Post 80 - Billy Thorpe - First 3 LP's

Today is a special day. Not a happy day to remember, but special still the same. Two years ago today an icon in the Aussie music industry was lost. For this very reason the only post that Ozzie Music man and myself are making today is of the late and oh so great William Richard Thorpe 29 March 1946. This wonderful man gave his life to his music. Known to us all as Billy Thorpe or Thorpie, Billy was born in Manchester but immigrated in 1955 to Melbourne. Billy started his career performing as 'Little Rock Allen' where he had settled in Brisbane. Billy spent years through childhood giving his life to his music. He moved to Sydney in 1963 in search of success. He auditioned for lead man of a band “The Aztecs”. Billy’s comment when told their name was “What are they, a Mexican mariachi band?” Billy’s first song started hard with “Shout”. After a few tries with the audience, he simply stole their hearts. He was made lead man of the Aztecs then and there. The first download for you is “Poison Ivy” 1964 (R66-537). Billy is featured on six tracks of this album with the original Aztecs lead singer, Johnny Noble featured on the others. This album was released during the days that Billy spent at the Surf City Club in Kings Cross. Billy used to listen to the bands that played there and just felt that a change was coming in Australian music, and boy was he right! This album featured hits such as “Poison Ivy” and “Blue Day” which was released as a single once on Linda Lee and another time on Fesitval. The second album (and my favourite) is “Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs” (PMCO 7525). This album featured Billy doing cover versions of many famous songs. What a brilliant version of Stand By Me! In this album I first noticed Billy’s famous Tarzan-type scream….simply fascinating. The following album was a new line-up. This was the only album Billy did with The Aztecs Mk II. “Don’t You Dig This Kind Of Beat” (PMCP-7529). This album was reissued in 1968 as “I Got A Woman” on MFP Budget Label. Here for you to download are those three albums that so stupidly never made it to CD. What on earth are those record companies thinking? As a final note: Rest in peace you wild and wonderful legend! You are missed and loved.

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Post 79 - Cheryl Gray - You Made Me What I Am / You Don't Love Me Anymore

Born on 5th August 1953, Melbourne, She adopted the stage surname of her father, Reg Gray, for the earlier part of her career. She began her singing career at the age of eight on Australian radio, and during this time she entered and won several talent contests. By the age of 15 she had her first hit record in Australia, with the cover of the 1966 Mark Wynter hit "You Made Me What I Am" written by Tony Hatch & Jackie Trent, and she won a 'Best Female Vocalist' award. She quickly became a well known celebrity on Australian television, but she felt her career was limited if she remained in Australia. She travelled to the United Kingdom and performed with such groups as Herman's Hermits, The Hollies and the Bee Gees. Barry Gibb wrote "The Love Of A Woman" for her, and her recording became a hit in some European countries. By the mid 1970s she had changed her name to Samantha Sang, and had moved to the United States where she renewed her acquaintance with the Bee Gees. They wrote another song for her, which coincided with their huge level of popularity, and the single "Emotion" (with back-up vocals by the Bee Gees) became a major hit worldwide. It reached number 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1978, and earned Sang a platinum record. It also climbed to #11 in the UK Singles Chart. Here for you to download is her 1967 hit for HMV "You Made Me What I Am" and it's B side "You Don't Love Me Anymore" (EA-4852)

Post 78 - Johnny Young - All My Loving LP

In 1971 Young developed Young Talent Time, a children's variety show. The show was a launching pad for several notable Australian singers including Jamie Redfern, Debra Byrne, Dannii Minogue and Tina Arena. It ran 18 years, to 1989. While not part of Young Talent Time, Australian Idol runner-up Anthony Callea also trained with the Johnny Young Talent School. Here for you to download is his 1978 LP for Pisces Records "All My Loving" (L 107) an album of covers. Produced by Ross Burton "All My Loving" later became identified with Johnny Young after he used it as the closing song for his long-running TV series. A special thanks to TOM MIX MUSIC for his help with this album.

Post 77 - Mumbles - I Never Had It So Good / You Are

Melbourne band the Mumbles in 1976 released their one and only single for Fable "I Never Had It So Good" b/w "You Are" (FB 298). Band members were Brian Fitzgerald ex Graduate/Bootleg Family (keyboards/sax) Louise Lincoln (vocals) Ross Ingliss (guitar/vocals) Brendan Fitzgerald (vocals/drums). The single was produced by Mumbles & Mack and the B side produced by Mumbles & Mike Wilson. Here for you to download is the A & B side of their only ever single enjoy.

