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In 1974 Ken Anderson booked the Sydney Opera House for the
Australian premier of “Naturally Free “. It was a sell-out and received great
publicity but he wasn't happy and re-edited the movie. In 1975, the rehash was
re-released by MGM/BEF but there was a massive oversight. This G rated movie
had its resurgence at Sydney's Kings Cross. Not a 'General Rated' environment
for those in the 'know'. It faltered. It stumbled. It almost fell on its face
until a South Australian theater in Goodwood took up its release. The movie
took off with people lined up around the block. After that, everyone wanted it.
Even a drive-in in Queensland had its screen blown down by a cyclone; after a
lot of hard work to repair the screen, the drive-in managed to open for three
days and broke all records. It was also popular in New Zealand and the USA. “Naturally
Free” (NLF-001) Soundtrack was released on APLA Records in 1975; it featured
music from “Avenue”, “Justice” and “The Squeeze”. John Laws narrated the film
which featured the top motorcyclists from around the world. Thanks again to Rex
for this LP for me to fix up. Flac
A pun on Bob Dylan's real name, Robert Zimmermen, John Dower’s
rock outfit The Zimmermen are best remembered for their standout hit
"Don't Go to Sydney." After working with several bands during the
late '70s and early '80s, John Dowler formed The Zimmermen in June 1983. They
found immediate success on the Melbourne pub-circuit where they supported such
acts as the Hoodoo Gurus and the Sunnyboys. By the end of 1984, band members
Steve Connolly and Michael Barclay had left to join the Paul Kelly Band which
became the Coloured Girls the following year. Guitarist Peter Tulloch and
drummer Graeme Perry replaced them for the group's debut single, "Don't Go
to Sydney," released in January 1985. It became one of the most successful
Australian independent singles of 1986 and, after Neil Osborn joined the band
as permanent drummer, the band released their debut album, "Rivers of
Corn", which contained a second single: "Ordinary Man." The
recording of their follow-up stalled in 1987 when Peter "Pedro" Bull
was replaced by Alan Brooker and Neil Osborn by former drummer Graeme Perry.
Unsatisfied with the recording by the former line-up, John Dowler took the band
back into the studio in November 1988. The single "What Really Hurts"
was released in February 1989, followed by the album "Way Too Casual"
(D 30047). The album was produced ny Lobby Loyde and recorded by Chris Thompson & Loyde. A final national tour followed before The Zimmermen disbanded in 1990.
John Dowler went on to release a solo album in 1993 titled "Low Society".Flac
“It’s about the randomness of life … of how you’re here one
minute and gone the next, and how you’d better get relationships established
because there’s not much else that you can rely on,” recalls composer Chris
Neal. “It was hippy, it was flower power, it was joy, joy, joy.” Neal first hit upon the idea for “Man-child”
while he was working in Vietnam in 1968. He had a lot of free time on his hands
because he was there as a kind of coach- writer for incoming acts that were
working for this American agency ... he’d been brought up on musicals by his
parents who were all into Gilbert and Sullivan and Rodgers and Hammerstein and
he’d always thought it would be a good idea to write a rock musical. Upon
returning to Sydney, Neal became aware of “Hair” and its trailblazing run at
the Metro Theatre. His brother Jim put up some money for the production and
Chris went about putting together a team to make it happen. A key member was
director Michael O’Reilly. “Michael could see straight away that he could bring
a lot to the show and everybody was very impressed by his credentials. “He’d
choreographed and directed quite a few shows in and around Sydney at the Old
Tote and Ensemble and so on. The production struggled to find a suitable venue
that was available in Sydney, which drove them to a unique but expensive
solution. They ended up getting a plastic bubble tent built by an organisation
in Adelaide who had just developed this technology. It was a 600 seat theatre
which was called the Bubble Theatre. The $40,000 tent was erected at the Sydney
Showground and final rehearsals began. However, they soon realised that while
the bubble made an amazing space for theatre productions, it didn’t have the
best acoustics for a rock concert. The preview week in early August 1971 saw a
positive response from the critics. Then, just as it seemed “Man-child” would
be off to a flying start, a freak accident held them back: a massive storm tore
a hole in the bubble. With the Bubble Theatre gone, the production was forced
on to the road. Their first stop was Brisbane, where “Man-child” proved a great
