42nd. Street - Mistaken Identity

Ripped from a 4IP compilation album Thats Queensland
by Chuck, who holds this rare album in high esteem
because it has some songs of his favorite Bris band
Wickety Wak.
LOL, Thanks Chuck especialy for not ripping the whole lp

42nd Street somehow made it onto this album with their
song Mistaken Identity, 4IP were the AM kings of Brisbane
airways before the emergence of the FM austero stations
that now dominate, they were as lame as this record so its
a mystery to me how.

Download Here

42nd St - Work it out bw Afraid of the dark

Brisbane band Ups and Downs are well enough known,
one of the best to come out of here , but few know of
the band that they came out of, 42nd St.

Brothers Greg and Darren Atkinson got their start in late 1970s
power pop band 42nd Street. Ken Allen (guitar) and Neil Coombe
(guitar) completed the line-up.
42nd Street issued one single, Work It Out, on the Virgo Seven
label in 1979 and also contributed a track called
Mistaken Identity to radio station 4IP's various artists
compilation album, That's Queensland.
42nd Street made little impact beyond the Brisbane scene and in
1983 the Atkinson brothers formed Ups and Downs as a
three-piece band with Peter Hamilton-Shaw (guitar)
joining soon after to round out the sound.

Thanks to Chuck and his amazing record collection for this rare treat

Previous ups and downs posts here

Download Here

Foco Nuevo

One of my favorite things to post on is the fantastic concerts I get
to and this Friday night was a wonderful night of music.
Ever since I ran into two old friends Lachlan and Sue at the dreaming
festival and they told me of this project, I have been meaning to
check it out. So what is Foco Nuevo, lets hear from the web site, here
that along with email is the sole promotion that this project has.

Foco Nuevo is the performance project of Brisbane-based
Jumping Fences, the songwriting/performing partnership
of Sue Monk and Lachlan Hurse.
It was initially organised in association with the Ellen Taylor
Community Centre (formerly Ahimsa House),
a community space in West End, Brisbane.
The name Foco Nuevo refers to Brisbane’s FOCO Club, a lively
and alternative performance space which ran on a weekly basis
during the late 1960s. The mix of music and social issues has
given a particular character to Brisbane music over several
decades, and has never been far from the inspiration behind
the song writing of Jumping Fences. Their original work and
the influence of their long association with Latin American
music have given them a unique profile in Brisbane.
Foco Nuevo is a performing space that draws on the approach
of the Latin American 'peña', and places it in the Australian
context, with a diversity of guest performers and a focus on
original material.

It commenced on 28 March, 2008.

The nights entertainment was varied and engaging,
Jumping Fences, as I mostly remember them, opened
as a duo. Then a fellow from Texas, Felix Guerrero , who is here
on holiday, played some great songs he had written.
On on the program he was an added extra,
in that fine folk tradition of flexibility.

The Goodwills, Bob and Laurel Wilson were next playing their own
compositions both humorous and serious, as well as a brilliant Paul
Kelly cover. These guys who live now in Maleny sing folk in the old
tradition, they sing of the everyday in the way that gets you thinking.
They have been singing since the 70s and in some ways a like a time
capsule tranporting you back a few decades.

Jumping Fences were up next, with a fantastic percussion section
and electric lead guitar. I'm used to seeing them play as a duo and
theextended line up was a relevation. Their unique sound is a Latin,
folk blend unlike anyone else, organic and honest.
They sing heartfelt songs that capture their concerns and the things
that touch them.
Always a pleasure to watch.
If you want to hear some of their music and read all about them visit
their web site here


Celtic Fyre finished up the night with their traditional Celtic, mainly
Scottish folk music. Lots of wonderful instrumental stuff as well as
some diverse songs. Of course my favorites were Streams of
Whiskey and The Great Song of Indifference.
A great night, great music and a fantastic do it yourself, grass roots
approach to music and promotion.

Where Joy Kills Sorrow - Various Artists

A request from Sam from the States has me posting this out of print
but wonderful album. Some fantastic artists, many whom
I have posted on before and a great follow up to the
Man in Black show that I saw a couple
of weekends ago

Where Joy Kills Sorrow has achieved a kind of legendary status.
It features Australian rock singers - famous, infamous and unknown,
singing country songs of the finest order (if a little obscure).
Tex (Greg) Perkins, Mick Harvey, Paul Kelly, Renee Geyer,
Dave Graney and Clare Moore, Matt Walker, Robert Forster,
Joel Silbersher, David McComb, Vika and Linda Bull, Uncle Bill,
Warren Ellis and his father John -
they all turn in amazing performances.
It's one of those CDs that has a life of its own and has been selling
steadily since its release in 1997 largely through word of mouth.
A slice of history as well as a great CD.
If you want to hear Warren Ellis from the Dirty Three sing
(!!) get this record.

