Rocky Burnette - The Son Of Rock And Roll (1979) + Bonus Single

(U.S 1979 - Present)

Jonathan "Rocky" Burnette, an American singer and musician made quite an impression in the family business. His father, Johnny Burnette, was the rockabilly hitmaker who notched such international hits as "You're Sixteen (You're Beautiful, and You're Mine)" and "Dreamin'" before tragically perishing in a boating accident in 1964.

His uncle, Dorsey, was a member with Johnny of The Rock and Roll Trio and a recording artist in his own right on such labels as Imperial, Dot, Reprise, Motown, and Capitol before his own sad death at age 46 of a heart attack in 1979. [see The Best Years of Music for more information about Rocky's family rockabilly heritage]

Rocky Burnette was part of the early 1980s revival of the Rockabilly style [part of the Urban Cowboy era].  He was just eleven years old when his father died. The rockabilly sound was in his DNA, and in 1979, he was signed to the EMI America label. Produced by Jim Seiter and Bill House and recorded in both the U.S. and the U.K., 'The Son of Rock and Roll' was dedicated to Johnny and Dorsey, among others. The LP was primarily penned by Rocky with such collaborators as Jim Seiter and Everly Brothers bassist Ronald Coleman, and welcomed special guests including Rockpile's Dave Edmunds and Dorsey's son and future Fleetwood Mac member Billy Burnette.

In the Summer of 1980, his single “Tired of Toein’ the Line” became a Top Ten hit in the United States. The song was also popular internationally, becoming a No. 1 hit in Australia and peaking at No. 3 in South Africa; it reached No. 58 in the UK. EMI America’s financial problems interfered with promotion efforts for the follow-up singles (several of which became hits in other countries), and Rocky's follow-up album Heart Stopper appeared on the independent The Goods Records label in the U.S. while EMI distributed it in altered form as Rocky Burnette in international territories.

In 1981, he toured Europe with the final version of his late father’s The Rock and Roll Trio. He also used the band on his next album, Get Hot or Go Home! on Enigma Records. It also sold poorly, and Enigma dropped Burnette and the Trio rather than release a follow-up.

Burnette worked with Rosie Flores and Dwight Twilley in the mid-1990s, and also contributed vocals and the original “Trouble Is I’m in Love With You” to Paul Burlison’s 1997 Train Kept A-Rollin’.

In 1996, Burnette released Tear It Up on Core Records, which went bankrupt almost immediately after its release.

Rocky Burnette continued to tour internationally, and wrote the European hit “You Got Away With Love” for Percy Sledge in 1997. 

He most recently contributed a version of "Mystery Train" to the 2021 collection Americana Railroad. Director Sally Steele's new documentary film, Raised on Rock: The Burnette Family Legacy, is heading soon to streaming services.

Album Review

This album is something special. Surely it is a forgotten classic or even a missed classic. There is only one weak song on the record "Angel In Chambray", but after that song passes there is nothing but hot rockin' roll music to be had. When Rocky goes for the mid-paced pop rock of "Fallin' In Love" or the bombastic groover "The Boogie Man", he hits a home run. 

This album had many great single candidates and if given the proper treatment would be one of the last classic albums from the 1970's. Alas it is unknown to nearly all and completely underrated and underappreciated. The ballad "A Woman In Love" should have been a monstrous hit single for him along side the album's already acclaimed hit "Tired of Toein The Line".  

"Baby Tonight" is smoking rock n' roll song that sounds just as good today as it did 28 years ago and so does "You're So Easy To Love". Another song that deserved a much better fate. I know these songs are great because every time I play them while people are over or in my car they ask who it is and if I can give them a copy. That proves that Son Of Rock & Roll is a true gem that shines like a giant diamond in the sun, and its association with rockabilly should not deter you from giving it a go.

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my almost virgin vinyl and includes full album artwork and label scans.  Also included is a non-album B-Side single "Boogie Down In Mobile, Alabama" (thanks to Guitarzman). I invite you to give the 'Rockman' a hearing, even if you are not familiar with his work or Rockabilly is not your scene.  You won't be disappointed.

