Post 392 -Ol'55 - Greasemarks LP

Fanis, was a part-time covers band formed in 1972 in Sutherland, Sydney with Pat Drummond on lead guitar and vocals, Rockpile Jones on rhythm guitar and vocals, Jimmy Manzie on bass guitar, Paul McCann, and Geoff Plummer on drums. Plummer worked as a public servant for the NSW Postmaster-General's Department in the Department of Media alongside, future rock music journalist, Glenn A. Baker and invited Baker to hear the band. In 1975, Baker took on their management, he introduced former chartered accountant, Peter Bryan—who performed as Frankie J. Holden—on lead vocals. Fanis was renamed as Ol' 55 from the Tom Waits song. We have many of Ol'55's recordings on our Blog and we were asked for this one which was their 4th release out of 7 albums. Released in 1980 on K-Tel here for you to download is "Greasemarks" (NA-561) covers the hits from '76 - '79 with a few non album songs and the odd B side as well as Frankie's solo "My Right Of Way".

Post 391 - The Wheelbarrow - Dame Zara / Trying So Hard

The Wheelbarrow recorded this one and only single for Spin Records in 1970 and was produced by Martin Erdman.The band was made up of Charlie Wright, Tony & James Mitchell and John Foley. Wright & Foley penned the A side with Foley writing the B side of the single. Erdman employed Wheelbarrow and session musician Mike Cassidy to do some backing vocals for other singers on the Du Monde label. Erdman wanted to release a Aussie cover of the Pipkins song at the time "Yakety Yak". Charlie Wright did the high vocals and Martin Erdman did the half talking low voice. It was released by Du Monde under the name of 1957 Stadium Rockers with a Charlie Wright song called "Felicity" on the B side under the name of The 1905 Ramsgate Ballroom Dance Band. Charlie Wright & Tony Mitchell went on to join Harry Young & Sabbath who released a few singles but no LP. Tony later joined Sherbet and with Garth Porter co-wrote most of Sherbets hits including "Howzat". Charlie Wright toured the U.K with Autumn. Here to download is ther one and only single "Dame Zara" b/w "Trying So Hard" (EK-3381). The engineer's on this single were Richard Batchens & Barry Nagel with John Egginton doing the strings arrangment.

Post 390 - The Crimefighters Inc - Bat Attack '89 / Bat Attack '89

Here is another one of these bands that there is not a lot of information about out there. The only thing we can find out is that Chuck McKinney is credited as vocals and according to the books he is the only band member. Chuck also was in the Hot City Bump Band in the '70s. Sadly, Chuck passed away in September 1994. This is the only single release by The Crimefighters in 1989 on RCA and it was followed by a S/T 12" in 1990. Here to download is that single "Bat Attack '89" b/w Bat Attack '89" (105074). The single was produced by Ean Sugarman, Ross Inglis and Doug Brady at Metropolis Studios.

Post 389 - Josh Morgan - Here's To The King / Feelings

Josh Morgan is a Tasmanian Elvis impersonator and is here with his self penned tribute to the King Elvis Presley. Released on Fable Records in 1977 the single was produced by Ian Cline and recorded at Spectangle Productions Hobart with Nick Armstrong. The B side was a cover of Morris Albert's Feelings. Here to download is the single "Here's To The King" b/w "Feelings" (FB-310).

Post 388 - Allan Caswell - The Australia's Cup / Lonelyhearts Waltz

Allan's song “On the Inside” (the theme for the t.v soapie “Prisoner”) recorded by Lynne Hamilton, reached No.1 in Australia and New Zealand, No.3 in England and made the Country Charts in the USA (his own version was a top 20 country hit in Europe in 2004). At last count, Caswell has had well over 900 songs published and over 500 recordings of his songs released worldwide by the likes of Cilla Black, The Irish Rovers, Patti Page, Slim Dusty, James Blundell and The Living End. At the height of The America’s Cup hysteria when "Australia 2" was in trouble, Caswell wrote and released “The Australia’s Cup”. The record, recorded for $38 and released independently, went to No.1 in Sydney and top 5 nationally in 1983. Here to download is that single "The Australia's Cup" b/w "Lonelyhearts Waltz" (13515). Caswell penned both sides of the single.