Track List
01. Just A Little Bit Of Rain-Mick Harvey
02. When Your Tired Of Breaking Other Hearts-Joel Silbersher
03. I Scare Myself-Renee Geyer With Uncle Bill
04. Yellow Roses-Greg Perkins
05. The World's Got Everything In It-Uncle Bill
06. Mis'ry Is My Middle Name-Warren And John Ellis
07. The Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness-Robert Forster
08. Thanks A Lot-Paul Kelly With Uncle Bill
09. Duchess-Bruce Haymes
10. If You Don't Want My Love-Rob Snarski With Matt Walker
11. I'd Rather Be Sorry-Vika And Linda Bull
12. The Way You See Me-Chris Abrahams And Melanie Oxley
13. Still Alive And Well-David McComb
14. When I Dream-Matt Walker And Ashley Davies
15. This Is Forever-Dave Garney And Clare Moore

Download Here
Download Bonus cd here

Seven Ballerinas - Sometimes I Feel/Circles, single

The Seven Ballerines haled fro the Gold Coast, about 1 hour drive
south from Brisbane. The song "Sometimes I feel like" had high
rotation on 4 ZzZ at the time, a song I am fond of.
I thought I had a single of theirs but it turns
out to be a contemporary band of theirs also from the Gold Coast,
The Sigh Of Relief.
Both bands played their debut gig together at the Miami Hotel
on the Gold Coast on the 26th of June 1981.
Now for some more trivia I hand over to Chuck who ripped and
scanned this single, thanks Chuck.



this single has had a hard life - heat and maybe water damaged
cover and well played vinyl, but it doesn't jump so worth a listen.
They had another single, American Dream

Seven Ballerinas 79 -82
Jeff Harris - drums
John Hipprocates - drums
Micheal Palmer - Guitar
John Smethurst - Vocals Guitar
Mario Spina - Bass

John Smethurst and Mario Spina were previously in a band call ratpak
Mario Spina went on to play in the Ballistics, Bossanova Kids and the Tellers
John Hipprocates also played in the Bossa Nova kids and the tellers
Jeff Harris also played in Cross the road and Jump and Jive

Download Here

The Birthday Party - Friend Catcher/ Waving Arms/Catman, single

Released in this month in 1980 its hard to explain how
ground breaking Nick and his band of misfits were at
the time. Originally released by the Boys next door and
on the Album that I have posted here called the Birthday
Party, the Boys became the Birthday Party and went on
to become one of the most influential bands of the 1980s,
certainly in Brisbane.



It seemed within two years the place was over run by
Birthday Party inspired bands. This is a great place to
start if you don't know this band, 3 tracks of pure brilliance.
Is there anyone much pushing the boundaries of music
like this these days?
I can't remember when I first heard this, but I did rush
out and buy the album, I think I had "Door Door"
first, but this is an incredible shift from that.
These are the records of my later teen years,
I made the punk to post punk move easily.
To me these guys were at the forefront.

Thanks Chuck for ripping and scanning this wonderful 7"


The Friend Catcher - Birthday Party

I, cigarette fingers
Puff and poke
Puff and poking the smoke
Touches the ground

You, your lungs and your wrists
They throb like trains
Choo choo choo
It's a prison of sound

Of sound

She, by my chinny chin chin
Hee - Haw,Hee - Haw,
Like a zippo smokes the way
Hope, around

You, your lungs and your wrists
They throb like trains
Choo choo choo
It's a prison of sound

A prison of sound

She, by the hair of my chinny chin chin
Hee - Haw,Hee - Haw,Hee - Haw,Hee - Haw
Like a zippo smokes the way
Hope, around

You, your lungs and your wrists
They throb like trains
Choo choo choo
It's a prison of sound

I poke around...

Download Here


The Friend Catcher Live

Anyone have a Time Machine?

Some very interesting blasts from the past scanned by
our resident would be Time Lord Chuck.
Both these gigs would have been well worth seeing,
I would have loved to seen JFK back then but I
got into them after they had left for the bright lights
of Sydney, I did see Xero back in the day however.
This shall be followed up by some fantastic music,
so stay tuned in.

Chuck has this to say

if i ever finish building the time machine this will be hi
on the list of gigs to see... a bit b4 my time sadly...
probably 1982 from dates and stuff on the rocking horse ad on reverse..
a good excuse also to post some bday party stuff and some ballerinas

The End - Hot Records Cassette

Bazzil from the most wonderful Prehistoric Sounds website
and Blog has digitalized his rare copy of the ends hot
records cassette release. Combining both studio and live
tracks it is a real treat.
Thanks Bazzil for digging out and bringing this into the
digital age.
The liner notes below are brilliant, more information than
I've been find anywhere on the web.

