Claude Papesch
was a blind multi-instrumentalist who originated from New Plymouth. As a
youngster he moved to Auckland where he was working the jazz clubs by the age
of 16. He was a regular at the Point Chevalier Youth Club, the same club at
which Johnny Devlin also used to play at. When Devlin was going to go on a
national tour, his current backing band, the Bob Paris Combo, weren't keen on
going on the road, so a new backing band had to be put together. Graham Dent,
Devlin's manager, asked Claude Papesch if he could put a band together to help
out. Papesch recruited guitarist Peter Bazely, bassist Keith Graham and drummer
Tony Hopkins. Together they became the Devils, one of New Zealand's first truly
rock'n'roll bands. n May 1959 the Devils went with Johnny to Australia and
stayed there for a short while. After the Devils disbanded, Claude continued in
the music industry for many more years in both New Zealand and Australia. In
1966 he was in Australia as part of a jazz combo, resident at the Latin Quarter
in King's Cross, supporting Ricky May. Here for you to download is Claude's
1975 single for EMI "Not The Way To Move Me" b/w "Petra"
(EMI 10882), it was produced by Rod Coe. Of the original Devils, only Papesch
dedicated his life to music. Widely travelled around Australasia, he eventually
settled in NSW, Battling cancer during the last years of his life, he was an
alderman of the Blue Mountains City Council, being elected in December 1981 and
resigning due to declining health in September 1985. He served a year as Deputy
Mayor. He also represented the Blue Mountains, Lithgow and Rylstone on Prospect
County Council. Claude died aged 45, on 2nd February 1987. Following his death,
a public Commemorative Tree Planting was held at the Wentworth Falls School of
Arts. His companion Patti, son Justin and daughter Mahalia survived him. An
active member of the Australian Labor Party, the headline in one of the local
Blue Mountains newspapers read "City Mourns Man Who Helped The Little
Guy".
Sunday, 14 October 2012
Post 460 - Sebastian Hardie - All Right Now / The Professional
Sebastian Hardie
were Australia's first symphonic rock band. They were initially formed in
Sydney in 1967 as Sebastian Hardie Blues Band but dropped the 'Blues Band'
reference when they became pop-oriented. By 1973 they developed a more
progressive rock style, and later performed as Windchase, but they disbanded by
1977. An early member of Sebastian Hardie was Jon English, who became better
known after he left and starred as Judas Iscariot in the Australian version of
the stage musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" in 1972, he subsequently
had a solo career as a singer, actor and scriptwriter. A later member, Mario
Millo became a multi-award winner for his television and movie music. Sebastian
Hardie's other early members included Graham Ford, Peter Plavsic and his
brother Alex Plavsic. After English and Ford had left, the Plavsic brothers
were joined by Millo and Toivo Pilt. With their addition, Sebastian Hardie
developed extended progressive rock tracks to become a symphonic rock group
before they released their definitive album Four Moments in 1975, which peaked
at #13 on the National albums chart. They followed with a second album
Windchase in 1976, but it had less chart success. Millo and Pilt formed the
band, Windchase, to release Symphinity in 1977, it was a heavier jazz-fusion
album but didn't have chart success and they disbanded. Here for you to
download is their first single from 1973 on RCA "All Right Now" b/w
"The Professional" (102349), both sides were penned by Daniel Boone.
Post 459 - John Meillon & John Ewart - Picture Show Man / Tap Tap
"Tap
Tap" (AP-11423) is a sing-a-long music hall number which accompanied the
movie "The Picture Show Man" starring John Meillon, John Ewart and
Rod Taylor who all had a good time, it seems, hamming it up in the movie. The
song is remarkably catchy and timeless but was relegated to the B-side, the
A-side being the theme from the movie here for you to download. The single was
released in 1977 on Albert. The composer of both sides of this single, Peter
Best who won the Australian Film Institute Award for best Original Music Score
in 1977 for the movie soundtrack. Peter also wrote the music for another movie
which starred John Meillon and Paul Hogan, "Crocodile Dundee".
"The Picture Show Man" is a witty comedy movie set in the 1920s and
it chronicles the adventures of Maurice Pym (John Meillon), a flamboyant
showman travelling the NSW outback unreeling silent films. Braving much
hardship and heartbreak along the way.
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
Post 458 - Edwin Duff - Wait For Tomorrow / Look Around
Travelling from Scotland to Australia in 1938 at the age of 10, Edwin Duff won an on-board singing competition and impressed all, including one passenger who was associated with Melbourne radio station 3KZ. Invited to visit the station, Duff sang in children’s programs and amateur shows. He left School at the age of 14 to sing in coffee lounges, developing a style that was all his own. He soon became a Kings Cross personality, singing in bars and lounges; on cruise ships and television programs. Here from 1970 is a single he recorded for Fable Records "Wait For Tomorrow" b/w "Look Around" (FB-019). The song was written by Jimmy Stewart, Doug Ashdown and Eric Gross and was featured in the Columbia picture "Lost In The Desert". It was produced by Alan Freeman, Laurie Lewis & Spencer Lee. Edwin passed away on the 9th of July 2012, at a nursing home in Vaucluse. He was 84. His funeral was held at Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park Crematorium on Monday the 16th of July. It was very sad to lose such a great jazz icon.
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