Robert Forster - Instore Rocking Horse Records Brisbane 26-04-08

Finally the release of the long awaited solo album from Robert Forster
and the world premier of tracks from the Lp.
Robert accompanied by Adele Pickvance were in fine form, playing 3
tracks from the Evangelist and 6 Go-between tracks.


I managed to record the proceedings on a camera with which I
videoed the gig and extracted the audio.I missed the beginning
of the first song and the 4th song all together.
The video is not the best quality, I may post a song
or something if theres enough interest.


I managed to get my copy of the new CD signed and a copy I'm giving
to a friend tonight for his 40th, signed
"Happy 40th To Mick Have A Good Time"
I think thats pretty cool.
I'm not posting the Album, if you want that look around.
I've had a copy since the start of March,
But I am posting the striped sunlight exclusive
Todays Rocking Horse instore appearance.

Track List

Robert Forster 26-4-08 Brisbane
Instore Appearance Rocking Horse Records

01 - Born To A Family (cut)
02 - If It Rains
03 - Demon Days
04 - Did She Overtake You(missing)
05 - Darlinghurst Nights
06 - I'm All Right
07 - Here Comes the City
08 - Clouds
09 - German Farmhouse

Download Here

The Go-Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane Acoustic Demos

A gem and maybe one of the rarest official items from the band.
This freebie was given away with the issue 58 of the
French magazine Les Inrockuptibles
Posted on the day of the release of Robert Forster's 1st
solo Lp since Grant's death and the end of the Go-betweens
is released. Today Robert is doing an in store appearance
in town at Rocking Horse Records and I hope to not only
buy "the evangelist" but get it signed.
This CD is a 10 out of 10, studio recorded, acoustic
demos, of possibly their best album, a must for any fan.
I will post on the in store appearance later.

Download Here

The Bushwackers Band - And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda

A special Anzac day post, the Bushwacker's 1st album (I think)
" And the Band Played waltzing Matilda"
released in 1976 and is regarded as one of their
finest recordings.
Not many bands in the 70s were fronted by a man in a rage
intent on smashing a big stick with bottle tops that sent
chunks, chips and sparks flying while the floorboards
were pounded. Small wonder Newton gathered a following!
This is a rollicking good album, with some very funny
songs, fantastic instrumentals and fine Australian
bush music the way it should be.
This the original band includes Dobe Newton,
Jan Wositzky and Roger Corbett, these guys are
true national treasures.
And the song that says it all about Anzac day.

AND THE BAND PLAYED
WALTZING MATILDA

When I was a young man I carried my pack
And I lived the free life of a rover
From the Murrays green basin to the dusty outback
I waltzed my Matilda all over
Then in nineteen fifteen my country said Son
It's time to stop rambling 'cause there's work to be done
So they gave me a tin hat and they gave me a gun
And they sent me away to the war
And the band played Waltzing Matilda
As we sailed away from the quay
And amidst all the tears and the shouts and the cheers
We sailed off to Gallipoli

How well I remember that terrible day
How the blood stained the sand and the water
And how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter
Johnny Turk he was ready, he primed himself well
He chased us with bullets, he rained us with shells
And in five minutes flat he'd blown us all to hell
Nearly blew us right back to Australia
But the band played Waltzing Matilda
As we stopped to bury our slain
We buried ours and the Turks buried theirs
Then we started all over again

Now those that were left, well we tried to survive
In a mad world of blood, death and fire
And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive
But around me the corpses piled higher
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over tit
And when I woke up in my hospital bed
And saw what it had done, I wished I was dead
Never knew there were worse things than dying
For no more I'll go waltzing Matilda
All around the green bush far and near
For to hump tent and pegs, a man needs two legs
No more waltzing Matilda for me

So they collected the cripples, the wounded, the maimed
And they shipped us back home to Australia
The armless, the legless, the blind, the insane
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla
And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay
I looked at the place where my legs used to be
And thank Christ there was nobody waiting for me
To grieve and to mourn and to pity
And the band played Waltzing Matilda
As they carried us down the gangway
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared
Then turned all their faces away

And now every April I sit on my porch
And I watch the parade pass before me
And I watch my old comrades, how proudly they march
Reliving old dreams of past glory
And the old men march slowly, all bent, stiff and sore
The forgotten heroes from a forgotten war
And the young people ask, "What are they marching for?"
And I ask myself the same question
And the band plays Waltzing Matilda
And the old men answer to the call
But year after year their numbers get fewer
Some day no one will march there at all

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
Who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me
And their ghosts may be heard as you pass the Billabong
Who'll come-a-waltzing Matilda with me?