Track Listing:

01 Tired Of Toein' The Line 3:41

02 Anywhere Your Body Goes 2:42

03 Fallin' In Love (Bein' Friends) 3:56

04 Angel In Chambray 3:16

05 Bertha Lou 2:52

06 Because Of You 3:14

07 The Boogie Man 3:36

08 Baby Tonight 3:12

09 You're So Easy To Love 2:21

10 A Woman In Love 2:47

11 Clowns From Outer Space 3:46

12 Roll Like A Wheel 4:05

13    Boogie Down In Mobile, Alabama (B-Side Single)  2:55

Artists:

Bass – Biff Dawes, Curtis Stone, Steve Deutsch, Bill House

Drums – Mike Porter, Rick Croy, Steve Turner

Percussion - Bill House, Jim Seiter

Guitar – Billy Burnette, Rocky Burnette, Billy Walker, Chris Brosius, John Hunt, Ron Coleman, Dave Edmunds, Bill House

Harmonica – Stanley "The Baron" Behrens

Horns – Dennis Dreith, Joe Romano, Mel Collins

Keyboards – John Hobbs, Randy Stern, Bill House

Lead Vocals – Rocky Burnette, The Son Of Rock And Roll

Background Vocals - Chris Brosius, Bill House, Billy Graham

Handclaps – Biff Dawes, Burt Berman, Charles Ward, Donna Meade, Mammaw Mae Burnette, Paul Ramsey

Rocky Burnette Link (247Mb)

Couchois - Selftitled (1979) + Bonus Tracks

(U.S 1979 - 1981)

Couchois (pronounced Coo-Shwa) were originally comprised of three brothers, Pat (guitar), Mike (drums) and Chris Couchois (vocals), who along with Chas Carlson (bass) and Howard Messer (former Steppenwolf guitarist), released two albums in the late 70's. Prior to the formation of the band, Chris, Pat and Howard toured and released two albums with Ratchell for Decca Records in the early 70's.

After the dissolution of Ratchell, the trio brought in younger brother Mike and Chas Carlson and dubbed themselves after the family namesake. Couchois secured a contract with Warner Brothers in the late 70's and their eponymous debut came, which peaked at #170 on the Billboard 200 in 1979. The album featured a guest appearance by Chuck Findley. 

L-R: Chas Carlson - Howard Messer - Pat Couchois - Michael Couchois - Chris Couchois

A review of the album in a 1979 issue of Billboard called Couchois a "solid debut LP" with a "very melodic rock sound" and "noteworthy" keyboard work. Pete Bishop of Pittsburgh Press said it was an "enjoyable and promising debut album" and compared the band's style to that of Creedence Clearwater Revival and Orleans. Sporting an MOR west coast sound, the band were akin to artists like Pablo Cruise and Firefall. Sadly, with the high profile success of those two bands, Couchois were essentially unable to create an identity to set themselves apart from the herd.

The band did enter the studio to record and release their sophomore album, "Nasty Hardware" in 1980, which included their single "Roll The Dice", which was later covered by such bands as Rage, Charlie and John Verity. Though the album featured a slightly more updated sound with light AOR flourishes, it failed to connect with audiences and the band soon faded into oblivion.

The Couchois brothers would later work with Eric Burdon in the early 80's. Chris wrote and played drums on the Eric Burdon song "Heart Attack" for the 1981 film Comeback. The song later featured on many of Burdon's compilations. Currently, two of the Couchois brothers tour in the Allmost Brothers tribute band.

Couchois Warner Bros. Promo Postcard

This album is more an exercise in light than shade, with silky smooth arrangements, bright harmonies and a subtle latin influence in places. Although somewhat middle of the road, "Couchois" still deserved better reviews in my opinion. Standout tracks are the riffy opener "Do It In Darkness" (which I heard playing in an Import Shop and hooked me into purchasing the album), their haunting homage to the Bermuda Triangle entitled "Devil's Triangle" and the catchy album closer "Kalahara Cattle Drive". I purchased the album during my later Uni days and spent many an evening hitting the books and listening to the album infinitum. I'm sure my neighbouring Collegian's became very familiar with the band but strangely never complained. Ripped straight from my crisp vinyl, I highly recommend you check out Couchois.

This post consists of FLACS and MP3's (320kps) ripped from my crispy clean vinyl and includes full album artwork for both vinyl and CD media, along with label scans.

As a bonus, I am also including the single from their follow up LP "Roll The Dice" and the collaboration track that the boys did with Eric Burdon called "Heart Attack".

(Note: I've chosen to include MP3's in this post because I initially ripped the album in MP3 format by accident and thought that some of you might prefer them as a sampler first, before downloading the larger FLACs)

Track Listing

01 Do It In Darkness 4:30

02 The Colonel 3:38

03 Walkin' The Fence 3:43

04 Cripple 4:05

05 Going To The Races 4:40

06 Devil's Triangle 6:30

07 I Could Never Take Her Away From You 3:50

08 No Longer Needed 4:08

09 Kalahari Cattle Drive 4:52

10 Roll The Dice (Bonus Track)  4:22

11 Heart Attack (Bonus Track with Eric Burdon) *  4:04

Line-up:

Chris Couchois - Vocals, percussion

Pat Couchois - Guitar, backing vocals

Howard Messer - Bass, backing vocals

Michael Couchois - Drums, backing vocals

Chas Carlson - Keyboards, backing vocals

* Pat Couchois Band with Eric Burdon on "Heart Attack"

Eric Burdon -vocals

Pat Couchois - guitar

John Sterling - rhythm guitar

Howard Messer - bass

Chris Couchois – drums 

 Couchois FLAC Link (279Mb)

Couchois MP3 Link (115Mb)

Hunter (aka Dragon) - Dreams of Ordinary Men (1987) + Bonus Tracks

(New Zealand 1973 - 1979, 1982 - 1998)

Marc Hunter was a singer and songwriter from New Zealand, who had several international rock hits as the lead singer of the rock band Dragon.  His on-stage persona could have given Jim Morrison and Freddie Mercury each a run for their money.  His hard-partying lifestyle reached both the excesses of rock stardom, only to morph into one of the most respected performers in Oceania.

