.
The band didn't work fulltime until 1976 when, as Finch, they recorded their first album, 'Thunderbird'. They produced and financed the recording themselves and its release, on the Eagle label, coincided with an upsurge in their popularity.
Originally Sydney-based, they toured Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and country areas of New South Wales. At the end of 1976, they moved to Melbourne and released a single, 'Short Changed Again'. The disc enjoyed moderate success, but its release was followed by a major upheaval. BOB SPENCER (guitar) left to join Skyhooks; then the group split completely leaving only PETER McFARLANE (drums) and Owen. The two of them spent the next three months (April '77 to July '77) auditioning new members. Eventually they came up with David Hinds, who replaced CHRIS JONES as second guitarist, Mark Evans (ex-AC/DC), and an old school friend of Mark's, Graham Kennedy.

Meanwhile the band was signed by CBS. In February 1978, their 'Nothing to Hide' album was released. A single, 'Where Were You', was lifted from it and, in March, became their first national hit.
The band's big break coincided with the album's release — they were picked up for worldwide distribution by American label Portrait. However, as there was already a Dutch band called Finch, Portrait recommended a change of name (to Contraband). Until October '78 the group used both the old and new names to help fans adjust.

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In March, Contraband set off on a national ten week tour with Dragon and, nearing the tour's end, released a re-mixed, edited version of 'Nothing To Hide' as a single. The band then headlined its own tour and, in July, supported Status Quo on its Australian jaunt. The same month, Contraband's album was released in the US. Apart from receiving favourable reviews, the LP got airplay on some of the major FM stations.
In October '78, Peter McFarlane left the band, basically over differing musical taste. He was replaced by Barry Cram (ex-Front Page and Russell Morris Band). Coinciding with the split they released another single, 'That's Your Way' (also a re-mix).
Contraband was scheduled to leave for the US in January '79 to record an album. However Portrait, which was financing the project, pulled out at the last minute without explanation. Undaunted, the band decided to go ahead on its own, record the album at Albert Studios in Sydney and aim at getting to the US later in the year. This selftitled album is the final LP that they recorded before splitting total later in 1979.  [extract from Noel McGrath's Australian Encyclopedia of Rock 1978-79 Yearbook, p14-16].
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Finch (Contraband) On Countdown 1979

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my cassette tape (plays just fine) and includes full album artwork (which was sourced from Midoztouch with thanks). Also included is the non-album B-Side single from Rainin' Again.
Not a bad collection of tracks - probably their best songs musically, but I still preferred their heavier rock material from their early Finch days (see previous post)

NEW IMPROVED RIP
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Track Listing
01. Lead Me to the Slaughter
02. C-61
03. Rainin' Again
04. Twisted
05. Shot Down in Flames
06. Gimme Some Lovin'
07. Only a Fool
08. Jodie on the Break
09. Sittin' Pretty
10. I Want La-Huv
11. Too Drunk To Know (B-Side Single)
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Band Members:
Barry Cram (drums)
Owen Orford (vocals)
David Hinds (guitar)
Graham Kennedy (guitar)
Mark Evans (bass)
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Contraband Link (304Mb)
New Link 12/03/2024

Sherbet - The Sherbet Phenomenon (1981) + Bonus Tracks

(Australian 1969-1984)

'The Sherbet Phenomenon' - How else might one explain a run of twenty consecutive hit singles (to say nothing of five for Daryl), twelve albums yielding ten platinum and eight gold discs, every possible Australian music award of the seventies and the honor of being not only the biggest domestic record sellers of all but the first act to sell a million dollars worth of records in Australia.

Sherbet were the first Australian band to insist on taking their music to the people - all the people - on long, tedious national tours.

Lugging seven tons of equipment, they would set out in Greyhound coaches for up to three months - poking their noses into dark corners of the continent which had not seen a rock band since The Easybeats in 1965. They did this not once or twice ... the figure is more like twenty.

Those who were a part of those intense and exciting spectacles called 'Sherbet concerts' will always remember not just the carefully orchestrated visual majesty or the powerfully constructed music, they will also recall the extraordinary warmth and rapport which existed between the stage and the stalls; from the Hordern Pavilion to remote North Queensland council halls.

This release is as close to the perfect Sherbet collection as one might wish to possess on a single vinyl album. Nineteen pieces of carefully crafted and executed pop music from five guys who understood it better than any other Australian band before or after them. Listen to the music ... remember the magic.

FREE THE PEOPLE
The third single and second hit Number five in Sydney in November, l971. A Delaney ond Bonnie track featuring original bassist Bruce Worrall on tuba.

