REPOST: John Farnham - Time Brings Change (1988)

(Australian 1967-Present)
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In a country of 20 million people John Farnham is the one Australian artist who stages arena sized concerts whenever he tours to satisfy the demand. He is without challenge Australia's most successful solo artist, on stage and on record. His Whispering Jack album was the first album to sell over a million copies in Australia alone. John got his first big break singing the now famous Susan Jones TV ad commercials. Not long after this he was to record his first hit Sadie in 1967. Sadie was a big gamble – it was commercial, sure but it was also corny. The radio stations wouldn’t play it. It was only after a Four Corners TV segment on how a record company promoted an unknown, which featured the song, that they were willing to play it at all! 

After John made an appearance on Uptight singing his song, the station’s switchboards were, however, inundated with calls requesting a repeat of the song. Sadie ended up being the biggest selling Australian hit of the 60’s. John was on his way!
.What fans were responding to was "Johnny" Farnham's bright boy-next-door personality. He was someone teenage girls and the mothers could both like. Farnham was also a fine singer and survived "Sadie" to release a long string of pop hits between 1967 and 1973, including the local hit versions of Three Dog Night's "One," B J Thomas' "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" (#1) and David Cassidy's "Rock Me Baby. He also starred in the stage musicals Dick Whittington And His Cat, Charlie Girl and Pippin. His schedule denied Farnham trying his luck internationally or developing on record. Success continued virtually on the basis of his talent and that personality alone and in the late to mid seventies his career was reduced to nightclub and cabaret performances trading on his past. Even his record company lost faith in him and dropped him.

In 1980, changing from Johnny to the more mature John Farnham, he set about resurrecting his career. The trigger was a dramatically rearranged impassioned performance of the Beatles' "Help" on a nationally broadcast Royal Command TV concert. He reminded everyone what a fine singer he was, and in July released Uncovered, a well received comeback album recorded under the production eye of Little River Band's Graham Goble. In September 1982 long-time Farnham fan Goble was inspired to convince the rest of LRB they should take the radical move of removing Glenn Shorrock, singer of all the band's hits, and making Farnham their lead singer. The band's American record company was in shock. So were non-Australian fans. It was a hurdle Farnham could not overcome, and at the end of 1985 he left LRB and began work on a new make or break solo album.
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The anthemic single "You're The Voice restored Farnham to #1 for the first time in 17 years. The carefully crafted adult contemporary October 1986 album Whispering Jack was No.1 for 18 weeks, and became the biggest selling album in Australian history. "You're The Voice" sold a million copies in Europe and reached the top ten in England. A consummate singer and performer since 1986 Farnham has been Australia's No.1 attraction, with successive big selling albums and sold out concert tours. International interest has continued to beckon but the dedicated family man is happy with his career as it is [extract from blue.desert]
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This post consists of  FLACs ripped from my CD copy of this album. Full album artwork is included for CD only.  This is not your usual compilation of early material by Farnham (no "Sadie" or "Raindrops Keep Falling" on this one), but rather some of his lesser known cabaret tracks which in their own right, are just as good. My favourites are his: Elton John cover "Take Me Back To The Pilot" and his renditions of the stage classics "Hair" and "Day By Day".

One point of contention regarding this album, however, is that it should be credited to 'Johnny' Farnham and not 'John' Farnham. This is because all tracks on this compilation predate 1980, which is when Farnham changed his stage name from Johnny to John. This album was no doubt released by EMI to cash in on the success that Farnham was having during his Whispering Jack era. If you haven't heard his early 70's material, then this album is a nice introduction to his Cabaret years.
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        New Improved Rip !

  
Track Listing
01 - Charlie Girl (1972)
02 - Who Can I Turn To (1972)

03 - Hair (1972)
04 - Saturday Dance (1974)
05 - For Once In My Life (1971)
06 - Take Me To The Pilot (1971)
07 - Diana (1973)
08 - Memphis Tennessee (1973)
09 - Rag Mama Rag (1971)
10 - Things To Do (1974)
11 - Band Of Gold (1971)
12 - Day By Day (1972)
13 - White Christmas (1970)
14 - Till Time Brings Change (1974)
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Johnny Farnham (270Mb) New Link 10/01/2025
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REPOST: Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles - Live! (1972)

(U.S 1966–present, U.S 1967–2008)
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I purchased Carlos Santana and Buddy Miles Live on vinyl in 1972 when it was first released, and I still consider it one of my favorite live music albums. The brass sound that was popular in the early 1970's adds energy and pop to this live recording. I first heard the fast version of Evil Ways on this live album, and still prefer it to the slower studio recording that is on the Santana Greatest Hits album. In fact, the first five cuts on this live album are a wild ride. If I have a possible complaint about Carlos Santana and Buddy Miles live, it would be that it is too short. If this album were only the first half, I'd love it. The combination of Carlos Santana's blistering guitar solos (and those of Neal Schon) and his Latin-rock-based band with the heavy, heavy gut drumming of Buddy Miles (soon to be a member of Jimi Hendrix's second great group, A Band of Gypsies, made for great, continually exciting music. "Lava," "Them Changes" (much better than on Buddy Miles's own group recording of the same time). 

