record hunting in australia

Record Hunting In Australia in Scotland and Vintage Violence nite club

2010-04-08T23:52:00.003+10:00

Hello and best wishes from Scotland!
I haven't posted here recently as I've spent the last two months traveling New Zealand and South America on a slow journey home after a great few months living in Australia, finally landing in Edinburgh a couple of nights ago. To be honest I wasn't sure anyone would notice my abscence, but at least Cousin Creep has missed me (thanks for the comment!).
I will definitley carry on this blog in some form, and I have a LOT more records that I hunted down in Australia to share; though unfortunately I sent them back sea mail so they're currently missing in action somewhere between here and Melbourne... At some point I guess I'll move on to other records (I already grabbed a few gems from NZ and South America along the way) and I'll have to change the name of the blog, but until then I'll remain Record Hunting In Australia. Hey it's my blog I guess I can call it what I want even if I'm about as far as you can bloody get from Australia.
In other news, I'll be deejaying at the fabulous Edinburgh nite club Vintage Violence on Friday 23 April, spinning a hot mix of garage rawk, bubblegum pop, new wave spazz, glitter stomp and whatnot.

THE CHEROKEES- Minnie The Moocher/I've Gone Wild

2010-02-16T13:15:00.007+11:00

Here's another classic Aussie disc, this time from 1967 and courtesy of Melbourne's Cherokees. The A-side is a slightly bizarre beat take on Cab Calloway's 'Minnie The Moocher' and I guess it works on it's own terms as a likeable piece of novelty that saw fair chart and radio action for the band.
The CHEROKEES- Minnie The Moocher
But, as so often the case, the real dark meat is lurking on the B-side. 'I've Gone Wild' lives up to it's title; a brooding slab of prime freakbeat with uk mod-style vocals and an excellent psychedelic guitar effect- I'm afraid my copy is a little beat up, but you'll get the idea.
The CHEROKEES- I've Gone Wild

RAY BROWN and THE WHISPERS- Fool, Fool, Fool/Go To Him

2010-02-15T15:25:00.004+11:00

Based in Sydney and operating from just 1964 to 1966, Ray Brown and The Whispers were a very popular beat and soul group both live and in the Australian charts. This 45 was their third release and the band's third No.1 in Sydney (there were no national charts in Australia until the end of the sixties). It was also sonically their most adventurous record, particularly on the spectacular 'Go To Him', with both sides benefiting from other worldly production: double tracked drums, echoey vocals, and treated guitars sounding not unlike something Joe Meek might have concocted at 304 Holloway Road.

RAY BROWN and THE WHISPERS- Go To Him

RAY BROWN and THE WHISPERS- Fool, Fool, Fool

BLACKTOP- Here I Am.../Searchin'

2010-02-08T13:18:00.004+11:00

BLACKTOP- Here I Am...

After the demise of the phenomenal Gories, and before the Dirtbombs, Mick Collins joined forces with Fireworks frontman Darin Lin Wood to form Blacktop. On the A side of the above 7" they cover one of my favourite obscuro Captain Beefheart songs 'Here I Am, I Always Am' and do a grand job on it. The flip side, another cover, this time a Coasters tune is good too if a bit throw away.
BLACKTOP- Searchin'

'Here I Am...' came out in '95 on legendary Australian record label Au-Go-Go, who also released a Blacktop long player Up All Night after Crypt turned the tracks down. Au-Go-Go was run by Melbourne music kingpin Bruce Milne and I'll post a little more about Bruce shortly since I just bought a pile of his records (he's been raising funds to pay off debts after the sad closure of what was Melbourne's best venue the Tote).

JOHNNY O'KEEFE and The DEE JAYS- So Tough/That'll Be Allright

2010-02-04T16:03:00.013+11:00

Johnny O'Keefe or JO'K or 'The Wild One', was Australia's first and biggest rock'n'roll star. He was an unlikely teen idol, with limited singing talent and perhaps closer in looks to Bill Hayley (his initial inspiration) than Elvis Presley (who's wild stage presence and gyrations JO'K imitated in his own unique way). But as ever in rock'n'roll such obstacles were overcome by determined self publicity, showmanship and being in the right place at the right time (and gold lame suits).
Outside Australia JO'K is best known for his signature song "Wild One". Jerry Allison of the Crickets took the song back to the USA after hearing JO'K play it while on the same bill (see the programme below). Jerry recorded the song as 'Real Wild Child' under the name Ivan, with Buddy Holly on guitar/backing vocals, and it's probably my favourite version. Since then the song has been covered by countless artists including Jerry Lee Lewis, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed and Joan Jett, and probably stands as Australia's only bona fide addition to the cannon of classic 50s rock'n'roll standards.

I won't try and relate JO'K's full story here, suffice to say it's an interesting one featuring flamboyant costumes, gigs with nearly all the first wave American rock'n'roll stars, failed attempts to crack America (despite the odd number one in New Orleans), a near fatal car crash, lots of mental breakdown, drink, drugs, 29 top 40 Australian hit singles, a successful TV career and an eventual overdose of prescription drugs.
JOHNNY O'KEEFE and The DEE JAYS- So Tough
'So Tough' bw 'That'll Be Allright' came out in 1958 and is one of JO'K's best and most rocking 45s. 'So Tough' was a then current track in the US charts thanks to a myriad of recordings by various New York Doo-Wop groups, the original being by The Casuals. JO'K's version is at least as good as any of the American ones, though to be honest all the versions I've heard are great, raw, zany rock'n'roll fun. 'That'll Be Allright' (sic) is a JO'K and The Dee Jays original and shows that 'Wild One' was no fluke, as it's a classic slice of rock'n'roll with cool percussion and bad boy lyrics.
JOHNNY O'KEEFE and The DEE JAYS- That'll Be Allright

This 1950s footage of Johnny O'Keefe offers a glimpse of his unique stage presence and the fan adoration he received as Australia's king of rock'n'roll.

