The Riptides - Swept Away

Recorded in 1981 and produced by Graham `Buzz' Bidstrup
(ex-Angels) this "mini Lp" has 6 tracks of pure pop brilliance.
The band had by this stage released 2, 7" singles and after this
release even got on to countdown with the single from this,
the opening track
Only Time. The Riptides were of course Mark Callaghan's
band, one of the seminal late 70's Brisbane bands.
Mark went on to form the successful GANGgajang which
still plays around and to make the circle complete
Graham Bidstrup was a founding member of GANGgajang.

Track List
01 Only Time
02 Eternal Flame
03 Money For Life
04 Holiday Time
05 Day Has Gone
06 Mona Lisa

Download Here

Caxton Street Seafood and Wine Festival 2011

The iconic Caxton Street Seafood and Wine Festival began
in 1994 and this year is the first time I've checked it out.
It was the fact that GANGgajang and later inclusion of
Hugh Cornwell of Stranglers fame that sealed the deal
for me. I got heaps of great photos of the bands and
great performances from both, I know Hugh isn't
an Australian artist but I'm posting his photos too.
I was pretty excited, I would have loved to have seen
the Stranglers when they played that infamous gig
way back in the dim history of Brisbane, but I only
heard from some of the lucky ones who were there.


I also got to met Peter Enright who has contributed to this blog and
was at the festival with the artist in residence Donna Hawkins,
she was creating a public participation artwork which Peter and
his friend were documenting.
Read about it Here








Ganggajang where fantastic as always, Mark Callahan's
lets say more successful band after the Riptides is a great
party band. In that respect not a huge departure from
the Riptides and no doubt they wouldn't be remembered
if it wasn't for the classic song "Sounds of Then"
They had the crowd eating out of there hand and
Mark is the prefect frontman, at one stage he made
a reference to his first ever gig being not far from here,
at the Caxton Street hall.
He even managed to get past the melting of his bee's
wax on the didgeridoo's mouth piece melting in the
hot Queensland autumn sun.










Hugh Cornwell was fantastic to see after all this time,
playing through a great selection of Strangler's tunes in the
warm afternoon sun, was quite an experience.
They did plenty of my favs, his signature tune Golden Brown,
No More Heroes, Hanging Around, Peaches, Always The Sun,
Nice 'N' Sleazy, No Mercy and Duchess.

Riptides Return To Brisbane

In case you haven't heard this fab news, I'm ripping off
Andrew Bartlett's post on his blog.
Chuck discovered this because Andrew had linked to a
Riptides post here, so I'm queots Andrew who is a
musician himself and big fan off all things cool.
Not to mention a one time Queensland Senator from 1997-2008.
Find Andrews original post here

Ground-breaking Brisbane band The Riptides, who
played an influential role in the post-punk independent
music scene in Brisbane and Australia, are reforming for
a one-off show at 4pm on Sunday 18 April at the University
of Queensland’s Great Court. It’s happening as part of the
University’s centenary celebrations.

The band was formed in the late 1970s by students at the
University, crystallising as The Riptides and releasing
their seminal tune ‘Sunset Strip” as their first single
(actually originally released just before a name change,
while the band was called The Numbers).
They had many line up changes over the 5 or so years of
their history, featuring a range members who played in a
number of other influential Australian bands.

Given The Riptides had such a movable feast of members,
I don’t know as yet know who will be amongst their lineup
for this upcoming show, but their singer and frontman,
Mark Callaghan, the main constant in the band,
will certainly front and centre again this time around.

Mark Callaghan gained greater commercial success with
GANGgajang. But many Brisbane music fans – especially
of my vintage – still think
of him first and foremost as the singer from The Riptides.
The band reformed as one of the acts performing at the
Pig City show in 2007, headlined by the briefly reformed Saints.



Riptides Tommorrow's Tears

The Riptides - Wave Rock

A request from Bobby.

Watching The Riptides’ singer and only original member
Mark Callaghan run, high-kick and grin around the stage is a
bit like watching an over-enthusiastic Dad meeting your pals
at a 21st – embarrassingly uncool, but completely endearing.
Thankfully, the dancing and clapping crowd adore the
five-piece’s surf-rock, especially the instrumental Shake It,
and closer Sunset Strip.

