WOCK On Vinyl - Soft Kitty (Big Bang Theory)

(Nov 1, 2009 - April 13, 2012)

I would like dedicate this month's WOCK on Vinyl posting to my pet cat 'Kitty' who was struck by a car and killed this month, on Friday 13th.

She was a gorgeous creature with a loving and affectionate nature and I miss her dearly. Her adventurous and daring nature was her eventual downfall, yet I know she would not have been happy if she had been confined indoors. She lived her short life to the fullest.
She was one of 7 kittens (we gave away the other 6 to friends) and was destined to stay with us when she refused to be handled by our friends. The family think tank took ages to name her Kitty, and her mother (Putty) was no exception!
Although we are all still deeply saddened by her death, we are now focusing on supporting the mother who is probably missing her offspring and playmate even more. She continues to look for her and often waits near the back fence for her return, which makes it all that more difficult for us.
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Now, just when I was thinking about how I could make a dedication to Kitty, I saw a repeat episode of the Big Bang Theory and what should come on the T.V but one of the funniest scenes in the series. It is when Sheldon asks Penny to sing 'Soft Kitty' to him while he is sick. I've gotta admit that this 'hard 'n' tough Aussie Rocker' shed a tear or two when he heard the song, but it also gave me the inspiration for this posting.
So, in dedication to my beautiful Kitty (who I'm sure is still busy 'mousing' at this very moment, where ever her soul may be) I would like to share with you a segment of this very funny scene featuring the song 'Soft Kitty'. This song is for you Kitty and you will always be the K in WOCK on Vinyl.

Right: Putty & Kitty (my vinyl critics)

Soft Kitty (Big Bang Theory) MP3
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Finch - Thunderbird (1976) + Bonus Tracks

