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We asked Brisbane illustrator Simon McLean to create the cover art and he responded with the unique homegrown concept that you
see
Homegrown II was realised with the enthusiastic support of many individuals, but special thanks must go to Peter Blyton and Murray Lyons of Suite 16, ace timekeeper Don Lebler, and FM104's Terry Anthony.
Our aim was to produce a record, in the true sense of the word, of the new music of South East Queensland in 1983. As we celebrate our third anniversary as Brisbane's FM Stereo Rock Radio, we believe we've succeeded with local technology and local talent.[Linear Notes by Bill Riner (Program Manager)]
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Various Homegrown Vol 2 is a Australian-only FM 104 radio pressing 13-track LP, compiling music written and performed by Queensland Musicians exclusively for the Homegrown radio show, featuring such obscure names as The Jumpers, Delta 9, Skidmarks, Mindsweepers and more, housed in a unique picture sleeve with band photo insert. The following is scant little information I have been able to find for each band.
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Hungry Young Men
Featured Track: Women & Children First
Band Members: Peter Holzberger (Guitar/Lead Vocal), Ian Chamber (Guitars), Andrew Mathieson (Bass/Vocals), Tony Cambell (Drums). John Gray played keyboards, guitar and vocals for them in 1984.
Released one 7" Single "Vista Vision"/"Elves in Bondage" (1983) and one LP 'Live On A Plate' (1984) on the Sundown Records label.
Delta 9
Featured Track: Dangerous Romance
Band Members: Damon Robinson (Guitar/Vocals), Mano Merlini (Drums/Vocals), Barry Walsh (Bass), Rob Merlini (Keyboards/Vocals)
Mario Merlini and Damon Robinson went on to form Hank Panky in 1987, releasing a single in November 1987, called "I Can See Clearly Now"
Kyro
Featured Track: Living
Band Members: Greta Barber (Lead Vocal), David Osbourne (Guitars), Mark Hilton (Guitars / Keyboards), Chris Neale (Drums), Nick Heraclides (Bass)
David Osbourne, Mark Hilton and Nicholas Heraclides moved onto The Naturals. Chris Neale eventually ended up playing for the Kate Meehan Blues Band
The Tim Gaze Band
Featured Track: Dreams
Band Members: Tim Gaze (Guitars / Lead Vocal), Peter Willersdorf (Bass / Vocals), John Barns (Drums / Percussion / Vocals), Peter Bolton (Keyboards)
Tim Gaze (born 8 August 1953) is an Australian rock and blues guitarist, songwriter, singer and producer. He was a member of several prominent Australian groups of the 1960s and 1970s including Tamam Shud, Kahvas Jute, Ariel and Rose Tattoo. Gaze joined his first major band, Tamam Shud, in late 1969, replacing founding member Zac Zytnic at the age of fifteen. He played with Shud for about six months but quit suddenly around June 1970, just after the recording of their second LP Goolutionites and The Real People (which was released in October 1970).
Gaze then joined a new band, Kahvas Jute and contributed his first compositions to their only album, Wide Open (released in January 1971). Soon after its release Gaze rejoined Tamam Shud, remaining with them until the band broke up in August 1972. During this period Gaze and the other members of Tamam Shud played on the sessions for the soundtrack of the landmark Australian surfing film Morning Of The Earth, which became the first Australian film soundtrack to earn a gold record award.
In 1976, this band, with the addition of keyboard player Peter Bolton, evolved into the Tim Gaze Rock Ensemble. Later personnel changes brought in bass player Harry Curtis and keyboard player Andy Cowan. For Infinity/Festival Records, the band recorded an unreleased album of music from the soundtrack of a 1979 film, 'Band On The Run'. In early 2000, this material was recovered and released on CD.Concurrent with these activities, he also led the Tim Gaze Band, 1977-79, the personnel including bass player Peter Willersdorf and drummer John Barnes. From 1985 to the early 90s, Gaze played slide guitar with Rose Tattoo, teamed up once more with Barnes and Willersdorf in Made In Oz, and was with Skin Game, Brothers Of The Bell, Big Secret, Ardijah, the Sultans, Oasis, the Peter Wells Band and the Millionaires.
With guitarist Phil Graham he co-wrote and recorded the soundtrack for Sultans 2: The Power Strikes Back (1990). In 1992 Gaze formed his own trio, which included Robbie France-Shaw. Through the 90s he was also with singer Gyan, Tamam Shud again, and the Bushwackers.
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| Rose Tattoo - Tim Gaze (third right) |
In 1998, Tim formed the Blues Doctors, with Mike Gubb (piano/organ), Jim Conway (harmonica), Graeme Gibb (bass), Rob Grosser (drums), and Daniel Barnett and Ralph Frankie (brass). He also worked with multi-instrumentalist Clare O’Meara and fiddler Mark Oats as Limestone, and with Rob Grosser (drums) and Bob Daisley (bass) as the Hoochie Coochie Men.
