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Saturday 24 December 2016

Post 665 - Various Artists - A Christmas Gift

The songs on this album are songs for children and families which express the real spirit of Christmas. “A Christmas Gift” (7243 5 24066 2 3) released in 1999 on EMI Records in support of the charitable work of St. Vincent de Paul. The album features Jon English, Doug Parkinson, David Atkins, Jackie Love, Jimmy Little and the Australian Girls’ Choir just to name a few. This project was put together by Monica Brown, director of Emmaus Productions and John Moore, National President of St. Vincent de Paul Society.Flac

Friday 23 December 2016

Post 664 - Bert Newton with the Debney Park High School Band - Bring Back The Spirit Of Christmas - See The Light

Bert Newton made a Christmas record back in 1981 called “Bring Back the Spirit of Christmas” b/w ‘See The Light” (FB-345), with the Debney Park High School Band. It was recorded on Fable Records. Bert is blessed with an easy listening, smooth vocal delivery which gave this recording a professional warmth and appeal. For quite a few years, this was an Aussie Christmas favorite...and, it's one that still gets airplay across the country each year in December. Bert reminisces about a pre-plastic tree era where he and his Dad would head to a park for a free pine tree. The record was Engineered by Brian Lawrence and Roger Savage and produced by Marcus Tarrant and Graeme Lyall. I once read “They should play this in shopping centres at Christmas when they need to clear everyone out”.  Someone else’s words not mine. Flac

Thursday 22 December 2016

Post 663 - The Tin Lids - Hey Rudolph!

Tin Lids is rhyming slang for "the kids", as the band members are all children of Scottish-born Australian, Jimmy Barnes, and his Thai-born wife, Jane Mahoney: Eliza-Jane Barnes (born 1984), Elly-May Barnes (born 1989), Jackie Barnes (born 1986) and Mahalia Barnes (born 1982). The group were in the children's choir as part of the back-up singers on their father's track, "When Your Love Is Gone", from his solo album, “Two Fires”. Their maternal uncle is Mark Lizotte, who also performs as Diesel or Johnny Diesel.  The Tin Lids released their first album in November 1991 as a collection of Christmas carols, ‘Hey Rudolph!’ (D26071)’ released on Mushroom Records and peaked at No. 6 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Most of the instrumentation was supplied by David Froggatt, the album's producer and arranger; it was recorded at Barnes' Freight Train Studios, Sydney. The album provided the single, "Christmas Day", which reached No. 40 on the ARIA Singles Chart.Flac

Wednesday 21 December 2016

Post 662 - Jo Jo Zep & His Little Helpers - Run Rudolph, Run - Guess Who

In late 1975, Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons were formed in Melbourne as Jo Jo Zep and His Little Helpers. The band was put together after Ross Wilson, who was waiting out his recording contract, had turned to producing other artists for the label, Oz Records. He decided to produce a version of Chuck Berry's "Run Rudolph Run", as a one-off Christmas single for Mushroom Records. Contractually, Wilson could not perform the vocals himself, so he asked his friend, Joe Camilleri (ex-The Pelaco Brothers with Stephen Cummings) to sing and play on the recording. Camilleri's nickname was Jo Jo Zep, which was derived from a traditional Maltese nickname for "Joseph", so the group was named Jo Jo Zep and His Little Helpers. The line-up included bass guitarist, John Power. To promote the single, Camilleri and Power formed a more permanent blues and rock music band. Power had relocated from Sydney to Melbourne to join Company Caine for an album which Wilson was producing. However Company Caine, which also included guitarist Jeff Burstin, and drummer John McInerney, had soon separated. Wilson suggested that all three team up with Camilleri to perform "Run Rudolph Run" as part of a Christmas show at the Myer Music Bowl. This performance (still billed as "Jo Jo Zep and His Little Helpers") marked Camilleri's first appearance on Countdown.  After the Christmas performances, they added a second guitarist and vocalist, Wayne Burt and Daddy Cool's drummer Gary Young replaced McInerney. Now a five-piece outfit consisting of Camilleri, Burstin, Burt, Power, and Young, the band renamed themselves Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons, with the Falcons part referencing Camilleri's Maltese background. Camilleri had wanted his former band mate, Cummings, to join as lead vocalist, but Cummings declined and later formed The Sports. Here to download is that Christmas single “Run Rudolph,Run” b/w ‘Guess Who” (K-6194).  Interesting to note that the B side was written by S.Clause.Flac

Tuesday 20 December 2016

Post 661 - Ol'55 - Xmas Promo

This was a promo Christmas record released by Ol’55 for Mushroom Records in 1976. It has all the members of Ol’55 doing Christmas promos as well as all the band telling us what Christmas means to them.  This Xmas Promo (MX-46443) was only released for radio stations.Flac 

Post 660 - Paul Walden - Penny Christmas Card - That's What I See In You

Paul Walden was signed by HMV in 1958, and with his deep, rich, resonant voice and smooth good looks, boyish charm and crowd-pleasing personality soon found himself with a string of radio hits and busy performing schedule. In 1959 he headed to London where he sang with the BBC Light Orchestra, was resident entertainer at the Down Under Club, and acted in several films. In the early Sixties he was home again, and starring in TVNZ’s first entertainment series After Dark. He also did radio shows on the YA network and continued releasing singles and albums and did several legendary tours organised by Joe Brown (crowd-pleasing concerts that also starred Howard Morrison, Peter Posa, John Hore and the Quin Tikis). In December 1965 Paul released a Christmas single called “Penny Christmas Card” b/w “That’s What I See In You” (HR-254) released on HMV Records. Flac

Saturday 3 December 2016

Post 659 - Jacqui Fitzgerald - Stand Up For Your Love - Hurtin' Each Other



Jacqui's deep, silky tones are well known to most New Zealanders. While her voice became familiar in households across the country through her work on the award winning BASF ‘Dear John’ advert (which went on to win world acclaim and is in the Advertising Hall Of Fame), she is a session vocalist and successful recording artist in her own right. She won the Jazz Album of the Year in 1985 with The Masquerade Is Over (the first time a female had won the award). The album won acclaim and was highly rated by music writers and reviewers across the country. In 1979 this single “Stand Up For Your Love” b/w “Hurtin’ Each Other” (103548) was released in Australia on Laser Records and in New Zealand on Key Records.Flac 

Post 658 - T.M.G - Disturbing The Peace - U.S.Release

In April 1978 TMG set off on a marathon three-month national tour to promote their new studio LP Disturbing The Peace , which was released that month, and although it didn't make the national album charts, two of the three singles lifted from it did become hits -- "Lazy Eyes" reached #21 in May and their cover "Heart Of Stone" made #20. Although these proved to be their last national hits, they gave TMG the enviable distinction of a having achieved nine national hit singles in a row. At the end of the year the group signed an American deal with the Atlantic label and their “Disturbing The Peace” (SD 38-115) was released on Atco Records. The LP was issued with a different cover as well as the tracks “Girl On The Stage” and “One Night” were replaced with “Devil In You” and “Too Bad”. Thanks to Peter for giving me this album to put on the Blog.Flac