YOU'RE ALL WOMAN
Written by old mate (and later touring companion) Ted Mulry, this was the first track to feature Tony Mitchell, and the first hit to crack the Melbourne top twenty (thirteen), in August 1972.

HOUND DOG
A raucous version of the Lieber/Staller rock classic which found its way on to tape in around three hours. Top thirty in July, 1973 For many years this was the obligatory Sherbet show closer.

CASSANDRA
The first indication of the pop masterpieces that were to come and a perfect national top five summer hit, in October, 1973

SLIPSTREAM
The extremely ambitious title track to their third album and possibly the first truly expensive track to be cut in this country. A national top ten single in July 1974.

SILVERY MOON
Also from 'Slipstream', a highly commercial ballad and another national top ten hit in September 1974.

YOU'RE MY WORLD
Daryl Braithwaite's first solo hit and what a hit! A double platinum national number one (before Sherbet had had done it) over Christmas 1974 and the key to breaking Sherbet in the mass market.

SUMMER LOVE
Another pop classic and the first single to be released in England. National top five. From this point there was really no looking back - March 1975.

LIFE
The dramatic title cut to the 'Life ... Is For Living' album, featuring Clive Shakespeare on acoustic classical guitar. As a single, number seven nationally in August 1975.

ONLY ONE YOU/MATTER OF TIME
A powerful double sided hit from the 'Life' album, One side a weepy ballad, the other a rolling rocker featuring Garth Porter on lead vocals. National top ten in November 1975.

Sherbet 'Howzat Era' 1976
(L-R) Tony Mitchell, Alan Sandow, Daryl Braithwaite, Harvey James, Garth Porter

CHILD'S PLAY
A top ten single in February, 1976 and marked Clive Shakespeare's final recording with Sherbet.

HOWZAT!
From the rubble of turmoil arose - an even stronger Sherbet, with new guitarist Harvey James and a first single that rose to number one in Australia, Thailand and many parts of Europe, and number two in England. From the 'Howzat' album in May, 1976. This was the beginning of Sherbet as an international entity.

ROCK ME GENTLY
A pleasant, soft rocker which had the unfortunate task of following a gorilla like 'Howzat'. It made top ten in October 1976.

YOU'VE GOT THE GUN
Featured as a 'double A side' with 'Rock Me Gently', this was a rather more sophisticated reworking of their original 1972 single.

LOVE HAS NO PRIDE
Daryl's fourth solo single, a quality version of Eric Koz's classic ballad. A hit in April 1977.

MAGAZINE MADONNA
The first single from the 'Photoplay' album which, like 'Howzat', was released all over the world. A top 5 national hit in June 1977.

SLIPPIN' AWAY

The mature and imaginative opening track from the eleventh album titled simply 'Sherbet'. This album was recorded at United Western Studios in Los Angeles. A number 22 hit in March 1978.

ANOTHER NIGHT ON THE ROAD
A second song from the 'Sherbet' album and a band favourite which tells the story of their decade of touring, recording and playing a game so very few people ever really understand. A number 17 hit in August 1978.   [Taken from album Liner Notes]

Glenn A Baker.
Australian Editor Billboard November, 1980

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my 'Hammard' vinyl and includes full album artwork and label scans. Because Hammard Records were a low budget label that released a variety of music genre during the 70's and 80's, I usually tended to avoid them due to their poor sound quality (similar to K-Tel records). However, in this case I made an exception due to the great 'bang for bucks' that this compilation offered - over 60 minutes of music.

Of course, the compromise is the lack of bass that exists with these type of releases, however I have applied some minor bass enhancement to this rip to improve the sound. 

One other gripe that I have with this release is the inclusion of two of Daryl Braithwaite's solo releases, at the expense of excluding some classic Sherbet tracks; such as "Freedom", "Wishing Well" and a personnel favourite "Wild Love" (from their Slipstream album, with its heavy, funky bass line). I have therefore added these as Bonus Tracks.

Tracklist

01 Sherbet–Free The People  2:37

02 Sherbet–You're All Woman  2:52

03 Sherbet–Hound Dog  2:24

04 Sherbet–Cassandra 3:15

05 Sherbet–Slipstream 2:57

06 Sherbet–Silvery Moon 3:21

07 Daryl Braithwaite–You're My World  3:06

08 Sherbet–Summer Love 3:34

09 Sherbet–Life  3:26

10 Sherbet–Only One You 3:27

11 Sherbet–Matter Of Time  2:57

12 Sherbet–Child's Play 3:17

13 Sherbet–Howzat! 3:42

14 Sherbet–Rock Me Gently  3:34

15 Sherbet–You've Got The Gun 3:30

16 Daryl Braithwaite– Love Has No Pride  3:18

17 Sherbet–Magazine Madonna 4:05

18 Sherbet–(Feel Like It's) Slippin' Away  3:21

19 Sherbet–Another Night On The Road   3:46

20    Sherbet-Wild Love (Bonus Track) 3:19

21 Sherbet-Freedom (Bonus Track)  3:48

22 Sherbet-Wishing Well (Bonus Live)  3:54

Sherbet Were:

Daryl Braithwaite (vocals) 1969-84

Gunther Gorman (guitar) 1976

Harvey James (guitar, vocals) 1976-84

Dennis Laughlin (lead vocals) 1969

Tony Mitchell (bass) 1972-84

Garth Porter (keyboards, vcls) 1970-84

Doug Rae (bass) 1969

Alan Sandow (drums) 1969-84

Sam See (keyboards) 1969-70

Clive Shakespeare (guitar, vocals) 1969-76

Danny Taylor (drums) 1969

Bruce Worrall (bass) 1969-72

The Sherbet Phenomenon Link (372Mb)

REPOST: Billy T - No Definitions (1977) + Bonus Tracks/Video

(Australian 1975-78)
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After the demise of Daddy Cool & Mighty Kong, Ross Hannaford formed Billy T with Joe Creighton in Queensland, and later joined up with Russell Smith (Company Caine) and Mick Holden (The Mixtures), playing a mixture of Reggae, Soul, Funk and Rock in Melbourne.
They released 3 singles and their debut LP 'No Definitions'.

As their bass player 'Joe Creighton' recalls on his blog:
Around 1975, I hooked up with Ross Hannaford and we formed Billy T.   Billy T was a unique band in that it broke the mold of standard Aussie rock in pubs. With our own brand of blue-eyed soul and reggae we had quite a successful run in the Australian pub circuit.
Our tour support with legendary US band 'Little Feat' cemented our profile as the band most likely to do it in 76. Unfortunately Ross and I kept floating off to the US and Europe to play for Maharaj Ji and Billy T suffered the consequences of our absences. The rest of the band basically got jack of it and I can't remember if we got sacked or if we called it quits. But whatever, the band eventually dissolved.

L to R: Geoff Bridgford (ex Bee Gee), Joe Creighton, Ross Hannaford

I don't think Ross was ever all that happy in the band. It is often difficult having two dynamic guitarists in one band and Russel Smith was and still is a great guitarist. I think he and Ross always had trouble defining their roll with each other musically. Maybe they should have taken heed of the title of our only album 'No Definitions'! Having said that, there were many many moments where they rose to great heights and complimented each other superbly. Billy T was a great live band and with a bit more focus probably would have made a bigger imprint on the industry than it did.

.The following is a transcript of an interview conducted by Peter Olszewski of RAM magazine with the members of Billy T (#37 - 30th July 1976):
Get up and Guru?
Do the Funky Electric Meditation?
There's this new band around called BILLY T
who...... well, read on ...

Take a large tin, throw in a hot city bump, one only of Mighty Kong's nose hairs, a smidgeon of cocaine, some dried angels wings, boil it all up. and waddya got? Billy T.
And what exactly is Billy T? It's a new band in Melbourne, comprised of exiles from Hot City Bump Band, Company-Caine, Band of Angels and Daddy Cool / Mighty Kong.

The band's just one of the many newbies poppin up in Melbourne town, all in accordance with Parkinson's Law of Rock Bandz:— Following a period of numerous band break-ups, personnel reshuffle and form a series of new bands which is approximately equal to the number of old bands that have just broken up.

However, what sets Billy T apart from the other 'newbies is their unusual fusion of rock, reggae and soul (Roul? Sock?) Looking at the line-up you find, on the rock side. Russell Smith — guitar (ex-Co.Caine) and Ross Hannaford — guitar (ex-Daddy Cool — Mighty Kong). On the soul side you've got Joe Creighton — bass & vocals and Geoff Maling — percussion (both ex-Band of Angels) and Mick Holden ~ drums (ex-Hot City Bump Band).

The obvious thing to do of course, is to weigh in with the heavy question of how did this come about.
Says Ross Hannaford: "It's my taste. I've had my fill of rock and roll so we're moving into the kind of music we like to play. We don't want to brand ourselves as a soul group, and I want to incorporate a lot of rock and roll because you find people, especially in Melbourne, can't really dance to soul.
"I notice people nowadays have got a concept of what dancing is all about, and we want to really encourage it because we're simply setting ourselves up as a dance band."
Which of course is fair enough. If you're a dance band and no-one can dance to you then. uh, it's time to hang up dem geetars.

