Marc Bolan - Acoustic Warrior 'Live' (1996)

(UK 1964 - 1977)

One of the major songwriters and performers of the seventies, Marc Bolan enjoyed a phenomenal run of single hits through the early part of the decade. Between 1970 and 1973, with T-Rex, he achieved 10 consecutive top 10 hits, including 4 number ones and 4 that reached number two.

Born Mark Feld in London on 30th September 1947, the young Marc was known as a 'face' around town, working as a teenage model before beginning his singing career during the mid-sixties folk-boom.

He released his first single 'The Wizard', on Decca Records in 1965, before joining psychedelic-folk group John's Children who were managed by one of his early guiding lights, Simon Napier-Bell.

Left: Bolan & Took   Right: Bolan & Finn

Bolan left the group in 1967 and hooked up with Steve Peregrine Took to form a folky, acoustic duo - Tyrannosaurus Rex.

ln 1970 the name was shortened to 'T-Rex', Mickey Finn replaced Took and the line-up was completed by bass player Steve Curry and Bill Legend on drums.

Marc Bolan with Producer Toni Visconti

More significantly legendary producer Tony Visconti started to work with the band and is believed to have encouraged Bolan to use an electric guitar and the trademark sound was born. Their first single "Ride A White Swan", a fuzz-guilar rocker with unmistakable backbeat, was an instant hit, the next single "Hot Love" reached number one and was followed by the landmark album Electric Warrior - one of the seventies' defining musical moments [Ed. and is my favourite T.Rex album]

T.Rex's Electric Warrior 

After the run of successful singles, the hits dried up in the mid-seventies as Bolan's star diminished. However the emerging punk scene gave him an unexpected lift, embracing him as something of an icon and touring with The Damned as a support act. His public profile was further enhanced by the TV show "MARC" (pictured below and previously posted on my blog HERE) which featured up and coming bands like The Jam and Generation X as well as old friend David Bowie!

The MARC Shows

Sadly the revival was short-lived as Marc was killed when his Mini, driven by his girlfriend Gloria Jones, crashed into a tree on Barnes Common in London, two weeks before his 30th birthday.

With this collection Bolan goes back to his acoustic roots, these 'lost' recordings prove that he was one of England's very best songwriters and performers. He has been a cult figure since his death with his legacy influencing many musical genres - punk, metal and alternative rock with a simple pop aesthetic and 3-chord tricks!

Highlights here include a slow and soulful version of "Get lt On", stripped down from it's electric boogie to just vocal, acoustic guitar and percussion. Another big hit - "Telegram Sam" is given a bluesy treatment with slide guitar while "Metal Guru" is light and almost jazz like.

Also included is a choppy, sparse and funky rendition of "Jeepster", an eerie "Ballrooms Of Mars" and an extended, percussive revision of "Debora".

The treatment given to these 'unplugged' sessions, demos and live radio recordings prove that the songs, once huge hits in their original form, stand up as classic pop however Bolan played them, and probably lead the way for future bands to do the same and release their own 'unplugged sessions'. [CD Liner Notes by Richard Skinner]

Richard Skinner recalls his last interview with Bolan:

The last time I met with Marc Bolan I saw a man brimming over with new ideas, good humour and plans for the future. Marc and I were recording an interview for BBC Radio One's 'Newsbeat' Programme. The spot was scheduled for his 30th Birthday some two weeks away...a milestone Marc was anticipating with pleasure.

Glam Rocker From Yester-year (1970)

A fan's convention was due for his birthday at which Marc was planning to play live. The event was symptomatic of the time. After years in the wilderness Marc had got his act back together and the refreshing arrival of Punk and New Wave Music had served to re-kindle his enthusiasm for performing and recording. Here was a man with plans!

