Post 461 - Claude Papesch - Not The Way To Move Me / Petra

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".

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. 

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.