(Australian 1973-79)
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Finch was an Australian hard rock band, initially formed in Sydney as Stillwater in 1973, they soon became Finch. In 1973, they won a 2SM/Pepsi Pop Poll, winning a contract with Picture Records who released their first single in 1974 "And She Sings".
They released 2 more singles on their on label Eagle Records and contributed 5 tracks to the cult Surfing Soundtrack 'Drouyn' in late 74.
This followed with the release of their debut album 'Thunderbird', acclaimed by many people to be a classic Aussie release from the 70's.
After the release of their single "Short Changed Again", Finch moved south to Melbourne and embarked on a tour with Supernaut. Line-up reshuffles followed, including guitarist Bob Spencer exiting for Skyhooks (and eventually the Angels), and Mark Evans, freshly ejected from AC/DC, joining the fold.
The new-look Finch released the major label 'Nothing To Hide' LP in 1978, along with a number of singles. There are a handful of passable songs on the LP - "Nothing To Hide", "Leave The Killing To You" - both issued as 45s, but on the whole it was characterised by a lack of inspiration and tepid production.
In 1978, after signing a deal in the US with CBS Records subsidiary label, Portrait Records, Finch was changed to Contraband (due to the existence of the Dutch band also named Finch). Earlier Finch material was re-released under the Contraband name but they finally broke up in 1979.
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Article from RAM Magazine, December 5, 1975
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"Hey Syunky! What's your name?" Collectively it s Finch; individually it's four heavy metal tweetie-pies: Peter McFarlane, drummer, Bob Spencer, lead guitar, Tony Strain, bass, and Owen Orford, singer. Their music is hard, loud and heavy with an overlay of good humour that shows up in their own songs, like the aforementioned Hey Spunky.
They've been together for three years or so; if you haven't heard of them outside NSW it's due to a less than wonderful relationship with their last recording company. Picture Records. Finch released one single on that label. The A side was meant to be a heavied up version of The Eagles song Out of Control, with Finch s own And She Sings as the B.
"They did a switch and released And She Sings as the A side, which it wasn't meant to be and that was a mistake," says Owen, settling back against RAM's verandah rail (it was a hectic day inside the office and we'd taken refuge outside). "And then they said 'Look, we've got this really good deal here, this surf movie that's gonna be the biggest thing since Crystal Voyager.' And we thought that would be a good thing to get on to the soundtrack. But we had problems fitting into it; a lot of our music was too heavy and we weren't prepared to go into mellotrons and stuff because we'd tried it before and it doesn't work for us." The movie was Droun and Friends, for all you surf buffs. "What happened was we got very little time to do it in, the production was lousy, the mix was shocking; it wasn't what we wanted out of it at all.
"Anyway, after Droun we thought that's it, we re not going to do another thing. We just let our contract expire, which took twelve months, and that brings us up to now.
In the last few months, since Finch s support gig with Skyhooks on the New South Wales coast stage of the 'Hooks tour, another record company has extended its tentacles toward them. "This record company was pretending they were interested in us when what they were gonna do was monopolise all the Australian bands; they've signed up everybody. We thought bugger it, we're not gonna get slopped in there with everybody else and not be able to do what we want."
Bob Spencer, who has fine blond hair and equally fine chiseled bones in a face accentuated by rimless glasses, has just turned eighteen; '75 is his final year of school, but his attitudes are hard edged and uncompromising.
Finch assume cheerful smiles just prior to flapping arms and taking off.
"See we're real little bastards, we want lots of promotion from people who'll take a lot of interest in us."
All of which might sound arrogant, but, because they also throw in much guffawing and general pleasantry, Finch come off as being remarkably free of arrogance. Enterprising, too. "Our manager Brian Todd is starting his own record company. We're going to do our first album and release a single off that. Doing everything ourselves. Up till now we've always blamed everything on everybody else, so now we're all on our own."
"A nice big fat ballsy sound, that's how we want it." That's the sound they produce onstage alright, and it's much appreciated by their following, which is considerable. As singer Owen Orford says: "Everybody likes music they can dance to, no matter how cool they try to be. Older crowds might say they don't like songs like Hey Spunky but once they get a bit pissed they're gone. You can play stuff all night and if they can't dance to it they can say 'Oh, really great musical band' when they've had a bloody boring time. Anything we do that's a little bit self indulgent we make sure has got a reasonable dance beat behind it. Well, almost reasonable anyway.
The album, tentative title anything from 'Finch in Flight' to 'Birdsturd', should be in the shops first week in December. It will be original stuff.
Lately Finch has been going like a bomb, more work than they can handle, upstaging more established bands who have several albums to their credit, whooping audiences .... They estimate they'd sell at least four thousand albums if they released one now without any hype at all. A country tour of Victoria and NSW is being pressed for but the band.won't do it until they've got an album to promote. Over the background sound effects of a three car collision down the street and more laughter, they say; "Sounds a bit too good to be true doesn't it? All we've got to do is pull it off... we all believe we're the best thing since sliced bread, all we've got to do is let everybody else know too." It started to rain at this point but it didn't matter to Finch — they chattered on cheerfully. Solid, uncompromising, energetic and cheerful they are, and more power to 'em. [ed Annie Burton]