In the early 1970’s, Dragon was a progressive rock band, emulating the sound of groups like Jethro Tull and Blodwyn Pig. They recorded two albums, Universal Radio and Scented Gardens for the Blind, which were hits among the Kiwi hippie and art-rock crowds.  Eventually songs like “Vermillion Cellars” (yes, it’s a pun on “for million sellers”) rocketed to the top of the New Zealand pop charts.

Next stop – Australia.  After two years of touring and performing in smoky bars and clubs, sometimes receiving only plates of mincemeat for the night’s pay, Dragon signed their first major label contract with CBS Records.

Marc Hunter

Immediately the band developed a litany of Oz Rock hits – “This Time,” “Get That Jive,” “Sunshine” – and two chart-toppers, “April Sun in Cuba” and “Are You Old Enough.”  The band appeared on the nation’s top music program Count Down, and nationwide tours were sold out at every stop.

By November 1978, Dragon was on tour in the United States, as the supporting act throughout the Southwest for Johnny Winter.   The pairing couldn’t have been worse if Judas Priest opened for Amy Grant. Try as they might, Dragon couldn’t win over the blues-loving crowd, and the audience’s heckling got to Marc. “The Johnny Winter tour was the most incongruous thing ever,” said Todd Hunter in a 1996 interview I wrote for Goldmine. “That was a trial by fire. And Marc was incredibly controversial on stage. People would be throwing buckets of ice and boots, everything, at the stage. He’d be waving across at the fallback monitors, saying ‘More, more noise,’ putting his finger up in the air, saying ‘I want more fallback,’ and the people on the side of the stage, down the front, would think he was flipping them the bird.”

When the tour rolled into Austin, things went from bad to worse. Dragon took the stage, performed three of their biggest Australian hits to a largely hostile audience, then Marc went straight into attack mode with the crowd.  He essentially questioned the audience’s parentage and family trees – and within seconds, beer bottles and ice buckets sailed from the crowd to the stage, and the band ran for their lives. But not Marc. “Marc waded out to the front tables,” said Todd, “assumed a crucifixion pose, and crap rained in across the footlights. It was like the Sex Pistols tour. Johnny Winter’s roadies would take bets about who was going to shoot him first. And after we finished our support spot in the concert, they’d come in with buckets and mops to clean the whole stage off. That was the tenor of our American tour.”

Marc and Dragon parted ways in 1979, but Marc would later embark on a successful solo career.  He also left his days of alcohol and drugs behind, finding new faith in a clear mind.  By 1982, Marc Hunter returned to his old band, and a new crop of hits dominated the radio stations – “Rain,” “Magic,” “Dreams of Ordinary Men,” “Western Girls,” “Young Years,” etc.

Eventually Dragon went back on another worldwide tour, this time opening for Tina Turner at a string of well-received European concerts.  At one time or another, Dragon’s roster of musicians included Keith Urban – Terry Chambers of XTC, Doane Perry of Jethro Tull, and country music guitar legend Tommy Emmanuel, and even changed their name to 'Hunter' [extract from chuckthewriter.blog]

Hunter (aka Dragon)

Hunter was the moniker adopted by Dragon when in the second half of the '80s their record company bet on the band's international success. In 1985, Polydor flew the band to New York to work with Todd Rundgren as producer for their new album "Dreams Of Ordinary Men". With a big budget at hand, the result was a glossy recording which enhanced the already melodic, light AOR essence of most the songs. The album was released in Australia in 1986 as Dragon on the cover.

But Dragon's label & management decided to launch the band as the new 'Aussie phenomenon', and not only switched the name to Hunter (last name of founder Todd Hunter and his bro, iconic vocalist Marc), but also ordered the remix of the whole thing to turning it more appealing worldwide.

This entire move in Dragon's direction resulted in two interesting sides: some of the songs ended with a wonderful, elegant light AOR sound, some others with an insipid pop taste.

Now the LP "Dreams Of Ordinary Men", the Hunter version, is a mixed bag, containing both good and weaker  tracks - although the good tracks are really good.