The SHY GUYS- You Are My Sunshine/Rockin' Pnemonia And The Booga Loo Flu

2010-01-29T21:21:00.005+11:00

I know very little about this record. I think that the Al Schultz Orchestrations mentioned on the label was some sort of music agency based in Chicago, but not sure if that means The Shy Guys were from Chicago too? The date hand written on the label of 16/1/70 seems too late for the sound of the record, that I'd guess to be closer to mid-60s. I would be grateful if anyone can point me towards more info.
What I do know for sure is that this is a storming two sider of a 45. My pick is the B-side, 'You Are My Sunshine'; a raw slice of soul with rough gospel style vocals and swinging garage rock instrumentation. On the plug side, a version of the Huey 'Piano' Smith classic, The Shy Guys add a horn section, but otherwise keep it raw and soulfull. Great stuff.
THE SHY GUYS- You Are My Sunshine

THE SHY GUYS- Rockin' Pnemonia And The Booga Loo Flu

BILLY BLAND/GRANTLEY DEE- Let The Little Girl Dance

2010-01-17T13:18:00.018+11:00

BILLY BLAND- Let The Little Girl Dance

Billy Bland's 'Let The Little Girl Dance' is an absolute classic RnB/pop crossover record. Nice to get an original copy on Old Town, a really consistent label out of New York.

The story goes that Billy was in the studio when Titus Turner was recording this song and stepped in to show him how to sing it, little knowing producer Henry Glover had the tape rolling and that Bland's demonstration would end up a hit single.

GRANTLEY DEE- Let The Little Girl Dance

In 1966, six years after Bland, well known Melbourne DJ Grantley Dee released his own version of 'Let The Little Girl Dance' it was a minor local hit and a sought after record now. The arrangement was kept pretty much the same for Dee's version (if it ain't broke...), except the parping sax is replaced by a nice raw guitar break, in fact it's a shame Bland's hadn't had more guitar considering the mighty Mickey Baker apparently played on the session.

Dee was the first blind singing star in Australia, and you can witness a little of his charismatic DJing style in this great 60s doco about Melbourne radio.

Grantley Dee with trade mark black glasses.

JACK SCOTT- The Way I Walk/Midgie

2010-01-15T15:17:00.000+11:00

Sticking with rock'n'roll/rockabilly here is another of my all time faves that I managed to score on 45 recently. Jack Scott (or Giovanni Dominico Scafone Jr to his mother) was one of the very best of the second devision rock'n'rollers; a position pretty well illustrated by his billing on this concert poster:

Like Bob Luman (the subject of my last post) Scott went on to have a long and varied career in pop, rock and country, but made his most exciting records in the 1950s. 'The Way I Walk' is probably his best known track thanks mainly to the Cramps, but he recorded a few other classics around the same time, 'I Never Felt Like This' being a personal favourite.

JACK SCOTT- The Way I Walk

JACK SCOTT- Midgie

Jack with his backing singers The Chantones

BOB LUMAN- Red Hot/Whenever You're Ready

2010-01-14T13:59:00.000+11:00

BOB LUMAN- Red Hot

One of the very first rockabilly tunes I got into, Bob Luman's version of 'Red Hot' is still one of my all time favourites. It's everything rockabilly should be: fun, swaggering, wild, crude, sexy and above all a great dance record. It also features some incendiary guitar playing from a 17 year old James Burton, who then repeats the trick on the slightly more restrained B-side.

BOB LUMAN- Whenever You're Ready

This 45 came from Licorice Pie possibly the best used record store in Melbourne. Unfortunately (though appropriately) I seem to have warped the record by leaving it on the player during a couple of days of plus 40 degree heat- not something I had to look out for in Scotland!

Perhaps the warping is a sign that the vinyl is a 70s repress? I really find it hard to tell what's an original with rockabilly records, as the bootleggers got in there so early on compared to other genres. The good news is that it still plays great as you can hear above.

The following youtube footage is from Roger Corman's 1957 rock'n'roll exploitation movie 'Carnival of Rock' and features the same band as play on 'Red Hot'. Shortly afterwards Burton and bassist James Kirkland would jump to Ricky Nelson's ship.

PAUL REVERE and the RAIDERS- Let Me

2010-01-10T15:27:00.001+11:00

A brilliant slice of late period garage rock (1969), or early glam depending on how you look at it, from Mark Lindsay and the gang. A really cool false ending too.
Considering their first single came out 1960 and they kept recording into the 70s, the Raiders had an amazing run of often great records and managed to weather all sorts of musical fashions while maintaining popularity; they wouldn't even have their biggest hit until 1971. Partly down to their novelty image, but mainly because hardly any of their records sold in the UK, I'm still discovering their songs and thankful for it.

PAUL REVERE and the RAIDERS- Let Me

The BEAT MERCHANTS- So Fine

2010-01-08T18:26:00.004+11:00

I've seen this single a few times over the years and always wondered what the deal was, considering the other side of the record is Freddie And The Dreamers' 'You Were Made For Me' (Freddie's second biggest US hit). Apparently this was how all the Tower copies were issued and internet sources claim The Beat Merchants taking the B-side was down to some kind of pressing mistake, but I'm not so sure since the "Introducing The..." legend seems to suggest a marketing ploy by Tower, though if it was one it was unique and quite unsuccessful considering The Beat Merchants never followed up on the exposure.
Whatever the story it's a stroke of luck, as an otherwise very rare record (the original UK issue bombed) is easily available and it's a stunning track. Like 'Pretty Face, The Beat Merchants first single, 'So Fine' is a stone cold classic. Raw British RnB pop following the Yardbirds into the stratosphere. One of the great bass intros leads into tight harmonies, wild harmonica and undulating rhythms, it almost defines a genre a year before most so called freakbeat records were recorded.
The BEAT MERCHANTS- So Fine

MARQUIS OF KENSINGTON- Sister Marie/Flash

2010-01-07T12:57:00.005+11:00

I found this 45 for a few cents at Camberwell Market, the reverse of the German picture sleeve was particularly enticing with the word BEAT prominently featured above a fine selection of CBS LPs. Turns out 'Sister Marie' is a pretty abysmal slice of badly sung 60s kitsch with lyrics about a nun and what sounds like humming through grease proof paper and comb. I nearly didn't post it. But I did. Sorry!

