REPOST: Loverboy - Big Ones (1989)

(Canadian 1979-1989, 1991 - Present)
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If you partied at all in the 80s, chances are your soundtrack included Loverboy. The band captivated legions of loyal fans and helped define the original party rock era of the 1980s. They have sold more than 20 million records worldwide and touched generations of music fans.

Formed in 1979 in Calgary, Canada, Loverboy signed their first deal with Columbia Records Canada in 1980 and immediately went into the studio with producer Bruce Fairbairn and Canadian Music Hall of Fame member Bob Rock to record their self-titled debut album. The band’s music was driven by the powerful vocals of Mike Reno, the relentless rock groove of lead guitarist Paul Dean, the bass stylings of Scott Smith, the melodies of keyboardist Doug Johnson and the heavy rhythms of drummer Matt Frenette. They turned their collective talent into hits such as “Turn Me Loose” and “The Kid Is Hot Tonite.” Loverboy flew off the shelves, setting record sales for a debut album at the time with over 700,000 albums sold in Canada.

Soon after its U.S. release, the album surpassed two million copies sold in North America and four million worldwide. At the 1982 JUNO Awards, Loverboy’s debut garnered an unprecedented six wins in one night.

The band struck platinum yet again with their sophomore release, Get Lucky (1981). It featured the mega-party anthem, “Everybody’s Working For The Weekend,” a song entrenched in popular culture and a mantra for the working masses. The band subsequently garnered two more consecutive wins for Group of the Year (1983, 1984) and another JUNO Award for Album of the Year in 1983.

From 1980 through 1987, the band released four multi-platinum bestsellers featuring such classics as “Hot Girls in Love,” “When It’s Over,” and “This Could Be The Night,” as well as the smash hit “Heaven In Your Eyes,” recorded for the movie Top Gun.

On stage, Loverboy delivered energy, skill, style and showmanship, establishing themselves as a major live act and building a reputation as one of the hardest working bands in rock. They played more than 200 shows in 1980, embarked on an eight-month world tour in 1983 to promote their third album Keep it Up, and hit 100 cities across North America with the release of their fourth album, Lovin’ Every Minute of It (1985).

The band filled arena after arena, becoming one of the top five grossing touring acts and the first Canadian group to be awarded Columbia Records’ Crystal Globe Award for selling over five million records outside their native country.

The release of Wildside, their fifth album, followed in September 1987. While the band scored a minor hit with "Notorious", co-written by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, the album sold relatively poorly and the band broke up in 1988 due to tensions between Dean and Reno.

Dean released a solo album, Hardcore, in May 1989 and a Loverboy greatest-hits album, Big Ones, was released later that same year, in October, to fulfill Loverboy's obligation to Columbia Records. The group briefly reunited in late 1989 to tour to promote it, but broke up again at the tour's conclusion.

The band finally returned to the stage for a benefit concert in 1992 for friend and fellow recording artist Brian “Too Loud” MacLeod. The reception to their performance from music fans and industry professionals was over whelming and prompted the band to go back on tour.

In November 2000, the band suffered a tragic loss when founding bassist Scott Smith lost his life in a boating accident. The surviving members came together and, with the introduction of new bassist Ken “Spider” Sinnaeve, dedicated their next album, a live greatest hits collection called Live, Loud & Loose, to Smith’s memory.

Reno & Smith

In 2005, Loverboy marked their silver anniversary by embarking on a North American summer tour to perform their greatest hits over the previous 25 years, along with some new songs. After a decade away from the studio, the band next recorded the tough-rocking 2007 release, Just Getting Started, starting a creative new chapter in the long history of Loverboy.

The band continues to tour with an average of 60 to 80 shows a year across North America – a testament to their lasting popularity and impressive longevity in the music business. That’s right: they’re still working for your weekend. [extract from the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame Website]

This post consists of  FLACs ripped from my CD and comes with full album artwork for both CD and Vinyl formats, along with label scans.  I must admit that I had always thought of Loverboy as being a one hit band, but when I heard this compilation it became immediately evident that Loverboy had produced a string of hits that easily measured up "Turn me Loose".  The CD release, featured here contains 14 tracks whereas the vinyl release only has 10.  "Working For The Weekend", "The Kid Is Hot Tonite" and "Notorious" (all top 10 hits) are all there along with a string of other catchy tunes, proving that this Canadian band were a force to be reckoned with. So, let me 'turn you loose' and encourage you to grab a copy while it stays Hot Tonite"

                               