---

copyright © Eric Bogle

Download Here

Redgum - Cut to the Quick EP

"Cut to the Quick" was released in 1982 after their brilliant 3rd
album, a 4 track Ep it shows the beginnings of Redgum's
maturing with Hugh McDonalds "Diamantina Drover,"
a true masterpiece.
A live vesion of this song turns up on "caught in the act"
along with "Fabulon"
"Where ya gonna run to" is from the previous release
"Brown rice and Kerosene."
This stripped down version of "Working girls" is only found here ,
a reworked version appearing on "Frontline"
and "Fabulon" and "Diamantina Drover" are re-released on the
2004 - Against the Grain - The Redgum Anthology
This copy has been ripped from my vinyl copy.

Download Here

Dogs in Space - Various Artists

Dogs in Space is a 1987 Australian film set in the post punk
underground scene in Melbourne in 1979.
Directed by Richard Lowenstein and staring Michael Hutchence
as Sam, the drug-addled frontman of the fictitious band from
which the film takes its name.
I have fond memories of this film, going to see it was in fact the
first date for me and my wife, one which I picked and no doubt
told her a few things about me and my tastes in music.
The now long out of print soundtrack is a winner.
Packed with songs from the era, plus some songs from the film
and some tracks from artists from the Melbourne scene,
its a great nostalgia trip.



Track List

Side One:

1. "Dog Food" Iggy Pop
2. "Dogs In Space" Michael Hutchence
3. "Win/Lose" Ollie Olsen
4. "Anthrax"Gang Of Four
5. "Skysaw" Brian Eno
6. "True Love" Marching Girls
7. "Shivers" Boys Next door

Side Two:

1. "Diseases" Thrush & the ##nts
2. "Pumping Ugly Muscle" The Primitive Calculators
3. "Golf Course" Michael Hutchence
4. "The Green Dragon" Michael Hutchence
5. "Shivers" Marie Hoy & Friends
6. "Endless Sea" Iggy Pop
7. "Rooms For The Memory" Michael Hutchence

Download Here

Pw Ausrock

From Little Things Big Things Grow - The Get Up Mob

I was very excited to hear about this piece of musical political
activism, the anthem written by Kev and Paul by a waterhole,
around a camp fire in the early 90's, has been transformed
under the direction of Urthboy from the herd, into a inspirational
anthem for this country to move forward.
I know its never that easy, but music can change attitudes.

The apology to the Stolen Generations on 13 February 2008 marked a
place in Australian history that The GetUp Mob -
featuring Kev Carmody, Paul Kelly, Urthboy and Missy Higgins,
have commemorated with the release on April 21 of the new GetUp
StandUp version of
'From Little Things Big Things Grow'.

This is the first step, in a new beginning for Australia as a nation,
to mature, denial of the past makes the future a lie - through
history the victors have written the history of the vanquished...
this contemporised version of the song transforms us from a
negative concept of the past to the positive possibilities
of the future...as someone once said
'from little things big things grow'.

Kev Carmody

From Little Things Big Things Grow has its roots in songs like
Woody Guthrie's Deportees and The Lonesome Death
Of Hattie Carroll by Bob Dylan.
And those songs grew out of the soil of other older songs.
The Get Up Mob just added another branch to the tree.
Long may it fruit.

Paul Kelly

I see 'From Little Things Big Things Grow' as a soundtrack
to positive change in this country. If it serves to accompany �
regular Aussies� in pursuing their own form of practically
reconciling - then we're in business. As plain as the day
itself we need to close the health and access gap between
indigenous and non-indigenous people.

Tim Levinson - Urthboy

Some moments in a nation's history are so significant,
so uplifting and so unifying they become the inspiration
for artists, thinkers and dreamers.
They turn those moments into the food which nourishes
the nation's soul - this song captures the hopes and
dreams of a nation; a vision for a shared future and
a desire for that moment to become a springboard
towards equality.