MARQUIS OF KENSINGTON- Sister Marie

The instrumental B-side, though still total kitsch, is a much more fun and atmospheric proposition. Heavy drums dominate, keyboards stab and some nice fuzz guitar adds colour. It puts me in mind of the sort of stuff that soundtracked European porno movies in the early of 70s. In fact an Italian calling himself The Duke Of Burlington had a hit single with a note for note cover of 'Flash' in 1969.

MARQUIS OF KENSINGTON- Flash

However, it turns out the story of this record is much better than the music.

The men behind The Marquis Of Kensington were actually Mike Leander and Robert Wace. Leander was a great producer and arranger who played a part in many classic records. While at Decca he produced or arranged Marianne Faithful, Billy Fury, Cliff Richard, The Rolling Stones, The Small Faces, Them... I could go on but I think you get the idea. He then had a short spell in America with Atlantic where he arranged 'Under The Boardwalk' for the Drifters, was back in England in time to arrange 'She's Leaving Home' for The Beatles and spent the early 70s at Bell where he helped craft Gary Glitters glam hits.

Robert Wace though certainly not as musically talented as Leander is just as interesting a figure in the British pop. Like Kit Lambert with The Who, Wace and his partner Grenville Collins were bored ex public school types who saw pop music management as a way into show business and the rapidly exploding excitment of what would become the swinging sixties. With their connections and talent for publicity, hype and provocation, they helped The Kinks become one of the biggest bands in the England and managed them right through to 1971.

In fact in Wace's case he'd actually fancied being the star himself, and had initially employed The Kinks as his backing band until the limits of his vocal style, which Dave Davies described as a "kind of mixture of Noel Coward and Buddy Holly", became all too apparent and he joined Collins in management.

This record is evidence that Wace did not put his singing completely behind him. 'Sister Marie' is sung by an incognito Robert Wace and was the follow up to another Marquis Of Kensington single 'The Changing Of The Guard', which had been a hit in continental Europe. 'The Changing Of The Guard' is a great little tune, sort of sub Kinks, with nostalgic lyrics that actually suit Wace's 'upper class' vocal style.

There is a comment below this video on youtube which I'd like to think comes from Grenville Collins:

"Great to hear this again, it was the last throw of the dice, the Kinks were not working and money was tight - desperate times, desperate measures. We took the track to Germany and sold it, got the contract and the cheque all in one day! We thought no more about it until one day the record coy called and said that it was a hit and they wanted to do a TV promo tour. This is where our troubles began, Robert Wace refused to go so we found a good looking kid on the King's Road and taught him to mime."

I guess 'Sister Marie' was then thrown together to keep the German record company happy and earn a bit more cash. I wonder what ever happened to the guy they got in to mime, who's also featured on the above record sleeve?

The TWILIGHTS- Needle In A Haystack/I Won't Be The Same Without Her

2010-01-07T11:27:00.000+11:00

This stomping beat guitar version of The Velvelettes classic was a monster Australian hit in 1966 for The Twilights who were one of the country's best pop bands in the mid to late 60s.

The B-side is a version of Goffin and King's 'I Won't Be The same Without Her'. The Monkees also recorded this track in 1966, though they wouldn't release it until their 'odds and sods' LP, Instant Replay, in 1969. I'm curious as to whether The Twilights got an early listen to The Monkees version; which is most likely considering the subsequent attempts to turn them in an Australian Monkees with an aborted TV series, or if there was a Carole King demo of the song that made it down under?

Wouldn't it be great if someone put together a decent compilation of Carole's Brill Building demos? The ones I've heard (on shoddy budget compilations- the rights must be a mess) are amazing and there are supposed to be a lot more floating around...

The TWILIGHTS- Needle In A Haystack

The TWILIGHTS- I Won't Be The Same Without Her

DIZZY MANS BAND- Tickatoo

2010-01-04T00:05:00.001+11:00

Ever wondered what Creedence Clearwater Revival would have sounded like if they were weird samba obsessed Dutch men?

No, me neither.

DIZZY MANS BAND- Tickatoo

JACK KITTEL- Psycho

2009-12-29T05:56:00.009+11:00

JACK KITTEL- Psycho

Quite a complex history behind this brilliant slice of gothic American country and western. What I can unravel is as follows: 'Psycho' was written in 1966 by a prolific blind songwriter Leon Payne, who's music career stretched back to the 1930s and who's writing credits include such classics as 'Lost Highway' (Hank Williams) and 'I Love You Because' (Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash). Depending on who you believe, Payne wrote 'Psycho' in response to a notorious mass shooting spree at the University Of Texas and the strangely affecting letter the shooter left next to the bodies of his mother and wife, or to the story of murderer and grave robber Ed Gein (who also inspired Bloch's book/Hitchcock's movie of the same name), or possibly both.

I don't think Leon Payne ever recorded the song and certainly it's first appearance on record was that by Eddie Noack in 1968. Unfortunately for Eddie the world was not yet ready for such a creepy record written from the point of view of a serial killer (at least not one without Porter Wagoner's name on it) and Noack's version sunk without a trace.

Jack Kittel then revived 'Psycho' in 1973 with the inspired, in my opinion definitive, version posted here. I can't find out much about Jack Kittel and he seems to only be remembered for this song, which became an underground classic after being picked up by various DJs including Dr Demento.

Elvis Costello then brought 'Psycho' to a bigger audience, releasing a live version in 1981, which is the same year that this Raven pressing of Jack Kittel's version was issued in Australia (perhaps not coincidentally). I'm guessing this 7" was a bit of novelty fun for Raven, who at the time were best known for excavating Australia's exciting 60s pop history with records such as the demented Ugly Things compilations, and are still a respected reissue company today.