The first half of the album is as exciting music as you could find at the time. The second half is a long, meandering piece entitled "Free Form Funkafide Filth", and the piece is about as good, and as dated, as its title. It's somewhat boring, heavy, and it doesn't go anywhere. But that doesn't matter because the first half is so good!
I wish this group had played together longer.
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Live Album or Studio Scam?
There seem to be all sorts of urban legends surrounding this 1972 Top Ten album from Carlos Santana and Buddy Miles. Some people claim that the concert never took place (see topix.com) which seems unlikely, since Santana and Miles toured together extensively in late 1971 and early 1972. Others suggest that Carlos played little on the album, and while I respect the six-string talents of Neal Schon (who legend also says turned down an invitation from Eric Clapton to flesh out Derek and the Dominos to play with Santana's band, and who built a great reputation for himself as lead guitarist for Journey), there are numerous guitar runs on 'Live!' that have Carlos Santana written all over them. I think many of the myth-makers are deluded by the overly-engineered master tapes. It was common practice in the early seventies to modulate the amplitude of the crowd noise and this seems to be what was done with 'Live!'. While it sounds hokey at times (with what sounds like looped audience applause at times), that doesn't mean the performances didn't happen.
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Perhaps also lending to the controversy is the liner notes listing the recording date as 'January 0, 1972', a non-existent date, suggesting the concert never happened. But the concert actually took place in Hawaii, in the center of the Diamond Head volcanic crater, on January 1, 1972 during the 'Sunshine '72 Festival', so the bogus date on the linear notes is probably a typo or was done as a joke.
Supporting that fact is a collage of about fourteen photographs from the concert itself. One can see Carlos playing guitar in several of them, and there's a number of Hawaiian-looking people standing around as well. That's proof enough for me. I guess this one doesn't rise to the level of the McCartney death hoax!
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Fortunately, the music does rise to the occasion. I first acquired a copy of this album as one of my 12 "free" records when I joined the Columbia Record Club. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but in 1972 most people were convinced you couldn't go wrong with Carlos Santana, and I was one of them. I wasn't disappointed. While it may take a little time and a few listens for the 25 minute plus "Free Form Funkafide Filth" to grow on you... it does. I'm not sure how 'free form' this filth is (it's credited to Miles, Santana, drummer Gregg Errico, and bassist Ron Johnson), but it manages to hit a funk groove on several occasions and passes the ample running time (especially for a vinyl record) admirably.
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The real gems, however, are on side one. While the track listing lists five separate tracks, tracks one and two ("Marbles" and "Lava") and tracks four and five ("Faith Interlude" and Mile's best known composition, "Them Changes") segue seamlessly into one another, creating a musical suite. Only an upbeat, horn augmented version of "Evil Ways" stands alone, almost as a centerpiece. All of these tracks, save "Faith Interlude", which is perfectly titled given it's buoyant strains, are funky tomes of dynamite. Robert Hogins on organ and Coke Escovedo on timbales, along with a trio of conga players, do yoeman's work keeping up with Santana, Schon, and Miles. Over the years these tracks have merged in my mind, and belong together as one piece of work every bit as much as the flip side of the original vinyl disc.
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This album has been reissued on CD several times, having been remastered in 1994 and then reissued in 2005 and 2008. The pressed copies of the 2008 release must have gone quickly, explaining why it is no longer available. Sadly, no additional tracks have ever been added to any of the reissues, suggesting that no additional quality recordings from the concert exist. That's a little hard to believe, but what else could explain it? If additional material comparable to what is being offered here is ever released, criminal negligence charges should be levied against Bob Irwin, the "Reissue Producer", for keeping it under wraps for so long. [Don Schmittdiel 2008]
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The rip was taken from CD in FLAC format and includes artwork from both CD and LP. Photos taken at the Sunshine '72 Festival inside the Diamond Head volcano, Honolulu Hawaii are also included. I have also chosen to include an alternative rip of Side 1 as a single FLAC file (riiped from my vinyl), to retain the continuity of the tracks as heard on the LP, where one song runs into the other.
I personally enjoy this alternative, as the continuity of the concert atmosphere is retained.
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Track Listing
SIDE 1
01. "Marbles" (McLaughlin) – 4:18
02. "Lava" (Miles) – 2:10
03. "Evil Ways" (Henry) – 6:36
04. "Faith Interlude" (Miles, Santana) – 2:13
05. "Them Changes" (Miles) – 5:50
SIDE 2
06. "Free Form Funkafide Filth" (Errico, Johnson, Miles) – 24:54
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Band Members:
Carlos Santana - guitar, vocals
Neal Schon - guitar
Buddy Miles - Drums, percussion, congas, vocals
Ron Johnson - Bass
Bob Hogins - Organ, Electric Piano
Greg Errico - drums
Richard Clark - drums, percussion, congas
Coke Escovedo - percussion, tímbales.
Mingo Lewis - percussion
Mike Carabello - percussion, congas
Victor Pantoja - percussion, congas
Hadley Caliman - flute, saxophone
Luis Gasca - trumpet

NEW IMPROVED RIP !

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Santana and Miles Link (455Mb)
New Link 6/01/2025

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Galapagus Duck - The Voyage Of The Beagle (1983)

 (Australian 1969  - Present)

Based in Sydney back in the 70's, Galapagos Duck was an integral part of the foundation and success of the Jazz Club 'The Basement'. The band continuously performed in the club as it's primary 'house band' for 16 years - during which time 'The Basement' became known as one of the greatest Jazz Clubs in Australia and around the world. 'The Duck' also toured extensively all throughout Australia, visiting the capital cities and - on many occasions - performed in country areas including the remote areas of Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

In the period until Voyage of the Beagle, released in 1983, they made an astonishing 9 albums starting with Ebony Quill in 1974-- bear in mind that these are stuffed with cover versions and sometimes jazzed-up of really obnoxious songs like Grazing in the Grass.