Marc Bolan with girlfriend Gloria Jones

After the interview Marc and I walked together to the foyer of Broadcasting House where Marc's girlfriend Gloria Jones was waiting to meet him. They asked if I would like to join them for a drink at the nearby 'Speakeasy' club but I couldn't. I watched as they climbed into their Mini and drove off down Regent Street. The thought on my mind? Marc Bolan is on his way back!'.

It was was the evening of September 15th, 1977. The interview we had just recorded would never be broadcast. Marc's plans would come to nothing. His talent was about to be snuffed out forever.

By 5am the next morning, Marc Bolan was dead. The car crash that claimed his life was a cruel irony. After years of being derided as 'over the hill' and a 'second division ' star, a new generation of critics were emerging, once again, to acknowledge his true talent.

A television series 'MARC', dirtected by Mike Mansfield had been instrumental in his return. The show had a teatime 'kiddies' slot, but Marc had insisted that the programme should be aimed at the true music fans of all ages and should showcase the best in new young talent alongside his own music, giving TV spots to newcomers like The Jam and Generation X amongst others. In the final programme filmed, Marc's talent was endorsed by none other than David Bowie who made a special guest appearance on that show (see left).  As the years passed, the timeless quality of Marc Bolan's music has become all the more obvious. Marc's songs are still the music of now [1996]...some 19 years after his death.

The discovery of the 'lost' recordings on this album reinforces my belief that Marc Bolan was one of the most underestimated talents of his time. Never content, he strove to push back the frontiers of pop music - moving from acoustic guitar and tabla ditties to power chords and glam rock. Between October 1970 and his death he enjoyed a run of 18 top 40 singles...four of which hit No.1 and four which hit No.2    Had he not died that list would have certainly been longer.

What we have on this album is a collection of studio outtakes, live performances, demos and broadcast sessions. For many acts this would mean a mix of substandard 'collector's items'. But we are talking about Marc Bolan and these tracks stand on their own as a fascinating and fitting reminder of a man's talent, enthusiam and creativity [Cassette Liner Notes - Richard Skinner, London, Sept 1996]. 

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my CD (reissue) and includes full album artwork. Although this compilation has never been released on vinyl, it was originally released on Cassette and therefore deserves a place on the blog.  I've also included artwork from this cassette release as it features a different cover [pictured below] and liner notes [see transcribed above].

The quality of these recordings are excellent and catch Marc in fine form. Rock On Marc !

Track List:

01  20th Century Boy 3:20

02  Get It On 5:08

03  Metal Guru 1:47

04  Spaceball Ricochet 4:43

05  Telegram Sam 3:42

06  Jeepster 5:15

07  Mystic Lady 2:36

08  Slider 3:51

09  Seagull Woman 2:32

10  Debora 6:18

11  Main Man 6:14

12  Cosmic Dancer 6:07

13  Ballrooms Of Mars 4:10

14  Laser Love 3:46

15  Girl 3:38

16  Down Home Lady 2:01

Band Members:

Vocals, Acoustic Guitar – Marc Bolan

Congas, Bongos, Percussion – Mickey Finn

Piano, Violin, Viola – Derek Lovelady

Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, Cello, Flute – Peter Todd

Drums, Percussion, Double Bass – Martin Kearney

Acoustic Warrior Link (469Mb)

Impeccable - Live on The Rox (1979) + Bonus Single

(U.S 1976 - 1979)

US band Impeccable was formed in late 1976, although they were known as 'Live Wire' and then 'Axxe' before calling themselves Impeccable. Early on, they had the intention of being an original music outfit, so they started creating their own material almost from their inception. Most of the raw musical compositions were written by Darren Welch, and then vocalist Don Allison would put together the lyrics, and they'd all get together to construct and finalize the tunes.

There was also input from drummer Morris Payne & bassist Richard Rico. They were influenced by groups such as Led Zeppelin, Rush, The Beatles, Wiggy Bits, Moxy, Hendrix, Trapeze & Black Sabbath.