The two founders of the band are Hannaford and Joe Creighton who started to play music together through their affiliation with the Divine Light Mission. Ross and Joe first played together professionally on Jim Keays reggae cum anti-drug song "Give It Up", which presumably wasn't the right message at the right time because it did absolutely nothing sales wise, but that's another story ... or is it?
Ross explains the further development of the band: "I started the band off sort of. Joe had a gig lined up at The Patch in Coolangatta and I went with him. Ever since I left Daddy Cool ... well, at first I wanted a break and then I wanted to get a band going ..."

Joe steps into the conversation ...
"Yes, and we started putting a band together in a really relaxed sort of way and we started writing some songs up there in the sun and the surf and what have you ..."
Mick Holden weighs in with the sound effects: "Tweet, tweet, tweet."

Back to Joe: "Then we came back to Melbourne and we just started talking to a few guys Mick was one of the first guys we had a blow with. We dug the feel and then Geoff came along ... it was all very relaxed you know. Russell came over one day and had a blow. Then we started blowing together with this group of guys and one day we had a look at each other and said what do you reckon?"
And on the subject of the rather strange name?
Mick: "It means whatever you want it to,
Uh uh, well I had this immediate association with Billy Tea?
"Yeah, it kinda gives us that Australiana type of thing. Although Mark Barnes at the Station Hotel (Melb's supposedly legendary rock pub of which Barnes is the founder) said: 'Isn't it really a rip off of Billy Thorpe?'

Listening to the band s music and talking to the band, one picks up this continuous ongoing concern about relaxation and detachment. Joe kindly explains: "We've all found that the detached attitude makes for really good music. Mick's found that he's detached when he's playing for the Dingoes. (Mick Holden is filling in on drums for the Dingoes until they leave for the States and rejoin with John Lee. their original drummer). It s not the type of thing he's planning for, nor is he worrying about the future; he gets into a real groove because he's just playing. Naturalism is the key. "Talking about this naturalism, relaxation. soul etc brings us to the area of meditation, which brings us to the Divine Light Mission. 

In Melbourne there's quite a strong group of musicians who belong lo this' religious outfit'

From Billy T, Creighton, Mating and Hannaford belong to this organisation but following what you could safely say was a period of bad publicity for the Mission (it was accused of brainwashing devotees), it s very difficult to actually pin down any Divine Lighter into discussing the uh, lighter side of that religion.
I collared Creighton on this subject and he was somewhat evasive, not wanting lo refer to the Divine Light Mission, preferring to call it "this form of meditation.'
I first saw Creighton's ex-band, the Band of Angels, performing at the Guru
Margarines Melbourne public appearance I was not at all impressed with the little fat man. nor with the music that Band of Angels played, which was mostly recycled Simon and Garfunkel and early melodic Beatles. I was under the impression that the Band of Angels was sort of a Divine Light house band but Creighton corrected me.
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"What happened was that the people who were in that band were into doing meditation and they were all musicians. We came from completely different backgrounds and the thing that united us was meditation rather than musical taste. We went from there, created some music, went as far as we could go together, then broke up."
"Ross and Geoff and I still do this meditation and as far as ... well, meditation gives you stillness right, a calmness m your mind, and that's happening, and that s part of the influence in the band, and that's as far as the influence goes, right? Were not a Divine Light band or anything like that, it s just that three of the guys do this meditation."
Is there am coincidence that most of the musicians who uh. do this meditation, usually end up in soul bands?

 I think because soul music expresses that feeling most of all the thing is that everybody in this band has a really nice spiritual awareness. We're not trying to create any image, were just doing what were doing. I think it's a nice high feeling and it'll be like that all the time as long as the band can be left to just relax and play.  Praise the Lord and pass me the meditation mat!
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The rip of  'No Defintions' was taken from vinyl in FLAC format (thanks to Tarago) and includes full album artwork and label scans.

I have also included 2 bonus live tracks from the 1977 "Nightmoves Concert" (my rip), a scan of the RAM article transcribed above and a Video Clip (mp4) of their single "Gotta Keep On Dancing"

NEW IMPROVED RIP

.Track Listing

01 You Saved Me
02 I Am What You Are
03 Just Like Soul Music
04 Soul Power
05 Keep On Dancing
06 Baby I Need Your Lovin'
07 Live Together
08 Everything I Own
09 I'm In A Dancing Mood
Bonus Tracks
10 Who The Cap Fit (Live 1977)
11 I Am What You Are (Live 1977).
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Band Members:
Ross Hannaford (Guitar, Vocals)
Joe Creighton (Bass, Vocals)
Mick Holden (Drums, Vocals)
Geoff Maling (Percussion)
Russell Smith (Guitar, Vocals)
Neal McPherson (Keyboards)
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Billy T Link (314Mb)  New Link 28/04/25

W.O.C.K On Vinyl: Phyllis Diller – Are You Ready For Phyllis Diller? (1962)

 

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.