It's possible the Raven pressing was not exactly 'official' as the label has no publishing information and miss-credits Jack Kittel as the songwriter as well as offering up a choice of spellings of his name. This could also account for the B-side being simply a backwards recording of 'Psycho', complete with backwards label. Whatever the motivation, it was an inspired decision as 'Psycho' sounds almost as good, and just as chilling, running the wrong way (admittedly I do have a huge unquenched love of backwards pedal steel brought on by early exposure to 'Change Is Now' by the Byrds).

JACK KITTEL- Psycho (backwards)

'Psycho' then had a further part to play in Australian music history being covered by The Beasts Of Bourbon on their great first album from 1984 and subsequently becoming a minor hit for the band. I've posted their promo video below.

The FEELIES- Original Love

2009-12-23T11:10:00.000+11:00

Glad to see The Feelies have been getting some recognition recently, following reissues of their first two LPs on Bar/None & Domino records. The first LP, Crazy Rhythms, has long had a special place in my record collection and I'm looking forward to checking out the second one at some point.

'Original Love' is my favourite track off Crazy Rhythms, so I snapped up this single when I spotted it in Egg Records, Brisbane (dig that Stiff company sleeve, not a design I'd seen before, but then I guess it wouldn't have been unlike Stiff to only use it once). Weirdly 'Original Love' was relegated to B-side by a Beatles cover, I reckon it should have been the other way around- but what the hell do I know?

The FEELIES- Original Love

MO-DETTES- White Mice

2009-12-21T08:34:00.002+11:00

Following my twisted record collector logic, I've bought two copies of this single since arriving in Australia, despite already having a copy (possibly two) back in Scotland. In my defence they were cheap and 'White Mice' is a really great song; landing in that midway point between new wave pop and post punk skronk that's perfect to dance to, and one that I always have in my DJ box. I hadn't seen the second issue with the 'fish and chips' photo and thought it might be a different version, but it turns out to be the same with only a different B-side (I've no idea why it was reissued).

I believe that singer Romana Carlier had actually been the front woman (under the name Regula Sing) for Swiss band Kleenex, 'White Mice' certainly has a very similar sound to the amazing Kleenex singles, can anyone confirm this to be true? (edit: Robin Wills of the wonderful Purepop blog, has vouched that Romana Carlier was definitley NOT in Kleenex).
Unfortunately the rest of Mo-dettes output really doesn't match 'White Mice', but their one LP is still well worth tracking down.

MO-DETTES- White Mice

And do make sure you check out this really cool video:

SUNNY and the SUNGLOWS- Talk To Me/SUNNY and the SUNLINERS- Every Week, Every Month, Every Year

2009-12-16T21:35:00.000+11:00

Found this in the cheap 7" rack at the second hand record music store Collector's Corner, though certainly not the best shop in Melbourne, it's alright considering it sits in the middle of one of the busiest shopping streets in the city, and I've had a few interesting records from them.

I knew nothing about Sunny and his band(s) (there's a different name on each side), but the Tear Drop label design really appealed to me and I knew the Crazy Cajun publishing credit meant some Huey P Meaux involvement; a man who's production skills are, I always felt, totally undervalued. 'He's About A Mover" by Sir Douglas Quintet, "Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)" by the Hombres, 'You'll Lose A Good Thing' by Barbara Lynn being three classics that spring to mind. But having now done a little research on the 'colourful' history of the 'Bayou bad boy' there is probably good reason for his under appreciation today: very young girls, dodgy business deals, guns and drugs were all apparently par of the course for Heuy (if anyone knows of a good biography please let me know).

It turns out that Tear Drop was in fact one of Meaux's many record labels and 'Talk To Me' the biggest hit on it. Not sure if Heuy was the producer (there's no credit on the label) but it's a fantastic record. 'Talk To Me', the plug side, is a sumptuous ballad that makes the most of Sunny Ozuna's great voice and some luscious strings, the B side on the other hand, is an ace up-tempo soul number with hints of Tejano music and all night parties. Sunny and his mixed race band were apparently the first to break the colour barrier on the popular TV show American Bandstand playing 'Talk To Me', so this is a little slice of history as well as great record.

SUNNY and the SUNGLOWS- Talk To Me

SUNNY and the SUNLINERS- Every Week, Every Month, Every Year

The YOUNGBLOODS- Darkness, Darkness

2009-12-16T18:13:00.000+11:00

More fun, eclectic and with better songwriting than many of their west coast hippy contemporaries, I really like The Youngbloods. 'Darkness, Darkness', along with 'Sugar Babe' (a great song about drinking featuring the immortal lines, "Run like your mamma when the police come" and "I got drunk and I fell on the floor") are my two favourite songs of theirs. I was first hipped to The Youngbloods by Jon Savage's inspirational psychedelic booklet that came free with an early Mojo and which sent the school-age me scurrying after all kinds of mind expanding pop nuggets that I would never otherwise have heard of.

'Darkness, Darkness' is a beautiful track featuring one of the very best west coast rock guitar solos, and it wouldn't have sounded out of place on the Kak LP (also introduced to me by Mr Savage). I had always assumed it was an LP only song so was very pleasantly surprised to find this single, sporting an appropriately psychedelic RCA company sleeve.

The YOUNGBLOODS- Darkness, Darkness

LITTLE SAMMY- Rhythm and Crunch/When It Comes To The Crunch (It's Smiths It Is)

2009-12-15T14:15:00.000+11:00

From the sublime to the ridiculous!

This 7" (which is another from Revolve in Sydney) is a daft piece of mod soul kitsch advertising Smith's potato crisps. The 'When It Comes To The Crunch' side is my favourite, featuring more of Little Sammy's white boy soul ravings about how crunchy everything is: "Dancing's crunchy, romancing's crunchy with Smiths! Shout it's crunchy! Look out it's crunchy! We're so crunchy, ooh so crunchy!" backed by some slightly manic girl singers.

It's not total kitsch as the band are pretty tight and you can hear hints of a smoking club band under the inane lyrics, but unfortunately it's not in the same class as the 7" Smith's Crisps put out in New Zealand by The Challenge, which is a real punky bit of garage rock penned by Ray Columbus.