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Followup Article from RAM Magazine, May 5, 1976
'There's No Guano Like Finch Guano'
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But there's no nastiness in this story. A thoroughly likeable group charms the usually irascible Annie Burton. Toughen up lads.
Well, cocky popular Sydney based dance hand Finch have spread their wings just as they said they would. Their first album, Thunderbird, will be out and about with this issue of gutter rock press; it also conveniently coincides with the start of the Victorian leg of the epic Hush tour, for which Finch is the support band. Neat, eh?
Owing to Hush's recent American coup, there s been some confusion over how much of the tour Finch will do, but at this time they will definitely be there for the N.S.W. and Victorian sections.
And they'll have an album to back them up. What s even better is that it's good. This ain't the place for a review, but a' little preview won't hurt — it's solid, got depth and shades, is well-produced, has a measure of sophistication without losing their essential raunchy feel, and it has the group's best songs on it. One side is lighter. Pink Spiders, Hey Spunky, Poser, Crystal Country Gorge and Stay. which is being released as a single. Side two is er, more in the mind fodder line, with Sail Away, Valley of Tears. One Nighter and Mushroom.
The latter is far and away the best track musically, with Bob Spencer's guitar synthesizer giving a violin effect taking off from Owen Orford's voice, which is powerful throughout, and Bob coming back to lay down some sizzling guitar trails over the top. Much care was taken with this track, up to ten hours worth.
Owen: "We're confident, we're really proud of it for a first album; we know it s the very best we could do at the time.
They give off a smell of confidence, a son of corporate solidness. Cos they've done it all themselves, the whole shebang. "We've got our own publishing company, we write the songs, so we get all the royalties from them and the publishing rights.- Our manager Brian Todd has set up our own record company (Eagle Records). The album's being distributed through Tempo Records. Bob: "That's the only part we can't do ourselves, print it and distribute it." Owen: "And if they don't gel it out to the stores, we'll just run around lo the stores and hand out records personally." They would loo; half an hour with Finch is positively exhausting, all that energy ...
The band also has just made a thousand buck's worth of film clip for the single "Stay".The best is what they seek, and it seems to work for them. They didn't have the album out for Christmas because they wanted to use Trafalgar Studios, which were booked up — so they waited until they could gel the studio lime and the engineers they wanted. They found it all marvelous, the perpetual studio night, the fifteen hour stretches, the wonders of the equipment ... It's a reflection of their vitality, the enjoyment they get out of it all. not just the playing part of it which is the only pleasure for most bands while the rest is a confused hassle of mutual bullying. Constant improvement; they get out and do it.
"We're gelling it all in perspective, making sure everything's to our advantage, so that it all ties in with our professionalism. We're getting there slowly but surely, but the good thing is it's all done by us. Keen as a bean. They laugh a lot and there's no calculating or snideness going on in their eyes [Ed Annie Burton]
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This, their debut album, is the finest of the bunch. Excellent vocals and charging guitars punctuate this album, which is filled to the rim with hard rock goodness. There is a very slight progressive temperament to some of the material, but by and large, this is a hard rock album.
Sadly, Finch's output has never been remastered and pressed to disc. In the meantime, here is a clean vinyl rip - 320kps (thanks to Midoztouch) and see for yourself why collectors drool over Finch.
Full album artwork is included along with a multitude of bonus tracks comprising of earlier singles, the 5 tracks from the Drouyn Soundtrack and a live version of their single "Short Changed Again". I have also included scans of the two featured articles on Finch from RAM Newspaper. Thanks also to Wally Beat for the Eagle Label scan below and I highly recommend you pop over to his blog for a more thorough account of Finch's earlier single releases.
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Track Listing
01. Stay - 3:12
02. Pink Spiders - 3:20
03. Hey Spunky - 3:46
04. Poser - 3:51
05. Crystal Country Gorge - 5:15
06. Sail Away - 3:51
07. Valley Of Tears - 5:05
08. One Nighter - 3:16
09. Mushroom - 8:02
[Bonus Tracks] 
10. Short Changed Again (A-Side Single) - 2:56
11. Roses (B-Side Single) - 3:47
12. And She Sings (A-Side Single) - 3:11
13. Out Of Control (B-Side Single)  - 2:14
14. Sail Away (Drouyn Soundtrack) - 3:34
15. Roses (Drouyn Soundtrack) - 3:32
16. Lady Of Truth (Drouyn Soundtrack) - 3:31
17. Arabic Love Theme (Drouyn Soundtrack) - 1:08
18. Putting It Up (Drouyn Soundtrack) - 3:29
19. Short Changed Again - Live - 2:59
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Band Members:
Owen Orford - Lead Vocals
Tony Strain - Bass Guitar, Harmony Vocals
Bob Spencer - Guitars
Peter McFarlane - Drums, Percussion
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Finch Link (160Mb)
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Rod Stewart - Live (Not Authorised) 1993