Opener and title track "Dreams Of Ordinary Men" is one of these, driven by a pumping bass line, catchy guitars - at charge of talented Tommy Emmanuel, and truly great vocals by Marc Hunter, with the characteristic tone that made him famous. 

"Speak No Evil" has a 'Movie Soundtrack' feel, with heavily processed drums and synth stabs. I absolutely love this one. "Nothing To Lose" is a fine pop ballad, as it is the acoustically filled "Smoke".   Another favorite is the TOTO-ish gem "Western Girls", plenty of terrific melodies, an in crescendo pre-chorus and a bright, wonderful main chorus. It's a very '80s AOR tune, and a very good one indeed.

But what makes this 'Hunter' release really kick arse is the last track on Side1 - "Rain".  "Rain" was originally released on Dragon's 1984 album 'Body And The Heat', however the slightly longer remix presented here is in my opinion far superior.  

The remaining tracks (mostly the second half of the album) are just average pop songs in my opinion, although the choruses in "Temptation" and the riffs present in "Midnight Sun" are quite catchy.

"Dreams Of Ordinary Men" as 'Hunter' appeared one year later in 1987 and was released in USA / Europe with different covers (as shown below L-R ) [extracts from hardrockaorheaven.blogspot.com]

Note that the 1986 album release (as Dragon) had a different track running order and "Love Don't Stop" was included instead of "Rain".   The CD release of Hunter's 1987 release included this track along with 2 other bonus tracks "Start It Up" (the B-side to the single "Dreams Of Ordinary Men") and "When I'm Gone" (the B-side to "Western Girls").  For your enjoyment, I am including all 3 of these tracks here.

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my near 'mint' vinyl (recently purchased in New Zealand at a record store in Auckland) and includes full artwork for vinyl and CD formats.

As a special bonus, I am also including a 12" Extended Version release of the album title track and B-Side "Start It Up", also in FLAC format (with thanks to Ozzie Musicman).

Track List

01 - Dreams Of Ordinary Men

02 - Speak No Evil

03 - Nothing To Lose

04 - Western Girls

05 - Rain

06 - Temptation

07 - Midnight Sun

08 - Intensive Care

09 - Forever And Ever

10 - Smoke

11 - Start It Up (bonus track)

12 - When I'm Gone (bonus track)

13 - Love Don't Stop (bonus track)

Hunter were:

Vocals – Marc Hunter

Guitars – Tommy Emmanuel

Bass, Vocals – Todd Hunter

Drums – Doane Perry

Keyboards, Producer – Alan Mansfield

Guitar, Backing Vocals, Producer – Todd Rundgren

Additional Musicians:

Todd Rundgren : Guitars & Backing vocals

Lenny Pickett : Sax

Gary Window : Sax

Robert Taylor : Guitars*

Kerry Jacobson : Drums*

Paul Hewson : Keyboards*

*On "Rain" Only

Hunter Link (415Mb)

REPOST: Ragnarok - Nooks / Live On 1ZM Radio - New Zealand (1976)

(New Zealand 1974 - 1979)
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Founded Feb 1974, Auckland, formed from a North Island hotel circuit band called ‘Sweetfeet’.
Ragnarok started playing at local hotels, including the Mon Desire in Takapuna where their first costume foray of hotpants and tights drew in very big crowds. They started a successful residency at Granny’s Night Spot (owned by Tommy Adderley) where the 1st album was created during ‘days off’.
Applying glitter, dressing loud and developing a song list of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and Yes, they formed Ragnarok. They quickly established themselves as being the ultimate acid band of the mid-seventies. They were right into synthesizers, where their instruments featured guitar synthesizers, keyboard synthesizers and mellotron. They all shared the vocals, but were also very fortunate to have one of the finest female vocalists around at the time, Lea Maalfrid, as a member of the group.

They recorded a self titled album ‘Ragnarok’ in 1975 at Stebbings Recording Studios in Auckland (See previous Post). The style of music (coined Cosmic Rock) along with their new costumes and makeup (designed by David Hartnell and Kevin Berkahn) was received extremely well throughout Auckland. Ragnarok was the first New Zealand band to sell out a concert through ‘pre-bookings’ at Auckland’s Her Majesty’s Theatre. They were also the first New Zealand rock band to incorporate the two drummer concept.

They started touring NZ in early 1975 to promote
the album and were playing to packed theatres, hotels, taverns, clubs and schools. Lines of people could be seen waiting to enter prompting Ragnarok to perform Saturday afternoons as well. To satisfy demand two full New Zealand tours along with a small North Island tour were completed by November 1975. The touring was extremely tiring (working 6 nights a week) and it was this that prompted Lea to pursue a solo career.
Napier became the band’s second home, basing themselves in Napier, Hawke Bay in late 1975 where they prepared material for the next album. This album ‘Nooks’ was recorded in mid 1976 at EMI Studios in Wellington.

