Post 329 - Whistler's Mother - Steamboat Willie / Mister Big

Here is another one of those Aussie bands with not much information to be found. All I can find is that they were a Sydney band formed around 1964 and did not turn professional until 1970 when they released two singles for RCA Records. Here to download is their first single released in 1971 "Steamboat Willie" b/w "Mister Big" (101941) produced by Brian Nicholls. Both tracks were penned by guitarist John Wermut. Other members were Jac Appel - Drums, Brutus Hudson - organ and Heski Wakil. It doesn't seem any of these guys played in any other bands. Apparently, they performed at the NSW final of the Hoadley's battle of the sounds in 1971, but didn't win and go on to the national finals. Again we are hoping someone out there in the cyber world might know a little more about this band. Like before we have had sons, daughters, ex-wives even band members them selves contact us so fingers crossed. We will also do our best to track down the 2nd single for you to hear.

Post 328 - Dame Edna Everage - The Sound Of Edna LP

Dame Edna Everage is a character played by Australian comedian Barry Humphries. As Dame Edna, Humphries has written several books including an autobiography, My Gorgeous Life, appeared in several films and hosted various television shows. While Dame Edna is a fictitious character whose life story has been entirely created by Barry Humphries, so complete is her identity as an individual that Macmillan published her "autobiography," written by Humphries but credited to Edna herself, on its non-fiction list. According to that autobiography, "My Gorgeous Life," and to statements Edna has made over the years, she was born Edna May Beazley in the rural city of Wagga Wagga, with a sibling who would give birth to Barry McKenzie. Everage started her stage career on 19 December 1955 as Mrs. Norm Everage, an "average Australian housewife" from Moonee Ponds, a Melbourne suburb. Dame Edna spent many years accompanied by her bridesmaid and constant companion Madge Allsop (played by Emily Perry), a New Zealander from Palmerston North who assisted Dame Edna with her appearances and television shows. (Perry died at the age of 100 in 2008). Here to download is Edna's 1978 LP "The Sound Of Enda" (9124 027) recorded for Charisma Records. The single lifted from this set was "Every Mother Wants A Boy Like Elton". On 7th of March 2007 her home town, Melbourne, re-named a city street in her honour: Dame Edna Place, formerly Brown Alley off Little Collins Street. In early 2010, Dame Edna collaborated with cabaret pianist and singer, Michael Feinstein for a two person revue entitled "All About Me", based on the concept that the pair were rivals who were forced to work together for the show's sake. The show opened as the second production for the newly refurbished Henry Miller's Theatre.

Post 327 - Various Artist - A Groovin' With Coca-Cola / Summerhill Road

Many Artists around the world have recorded a Coca-Cola jingle, and our Aussie Artists were right up there with them. Here to download is a single released in 1968 for Coke called "A Groovin' With Coca-Cola" b/w "Summerhill Road" (PRS-2028). The A side featured 4 one minute Coca-Cola jingles by The Executives, The Twilights, The Groove and Johnny Farnham. The Groove won the Hoadley’s National Battle Of The Sounds of that year. As a special bonus the B side features the latest single by The Executives "Summerhill Road". Thanks to Chris for this single and we have a lot more Aussie Coca-Cola jingles to come.

Post 326 - Marcia Hines,Brian Cadd,Max Merritt & Doug Parkinson - To Love Somebody (a tribute to Maurice Gibb)

On the 12th of January we mourned the death of Maurice Ernest Gibb, born on the 22nd of December 1949. He was born in the Isle of Man, the twin brother of Robin Gibb, and younger brother to Barry. The Bee Gees got their start in Australia, and found major success when they returned to England. The Bee Gees became one of the most successful pop groups of all time. Maurice Gibb died at a Miami Beach, Florida, hospital on 12 January 2003 of complications resulting from a twisted intestine (volvulus). His brothers Barry and Robin retired the name Bee Gees for a time, declining to perform as a group. However, as time passed, they decided to perform occasionally under the Bee Gees banner. Here to download is a single released by Marcia Hines, Brian Cadd, Max Merritt & Doug Parkinson paying tribute to Maurice with the Bee Gee hit "To Love Somebody" (70192) for Universal Records. The single was produced by Billy Thorpe & Mark Opitz in 2003 at Electric Mountain Studios Sydney. Away from the Bee Gees, Maurice recorded an unreleased solo album in 1970. Maurice's last project was to produce an album's worth of songs written and sung by his daughter Samantha, which finally appeared in 2005 under the name M E G - Maurice's initials.Flac 