Axxe (aka Impeccable)

At the time, they found themselves opening many shows in Lubbock (a major city in northwestern Texas, USA) for all different kinds of artists, such as Talking Heads, Pat benetar, Black Oak Arkansas, Montrose, Budgie, Humble Pie, Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show, Pat Travers, Eric Johnson, to name but a few. They were one of the goto opening rock bands in Lubbock.

Sometime in 1978, they met Rusty Zavitson, who said he'd like to record the band. So, they ended up recording their debut single in Rusty's living room on a 4 track reel to reel and it was at this time they were known as Axxe.

Axxe's Debut Single 1978

They pressed 1,000 copies of their first single ("Rock Away The City"/"Through The Night"), issued with a picture sleeve featuring a group photo on front. These were distributed locally and sold at shows. They toured around Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma shortly thereafter to support the release.

The band also did numerous shows at a club in Lubbock called 'The Rox', owned by Carlo Campanelli. It was then that they decided to record a live show that would become their debut album. Rusty was once again chosen to record the show for the release.

Impeccable Gig Shots

After finding out about some other bands calling themselves 'Axxe', they renamed the band 'Impeccable', after the classic Budgie album. They also happened to do several shows with Budgie and ended up becoming friends. They pressed up 1,000 copies of the 'Live on the Rox' album under the GBC label. GBC wasn't a real label of any sort, it was just a fictional creation of Carlo, who loaned them the money for the pressing, he said it stood for 'Great Big Con'.

Not long after, Don Allison began to tire of pushing his vocals every night and became more interested in the emerging New Wave sounds. Darren Welch believes that their last shows were held in 1979 and the band finally disbanded. There were later re-incarnations of 'Impeccable' that recorded singles on the Abbey Road 1 & 2 compilation albums, of which Welch was not part of. Instead, he continued on playing around Texas with the Darren Welch Group and more recently with Azlan (Wallney, Welch, Tate, Hopkins) [For more details, see Darren Welch's Facebook]

This highly anticipated 2016 reissue of the rare Texas hard rock private press record (originally released in 1979) is Loud & Ferocious. With its untamed guitar work courtesy of Darren Welch, it dominates this Lubbock, Texas band's hard to find debut album. Impeccable deliver a massive dose of raw in-your-face rock and roll energy here, captured live in 1979 at a popular night club in Lubbock called The Rox.

As a bonus, there are two tracks from the band's ultra-rare debut single from 1978 when they were still known as Axxe. This single is on a lot of collector want lists and is nearly impossible to find these days, even in Texas. Included are liner notes and photos from the Impeccable archives.

Debut Single Reissue [2021]

Note: This rare debut single has been recently remastered and reissued in 2021 by 'On The Dole' records, however this release comes with reversed sides. (A-Side: "Through The Night" / B-Side "Rock Away The City"). Not sure if this was on purpose or a mistake by the record company [maybe the later based on their name !]

This post consists of MP's (320kps) ripped from CD (thanks to ChrisGoesRock) and includes full album artwork for both vinyl and CD formats.  Their debut single from 1978 (see left) is also included as bonus tracks.

One thing that caught my attention with this recording is how much Don Allison voice sounds like Geddy Lee from Rush and it is a shame that this band was short lived and under recorded.

Track Listing:

01. Call of the Wild  03:51  

02. Traces of Time  04:07  

03. Seashore  05:34  

04. Lizzy  04:44  

05. Live Wire  03:49  

06. No Other Way  07:07  

07. Johnny B Goode  03:39

Bonus Tracks (1978 Single)  

08. Axxe - Rock Away the City  03:09  

09. Axxe - Through the Night  05:55

Axxe/Impeccable were:

Don Allison - Vocals

Darren Welch - Guitars

Richard Rico - Bass

Morris Payne - Drums

Impeccable Link (99Mb)