                 +++++ New Improved Rip +++++

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Track Listing

01 Working For The Weekend 3:43

02 For You 5:56

03 The Kid Is Hot Tonite 4:29

04 Lovin' Every Minute Of It 3:34

05 Lucky Ones 3:52

06 Hot Girls In Love 4:01

07 This Could Be Night 5:00

08 Ain't Looking For Love 4:42

09 Turn Me Loose 5:38

10 Notorious 4:42

11 When It´s Over 5:09

12 Too Hot 4:26

13 Take Me To The Top 6:13

14 Heaven In Your Eyes 4:03

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Loverboy were:

Mike Reno (Vocals)
Paul Dean (Guitar)
Scott Smith (Bass)
Doug Johnson (Keyboards)
Matt Frenette (Drums)

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Loverboy Big Ones (447Mb)
  New Link 03/09/2026

W.O.C.K on Vinyl: John Vincent and Celsius '69 Present Ken Noath and the Ocker Rockers - Almost Live at the Findon [EP] (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.

Disc Jockey John Vincent was one of Adelaide’s most-loved radio personalities in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s Heard on air, seen on TV, compering dances or performing musically under the pseudonym Ken Noath (sometimes Ken Oath *) & The Ocker Rockers. Having originally started in country radio, Moved to Hobart's 7HO in early sixties. John moved to Adelaide and Radio 5AD sometime in the mid 60s.

In the early 70s he moved to Radio Earth Station 5KA and started recording with Adelaide Band Celsius 69 (AKA Fahrenheit 451), The In-Sect, and others.

He started releasing the odd single in 1967. And they were truly odd. 'Owyagoing' was the first, followed by "classics" like Madge's Charity Badges, 'Owyagoing Santa Claus etc etc. In the early 70s he was a regular guest on Barry Ion's TV chat show and to differentiate between his radio & performing personas, Vincent adopted the moniker "Ken Noath", apparently inspired by expletives heard at his concerts.

John Vicent was also known for live performances of his comic turns, with bands like Celsius 69, Fahrenheit 451 and The Ken Noath Ockestra.

After his stint in Adelaide, he moved east to commence work as the breakfast announcer at 2GB. John Vincent had been plagued with serious health problems for most of his life and he found the pace of radio affecting his wellbeing, eventually retiring from the airwaves in the 90s. He died in 2009.

This live EP is a good example of his great Ocker satire and musical proness.

RCA lifted these tracks from an LP on the totally obscure Slack label. Slack Records was a one-off pressed by the optimistic Nationwide/EMS outfit who never achieved distribution much beyond Adelaide, although in the mid ‘70s they released a bewildering number of singles and LPs sourced locally and from overseas.

Ken says 'Owyagoing'

These tracks are very local, featuring Adelaide radio person John Vincent belting out his tongue-in-cheek “ocker rock” live at the Findon Hotel in 1974. Suburban Aussie rock at it’s very worst/best, depending on your attitude. Celsius 69 were a good rock band with an excellent lead guitarist (Jimmy Jonas) and bass player John Bywaters (best known as a longtime member of The Twilights).

*  "Bloody oath" (often colloquially intensified or misheard as "blood oath" or "Ken Oath") is an iconic Australian slang phrase meaning "absolutely," "you bet," or "it's the absolute truth"

So, this month's WOCK post ticks most boxes, Crazy, Korny, even Obscure [Ken Oath !] and are some of the funniest satirical recordings I've ever heard.  Ripped to FLAC, this post also includes artwork and label scans.  Well, that's it from me until next month folks...... I'm off to put a snag on me barbie - blood oath! 

Track Listing:

01 - (Thump Thump, Bash Bash) Jungle Music

02 - The Flasher

03 - I Forgive You

04 - Watermelon Song

Ken Oath's EP  (64Mb)

REPOST: Jon Stevens - Are U Satisfied (1993)

(Australian 1979-Present)
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Jon Stevens was born Jon Rangi Stevenson in 1963, and originated from the Upper Hutt, north of Wellington, New Zealand. He is the younger brother by 13 years of Frankie Stevens. After leaving school, Jon had a job, along with his sister at the EMI record plant, pressing vinyl. While working, he used to sing with his sister, and they decided to enter a talent quest. At the Upper Hutt talent quest was an EMI representative and liking what he saw, signed Jon up to a contract.
In October 1979, Jon entered Marmalade Studios to record his first single. It was "Jezebel"/"Rest Your Love On Me". When released, "Jezebel" raced up the charts, reaching the number one spot on December 2. It stayed in that spot until January 20, 1980, when it was knocked from that position by his own second single, "Montego Bay"/"Sha La La". "Montego Bay" was a cover of the Bobby Bloom song. These two hits were included on his first album released in 1980, called "Jezebel".