The internet tells me that Little Sammy, also known as Little Sammy Gaha, was a popular singer on the Sydney club circuit in the 60s who then moved to Paris in the early 70s where he grew a beard and put out some very silly looking glam rock records. Good for him, I say.

LITTLE SAMMY- When It Comes To The Crunch (It's Smiths It Is)

LITTLE SAMMY- Rhythm and Crunch

MARV JOHNSON- Don't Leave Me

2009-12-14T17:01:00.000+11:00

There was a period in the late 50s and early 60s when a small group of producers/songwriters including the likes of Leiber and Stoller, Curtis Mayfield and Berry Gordy, working with the cream of the early soul singers, would occasionally produce slow, haunting, exotic ballads featuring choral backings, baroque string arrangements and yearning lyrics, often about dreams or fantasies; songs that in lesser hands would have sounded like middle of the road slush, and with the coming of the British invasion would soon sound weirdly antiquated, but nevertheless stand as shimmering, sublime, other worldly things of beauty. I'm talking about records like 'What A Diff'rence A Day Makes' by Dinah Washington, 'On The Horizon' by Ben E. King or 'Isle of Sirens' by Jerry Butler. Along side these records I would place the sublime (I know, I've said sublime already, but it really is the best word for these records) 'Don't Leave Me' by Marv Johnson, co-written by Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson and produced by Mr Gordy back in 1959.

I've owned a British, London pressing of this record for 15 years, one which I've played countless times despite a huge crack down one side of the record- I simply stuck a piece of sellotape across the other side and it played ok (those London records were made to last!), but I was nonetheless happy to pick up this Australian copy for a dollar- though I do hate the plastic company sleeves that seem to have been popular with Australian record companies.

Of course as the 60s went on Curtis Mayfield and various Mowtown staffers would refine and modernise this type of ballad (The Temptation's 'Just My Imagination (Running A Way With Me)' for example, is almost a sequel to 'Don't Leave Me') and in Britain the Walker Brothers would remake it for swinging London, but personally I miss the unique atmosphere of the earlier productions.

MARV JOHNSON- Don't Leave Me

BOBBY and LAURIE with the RONDELLS- Tonight, When I Come Home/High Noon

2009-12-14T16:14:00.000+11:00

Another huge Australian pop single that didn't get a release outside the southern hemisphere. It was the north's loss though as 'Tonight, When I Come Home' is one glorious slice of pop: a great melody set to a smile-inducing stomp, propelled by an amazing fuzz bass line, perfect hand claps, and crowned by an awesome two finger piano solo. It's two minutes that prove that in 1966 the homegrown Australian pop industry could match anything coming out of the UK or US of A.

BOBBY AND LAURIE- Tonight, When I Get Home

Melbourne duo Bobby and Laurie were the first 'long hairs' to hit the Australian charts pre-Easybeats and released a cracking series of singles and a couple of great LPs for both Go!! (you gotta love a record label with two exclamation marks in its name!!) and Parlophone, working with some of the best beat and pop musicians and producers around, before moving into a more country pop direction.

The flip side of this single is a version of the theme from High Noon and shows the direction of later Bobby and Laurie records. It was a pretty strange move from tuff r'n'b pop to country ballad novelty (though they had done it once before with a hit version of Roger Miller's 'Hitchhiker'), but I don't think the move was simply a record company put on as they were obviously country fans (certainly Laurie was anyway). At least they had good taste in country, in time covering the likes of Porter Wagoner and Lee Hazelwood, and I would love to hear their 1967 LP Exposiac which apparently mixed up country with a little psychedelic rock.

BOBBY AND LAURIE- High Noon

DINAH LEE- I'm Walkin'/Who Stole The Sugar?

2009-12-02T16:51:00.000+11:00

Dinah Lee may not have been as punk as Toni McCann but she did make some great gutsy and soulful beat records. Dinah (Diane Jacobs before the record company decided Dinah Lee was cooler) was part of the exciting early '60s scene in Christchurch, New Zealand that also threw up Max Merritt, Ray Columbus and Dave Miller, and she was also apparently responsible for bringing the 'mod' look to the behind-the-times antipodeans.

This 1964 single was her third release in Australia, though she'd already had an album and a couple more singles in NZ where she was already a sensation. Raucously backed by The Kavaliers (originally Samoan rock'n'roller Freddy Keil's group) Dinah blasts through a fine cover of Fats Domino's "I'm Walking" much in the style of early Lulu (who seems to have been the big influence on all the Antipodean beat girls- more of which in a future blog). The B-side "Who Stole The Sugar" is a slower but still raw bluesy ballad with merseybeat harmonies, I could have sworn this was a cover but can't find any evidence for this, or for that matter any mention of the listed songwriter Wayne Healy. Anyone know who he was?

DINAH LEE- I'm Walkin'

DINAH LEE- Who Stole The Sugar?

The youtube clip below includes some fab contemporary footage:

The EVERLY BROTHERS- Love Is Strange/Man With Money

2009-11-21T17:13:00.000+11:00

A perfect single. Both sides.

Released in 1965, when the Everlys were one of the only rock'n'roll era acts still being influenced by and influencing the cutting edge of pop music, and still having hits, at least outside the US. I would guess that most of the British groups listened carefully to the production and particularly the guitar sounds on this record (the ever amazing James Burton), and that 'Man With Money' was a touchstone for the future sound of The Who.

The EVERLY BROTHERS- Love Is Strange

The EVERLY BROTHERS- Man With Money

The STRANGE BOYS- Woe Is You and Me/Baby, Please Don't Go

2009-11-12T17:44:00.000+11:00

Really enjoying this Texas band just now. The A side of this single comes off a great album called 'The Strange Boys and Girls Club' (on the magnificent In The Red record label). Like the Black Lips they play old music but make it fresh and vital. Their sound is a garagey slurred take on the blues, with a real pop ear under raw production, and for me it really hits the spot. The B-side is an old blues/rock standard that I first heard in its rock form (Them, Amboy Dukes, AC/DC*), but The Strange Boys laid back shuffle takes it further back toward Big Joe Williams 1935 version, though John Lee Hooker gets the writing credit on the Strange Boys' sleeve (not sure how that works, good lawyers I guess).