Promotion of this album included a three concert tour (Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland) supporting Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Band. Ragnarok also headlined the Otaki Music Festival but were delayed in the South Island because of ‘technical problems’ relating to the Cook Strait Ferry. Two hours late, their progress was being reported over the PA system to eagerly awaiting fans at the concert. Ragnarok had phoned the organisers from phone boxes to ‘report in’ – no mobiles in those days! Although arriving late the performance was well received, the band’s drama having been shared with the audience.

Occasionally Ragnarok would settle down to a residency from 4 to 6 weeks (Christchurch, Napier, Dunedin) so they were able to update their repertoire and concentrate on new originals for their 3rd album. Touring was relentless, giving the band little time to update or to improve on already successful performances. Most of this evolution came from their live performances. Time out to prepare a strategy for the future was not an option.

Eventually the continuous touring took its toll on the band and it was starting to show in their performances. The 3rd album never got to the studio and Ragnarok did their last gig in Havelock North at a local tavern in 1979 for many loyal Hawke Bay fans. It was a far cry from the glory days earlier in the decade. Their 5 year reign had ended where it had started, a small pub in the suburbs. Ragnarok featured on TVNZ’s ‘Radio with Pictures’, ‘Grunt Machine’ and ‘Pop Co’.
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Review (Nooks)
This album is a real symphonic gem from the mid-70s. Ragnarok were New Zealand's premier prog group, and this record stands up with the best. It reminds me a lot of Sebastian Hardie in its lush textures and excellent guitar playing. The vocals are good, but unobtrusive and perhaps a little lacking in excitement, but I'll take on-key over exciting any day. The band had two keyboard players, who are allowed to stretch out on a number of beautiful, pastoral ballads.

The opening song, "Five New Years" , is one of the strongest, and sets the pattern with the mellotron and synthesizer attack and the ponderous lyrics. The melody here and elsewhere is strong, but the atmosphere is the band's real strength, and they really lay it on thick. Next is the stunning "Waterfall/Captain Fagg". The first part begins with the incredibly silly line about the waterfall being at one with the river, yet it sticks. Then more cosmic interventions and a worthy showing on vocals, guitars and bass. We think we know where it's heading, but suddenly the band veers 180 degrees into the boogie of "Capt Fagg". It's even more preposterous than the gestalt waterfall, but it works even better. The impact is all the greater because it is totally unlike anything else on the album.

From here, "Fourteenth Knock" is a workout for drums and bass until the moogs carry the day, again very melodically. To change the pace, "Paths of Reminiscence" is an acoustic affair and the first indication of any sort of a mystical folky affectation. "The Volsung" evokes druids and other mythic woodland life even more, and is another personal favourite, eerie and tuneful.
Some of the synth work is spacey (aka Eloy or Pink Floyd) and between some songs you'll hear a variety of sound effects, including planes crashing into flushing toilets or waves lapping the beach with seagulls wheeling overhead. Overall, a unique symphonic outlook and not too bad.
(Various Reviews at http://www.progarchives.com)
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Review (Live On 1ZM Radio, New Zealand)
While Ragnarok's Live was often sold as an official release, it seems highly likely that it's actually a bootleg. It opens with a 'test tone', then a radio announcer giving some spiel about the band, with the audience cheering in the background; he even mentions some of their gear, including the Moog and Mellotron.
Although plenty of radio broadcasts have been released officially, this one seems unlikely; I don't even know for certain that it appeared in '77; I'm just going by the info I've been given. What I can say is that it must've been recorded in '76, as the announcer refers to their 'forthcoming' album, Nooks, which was recorded late that year. The first three tracks are all from their debut, and are slightly stripped-back versions, without the studio gloss, although "Butterfly Sky" features the same phased Mellotron as its studio counterpart. They betray their pub scene roots with a decent version of Rory Gallagher's "I Fall Apart", and their Pink Floyd and Zeppelin medleys, though, making the album well over half covers.

Loads of 'Mellotron' throughout, (of course keys man André Jayet would've been largely silent, otherwise), mostly strings, but with choir on "Raga" and flutes on "Rainbow Bridge", with the highlight being on the Pink Floyd Medley. Ever wondered what Dark Side of the Moon would've sounded like had Rick Wright used a Mellotron? You haven't? well wonder no more. Ragnarok play from "Us And Them" to the end of the album, and as the cliché goes, it's absolutely mellotron drenched, mostly strings with a bit of choir, with the odd bit of synthesizer emulating the original.
The final track is a cover of "Whole Lotta Love" made famous by Led Zeppelin of course.My first thoughts when hearing this is who the heck are these guys? It doesn't sound like the same band! The heavy guitar,the loud and rough vocals.Unreal.They even do the experimental sounds section to perfection.This band is amazing and yes they can rock with the best of them if they want to. Check out the freaking guitar solo 7 minutes in! A nice little snap shot of how great this band was in a live setting [review from planetmellotron.com]