.In 1981 Jon relocated to Sydney where he signed a deal with the Big Time label. He recorded his second, self-titled album in Los Angeles with American session players. It yielded two singles in 1982, a reworking of "Jezebel" and "Lover My Love", but neither was successful.
Jon Stevens then formed The Change with guitarist Stuart Fraser (ex Feather and Smith). They played the occasional Sydney pub gig, and with the help of bass player Steve Balbi (on loan from the Kevin Borich Express), recorded an independent single "Forever Young"/"Out There" in 1984. By 1985, drummer Kevin Nicol (ex Dial X) had joined Stevens and Fraser, and they began to lay plans for a new band. They recruited Balbi as a permanent member, and added newcomer Justin Stanley on keyboards. He had been writing songs with Balbi. This new line-up, completed in 1986, was known as Noiseworks.
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Noiseworks built up a strong following on the Australian pub-rock circuit, and in 1987 were signed by CBS. Their self-titled debut album was released in July 1987 and peaked at number 2 on the Australian Albums chart, producing no less than 5 singles.
Noiseworks went on to release two more albums, while Jon commenced his stage career when he joined the Australian cast of the revived stage musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" in the role of Judas. Jon appeared alongside the rest of the cast on a CD and single from the show. The show ran for 84 nights and was performed across Australia to more than a million people, making Jon a household name.
This stint with the show basically put an end to Noiseworks. The band played its last gig at Selinas in Sydney during March 1992. That gig produced the band's final single, a cover of the Beatles "Let It Be" (Live). This song appeared on the Greatest Hits CD released in October 1992.
When the "Superstar" tour ended, Jon recorded his third solo album, "Are U Satisfied". Most people were unaware of his previous recording history and believed this to be his debut solo album. This was issued in October 1993 and three singles were released from it.

.During the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney,Jon worked with INXS's Jon Farriss to record and release the single "Carry The Flame", which became the official theme for the Olympic Torch relay. It was through this work with Jon Farriss and previous backing vocal sessions with INXS that led to Jon joining INXS as a replacement singer for frontman Michael Hutchence. He toured with them for three years as their lead singer and in 2003 he quit the band, without recording a new album. There was only one song, "I Get Up" that was ever recorded with Jon and INXS.
In 2005, Jon released his much anticipated acoustic album titled. "The Works". The album comprises of an eclectic mix of Noiseworks favourites and some of his more recent releases.(extract from Sergent.com.au)
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REVIEW -
ARE U SATISFIED?
(Rolling Stones Magazine, #489, Nov 1993, p81)
This is actually former Noiseworks' frontman Jon Stevens's third solo album. Back in the early 1980s, Jon Stevens was a promising young New Zealand funk/rock vocalist. He had released two solo albums by the time he was 19. Then, of course, Jon Stevens became an integral part of Noiseworks and helped.
shoot the band and its three albums (Noiseworks, Touch, Love vs Money) to enormous Australian success. In the process, Noiseworks blew apart the Oz-pub rock traditions of just-rock-and-nothing-else, by lashing their tunes with layers of keyboards, tinges of Seventies cheesy disco and fat doses of funk.
You get the feeling Are U Satisfied? is the sort of album Jon Stevens has long wanted to make, and almost did with Love vs Money; both albums share some obvious musical similarities. Produced by Stevens and Noiseworks' guitarist Stuart Fraser and recorded in just a few weeks with a bunch of good friends (including guitarists Nick Barker and Jed Starr), Are U Satisfied? could well have been cluttered and self-indulgent. But Jon Stevens understands Australia's rock-loving crowds (and what they expect to hear from him) and, on these levels, Are U Satisfied? does not disappoint.

The record is thick with good, strong songs, mostly about love and relationships, but the music is almost stripped to its bare bones. It smells pleasantly of Seventies-retro — the kind that artists like Lenny Kravitz are now exploring — funky, riff-driven numbers with peaking swirls of keyboards and boppin' stomp rhythms. A number of the songs also sound so familiar that you'd swear they're obscure covers ("Going Down", "Love Makes No Sense", "Say What You Mean").
One of the most pleasantly surprising aspects of Are U Satisfied? is the lack of radio-friendly ballads. "Burn So Bright" is about the closest this album comes to a ballad, and even so, this song's quiet moments are impaled on hooking, gritty riffs.
With Noiseworks and Jesus Christ Superstar fading in the distance, Are U Satisfied? marks the beginning of a new phase in Jon Stevens's career, and while it is not overly experimental or innovative, it will satisfy those who dig their rock straight up, tight, honest and unpolished. [review by Darryl Mason]
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This post consists of a FLAC rip from CD, and includes full album artwork. Although never released on vinyl, it was released on cassette and so still deserves a place on the blog.

