45 rpm
spin 'n' review
Within this section of the website we pay tribute to all that spins at 45 revolutions per minute ( ok and some that spin at 33 1/3 too) and look at some great singles, some crazy singles, some very weird as shit and some downright wacky ones as well. This page will get heavily updated across 2019/2020 with hopefully a bunch of audio samples as well if time permits ( when does it ever ?) The 7" format is a great way to check out 2-4 songs and have some FUN with your records.. You can have a day or nite where you sit by your player and flip and spin hundreds of records in a session with a few drinks in tow (or a coffee or three) and the 7" format lends itself perfectly for this as they are easy to handle, flick quick and you can go bang bang bang & enjoy a whole shitload across a bunch of cool hours.
THE UNITS - Grill Room b/w: Baby you flirt - Brain Buster Recs Aust 1980
Excellent Adelaide New Wave 7” which is deserved of more attention and ear time as these two songs are both totally top notch, catchy, punchy, and a full blown treat.THE UNITS evolved out of a few Adelaide 70’s bands, the JAGGELS & EAST SUBURBIA. Jack Robins (Gtr/Vocals) was in the Jaggels with Ken Sykes (Gtr/Vocals), who later went on to form East Suburbia with Claudio (‘Cloudy’) Katern (Gtr), Richard Opolski (bass), & John Gazzola (drums). Cloudy and Ken would later end up in the SCREAMING BELIEVERS who issued 7”s and 12”s in the mid to late 80’s. The UNITS came together after the split of East Suburbia with the only line-up change being the addition of Mark Cornwall on Bass (ex: FINE CUTS) after the departure of Richard O. The band recorded some demos and the 7” with ‘Baby you flirt’ being a Ken Sykes song and ‘Grill Room’ being a Jack Robins original (with some input from Mark). It was about a story told to Jack regarding the Boys in Blue and their often gray area handling of people in their ‘care’. The band played the usual haunts (The Tivoli, The Governor Hindmarsh, The Princes Berkeley etc..) and also toured Sydney with THE INNOCENTS in 1981. They were briefly joined by Giles Barrow (one of the founding members of the fab EXPLODING WHITE MICE) before they imploded and were reduced to a blip on the screen of the Australian musical underground.. a blip that we hope glows, shines, and maybe grows bigger as a result of this airing. A really great single with the only thing missing being a cool DIY pic sleeve to go with it’s homemade label design.(and footnote #2 is the fact that this single did actually come with an amazing sleeve, one that has flown past my radar for the past decade or so,but early 2015 and a good pal has hooked me up with a copy so will add that sleeve after i've oogled it myself) And as a late 2014 footnote to this single, 'Grill Room' also appeared in 1982 as the last cut on a Sydney Radio 2UW compilation "Homegrown" as the best demos the station had received at that time. Altho' the band listed as playing it are called WATFO ZYMOL & THE SIMPLETONS with my guess being that The Units sent this in under this guise to see if they could get a guernsey, or if there is some other mysterious reason. It sounds to my ear a tad slower than the 7" version so maybe Cloudy or Ken...if you happen to go googling and read this you can email me and lay this one to rest for future documentations sake.....