(U.K 1964–present)
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When Steve Marriott left the Small Faces to form Humble Pie in 1969, the addition of gravel-voiced vocalist Rod Stewart and guitarist Ron Wood, who had played together in the Jeff Beck Group, relaunched the band as the Faces. A ramshackle fusion of rock and blues with excellent songwriting by Stewart brought success with 'A Nod's As Good As A Wink' in 1971. This was outstripped by Stewart' s parallel solo career when 'Maggie May/Reason To Believe' from his 'Every Picture Tells A Story' album topped the transatlantic charts.
The Faces dissolved, Stewart relocating to the States and becoming a superstar with 1975's 'Atlantic Crossing'. The single 'Sailing' from this album was a UK Number 1 . Lane, who later contracted MS, was replaced by Tetsu. Then Wood joined the Rolling Stones (this was claimed by Stewart to have precipitated the break-up) while Jones joined the Who.
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After the all-conquering disco chart-topper 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?' in 1979, Stewart cruised successfully through the Eighties, at the same time becoming a regular target for the gossip columns with his "Jack the lad" lifestyle. Occasional hits included Tom Waits' 'Downtown Train' (a transatlantic Top 10 hit in 1990) and in 1992 Tom Traubert's Blues'.
The Faces were: Rod Stewart - vocals, Ronnie Wood - guitar, lan McLagan - keyboards, Ron Lane - bass, and Kenney Jones on drums [Extract from The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Rock, p 99 Edited by Michael Heatley, 1994]
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This AMCOS Australian release would appear to be the same recording as the bootleg "Real Good Time" (The Swingin' Pig) although track 4 "Fly In The Ointment" is actually called "Too Bad" (see stonesvikingrob.com). The cover of this Swingin' Pig bootleg is shown below.
Now after much researching, there appears to be a huge discrepancy regarding the location of this Swingin' Pig recording, as "Woodworks 1957-1975 The Rolling Stones Database" by Nico Zentgraf places Ronnie Woods playing with the Faces in November, 1974 in England (Newcastle, England, Odeon) on their British Tour (see www.nzentgraf.de). Many websites incorrectly site this concert from 1974-11-27 - Cobo Hall, Detroit.
Instead, this recording actually comes from "The Swing Auditorium at San Bernardino", California, March 7, 1975. The whole show was recorded by US Radio and was broadcast at a later date on the King Biscuit Flower Hour (see 7th March, 1975 entry at the-faces.com)
A far more complete version of this concert can be streamed at www.wolfgangsvault.com. It includes "Take A Look At The Guy", "Angel", and "I Can Feel The Fire". Plus, "I'm Losing You" is unedited, with Kenney Jones' thundering 3:30 drum solo is still intact.

.(Extract from Rolling Stone, May 2002 - 30 Years of Rock & Roll)

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This post consists of a rip taken from CD (320kps) and includes full album artwork (for both bootleg titles). This bootleg is more than likely a copy of the 1989 Swingin' Pig release called 'Rod Stewart and the The Faces - Real Good Time'. The recording is excellent and should not be missed, particularly if you are a Faces fan.
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Track Listing
01. (I Know) I'm Losing You
02. Bring it on Home to Me
03. Sweet Little Rock'n Roller
04. Fly in the Ointment [really Too Bad]
05. Every Picture Tells a Story
06. Stay with Me
07. Motherless Child
08. Gasoline Alley
09. Maggie Mae
10. Twistin' the Night Away
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Band Line Up:
Rod Stewart - Vocals
Ron Wood - Guitar
Ian McLagan - Keyboards
Kenny Jones - Drums
Tetsu Yamauchi - Bass
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Rod Stewart Live Link (90Mb)
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Radio Birdman - Live in Sydney (1976)

(Australian 1974-1978, 1996-2008)
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Radio Birdman was formed in Sydney, Australia in 1974. They were one of the pioneering Aussie punk bands and by far the most influential band on the future of the Sydney punk scene. They chose their name after misunderstanding a line from the Stooges song "1970". The line actually goes "Radio burnin' up above" but Iggy was never known for his annunciation so the confusion is forgivable.
The popular view of history says that that punk started in New York and then spread to England. However the history of Radio Birdman tells a much different tale. Really punk started in Detroit and then spread to Australia.

