Post 699 - Mick Hamilton - Merry Christmas Mary - Roving Gambler

Playing professionally in rock bands from his mid-teens, guitarist and vocalist Mick Hamilton has since worked not only as a sideman but also as band leader, solo performer, record producer and musical director. Among the bands and individual artists with whom he has worked from the 60s include the Moods, the Vibrants, the Springfield Revival, the rockabilly band the Mighty Guys, Alan Caswell, Keith Glass and Gary Young. With the latter (as Glass Hamilton) He and Glass also recorded as the Dimmer Twins, “True Blue Aussie Christmas”.  In 1986 he recorded and produced the Christmas single “Merry Christmas Mary” b/w “Roving Gambler” (K 127). Hamilton has toured extensively outside Australia, including appearing in Thailand, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, the UK and the USA. Flac

Post 698 - Various - Family Christmas Album

In 1985 Central Coast Radio 2GO & St. George Building Society put together this Christmas LP “Family Christmas Album” (STGO 1), it was produced by G.Wayne Thomas & Craig Denyer and recorded at Sun Studios by Martin Harrington & Gary O’Connor. All proceeds  from the LP went to “Camp Breakaway” Wyong N.S.W. Featuring on the LP  was a mixed bag from Central Coast Artists Simone Hartman, Joyce Harpur, McCormack Brothers Band, Bill O’Neill, June Cheney to name a few. A big thank you to Christine for giving me this LP to fix up for the Blog Flac

Post 697 - The Cast - Christmas With Your Neighbours

That time of year again where we dig through the Christmas box. Throughout this album, you can just about hear the Neighbour’s marketing team rubbing their hands together in the background. I’m unsure whether the cast wanted to do the album, or whether it was decided for them in this post-Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, and pre-Delta Goodrem time. Stefan Dennis is the only one here noted as having a record contract, although Ian Smith and Anne Charleston had released their single “Old Fashioned Christmas” in the same year as this album. This is a fast romp through the classic songs, and generally gives you the festive spirit. The LP was released on Fable Records in 1989, (FAB 793200) with the help of Wendy Stapleton, Terry Dean and produced by Russell McKenna and Tony Naylor. Flac 

Post 696 - The Rory O'Donoghue Quartet - The Colour In Between

In memory of Rory O’Donoghue  (13 May 1949- 13 December 2017).

Rory O’Donoghue, the creative force alongside Grahame Bond for Australian hit 70s comedy The Aunty Jack Show, has died at age 68. In a statement on Facebook, Jessica O’Donoghue revealed, “We are so very sad to announce the passing of Rory O’Donoghue. He died in hospital on 13 December 2017. Many of you knew Rory as an incredible musician, a great athlete and a wonderful teacher. To us he was the most amazing and precious Dad, Grandpa, partner, son, brother, uncle and friend. We are devastated and will miss him deeply.

I never had the pleasure of meeting Rory in person but we were Facebook friends for over five years and in that time we chattered many times about his life with the bands he played in and of cause the Aunty Jack years. I found him never too busy to talk and a true gentleman. Here in this post for you to download is a album he released in 2000 “The Colour In Between” under The Rory O’Donoghue Quartet. The album features Rory on vocals & guitars, Alister  Spence keyboard, Ben O’Donoghue six string bass and Laurence Pike on drums. We talked once about me doing a post of all the Rory years with the Pogs, Oakapple Day, Cool Bananas and some other recordings. The only thing stopping us was his Fable single ”The Race” which I have never scored a copy as yet, but now I will  endeavour to track down and finish this project. R.I.P Rory.  Flac

Post 695 - The Mint - The Complete Singles

Christine Dalton was Michael’s wife, born Christine Martin. David and Eddie were Michael’s brothers. Stephen was not a Dalton at all, but Stephen Powell who, after leaving the band in the early 70s, went on to record the classic ‘Celestial Madness’ album, as S. J. C. Powell, you can find that LP on Post #682. Powell was replaced in the band by Simon Dalton another Dalton ring-in apparently, not sure who he was at all.   Everybody’s a Daltons idea came from the band’s manager at the time Sid McDonagh.  Here for you to download, the complete singles from The Mint from 1969/’71. Their 3^rd single “Down The Dustpipe” was covered by Status Quo. All the single were released on Ramrod Records, Johnny Rebb produced many of the The Mint singles. Thanks to Matt Gleeson for the pic of the band for this post. After The Mint had split, Michael, Christine, David and Eddie formed The Daltons and released one single on Astor and then several singles and a self-titled album on the Wizard label. Flac

Post 694 - Australian Cast Recording - Happy Days The Arena Mega Musical

Back in the summer of 1999 after a London theatre workshop adaptation of Happy Days caught the attention of the Australian promoter Paul Dainty, it was announced that Dainty and collaborator David Ian would be bringing Happy Days: The Arena Mega Musical to a handful of Australian cities. And in stark contrast to the “Dainty” name, it would prove to be a massive, elaborate production, with more than 70 performers taking the stage. The Happy Days touring show wasn’t short on star power, either. Along with a cast of rising musical theatre standouts Jon Stevens, Jo Beth Taylor, Doug Parkinson, and Craig McLachlan as The Fonz Maybe the biggest fish Dainty managed to pull for the tour, however, was one of Australia’s most popular young boy bands of the day, Human Nature who played a fictional Doo Wop group called “The Naturals,” adding their talents to the show’s compilation of classic rock n’ roll oldies like “Great Balls of Fire,” “Shake Rattle and Roll,” and “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” The soundtrack album here for you to download was released on Sony Records (4966782) in 1999. Flac