'Voyage of the Beagle is of great interest to me as it's a thoughtfully composed concept album about Charles Darwin's explorations, so you can certainly imagine the creative and evocative potential of the subject matter that went into its creation. Note also the dramatic difference in CD and LP covers as shown above and below.

By 1983, Tom Hare was the only founding band member from Galapagos Duck's first line-up with Greg Foster the next in line. Other band members were John Conley, Bob Egger, Mal Morgan and Mick Jackman (who does most of the vocals).  Irrespective, all band members are accomplished jazz musicians, each skilled in multiple instruments and song writing. 

The Voyage Of The Beagle

(Album Liner Notes)

The origin of the species known as the Galapagos Duck has little real relevance to Charles Darwin or his theories but rather is related to the writings of another eminent, more contemporary Englishman, Mr Spike Milligan.

One steamy night many years ago in the heart of deeper Sydney-town the members of a certain jazz band wailed away the hours with Spike, a long-time friend, drinking and joking in the tavern where the band performed. It was this late-night session which prompted the adoption of the band's curious name, now a household word among jazz followers, the Galapagos Duck.

Apart from its name and the fact that it features very significantly in the evolution of the jazz idiom in Australia, the Galapagos Duck has little to do with the life and work of the father of Evolution. However, because of the name the members of the band feel a certain empathy with Darwin and have more particularly developed a fascination with his epic voyage which took him through that part of the world from which the basis of many jazz forms and indeed most of modern popular music finds its roots.

This recording, which is a selection of original compositions by the members of the band, attempts in musical terms to trace the Beagle's voyage.

After having been twice driven back by heavy south western gales, Her Majesty's ship Beagle, a ten-gun brig, under the command of Captain Fitzroy, RN, sailed from Devonport on the 27th of December, 1831.' And so The Voyage Begins

Its primary mission was to survey the poorly known coastal areas of South America. On board was a young naturalist, Charles Darwin, who undertook the voyage without pay partly to put off his intended vocation. His father felt it was high time his son settled into some suitable career such as the ministry.

The outstanding outcome of this five-year voyage was the most revolutionary change that has ever occurred in man's view of himself . In 1837, Darwin began developing a theory to explain how species evolve and after almost twenty years of thoroughly working through his ideas he produced his masterpiece 'Origin of Species'.

It was Darwin's visit to the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific west of Ecuador, and his examinations of gigantic fossil bones at Punta Alta in Argentina, that chiefly stimulated his speculations as to how the diverse species of the earth might have come about.

'The Archipelago is a little world within itself . . . the different islands to a considerable extent are inhabited by a different set of beings.' Life on the Archipelago

At Punta Alta in Argentina Darwin wrote, '...the remains of these nine great quadrupeds and many detached bones were found embedded on the beach, within the space of about 200 yards square. It is a remarkable circumstance that so many different species should be found together.' The Skeletons of Punta Alta

In July of 1832 somewhere off the coast of Uruguay, Darwin observed a natural phenomenon which has been experienced by many sea travellers down through the ages. He found it worthy of note in his diary'...we witnessed a splendid scene of natural fireworks; the masthead and yardarm-ends shone with St Elmo's light... St Elmo's Fire

He was fascinated by the life in the lush forests of South America: 'the elegance of the grasses, the novelty of the parasitical plants, the beauty of the flowers, the glossy green of the foliage, but above all the general luxuriance of the vegetation, filled me with admiration.' In a Brazilian Forest

Throughout Darwin's diary during his South American travels there are many references to the splendour of the Cordillera range'... From some high land we hailed with joy the white summits of the Cordillera, as they were seen occasionally peeping through their dusky envelope of clouds'. Cordillera

After leaving the Galapagos Archipelago the Beagle travelled to Tahiti and then on to New Zealand and in his writings Darwin compares two races of Polynesians, the civilized, peaceful Tahitians and the savage, ferocious New Zealanders. The Tattooed Warriors: 'I should think more warlike race of inhabitants could not be found in any part of the world.'

From New Zealand the voyage continued on to Australia where Darwin observed some of the traditional dances of the Aborigines. 'The natives . . . were persuaded to hold a 'corroboree' or great dancing party .. .

The dancing consisted in their running either sideways or in Indian file into an open space, and stamping the ground with great force as they marched together . . .

there was one called the Emu dance, in which each man extended his arm in a bent manner, like the neck of that bird . . .' The Emu Dance

The Beagle left Australia for the Keeling Islands, the coral atolls in the Indian Ocean nearly one thousand kilometres from Sumatra. Darwin described the idyllic setting of one of these: 'Excepting near the lagoon, where there is some sand, the land is entirely composed of rounded fragments of coral . . .' Coral Island

On October 2 the voyage came to end upon the Beagle's arrival back in England. '. . . and at Falmouth I left the Beagle, having lived on board the good little vessel nearly five years.' The Voyage Ends

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my newly acquired vinyl. Although the outer cover is ripped the vinyl is in excellent condition and still has its original liner note insert, which outlines the story of the Beagle's Voyage (as above).  Label scans and artwork are also included for both vinyl and CD releases. 