THE LEGENDARY STARDUST COWBOY - Paralyzed b/w: Who’s knocking at my door - Missing Link Recs 1981 MISS-13
Billed as THE WORLD’S WORST RECORD, this 1968 gem is totally & utterly demented & crazed and the Ledge (with some tripped out drumming from T-BONE BURNETT) certainly left his mark as all our ears have never quite recovered since. Born Norman C Odam (Texas) and obsessed with both space travel and the wild west, this single originally came out on his own Psycho-Suave Records and has appeared on a few compilations of bizarre cuts from outsider artists. The pressings we focus on here are also very unique as they are both Australian and both very steeped in Oz Indie history. The initial pressing in a black and white paper bag sleeve features the Missing Link Records classic logo in 2 shades of purple with a black quarter moon side and is not the easiest of records to locate (it also reproduces a note from BERT NEWTON on the flip after label owner KEITH GLASS mailed him a copy upon release). But for me it’s the OTHER pressing I find most interesting as it’s a SPLIT release between MISSING LINK & AU-GO-GO RECORDS (which makes clear sense as Bruce Milne worked at Missing Link in the late 70’s and kicked off the Au-Go-Go label there) and is the only time that both labels feature together (Missaugo) and it carries a fresh cat# of MLS13. This pressing has a superb picture sleeve and is a truly messed up 2mins 17 worthy of any 45rpm fans rekkid collection. It’s a credit to both Bruce and Keith’s keen eye and ear and networking that records like this (and others like the BARBARA FELDON ‘99’ single for example) came to be licensed in Australia and help stretch the legend of the ledge that little bit further. Bruce even entered this song into a 3XY radio competition back in the day of the worst songs ever and won a whole mega sound system for his efforts, which today would have been like winning a 5grand system or something. I myself also took this path in 1983, entering 100 envelopes to EON-FM in entry to their 3 best songs ever comp but only came away with a piddly T-Shirt and Sticker Pack (and I had to get into to South Melbourne to collect). The three songs they chose I choose not to reproduce here (tho’ one of them was the Clash) but after that my comp entries seemed to come to a crashing halt !
WIRE – I am The Fly b/w: Ex Lion Tamer - Harvest Records 1978 HAR5151 P/S
Two great songs in a top notch lite blue picture sleeve from one of the best bands to bust out of the 70’s Punk/New Wave era worldwide. This Feb 1978 single featured one track from their masterful ‘77 debut ‘Pink Flag’ (the B-Side), and the red hot A-Side from their follow up (& equal genius) album from Sept ’78 ‘Chairs Missing’ which is SUCH a great cut every home friggin’ needs one ! ‘Yes I am the fly in the Ointment, I shake ya down to say please as you accept the next dose of disease’
‘I am the fly , I am the fly, I am the fly, fly in the fly in the ointment’! Brilliant rhythms, great lyrics, handclaps,and addictive as all hell from start to finish !. This single’s B-Side (from alb#1) was also debuted to many fans in the late 80’s when covered by Henry Rollins on his Henrieta Collins 12”,and fellow Washington D.C. Hardcore Punk heroes Minor Threat also grabbed a cut from ‘Pink Flag’ in the early 80’s when they took on ‘1.2.X.U.’ & also helped many fans get turned on and tuned into this fab London band. And not to be outdone,Cleveland’s killer New Bomb Turks took charge of ‘Mr Suit’ on their late 80’s debut ‘Destroy Oh-Boy’ which is a really great release and well worth owning, so the influence of WIRE & their angular dynamic originality is with us right to this day and these records still sound so fresh and alive and this here 7” is what the format is all about…2 absolute GEMS to spin !
Steadfast– Whine EP –Spiral Objective (Spiral 01) Aust 1994
Mighty mid 90’s Melbourne Punk Rock brilliance from this Post – Downfall and Pre- One Inch Punch /Mid Youth Crisis / Coue Method combo who are highly revered, and rightly so, as this was their creative vehicle for a template of intense melodic punk to come, with great musicianship, excellent chemistry, hot paced integrity & all held together by the magnificent vocal delivery of Steve. Four songs ‘Whine’ / ‘The Other Side’ / ‘Let Go’ & ‘Everywhere’. A blazing live band,they (like their combos to follow) are a pretty special part of the Underground Melbourne Punk scene in a historical and intensity sense, with many people citing their shows as in their top tens of all time. To play this properly, you’ll need to adjust yr turntable settings into the LP zone, as this 7" opts for the 33 1/3 revs per minute…..