Post 76 - Dalvanius & The Fascinations - Canberra We're Watching You

Dalvanius was born in New Zealand on 16 January 1948, the sixth of 11 children, In 1967 Dalvanius moved to Wellington, working as a cook by day and as a musician by night. By 1969 he had formed the Fascinations with his brother Edward and sister Barletta. Together they won Talent Scope, a national talent quest hosted on 2ZB by Philip Sherry. Dalvanius travelled to Australia in 1970 with the Shevelles, but gigs were limited due to their dislike of travel and a religious objection to performing on Sundays. When Barletta arrived a year later, the Fascinations reformed. Their vocal talents meant the Fascinations were in demand recording backing vocals for Australian stars such as Johnny O'Keefe, Reg Lyndsay, Renee Geyer, Richard Clipton, Gulliver Smith, Col Joye. In 1976 he joined the Australian rock band Sherbet’s tour "Life Is For Living". Sherbet’s Clive Shakespeare and their New Zealand-born keyboardist Garth Porter encouraged the Fascinations to record their own material. Shakespeare and Porter produced and played on the Dalvanius single "Canberra We're Watching You". The single's release resulted in his appearance on ABC's pop show "Countdown". Now days when he is not on stage somewhere around the world he is in a New Zealand recording studio producing his latest project for his MAUI Record Label or touring the world giving lectures on MOKOMOKAI (preserved Maori Heads). Here for you to download is their 1975 single for Infinity "Canberra We're Watching You". (K 6210)

Post 75 - Sparkle - Crazy Like A Fox / Coming To Take You Away

Sparkle was formed in 1974 They were a kind of glam band from Sydney. Their one and only single was "Crazy Like A Fox" (K 6318) for Infinity Records in 1976. Known members are Kevin Allen (bass) David Gibbons (guitar/vocals) Frank Manna (drums) Katie Manna (keyboards) and Tom Thorpe (guitar). The song penned by Al Staehely was also featured on The Who's Keith Moon solo 1975 LP "Two Sides Of The Moon." Here for you to download is Sparkle's one and only single and its B side out of '76 "Crazy Like A Fox / Coming To Take You Away"

Post 74 - Darryl Cotton - Don't Let It Get To You

Daryl signed to Ross Wilson and Glenn Wheatley's Oz label and issued the single "Don't Let It Get to You” (August 1978), which charted in Melbourne, peaking at #22 during October. In January 1979, Cotton was in Adelaide hosting the television pop show "Summer Rock" for the Nine Network. He issued two more singles on Oz, a cover of Hall and Oates' "I Don't Want to Lose You" February 1979 and "Glamour Girl" in July before turning to acting. Cotton appeared in the Nine Network's soapie The Young Doctors for a season, before hosting another series of 'Summer Rock'. In 1980, he signed to EMI and enjoyed his biggest solo hit with "Same Old Girl" (post #15) February 1980 from the LP "Best Seat In The House" it reached #6 on the national charts in April. Cotton released two more albums, "Rock'n'Good Fun", and a children's album, "Just for Kids". For you to download is "Don't Let It Get To You" (OZ 11774) produced by Beeb Birties and Darryl.

Post 73 - Johnny Young - The Young Man & His Music LP

Like so many Aussie pop stars, Johnny was born overseas and came to Australia. He was born Johnny Benjamin deJong in Rotterdam on March 12, 1945, the youngest of four children. In 1965, Johnny got his first break into TV when he became host of a local Perth pop show Club 17. In early 1966 when The Easybeats visited Perth, they gave Johnny the seal of approval by presenting him with one of their new songs. "Step Back", co-written by Stevie Wright and George Young. His credits include Russell Morris' "The Real Thing" and "Part Three Into Paper Walls", Ronnie Burns "Smiley" -- all national #1 singles, Ross D. Wyllie's "The Star" (successfully covered as "Here Comes the Star" in UK by Herman's Hermits) and Lionel Rose's "I Thank You". "The Real Thing" established Johnny Young as a major writer. Russell Morris' follow-up single "Part Three Into Paper Walls” in July 1969 went to #1 while "The Real Thing" was still charting. Johnny provided the beautiful B-side "The Girl That I Love", Ronnie Burns' recording of his song "Smiley", one of the first Australian Singles released in stereo. Johnny scored yet another #1 single during 1970 with the country ballad "I Thank You", recorded by former boxing champion Lionel Rose. Here for you to download is Johnny's 1973 LP "The Young Man & His Music" (SRA250.123).