Brett Solomon - Executive Director, GetUp

See the video here

Download here

The Apartments - Live on the Outside (1990-91)

A rare treat I've been meaning to post, an Apartments bootleg.
As far as I know the only actual, bootleg of its type,
but I would be very happy to hear about others.
This CD contains tracks recorded live some 17 years ago in Sydney.
Tracks 1 - 11 are with a band playing at Harold Park Hotel on the
25/01/90 and
Tracks 12 - 16 are Peter Milton Walsh with Amanda Brown
(Ex-Go-Betweens) on the 22/02/91 at an unknown venue.
I saw Peter and Amanda play at a Spring Livid around this
time in Brisbane, with a lineup including Grant McLennan,
Steve Kilbey and Ed Kuepper, it was a show I won't forget.
Seeing Peter play then was the closest I thought I would
ever get to seeing the Apartments play.
I don't know if Peter and Amanda ever played any other gigs,
but it was wonderful and now you can hear what I'm talking about.
The band, by the way(I have on good authority),
includes Ed Kuepper on guitar.
If anyone has any extra information on this Cd
or Peter/Amanda performances let us know in the comments.

Theres some great information concerning the band and
Peter/Amanda performances in the comments thanks to Steve.

Track List

01-Calling on Jean
02-Staying Kind
03-Things You'll keep
04-On every Corner
05-The Shyest Time
06-Places where the Night is Long
07-Never Be Blue
08-All You Wanted
09-Can I Hide here
10-Over
11-Please Don't Say Remember
12-World of Liars
13-Buried Treasure
14-On Every Corner
15-Believe in Me
16-Mr Somewhere

Download Here

The Winnie Coopers - Being Different

The Winnie Coopers are my favorite hip hop band, I love this stuff.
From the Gold coast, which is about a hour drive south of here in
Brisbane, these guys describe themselves like this.

Remember those students at school who sat down the front, finished their homework and joined the school council? Taunted. Rejected. Disillusioned. They now seek revenge in the form of the Gold Coast hip hop crew The Winnie Coopers. The project started in 2002 with founding member and vocalist The Educator and various collaborating friends. Since then, The Winnie Coopers has evolved into the current five piece line up comprised of Big Bad (turntables and percussion), Young Tubs (bass and vocals), The Educator, Eloquence (vocals and guitar) and Fingers Malone (drums).

This their first album, they have just released their 2nd,
is brilliant. Very funny, strong songs, positive message,
no swearing, it almost seems like it wouldn't appeal to
the hip hop market, but it does. Still very underground
they have achieved much while still holding day jobs
and young family commitments.

Even in their short history, The Winnie Coopers have some prize scalps to their name. This includes winning the inaugural Musicoz hip hop award for the song “Success”. These dweebs also won Triple J’s Hip Hop Show’s competition to support U.S. crew Ugly Duckling for their two sold out shows at The Revolver in Melbourne, October 2005. This in turn led to the track “Success” being placed on high rotation on Triple J and other national stations. Their hilarious film clips for “Success” and “Geek Manifesto” have also received frequent broadcasts on Rage and Channel V. The band has been touring and performing relentlessly up and down the east coast of Australia including a famous set at the Gold Coast Big Day Out, packing the Hot House stage with over 5,000 punters. The Winnie Coopers have shared the stage with the likes of Resin Dogs, Xavier Rudd, TZU, Bliss ‘n’ Eso, Regurgitator, Butterfingers, Koolism, Good Buddha and international supports for De La Soul and Ugly Duckling. In August 2006, the crew was invited to record a live set for JTV and Triple J’s Home and Hosed program at the ABC studios in Sydney as part of their extensive “Being Different Tour.”

The songs explore the geek growing up in Brisbane type
themes which I can relate to, their politics is low key,
but refreshing and their humorous lines, of which there
are many, makes this the kind of Lp that makes you smile.
Their song "Success" is fantastic, check it out.