Rave Magazine review of the Riptides at the Pig City Gig
17 July 2007

Callaghan and Hiron revived The Riptides again for successful
summer tours during 1989 and 1990. In early 1991, the pair
entered the studio with new guitarist Tony Adams, session
drummer John James (J.J.) Hackett (ex-Mondo Rock) and
South-African-born producer/ drummer
Ricky Fataar (ex-Beach Boys) to record the first full-length
Riptides studio album. Wave Rock appeared in August 1991
and produced the singles "Stop (Don't Start)" in May 1991
and "Here Comes the Sun" in August 1991.
I believe they toured after for a bit and called it a day,
until the fantastic performance at the Pig City Festival
last year. The idea of Cal being an over-enthusiastic Dad is
quite funny considering he was joined on stage by his son for
the performance. Sorry I have no artwork for this CD and
if you have please sent me a link.

Track list
01 - here comes the sun
02 - stop (don't stop)
03 - she will return
04 - live
05 - heroes and villains
06 - not for love
07 - radio humanity
08 - infamy
09 - all that falls
10 - all guns blazing
11 - hideous

Download Here

Riptides - Sunset Strip, Single

Where it all began, recorded in Brisbane and released on the
Go-Betweens Able Label. I can remember hearing in the
early 80's that ZZZ had to keep their copy under lock and
key as copies were selling for $100. The song 77 Sunset Strip is
a classic Brisbane song, how is it bands write such perfect
pop songs right at the beginning of their career's.
A bit more riptide history from ganggajang.com

The Riptides formed in 1977 as The Grudge.
The band emerged from the Architecture Department
of the University of Queensland. In 1978, The Grudge
changed names to, firstly, The Neon Steal and then
The Numbers. The Numbers were part of the burgeoning
Brisbane punk/new wave scene which also gave rise to
The Leftovers, The Apartments, The Go-Betweens,
The Survivors, Razar, The Humans and The X-Men.
In September 1978, The Numbers issued the rare
`Sunset Strip' EP (500 copies) on The Go-Betweens'
Able label. The tracks `Sunset Strip', `Magic Castle'
and `Rules of Love' were punchy and energetic and
featured a brilliant, English-flavoured 1960s-inspired
pop sound. In early 1979, Robert Vickers left The Numbers.
He traveled to New York where he joined The Colors;
in 1983, he joined The Go-Betweens. Mark Callaghan
switched to bass, and The Numbers became The Riptides
(in order to avoid confusion with a Sydney band also
called The Numbers). The band remixed the `Sunset Strip' EP
and reissued it in July 1979,credited to The Riptides
(in a pressing of 2000 copies).

Download Here

Riptides - Self Titled 1983 album

The Riptides Self Titled 1983 Album is a true classic in the canon
of classic Australian Albums. Jam packed with fantastic tunes,
beautiful pop music and loads of fun. This album captures the
spirit of the band and gives you a fair idea why they were so
much fun live.

Track list
01 tomorrow's tears
02 only time
03 money for life
04 riptide
05 shake it
06 mona lisa
07 hearts and flowers
08 day has gone
09 no regrets
10 tombs of gold
11 the wedding song

Download Here




The Riptides - Tomorrow's Tears



The Riptides - Hearts & Flowers

The Riptides - Demos

The Riptides were largely a vehicle for the immense song-writing
talents of Mark Callahan but over a career spanning 6 years from
1979 to 1983 the band also featured a number of
excellent musicians including Howard Shawcross and
Russell Parkhouse.
Parkhouse is an extraordinary keyboard player and subsequently
played amongst other bands with The Mexican Spitfires.
Callaghan went on to find commercial success with Gangajang
but the sometime surf inspired but always inspiration pop
sensibilties of The Riptides had a fun loving and naivete
which could not be surpassed.The Riptides developed a certain
cult status in their home city of Brisbane.
Even during the Gangajang years, The Riptides would
regulalry reform to do tours.
I saw them a few times in this period, the first was
the 10 anniversary gig for 4ZZZ, the buzz was
amazing and last year when I talked with Mark
he remembered ZZZ staff throwing handful's
of money at them as payment.
The Riptides performance at last years Pig City
gig here was outstanding, one of the highlights,
on a day of 8hrs of highlights.
This album is very rare, only 500 copies were
made and each individually numbered.
Mine's number 43
Fantastic piece of work however and a great
place to hear the genius of one of Brisbane's
best bands.

Track list
01 Magic Moments
02 Power of Love
03 Kiss Nice
04 Time of My Life
05 Lonely Old Sunday
06 The Other Side
07 She's My World
08 Growing Up in Brisbane
09 No Reply
10 It Happens All the Time
11 Keep it Up
12 Swept Away

Download Here

Click on back cover to make larger to read