Radio Birdman was formed by an unlikely pair: vocalist Rob Younger, a native Australian, and Guitarist Deniz Tek, an American who had just moved to Sydney to attend medical school. Tek had come from Ann Harbor, Michigan. Ann Harbor was a little college town about an hour outside of Detroit but in the late sixties and early seventies it became a key music hub in the American Midwest. It was a regular stop for world famous touring acts and virtuoso Jazz greats but most importantly it was home to the first wave of proto-punk bands like the Stooges and the MC5.

The sound of Radio Birdman was too fast, heavy, violent, and psychotic to play any of the established Sydney Clubs. As forerunners of the D.I.Y. punk ethic the band took over the a small pub, renamed it The Oxford Funhouse in tribute to their favorite band, and made that pub into the center of Sydney's exploding Punk scene.
Like many artists who were ahead of their time Radio Birdman never got the recognition they deserved. They never got very famous outside of Australia. They toured the rest of the world but nobody really took notice. They almost got a record released in America through Sire records but the deal fell through at the last moment and Radio Birdman was left to virtual obscurity. They broke up in 1978 before most of the world had even heard the term "punk".
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This recording was made in November of 1976 one month after the release of their debut E.P. 'Burn My Eye'. It was only a few months after the release of the Ramones first record and it was a year before The Damned or the Sex Pistols released anything in England.
This bootleg is true rarity. It was recorded live Sydney's legendary Double Jay Studio for an A.M. broadcast. Double Jay was a Sydney Radio station that played an integral role in the formation of the Australian music scene because they focused on Aussie bands and they were willing to play songs that other stations had banned for references to sex and drugs.
The sound quality is a little muddy but so is every recording of a cutting edge punk band from the mid seventies. This recording sounds better than any bootlegs you will ever get of the Stooges or MC5. This recording represents a diamond in the rough and a it is essential listening for anyone interested in the roots of independently produced Rock & Roll music [extract from A history of underground recording].

'Radio Birdman'
RAM #26, Feb 27, 1976
(by Anthony O'Grady)
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Radio Birdman's drummer is sitting on a steel framed chair listening to a just competent group pound out hard rock as best as they can. He stares flinty eyed but otherwise expressionless as the drummer beats his skins spasmodically and the bass player fumbles through an approximation of a Bad Company riff.
But suddenly he gets hold of his chair and pounds it on the floor. His face twists and he skittles the chair 20 feet along the dance hall floor. The spectator whose leg finally stops the chair takes a few steps across the room, sees the way the drummer's face is working and drops back.
"Sometimes -when you see what sort of shit is going down, you can let it go by. But there are times when you should read strongly to bad music . . . times when a statement should be made." — Ron Keeley, Radio Birdman drummer.
DenizTek, Radio Birdman's guitar player, comes from Detroit, America. He is small, dark, incredibly intense and sometimes it appears he near enough idolizes Iggy Pop (Iggy Stooge as he used to be called). Iggy Pop/Stooge is one helluva singer from Detroit who started off about the same time as Alice Cooper but was always twice as outrageous, twice as menacing and powerful.
Deniz, he owns a solid body, Epiphone guitar he bought from Fred "Sonic" Smith of the MC5 (the archetypal Detroit rock group whose records are now valued collector s items). And on the Rolling Stones last tour of Australia he spent an evening with Keith Richards, picking up some advanced guitar flash and selling Keith a rare National Town & Country guitar (made in 1948 and one of the first solid body electric guitars).
Anyway, Deniz is dedicated to ... hmmm, change that to obsessed with ... attaining that uncompromising, savagely magnificent noise that just poured out of Iggy s guitar player Ron Asheton. He gets it what's more. I mean, he lives it. It's not just a matter of getting the notes right. His guitar playing is concentrated energy and it can rivet you to the spot.
Deniz is a 5th year medical student. I mean, he can start developing his bedside manner now, he's that close to being a doctor.
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You don't get to 5th year in Med School without putting in some hard grind and you can't play the sort of guitar Deniz plays without total dedication,
"The analogy is a bit like what happens at school — the person who really works hard to get a result is always the most unpopular, and the one who gets ostracised. And that happens with the band. We're not popular with a lot of promoters because were totally positive about what we play. We won't compromise the strength of our music and we won't weaken ourselves by asking promoters or agents what they think would be popular and go away and learn that.
"Once an agent came and saw us and said 'Yeah, you're a good band ... why don't you play a few Pilot songs .. why don't you learn that "January" song, that's really popular ...' " — DenizTek.

January? Jeeeeeez-us, Sweet harmonies and melodic lead riffs are not what Radio Birdman is about at all. They don't play soft-rock or jazz-rock or folk-rock or country-rock or electronic-rock or symphonic-rock or neo-classical rock, not even blues-rock. They play nothing else except rock-rock and every-time I've ever seen them they've never played it at anything under 100% effort.And yet, as Deniz says. Radio Birdman has not had an easy run in its bid for work. They have what's called a reputation as being A Difficult Band."The only difficulties that arise are when somebody tries to change us around.The- music we play is between us and an audience: The funny thing is we've never had any trouble with audiences . . . only with promoters or people who think we should be fit in with their ideas of what a conventional rock band should be." — Ron Keeley.
Rob Younger is Radio Birdman's singer. He has Sampson length straight blond hair and in your lounge he's not likely to do anything much except smile politely and make light, quick conversation. On stage his eyes glaze over and his mouth gobbles furiously and the sounds that come out are almost frightening in their intensity.