My favourite tracks are "Love Makes No Sense" and "Say What Ya Mean", and the single "Going Down" which has a distinct 'Lenny Kravitz' feel about it with some soaring guitar riffs that really rock ya socks off. Although Jon has been a successful solo artist in his own right, his time as the frontman for Noiseworks was definitely the peak of his career in my opinion. If you are looking for more recent material from Jon, why not visit his website.
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                       *  New Improved Rip *

Track Listing
01 - Hard As Stone
02 - Goin' Down
03 - Love Makes No Sense
04 - All I Need is You
05 - Stay
06 - Say What Ya Mean
07 - I'll be There
08 - Change Your Mind
09 - Burn So Bright
10 - Reflections
11 - Are U Satisfied?
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Band Members:

Jon Stevens (vocals)
Stuart Fraser (bass, guitar)
Nick Barker (guitar)
Virgil Donati (drums)
Paul Gray (keyboards)
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Jon Stevens Link (302Mb) 

New Link 28/08/2026
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Jimi Hendrix Experience - Radio One (1988)

(U.S 1967 - 1970)

Radio One is a posthumous psychedelic rock album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience , released in the United States in November 1988 by Rykodisc. Later released in the United Kingdom on February 1, 1989, the album features songs recorded live during a series of BBC sessions in 1967. It reached number 30 on the UK Albums Chart and number 119 on the Billboard 200. All tracks were later released on the compilation album BBC Sessions in 1998.

Radio has always been the primary medium for bringing music to people's ears. The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) has broadcast countless rock artists since the 1960s. From the 1980s onward, these recordings began to surface, either through bootlegs or official releases. The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, and, in the case that interests us in this blog, Jimi Hendrix, have all appeared on the BBC.

Born in Seattle, USA, and discovered by Englishman Chass Chandler, Jimi Hendrix achieved commercial success in England. Hendrix arrived in the UK in 1966. The following year, at the height of the psychedelic movement, The Jimi Hendrix Experience—that is, Jimi and his trio, consisting of Noel Redding on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums—played on various Radio One programs and shows, as well as a live performance at the Playhouse Theatre in London. In 1988, these recordings were compiled and released under the original title "Radio One." 

Hendrix's studio albums are generally characterized by their highly produced sound, featuring multiple layers of instruments and effects. Whether it was more guitars, acoustic or electric, keyboards, percussion, vocals, or effects like reversed tapes, all these elements contributed to the atmosphere of the albums, which is why Hendrix's music has earned the label of psychedelic rock. The tracks recorded at the radio station possess an extreme rawness, where the "power trio" concept, which had emerged shortly before with Cream (Clapton, Baker, and Bruce), was explored to its fullest potential. [extract from asturguiri.blogspot.com]

BBC Recording Sessions

Like most hungry London-based performers, The Jimi Hendrix Experience made multiple appearances on the BBC’s handful of radio shows that focused on current pop music. And like most people who went on to be world-famous, many of those performances were spread around via bootlegs until legitimate releases happened.

The first such release came courtesy of Rykodisc. Radio One presented 17 tracks, split between hits and more unique performances. As with most BBC collections, fanatics had lots to pick apart, while the more casual fan could gravitate towards markedly alternate versions of songs they knew from the albums, along with those that were, well, new. “Killin’ Floor” was constant in his setlists, and cooks here. The blues chestnut “Catfish Blues” appears in its then-first known performance (complete with a nod to “Rollin’ And Tumblin’”), as does “Hear My Train A-Comin’”, with unfortunate “party” noises, which also mar “Spanish Castle Magic”. “Driving South” was an excuse to jam, and comes from a show hosted by British blues legend Alexis Korner, who also plays slide with the band on “Hoochie Koochie [sic] Man”. Jimi even composed a “Radio One Theme” for one show.

These performances took place throughout a very busy 1967, when the band played a lot of shows and had the tightness to prove their worth. Save the occasional handclap or vocal overdub, these are live performances, and prove Jimi was able to create his own pyrotechnics without the multitracking that would soon dominate his regular studio work. Thus “Burning Of The Midnight Lamp” is a simpler trio version, without all the decorations the single/album track got. Of course, one must take the good with the bad, so while his funky arrangement of “Hound Dog” has merit, the overdubbed barking makes it one to skip. Better backing vocals are on their cover of “Day Tripper”, which does not include John Lennon, no matter what anybody tells you.

Because the BBC never saved anything, the sound quality on both is a little muddy, and the tweaking modern-day producers took to make the new set less mono doesn’t help. But as a companion to the three true Experience albums, and in balance with some of the other post-Experience recordings we’ll get to soon enough, 'Radio One' is a worthy addition to anyones Hendrix pile.