success. In their first week at the SGIO theatre they broke the box office
attendance record. Things only got better when they moved to Perth. More
sold-out shows followed in Adelaide and there was momentum for “Man-child” to
move on to Melbourne, where they planned to record an album and start a season
at the Metro Theatre. Things didn’t go to plan, though. The company was
informed by their promoter that the theatre wouldn’t need their services: they’d
got Grease instead. So they just had to pack their bags and go back to Sydney
and that was the end of that. For all
the success it had enjoyed on the road, awareness for “Man-child” fell away
quickly. The soundtrack sold around 5000 copies and cracked the lower end of
the top 40 charts but stalled without the show on the road to promote it. As
far as Neal can recall there has never been another production. Chris Neal once said…”I wouldn’t allow it to
be put on now, Its relevance is
completely gone ... it thrived on joy, joie de vivre, the smile ... if it was
going to be redone again I’d probably write about another three drafts and give
it a bit of sophistication.” The LP was produced by Spencer Lee with arrangement
by Ken Tait & Chris Neal with all lyrics & music by Chris Neal. “Man-Child”
(ML OO2) was recorded at TCS Studios Melbourne for M7 Records in 1972. I love
when I get a record to fix up for the Blog that I’ve never heard or heard of as
the case with this LP. But I must say I was very impressed and like the LP very
much. Big thank you to Rex for sending me this album for the Blog.Flac
Just about every web
site I looked at for info on this single "Mean Green Fighting
Machine"/"My Best Friend" (K 196) in 1986, all say that this
single was a promotional single for the Canberra Raiders Rugby League team. But
looking at the cover of the single something didn’t look right so to clear it
up I asked Max himself and I quote……” It was done for the yacht race “Americas Cup”
Thanks for clearing that up Max. The single was released on Mojo Records and
was produced by Max and Jimmy Sloggett at Sun Studios in Sydney with Peter
Contini engineering. Flac
Tiffani Wood was born on the 8th of November 1977 in Newcastle.
She developed an interest in performing from a young age and enrolled into jazz
dancing classes where she would eventually also assist teaching younger
students. At age 12, Wood's mother Judy encouraged her to take up singing by
joining the Young Talent Time talent school. Her teachers quickly noticed her
natural singing talent and at age 15, placed her into a show troupe "The
Young Stars" which performed at various venues around New South Wales.
During this three-year stint, Wood had her first experience of recording for an
album and performing solo in front of large crowds, her biggest being the
opening of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel where she performed in front of over
20,000 people. During her schooling years, she entered and won numerous talent
quests and played the lead vocal role in her 1994 school musical Murder in the
Music Hall. She completed her Higher School Certificate in 1995, her highest
mark being eighty-five per cent in music and at the age of 18, became the lead
singer of a cover band "Quiver". They performed a wide range of songs
including Tracy Chapman, Pearl Jam, Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, 80's rock
and more and Wood recorded original songs with the band. She then moved to
Sydney where she enrolled in the Australian Institute of Music choosing vocal
as her major, which she completed successfully, and joined another cover band
"The Anthill Mob". In late 1999, at the age of 22, Wood auditioned
for the first Australian series of Pop stars, a reality television show which
aimed to produce a new girl group. After selections for the group were
finalized by the judges, she just missed out. However, after original member
Chantelle Barry was forced out of the group in controversial circumstances,
Wood was selected to replace her as the fifth member of the band, now known as
Bardot. Like former Bardot band mate Sophie Monk, Wood signed a solo recording
contract with Warner Music and changed her name from Tiffany Wood to Tiffani
Wood in order to avoid confusion with the 1980s American pop star Tiffany. The
debut single, "What R U Waiting 4" (5046719222) re-introduced Wood
back into the music scene, marketed as an organic, light pop-rock singer
(similar to the likes of Michelle Branch, Alanis Morissette etc.). The track
debuted at No.27 on the ARIA singles chart on 22 March 2004 and was one of the
most-played songs on Australian radio in that month. In December 2005, Wood
publicly announced her engagement to UK born bouncer Neil Cummins, and the
couple married on 28 January 2007. Photos from their wedding featured in OK!