Venom P. Stinger - Walking About b/w: 26mg Aust 1988 Aberrant Rec
My favourite Australian song of all time from one of this country’s most original and implosive bands. Just dynamic underground Melbourne genius with a sonic charge that hits you good and gets neck hairs erect. Featuring the manic militaristic drum rattle of Jim White,the brilliant guitar of Mick Turner (both Pre- The Dirty Three),the rock solid bass of Al Secher-Jensen (Post Beach Nuts, who issued one mega hard to find 7” themselves),& the outta control throat patrol of Dugald McKenzie (Post The Sick Things with Mick T & we’ll get to them later),it’s a 2 and a half minute milestone of sonic paranoia with it’s A-Side lines of They got my car, They got my house, They got the keys to my door, I can’t get Out’. The flip’s ‘26mg’ carries it on with that drumming,the wired & weaving guitars & the great vocal snarl of DMK. This single captures and documents a moment in time of Melbourne’s mid/late 80’s Underground warehouse scene,Art Collectives,late night wandering, back yard parties and illicit substances. And yes, all this and more goes on right now,and right here in the same town for a different time of documentation,but theirs was this & this was theirs,& having viewed a handful of these gigs at this time (along with other great bands such as Slub, NO, and the like), I come recalling live flashes and stage sparks as equal as anything you hear from them on record. Just as people in 20 years time will be talking about prime Eddy Current Suppression Ring shows,others will hold VPS up in a high musical regard of which they are more than worthy,as the melding of disparate personalities & a love of abrasive music murk left us with a couple of LP’s & 7” singles to devour & messimmerse ourselves.
Peter's Eskimo Pie - Custom Recording - Aust AW 31786 Rel 1967
Advertising jingles (how about ‘Jingle Singles’ ?) from the 60’s/70’s cut to 7” for use on radio are another true area of interest for me besides the official documented world of music. These really are a pandora’s box of surprises,fun,and innocence,with their catchy consumer grab ads of the day,all lively,cheesed to the max,& full of happy shopper sparkles. As we’ll explore through this website,it can include everything from this upbeat Ice-Cream jingle to some bloke talking about the mudflaps on his tractor ! This specific 7” has 8 x 25 second jingles spread over the two sides, with slight variations on the theme. They are crackly,old school as, and a joy to spin. This one chimes with it’s girly chant of Come on down to the igloo, Peter’s Eskimo Pie’ with ye olde style conservative gent voice adding lines like Peter’s are making a real cool ice-cream special for cool guys and dolls’ and on it goes. The label’s are great, with excellent color combo’s & nearly always the typewriter text ala any good acetate. The label’s are usually quite informative too,offering up exact dates when they were put ‘into service’ at the station long before ‘carts’ and computerization took hold. Being jingles, all these singles require fat breaks between each ad, so to hear all 4 jingles on one side one must position the arm onto the four different tracks to hear anything, and as we go along,you’ll see more examples of this, where sometimes the tracks are fully crammed in & the job gets more labour intensive and more trickier in the cue up stakes….but that is part of the fun right ?
Cadets /Spacemen -Split 7” Trip Records USA TR-134 50’s (no picture sleeve)
One forever exciting aspect to flicking through thousands and thousands of second hand records and getting grubby fingers is the sheer personal joy you get when you stumble upon something that you just know is gonna be a barrel of fun. Song titles are a dead giveaway for the many millions of 7”s out there never issued in a sleeve and the Cadets ‘Stranded in the Jungle’ was always gonna offer up all this and then some. From it’s opening tribal beats and amazing spoken cool it kicks into some of the best 50’s R&B soul-au-go-go goin’ !! Boss piano,shakers, sound affects,mad sax, and just rabid appeal all through. Music like this is so damn exciting to play and if you love your Las Vegas Grind’s , Born Bad’s, and the many other lovingly comped unknown treasures from dimensions past, this kinda stuff will have you hoppin’ and a boppin’ all nite long. Their story is centered around the vocal charm of Dub Jones,
Aaron Collins,& Willie Davis,with this cut being a cover version of a song penned by the Jayhawks around the early to mid 50’s. It first appeared as a Cadets single on Modern Records (994) in June 1956 with various other issues following. Where this one sits in the discography I am unsure (anybody?) and the Cadets also moonlighted as the band The Jacks, being able to chop and change their sounds at will to run with the popularities of the day. The Flip’s ‘Clouds’ by the Spacemen offers up a king kool instro of meglomantic proportions and serves itself well whilst not trying to outscore it’s dynamite A-Side