I obtained this 7" from Missing Link one of two great Melbourne record shops still selling new music, both from city centre basements, and thriving through a love of music and strong connection with the local scene. While Missing Link leans towards punk, metal and experimental stuff, the other great store (and record label), Off The Hip, focusses on garage and '60s style rock. Wish there was something like either back in embra.

The STRANGE BOYS- Woe Is You and Me

The STRANGE BOYS- Baby, Please Don't Go

*I'm afraid I couldn't resist posting this clip of AC/DC camping up 'Baby, Please Don't Go' with Bon in a drag, fag in hand!

TONI McCANN- My Baby/No/Saturday Date

2009-11-12T15:22:00.000+11:00

Here we have a reissue from Zenith Records (who run their own vinyl pressing plant in Melbourne) of three songs from Toni McCann's impossible to find first two singles, even this reissue is pretty rare now. The legend on the reverse of the sleeve states: "Our very own (child) queen of punk", and the wild garage beat sounds contained within live up to this.

Toni recorded these tracks when she was just fifteen years old, backed by Tony Worsley's band, The Fabulous Blue Jays, and they stand as the toughest female fronted tracks of '60s Australian beat, a match to anything on the wonderful Girls From the Garage compilations. There's a cool interview with Toni here.

TONI McCANN- My Baby

TONI McCANN- No

TONI McCANN- Saturday Date

The GREEN TELESCOPE- Two By Two/A Glimpse/Make Me Stay

2009-11-10T17:41:00.000+11:00

Speaking of The Thanes, here is singer Lenny Helsing, pre-Thanes in The Green Telescope. It may seem slightly mad (and probably is) to go all the way around the world to buy a record by an Edinburgh band, but you just don't see these in Scotland anymore, plus I was much too young to buy it first time around. To my surprise I've seen lots of Lenny's old records (Thanes, Green Telescope and even The Stayrcase) in various Melbourne record shops and having spoken to a few folks it seems that he was a bit of hero here back in the garage revival days, and of course Melbourne label Corduroy (now defunct?) put out a couple of The Thanes' records.

Anyway, I've posted the three band originals (the other track is an Outsiders cover, naturally). The production is great especially considering the 1985 date, and although obviously indebted to '60s garage and nederbeat, some punk/indie elements (in a good way), nice songwriting, and Lenny's awesome vocals combine to make this much more than an exercise in nostalgia; in fact to my ears it's one of the best artefacts of the 80s garage revival.

I think some of these tracks are on a CD entitled 'Gardyloo! Edinburgh's Detritus 1983-2003' a collection of overlooked garage and rock'n'roll. Unsure if you can get this in the shops, but if you message Beatsville they might sell you one, as I know Angus has plenty in his cupboard! Lenny also drums on the cracking new Wildebeests LP which I advise tracking down.

The GREEN TELESCOPE- Two By Two

The GREEN TELESCOPE- A Glimpse

The GREEN TELESCOPE- Make Me Stay

The FROWNING CLOUDS- Time Wastin' Woman/Sorry Business

2009-11-09T11:54:00.000+11:00

Here is a new record! These Geelong kids (next town along from Melbourne) recently played a Friday night residency at a bar near my house, and I ended up catching them twice. They play super enthusiastic and authentic 1960s r'n'b in the style of the very early Rolling Stones/Pretty Things/Beatles, with a large dash of Back From The Grave garage. Now they certainly aren't the first or will they be the last to play this stuff, but they do it really well. Nearly all the songs are fine originals (the only cover I noticed was 'I'm Rowed Out' by the Eyes) that manage to combine really raw playing with great melodies, and they have two ace frontmen who split singing/snarling/harmonica duties.

Back in the UK we have some really cool garage bands (The Thanes to pick the best Scottish example) but, no offence guys, most of them are hardly spring chickens! So the fact The Frowning Clouds are all about 17 years old and look just like like their 60s idols really adds to the authenticity, as did the screaming girls down the front of the stage (I kid you not).

These two songs come from their first record, an EP (though is it really an EP if it only has 3 songs and plays at 45?) released by a small Spanish label Monterrey, and although the production could be better, this is a fine debut. Watch out for a full length LP that's in the works.

The FROWNING CLOUDS- Time Wastin' Woman

The FROWNING CLOUDS- Sorry Business

THE AVENGERS- Listen Listen/Just One More Chance

2009-11-08T14:31:00.000+11:00

I got this single in Brisbane, where The Avengers ruled the roost for a couple of years in the late '60s (no relation to the New Zealand band of the same name). 'Listen Listen' is a fabulous Beatles rip-off; a confident, melodic rocker, excellently produced by Howard Gable. Unfortunately the brash style, that works so well on the A-side, doesn't hit the spot on the flip, where their cover of The Outer Limits' 'Just One More Chance' lacks the fragility that makes the original such a good track.

The AVENGERS- Listen Listen

The AVENGERS- Just One More Chance

GENE SIMMONS- Haunted House/Hey, Hey, Little Girl

2009-11-08T11:33:00.000+11:00

So far I've only blogged about Australian based artists, but my criteria is simply that they should be records I've acquired here, so this one's an infectious double sider of Memphis rock'n'roll novelty pop that I scored at a Melbourne record fair.

Gene Simmons was a minor rockabilly singer who recorded for both Sun and Hi records, who's name was later borrowed by future Kiss man Chaim Witz. 'Haunted House', which must of sounded a little behind the times when it charted in 1964, was originally done by Johnny Fuller in 1958 and Gene first heard the song performed live by Sam the Sham, who also recorded a version at about the same time. All three versions are great but I think Simmon's is the best. The B-side, a Simmons/Ray Harris original, is also a real fun tune with upfront piano and a bit of a New Orleans feel.