Phyllis Diller (1917-2012) began her comedy career in the 1950s at the age of 37 and broke barriers in the comedy world to become the first solo female comic to be a household name. Diller was also an actress, author and musician. She developed a stage persona of an incompetent housewife and dressed in outlandish outfits with wild hair and exaggerated, crackling laugh.  Her material focused on self-deprecating jokes that tackled the idealized image of American mothers and homemakers. She also created many mythical personas for her stage act including her “husband” Fang, her “neighbor” Mrs. Clean, and her “mother-in-law” Moby Dick.

Diller was one of the first female comics to become a household name in the U.S., credited as an influence by Joan Rivers, Roseanne Barr, and Ellen DeGeneres, among others. She had a large gay following and is considered a gay icon. She was also one of the first celebrities to openly champion plastic surgery, for which she was recognized by the cosmetic surgery industry.

They said it couldn't be done back then (to be a successful lady comic, that is) but the doyenne of female stand-up did just that -- opened the doors for other odd-duck funny girls who dared to intrude on what was considered a man's profession. Initially, the comedienne whipped up an alter-ego that could have only been created with the aid of hallucinogens. Boldly facing the world as a scrawny, witchy-faced, flyaway haired, outlandishly costumed, cigarette-holding, magpie-cackling version of "Auntie Mame", Diller made a virtue out of her weird looks and cashed in on her wifely horror tales and her own idiosyncratic tendencies.

Phyllis Diller's Gag File containing
over 50,000 joke cards

Starting in 1959 and throughout the 1960s, Diller released multiple comedy albums, including the titles 'Wet Toe in a Hot Socket!', 'Laughs', 'The Beautiful Phyllis Diller' and  the featured LP 'Are You Ready for Phyllis Diller?'

For an in-depth discussion and appraisal of this comedy album, I highly recommend you listen to Jason Klamm's Podscast with Riley Silverman at The Comedy On Vinyl Podcast  

And so, this month's WOCK on Vinyl post is not only a big tick for Crazy but also for Comedy, because you are really gonna have some laughs with this one. Note:  a bonus song has been included on this recording - Diller singing the Rolling Stones hit "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" which originally appeared on Side-1 of a 1970 Columbia Records Label LP titled 'Born to Sing'.

I have fond memories as a youngster, seeing Phyllis Diller appear on the T.V comedy show 'Laugh In' back in the early 70's and although her gags probably went straight over my head, her voice and appearance was enough to make me laugh and admire her greatly. 

Tracklist:

Satisfaction (song) 2:55

Don't Eat Here 1:08

The Way I Dress 2:55

Beadcraft 1:47

Hypochondriac 2:05

Cook Book 5:57

Household Hints 2:48

Cheese And Turkey 5:38

Tightwad Airlines 11:50

Small Chest Condition 4:15

Labor Day 1:00

Phyllis Diller Link (88Mb) New Link 26/12/2024

Roberta Flack - Feel Like Makin' Love (1975) + Bonus Live Tracks

 (U.S 1968 - 2022)

Classy, urbane, reserved, smooth, and sophisticated -- all of these terms have been used to describe the music of Roberta Flack, particularly her string of romantic, light jazz ballad hits in the 1970s, which continue to enjoy popularity on MOR-oriented adult contemporary stations. Flack was the daughter of a church organist and started playing piano early enough to get a music scholarship and eventual degree from Howard University. After a period of student teaching, Flack was discovered singing at a club by jazz musician Les McCann and signed to Atlantic.

Some of legendary singer Roberta Flack’s most popular albums include her debut "First Take" and later "Killing Me Softly", gospel-leaning soul albums with immortal ballads like “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and the latter album’s famously Fugees-covered title track. But my favorite is the under-appreciated 'Feel Like Makin’ Love', a lush and sensual foray into the Adult Contemporary sound that defined many hits of the mid-70s.

The Album

Musically, 'Feel Like Makin’ Love' is a little like Carol King, its breezy title track earning a #1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 as well as three Grammy nominations including Song of the Year.

The vibe here is resolutely mellow and sexy, with a much larger band than previous Flack recordings, including but not limited to jazz legends Bob James (keyboards), Idris Muhammad and Alphonse Mouzon (drums), and Joe Farrell (oboe). Though quite accessible, the record is expertly arranged and performed, with an early highlight in “I Can See the Sun in Late December”.

“I Can See the Sun” was penned by Stevie Wonder, who was at a career peak around this time. It shows: the nearly 13-minute epic feels less than half that length, with Flack carrying the soaring melody and the band filling out the sound like sunlight shining into the forest of the album cover. It’s a wonderful song on an album full of them.