He usually wears a loin and leg covering of multi-coloured patches under which might or might not be the remnants of a pair of jeans. His chest and torso are well muscled enough but they're a milky shade of pale. And he wears elbow length gloves, either green or bright mauve.
So when he's on stage what you are confronted with is a half naked specter writhing and stamping with tremors that originate from the groin — growling words and emitting bass note screams like some albino tiger at bay — every syllable a doomsday news announcement. And then he comes off stage and makes well modulated, easy talk.
"We're a bit hampered in our contacts with people like agents who 'll book the band and with recording companies who'll put us in a studio- I used to try and do a bit but something about me seemed to freak them out.
Rob, currently unemployed except for Radio Birdman used to be an advertising copywriter-Warwick Gilbert is Radio Birdman's bass player. He's fast. He used to play lead guitar and the speed hasn't left his fingers. He just stands there and spurts it out on stage. Off stage he's quieter than anyone else in the band. Warwick is a freelance artist.

Pip Hoyle used to be R.B. s piano player. He's now left to write classical music and concentrate on his studies. He is also a 5th year medical student, same class as Deniz Tek.
Replacing Pip is guitarist Chris Masuak who actually replaced Pip in Radio Birdman once before. But when Chris had to move to Canada for a year Pip came back.
Radio Birdman's home base is a small upstairs grot hole in the Oxford Tavern in Darlinghurst, Sydney. Outside the pub, on the corner of Bourke and Oxford Streets, there's a 24-hr S.P. betting collection centre. A year or so ago, this section of Oxford Street was junkie infested and you'd always be stumbling over emaciated legs sprawled on the footpath. Just down the road is Darlinghurst Road, a pick-up patrol area for male prostitutes. The night-time streets swarm with trendies, students, fully fledged toughs and young delinquents on the street life learning course.


There are a lot of hardworking Greek families in the area, a few streets of well done up terrace houses, but mostly there's static electricity in the air and aggressive, sometimes near violent vibes.
The upstairs room at the Oxford Tavern has produced some good bands, Tully developed their music there and then, in the late 60's, exploded throughout Australia producing the best flash of the Oz psychedelic experience.
But right now it's Radio Birdman who are filling the place with a mixture of students, punks, bikies and a smattering of trendies on the prowl for Something Real.

And they all find satisfaction with Radio Birdman. Not much beer is drunk which is tough bananas for the pub owners, but a lot of dancing is done — a lot of body movement and flash gyrations. Punters either dance or lean back on a steel frame chair and watch in amazement the torrent of energy and hear the maelstrom of beautiful, gut-clutching noise that is manifesting itself on stage - original songs like the dare-ya-not-to-dance crashing beats of "Do The Pop" (dedicated to Iggy Pop, of course); or the sinuous, clenching slow rises and falls of "Snake" (about a girl Deniz used to know who kept reptiles in bed. He's led an interesting life, this Deniz. And there's more of it happening every day).
More originals. Like "Smith and Wesson", or "Man with The Golden Helmet". Or their arrangements of hard rock underground classics like "Kick Out The Jams (Motherfucker)" or "Sister Ann" or "Search And Destroy" or "TV Eye". Or raunched up, heavied up recreations of classic lightweight stuff like "Walk Don't Run" and "Californian Sun".

The last night they were playing there (the band is currently doing four weeks of rehearsals with Chris Masuak, and getting new material together) there wasn't a person silting for the last bracket. It was standing, jostling, jumping on chair pandemonium It was like everyone in the whole room was mainlining on electricity. And down below no doubt, the business of street life was going as per usual -— SP bets were being laid and the occasional junkie was shuffling blank eyed towards a score; upstairs, sweaty nirvana was in reach of everyone.

"This is a real bad day. Radio Birdman has achieved respectability" —- Pip Hoyle at ceremony after R. B. had carried off the RAM/Levis Sydney Punk Band Thriller.
The future? Well it depends . Radio Birdman has recently won over a few powerful friends. Hush manager Peter Rix would like to help them as much as he can and Mushroom Records boss Michael Gudinski likes their demo tapes.