Post 72 - Frankie Davidson - 50,000,000 Blowflies Can't Be Wrong / Cookies

Frankie was born in the Melbourne suburb of Black Rock and began singing to amuse his fellow servicemen. By the mid-fifties he had become a regular featured vocalist at the Ziegfeld Palais Ball Room in Melbourne. Frankie worked there with Max Bostock and his Rockets. He also recorded a series of rock’n’roll EPs on the Dance Land label. Then, in 1959, Frankie was snapped up by W&G Records. In 1961 he found his niche with ‘Yabba Yabba Doo’, which entered the charts in December. This was followed by what probably became his signature tune, ‘Have You Ever Been To See King’s Cross?’ The song achieved national acclaim for Frankie and made a mockery of the short-sighted Melbourne/Sydney rivalry of the period. After all, a Melbourne singer performing a song about an area of Sydney in 1962 was strange. In 1970 he began recording for the Fable label and produced his biggest selling single, ‘Gimme Dat Ding’, followed by ‘Ball Bearing Bird’. Frankie had also become an accomplished actor appearing in dramas such as Matlock Police, Homicide and the ABC’s production of Dynasty. In 1975 he switched to M7 Records and released an album called A Generation Of Children’s Hits. Frankie certainly made his mark with clever novelty material. Songs that followed included ‘Hector The Trash Collector’ and for you to download is his 1973 hit ‘50,000,000 Blowflies Can’t Be Wrong b/w Cookies’ (MS008).

Post 71 - Linda George - Shoo Be Doo Be Doo Dah Day

Linda George was one of Australia’s most successful and respected female vocalists of the 1970s, best known for her soulful voice and her 1974 hit "Mama's Little Girl". She went on to be an in-demand session singer, and teacher. She was born in the UK and immigrated with her family to Australia as a young teenager in the 1960s where they settled in Adelaide. In 1969 she had joined her first band Nova Express, a large Jazz-Rock group similar to U.S. acts Chicago or Blood Sweat and Tears, with the notable difference of having a female “front man”. In 1972 she joined Image Records and released her first solo single "Let's Fly Away" in May. In March 1973 she scored the role of the Acid Queen in the Australian stage production of The Who’s Rock Opera Tommy. The raised exposure helped ensure that George’s second single as "Miss Linda George" in July 1973 was a success. A cover of the then current Gladys Knight & the Pips U.S hit "Neither One of Us" her version took all the sales in Australia. Next came the much acclaimed debut LP Linda in August 1974. Now at the peak of her career Jack Richardson was again enlisted to produce the follow up album, Step by Step which was released in December 1975. The album’s first single "Shoo Be Doo Be Doo Dah Day" performed reasonably well in her hometown of Adelaide, but the rest of Australia wasn't so keen. Even worse, the album only managed three weeks at the bottom of the charts. A follow up single, "Step By Step", was released to boost sales but, this was even worse, failing to make the charts at all. For you to download is that single written by Stevie Wonder, Henry Cosby & Sylvia Moy "Shoo Be Doo Be Doo Dah Day" (Image IS-171).

Post 70 - Mike Preston - Dear Heart

Mike Preston (born 1938 in Hackney, London, England) is an international film and television actor. Preston had been a boxer before switching to a singing career. He had three hits in the UK Singles Chart, before immigrating to Australia where he performed as a nightclub singer. He then became a host on television, and then an actor. His first ongoing starring role on television was in the long-running police drama series Homicide as Sen. Det. Bob Delaney from 1972-1973. He later appeared in the soap opera Bellbird as Father John Kramer between the years of 1974-1976. He later took a lead role in prison-based soap opera Punishment 1981, but this series was short-lived. For you to download is the 1968 Spin single from the LP "Something Old, Something New", "Dear Heart" (EK 2438).

Post 69 - Kevin Borich – Angel’s Hand

From the album of the same name comes the B side of post #48 “Angel’s Hand” (K8088) recorded for Mushroom Records in 1980 and like so many classic albums has never made it to CD as yet. Here for you to download is that B side.

Post 68 - Slim Newton - The Redback On The Toilet Seat & How Did The Redback Die EP's

Ralph Ernest (Slim) Newton came from a family of three boys, is a man steeped in the tradition of authentic Australian country music. His first record, "Red back on the Toilet Seat" made history, and has earned Slim three gold records. In less than a year's recorded work Slim changed from a totally unknown part time singer and composer of country songs to an Australasian recording celebrity whose name will always be remembered as the creator of one of Australia's greatest run-away country hits. Slim sang the song on the live "Big 'T' Jubilee" radio show (2TM, 3MA, 4CA, 7LA) with a huge and immediate response. An instant blackout was placed on the song until the disc was released in March 1972. Late in April "Redback" was showing the first signs of being a gigantic hit. The EP started to appear on prediction charts around Australia soon after. October saw Slim back in Tamworth to promote his second record "How Did the Redback Die?" in which he recorded two different versions of the demise of his creepy crawly friend. This record sold 17,000 copies - half way to gold record status! Australasian sales of that original EP record which was never a single passed the 100,000 sales before being deleted on 8th June 1978. Here for your C&W pleasure out of 1972 are the 2 EP's "The Red Back On The Toilet Seat" (HEP 537) & "How Did The Redback Die" (HEP 539) enjoy.