BBC Sessions - Top Of The Pops 1967

Another similar release worth a hearing is the high quality bootleg by K & S Records called 'Guitar Hero' [previously posted HERE] 

Note: Ten years later, once the “family” gained control of the masters, an expanded double-disc set more directly titled 'BBC Sessions' presented virtually everything he recorded for the station, including alternate takes from the same shows, presented in a not-quite-chronological order to cut down on repetition. [extract from everybodysdummy.blogspot.com]

This post was ripped from CD (released in Australia in 1992) and includes full album artwork for both Vinyl and CD.  I never purchased the vinyl release of Radio One, as I already owned the bootleg release (Guitar Hero) which was a high quality knock off.  Of course, I've regretted this over time, as it does leave a significant hole in my extensive Hendrix vinyl collection. Of course, the hunt still continues to find a decent copy of this '3 sided set' at a reasonable price.

Track Listing:

1-A1 Stone Free 3:26

2-A2 Radio One Theme 1:34

3-A3 Day Tripper 3:16

4-A4 Killing Floor 2:28

5-A5 Love Or Confusion 2:53

6-A6 Catfish Blues 5:29

7-B1 Drivin' South 4:49

8-B2 Wait Until Tomorrow 2:55

9-B3 Hear My Train A Comin' 4:58

10-B4 Hound Dog 2:43

11-B5 Fire 2:41

12-C1 Hoochie Koochie Man 5:29

13-C2 Purple Haze 3:04

14-C3 Spanish Castle Magic 3:08

15-C4 Hey Joe 4:02

16-C5 Foxy Lady 3:00

17-C6 Burning Of The Midnight Lamp 3:43

Personal

· Jimi Hendrix - guitar, lead vocals

· Noel Redding - bass, backing vocals on track 3

· Mitch Mitchell - drums, backing vocals

· Jimmy Leverton - backing vocals on track 11

· Trevor Burton - backing vocals on track 11

Recording details

• Tracks 1, 5, 15 and 16 recorded at 

the BBC Broadcasting House inLondon, England on February 13, 1967

• Tracks 2, 3, 8, 9 and 14 record the BBC Playhouse Theatre in London, England on December 15, 1967

• Tracks 4, 11 and 13 recorded at the BBC Broadcasting House on March 28, 1967

• Tracks 6, 7, 10 and 17 recorded at the BBC Playhouse Theatre on October 6, 1967

• Track 12 recorded at the BBC Playhouse Theatre on October 17, 1967

Radio One Link (417Mb)

Status Quo - Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon (1970)

(U.K 1962 - Present)

If ever there was a turning point in Status Quo's career it must have occurred just prior to the recording of this album with the release of "Down The Dustpipe". The change of direction the single presented as a recording was radical to say the least, especially when compared to the efforts from the two previous albums, "Spare Parts" and "Picturesque Matchstickable". 

Both of these earlier albums were 'poppy' albums with at least a flavour of psychedelia, although they did deliver some quite wonderful singles, "Pictures Of Matchstick Men" becoming not only one of the most famous but also one of the most recognisable. "Down The Dustpipe" although becoming a successful single was a million miles from these previous poppy efforts. It has to be said that in the opinion of a large number of fans the output from "Down The Dustpipe" onwards was not only more indicative of what Quo were about but was also substantially better as well.

Status Quo 1970

The "Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon" album was the follow up to the single "Dustpipe". Largely blues and boogie based it was the start of a highly successful formula that was going to bring Quo world-wide fame and riches a few years later. This formula was built on with the next (and final) PYE album "Dog Of Two Head", a hard rocking album that left record company, fans and all concerned with Quo in no doubt about the direction they had decided to take.

Track by Track

l. Spinning Wheel Blues
First track of the new album and what a change from previous efforts. Written by Francis Rossi and Bob Young this track really did set the trend for (many many) years to come!

2. Daughter
Again fairly typical of things to come. Written by Alan Lancaster the track had the plodding bass and repeated guitar riffs that were to become a (highly successful) trademark of the new Quo. The album even features a short Deep Purplesque keyboard break. Something that would not be seen after this album for a good many years.

3. Everything
Third album track and one of the few to be lifted as a single (PYE 7N 452291 B-side to the "Mean Girl" single which was released March 1973, long after Quo had departed from PYE. "Mean Girl" was released to capitalise on the newly found success Quo had gained with the Piledriver album.

4. Shy Fly

A song that was to show fairly typical boogie traits that were to make Quo so famous in years to come' The only thing untypical is the keyboard in the song.

5. (Apil) Spring, Summer and Wednesdays
A song that is fit for an album. This one really comes across as being a bit of a filler. OK in the context of the album though.