REPOST: Madonna - Unlicensed Live Vol 1 & 2 (1990) Bootleg

(U.S 1979–present)
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In 1990, Madonna continued to explore and develop her own ideas about ambiguity in gender and sexuality, a feminist agenda in which a woman is in control of her body, her role and her life. Although she examined this theme in her "Like A Prayer" video, it was most fully expressed in her audacious four-month twenty-seven-city 'Blonde Ambition' tour, which established her as a modern-day Amazon, her erotic and exotic routines invariably ending with the woman on top. She strutted the stage in contemporary armor, Jean-Paui Gaultier's cone-shaped bustier, presenting an enduring image of Madonna at superwoman, her dancers playing musclebound slaves utterly subservient to her will. Yet the French designer's description of the garment that will be forever identified with the singer can also be applied to her own psychology; as he said, 'A tough outer shell protects hidden vulnerability.' [extract from 'Madonna' by Andrew Morton, Bantam Books, 2001. p164]
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Blond Ambition Tour
While riding high on her success in Dick Tracy, Madonna kicked off her third and most imaginative tour to date on 13 April 1990. When tickets went on sale, 2500 were sold in one minute-a new record in the entertainment industry. The Blond Ambition Tour opened at Chiba, Japan's new Marine Stadium, to enthusiastic reviews. The futuristic out-door venue at Chiba provided a fitting locale for the show, a highly theatrical extravaganza. The surrealistic atmosphere was heightened by the rain that began to fall just as the show opened. Adhering to the philosophy that 'the show must go on,' Madonna braved the downpour, and though the show had to be briefly interrupted a few times to sweep the rain from the stage, the audience was delighted that the singer was willing to carry on. Three years earlier high winds had forced Madonna to cancel her Tokyo show, and she wanted to avoid another cancellation at all costs.

The tour coincided with the release of Madonna's latest album, 'I'm Breathless', the title of which provides a clever tie-in with her starring role as Breathless Mahoney in Dick Tracy. Described on the album sleeve as 'music from and inspired by the film Dick Tracy,' I'm Breathless is a departure from what Madonna has done before With the notable exception of "Vogue",' which seems written specifically for the top 10, the music evokes the era of torch songs and swing tunes. Her voice, too, is different. The bright chirp of "Holiday" is now deeper and darker. Three songs from the album -"Sooner or Later," "Now I'm Following You," and "Hanky Panky" - were featured in the glitzy 'Blond Ambition' show.

Madonna's latest tour had been likened to a Broadway production, With the band relegated to the sidelines, the emphasis is indeed on the action that unfolds on the stage. The show brings to life her songs and videos. Her performance is an exercise in precision, a ballet, rather than a rock concert. With its sexy costumes and suggestive banter, it is also intended to shock. "Like A Virgin" found Madonna sprawled on a bright red bed. As  she rubbed her hands over her body, her two male companions massaged the fake, pointy breasts that were attached to their bare chests. As choreographer Vince  Paterson explained, '[Madonna] wanted to make statements about sexuality, cross-sexuality, the church and the like.' An essential part of the message was delivered by Madonna's exotic costumes, one of which was a pinstriped man's suit with cutouts for her breasts. 'I like the mixing of femininity and masculinity,' explained designer Jean-Paul Gaultier. 'Of course with Madonna, the femininity explodes through the masculinity. It's a little bit surrealistic. It's kind of an obsession in America, you know, the pointed breast.'

Madonna has always been known and even criticized for the blatant sexual imagery of her shows. Her image has invited criticism from feminists who believe that she portrays women in a negative light. Madonna, however. believes that her message is just the opposite. "People have this idea that if you're sexual and beautiful and provocative, then there's nothing else you could possibly offer. People have always had that image about women. And while it might have seemed like I was behaving in a stereotypical way, at the same time, I was also masterminding it I was in control of everything I was doing, and I think that when people realized that, it confused them. It's not like I was saying "Don't pay attention to the clothes-to the lingerie-I'm wearing." Actually the fact that I was wearing those clothes was meant to drive home a point that you can be sexy and strong at the same time. In a way, it was necessary to wear the clothes.'