Download Here


Click to enlarge

The Man In Black - The Johnny Cash Story

Last night I went to see the fantastic Man in Black show staring
Tex Perkins, Rachael Tidd and the Tennessee Four.
The show is running a season here in Brisbane at the Twelfth Night
Theatre.
Here's the official publicity blurb.

Two hours of Cash’s magnificent music interwoven with the story
of his rise to stardom, his fight for survival and his eventual
redemption.The show explores his relationships –
with hardened prisoners to the beautiful June Carter and lots in
between.Johnny Cash was dealt a very tough hand, early in life,
but through his music and dedication, he became a legend throughout
the world

The incredible Tex Perkins is perfect in the role of Johnny Cash,
often he sounded just like Cash while singing.
He was certainly convincing, his performance like acting as much
as singing. A truly brilliant performance. The audience had a large,
lets say, older age demographic. Tex was no doubt unfamiliar to
these people, but he had them eating out of his hand.

Rachael Tidd was equally brilliant, I was unfamiliar with her
so here's a bit about her.

Rachael studied and played music before training as an actor at
the Victorian College of the Arts, graduating in 1997.
Since then she has performed in theatres all over Australia,
playing an electric guitar-wielding ingenue in Shakespeare
and an accordion-bending, saxophone-toting gangster moll in
Brecht, amongst others. She has appeared in musicals such as
Always, Patsy Cline and Sondheim’s Company, and counts
herself lucky to have been part of many premiere productions
and workshops including
All Het Up, Spontaneous Broadway, Your Dreaming and Sign of
The Seahorse with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
She has worked with Melbourne Theatre Company, Sydney
Theatre Company, Playbox/Malthouse, Chamber Made,
Majestic, Handspan, Theatreworks,
Really Useful Company, and Australian Shakespeare Company
to name a few. Rachael has to her credit a sprinkling of screen
roles, and holds a Masters Degree in Speech and Language
Pathology from La Trobe University.
She is also a voice and accent specialist, working regularly in
film, television and radio.

She has the most incredible voice and of course played the role of
June Carter, Cash's incredible wife and co-performer, for some
40 years.


The songs well lets see what I can remember.
Ring of Fire, I Walk the Line, Folsom Prison Blues,
Sunday Mornin’ Coming Down, Get Rhythm,
A Boy Named Sue, Hey Porter, Hurt, Bird on a wire,
Jackson, Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord),
Help Me Make It Through The Night, It Ain’t Me Babe,
Busted, Cocaine Blues, Greyston Chapel, Starkville City Jail,
Man In Black, 25 Minutes To Go, Dirty Old Egg-Suckin’ Dog
and If I Were a Carpenter.

The highlights, well the big songs were all highlights but special
mention goes to Jackson, perhaps the greatest duet of all time,
Hurt, this was incredible as haunting as the Cash version,
Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord),
given extra significance as Tidd and Perkins account for the period
surrounding Cash’s brother Jack’s untimely demise at the hands
of a whirling table saw in 1944,
It Ain’t Me, Babe, another fantastic duet and just a great song,
as was If I Were a Carpenter.
Of course Ring of Fire the song June wrote for him and
the very last song John performed before his death
was a fitting end.
A fantastic tribute and that's never going to be an easy thing to
pull off when you are talking about someone with a legacy
such as that of Johnny Cash.


The Band , oh weren't they great, they played every song with the
up most respect for the songs, faithful in the reproductions.

The Tennessee Four.

Dave Folley, Shane Reilly, Steve Hadley and Shannon Bourne.

The End - Brisbane Hotel, 1979

Steve aka duckdogtwo a frequent contributor here has
added to the end post with this fantastic live recording
of the end back sometime in 1979.
Heck that was when I was in grade 10 or something.
I remember trying real hard to see the Boomtown rats
then, but I digress. It would be a couple of years before
I started hitting venues like the Brisbane Hotel, where
the Saints ( with ed on bass) would deafen me.
This is a great recording, I'm thinking soundboard,
great vocals high in the mix, all instruments clear
and it starts with the classic John Cale song This heart
of mine. Fantastic with a great version of Just Skin
and my confession is supurb.
Thanks Steve.

Now does anyone have the Hot records cassette release.



Track List
01. This Heart Of Mine
02. Real Good Time Together
03. Stand On My Head
04. Lost
05. There She Goes Again
06. Chelsea Girl
07. Not The Day
08. Trees
09. Just Skin
10. Sunday Morning
11. My Confession
12. Mannequin
13. Something's Wrong
14. I Said Oh
15. Waste My Time
16. When You Said
17. Saw You
18. Stay Away

Download Here