Rossi and Parfitt 1970

6. Juniors Wailing

This was definitely one of the best racks from the new Quo, if not one of the best tracks they ever recorded!

7. Lakky Lady
This track was becoming a good example of typical Quo. Not only was it an album track but it was also used as a B-side for the single (PYE 7N45253) The A side being "Gerdundala", which itself was previously released as the B-side to "My Chair" in Ictober 1970, PYE's reasoning in releasing Gurdundala as an A side in July 1973 was an obvious one, the track was featured heavily in the bands live set at the time.

8. Need Your Love
A bit of a plodder, "Need Your Love" contained some musical signatures that were to crop up often in later Quo records.

9. Lazy Poker Blues
Another great little boogie number with a piano style that was to frequent some of the songs from the band's middle period. Check out "Break The Rules" of the 'Quo' album from 1974.

10. a) Is It Really Me b) Gotta Go Home
This was the start of the long songs for Quo. "Is It Really Me" starts as plodding introduction for 2 mins 50 secs then blasts into "Gotta Go Home", a good boogie number that was going to become quite typical for Quo in later years. The major difference here from later songs was the use of the organ in the track. There are things you will hear in the song that definately re-appear in longer versions of songs from the band's live sets during the mid-seventies. Great material here for those drunken party nights. Turn it up VERY loud and enjoy.

Bonus Tracks:

11. In My Chair
This version is an alternate mix to the original single release (PYE 7N 17998), and is previously unreleased. Another non-LP track that was released the same month as the 'Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon' album. This single was also a strong indication of the change of direction the band was taking. A trackl that was sometimes p-layed live later in the seventies, it was definitely not out of place with some of their later material. The single charted on the 7th November, 1970 climbing to number 21 and completing 14 weeks in the BBC listings.

12. Gerdundula
Released originally in October 1970 on the Pye label as the B-side of "In My Chair" - in England and Germany, the original song runs to around 3 minutes 16 seconds. "Gerdundula" was re-released in July 1973 when it failed to chart. It also appears on the 1971 'Dog Of Two Head' album where it runs to 3 minutes 49 seconds, but this alternate mix from the original (previously unreleased), is the longest version running for 4 minutes 10 seconds.

13. Down The Dustpipe
The version is an alternate previously ureleased mix of the original single (PYE 7N 17907). Now we are talking Quo!  This was the song that not only returned Status Quo to the charts but it was also an indication of the radical direction that Rossi and co. wished to take. "Down The Dustpipe" had been written by an Australian, Carl Grossman [spelt Groszmann on PYE labels) who played rhythm guitar for Australian R&B band 'Steve and The Board' in the late 60's, under the alias of Carl Keats.

When the original single charted on 2nd may, 1970 it began an unbroken run of 17 weeks in the charts! It reached a peak at number 12, and although it did not achieve as high a position as some of the earlier singles it's stay in the charts was significantly longer. "Down The Dustpipe" was not incorporated on the third Status Quo album and it did not secure an album release until PYE later put together a compilation to capitalise on the sucess of Status Quo in the 70's. [See earlier  'Best Of ' Post]

14. Juniors Wailing
An alternate mix, and previously unreleased.

This post consists of FLACs ripped from the 1998 CD release and includes full album artwork for both vinyl and CD media, along with label scans for both Australian (ASTOR) and UK (PYE) releases.  

This CD release includes 4 bonus tracks (alternate mixes), including their hit single "Down The Dustpipe".

Track List:

01 Spinning Wheel Blues  3:21

02 Daughter  3:01

03 Everything  2:36

04 Shy Fly  3:49

05 (April) Spring, Summer And Wednesdays  4:12

06 Junior's Wailing  3:33

07 Lakky Lady  3:14

08 Need Your Love  4:46

09 Lazy Poker Blues  3:37

10 Is It Really Me / Gotta Go Home  9:34

Bonus Tracks

11 In My Chair (Alternate Mix)  3:34

12 Gerdundula (Alternate Mix)  4:10

13 Down The Dustpipe (Alternate Mix)  2:08

14 Junior's Wailing (Alternate Mix)  3:35

Status Quo were:
Francis Rossi - Guitar, Vocals
Rick Parfitt - Guitar, Vocals
Alan Lancaster - Bass, Vocals
John Coghlan - Drums
Roy Lynes - Keyboards
Bob Young - Harmonica

Status Quo's Greasy Link (361Mb)

REPOST: Jesse Harper - Guitar Absolution in the Shade of a Midnight Sun (1969)

(New Zealand 1967 - 1969, aka Doug Jerebine)
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During the mid sixties in New Zealand, the leading bands all included strong lead guitarists. Human Instinct had Billy TK, Ticket had Eddie Hansen, the Underdogs had Harvey Mann and the Brew had Doug Jerebine (aka Jesse Harper). Harvey Mann had learned much of his technique and style from Doug Jerebine. The Underdogs and Human Instinct were good competition for each other, both fighting for the ultimate cult following.