In other words, the Boy Toy is not a sex object; she is the boss, the woman warrior, equipped with armored under-wear. Blond Ambition is about female power. She does after all, knock down her chorus line of men. 'It's a great feeling to be powerful. I've been striving for it all my life. I think that's just the quest of every human being: power.'

  The Japanese press concentrated on writing about Madonna's sexual shenanigans to the point of ignoring other aspects of the show, but the response in Japan was a decidedly positive one: Madonna reportedly earned $14 million for just nine shows. They may have loved her in Japan, but the welcome Madonna received elsewhere was far less cordial. In Toronto, police asked her to tone down her show. When she refused they set themselves up in the stadium with binoculars, presumably ready to rush to the stage and arrest her if she committed any illegal acts in the course of her performance. In Italy, Catholic groups in Rome and Turin called her show vulgar and blasphemous and demanded that Madonna's concerts be banned. Many church officials were especially disturbed by Madonna's routine use of a crucifix as an article of costume jewelry. The reaction was an intensified version of the controversy that had surrounded her 'Like A Prayer' video the year before. Protesters in Italy were successful in forcing the state-run television network to stop running the video.

As is her nature, Madonna held strong to her position. She called a press conference and invited the church leaders to 'Come and see my show and judge it for yourselves. My show is not a conventional rock concert, but a theatrical presentation of my music and, like the theater, it poses questions, provokes thought and it takes you on an emotional journey. This is what I call freedom of expression and thought. By preventing me from doing the show, you would be saying you do not believe in these freedoms.' Church leaders declined her invitation, but the show went on as scheduled.

Controversy goes hand-in-hand with being an artist. A work of art-be it a novel, a sculpture or a performance-challenges the intellect. As an artist who strives to be thought-provoking and entertaining, Madonna has never shied away from controversy, and will undoubtedly continue to do so with her future creative endeavors [extract from Madonna, by Marie Cahill, Bison Group, 1991. p84-88. See below]
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This updated post consists of MP3 (320kps) ripped from my Australian AMCOS CD Bootlegs and now presents the 'full show'.  It only took me 12 years to hunt down the second half of the show (Vol 2) !  
Full album artwork is provided, along with artwork for the Italian 'Maverick Bedtime' bootleg release which features the full show on one CD (see below). The recording itself comes from the 'Dallas Show at the Reunion Arena' in the USA, held on May 7, 1990.  The quality of the recording is very good with exceptional vocal clarity. (Please note that I have edited the opening track "Express Yourself" by removing a minute of annoying sound affects which would have supported the visual component of the shows introduction. I also chose to remove over 2 minutes of excessive audience applause at the end of "Holiday" to improve your listening experience and save your sanity).

** New Complete Concert **

Vol 1 Track Listing:
01. Express Yourself
02. Open Your Heart
03. Causing A Commotion
04. Where's The Party
05. Like A Virgin
06. Like A Prayer
07. Live To Tell
08. Oh Father
09. Papa Don't Preach

Vol 2 Track Listing:

01. (Sooner Or Later) I Always Get My Man
02. Hanky Panky
03. I'm Following You
04. Material Girl
05. Cherish
06. Into The Groove
07. Vogue
08. Holiday
09. Keep It Together

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.The Band:
Madonna - Vocals
Kevin Kendricks, Jai Winding - Keyboards
Carlos Rios, David williams - Guitar
Darryl Jones - Bass
Jonathan Moffet - Drums
Luis Conte - Percussion
Donna Delory, Niki Harris - Backing Vocals
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Madonna Link (219Mb) 

New Link  15/07/2026
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REPOST: Crawler - Selftitled (1977) + Snake, Rattle & Roll (1978)

(U.S 1976-1979)
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Crawler was a band created from the ashes of "Back Street Crawler", following the death of guitarist, Paul Kossoff. Atlantic Records suggested the band continue with another well-known guitarist, ex-Rolling Stone Mick Taylor or they'd be dropped. Despite being broke, they declined, instead recruiting Geoff Whitehorn, previously with the band "If".