Success - Winnie Coopers

1300 techniques to impress nerds and geeks
got enough flavor to last all 52 weeks
this one goes out to those fixated with green
who spend their spare time counting their beans
and it seems that all of us are
just fiends who have different goals
and share different dreams
but you wont find joy in a packet of pay
there’s a void in your life
‘cause you ’re created that way

You think money brings true happiness
I guess it depends how you measure success,
I can still breathe I am still blessed,
I guess it depends how measure success,
cause all these possessions just don’t impress

Of mice and men from Barbie to Ken
people go crazy for moula and yen
and the rupees got lots of groupies
who think that currency will eventually please
and ease this feeling of discontent
but when the dough’s spent
and all the joy went out the door
like before so you go get some more
some people were happier when they were poor
you wonder why your life's in a mess
I guess it depends how you measure success

So to what do you give your devotion?
Do you just aspire for another promotion
what legacy will you leave when you go?
Cause we only reap what we only sow…

And I don’t think its funny
how we worship sport and money
putting up casinos in the land of milk and honey
on sunny days you can’t put a price
life is so short and you can’t come back twice
so maybe place value on the things that will last
the future is yours the past
is the past those who hate their clothes
should be happy they’re dressed
I guess it depends how you measure success

Download Here

Various Artists - Butter Beats Presents State of Origin (2006)

Butter beats is a record shop in Brisbane that in their words
specializes in graff , hip-hop, trance, reggae , rock and funk .
This 2006 double compilation Cd of Brisbane's finest hip hop
is a great listen. Including the fantastic "Winnie Coopers",
the brilliant "Indigenous Intrudaz", the very funny
"Ghosty" with the song "Socceroo Supporter" and
"Tom Thum" with his outstanding vocal talents,
Just too many to mention them all.
Loads of fine beats and grooves, with local references.
This is underground aussie hip hop,
you won't hear on JJJ
and a fantastic way to get a feel for this kind of thing.

Language warning again.

Download Here

The Herd - An Elefant Never Forgets

I haven't posted a lot of, lets say recent music and I've
managed to miss an entire genre that I enjoy,
Aussie hip hop.
Ok I can imagen a whole lot of of you are tuning out
about now. If your like me in your early 40's you most
likely think hip hop is something kids listen to.
The Herd are the band that might just change your mind.
These guys are brilliant, one of the best and I must add
Aussie hip hop is entirely a different beast to the American
type. These guys are very political which always gets my
interest. Their song " 77%", is the kind of song that can get
you into an argument and nearly did for me once.

Watch as I tear the very skin from my face
So none'll see my race,
my deep disgrace
Your not even from here in the first place
And those that are you wanna further debase
Nup, no more, never again whether by fist or pen
I will defend,
cos I'm at a loose end
The shattered remnants of Aussie dignity
I'm a skip, whitey, round-eye surprise me
By using your shrivelled brain to please explain
How the clever country just went down the drain
We rode the sheep's back now the sheep ride you
If this is how its gonna be don't call me 'true blue'
I denounce my ancestors,
wounds still fester
If you say 'it aint so' I suggest ya' wake up

Written as a response to the Tampa crises, when
our last Prime Minster turned public opinion around
back to him, in the lead up to an election, by taking
a very hard line on refuges trying to get here on
boats, by stopping them with the navy.
I'll warn you these guys swear a bit too.
They expand the refuge thing into a anti-racism
anthem.

That you're a stranger yourself
now thats the sting in the tail
Captain Cook was the very first queue jumper
It was immigrant labour that made Australia plumper
Enough is enough,
Whiteys go back and stuff
Don't wanna live in England?
That's ***king tough
I'm sick and tired of this redneck wonderland
Most've you stay silent and
I can't understand I just can't understand
(understand)

Theres some other great songs on here,
"Burn down the parliament", "The Pluderers",
the very funny "Hell".
Their not afraid to use the kind of instruments
not normally found in hip hop like accordion
(love me some accordion)
and they can whip up a mean groove.
So give it a try and let me know what you
think in the comments.

DownLoad Here





The Herd - Giving the Redgum Classic
"I was only 19"
the hip hop treatment

Slab of Vic - Various Artists, Melbourne 1985 - 86

I received this wonderful 1986 Au-go-go compilation of Melbourne
bands from a friend who was living down that way at the time.
Theres some great bands on here and a lot I know nothing about.
First up is the magnificent "Slaughtermen", the only band on here
I could say I followed, I have a few records of theirs to post,
fantastic stuff.