The 'Brew' were regarded as New Zealand’s first 'Underground' band. It was put together by Californian Bob Gillet who was a jazz musician living in New Zealand. He had decided to form his own band to play a new kind of music. His first recruit was guitarist Doug Jerebine (pictured far left in the B&W photo below) who was fond of experimenting with equipment and sounds. Doug was a guitar wizard and had previously played with the 'Embers'. They only produced one bizarre / experimental single called "Bengal Tiger" in 1967,with a distinctive eastern influenced guitar before splitting and going onto other musical endeavours.

Doug Jerebine (far left) and The Brew

When the Brew folded, Doug went to England and began writing and recording under the name Jesse Harper and made a powerful LP 'Guitar Absolution in the Shade of a Midnight Sun'.
When the Human Instinct made a brief visit to England, they met up with Jesse and he provided them with a number of his songs. In fact seven of the songs on the Human Instinct's first two albums were written by Jesse.

While in England, Jesse Harper recorded an album full of original material, and this music was finally released in 1992 by Kissing Spell. This is a limited edition of 1000 copies vinyl - acetete only MONO recording from 1969 by one of those Hendrixians from NZL - first time available in restored sound quality. A re-mastered version has also been made available by Kissing Spell in 2002 which featured extensive liner notes but replaced the cover art as shown below.
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While the tracks on this 1999 ACME release are titled differently to the Kissing Spell release of  'Guitar Absolution in the Shadow of a Midnight Sun', they are in fact the same songs. The original cover image is "The Agony In The Garden, Studio Of El Greco, 16th Century" (see left) and the music has been described as being 'Killer Acid Psych 60s Rock Guitar Fuzz Trips'.

The ten demos, which make up this album, were recorded live with a drummer and had bass, lead parts, and vocals overdubbed by Harper. It was literally a one-man project. And like the Bevis Frond, who followed a similar pathway later, the music is mainly super heavy, washed in phasing with multi-tracked guitar leads battling for attention. The Hendrix approach was very clear. It's all noisy and druggy, with the occasional mellower moment creeping in. Perfect for fans of late-'60s fuzzed-out hard rock. Yet another discovery from the ever widening crevice of obscurities from the psychedelic era.

While in England, Harper played bass with Jeff Beck, recorded an album that would become a underground classic and formed the World Band with another Kiwi Mike Donnelly on drums.
They played London, toured Holland and turned down a recording deal with EMI.
Harper quit the music scene to join the Hare Krishna movement but not before leaving a musical legacy that New Zealand's Human Instinct turned into a piece of underground history.
For more information on Doug, check out Keith Newmans excellent Doug Jerebine story.

1999 ACME Release

The first time I heard this album, I was completely blown away by two tracks - "Jug-a-Jug Song" and "Midnight Sun". Both tracks have a real Hendrix feel about them, and have been covered by Human Instinct on their classic LP 'Stoned Guitar'. In comparison, I gotta say that Harper's original take of these two tracks are far superior. Harper was renowned by his peers in the 1960’s as an “out there” guitar player with the playing ability to rival Hendrix. To read more about this interesting parody, have a look at this article from fishriderrecords

The remaining tracks are not quite so psychedelic and his playing style and vocals for me are somewhat reminiscent of Ten Years Afters' guitarist 'Alvin Lee'.

Overall, this album is a lost KIWI gem from the late 60's and is well worth the listen. The rip was taken from Vinyl in FLAC format and includes full album artwork.

New Improved RIP

Track List 
01 - Jug-a-Jug Song
02 - Blues News
03 - Other Side of Time
04 - Circles

05 - Keep Cool
06 - Midnight Sun
07 - Hole in his Hand
08 - Fall Down
09 - Ashes and Matches
10 - Love Song
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Jesse Harper Link (134Mb) New Link 12/08/2026

REPOST: Madonna - Unauthorised Live Vol 1 & 2 Torino, Italy (1987) Bootleg

(U.S  1979 - Present)
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28 years ago on September 4th, Madonna performed in Torino, Italy. The concert performed at the Communale Stadium was a monumental television event. It was broadcast live on TV in Italy, France, Germany, Spain and Austria. In Italy alone, the broadcast was watched by an estimated 14 million households. The Who's That Girl Tour ended 2 days later in Florence, Italy on September 6th.