The band abbreviated their name to Crawler, and the eponymous first album, 'Crawler,' was released in 1977 on Epic. Despite being well-written, superbly recorded, and receiving good reviews, it struggled in the year of disco, punk rock and new wave. Nevertheless, it did well in the USA, thanks to airplay of the track "Stone Cold Sober", on FM radio stations. The band concentrated on the American market. Working with producer Gary Lyons, they released a second album, 'Snake, Rattle & Roll'. A great album of classy bluesy melodic rock with good vocals and nice guitar work.

The band toured the UK with Boxer and Moon in a successful three-band package tour. Their distinctive live sound was dominated by Whitehorn's guitar and Rabbit's swirling keyboards.
An exhaustive series of live performances found Crawler as support band for Robin Trower, Cheap Trick, and Foreigner and a 54-date tour across the USA as support band for Kansas. At the end of a USA tour in December 1978, keyboard player John 'Rabbit' Bundrick left to work with The Who. The band folded soon after.

In recent years, a number of live albums, including Snakebite (2001) and Pastime Dreamer (2003), recorded during tours in 1977 and 1978, have been released from John Bundrick's private collection of recordings [extract from wikipedia]
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I bought their first album purely based on its 'eye grabbing cover' and hearing "Pastime Dreamer" blasting out of my local Import Record store's speakers, while thumbing through the C section. A few tracks later, "Stone Cold Sober" came blasting out and literally hit me right between the eyes. Needless to say, I didn't get to the D section in the racks - I'd already made my choice in 'record' time (punn intended).
Although I was familiar with Paul Kossoff's band 'Back Street Crawler', I didn't really make the connection between the two bands until many years later - sad hey!
..
This post consists of FLACs taken from my 'near mint' vinyl  copy of their selftitled album and an MP3 (320) rip of  'Snake, Rattle and Roll' taken from CD (not my rip). 

Sadly, I have yet to source a vinyl copy of their 2nd LP, but the hunt continues.

* New Improved Rips *

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Track Listing (Crawler)

01. Without You Baby - 3:29
02. You Got Money - 3:30
03. Sold On Down The Line - 3:47
04. One Too Many Lovers - 4:03
05. You Are My Saviour - 4:49
06. Pastime Dreamer - 4:33
07. Never Loved A Woman - 4:14
08. You And Me - 4:07
09. Stone Cold Sober - 5:38
[Bonus Track]
10. Stone Cold Sober (Single version) - 2:55
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Track Listing (Snake, Rattle & Roll)

01. Sail On – 3:59
02. Disc Heroes – 3:20
03. How Will You Break My Heart – 3:43
04. Muddy Water – 4:07
05. First Class Operator – 3:30
06. Where Is The Money – 4:24
07. Hold On – 1:43
08. Midnight Blues – 4:18
09. Liar – 3:40
10. One Way Street – 4:45
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Band Members:
Terry Slesser (Vocals)
Geoff Whitehorn (Guitar)
Tony Braunagel (Drums, Vocals)

John "Rabbit" Bundrick (Keyboards)
Terry Wilson (Bass) .
[additional support artists]
Ted Bunting (Saxophone)
Chris Wood (Flute)
Tony Carr (Percussion)
Stevie Lange (Backing Vocals)
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Crawler Link (251Mb) 
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Snake Rattle & Roll Link (114Mb)
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Geisha - Midnight To Dawn (1987) + Bonus Tracks

(Australian 1983–1988, 1998, 2007–2014)

Geisha was formed in the Melbourne, Australia in 1983 by songwriter, guitarist and frontman Chris Doheny.