The Victims Family - Son of Church Card - Mordam Recs 1988 MDR 1111
I love this band ! and this 1988 7” is a spazzed out 2 track wacky trip ! One side is a mad instro with odd timings,stops and starts, whilst ‘Quivering Lip’ gives up vocals, rat a tat drumming and a rollicking ratbag vibe. Ralf,Larry,Devon,Joe,& Eric kick out a great 7” way back when Mordam was a label known for the debut Faith No More disc and the early and amazing Rhythm Pigs output before it became a healthy Music Distributor which eventually succumbed to America’s economic squeeze and was swallowed up by the Lumberjack company to become a totally different beast. But hey, great lil’ single and a few minutes of demented late 80’s punk mischief. The run out grooves read (A) Why should I pull your finger ? (B) only parts of it stink
Ricci – Strangers in the Night Rivet Recs K8870 Aust 1982
So the last time I gave some text time to the mysterious RICCI in 2001 when on board at one of Australia’s most interesting Independent Record stores, the small world syndrome of the internet led to Ricci HIMSELF dropping outta the woodwork (Richard I should say) and emailing saying that my review was the only place in the world that gave it a go, and my follow up emails requesting the ‘full Ricci story’ sadly fell on deaf ears, so here we go again,and let’s see if we get bite #2 from out there somewhere….come on down Ricci !!!! It’s quite the unusual single this, as it’s on a tiny Sydney independent label, (great label design I might add) but put thru Festival at the time, it’s in a Picture Sleeve (many many singles of the eras 1976-1983 were not) AND it was actually recorded in Hollywood USA !! which adds even more mystery to it’s existence. It’s just OK New Wave,but for me this is it’s appeal, (could there be an album ?) and it’s also one of those things where I wanna know how many were cut ? where did they all get distro’d ? as you never see this for sale anywhere,especially around the 2nd hand record traps,it’s bugged me for quite a while. For anybody who owns records by Roderick Falconer,this may well be the Oz equivalent. If anybody knows of an LP that exists,I gotta get down on a copy, & Ricci ,if you’re out there amongst the fibre optics,you gots to do the good thing and tell us your story one day,regardless of whether people love or loathe it, you did it and I’m hopin’ that five mentions of your name strikes a warm Google strike which in turn may put a near 30+yr story to rest.
STUBBY BEERS - Shaving Cream b/w: Just ask for ruth -Image IS-168 Aust 1975
Here we find another Aussie novelty cut on the Image label (1967-1976), of which you may of seen records by KEVIN BORICH, CASH BACKMAN, CAPTAIN MATCHBOX WHOOPEE BAND (Fitting), and more and this is one of those ol’ timey rhymey songs where the bawdy sentences should culminate in a swear word but get cut off at the last second by the chorus before you get served with another and on it goes… Examples ? ok here goes : ‘I have a sad story to tell you, it may hurt your feelings a bit, last nite when I walked into my bathroom, I stepped in a big pile of SHAAVING CREAM la la la…’ & how about ‘I think I’ll break off with my girlfriend,her antics are queer I admit,each time I say darling I love you, she tells me that I’m full of SHAAVING CREAM…’ All well and good and maybe funny in a micro way, but it’s a shame that Stubbsy couldn’t see it in him to branch out and not use every limerick as a ending to shit. How about : ‘My wife she really adores me, we live a good life full of luck, but each nite at 9pm all she wants is to hold me and SHAAVING CREAM… yes, we could all write this song in 10 minutes but this one went that step further and was cut on vinyl. The flipside is of lesser interest than it’s A so it’s zzzzz
UK SQUEEZE - Up the Junction b/w: It’s so dirty -A&M AMS 7444 USA
Excellent picture sleeve, purple vinyl, and song from this great outfit, who had to drop their ‘uk’ handle to just ‘squeeze’ because of a USA combo called ‘Tight Squeeze’ (silly huh). Chris Difford, Glenn Tilbrook and co could sure write memorable music and their discog is littered with choice moments like this (and ‘Black Coffee in Bed’ , ‘Tempted’ , ‘Another nail in my heart’ and of course ‘Cool for Cats’). ‘Up the Junction’ is a brilliant song with biting lyrics, leaving the title right to it’s end. Totally fine mix of new wave and post punk from a band who had been around since 1974 (but didn’t crack the USA charts until 13 years later). The flip’s ‘It’s so dirty’ is a fast paced good few mins also and compliments UTJ just fine.