Post 325 - Hans Poulsen - Coming Home Late Again / Run Away Children

Hans Sven Poulsen who was born Bruce Gordon Poulsen on the 7th of March 1945 in Melbourne, Victoria, is an Australian singer-songwriter who was popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Poulsen had hits with "Boom Sha La La Lo" co written with Seeker's Bruce Woodley and "Light Across the Valley" both in 1970 for Fable Records and had success as a songwriter with "Rose Coloured Glasses" for John Farnham and "Monty and Me" for Zoot. One of his best-known and most successful compositions, "It's Only A Matter Of Time", was the much played B side of the Russell Morris's single "The Real Thing". Before he joined Fable Hans released two singles on Parlophone Records "Rocking Chair" b/w "After Dinner Evening Stroll" which was released in January 1968. It was followed by "Coming Home Late Again" b/w "Run Away Children" (A-8606) in December. Apparently neither single made any impact on the charts. In October 1992, Hans suffered a catastrophic brain haemorrage which left him totally paralysed and in a coma, and doctors initially gave him only a one percent chance of recovery. Incredibly, Hans' strength and positive outlook helped him to pull through, and by 1993, although now permanently confined to a wheelchair, Hans had recovered sufficiently to record a new album, "Carry You In My Heart", which featured some of Australia's finest session musicians. Here for you to download is "Coming Home Late Again".

Post 324 - Debbie Byrne - Heroes / Memory

Debbie Byrne made a successful and highly publicised career comeback in 1985 with the starring role as Kathy McLeod, opposite Matt Dillon, in the film Rebel. She was nominated for an AFI Award for Best Actress in a Lead Role for her performance in this film. Here to download is a single written by Peter Best, released from the Rebel soundtrack, "Heroes" b/w "Memory" (EMI - 1638) for EMI Records in 1985. Produced by Bruce Rowland at Studio 301, Sydney. The B side was produced by Peter Dawkins and engineered by Richard Lush came from "The Persauder" LP.

Post 323 - John Paul Young - Out Of Time / Hold Me

By mid 1980 John Paul Young had left Albert Productions and ended his association with Vanda & Young. He used session musicians for his 1960s' covers album, "The Singer" released in 1981. Just before Christmas we were asked if we could post the single lifted from this LP, so here it is for you to download recorded for Hammard "Out Of Time" b/w "Hold Me". Backing John were Jim Doyle & Stuart Frazer - guitars, Rex Bullen - Keyboards, Les Young - bass, Russell Dunlop - drums, Ralph White - horns, Geoff Oakes - sax and backing vocals by Karen Smith.

Post 322 - Bruce Woodley - The Colours Of Your Days

Bruce William Woodley born on 25th July 1942, is an Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist, banjo and mandolin-player. He was a founding member of the successful pop-folk group The Seekers. Bruce's first solo venture was a production company called Pennywheel, which saw him release a number of products for children, including a "Build an Alphabet" set of blocks and the 1969 EP & board book "Friday St. Fantasy". In 1969 Bruce headed off to America to sell the songs he'd been writing, and was to remain there for several years. During this period he collaborated with a number of writers including John Farrar and Australian folk singer Hans Poulsen. Their composition "Boom-Sha-La-La-Lo" became a hit for Poulsen. In 1971 Bruce released his first solo album, entitled Just Good Friends. The original album cover featured two naked models having sex. This was deemed too raunchy for Australia and the cover was replaced by a photo of Woodley. The original cover, however, was allowed in New Zealand, and this version of the album is a collectors item today. Here to download is the one sided flexi disc produced by Bill Armstrong Pty Ltd for Dulux Paints called "The Colours Of Your Days." As you can see by the scan there is no cat.# or date of release. Bruce's non-musical work includes public speaking through the Saxton Speakers Bureau, and he is the patron of various organisations such as the National Institute of Youth Performing Arts Australia. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the organisation TLC for Kids, and was for a time, beginning in 1997, the chairman of the Victorian branch of the Variety Club.

Post 321 - Dave Allenby - Where Has All The Love Gone / Somewhere In The World

Here to download is Dave Allenby's 1969 single for RCA Records "Where Has All The Love Gone" b/w "Somewhere In The World" (RCA - 1865). There isn't a lot of information on the Internet about this single aside from the fact that it was recorded in the UK, England to be more precise. For more songs and information about Dave, please check out post's #85 and #123.