This album did not come easily however. Her producer of five years, Joel Dorn, departed the album's sessions before they had started, in a flurry of dissension with Atlantic brass. "I didn't know nothing about nothing," Flack stated in the Aquarian. "I had nobody to help me finish the album, so I did it myself. It was one of my worst experiences."

Dubbing herself Rubina Flake, she admitted she was not exactly a whiz at the job. "I knew what I wanted musically but I didn't know a lot of technical things or the business aspects of producing. I learned the hard way," she admitted in the Washington Post. Despite their misgivings, Atlantic Records allowed her free reign, though she "spent a fortune" and took eight months to finish. "If you know what you're doing you can't spend too much time on a album, though you can certainly spend too much money," she defended in the Aquarian.

However, the final product is an outstanding collection of smooth soul, ideal for summer days and nights.

Roberta Flack scored her third No. 1 hit in 1974 with "Feel Like Makin' Love," also her sixth Billboard Top 40 hit. Co-written by Flack and Eugene McDaniels, the single first charted on July 6, 1974, and spent a total of 13 weeks on the chart. It was the title track from Flack's sixth album, "Feel Like Makin' Love", which first charted Mar. 29, 1975, peaking at No. 24 on the Hot 200 album chart and remaining on the chart for 26 weeks.

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my prized vinyl and includes full album artwork for both vinyl and CD media. Although the title track is certainly the pinnacle track on this album, I also think that “I Can See the Sun in Late December” is a standout track, with some wonderful instrumental music by her backing band, as reviewed above. 

As a bonus, I have decided to include live recordings of three of her best known hits, taken from the 1992 Newport Jazz Festival and a concert held in Tokyo, Japan in 1993.

Track List:

01 Feelin' That Glow 5:48

02 I Wanted It Too 2:51

03 I Can See The Sun In Late December 12:48

04 Some Gospel According To Matthew 2:37

05 Feel Like Makin' Love 2:55

06 Mr. Magic 3:55

07 Early Ev'ry Midnite 5:54

08 Old Heartbreak Top Ten 4:22

09 She's Not Blind 5:24

BONUS TRACKS

10 Killing Me Softly with His Song (Live At Newport Jazz Festival, 1992)

11 Feel Like Makin' Love (Live At Newport Jazz Festival, 1992)

12 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Live in Tokyo, 1993)

Roberta Flack Link (275Mb) New Link 25/09/2025

Various Artists - Andrew Durant Memorial Concert (1980)

 (Australian 1980)

Andrew MacLeish Durant (2 October 1954 – 6 May 1980) was an Australian musician-songwriter. He was a member of country rock group Stars (1976–79) providing guitar, harmonica, and backing vocals. He was also a session and backing musician for a range of artists. He died of cancer, aged 25. On 19 August 1980 a tribute performance was held in his honour, with a live double-album recorded by various artists, Andrew Durant Memorial Concert, which was released on 9 March 1981. All but three tracks were written by Durant. It peaked at No. 8 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart and reached No. 40 on the End of Year Top 100 Albums Chart for 1981...R.I.P

Andy's Story

Andrew was born in Adelaide on 2nd October, 1954, the youngest of six children. Four of his five brothers and sisters played guitar at various times, and this influence, together with the blues and folk records they brought home during their teenage years induced Andy to show a musical interest at a very early age. He taught himself to play guitar around the time he started High School, and developed to the point where he performed solo at school concerts. At the age of fifteen he bought his first electric guitar and started jamming with other beginners in the area; playing material from the Beatles, The Band, Cream and Grand Funk Railroad.

He quickly earned respect as the best local musician, showing a strong talent for guitar, harmonica and vocals. Songwriting ideas were also starting to come through at this time.

His friends also remember him for his performances at parties. playing accurate renditions of Dylan songs such as "Love Minus Zero - No Limit", "George Jackson", and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door".

In late 1972 Andy, Glyn Dowding and I formed a band called Astrakhan, with the intent of developing a career- Towards the end of the band's 18 month life Andy introduced his first original song to our repertoire of material by groups such as Free and Deep Purple. He left Astrakhan just before it disbanded, and formed a band called Mirrormere, to play more experimental music under the influence of bands such as King Crimson.

In 1975, I formed Stars with Glyn. Mick Pealing and Graham Thompson. and after working for a year and earning ourselves a record contract in Melbourne, we asked Andy to rejoin us as rhythm guitarist/ harmony vocalist. He accepted, expressing an interest in developing his songwriting. Within only a few months he became the major writing force in the band, producing some ten songs, most of which were recorded for the Stars 'Paradise' album released in January 1978. These songs, which were to earn Andy his reputation as a songwriter, were his first serious works.