.I have decided to make this a double post, as both these recordings were produced at the same time in Ragnarok's short career. Thanks to Deutros for the Nooks FLAC rip while the Live FLAC tracks were sourced some time ago from the WWW (thanks to the original uploaders). I have also been able to track down some information regarding the 'Live' recording thanks to a forum post made by Andre Jayet (Ragnarok's keyboard player)

As a member of Ragnarok (mellotron/moog,etc), the band has never heard of or sanctioned this live album. We are not sure where the material was recorded, but obviously someone managed to secure a copy of our live recordings from somewhere. Other than Radio Concerts and some support gigs, the only other source of this material may have come from the person who purchased our 4 track TEAC tape machine with tapes that may have had these recordings on them. We are remastering both studio albums at the moment as well as some live takes at various concerts thru-out NZ. Hope this info is of help to your website and members . CHEERS Andre Jayet

Full album artwork is supplied for both albums, with thanks to WoodyNet for the Live album covers.

NEW IMPROVED RIPS

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'Nooks' Track Listing

01. Five New years (4:48)
02. Waterfall - Capt. Fogg (6:16)
03. Fourteenth Knock (4:53)
04. Paths of Reminiscence (4:15)
05. The Volsung (5:58)
06. Semolina (3:57)
07. Nooks (7:13)
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'Live' Track Listing
01. Raga  
02. Butterfly Sky
03. Rainbow Bridge
04. I Fall Apart
05. Pink Floyd Medley (Us & Them)
06. Whole Lotta Love

Band Members:
Andre Jayet (drums, synthesiser, vocals)
Ross Muir (bass guitar, synthesiser, vocals)
Mark Jayet (drums, percussion, vocals)
Ramon York (synthesized guitar, vocals)
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Nooks Link (223Mb) New Link 10/07/2024

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Ragnarok Live Link (286Mb) New Link 10/07/2024
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REPOST: Ragnarok - Selftitled (1975)

(New Zealand 1974 - 1979)
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Ragnarok (which means 'twilight of the gods') were formed in Auckland in 1974, out of the remnants of breweries band Sweet Feet. Andre, Ross and Mark were originally from Christchurch, where they were together in a three piece called Flying Wild at the beginning of the seventies. They then formed Sweet Feet and moved to Auckland, where they played the pub circuit. In 1974 they disbanded this group, and it was at that point they met up with Ramon York and Lea Maalfrid.
Applying glitter, dressing loud and developing a song list of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and Yes, they formed Ragnarok. They quickly established themselves as being the ultimate acid band of the mid-seventies. They were right into synthesizers, where their instruments featured guitar synthesizers, keyboard synthesizers and mellotron. They all shared the vocals, but were also very fortunate to have one of the finest female vocalists around at the time, Lea Maalfrid, as a member of the group (see pictured below right).

During 1974 they had a residency at Granny's and also appeared regularly at the 'Buck-a-Head'

 concerts, that saw them as popular as Split Enz and Dragon. In January 1975, Tommy Adderley closed Granny's for renovations, and when he re-opened it two months later as Granny's Rock Palace, he decided not to run with resident bands. This left the group without a regular place to play, so they decided to take to the road and toured the country extensively. They became one of the countries top draw-cards during 1975, particularly in the South Island and the provinces.
In August 1975, they released a self-titled album on Revolution, that they had recorded at Eldred Stebbing's new 16-track studio. It sold reasonably well and from it came two singles, "Fenris"/"Fire In The Sky" and "Cavier Queen"/"Born To Wander". "Fenris" provided them with a minor hit that made the bottom reaches of the charts.

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At the end of 1975, Lea Maalfrid left the group to turn solo. She released one single on Atlantic in 1977 called "Pleasure Machine" / "Lavender Mountain", before leaving for Sydney in June 1978, and then later moving to Los Angeles and London, where she gained international recognition as a songwriter. 

Ragnarok continued on without Lea, and in 1976 they released a second album called "Nooks" and a single from the album, "Five New Years"/"The Fourteenth Knock".