Post 320 - The Rocky Horror Show - Original Australian Cast

This recording of the Original 1974 Australian Cast of "The Rocky Horror Show" was initially released as a gatefold LP by Festival Records in Australia, reissued in the U.S. a year later by Elephant Records as a budget LP with no gatefold. This is the only cast album that uses "The Wedding Song" as a song title in place of "Dammit Janet." It also groups "Rose Tint My World" / "Fanfare" / "Wild And Untamed Thing" (collectively titled "It Was Great When It All Began" ) with "I'm Going Home" for one extremely long 9.00 minute track. This stage production opened in Sydney on April 19th, 1974 at the New Arts Cinema in Glebe. It was the first Rocky Horror Show production outside of the U.S. and U.K. The show ran for three and a half years, transferring to Melbourne in October 1975 and then to Adelaide in August 1977 before finally closing. The producer Harry M. Miller heard Richard O'Brien's demo tape before The Rocky Horror Show even opened at the Royal Court Theatre in London. He had previously produced two extremely successful shows in Australia, Hair (1969-71) and Jesus Christ Superstar (1972-74). Vocals on this LP were by Dr. Frank-N-Furter: Reg Livermore, Janet Weiss: Jane Harders, Brad Majors: John Paramor, Riff-Raff: Sal Sharah, Magenta and Usherette: Kate Fitzpatrick, Columbia: Maureen Elkner, Eddie and Dr. Scott: David Cameron, Rocky Horror: Graham Matters, Narrator: Arthur Dignam, Magenta (only on "Touch A Touch Me" and "Once in a While"): Julie McGregor and Brad Majors (only on "Over at the Frankenstein Place"): Piero von Arnim. The band was made up of, on Piano: Jamie McKinley, Sax: Geoff Oakes, Guitar & Mellotron: Roy Ritchie, Bass: Ken Firth and Greg Henson on drums, the chorus was made up of Bob Hudson, Arthur Dignam, Julie McGregor, Maureen Elkner, Graham Matters, Sal Sharah, and Piero von Arnim. Here to download is "The Rocky Horror Show" (L 35231) on Festival. It was produced by John Morrison & Roy Ritchie, recording engineer: Richard E. Lush and executive producer: Harry M. Miller. The original LP features a gatefold with performance photos and complete song lyrics. The budget LP reissue got rid of the gatefold, added the Elephant Records logo and "Suggested Retail: $3.29."

Post 319 - The Dargies - Dig The Didjeridoo EP

Horrie Dargie was born on the 7th of July 1917, in Whyalla, South Australia, the second son of Andrew and Adelaide Dargie. His older brother Sir William Dargie was a noted Australian portrait artist. In the early 1930s he took up the chromatic harmonica and won a variety competition on a local radio station in 1937. In 1938 he moved to Sydney. Horrie Dargie joined the Australian Army in 1941 and served in New Guinea and later in the occupational forces in Japan. He returned to Melbourne in 1947 and subsequently formed the famous Horrie Dargie Quintet. By 1952 the Quintet had risen in popularity by dint of hard work, and played their farewell concert at the Sydney Town Hall in 1952 before leaving for England. By chance, a recording was made of the performance on a wire recorder using just one microphone. The 10″ record of the farewell concert became Australia's first Gold Record, selling 75,000 copies. In 1958 Dargie took up a position at Channel 9, where he was in charge of the talent division . He compered the BP Super Show and also was responsible for the Delo and Daly Show, He was the first Australian compere of the show "The Price is Right" and managed the The Go!! Show, a pop music show that regularly featured entertainers such as Johnny Young, Ian Turpie and Olivia Newton-John. Dargie also established Go!! Records in 1964 to promote artists who appeared on the show. Here to download is the EP recorded for Astor Records 'Dig The Didjeridoo With The Dargies" (AEP 4001). There is no date release on the cover or record anywhere even Astor has a ? where the date should be so I'm hoping someone out there can help us with this. Dargie is also remembered for his musical arrangements for the film Crocodile Dundee and the TV show The Leyland Brothers. He also played the background music for the TV series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. Horrie Dargie passed away at the age of 82 on 30 August, 1999.

Post 318 - The Mojo Singers - C'Mon Aussie C'Mon / Establishment Blues

Seeing the cricket season is upon us we thought these couple of singles may be in order. Originally performed by the Mojo Singers in 1978 as an advertising jingle to promote World Series Cricket's unofficial Australian cricket team, the song eulogised players such as Dennis Lillee, the Chappell brothers Ian and Greg and Rod Marsh. It ended with the refrain, "C'mon Aussie, C'mon, C'mon" sung again and again. The song was part of an advertising campaign devised by the Mojo agency for the Channel Nine network, which televised WSC cricket. Released as a single, it was a smash hit and was played at the WSC games and even sung by crowds at the official Test matches. Each season the lyrics changed to announce who would be the Australian cricket team's opponents that summer and to highlight the latest stars of the team. Here to download is the 1978 WEA single "C'Mon Aussie C'Mon" b/w "Establishment Blues" (100082). The B side was recorded by Glenn Cardier under the name Sydney Hill. As an added bonus we have included in this download the WEA single from 1979 "C'Mon Aussie C'Mon - The New Era" b/w "World Series Cup" & "Have A Go" (100117). Thanks Peter for these. The guys who penned the songs Allan Johnson & Alan Morris had other commercials to their credit such as "You Ought To Be Congratulated" the margarine commercial and "I Feel Like A Tooheys, Or Two" for Tooheys Beer.