It's very interesting right now. A whole lot of new options are opening up. New people are coming to see the band and we get feedback — either how impressed or how shocked they've been. We want our music to be heard on radio and on record players, and we want to play big concerts. We think our music is the best in Australia. And the process of getting it to people who haven't heard it previously is an interesting game." — Rob Younger.
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I was lucky enough to see Radio Birdman play at La Trobe University in 1977 while completing my first year Science Degree. Although I have vague memories of the event I do remember that Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons had played the same venue only one week earlier and the contrast between their music was like cheese and chalk. The one thing they did have in common was an audience that liked to smoke the 'wacky weed' and drink bucket loads of grog. Thus my poor memory of the event I'm afraid!
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This bootleg was sourced from 'soundaboard.blogspot.com' with thanks and consists of mp3's (320kps) files and limited artwork. Although there is a spelling mistake on the cover (Sydney), the recording itself is excellent. I have also included scans of the RAM article as transcribed above.
Because this recording predates the release of their debut album 'Radio's Appear', their signature track "Aloha Steve & Danno" was not included in this bootleg. To compensate for this, I have chosen to include a live recording of this 'must have' song, sourced from the 'Ritualism' bootleg. Thanks must also go to Bob at stripedsunlight.blogspot for the collage of live photos of Radio Birdman on stage. (see above)
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Track List:
01 - Route 66
02 - Murder City Nights
03 - Don't Look Back
04 - Anglo Girl Desire
05 - Man With Golden Helmet
06 - Love Kills
07 - TV Eye
08 - Surf City
09 - Hand Of Law
10 - New Race
11 - Transmaniacon M.C
12 - Burn My Eye
13 - Descent Into The Maelstrom
14 - Time Won't Let Me
15 - I 94
16 - Do The Pop
17 - Descent Into The Maelstrom *
18 - Death By The Gun *
19 - Snake *
20 - Aloha Steve & Danno (bonus track) +
(Recorded November 23, 1976 except * March, 1976 and + 1996)
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Band Members:
Rob Younger (Vocals)
Deniz Tek (Guitar)
Warwick Gilbert (Bass)
Chris Masuak (Guitar)
Ron Keeley (Drums)
Pip Hoyle (Keyboards)
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Radio Birdman Link (175Mb)  New Link 19/11/2024
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Crossfire - Live in Montreux (1982)

(Australian 1974 - 1982, Present)
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The Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe; it is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva. It is the second largest annual music festival in the world after Canada's Montreal International Jazz Festival.
The Montreux Jazz Festival was founded in 1967 by Claude Nobs, Géo Voumard and René Langel with considerable help from Ahmet Ertegün and Nesuhi Ertegün of Atlantic Records. The festival was first held at Montreux Casino. It lasted for three days and featured almost exclusively jazz artists. The highlights of this era were Keith Jarrett, Soft Machine, Weather Report, The Fourth Way, Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald.
Originally a pure jazz festival, it opened up in the 1970s and today presents artists of nearly every imaginable music style. Jazz remains an important part of the festival. Today's festival lasts about two weeks and attracts an audience of more than 200,000 people.
The festival was originally held at the old Montreux Casino, which burned down in December 1971 during Frank Zappa's performance. ("Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple tells that story.) The festival was held then in other auditoriums in Montreux, until it could return to the rebuilt new Casino in 1975 [extract from wikipedia].
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The 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival
The 16th edition of the Festival (1982), held from July 9 to 25 opened with a musical firework along with Laurie Anderson, Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club. The Brasilians Milton Nascimento, Wagner Tiso and Alceu Valença were on the second evening and the king of Reggae music Jimmy Cliff and Gilberto Gil played the third evening !
The Rock music was secured by Steve Miller Band, Mink Deville and the British Climax Blues Band who was one of the leading lights of the late ‘60s Blues boom. Jackson Brown took care of the Soul music and the Lounge Lizards and, on the same evening Michael Schrieve (Santana’s drummer) and his band “Novo Combo” played the Jazz-Rock side.
The Blues evening was secured by the virtuoso Stevie Ray Vaughan who surprised many, and David Bowie who was present in the audience at the time was so impressed that he requested Stevie to play guitar on his new “Let’s Dance” album. Jackson Brown, also present in the audience, offered his recording studio for Stevie to record his new album “Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble” and assist him in signing a contract with record company Epic (thanks to John Hammond senior).
July 22, BB King Blues Band played for the third time in Montreux. Again, all kinds of music styles were represented: from Charles Lloyd, Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, Wynton Marsalis, Bobby McFerrin, Jay McShann, Billy Cobham’s Glass Menagerie, Eric Gale and a super session with big names such as : Jack Bruce, Alan Holdsworth, Didier Lockwood, David Sancious and Billy Cobham on drums.
Another revelation was, with no doubt, the Australian Jazz-Rock-Fusion Band called 'Crossfire' with band members Mark Riley (Drums), Greg Lyon (Bass), Jim Kelly (guitars), Michael Kenny (keyboards, Trumpet), Tony Buchanan (Sax, Oboe, Flute) and Ian Bloxham (Percussion). The 16th edition of the Festival deserved its eclectic reputation ! Jean Tinguely, a Swiss artist best known for his sculptural machines, designed the festival's poster as depicted above [extract from Montreuxmusic.com].
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In the July/August 1983 edition of 'Jazz', Australian jazz writer and critic Eric Myers reviewed the LP entitled 'Crossfire: Live at Montreux'. The recording documented a live 1982 performance by Australian jazz-rock fusion band Crossfire at "one of the world's great festivals" (Myers, 1983: np). Myers' review begins with reference to what is commonly referred to as Australian cultural cringe - the belief that Australian culture is inferior to overseas culture, especially European and North American - before offering his assessment of Crossfire's place amongst the elite company at Montreux:
What this record shows beyond doubt is that Crossfire, playing original music that is an
outgrowth of our own culture, can take their place on the international stage with the best of them ... a great moment for Crossfire and a high point for Australian music.
[ extract from epubs.scu.edu.au ]
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This post is presented in two parts. The first consists of 5 separate tracks, as released on their official WEA album, ripped from YouTube videos as mp3's (256kps). Limited album artwork is included along with record label scans and select photos from their performance.
The second part is a single mp3 file (256kps) ripped from a YouTube clip, which captures their complete Montreux set (nearly 80mins long). Limited artwork is included along with screen captures of their performance. The quality of the sound reproduction is awesome, and Crossfire's performance is as good - if not better, than the masters of Jazz Fusion - 'Return to Forever'
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Album Track Listing
01 - Clown Raga
02 - Off Balance
03 - This Way Out
04 - Hysterical Rochords
05 - A Youth In Asia
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Full Concert Set
01 - No Hands Jive
02 - Off Balance
03 - Clown Raga
04 - Hysterical Rochords
05 - This Way Out
06 - Let It Slide Down Easy
07 - A Youth In Asia
08 - Encore
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Band Members were:
Greg Lyon (Bass)
Mark Riley (Drums)
Jim Kelly (guitars)
Michael Kenny (keyboards, Trumpet
Tony Buchanan (Sax, Oboe, Flute)
Ian Bloxham (Percussion)
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Live in Montreux - Album (94Mb)
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Live in Montreux - Full Set (145Mb)
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Marc Bolan - 20th Century Boy (3LP Anthology 1981)