In December 1976, Ragnarok appeared at a one-day festival at Waikino. Other headlining acts included the Country Flyers, Rockinghorse, Hello Sailor and Th' Dudes. By this time though, Ragnarok's cosmic rock was definitely out of favour, and their support was now wholly confined to the provinces. They had even tried a self-promoted national tour of theatres to promote their second album, but this was a failure, and the group disappeared to the east-coast of New Zealand before disbanding in 1979. Mark Jayet later went on to join Moviez, a Christchurch based pop group. [extract from New Zealand Music of the 60's, 70's and a bit of 80's]

.For more recent information on Lea Maalfrid, see the following article in the New Zealand Musician
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This is an amazing debut album from an incredibly talented progressive rock band. The only way I can describe Ragnarok is to compare them to German bands such as Eloy and Jane, with heavy Pink Floyd, Yes and Genesis influences. Most tracks are instrumentals, however Lea Maalfrid's vocals help take their music to a different level. It is hard to say which tracks are my favourite as they are all exceptional, but the highlight would definitely be the medley on the B-Side: Raga, Caviar Queen and Dream. If you like synths, mellotrons, violins and slick bass / guitar riffs then you are really going to enjoy this lost gem.
The rip was taken from vinyl in FLAC format and includes full LP album artwork. There are a few pops and crackles at times, but over all this is the best rip I have been able to source.
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NEW IMPROVED RIP

Track Listing
01 - Fenris
02 - Butterfly Sky
03 - Fire In The Sky
04 - Rainbow Bridge
05 - Raga
06 - Caviar Queen
07 - Dream
08 - Dawning Horn
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.Band members:
Lea Maalfrid (Vocals)
Andre Jayet (Drums/Synthesiser/Mellotron /Vocals)
Ross Muir (Bass Guitar/Synthesiser/Vocals)
Mark Jayet (Drums/Percussion/Vocals)
Ramon York (Synthesized Guitar/Vocals)
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Ragnarok Link (195Mb) New Link 10/07/2024
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Leon Russell - Selftitled (1970)

(U.S 1956 - 2016)

The songs on this LP include Leon Russell's own version of "Delta Lady" and his standard-to-be "A Song for You" (which Elton John used to sing in concert, along with his and Bernie Taupin's similarly-sentimental "Your Song"), "Hummingbird", which became a hit for bluesman B.B King, and a collection of other, often-rocking Russell originals. "Shoot-Out on the Plantation", incidentally, is said to be a thinly-veiled true story dealing with an altercation among some of Russell's friends.

Early pressings (Not mine I'm afraid) included a version of Bob Dylan's "Master of War" sung to the tune of "The Star-Spangled Banner". That particular track - "Old Masters" - was withdrawn after the first small pressing. It is now restored to this posting of the album for your pleasure.

Strangely, "Leon Russell" wasn't Russell's best selling album, but it's certainly on of his best. Moreover, it paved the way for future accomplishments including Russell's involvement with - and show stopping set on - George Harrison's 'Concert for Bangla Desh', studio collaborations with performers including Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson, and a career that continued to include touring and recording with contemporary bluegrass band The Newgrass Revival.

There may not be as versatile or accomplished musician in all rock 'n' roll, as Leon Russell. And the LP 'Leon Russell' is a fine introduction to the man and his music. [CD Liner notes by Todd Everett]

Shelter Records Promo

The Story behind “A Song For You” by Leon Russell 

(by Nancy Ruth)

Leon Russell’s melancholy ballad, “Song for You,” is a well-known classic. This poignant composition, the first track on his self-titled debut album, recorded at Sunset Sound in LA in early 1970, continues to connect with people of all ages. The haunting melody and soulful lyrics capture love’s complexity, desire, and fragility. These genuine, emotion-filled phrases convey a love that transcends the limits of time and place.

It’s widely believed that Rita Coolidge was the inspiration for “A Song for You.” Russell’s emotive performance and the song’s lyrics express his love for Coolidge, with whom he was estranged. Their tumultuous relationship provided ample material for Russell to draw upon when crafting this emotional ballad. Earlier, Russell wrote “Delta Lady” for Rita during their courtship.

Leon denied it was Coolidge: “I wrote it for somebody I had an argument with…the person was very instrumental in teaching me about songwriting and writing in general.” Some think it was the singer-songwriter Greg Dempsey, who was included in the dedication of the 1970 album Leon Russell, in which “A Song For You” premiered, and who co-wrote “Prince of Peace” and later, “Roll Away the Stone.” Ultimately, the person has never been verified.

Russell said he composed “A Song for You” in 10 minutes and imagined it as a standard to be performed by Frank Sinatra or Peggy Lee. It is not surprising that it has been covered by over 200 artists, including Andy Williams, Donny Hathaway, Karen Carpenter, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Willie Nelson, Helen Reddy, Whitney Houston, Neil Diamond, Peggy Lee, Cher, Joe Cocker, Michael Bublé, Herbie Hancock with Christina Aguilera, Sam Harris, Amy Winehouse, and more. Ray Charles received the 1993 Grammy for Best Male R&B Performance with “A Song For You.” Tedeschi Trucks included it in their sets. Bizzy Bone’s rap version made the Billboard Hip-Hop charts in 2008.

Russell bares his soul in “A Song For You,” revealing the depths of his feelings. The beautiful music and sincere words express a love that transcends the boundaries of time and space, thus earning him the title of “Master of Space and Time.” Whether Coolidge, Dempsey or another muse inspired this song, and the passion is obvious in every note.