As mentioned above, the CD release comes with a totally different cover (see right) which in my opinion is horrible and I much prefer the more relevant and colourful vinyl cover, but I'll let you be the judge.  Anyhow, enjoy this masterpiece folks.

Track Listing:

A1 The Voyage Begins (Leaving England 1831)  4:04

A2 St Elmo's Fire (Uruguay) 3:54

A3 The Skeletons Of Punta Alta 4:15

A4 In A Brazilian Forest (Brazil) 3:55

A5 Cordillera (Chile) 5:27

A6 Life On The Archipelago (Galapagos Islands)  3:36

B1 Latin Doll (Leaving South America) 5:00

B2 Tattooed Warriors (New Zealand) 3:45

B3 The Emu Dance (Australia) 6:23

B4 Coral Island (Keeling Islands) 4:14

B5 The Voyage Ends (Return To England) 4:15

B6 Epilogue 'Origins-The Beginning' 1:50

Members:

Bass Guitar, Guitar, Didgeridoo – John Conley

Flute, Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Saxophone – Tom Hare

Keyboards – Bob Egger

Keyboards, Vibraphone, Marimba – Mick Jackman

Trombone, Harmonica, Didgeridoo – Greg Foster

Drums – Mal Morgan

The Voyage Of The Beagle Link (262Mb)

REPOST: Ayers Rock - Big Red Rock (1974) + Bonus Tracks

(Australian 1973-81)

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Ayers Rock was the leading Australian 'jazz-rock' group of the 70s, fusing rock with influences from soul, R&B, jazz and Latin music. The band was built on world-class standards of playing and complex arrangements, and inspired by overseas groups such as Traffic, Santana and Weather Report. The original members were all seasoned players, widely regarded as among the best musos in the country, and their musical connections were woven through a series of major bands of the 60s and early 70s.

. (Note: Back cover shown right is from U.S release)

Ayers Rock were one of the first groups signed to Michael Gudinski's newly established Mushroom label, and their debut single, "Rock'n'Roll Fight", was issued at the end of 1973. Ayers Rock's debut album Big Red Rock was taped live before an invited audience at Armstrong's Studios in Melbourne over two nights in September 1974. The live-in-the-studio approach worked extremely well for Ayers Rock, and the album clearly demonstrated why their awesome live 'chops' had made them such a popular concert attraction. But it also was something of a necessity for the cash-strapped label -- they took the same approach with another early signing, Mackenzie Theory. The Ayers Rock LP reportedly cost Mushroom a mere $5,000 to record.
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Chris Brown

Big Red Rock was a commercial success for Mushroom, showcasing the band's considerable prowess and the material was a good balance between the more commercial song-based material of McGuire and Brown and the more adventurous instrumentals. The LP features three songs by McGuire, including their memorable second single, the Latin-flavored "Lady Montego", a song that dated back to McGuire's stint in Friends; an earlier, slower version appears (in a live recording) on the Garrison: The Final Blow LP (see earlier posting)
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Big Red Rock also features two excellent pieces by Loughnan, two songs by Chris Brown, and a dazzling cover of Joe Zawinul's "Boogie Woogie Waltz", originally recorded by Weather Report (who were at that time virtually unknown in Australia). Loughnan's power-jam "Crazy Boys" is also worth hearing for its hilarious intro; dedicated to an unnamed Sydney hamburger joint, it includes a sly reference to a "Gudinski burger" and very funny joke about "Dr Hopontopovus, the Greek gynecologists'".

Duncan McGuire and Mark Kennedy

As Vernon Joyson has noted, Ayers Rock's recordings suggest that there was some dilemma about whether they should pursue a more expansive instrumental-based approach or opt for a more song-based commercial sound. From the evidence of Big Red Rock, its arguable that its the instrumental tracks -- "Crazy Boys", "Big Red Rock" and the brilliant cover of "Boogie Woogie Waltz -- that stand up best today, but the demands of radio airplay and gigging meant that this dilemma was never satisfactorily resolved, and the group's relatively short lifespan and small catalogue meant that they never really got the chance to reach their full potential.

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In the late 1975, Ayers Rock performed at the final gigs at Melbourne's fabled Reefer Cabaret. Live versions of the Stones "Gimme Shelter" and "Boogie Woogie Waltz" were included on the double-album A-Reefer-Derci, culled from performances from the last two nights on 30 and 31 December 1975, and released by Mushroom in 1976. Like Mushroom's earlier Garrison: The Final Blow set, it commemorated the closure of the venue and was a means of thanking the Reefer Cabaret for supporting Mushroom's artists during 1974-75 [extract from Milesago]

Col Loughnan

Big Red Rock is one of my favourite jazz-rock albums (in amongst greats such as Al Di Meola, Mahavishna Orchestra and Weather Report) and should be recognised as one of the finest albums produced by an Australian band. I particularly like the B-Side of this album, as it showcases some spectacular jazz riffs ands solos that blow my mind every time I listen to it. Of course the A-Side highlight is their hit single 'Lady Montego' which was a true innovation at the time, as it was the first 'hit single' release in Australia that had a live recording atmosphere associated with it.