Also recommended are the "Zimmermen",
"Cattletruck" and the fantastic "Shower Scene from Psycho"
All in all fun and enjoyable package.
For all you guys from down south I'm after any other various
artists compilations from down there,
this is all I have below Sydney.


Download Here

Out of Nowhere - The Arrangements

In 1981 after the original Apartments split Peter formed the fairly
short lived, but remarkable "Out of Nowhere"
A split cassette recording with Pink & Blue was released in 1981,
featuring one song, "The Arrangements" which was the basis of
'End Of Some Fear' a song which appeared on the 1994
Apartments album 'A Life Full Of Farewells'.
The single which I posted earlier on this blog was released after,
these are the only recordings of this band.
"Out of Nowhere" featured a unique clarinet and saxophone,
horn section and no bass player.
One of the band's line-ups featured
Peter Milton Walsh (vocals, guitar),
Graham Hutchinson (drums), Gary Warner (saxophone)
and Tony Forde (clarinet).
Other members included Cecily Childs (keyboards),
Tony Childs (bass), Jeffrey Wegener (drums)
and Joe Borkowski (bass).
This is a wonderful track, I so wish more of this band was recorded.
However there wasn't so this is a rare gem.

Download Here

My Personal Top 20 Aussie songs.

Over on the Ausrock Forum in the music discussion section
theres a thread going called "Your top 20 Aussie Songs"
I've managed to compile all my Favorites into one
handy dandy folder so you can hear all these
great songs, I suppose it comes as no surprise that
there is many vastly different lists from a diverse
group such as the posters on Ausrock.
My list would seem to reflect my age and musical
taste described as unusual yesterday by a fellow I
work with on occasion. I'd love to hear your list of
favorite Aussie songs and see the diverse nature
of the readers here and how many songs keep
popping up. So compile away and do listen
to my selection and tell me what you think.

1 The Apartments - The Shyest Time
2 The Saints - Swing for the Crime
3 Go-Betweens - Cattle and Cane
4 Ed Kuepper - Electrical Storm
5 Kev Carmody - Thou Shall Not Steal
6 Boys Next Door - Shivers
7 The Flaming Hands - Its Just That I Miss Someone
8 The Triffids - Wide Open Road
9 Riptides - 77 Sunset Strip
10 Redgum - I Was Only 19
11 Shane Howard( Goanna Band) - Solid Rock
12 The Birthday Party - Release The Bats
13 Radio Birdman - Aloha Steve and Danno
14 No Fixed Address - Sunrise
15 Not Drowning Waving - Willow Tree
16 Laughing Clowns - Sometimes
17 Neil Murray - Good Light In Broome
18 Died Pretty - DC
19 Dave Warner - Mugs Game
20 JFK & The Cuban Crisis - Gotham City

Its hard to stop at 20 and the number restriction
means a lot of songs miss out, also I tried spread
out the band selection so as many as possible could
fit in.
soon
Download Here

Dave Warner - This is My planet

Dave formed The Suburbs in January 1977. The group developed
a huge underground following, which led to Dave signing with
Australia’s Mushroom Records in 1978. His first album,
Mugs Game, went gold within a month of release.
Dave’s second album, Free Kicks, was released in 1979.
After the original Suburbs disbanded, Dave followed up
with Correct Weight (1979), This is My Planet
(1981 - reissued as This is Your Planet in 1996),
Meanwhile in the Suburbs (EP - 1989),
Dark Side of the Scrum (1989),
Suburban Sprawl (1990),
Surplus and Dearth (1995)
and Loose Men, Tight Shorts (1996).
After the release of This is My Planet,
Dave Warner retired from writing and performing
music full-time, turning instead to writing plays,
novels and screenplays.

Download Here

Wrong Side Of The Road - No Fixed Address and Us Mob

Wrong Side Of The Road is a ground breaking 1981 Australian film,
road movie, rock documentary, musical drama, it followed 2 days of
life on the road for two Aboriginal rock/reggae bands which were
largely unknown to mainstream Australia.
Its a great film, I have it on video somewhere, it tackled
the taboo subject of racism in Australia head on, a topic which one
would say still is pretty taboo.
Each band gets a side each on the album, No fixed address later
released their groundbreaking Ep "From My Eyes"
(Which was my very first post), I don't believe Us Mob ever
made back into the studio again.