In early summer 1987, two beautiful eyes started popping out from posters in the streets of major cities in the USA asking to the public: Who’s That Girl?
A few weeks later Madonna was on the road with her first world tour, the one that has consecrated her as the world’s leading female star of the ’80s.

Madonna surprised the world with extravagant clothes and accessories and a selection of songs from her first three albums in a heartfelt show that was broadcasted worldwide live from Torino, Italy on September 4, a show that later combined with footage from the other Italian show in Florence and bits from Tokyo, became the famous VHS tour souvenir Ciao Italia.

When Madonna closed her Who’s That Girl Tour in Italy, it became a national celebration. Tickets were immediately sold out and to prevent huge masses of people moving to Torino or Florence from other parts of the country, Rai, the Italian national tv channel contacted Madonna to broadcast her first Italian concert live on television. [extract from madonnatribe.com]
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Dressed To Express Yourself
Madonna's second tour, appropriately named the 'Who's That Girl Tour', is built around the power of costume to invoke thought and ultimately pose the question 'Who's That Girl'. Madonna used seven costumes and a variety of roles and attitudes to compliment the moods of the songs. As the sequence of personas paraded across the stage, the audience
pondered the question and quite often discovered that the answer was more complicated than it seemed..

Madonna has always tried to be thought-provoking and entertaining and the image of Madonna attired in a brazen bustier while packing a pistol gave the sell out crowds at her Who's That Girl concerts plenty to think about (see left)
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Dressed in a brazen black bustier, Madonna opened the show as the seductress. As the show progressed, she became alternately comical and thought-provoking. She poked fun at herself by dressing up in a goofy hat and glasses for a few songs, but then turned serious with 'Papa Don't Preach.' Surrounded by images of the pope, president and the White House, Madonna made it clear where she stood on the issue of a woman's right to control her own body.
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Her performance of 'Live To Tell' didn't use a costume or other props to make a statement, instead drawing its strength from a single, powerful moment at the end of the song, when she slumped to the ground. For a brief moment, the pose suggested despair, and then the singer rose slowly but nonetheless triumphantly.

Madonna sizzles on stage

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The Who's That Girl Tour was far more successful than the film of the same name. Approximately two million people on three continents paid top dollar to experience Madonna's musical extravaganza, which reportedly made as much as $500,000 per show. Madonna's challenge to herself was to make a stadium show personal. Anyone who has ever attended a concert at a stadium knows how far removed the audience feels from the performer(s) on stage. By keeping her show visually exciting, Madonna succeeded in making her performance more accessible to the people in the far reaches of the stadium.
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An actress, a singer, a song writer and a world-class entertainer, Madonna is also a caring individual who has done benefit performances for a number of causes, from famine to AIDS to rain forests. While on her Who's That Girl Tour, Madonna's Madison Square Garden performance of 13 July 1987 raised over $400,000 for the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AMFAR).

Madonna's 'Who's That Girl' 1987 Tour Dates

She was the first major star to stage a large-scale fundraiser for this fatal disease, and she would continue to lend her support to fight AIDS with another benefit three years later at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, where she received the AIDS Project Commitment to Life Award. [extract from Madonna, by Marie Cahill, Bison Group, 1991. p60-68]
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This post consists of MP3 (320kps) ripped from my Australian JOKER Bootleg CD - acquired from a Garage Sale some time ago when I started to take interest in what Madonna had to offer, other than provocative 'fashion statements' !  Also included is full artwork and a selection of tour photos, sourced from Marie Cahill's book on Madonna with thanks.
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UPDATE:

Finally found the second half of this concert released by Joker Records - Vol 2, so I'm reposting this Unauthorised Bootleg for your enjoyment.  

The only criticism I have of this bootleg is that the guitar and bass seem to be quite distant at times, indicating that the engineer sitting behind the soundboard did some pretty poor mixing on the night. 
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Track Listing Vol 1

01 - Like A Virgin / Can't Help Myself
02 - Where's The Party
03 - Live To Tell
04 - Into The Groove
05 - La Isla Bonita
06 - Who's That Girl?
07 - Holiday

Track Listing Vol 2

01 - Open Your Heart

02 - Lucky Star

03 - True Blue

04 - Papa Don't Preach

05 - White Heat , Perry Mason Theme

06 - Causing A Commotion

07 - The Look Of Love

08 - Dress You Up

09 - Material Girl

Personnel:
Madonna (Vocals)
David Williams, James Harrah (Guitar)
Jai Winding, Patrick Leonard (Keyboards)
Kerry Hatch (Bass)
Jonathan Moffett (Drums)
Luis Conte (Percussion)
Debra Parson, Donna DeLory, Niki Haris (Backing Vocals)
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Madonna Unauthorised Link (208Mb) New Link 08/08/2026