James Doyle

The rip provided here was taken from CD in FLAC and includes full album artwork plus bonus live tracks taken from GTK, and Reefer Derci / Sunbury concerts. There are also photos included taken from their performance at the "Australian Concert for Bangladesh in 1975"

New Improved Rip

Track Listing

01 - Lady Montego
02 - Talkin' About You
03 - Goin' Home
04 - Crazy Boys (The Hamburger Song)
05 - Nostalgic Blues
06 - Big Red Rock
07 - Boogie Woogie Waltz
08 - Get Out Of The Country
[Bonus Tracks]
09 - Boogie Woogie Waltz (Live at the Reefer)
10 - Gimme Shelter (Live at the Reefer)
11 - Morning Magic (Live at Sunbury)

12 - Heavy Soul Slinger (GTK May 1974)

Band Members:
Chris Brown (Electric & Acoustic 12-string Guitars / Lead Vocals)
Col Loughnan (Tenor, baritone, electric soprano saxes / Vocals / Flute / Electric piano / Percussion)
James Doyle (Electric and Acoustic 6-string Guitars / Percussion / Multron guitar)
Duncan McGuire (Fender jazz and fretless basses)
Mark Kennedy (Drums / Percussion)
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Ayers Rock Link (514Mb) New Link 30/12/2024

REPOST: W.O.C.K On Vinyl - Beatles - Christmas Singles (1963-69)

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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.

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The Beatles' Christmas records was a composition of melodies interpreting love and support during the holidays from the English rock group The Beatles that were posted out on flexi disc at Christmas time to members of their official fan-clubs in the United Kingdom and the United States. One such record was issued each year from 1963 to 1969 and an LP compilation of all seven in 1970.

Conceived as a means to appease fan-club members whose letters, due to their sheer volume, were not always being answered in a timely manner, the records included the Beatles' messages of thanks to "loyal Beatles people", along with skits, Christmas carols, and original compositions.

None of the original recordings has ever been subject to general release though a version of "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)", an original composition which appeared in edited form on the 1967 record, eventually gained an official release in 1995, as part of the The Beatles Anthology project.

1963: The Beatles' Christmas Record

    Recorded: 17 October 1963

    Location: Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road

    Writer: Tony Barrow

    Producer: Tony Barrow

    Issued: 6 December 1963

    Label: Lyntone, LYN 492

    Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 331/3 RPM

    Total time: 5:00

The first Christmas recording from the Beatles featured several renditions of the traditional carol "Good King Wenceslas" and individual messages from the four, ending with a closing chorus of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Ringo". This offering, as well as 1964's, was scripted by Beatles' press officer Tony Barrow, who had instigated the Christmas message programme.

An edited version of this recording was sent to members of the Beatles' American fan-club in December 1964.

1964: Another Beatles Christmas Record

    Recorded: 26 October 1964

    Location: Studio Two Abbey Road

    Writer: Tony Barrow

    Producer: Tony Barrow

    Issued: 18 December 1964

    Label: Lyntone, LYN 757

    Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 45 RPM

    Total time: 3:58

The song "Jingle Bells" is sung, followed by individual messages to the fans. John mocks the prepared statement, doing an imitation of Paul Harvey and includes his own pseudo-words and ad-libbing. When Paul asks him if he wrote this himself, he says, "No it's somebody's bad hand-wroter. It's been a busy year Beople peadles, one way and another, but it's been a great year too. You fans have seen to that. Page two ... Thanks a lot folks and a happy-er Christmas and a Merry Grew Year. Crimble* maybe." (The statement is apparently handwritten as at various points in the recording, Paul reads "making them" as "melting them" before correcting himself and George reads "quite a time" as "quiet time" before correcting himself with "great time" as well.) Finishing up the record is a brief rendition of the traditional song "Oh Can You Wash Your Father's Shirt?"

Another Beatles' Christmas Record was not sent to American fans. Rather, at Christmas time 1964, US fans received an edited version of The Beatles' Christmas Record, which had been sent to British fan-club members in 1963. Also, as opposed to using flexi-discs, the US fan-club sent the message in a tri-fold cardboard mailer, with the "record" embedded in one of the flaps of cardboard.

* Crimble or Krimble is a slang term for Christmas coined by The Beatles as part of their 1963 Christmas record issued via the Beatles Fan Club

1965: The Beatles' Third Christmas Record

    Recorded: 8 November 1965

    Location: Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road

    Writer: Tony Barrow, The Beatles

    Producer: Tony Barrow

    Issued: 17 December 1965

    Label: Lyntone, LYN 948

    Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 331/3 RPM

    Total time: 6:20

Several off-key, a cappella versions of "Yesterday" are dispersed throughout the record, alongside Lennon's "Happy Christmas to Ya List'nas", "Auld Lang Syne", a one-and-a-half-line version of the Four Tops' "It's the Same Old Song" (which they quickly stop before they violate the copyright) and an original poem titled "Christmas Comes But Once a Year".

Members of the Beatles' US fan-club did not receive this (or any) Christmas flexi-disc in 1965. Rather, they received a black and white postcard, with a photo of the Fab Four and the message "Season's Greetings – Paul, Ringo, George, John." The Beatles Bulletin, the publication of the US fan-club, explained in its April 1966 edition that the tape arrived too late to prepare the record in time for Christmas.