The Stars -1978

The success of Paradise led to a consistent national touring schedule for Stars. which, together with line-up changes, detained the release of the follow-up album 'Land of Fortune' till June 1979. ln August 1979, after months of hesitation. Andy submitted himself for medical tests to investigate the unusual growth of a mole on his back. The tests confirmed that the mole had become malignant. This form of cancer is called melanoma. Stars fulfilled their September commitments with a replacement guitarist while Andy recuperated after a removal operation. He resumed live performances with the band in October after further tests indicated an "all clear" on his health.

In November, Stars disbanded due to disappointing sales of the 'Land of Fortune' album, coupled with the need for new direction and a change of pace after four years of constant touring.

Andy was invited to Sydney in December to play guitar on Richard Clapton's current album, 'Dark Spaces', but had to abandon the project before completion due to the discomfort of severe back pains. He returned to Melbourne and after extensive medical tests at the Peter MacCallum Hospital, was diagnosed as having "secondary's" in the form of bone cancer. Extensive chemotherapy and ray treatment were prescribed immediately, but by February 1980, Andy was bedridden. To enable him to remain at home with his family regular ambulance transport was provided to and from the hospital.

Andy made clear his wish that his condition be kept secret, for the entitlement of his privacy, and to avoid the pain it would cause his many friends. He had great determination to win his battle and despite his illness, his talent and love for song writing continued to grow. The small group of family and friends who surrounded him encouraged him to further the musical statement he had already made. Andrew Durant died on Tuesday, May 6th. 1980, aged 25.

This Memorial Concert was conceived as a gesture of love and respect from Andy's friends and peers. The full potential of his talent may never be realized, but his music remains and it is befitting that it be performed in its entirety. Showtime will realise the magnitude of the entire entertainment industry pulling together to make this unique event possible.

The plan commenced with the intention of using proceeds of the concert to establish the annual "Andrew Durant Songwriter's Award". Sponsorship since received now enables us to direct the majority of the proceeds to the Peter MacCallum Hospital for further research into the drugs used in Andrew's treatment.

A copy of the Hospital's letter acknowledging the proposal is included below for your reference.

This post consists of FLACs ripped from both Vinyl (original 2LP release) and CD (bonus tracks) and includes full album artwork for both media, along with label scans

I saw Andy Durant playing with Stars back in 1977, during the 'Nightmovies Concerts' and was a huge fan of his guitar playing. His passing was a huge shock to the Australian Music Industry and fan community and his legacy will never be forgotten. This post is a tribute to both his amazing contributions to the Australian Music Scene and the strength he demonstrated as a Cancer patient.

Artists who contributed to this memorial concert were: Mick Pealing, Malcolm Eastick, Glyn Dowding, Renee Geyer, Broderick Smith, Ian Moss, Don Walker, Graham Thompson, Kerryn Tolhurst, Jimmy Barnes, Richard Clapton, Rick Formosa, John-James Hackett, Glyn Mason, Mick O'Connor, Billy Rogers

LP Track List

A1 Back Again 4:35
A2 Pick Up The Pieces 5:42
A3 Paradise 3:48
A4 Jive Town 3:51
A5 Good Times 1:17
B1 Last Of The Riverboats 4:03
B2 Jupiter Creek 4:19
B3 Ocean Deep 5:31
B4 Look After Yourself 4:03
C1 Innocent Bystanders 4:02
C2 Iceman 6:15
C3 Solitaire 6:02
C4 Wasted Words 5:22
D1 Song For The Road 4:55
D2 Mighty Rock 7:17
D3 Knockin' On Heavens Door 9:41

Bonus Tracks

01 - Let's Get Moving

02 - Living A Lie

03 - Red Neck Boogie

04 - West Is The Way

Andy Durant Memorial Concert Link (726Mb)

Rick Springfield - Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet (1982) + Bonus E.P 'Jessie's Girl'

(Australian 1962 - Present)

To the uninitiated, the name Rick Springfield conjures up everything 1980s: Jessie’s Girl, General Hospital , Polo shirts and Converse tennis shoes. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find that Rick Springfield is much more than the mistakenly categorized “actor turned musician”. A songwriter and guitar player to rival the greats, Rick Springfield is an Aussie musician that has stood the test of time and the decades since his surge of fame starting in 1981.

He was a member of the pop rock group Zoot from 1969 to 1971, then started his solo career with his debut single, “Speak to the Sky”, which reached the top 10 in Australia in mid-1972. When he moved to the United States, he had a No. 1 hit with “Jessie’s Girl” in 1981 in both Australia and the US, for which he received the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.