magazine. She later gave birth to their first child, Lillian Adel. The couple
have since separated and were divorced in May 2009. Flac
“The Get Real Project” is a youth for youth drug and AIDS
education project. They believed one of
the best ways to communicate what it is to be a 15 or 18 year old growing up in
Australia was through music. John Farnham & Danni ‘Elle and the rest of the
people on this record all donated their time, energy and royalties to the “Get
Real Project”. This release came free with "Get Real" Magazine. It
came with full colour poster and "Sex & Drugs & AIDS"
booklet. The A side was produced by Ross Fraser, Engineers were Doug Brady and
Ernie Rose. The band was made up of Acoustic Guitar – Lindsay Field, Backing
Vocals – Lindsay Field, Venetta Fields, Bass – Roger McLachlan, Brass – Kevin
Dubber, Mark Dennison, Peter Lothian, Drums – Scotty Johnston, Guitar – Brett
Garsed and Keyboards – David Hirschfelder. The B side was credited to Question
Time who recorded, performed and produced the song “Attitude”. Here to download
is the single for RCA Records from 1989 “Communication” b/w “Attitude”
(105072).Flac
The Johnnys released a 12” single “The Johnnys” (POWT 0240)
in 1984 on G.R.E.E.N. Records. Two tracks previously released as a single “My
Buzzsaw Baby (Really Cut Me Up)” and “Injun Joe” and “Pray To John Wayne”, “Move
It” which only appears on this 12”. “Move It’ was recorded live at the Chevron
Hotel. The record was produced by Steve Nieve and Tim Kramer with Engineer Tony
Cohen. The band included Bass, Vocals – Graham "Hoody" Hood, Drums –
Billy Pommer Jr, Guitar – Paul Doherty and Guitar, Vocals – Spencer P. Jones. Flac
The Eighty Eights were formed in Newcastle in 1979. The band
consisted of Larry Van Kriedt (vocals, guitar), Maurice D’Abruzzo (vocals, guitar),
Kent Jackson (bass) and John Bartram (drums). Van Kriedt’s claim to fame was
that he was the original bass player for AC/DC in late 1973 and early 1974.
They signed with the small Result label in 1980, and released their debut
single “She Fell in Love With James Bond” , followed by the EP “Live Pop”. The
singles “Don’t Call Us”, “Time Machine”, and the LP “Top of the World”
followed. Here to download are all three
singles and the Live E.P. Thanks to Bruce for the E.P. Flac
The Johnnys formed in 1982 in Sydney when bass guitarist
Graham Hood tried out for the Hoodoo Gurus after quitting the Allniters. He met
Hoodoo Gurus' guitarist Roddy Ray’da and they discussed an idea for a side
project: playing pub rock in a country music style at a punk pace—which was
labelled as cow punk. Ray'da left Hoodoo Gurus and, as a lead vocalist and
guitarist with Hood and drummer Billy Pommer Jr, founded The Johnnys. The Johnnys performed its first concert at
Palms disco on Oxford St, Taylors St, Darlinghurst Sydney in November 1982, New
Zealand-born Spencer P. Jones joined on guitar and backing vocals. The
four-piece released "I Think You're Cute" in October on Regular
Records, Ray'da left the group in early 1984 and formed Love Rodeo. Jones took
on lead vocals and the band signed with the Green Label to release "My
Buzzsaw Baby (Really Cut Me Up)" and an extended play. In 1985, the band had signed with Mushroom
Records which released their single, "Injun Joe" in November.
"(There's Gonna Be a) Showdown" followed in March 1986 and then
"Bleeding Heart” in June. Their debut album “Highlights of Dangerous Life”
appeared in August and was produced by Ross Wilson of Daddy Cool and contained
the three singles. Two non-album singles followed in 1987. Wilson produced
their second album, Grown Up Wrong, released in August 1988 which included two
further singles, "Motorbikin” and "Anything Could Happen". Michael Armiger replaced Hood on bass guitar.
The band broke up in 1989 with Jones continuing in his side-project “Beasts of
Bourbon”. Here for you to download are all the singles from 1983/1988.
Including the live single “The Way Of The West” that was only sold at their
concerts. I also thought it interesting that the B side of “I Think You’re Cute,”
“Mountain Man” and the B side of “My Buzzsaw Baby”, “Slip Slap Fishin’” are completely
different then the versions that appear on the first LP “Highlights Of A
Dangerous Life”. As a bonus I’ve added
the song “Johnny Was A Bad Man” from the various album “Sound Of Sydney” it has
never appeared on any of their LP’s or singles.Flac