No Fixed Address have 6 wonderful reggae tracks on the 1st side
of this soundtrack. The classic anthem "We have Survived" which
turns up later on their Ep, plus the wonderful dub Version of "The Vision"
They were a fantastic band which were completely overlooked.


Us Mob are a completely different thing, I always felt aboriginals
playing reggae, or say country, were doing what you would
expect them to do naturally,
the rhythmic nature of reggae makes a natural fit,
much like hip hop today is. I have to admit I never understood
the country thing, but loads of murries love it and they play
it well. Us Mob however play hard rock, early 70's style,
now someone who is more familiar with this music may be
far better equipped to say who they seem to be influenced
by than me, but there is a strong rock blues influence
and its quite enjoyable but wild ride.
Not what you may expect from an indigenous band in the early
80's, but stereotypes were made to be broken.
This record is however a historical document,
these bands were pioneers and this is the first record
of its kind to come out.
The cover also has a gatefold sleeve which has the
aboriginal flag and all the lyrics printed over the top.

We Have Survived - Bart Willoughby

You can't change the rhythm of my soul,
you can't tell me just what to do.
You can't break my bones by putting me down,
or taking the things that belong to me.

Cause we have survived, the white mans world
and the horror and the torment of it all.
We have survived, the white mans world
and you know, you can't change that.

All the years has just passed me by,
I've been hassled by the cops nearly all my life.
People trying to keep me so blind,
but I can see whats going on in my mind.

Cause we have survived, the white mans world
and the horror and the torment of it all.
We have survived, the white mans world
and you know, you can't change that.


Download Here

Redgum - Brown Rice & Kerosene

1981 was the year Redgum went full time as the band members
gave up their day jobs to pursue the band.
It was also the year that their 3rd Lp was recorded and released.
I remember hearing about this during an interview on 4zzz,
the album was just released it was a promotional thing and they
played the single "100 years on".
I still love the song, a modern take on "Waltzing Matilda"it takes
us to the heart of John Schumann's songwriting genius, his
ability to tell a yarn.

100 Years On - John Schmann

He came in from Melbourne on a Pioneer
Adelaide morning, warm and clear
And a past that wasn't quite
Within the law

And he opened yet another ten dollar room
To a broken blind and a rising gloom
And a threadbare cotton carpet
On the floor

And the muzak piping through the corridor
Played that song he heard before
It went :-

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
A suitcase held with rope and twine
Cleaner's shirt and an open mind
A trail of debts
To mark where he had been
A million miles of racetracks
And torn tickets on the ground
And his only son cut down in Phnom Penh green

Police car crawled down Gouger street
As he looked for some place cheap to eat
It was just another
Curb's eye interview

With a warrant out in Adelaide
For a bad decision that he once made
An instinct took his tongue
And pulled him through

So he left his hotel room that night
In time to make a midnight flight
With an overloaded truckie
Going east

And the line ran round inside his head
Was it something that his best friend said
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"

The billabong's just a grubby pond
That's busy washing ore
The squatter drives a thoroughbred steel
And if he runs forever
Will his life be all in vain?
At least that's how it makes him feel

And the truckie pushed a cassette in
As they rumbled through the Grampians
It played Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Waltzing Matilda,
Waltzing Matilda,
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

Waltzing Matilda,
Waltzing Matilda,
Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

And the truckie pushed a cassette in
As they rumbled through the Grampians
It played Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?

This is my favorite Redgum album, its the songs that do it
and sure theres a bit on clumsy left rhetoric, but I can
forgive it, the brilliance in some songs more than makes
up.The sound is less folk like, introducing things like
synthesizers, yet not sounding commercial.
The epic "Where you gonna run to now" exposes
Schumann's fears for the future and a strong environmental
stance that was unheard of at the time

Where ya gonna run to - John Schumann
Mother and child playing on the lawn
It's a middle class home on a Sunday morning
And the mother says, son, where ya gonna run
Where ya gonna run to now?