1966: The Beatles' Fourth Christmas Record – Pantomime: Everywhere It's Christmas

    Recorded: 25 November 1966

    Location: Dick James Music

    Writer: The Beatles

    Producer: George Martin

    Issued: 16 December 1966

    Label: Lyntone, LYN 1145

    Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 33 RPM

    Total time: 6:36

Recorded between sessions for "Strawberry Fields Forever", for the 1966 offering, the usual greetings and thanks gave way to a 'Pantomime'-themed collection of original songs and dramatic skits. The songs include "Everywhere It's Christmas", "Orowainya", and "Please Don't Bring Your Banjo Back". Paul McCartney plays the piano. The sketches performed include "Podgy the Bear and Jasper" and "Felpin Mansions."

Once again, the US fan-club members did not get a flexi-disc. Instead, they received a postcard with the message on one side and a short version of The Beatles Bulletin on the other, with enough room for a mailing label and postage.

1967: Christmas Time is Here Again! 

    Recorded: 28 November 1967

    Location: Studio Three EMI Studios, London

    Writer: The Beatles

    Producer: George Martin

    Issued: 15 December 1967

    Label: Lyntone, LYN 1360

    Flexi disc: 7", 1 side, 331/3 RPM

    Total time: 6:06

An elaborate production, Christmas Time is Here Again! was developed around the concept of several groups auditioning for a BBC radio show. The title song serves as a refrain throughout the record. The Beatles portray a multitude of characters, including game show contestants, aspiring musicians ("Plenty of Jam Jars", by the Ravellers), and actors in a radio drama ("Theatre Hour"). At the end John reads a poem, "When Christmas Time Is Over." This offering was likely a deliberate homage to/continuation of the broadly similar "Craig Torso" specials produced for BBC Radio 1 that same year by the Beatles' friends and collaborators the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, and also shares much in common with their then-unreleased track "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)", recorded six months previously.

While British fans received a flexi-disc in an elaborate sleeve, American fans received a postcard similar to that of 1966.

1968: The Beatles' 1968 Christmas Record

    Recorded: November–December 1968

    Location: various

    Writer: The Beatles

    Producer: Kenny Everett

    Issued: 20 December 1968

    Label: Lyntone, LYN 1743/4

    Flexi disc: 7", 2 sides, 331/3 RPM

    Total time: 7:48

The first Beatles Christmas fan-club disc to be recorded separately, the 1968 offering is a collage of odd noises, musical snippets, and individual messages. McCartney's song "Happy Christmas, Happy New Year" is featured, along with John's poems "Jock and Yono" and "Once Upon a Pool Table." Also notable is a rendition of "Nowhere Man" by the ukulele-playing Tiny Tim. Also included is a sped-up snippet of the Beatles' own "Helter Skelter" and a brief snippet of Perrey & Kingsley's "Baroque Hoedown" which was used three years later in Disneyland's Main Street Electrical Parade. "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," "Yer Blues," and "Birthday" are also heard in the background for part of the message. The dialogue and songs for the flexi-disc were organised and edited together by DJ and friend of the Beatles, Kenny Everett.

Finally, the US fans got a flexi-disc for Christmas in 1968, but it came in a modified version of the 1967 UK sleeve.

1969: The Beatles' Seventh Christmas Record: Happy Christmas 

    Recorded: November–December 1969

    Location: various

    Writer: The Beatles

    Producer: Maurice Cole

    Issued: 19 December 1969

    Label: Lyntone, LYN 1970/1971

    Flexi disc: 7", 2 sides, 331/3 RPM

    Total time: 7:39

The final Beatles Christmas offering was also recorded separately, as the band had effectively split by this point. It features an extensive visit with John and Yoko at their Tittenhurst Park estate, where they play "what will Santa bring me?" games. Harrison appears only briefly, and Starr only shows up to plug his recent film, The Magic Christian. Paul sings his original ad-lib, "This is to Wish You a Merry, Merry Christmas." Starting at 1:30, at the tail-end of Ringo's song, the guitar solos from "The End" are heard, followed by Yoko interviewing John.

For the only time, the American and British jackets were identical. The US version of the flexi-disc had an elaborate drawing of the Beatles' faces on it. Drawings were credited to Richard Starkey & Zak Starkey.

For extensive accounts of each Christmas release, I highly recommend you take a look at the following Rolling Stones Magazine review

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This post consists of FLACs ripped from the Yellowdog Bootleg and was sourced on the internet earlier this year (thanks to the original uploader). Full album artwork and label scans are included. The original Fan club flexi 45's are super rare, and individual flexi's in good condition sell for nearly $300 each on eBay.

And so these Beatles Christmas Records fit the WOCK on Vinyl charter - they are super Obscure and of course fill the Christmas spirit.

May I take this opportunity to wish all my blog followers a Joyful and Merry Christmas and a New Year full of wonderful music and cheer.

** NEW IMPROVED RIP **

Beatles Christmas Singles  (167Mb)

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Budgie - Rarities And Radio Sessions (1972-1981)

(U.K 1967-1988, 1995-1996, 1999-2010)

Budgie were a hard rock band from Cardiff, Wales formed in 1967. Originally called Hills Contemporary Grass, their original line-up consisted of Burke Shelley on vocals and bass, Tony Bourge on guitar and vocals, and Ray Phillips on drums.

After performing several gigs in 1968, the band changed their name to Budgie the following year and recorded their first demo. The band had initially considered going under the name "Six Ton Budgie", but decided the shorter single word variant was preferable. Burke Shelley has said that the band's name came from the fact that he, "loved the idea of playing noisy, heavy rock, but calling ourselves after something diametrically opposed to that".