Having grown up through the Sixties and Seventies, Chris had previously played in a number of bands, driven by his love of music and the inspiration he gained from listening to the Beatles and other popular acts of the that period. With the formation of Geisha, a distinct shift towards the "new romantic" movement so prevalent in the late Seventies and early Eighties helped shape the group's image and led to their popular success. Often compared to international acts such as Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet Geisha were to become hugely successful on the Australian music scene.

Geisha 1985

Soon after their formation, the band was signed by EMI and in April 1985 released their first single "Fool's Way". Buoyed by airplay of this and by their success on the Melbourne live circuit, two further singles followed in that same year with the releases of "Rainy Day" in July and "Kabuki" in September, the latter reaching number 1 on the Melbourne Charts towards the end of that same year. As well as the three singles, their first album (simply entitled "Geisha") was also released by EMI in 1985.

EMI released "repackaged" versions of "Rainy Day" in early 1986 but the band was busy producing their next single. In August, the hit single "Part Time Love Affair/Twilight Love" was released giving the band their first National Top 10 hit (peaking at #3 on the Melbourne charts). Constant touring and promotional tasks continued throughout the year.

In late 1986-early 1987, the band was undergoing some internal reorganization. The band changed its structure from a 5-piece outfit to a 3-piece outfit with Chris taking on the job of bass guitarist as well as vocalist. The change forced the band to try and break away from the "eighties" mold set by so many acts of the time allowing their new songs, which now were to be more guitar-based, to take on a harder, rock edge. Whilst enabling a different 'style' of music to emerge, the amended (and reduced) line-up made it somewhat difficult to deliver their entire Geisha repertoire in a live situation.

So, in 1987, Chris put together a completely revamped line-up comprising Rob Dean (guitar - formerly of the English group "Japan"), Laurence Maddy (keyboards), Chris Doheny (bass/vocalist) and Tom Hosie (drums) who had previously played with James Freud in the band Berlin. Again, success followed later that year with the release of the second Geisha album "Midnight To Dawn". Three singles were spawned from this album - "Calling Your Name/Don't Come Knocking After Midnight", "Normal People/Paranoid Street" and "Never Tell You Why/Shining Star" and further touring and media appearances ensued for the remainder of the year and into 1988.  However, Geisha eventually broke up in April 1988.

Geisha 1987
L-R: Ken Sheppard, Chris Doheny, Bret Luton 

Doheny continued shaping the musical landscape over the years, forming various bands with a who’s who of Melbourne’s elite musos. But it was in 1994 when his voice became etched into the national psyche with “More Than a Game,” the rousing theme for Nine’s The Footy Show, and has become an AFL football anthem.  It remains arguably the longest running unchanged theme for an Australian television show.

Doheny revived Geisha in various forms - including a 1998 compilation and a 2007 reboot - and remained a passionate performer and collaborator throughout his life. Chris Doheny carved a singular path through Australian music history, from Countdown-era chart success to the stadium-sized anthem that became the heartbeat of AFL culture.

RIP Chris Doheny 

Tragically, Chris Doheny (64) died in 2025 in a road accident on the Thiele Highway, near Kings Bridge Road, Kapunda. [Extracts from Wikipedia & Instagram]

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my CD copy of the album along with full album artwork for both vinyl and CD formats.  I am also including some B-Side Singles and Demo's that were not included on this album plus [Chris Doheny's single "More Than A Game" - thanks to Beergut at Ausrock], as bonus tracks.  Some of these bonus tracks have been ripped from vinyl and are flagged appropriately.   I am also including edited artwork to reflect these additions.