I just jumped bail on a dope bust mum
And I'm saying goodbye
and then the drug squad come
And in the name of the law
They punch him in the jaw
Where ya gonna run to now?

A long white car out of Tullamarine
A government member to the Carribean
And a man with a broom
Yells across the room
Where ya gonna run to now?

Will you have to tell lies when the kids ask you why
The horizon's a blanket of gloom
When the battle lines draw
Which way will you turn

Terania Creek's got a dozer track
And we'll never ever get Lake Pedder back
A director and a graph
And a million dollar laugh
Where ya gonna run to now?

Enrich the oxide out of Port Pirie
And the toxic gases they won't even see
But where ya gonna go
When the North wind blows
Where ya gonna run to now?

And your loungeroom is screening Nationwide
And you've just given blood to the bank
And the books on your shelves
Are a measure of all that you've earned
Will you have to tell lies when the kids ask you why
The horizon's a blanket of gloom
When the battle lines draw
Which way will you turn

Shake me, wake me, tell me it's a dream
I've got a B-52 on my TV screen
And a man in a tie
Pointing to the sky
Where ya gonna run to now

Mother and child playing on the lawn
It's a middle class home on a Sunday morning
And the mother says, son, where ya gonna run
Where ya gonna run to now?

The Michael Atkinson songs both work well
and don't for me.
I love the title track that ends with this
brilliant verse

Sometimes I think about cocktails
Update Molotov's recipe
Forget the gravel ballast and stink of benzene
Use rice and kerosene
A major change of scene
Like 1917
With people before machines

And "The Federal Two Ring Circus"
is and very funny take on our political system,
but "Your OS Trip" seems a little too bitter.

You're standing ten feet tall, you've been and seen it all
On your Cook's Grand Tour of Spring
With your Polaroid�s so shady, I'm surprised, my lady
That you saw anything

The truly greatest track however is the Schumann penned
"The Last Frontier."
Here he captures a young man pilgrimage
to the heart of Australia,
a trip I would do myself some 10 years later.

The Last Frontier - John Schumann
There's a corrugated highway
Leading north from Port Augusta
lined with ratted cars that didn't rate a tow
The Salt plains out of Pimba
And your eyes begin to stream
On to Kingoonya huddled dusty by the road
Romantic notions shattered
Like the tyres that didn't hack it
This has got to be the country's last frontier
Where a sports car's next to useless
Running cattle grids and river beds
We drove a van from 1963

Someone mentioned walkabout
And kiss your job goodbye
Just to see the country shimmer through the windscreen
Drinking beer, telling stories
While laughter filled the night
And flexi-time's behind you like a bad dream

You got a flat on Anzac Highway
And Lawson on your shelf
Its a Southern Comfort, air-conditioned rage
Where a homestead's more than just a cheap print
Dangling from a wall
And mateship's more than lines upon a page

We went looking for Australia
In between the TV lines
'Cause the ABC just couldn't make it real
Colour documentary From a beanbag on the floor:
Never shows as much as it conceals

A stark and blistered Alice Springs
And a river runs with shame
And you wipe the sheets of bulldust from your eyes
Another country's uniform
And the mirage it falls apart
To the open gap between the truth and lies

Go and see your country,
mate The travel agents scream
Politicians sell it's heart for a past time
Signs and high-wire fences
Hold the land where I belong
It's as if I'm in the outback for the last time
Download Here

JFK and the Cuban Crisis - The End of the Affair

This fantastic record was the very first vinyl record I brought into the
digital age from the analog age. I saw it requested for quite a while
on overhere's wonderful blog "They called it good at the time"
and after hoping someone else with the expertise would do a convert,
I eventually got of my bum and did it.
Not without some mistakes and much help from overhere,
but it did happen. I'm glad I did cause this is one of my top 5
Australian albums.
I'm posting this today cause I just read that overhere
is closing his blog down and the link for this is no longer working,
so a big thanks to overhere for a fantastic blog
and a whole lot of great music.
It was his blog that really encouraged me to get into this.
For anyone who missed this the first time round, download this you
won't be sorry, the following background is from the
JFK and the Cuban Crisis my space site found here