GENE SIMMONS- Haunted House

GENE SIMMONS- Hey, Hey, Little Girl

ROGER THWAITES- Age Of Time

2009-11-04T12:00:00.000+11:00

This is the sort of thing that almost makes all those hours flicking through records in charity shops worth while! At the very back of a pile of about 200 hundred assorted Perry Como, Bavarian drinking song, classical LPs and other assorted recorded crap, was this record. In fact, I nearly didn't pick it up as the rather cheap looking cover suggested easy listening or religious folk songs, but after a scan of the back revealed a 1971 release date (on the tiny Sydney record label Sound Unlimited), no cover versions, no mention of God, and that the various musicians included 3 guitarists and a pedal steel/dobro I took the plunge.

So what did I get for my $3? Well, from the first song on, a surprisingly good LP which appears almost as if it had been produced with my specific tastes in mind! The vocals are mostly big and booming with plenty of echo, the songs are great, the lyrics interesting (mostly about the Australian outback and people), the backing a peculiar mix of folk, early rock'n'roll, psychedelia, country and pop, with some songs featuring scorching acid guitar and studio effects. The closest reference point would be Lee Hazlewood's solo LPs, which happen to be among my favourites, and if Mr Thwaites hadn't heard Lee (did his solo records get released in Australia?) then he surely must have been a fan of Elvis and Johnny Cash. Any complaints? Well, he's not as good as Lee Hazlewood at his best (but who is?) and I could have done without the prominent flute on a couple of tracks, but mostly this is a great, magical record.

The internet doesn't turn up much information on Roger Thwaites. The sum of which is roughly: that he recorded at least four more equally rare LPs: '200 Years of Colonial Australia', 'North By Northwest', 'Bound For Glory' and 'Ladies Love Outlaws', that he and his father lived in the small ex-gold mining town south of Sydney and were both involved in recording the area's history, that according to the sleeve notes to '200 Years' (1970): "He numbers among the few Australians who have wiped the dust of such cities as as Ankara, Istanbul, Allepo, Damascus and Baghdad off his shoes," and that Roger is performing a musical history of sheep shearing at next years Canberra's agricultural show! All very intriguing, but perhaps it's time Roger Thwaites got a bit of recognition for 'Age Of Time', and someone got it reissued.

I've picked out two of my favourites below but, honestly the rest of the LP is just as good.

ROGER THWAITES- Dobro Dan

ROGER THWAITES- Gully Raker

NORMIE ROWE- Hello/Home To Stay

2009-11-04T11:16:00.000+11:00

Normie Rowe was a huge pop star in 1960s Australia and released many of the eras best selling records, some of which were pretty darn good. His career was cut short after being drafted into the army in 1967 with subsequent service in Vietnam. 'Hello', released in 1970 was his only post army hit. The A side, despite some interesting lite-psychedelic backing, is basically a cheesy pop ballad, written by Johnny Young who produced both sides.

'Home To Stay' on the other hand, is an exuberant 'southern' style funk rock tune written by Normie himself. Not sure who the backing band was on this, but the horn section is great, the guitar licks are firey, the drums are definitely funky; while Normie's vocal are fun and exciting. Certainly worth a listen.

NORMIE ROWE- Hello

NORMIE ROWE- Home To Stay

The THROB- The Fortune Teller/Believe In Me

2009-11-01T07:34:00.000+11:00

The Throb! What a great name for a band, narrowly losing out to New Zealand's Hi-Revving Tongues as my favourite 60s Antipodean band name. The Throb were another legendary Australian mid-60s group with a great live reputation, leather clad image, and one further classic single ('Black' also released in 1966).

Again this is a 7" I have lusted after for a years, ever since hearing 'Believe In Me' on a compilation (I think, one of the Digging For Gold series). Apparently this record is generally sought after for the "better than the stones" cover of 'Fortune Teller', which is pretty good, though I prefer the Tony Jackson version which is in a similar vein.

More to my taste is the band original, 'Believe In Me' and it turns out the late great Dean Mittelhauser agreed with me. Here's an extract from his indispensable oz beat fanzine, The Livin' End: "...every time I reach for this single, I instinctively play the B side. "Believe In Me" is real moody - Denny Burgess' sings totally unlike any other of the Throb's fab tracks and you'd be hard pushed to pick this as the Throb. It's an atmospheric mover with this fantastic muted fuzz throughout. But, except for a wyld mini-explosion about three-quarters of the way thru, it's kept on a tight leash (like my fat cocker spaniel!)..." 'nuff said.

THE THROB- The Fortune Teller

THE THROB- Believe In Me

The MASTERS APPRENTICES- Buried and Dead/She's My Girl

2009-10-30T10:58:00.000+11:00

Hopefully, now my technical problems are over (I've purchasing a new stylus and moved from yahoo media player to divshare), this blog can get going and I can share some of the really great records I've scored in the last couple of months.

First up is an absolute monster of a 7" that I've adored since first hearing at least 15 years ago on a glorious bootleg compilation named 'Twisted Psychotic Teenage Fuzz-Busters' which was also my first introduction to the likes of Q65, the Monks and The Masters Apprentices other drop dead, sixties punk masterpiece; 'Undecided'.

I'm not sure exactly how rare/expensive 'Buried and Dead' is, but it took me a lot of looking around to find a copy until I got this slightly battered (though great playing) copy from the last Camberwell Record Fair here in Melbourne. As you can see from the photo the middle is popped, obscuring the song title, which is possibly why I got it for less than the cost of my tram fare.

'Buried and Dead' was Adelaide band, the Masters Apprentices second single, and to my ears is pretty unique sounding thing: huge guitar riff, massive drums, snarling, grunting punk/r'n'b vocal, with a nice 1967 sound effect and kinda raga section which don't detract from the rawness and aggression of the recording and performance. I guess if it was an English record you might call it 'freakbeat' but perhaps it owes more to the slightly earlier proto metal of 'You Really Got Me' era Kinks or the Easybeats' 'Sorry' and parallels the sort of records The Unrelated Segments were blasting out of Detroit at the same time.