As a special treat, I am also including a 12" Single release of their single "Calling Your Name" which features a extended 'New York Dance Mix' and a 'Dub Mix'. [Thanks to Deutros at Ausrock]

Track Listing

01 - Normal People

02 - Take Aim And Fire

03 - Calling Your Name

04 - Beauty In Emotion

05 - Never Tell You Why

06 - No Heart

07 - Part Time Love Affair

08 - Midnight To Dawn

09 - Shining Star

10 - Anger

Bonus Tracks

11 - Don't Come Knocking After Midnight (B-Side Single)+

12 - Paranoid Street (Demo Version)*

13 - Slow Boat To Nowhere (Demo version)*

14 - Twilight Love (B-Side Single)+

15 - More Than A Game (Chris Doheny Solo Single)#

+ Ripped from Vinyl

* Taken from Geisha Demo Sessions 86-87 (2007)

# Taken from Unofficial National Anthems Vol II (2003)

Band Members:

Chris Doheny - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Bass & Keyboards

Ken Sheppard - Guitars, Keyboards, Programming & Vocals

Bret Luton - Drums & Percussion

Geisha Link (484Mb)

W.O.C.K On Vinyl: Air - Selftitled (1974)

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.

(Australian 1972-1974)

Firstly, let me advise that there is scant information available about Sydney soft rock band 'Air'.

Air was a very obscure Australian progressive and folk-rock band based in Sydney in the early 70's. Signed to the Philips label they released two singles, ''Crazy Lady / So Many People'' (1972) and ''Ted's Saloon / Super Situation'' (1973). Both singles failed to chart.

Very little is known about the band, only the name of the band  members and the fact that they released a self-titled, independent album on the Polydor label in 1974, which was produced by Freshwater's David Fookes. Featuring a blend of multiple guitars, ethereal flute lines, and male/female vocal harmonies, and a rhythmic section that gave them a feel similar to UK folk-psych bands like Trees or Tudor Lodge.

The highlight of the album are the vocals by "Jenny McGregor" who went on to become a successful opera soprano in Australia. [Limited info sourced from Milesago.com]

Band Members were:

Jenny McGregor (vocals), Philip "Pip" Owen (guitar, vocals), Steve Nicholas (guitar, vocals), Nicky Dunn (guitar, bass, vocals), Patrick Conroy (bass)

Jennifer McGregor

Born in Sydney, she is the sister of actress Julie McGregor. She was first heard on record with Sydney soft rock band Air. In 1974 they released a self-titled LP on the Polydor label produced by Freshwater's David Fookes. McGregor graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium Opera School and spent three years in music theater performing leading roles in The Sound of Music, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Cabaret, The Venetian Twins and Candide.

She began her operatic career as one of Richard Bonynge’s protégés, singing Ophelia to Sherill Milne’s Hamlet. Her Lucia di Lammermoor was the first to be sung in Australia after Dame Joan Sutherland, with whom she worked in Die Fledermaus and Alcina. She left the opera in 1986. From 1988 to 1990 she was a principal with Germany's Heidelberg Opera. 

Her album 'The Jennifer McGregor Album', recorded with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, was nominated for the 1988 ARIA Award for Best Classical Album. Together with Judi Connelli and Suzanne Johnston she formed the Three Divas. In 2000 they released a self-titled album. [ extract fromWomen of Aussie Music]

This post consists of MP3's (320kps) ripped from vinyl (thanks to Dusty from Midoztouch2) and includes low res artwork and label scans. This month's WOCK post certainly ticks the Obscure box and like many other short lived Aussie bands from the 70's, they were under recorded and often discarded by their record companies with little chance of developing their music and building their fan base. And so, Air simply vanished into thin air (punn intended) without leaving any real trail to follow.

Track Listing:

A1 Crazy Lady
A2 So Many People
A3 The Sea
A4 I Wonder Why
B1 Message
B2 Baby, It's The Way
B3 Ted's Saloon
B4 Super Situation


Band Members:
Vocals – Jenny McGregor, Steve Nicholas
Bass – Nicky Dunn, Patrick Conroy
Drums – Gary Hyde, Tony Bolton

Guitar – Nicky Dunn, Philip 'Pip' Owen, Steve Nicholas
Piano – Bobby Gebbert

Air Link (57Mb)