JFK and the Cuban Crisis had its origins in the Brisbane
southern suburb of Acacia Ridge in the late 1970's.
John Kennedy and James Paterson were friends from
high school with a common interest in pop music
and memberships in the Beatles Fan Club.They went through a few garage band line ups with
names including Barley Rhyme, Mantelpiece and
Post Mod, before James returned from a period
overseas with the proposal of taking their musicto the small Brisbane post-punk club scene using
the band name JFK and the Cuban Crisis.
With John on vocals and rhythm guitar and James
playing lead,the pair formed the core of a band
that was to see a number of line ups in Brisbane
and later, Sydney.They took inspiration from the Beatles in using their
respective talents to co-write a number of the early
JFK tunes.In 1982, after some small success including
support spots for the Pretenders and Ian Dury
and the Blockheads, they decided to make the move
to Sydney in the hope of securing major label interest.
A number of false starts later, with a new line-up
and a new EP on Waterfront Records,
they established themselves on Sydney's
inner city indie club scene.

I brought this Lp in 1984 which was just after I had finished school,
It was a soundtrack for my passage into adulthood, a Brisbane band
like most, who had left for Sydney to make something of themselves.
They had a sound unlike anyone else.
I ended up following John Kennedy, the bands main lead singer's,
career closely for many years. He is an incredible talent.
James Paterson who also sings and wrote the classic "Gotham City"
went on to work on other projects like the wonderful
"Lawson Square Infirmary"
This is a fine album, recorded on a low budget with some killer
songs on it. There's some very nice instrumentation with cello,
trumpet, sax and violin and backing vocals from the late David
McComb, Graham Lee and Alsy McDonald, Robert McComb
plays violin.
The Triffids must of been good friends.
"Follow that car" is a great song
with its brass section working overtime,
"The ballad of Jackie O" a beautiful melody,
which was the single I believe.
A special mention for "We're no Angels"
which is a killer song and the
brilliant "Gotham City"
the greatest song written about Brisbane.

Tracklist

1. Follow that Car
2. Ballad of Jackie O
3. Happy Today
4. I Just Want to Go to Sleep
5. Mother's Concern
6. Quite Like Love
7. Sometimes I Just Want to Scream
8. A Place for Children
9. We're No Angels
10. Gotham City


Download Here




Juliet Jones by JFK and the Cuban Crisis 1980

The Saints - All Fools Day

For my 50th post.

The Saints 7th studio Album released on my birthday
in 1986 was Bailey's big commercial breakthrough.
Opening with the classic song about life on the road
in a rock band "Just Like Fire Would", their highest
chart success and producing two other singles
"See you in Paradise" and " Temple of the Lord",
it put them on the mainstream map from which
they had been missing, if only for a short while.
Chock full of Chris's Catholic references and world
wearily observations, its a true Australian Classic,
I mean they still play "Just Like Fire Would"
regally on MMM our national Classic rock FM
station(Not that I listen to that sort of thing)
Its a shame how someone like Chris Bailey
seemed to stop working after 1986 in the eyes
of so many, cause he didn't, he got even better.
This is my April fools day post, cause if you
didn't pick it up its my birthday.

All Fools Day - Chris Bailey

Just give me one last kiss
this jewel is a roughened friend of mine
I suppose we all have to go sometime
Christ abandoned in the wilderness
could have blessed himself
& been done with it
not you or me
we're stuck here in this mindless eternity
On all fools day
we can all join together
On all fools day
we can join the celebration
On all fools day

So when the day comes
when there is no tomorrow
crashing dreams like sleep
you can't rise from your pillow
& the blinding light
might destroy your sorrow
empires falling down
like a rain from heaven
So on this lazy afternoon
while the sun is still shining
raise your glass of wine
& let others decide
On all fools day
we can all join together
On all fools day
we can join the celebration
On all fools day

Track Listing

1. "Just Like Fire Would"
2. "First Time"
3. "Hymn to Saint Jude"
4. "See You In Paradise"
5. "Love or Imagination"
6. "Celtic Ballad"
7. "Empty Page"
8. "Big Hits (On the Underground)"
9. "How to Avoid Disaster"
10. "Blues on My Mind"
11. "Temple of the Lord"
12. "All Fools Day"
13. "Some Things Never Change" **
14. "Calling On You" **

** not on the original release

Download Here