THE ELECTRIC EELS - Cyclotron b/w: Agitated -Rough Trade RT 008 USA
Absolute pure dirty DIY Punk Rock cut all the way back in 1975 ! Cleveland’s Electric Eels were pioneering crash ‘n’ bash sonic crud within an exciting hand made scene of disgruntled and disillusioned music fans,freakos & societal failures, with many of the attendees & creative shakers going onto make fanzines & be in bands themselves. Would we have a PERE UBU without the Eels ? maybe, maybe not but they led by example and showed in a messed ‘n’ snotty manner that ANYONE COULD DO IT and do it they did on this classic global punk single (which got a nice reissue in the UK a year or so back). The flip’s 2.03 is some of the best 2 minutes EVER in the Punk Rock cannon and Cleveland’s rich music history (Rocket From The Tombs, Dead Boys, Pagans etc..) lays claim to a hotbed of creativity, influence, and howled dissonance which pricked up ears all over the world & boosted thriving sub cultures even more by example.
COM-SAT ANGELS - Red Planet b/w: I Get Excited & Specimen no.2 -Junta Recs April 1979 UK
This fantastic band from Sheffield (& Doncaster) in the UK have a rabid array of fans who dug their dark post punk tracks and quirky lyrics and this debut ep was the kick off to some pretty special moments to follow. After this Indie release they’d be snapped up by Polydor and would give up three strong albums in consecutive years being : ‘Waiting for a Miracle’ (1980), ‘Sleep no more’ (1981) & ‘Fiction’ (1982). If you are yet to experience there most well known song ‘Independence Day’ ,(July 1980) then you’re in for a treat, as it’s a paranoid,dark and addictive gem you’ll wanna hear again when done.
THE BUGGLES - Clean, Clean b/w: Technopop -Island K7853 Aust 1980
‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ (1979) was without a doubt a great song worthy of going to the number one slot in over 15 countries the world over, but this third single from the year up gets a shot here both for it’s catchy A-Side and unusual picture sleeve artwork. Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes were clever with their use of instruments and with their graphic design & one has to admire their work ethic to of kicked onto other bands (Yes, Asia, etc..) along with a career in producing (Trevor Horn) and keeping cool pals (Lol Crème).For all these reasons the buggles rule !
THE CRYSTALS - He’s a rebel b/w: I love you Eddie -Philles Records TCY-7 1962
Girl Group GOLD ! This Brooklyn NY Quartet have left us with many choice tracks to repeat play and soak up ( ‘Da Doo Ron Ron’ anyone ?) tho’ their career is one of messy mistrust & line-up swappage which maybe did not hurt their standing on the charts to a degree but would of created turmoil on deck. After arriving at the famous songwriting nerve centre the Brill Building and catching the ear of the boldadeer hisself Mr Kim Fowley the band were set on a wild path of big hits, no hits,heavy touring,and recordings sometimes NOT featuring the original line-up at all ! and this is one of those, where they appear in name only which must have been bizarre at the time to be tossed around from recording to recording wondering what the heck is going on. Anyway, Kim Fowley’s Philles label had Tomorrow’s Sound Today and dig that neat design on the paper sleeve too bub. They have their spot set in R&B/60’s pop /Girl Group history so let’s enjoy all the good moments as they spin.
