Post 686 - Going Home - Australian Artists Australian Songs

“Going Home - Australian Artists Australian Songs” (514 775-2) released in 1993 on ABC Records was a collection of Australian Songs recorded by Jon English, Doc Neeson, Paul Kelly, Shane Howard to name a few. I can’t find out really why the album was recorded if for something special as there’s very little info anywhere on the album. To me it’s very special though because a friend of mine Rosie and I had a mission to find it because it had a rare Jon English track that we both had never heard before. Rosie was a big Jon fan and that’s how we met through this Blog with one of my posts of Jon that Rosie hadn’t heard before. Five years later and many emails and a few phone calls Rosie and I became great friends mostly chatting about life, grand-kids and of cause our passion for great music. Rosie finally tracked down a copy of this CD on EBay and like the friend she was gave me a copy and we hoped that was now all the Jon English collection complete. Sadly on the 31 of March 2017 Rosie passed away after 3 months being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. So that’s one of the reasons I’m posting this album in memory of my dear friend. We never did get to meet in person for that coffee and chat but I know she’d be smiling seeing this post. Thanks to Graham for sending me this to post as I lost my copy when my hard drive crashed a few weeks back. R.I.P Rosie we will never forget you.Flac 

Post 685 - Bob Jones - Butterfly - Lady Love Song

Bob Jones is certainly a man of mystery his one and only single “Butterfly” b/w “Lady Love Song” (WBA-4020) released in 1972 for Warner Bros. Records.  The single was produced by G.Wayne Thomas and a couple of people even told me that they thought it might have been him singing under the Bob Jones name. A few years ago I was in contact with a lady named Brenda who I’m not sure if she’s G. Wayne Thomas’s agent or P.A. but she knew him and we talked about some of his songs that he was after which I had and she wanted to know if I would fix them up for him for a project he was going to do, (which is another story). So I was hoping she still had the same email and I wrote to her asking about Bob Jones to see if she could put some light on who he was.

As luck would have it she did respond to my email and this is what she said…….’Hi Garry I asked him about the Bob Jones single and he recalls producing the single. Bob Jones sang and wrote both sides of the single. After the record Bob met a Spanish girl and moved to Spain and was never heard of again”. Thanks again to Rex for sending me this very rare record to put on the Blog.Flac

Post 684 - Fingerprint - Play Roulette - When I Get Out Of Here

After going to the U.K. Neale Johns teamed up with Con Gallin where with session player they recorded an album. In 1977 the two returned to Australia and put together the outfit called “Fingerprint” with Trevor Young on drums and bass player Mark Smith. They recorded a single for Infinity Records in August ‘77 “Play Roulette” b/w “When I Get Out Of Here” (K-6911), Gallin penned the A side with Johns writing the B side. They both also produced the single. Not long after “Fingerprint” broke up with Johns and Young re-formed “Blackfeather” in June ‘1978. The label says from the forthcoming album but from what I can find out “Fingerprint” broke up before an album was recorded.Flac 

Post 683 - Ian Betteridge - Northbound Train - Itchy Feet

In 1973 Ian first entered country music by winning 4 sections of the CCMA talent quest at the Tamworth festival then signed a 3 year recording contract with CM records. He formed the “Ramblin’ Country Band”. They performed for 7 years every Sunday from 1983-1990 at the Central Coast Leagues Club, Gosford. In 1975 he won a National Search for a Songwriter Contest, the prize being a trip to Nashville, USA.   He wrote the “Wedding Song” which has been recorded in several countries and has been twice to the top of the Hit Parade in Ireland, and featured in the movie “Blown Away” staring Tommy-Lee Jones and Jeff Bridges. The single here for you to download “Northbound Train” b/w “Itchy Feet” (CM-012) was released on CM Records but I’m not sure what year. The label is a bit confusing because it has that it was recorded at Jam Sound Studios Gosford but has a P.O.Box 507 Dubbo N.S.W and it was printed in Singapore, so take your pick. Ian has written over 70 songs which have been recorded by over 60 artists worldwide. Thanks to Paul for this single to put up on the Blog.Flac

Post 682 - S.J.C. Powell - Celestial Madness

Before the release of this album, S.J.C. Powell (Stephen Joseph Christopher Powell) was guitarist and vocalist in Australian band, "The Mint", who released 4 singles between 1969 and 1971 on the  'Ramrod' label.  They were 3 brothers and a sister Stephen was adopted as the 4^th brother. “Celestial Madness” (APLP-014) remains one of Australia's rarest major label releases from the 1970s it was released on Albert Productions in 1975, as it seemingly was one of those mysterious albums that sold very little upon release and sunk without a trace into the land of obscurity. There is plenty of studio experimentation with phasing, tremolo and space-like synthesizer effects that work well with the lyrics. The LP was produced by Chris Gilbey and engineered by Bruce C. Brown. There are two copies floating around EBay at the moment one for $660 and the other going for $1,100 so looks like it’s a rare one to track down. Thanks again to Matt for helping out with the info and Rex once again for sending me this rare gem for the Blog. A great listen and another I didn’t know was out there.Flac