The B-side is a great song in it's own right, if not up to the dizzying coolness of the top side, 'She's My Girl' is a kind of mid paced early Stones/Pretty Things bluesy number with another brilliant vocal from Jim Keays who snarls and slobbers over the top, telling us how he's not worthy of his girls attentions.

The Masters Apprentices went on to become one of the biggest bands in Australia right up to the early 70s, and made lots of great records, but for me 'Buried and Dead' and 'Undecided' (anyone got a spare?) will always remain their finest waxings.

THE MASTERS APPRENTICES- Buried and Dead

THE MASTER'S APPRENTICES- She's My Girl

And here is an amazing, and appropriately Halloweeny, promo film the band made for 'Buried and Dead':

DOUG ASHDOWN- Source

2009-09-25T12:54:00.000+10:00

This album is a real beauty. I'm sure if it was an American or British release it would go for stupid money, not the $14 I spent. I love the cover which uses the same template as the great United States of America album also on CBS, perhaps there are more LPs with this design?

Doug Ashdown was an early folky from Adelade, who later became a successful country artist and songwriter both in Australia and the US, and Source, released in 1968, was his third LP. It seems that CBS had recognised his potential early on and may have brought him out to the USA before this LP was made (my info isn't very clear on this). The recordings on Source certainly seem steeped in the folk/country/psych/singer-songwriter thing happening in LA at the time. Brilliantly chosen and challenging covers, by the likes of Fred Neil (The Dolphins), Leonard Cohen (Suzanne), the Byrds (5 D), are given a very personal stamp with relatively spare arrangements, making the most of Doug's big beautiful voice, which at times reaches Fred Neil like intensity and purity, and 12 string guitar, alongside restrained flute, tablas, piano and occasional psychedelic studio effects. A couple of great originals 'Something Strange' and 'Gambaraga', and the opener 'He's All These Things' (composed by Dave Guard once of the Kingston Trio, who after moving to Australia in 1962 became a lynchpin of the progressive Australia folk scene) ramp up the more outsider freak folk vibe, with mystic/religious lyrics and subtly exotic, psychedelic instrumentation.

Source is a fine record with no bum tracks, that I would happily compare to some of my favourite LPs by the likes of Bob Lind, Fred Neil, Gene Clark, the Beau Brummels, et al. Now I just have to find a copy of Doug's 1970 double album of orchestrated country weirdness called The Age of Mouse...

DOUG ASHDOWN- He's All These Things

DOUG ASHDOWN- Something Strange

SWINGERS- It Ain't What You Dance It's the Way You Dance It/Flak

2009-09-18T12:02:00.000+10:00

I couldn't resist picking up this 1981 single due to the great sleeve and amazing foldout poster, and I certainly wasn't disappointed when the record hit the turntable. Both sides are aces, though I particularly love the instrumental B-side 'Flak', which got my immediate attention by dint of having one of my all time favourite sounds: spazzy danceable no wave influence new wave pop (for want of a better or at least shorter term); both sides would have fit right at home on Bob Last's //FAST// or Pop:Aural record labels alongside Fire Engines or Boots For Dancing. Whether this is coincidental or not (there certainly does appear to be a lot of Fire Engines records that made it over to Australia/NZ and even the artwork is reminiscent), I don't really care, it's just great to hear!

Apparently 'It Ain't What You Dance...' was the follow up to an Australian number one hit (the ok 'Counting the Beat') and Swingers were a bunch of New Zealanders, including Phil Judd once of Split Enz, and various members of Auckland punk band Suburban Reptiles. I subsequently spent $5 on a copy of Swingers' LP but unfortunately found it to be pretty disappointing, with patchy song writing/singing and a more polished '80s' sound, even the version of 'It Ain't..." seems to be a different mix, though to be fair, the paper thin cheap vinyl Mushroom chose to press the album on doesn't help appreciation much.

That said, Swingers are still legends in my book for this single alone!

(and please do pass on any recommendations for other good down under post-punk records as I'm sure there must be lots more out there...)

SWINGERS- Flak

SWINGERS- It Ain't What You Dance It's The Way That You Dance It

The LOVED ONES- More Than Love

2009-08-30T17:14:00.000+10:00

I was completely unaware of The Loved Ones until I picked up this 7" (in Revolve, a great little Sydney shop), but they now stand as one of my favourite Oz groups. The Loved Ones have a quite distinct sound, apparently their unusual time signature and chord choices were influenced by their origins as a trad jazz band! Singer Gerry Humphries as a superb intense voice a little like Eric Burdon but with more of an American garage snarl. More Than Love is the flip side of the slightly more poppy (though still pretty weird) Ever Lovin' Man.

The LOVED ONES- More Than Love

The Loved Ones released a string of equally strong singles and one album, and are to this day legendary in the annals of Australian rock history (INXS covered The Loved One to great success). There is CD collection of these singles available here and below is some atmospheric footage of the The Loved Ones miming to The Loved One.

First post! The EASYBEATS- Sorry

2009-08-28T12:29:00.000+10:00

Welcome!

Being someone who buys his records from wherever I find them (I don't allow myself to use ebay as I couldn't be trusted with my rent money), moving to Australia opens up a whole new world of music to me. The 1960s Australian pop scene had many of the same influences as the UK and USA but was isolated enough to be a sort of parallel pop universe, where the chart topping acts of the day often didn't get a release outside of Australia/New Zealand. For me this is great!

I love 60s pop, psych, garage etc, but having immersed myself in this stuff since the age of 14, I'm pretty familiar with what's available in the UK. Here though, I can pick up great singles for a few dollars by acts I had never heard of.

The Easybeats aren't quite in this bracket, as I've heard most of their songs through best of LPs. But the early (and best!) Easybeats singles didn't do much damage to the British charts, if they were released at all? So suffice to say I've been hoovering up these great slabs of RnB pop as fast as I can find them. 'Sorry' is probably my favourite and should have been a worldwide smash on a par with the Kinks or the Who's early records.