“A Song For You” is still being recorded by other artists today, more than 50 years after it was written, demonstrating its long-lasting appeal. In 2018, “A Song For You” was belatedly added to the Grammy Hall of Fame [Thanks to Nancy Ruth at The Church Studio, March 8, 2024].

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my vinyl and includes all artwork for both vinyl and CD releases.  As a bonus, I am including the missing track "Old Masters (Masters of War)" that originally appeared on the LP's first pressing and was sub sequentially removed by Shelter Records. I'm unsure why this was done, but I suspect it may have been in response to the political unrest surrounding the Vietnam War at that time.

Track Listing:

01 - Song For You 4:08

02 - Dixie Lullaby 2:30

03 - I Put A Spell On You 4:10

04 - Shoot Out On The Plantation 3:10

05 - Hummingbird 3:57

06 - Delta Lady 4:00

07 - Prince Of Peace 3:05

08 - Give Peace A Chance 2:15

09 - Hurtsome Body 3:35

10 - Pisces Apple Lady 2:50

11 - Roll Away The Stone 3:06

12 - BONUS: Old Masters (Masters Of War)   1:20

Leon Russell Link (252Mb) New Link 12/07/2024

W.O.C.K On Vinyl: Rick Dees & His Cast Of Idiots - The Original Disco Duck (1976)

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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.

Written and performed by Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots, “Disco Duck” became a nationwide hit in the United States by September 1976. It peaked at number one on October 16, 1976, and remained in the Top 10 for a total of 10 weeks. Initially released by Estelle Axton's Fretone label, "Disco Duck®" was acquired by RSO Records for national and international distribution. The runaway hit single sold over 4 million copies, and earned Dees a People's Choice Award for Favorite New Song in 1977. Ken Pruit, Dees' friend and workout partner, did the voice of the duck on this record.

For all its success, “Disco Duck” was shunned by radio stations where Dees was living in Memphis, including WMPS-AM, the station Dees worked for at the time as a disc jockey. Station management forbade Dees from playing the song on his own show and rival stations in the city refused to play it for fear of promoting the competition. When Dees talked about (but did not play) the song on his show one morning, his boss fired him citing conflict of interest.

After a brief mandatory hiatus, Dees was hired by station WHBQ-AM, WMPS's primary competition in Memphis….and was swiftly on his way to an unsurpassed career as not only entertainment’s #1 radio and broadcasting successes, but also to become one of the world’s most instantly recognized and respected voices on the planet.

“Disco Duck” made an appearance in the film Saturday Night Fever and was also showcased in a deleted scene added back to the PG version of the film release. It was featured on “Jeopardy” with Alex Trebek, added to Hasbro’s Trivial Pursuit game, and remains one of the most iconic pop culture songs of all time.

I had a copy of this album, which I bought when it first came out in Australia in 1977, but sadly lost it while living in a shared house with 4 others during the mid 80's. I read where this album was pulled because of the song, "He Ate Too Many Jelly Donuts", which deals with Elvis Presley exploding after eating too many of them...shortly after this album was released, Elvis passed away, and that track became a matter of poor taste and bad timing. The album is now a collector's item, I believe - damn!

One thing that has always struck me is the similarity of this U.S comedy duo with Australia's comedy duo Daryl Somers and Ossie Ostrich, who appeared on daytime T.V during the 70's and then later on in the 80's in the evening, with the very successful show 'Hey, Hey It's Saturday". Both featured a feathered puppet with similar looks and the ability to ramble off dialogue that was both risqué and funny.  See comparing photos below.

Rick & Disco Duck

Daryl & Ossie

So this month's W.O.C.K on Vinyl post certainly tick's the Obscure and Korny boxes and features MP3's (128kps) which I managed to source many moons ago somewhere on the internet. (Thanks to the original poster). For your enjoyment, I have also been able to source a couple of 12" releases of the single "Disco Duck" which I am also providing as bonus tracks for your enjoyment.

Track Listing:

01 Disco Duck (Part I Vocal) 3:10

02 Barely White (That'll Get It Baby)  (Barry White Cut-Up Song) 3:45

03 Bionic Feet 3:12

04 Flick The Bick 4:54

05 Disco Duck (Part II Instr.) 3:03

06 Dis-Gorilla 3:05

07 Doctor Disco 4:50

08 Bad Shark 4:17

09 He Ate Too Many Jelly Donuts (Elvis Presley Cut-Up Song) 3:02

10 The Peanut Prance (President Jimmy Carter Song)   2:47

11 Disco Duck (Bonus 12'' Original RSO Version)  6:21

12 Disco Duck (Bonus 12'' Promo RSO Records Remixed) 6:57

Disco Duck Link (49Mb)