In the final years of his life, Shelley suffered from Stickler syndrome, and on two occasions had an aortic aneurysm. Shelley died in his sleep at the Heath Hospital on 10th January 2022, at the age of 71. RIP Burke Shelley.

Rarities And Radio Sessions Tracks

Whiskey River (Single Edit)

Budgie Mk I

Burke Shelley -- bass guitar, vocals

Tony Bourge -- guitar, vocals
Ray Phillips -- drums

A fantastic starter to Budgie's second album ' Squawk' released in 1972. Whiskey River was played live at most Budgie gigs, and the song keeps sounding better and better.

Burke Shelley: "Whiskey River, a rocking song! This was a great song to play live. We were constantly riffing in our song writing and this one has a constant rhythm that allows for a good stomp."

Ray Phillips: "There weren't that many bands out there using double bass drums. I think it's fair to say that Budgie were one of the first bands to actually write a number that was released as a single, involving double bass drums. Well, when we went to do the second album, we went in, and the next thing I know is they'd messed around with my drum sound, and it just wasn't as good."

Whiskey River is a worthy opener for the Squawk album, it has a totally bluesy riff that is augmented by an excellent vocal line. Tony Bourge plays some great and fast guitar licks on this track, but one can hear the enthusiasm fading quickly. Shelley's voice is excellent here, as he is definately not as shrieky as he usually is. The rhythm section is excellent, with distorted bass guitar and trippy drumming make the track nothing short of a defining moment.

Release Date: March 3rd, 1972
"Whiskey River" / "Guts" (1972, MCA MK-5085) - UK
"Whiskey River" / "Stranded" (1972, KAPP K-2185) – US

Sadly UK-Charts show no entry in the 1972 UK charts for Whiskey River or their LP Squawk


Zoom Club (Single Edit)

Budgie MkII

Burke Shelley -- bass guitar, vocals
Tony Bourge -- guitar, vocals
Pete Boot -- drums

"Zoom Club" is a track taken from Budgie's fourth studio album, titled 'In For The Kill', released in 1974.

Zoom Club also quickly became a favourite live number with the fans. A club in Frankfurt, Germany was the initial inspiration for the number.

Burke recalls "Playing in Frankfurt at the Zoom Club, Americans used to turn up at this club which was when the Vietnam War was on. They were all off to Vietnam eventually, or most of them. It was just one of those places, it was like the last place before they all went to war. The Zoom Club was the place they all went to".

Tony Bourge recalls: "That was again one of Burke's ideas. It was basically about a club that we played in Germany where all the G.I's used to go. Hence the first couple of lines...."Come all you G.I's".

“Zoom Club” is superb, heavy as hell hard rock, mid to up tempo played by an insistent guitar riff which never lets up, powerful bass line and pounding drums all over the performance, featuring an excellent extended guitar break and topped off by Burke Shelley’s forceful, wild at times vocal.
Appearing on their "In For The Kill" album, the band's signature bluesy sound is made all the spicier by nuanced jazz and funk influences that started creeping into their music around this time, while the top-notch production wraps the whole thing up in a seamless package.

This single release of Zoom Club is a much shortened version of the @10min album version, edited down to 3:20 min to attract radio play.

Release Date: 26th April, 1974
"Zoom Club" / "Wondering What Everyone Knows" (1974, MCA MCA-133) - UK

Sadly "Zoom Club" did not chart in the UK in 1974, however their album 'In For The Kill' made #29 on the album charts (see UK-Charts)


Honey (B-Side Single)

Budgie Mk III

Burke Shelley -- bass guitar, vocals
Tony Bourge -- guitar, vocals
Steve Williams -- drums


This B-Side Single (of "I Ain't No Mountain") was released in 1975 and never appeared on any of Budgie's studio albums.

Honey is a beautiful acoustic track that show cases Shelley's falsetto voice while Bourge demonstrates a more classical approach to his guitar playing.

 The sound quality on my Australian vinyl copy was very poor and distorted, and therefore I rarely played this acoustic track. The remastered CD release of Bandolier has a much better sounding version, as is the recording here.


Release Date: 14th February, 1975
"I Ain't No Mountain" / "Honey" (1975, MCA MCA-1439) - AUS/UK


Who Do You Want for Your Love: (Live on The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV Show, June 1975)

Burke Shelley -- bass guitar, vocals
Tony Bourge -- guitar, vocals
Steve Williams -- drums

The Old Grey Whistle Test Running Sheet

"Who Do You Want for Your Love" is a track from Budgie's fifth studio album, titled  'Bandolier',
which was released in 1975. It has a cool funky opening, but evolves into a well-composed heavy metal song with some of my favorite riffs.

This live recording of the track was made on The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV Show, 28th June 1975, as documented by Bob Harris (see archive.bobharris.org)

Note that the 'Official Budgie Fan Club' have incorrectly listed it as 27th June, 1975 (see  Budgie Fan Club). This cannot be the case as 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' was always broadcast on Saturdays, which was the 28th June. 

The Old Grey Whistle Test was a British television music show devised by BBC producer Rowan Ayers, commissioned by David Attenborough and aired on BBC2 from 1971 to 1988. According to presenter Bob Harris, the programme derived its name from a Tin Pan Alley phrase from years before. When they got the first pressing of a record they would play it to people they called the old greys – doormen in grey suits. Any song the doormen could remember and whistle, having heard it just once or twice, had passed the old grey whistle test.