Rick recorded his next album, "Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet" during his off hours on General Hospital and toured in the same way. "I have never seen anyone work that hard," recalled drummer Jack White on VH-1's Behind the Music. While critics still didn't quite trust a rocker with such a pretty face and huge teen following, many were beginning to come around to see Rick's talent as a rocker.

'Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet' was released by RCA Records in 1982. The album was certified Platinum in the United States, and produced three top 40 singles; “Don’t Talk to Strangers” (#2 – for four weeks), “What Kind of Fool Am I” (#21, not the show tune of the same name) and “I Get Excited” (#32). “Don’t Talk to Strangers” and “Calling All Girls” also received considerable Album Rock airplay, charting at #11 and #4 respectively.

In an interview with Songfacts, Springfield explained that “Don’t Talk to Strangers” was about his paranoia that his girlfriend was being unfaithful when he was away. The song melody is actually from the earlier recording called “Spanish Eyes”, found on Rick’s “Sound City Recordings” from 1978. “Kristina” is a remake of the Bachman–Turner Overdrive song “Jamaica”, using different lyrics, while "I Get Excited" is a reworking of his 1981 Mega hit "Jessie's Girl" which I think is a bit of a cop out and I find myself asking 'why would you do this?'.

The album’s name is a play on the question Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, the name used for a 1955 play and a 1957 film that were mostly unrelated to each other.

In 1982, Rick was awarded a Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal. MTV played his videos in heavy rotation, and Showtime aired a live special, "Live and Kicking." Rick Springfield was here to stay.

Album Review

'Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet', which was slapped together practically a year after the popular 1981 Working Class Dog, is clearly aimed to replicate the success of its predecessor, despite the ironic statement in the title. Besides the short gap between the two albums this goal is also confirmed by the cover: it has the same cute dog that this time has come up in the world from the working class and the grateful driver Springfield who serves it champagne. A very strong sense of repetition follows for the duration of listening to the record. It has the same anthemic wanna be hit songs about girls and relationships with straightforward and measured rhythms, slick guitars, and a generous helping of the then-current studio polish. The feeling of déja vu (or impression that you listen to Side 2 of the 1981 LP) intensifies when one hears "I Get Excited", which recalls the superhit under the same number on the previous album to a fault. And this unabashed exploitation of the same approach continues until the end.

One interesting track on the album is Rick's cover of a 70's classic entitled "Black Is Black". Written and first performed by Los Bravos, "Black Is Black" was also covered by French vocal trio La Belle Epoque and released as a 1976 single, and peaked at number two in the UK, and reached number one in Australia the following year.  His interpretation of this mega hit is interesting and somewhat refreshing.

Certainly there are occasional solid songs, primarily ballads, like "Don’t Talk to Strangers", despite its clear ties to the time period, or "Still Crazy for You", which is surprisingly moving and possessing a somewhat timeless quality. But these instances do not save the LP from sinking in the flow that overtook many musicians and was only getting stronger at the time.

In the end, Rick Springfield managed to step into the same waters again, bringing joy to the fans of the previous album, but failed to add anything worthy to the bank of his artistic legacy. The record is recommended to those with nostalgia for the 80s, since it effectively translates the vibe and the spirit of the time. As for the other music fans, they can either rewind back to the good old rock or try going forward with a hope for a miracle, at one’s own risk. [Review by Batareziz, Sputnik Music - Aug, 2017]

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my vinyl and includes full album artwork for both Vinyl and CD formats, plus label scans.

As as added bonus, I am also including a rip of his 1981 E.P release entitled 'Jessie's Girl', also ripped to FLAC format. Originally released at the same time as his 'Working Class Dog' LP, the E.P is not easy to find, and as such should put icing on the cake for this post. Artwork for the E.P is also included.

Track Listing

01 Don't Talk To Strangers 3:00

02 Calling All Girls 3:19

03 I Get Excited 2:32

04 What Kind Of Fool Am I 3:20

05 Kristina 3:00

06 Tonight 3:16

07 How Do You Talk To Girls 3:18

08 Still Crazy For You     3:46

09 The American Girl 3:10

10 Just One Kiss    3:10

11 Black Is Black   2:52

12 April 24, 1981 1:32

Band Members:

Lead Vocals - Rick Springfield

Backing Vocals – Richard Page, Tom Kelly, Tom Funderburk

Bass – Dennis Belfield

Drums – Mike Baird

Guitar – Charles Sandford, Rick Springfield, Tim Pierce

Keyboards – Alan Pasqua, Gabriel Katona

BONUS: Jessie's Girl E.P 

01 - Jessie's Girl

02 - Carry Me Away

03 - I've Done Everything For You

04 - Everybody's Girl

Rick Springfield LP & EP Link (288Mb)