Post 67 - Johnny O'Keefe - Holly Holy

John Michael O'Keefe, known as Johnny O'Keefe (19 January 1935 – 6 October 1978) was an Australian rock and roll singer whose career began in the 1950s and ended with his early death in the late 1970s. Some of his hits include "Wild One" (1958), "Shout!" and "She's My Baby". In his twenty-year career, O'Keefe released over 50 singles, 50 EP's and 100 albums. Often referred to by his initials, "JOK" or by his nickname, "The Wild One", O'Keefe was the first and biggest star of the 'classic' rock'n'roll era in Australia. He was the first Australian rock'n'roll performer to tour the United States. During 1969 O'Keefe toured Vietnam to entertain Australian troops. He signed a new contract with Festival at the end of 1969 and continued to record and release singles, but it was not until July 1972 that he finally scored another hit with a re-recorded version of 1958 hit "So Tough", which reached #7 in September that year. In January 1973 O'Keefe performed at the second Sunbury Pop Festival. MC Paul Hogan introduced him as a "newcomer" and urged the crowd to "give him a go", and although he was at first greeted with some jeering and booing, by the end of his set he had completely won over the crowd. For you to download is the B side of the 1972 version of "So Tough" a cover of Neil Diamond's 1969 hit "Holly Holy" (FK 4774).

Post 66 - Ernie Sigley & Denise Drysdale - Until The End Of Time

Born Denise Anne Christina Drysdale, she began her career as a dancing three-year-old. Drysdale began working with television at 10 years of age with GTV9 in Melbourne. By age 16, she was sacked from Graham Kennedy's In Melbourne Tonight for being overweight and the "weak link". Denise went on to win the annual Girl of the Year Award with Everybody's magazine in 1964. Claiming to be a singer, despite never have sung professionally in her life, Denise was invited to tour Australia with Ray Brown & The Whispers. She was employed as Melbourne's first go-go dancer at age 17. In 1974, she became Ernie Sigley's barrel girl on The Ernie Sigley Show, earning the nick-name Ding Dong. Ernest William "Ernie" Sigley (born 2 September 1938, in Footscray, Victoria) is an enduring Australian entertainment personality known for his square-rimmed spectacles, the gap between his front teeth and his slapstick approach to comedy. Sigley is especially remembered for his 1964 association with the Adelaide leg of The Beatles tour of Australia. In 1974 Ernie & Denise covered the Paul & Paula hit "Hey Paula" for Festival Records, but yes you got it another B side, of that single for you to listen to "Until The End Of Time" (K 5650).

Post 65 - Johnny Ashcroft - Playground In My Mind

In 1954, Johnny Ashcroft laid down his first commercial recordings–six sides (three 78rpms) for Rodeo Records. These were recorded live. His mid-1950s Phillips ‘microgroove’ vinyl album, "Songs Of The Western Trail" was Australia’s first vinyl C & W ‘Long Play’ (LP) record. Four years later the next Australian C & W vinyl LP made its appearance. Songs Of The Western Trail is ensconced in Australia’s recording history and Australia’s very first trucking song, "Highway 31". Although the term had not yet been coined, Ashcroft’s 1960 smash hit, "Little Boy Lost", was Australia’s first country-rock song. This song, written by Ashcroft from DJ Tony Withers’s idea, tells the story of Steven Walls who became lost from his parent’s property at Tubbamurra near Guyra, NSW. 1973 was the year Ashcroft and wife Gay Kayler recorded their "Faces Of Love album". That same year, Ashcroft recorded his fourth hit an American pop song, Clint Holmes’s "Playground In My Mind", which went to Number One on the charts. Ashcroft’s fifth hit, Holy Joe The Salvo, was written on the back of an airline sick-bag. It became the Salvation Army’s 1975 Red Shield Appeal Song. The ‘Sallies’ then became widely known as the ‘Salvos’.No other Australian country artist appeared on Top 40 Charts as frequently as Ashcroft. Here for you to download is the 1973 hit "Playground In My Mind" (EMI 10224).