(U.K 1965 - 1977)
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Born Mark Feld in Hackney, East London, 1947, Bolan was youthful mod and budding male model before attempt to break into music scene at same time as other struggling young songwriters. David Bowie and Cat Stevens.
Changed name to Marc Bolan when Decca released "The Wizard" single in 1966 before becoming member of John's Children, who have claims to being first-ever glam rock band. This outfit had two minor British hits on Track label, "Desdemona" and "Go Go Girl", the latter actually a backing track for Bolan's later Mustang Ford with vocals added after he had left group. Around this time, also cut recordings for Track album, "Beginning Of Doves", although this was not released until 1974.
Bolan subsequently attempted to form five-piece electric group which, legend has it, failed when hire purchase company repossessed their equipment. Out of wreckage, surviving members Bolan and percussionist Steve Peregrine Took started gigging as acoustic duo 1968 under name 'Tyrannosaurus Rex'.
First and second albums were purely acoustic and featured Bolan compositions heavy with his own private mythologies. By the third album, 'Prophets Seers And Sages' etc, in 1969, Bolan had expanded instrumentation and was writing some of his best songs.
Steve Took quit soon after, mainly through disenchantment with inability to stamp his own personality on duo's work, and he was replaced by Micky Finn, who met Bolan in health-food restaurant.
Finn made debut on 1970 'Beard Of Stars' album, which was transitional collection in that Bolan introduced electric guitar on several tracks. Up to this point Rex were minority appeal outfit on fringes of what British press termed at time "progressive" boom, in competition for audiences with far more successful contemporaries like of Ten Years After, Jethro Tull and Fleetwood Mac.
Then, in late 1970, Bolan and Finn, now operating under abbreviated name of T. Rex, had surprise U.K. No. 2 single with "Ride A White Swan" - which was issued simultaneously with T. Rex album as their debut release or now defunct Fly label.
Bolan's audience changed dramatically within a period of months. With addition of bassist Steve Currie and later drummer Bill Legend, consolidated new position as fast-growing teeny-bopper and chart attraction with "Hot Love", which topped U.K. charts for six weeks in early 1971, and "Get It On" which enjoyed comparable success later same year. (Later is closest Bolan ever got to breaking U.S. singles charts, entitled as "Get It On, Bang A Gong".)
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By this time, totally on strength of Bolan's charismatic personality and penchant for commercial songs. T. Rex were drawing from then increasingly younger audiences the kind of hysteria previously not seen since golden days IT. U.K. of Stones, Beatles and The Monkees.
In mid-1971 'Electric Warrior' completed transition from gentle folkiness of early Rex to full-blown rock n' roll attack. It was a brilliant collection, and Fly pulled the "Jeepster" track off the album to release as single. It made U.K. No. 2 but Bolan, upset at not being consulted, started his own T. Rex label.
Through 1972 Bolan was at peak of his popularity. The Slider was a great commercial success, and "Telegram Sam", "Metal Guru", re-issued oldie "Debora", "Children Of The Revolution" and "Solid Gold Easy Action" continued stream of U.K. hits.
In 1973, Ringo Starr turned film-maker and directed movie about the T. Rex phenomenon "Born To Boogie", which, despite the participation of Elton John, satisfied only the faithful.
Critically however, his output came in for increasing hammering, and Bolan himself was obviously decidedly frustrated by total inability to open U.S. market with same ease. Albums from 'Tanx' onwards failed to match U.K. sales of immediate predecessors, and by 1973 T. Rex fever started to abate as Bolan fans began to switch loyalties to U.S. bopper exports David Cassidy and Osmonds.
It all fell apart as quickly as it had began: Bolan got fat, baited his critics, churned out product, left his wife June Child to shack up with U.S. singer Gloria Jones (by whom he has a son), split from Micky Finn in March 1975 and pronounced T. Rex defunct, and finally retreated to the U.S.A. that same year, ostensibly as a tax exile.
He came back again spring '76 on a low-profile comeback tour with Gloria Jones, and by the close of the year formed a new T. Rex using Dino Dines (keyboards) and British rock veterans Tony Newman, Herbie Flowers and Miller Anderson. You almost had to admire his nerve when he started coming the 'elder brother' bit with U.K. new wave acts, and then got The Damned to support him on his early '77 tour.
The start of his own weekly TV show was a further indication of Bolan's resilience, and in all he was enjoying his best latter day period when he was killed in a road crash in 1977 — a passenger in a car driven by Gloria Jones. He died two weeks before his 30th birthday on September 16, 1977 years old [extract from The Illustrated New Musical Express Encyclopedia of Rock, 1977 p36]
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Album Review
In the days before CDs, box sets, and vast archive-release projects, the Marc Bolan and T.Rex catalogue was basically spread over several dozen poorly annotated compilations, scarcely listenable bootlegs & overvalued rarities. Then "20th Century Boy" came along and for the first time the entire picture came blasting into perspective. Issued only in Australia, but widely imported elsewhere, the three vinyl albums document Bolan's entire career from 1965-1977, 63 tracks in all, rounding up impossibly scarce 45s by John's Children, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Dib Cochran & the Earwigs & Big Carrot alongside the expected T.Rex hits and album tracks. Brief interview segments close three of the six sides, and the triple gatefold packaging features excellent liner notes and illustrations. It is also worth noting that this remains the only career-spanning anthology for Bolan issued so far.
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I grew up listening to Marc Bolan and T.Rex, and played 'Electric Warrior' non stop through my teenage years. I bought this triple LP anthology while attending University and saw it as a comprehensive collection of his best material. It was great value at the time, with each side clocking in at around 28minutes of music and hosting 63 tracks in total - all for the price of a double album.
However, there are a few track missing which I believe should have been included in this anthology How could classics such as "Summertime Blues" and "The Slider" not be included, while three of the 'best tracks' from Electric Warrior were also ignored - "Rip Off", "Cosmic Dancer" and "Lean Woman Blues".
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Therefore, I have chosen to include these songs as bonus tracks in this post. Also included is a track released in 1981 called "You Scare Me To Death". This track was originally called "Horrible Breath" and was written as a proposed television jingle for Amplex Tablets.
To finish off the collection, I have also included a bonus MegaMix single of Bolan classics, released as a 12" single in 1985 (Songs covered are Metal Guru, 20th Century Boy and Children Of The Revolution).
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The post is split up into 3 sections - all ripped from my A+ vinyl as mp3's (320kps) and not a pop or crackle to be heard. Full album artwork is included with CD3 but I am also providing the Album Artwork as a separate download link for the Bolan collectors who may already have the music. Included in the scans is an extensive discography of Bolan recordings along with a chronological summation of his recording career.
This truly is a brilliant collection of Bolan / T.Rex music and one can only wonder what music Marc would have released, if his life hadn't been cut so tragically short in 1977.
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Track Listing
Record 1
1. The Wizard
2. Beyond The Rising Sun
3. The Third Degree
4. San Francisco Poet
5. Hippy Gumbo
6. Misfit
7. The Perfumed Garden Of Gulliver Smith
8. Jasper C. Debussy
9. Hot Rod Momma
10. Mustang Ford
11. Desdemona
12. Sara Crazy Child
13. Midsummer Night's Scene (Interview segment)
14. Child Star
15. Debora
16. Demon Queen
17. One Inch Rock
18. Catblack (The Wizard's Hat)
19. Pewter Suitor
20. King Of The Rumbling Spires
21. Do You Remember?
22. By The Light Of The Magical Moon
23. Once Upon The Seas Of Abyssinia
24. Blessed Wild Apple Girl
25. Find A Little Wood (Interview segment)
Record 2
26. Oh Baby
27. Beltane Walk
28. Ride A White Swan
29. Hot Love
30. Get It On (Bang A Gong)
31. Jeepster
32. Planet Queen
33. Telegram Sam
34. Metal Guru
35. Chariot Choogle
36. Baby Strange
37. Children Of The Revolution
38. Jitterbug Love
39. Sunken Rags
40. Solid Gold Easy Action
41. Born To Boogie
42. 20th Century Boy
43. Highway Knees
44. The Groover
45. Christmas Message (*)
Record 3
45. Squint Eye Mangle (instrumental)
46. Truck On (Tyke)
47. Teenage Dream
48. Venus Loon
49. Light Of Love
50. Think Zinc
51. Zip Gun Boogie
52. New York City
53. Dreamy Lady
54. London Boys
55. Solid Baby
56. I Love To Boogie
57. Laser Love
58. City Port (with Gloria Jones)
59. The Soul Of My Suit
60. Dandy In The Underworld
61. Celebrate Summer
62. Crimson Moon
63. Teen Rio Structure (Interview segment)
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Note: (*) The "Christmas Message" listed on Side 4 was actually missing on the vinyl pressing, however, I have managed to source the 30sec segment, made available only to Fan Club members in 1973.
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Marc Bolan - 20th Century Boy CD1 (1965-1970) MP3 (128Mb)  New Link 27/02/2024
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Marc Bolan - 20th Century Boy CD2 (1970-1973) MP3 (163Mb) New Link 27/02/2024
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Marc Bolan - 20th Century Boy CD3 (1973-1977) MP3 (163Mb)  New Link 27/02/2024
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Artwork Only Link (16Mb)  New Link 25/04/2020
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