The Old Grey Whistle Test: Who Do You Want for Your Love

Interesting fact: The song lyrics make reference to the phrase "Never Turn Your Back On A Friend" which was used for the title of their third album, released in 1973.

Budgie with Myf Issac (2nd left)

Zoom Club: (Live in St. Louis, USA, Dec 1976)

Burke Shelley -- bass guitar, vocals

Tony Bourge -- guitar, vocals

Steve Williams -- drums

Myf Issac - Guitar

This live recording was made in Rusty Springs, St Louis, Missouri USA on 4th December, 1976. Zoom Club was not included on the LP release of this concert (see VERNE 109) however it was included on the CD release (see On The Air AIR 25).

Sourced from a very nice radio broadcast of Budgie's 'If I Were Britannia I'd Waive The Rules' tour in the US, it was most likely sourced from a very low gen tape. The sound is flawless on this live recording of Zoom Club. 

With additional Welsh guitarist Myf Issacs (a former member of Quest) touring with the band, Budgie's stage sound was a lot fuller than earlier gigs and Bourge was given a lot more freedom to reproduce those magical lead breaks that he is renowned for on record. Budgie only used Myf Issac, as the second guitar player for live performances between Mid 1976 - Mid 1978 and never recorded with any of their studio work.


Sky High Percentage  /  In The Grip Of  A Tyrefitter's Hand:

(BBC - Live at Maida Vale Studio 4, John Peel Show, London July 1976)
Burke Shelley -- bass guitar, vocals
Tony Bourge -- guitar, vocals
Steve Williams -- drums
Myf Issac - Guitar

John Peel

John Peel was one of the first broadcasters to play psychedelic rock and progressive rock records on British radio. He is widely acknowledged for promoting artists of many genres, including pop, dub reggae, punk rock and post-punk, electronic music and dance music, indie rock, extreme metal and British hip hop.

Peel's Radio 1 shows were notable for the regular "Peel Sessions", which usually consisted of four songs recorded by an artist in the BBC's studios, often providing the first major national coverage to bands that later achieved fame.

Myf Issacs & Steve Williams

Budgie had significant airplay on Peel's show in the early 70's and they would do two sessions for his programmes, one of them in 1976, where they only performed two songs. In later years, Peel revisited one of Budgie's songs, when Federation X covered their song, Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman, which was played by the DJ, who then played one of Budgie's songs on his BBC Radio One and FSK shows.

This John Peel session from 1976 is excellent with some complimentary comments from "dear John" himself. There is also the added interest that Myf Issac is playing second guitar on these two tracks.


I Turned To Stone  /  Superstar  /  She Used Me Up:

(BBC - Live at Maida Vale Studio 4, 'Friday Rock Show, London Dec, 1981)

Budgie Mk IV

Burke Shelley -- bass guitar, vocals
John Thomas -- guitar, vocals
Steve Williams -- drums

The Friday Rock Show from 1981 is another strong production and Budgie sound very tight and well rehearsed having just finished a UK tour to promote the newly released Nightflight album that these three tracks come from. John Thomas' guitar work is particularly exciting.

Tommy Valance (Left)

The Friday Rock Show (FRS) was a radio show in the United Kingdom that was broadcast on BBC Radio 1 from 10pm to midnight on Friday nights, from 17 November 1978 until 2 April 1993. For most of its existence, it was hosted by Tommy Vance.

The show replaced John Peel on Friday nights, but Peel's show had previously featured more mainstream styles of rock music than he personally favoured as "part of a review function"; after the Friday Rock Show began, Peel was able to concentrate on the post-punk styles he was most enthused by at this point.

Interesting Note: These 3 Budgie FRS recordings were made 2 weeks before they were broadcast on the 18th Dec, as documented on the Friday Rock Show's Wiki

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my recently purchased vinyl from a record store in Athens, while holidaying in Europe.   Full album artwork and label scans are also included, along with all post photos. 

Although I have all of these tracks on CD, the attraction of having them on vinyl was too great, and yes, it's another gem in my Budgie Record collection. Released by VERNE records, this album is serves also a great compilation of Budgie classics. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Track List:

A1 Whisky River (edit) 2:31

A2 Zoom Club (edit) 3:17

A3 Honey 3:21

A4 Who Do You Want For Your Love (Live) 6:30

A5 Zoom Club (Live) 9:27

B1 Sky High Percentage (Live) 5:36

B2 In The Grip Of A Tyrefitters Hand (Live) 5:42

B3 I Turned To Stone  (Live) 3:44

B4 Superstar (Live) 5:51

B5 She Used Me Up (Live) 3:15

Track Sources:

Side One:

Whiskey River (alternative single version. UK A-side, March 1972)

Zoom Club (alternative single version. UK A-side, April 1974)

Honey (B-side of "Ain't No Mountain" UK Single, February 1975)

Who Do You Want For Love (Old Grey Whistle BBC June 1975)

Zoom Club (Live St. Louis December 1976, not on that LP)

Side Two

Sky High Percentage (London BBC John Peel 1st July 1976)

In The Grip of A Tyrefitter's Hand (London BBC John Peel 1st July 1976)

I Turned To Stone (London BBC Friday Rock Show 18th December 1981)

Superstar (London BBC Friday Rock Show 18th December 1981)

She Used Me Up (London BBC Friday Rock Show 18th December 1981)

Budgie Link (250Mb)