In 2005, Gaze toured with popular singer Jimmy Barnes and was active as session musician, record producer and was Field Operations manager for ACRO at the University of Queensland. [extract from allmusic.com]
Note: During 1982-1983, his band was referred to as 'Troppo II / III' rather than the Tim Gaze Band [as reported at Oz Rock Database]
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Note: During 1982-1983, his band was referred to as 'Troppo II / III' rather than the Tim Gaze Band [as reported at Oz Rock Database]
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Company Bred
Featured Track: Dreams Of Steel
Band Members: Richard Lawson (Guitar/Lead Vocal), Peter Danse (Keyboards), Peter Griffin (Bass), Paul Kent (Drums). 1982 - 1985
Released single on EMI Custom Records "Give Them What They Want, Black and White / Amberley Wives" (13687)
The Jumpers
Featured Track: Believe In This
Band Members: John O'Dwyer (Lead Vocal), Phil Treby (Bass / Vocals), Kevin Walsh (Keyboards), Peter Benson(Guitars/Vocals), Ross Gwyther (Sax), Brian Beamisgh (Drums / Timbales)
Not to be confused with the Adelaide Reggae/Ska Band (1979-1982)
Released a single on Sundown Records "You Don't See It / Hey Sexy" (SUN 0046)
La Mode
Featured Track: Jenny's Song
Band Members: Michael Whelan (Keyboards/Lead Vocal), Gerard Lacheca (Guitar / Vocals), Adam Cauper (Guitar/Vocals), John Lisignoli (Bass), Dave McDonald (Drums/Percussion), Vanessa Blocksidge (Vocals/Whisper)
Gerard Lacheca may have moved on to join the Brisbane/Sydney band 'Vicious Kites' in 1984 as lead singer. Vicious Kites released 2 singles and a mini LP
The Mindsweepers
Featured Track: Gotta Go Now
Band Members: Bryan Sweeper (Guitar / Lead Vocal), Cameron Giles ((Bass), Chris Potter (Drums), Greg Wildlife (Sax), Janice Abstract (Synthesiser)
Brisbane band who eventually moved to Sydney. A Mutant offspring of the Doors and Talking Heads.
Released a single in Oct, 1984 "Eygpt & France" and another "I'm Thinking" See YouTube clip.
Greg Parker (sax/flute) joined in 1984 when the band moved to Sydney and commented on YouTube "We had a pretty good run in the early 80s playing in clubs around Sydney, North & central Coast, Melbourne".
Note that the album back cover credits the Synthesiser player as Janice Abstract, however her correct name is Janice Jetson (see WHO's WHO Of Australian Rock, 2002. p255)
Bazzil at Prehistoric Rock reports that "4ZzZ Radio Station held a record launch gig for the "State Of Emergence" compilation album at the UQ refectory building.
If my memory is correct the girl in the photo is Janice Jetson from Brisbane band The Mindsweepers. See RAM Magazine 1986."
The Roostars
Featured Track: My Tree
Band Members: Raymond Gage (Guitar/Vocals), Steve Sykes (Guitar/Vocals), Glen Fox (Bass/Vocals), Greg Tesch (Drums)
The track "My Tree" features keyboard/synth sounds, yet no artist is credited for keyboards on the cover's band listing?
Stop Press: Thanks to 'James' it would seem that Peter Blyton is the mystery keyboard player on this track
Neil Bryant
Featured Track: Closest To Me
Band Members: Neil Bryant (Vocals), Peter Blyton (Guitar), Peter Willy (Bass), Don Lebler (Linn Drum), Michael Stowasser (Keyboards)
Neil may have moved on to join the Sydney band The Brakes in 1986 as lead singer.
See the Brakes single "Shake, Shake" on YouTube
SkidMarks
Featured Track: Take Aim
Band Members: Gary Francis (Lead Vocal), Kevin Moloney (Guitar), Ken Cougan (Bass), John Spencer (Drums / Percussion)
This post consists of FLACs and MP3's (320kps) ripped from my ultra rare vinyl copy and includes full album artwork and label scans.
This radio sampler of Queensland bands is the second release by FM104 with first volume being released in 1982 . Only a few bands featured on this LP went on to greater things (ie. Tim Gaze and The MindSweepers), while most bands disappeared as quickly as they had emerged. If you are an avid collector of Aussie Rock and New Wave, then you're gonna love this album.
Finally, I would be interested to hear from any band members featured on this sampler to fill in the gaps - especially the more obscure bands who deserve better publicity.
Track Listing
02 - Delta 9 - Dangerous Romance03 - Hungry Young Men - Women & Children First
04 - Skidmarks - Take Aim
05 - Kyro - Living
06 - The Jumpers - Believe In This
07 - Company Bred - Dreams Of Steel
08 - The Tim Gaze Band - Dreams
09 - Roostars - My Tree
10 - Neil Bryant - Closest To Me
11 - La Mode - Jenny's Song
12 - Mindsweepers - Gotta Go Now
13 - Andy Jenner - Good Morning
FM104 Homegrown Vol II FLACs (281Mb)
FM104 Homegrown Vol II MP3's (110Mb)
Great post!
ReplyDeleteSuper! Many thanks!
ReplyDeleteSo many memories have been brought back by this post. Would you also have the album that preceded this one with Seven Ballerinas and Solid Citizens on it ?
ReplyDeleteSorry but I don't have Vol 1. If any other blog followers do have it, I'd love to hear from you.
DeleteHi Gary from Skidmarks here. One of many wannabe bands who for one reason or another didn't make it. Great times making this and the years before and after. Knew many of the folk in the other bands on this. It really was a great time for Oz rock and the start of an era of music that continues today.
ReplyDeleteHi Gary. Great to have you drop by. Sorry the reference to Skidmarks was next to zero, but I couldn't find any info via Google search. If you have any info that you could share about the band, I'd love to supplement this post. (eg. where when the band started, other recordings, influences, post skidmarks etc). Please email to g_r_anderson@netspace.net.au. Here's hoping - thanks mate.
DeleteThanks AussieRock. I have the first volume of this series but the equipment I have at the moment doesn't make a descent copy. Looking at upgrading so I can do so and share some other stuff. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteGood Days. A Local Rock Station supporting Local Artists. I only ever got to see Tim Gaze play live.
ReplyDeleteKeyboards on My Tree were Peter Blyton.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up James - credit is now given in the post. Cheers
DeleteTHANK YOU -- VERY GOOD
ReplyDelete