Childrens Record – Lily The Pink b/w: Yummy Yummy Yummy MFP 07 –Aust 60’s
This,along with CCR’s Proud Mary were the biggest initial inspirations for me getting hooked on anything which spun at 45rpm. Passed along from my sister Tracey,this Kids rekkid with it’s cool multi-coloured pencil drawn picture sleeve really struck a chord and was on repeat constantly upon discovery. On the UK Music For Pleasure label (& manufactured here in Oz), I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the MFP folk for setting me on the good path. More kids should be exposed to records like this, along with DVD’s and the like,as you get to see it spin,music and sounds come out of it, you can play with the sleeve, and you’ll learn that if you wanna hear the flip you must be pro-active and physically get off your butt and turn it over. Now the music it must be said is killer ! The A-Side is a cool story thread about the Medicinal Compounds with lines like Our brother Tony was know to be Boney,he will never eat his me-e-eals,and so they gave him medicinal compounds & now they move him round on wheels. The flip’s Yummy Yummy Yummy is pure 60’s cruise pop which would not be outta place on a Kinks B-Side,no friggin’ shit it’s a ripper & the UK sure pumped it out in this era. True Gold
THE HENCHMEN -Rockin’ Robin EP - GO!! GEP 1002 -Australia April 1965
One of Altona’s finest, the Stenchies lasted four years as a horny local teen band (weren’t they all ?), playing the haunts, riding the wave & trying to get jiggy with their preferred mate (or maybe they were just wholesome homebodys happily nested in suburbia). This cool 4 track offering was the band’s debut on the mighty GO!! Imprint and any individual who digs their 60’s beat, garage, pop will be fully aware of the neat purple/yellow label design and will own many a GO!! Rekkid. This one is a mongrel to find in a picture sleeve and this one came from a hall sale in Box Hill circa 1992 (& I don’t really hold many hopes of finding a cleaner sleeve so we’ll just be happy with what we have thank you very much good sir)
Bob Wilke– Are You Satisfied Fidelis Records CTP TM-149 Aust 1960’s
The trouble with most Christian/Religious records is that they Suck fair and square but really, what do you expect ? Many are worthy for their novelty factor of course, and others (in a minority tho’ unfortunately) have the power to blow you away, whether they be a congregational take on mad mystic folk, or tripped out psych with band or collectives (these ones can be simply magnificent),but for every golden pro-lord rock out their exists hundreds of thousands of throwaway drek,most of it pressed on 7” and LP between the late 1950’s to the early 80’s,and in every country there is a LOT of it (of course). This 7” Bob does his best to belt out a few sacred standards but it’s all truly shithouse whichever way we look at it. Mr and Mrs Guscott do their best funeral piano and that too sounds GODawful ! The coolest thing about it for me (besides the label design) is the fact that it gives up a complete suburban address in Vermont Victoria, meaning that I could get in my car and drive there and rock up and shout out ‘Where’s BOB !!’ ‘I wanna see the Wilkmeister’s son !!’. And check out that pic sleeve ! Could be any American evangelist snap from the late 50’s/early 60’s huh ! And not only that but they’ve gone the whole hog, with textured jacket and nice soft plastic 7” inner slip.
SUGAR SHACK - Don't Bum Me Out b/w: Nerves -Anomie Recs 007 Texas 1991
These Texans sure knew how to play a rockin' show as was evident on their Australian Tour of 1995 & they were mighty stoked to be playing across our fine lands, whether that be at a local pub to 300 people or a Instore show at a Record Store to 50 or so, the fellas were up for it & had a total blast. This single was the band's second release (Anomie 005 from 2 yrs previous being the first) & contains 2 fine cuts of rowdy rock a roller to get ANY body a shakin'. Their debut 12" (on an Australian label) featured these two tracks (in reverse order),whilst the debut LP in the same year ('92) featured them again at the tail end, this time in this order you see above. Why that has any relevance to anything is beyond me so i won't even mention that as it's tidbit info you just do not need in an already electronically crowded world. This particular sleeve is the promo one of sorts with it's Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth stylee & comes hand numbered out of 200 (with the remaining 800 in a diff sleeve). The Aussie connection also locked in album#2 (Shotgun for Two) in 1994 (LP and CD) & the Sugar Shacksters also had tracks issued in Oz on labels such as DOGMEAT, AU-GO-GO (the above alb) & later down the track DROPKICK records.
MONSTER MAGNET - Evil b/w: Elephant Bell - Glitterhouse Recs GR 0204.5 1992
Instead of the many amazing originals Mr Dave Wyndorf & co have written & recorded over the years,this early 90's gem is a Chester Burnett (Howlin' Wolf) mule kicker which rips shreds on the version found on their 1993 major label album 'Superjudge' as it's the DIRTIER, GRITTIER, loose version before the song was recut and beefed up with studio dollery. It not only looks cool with it's multi-colour splatter wax but the lyrics here offer up all the snarl and filth (lotsa swearing) which the 'proper' version just cannot provide ! And this dear reader is often the magic of the 7" single as one can get the RAW version of a song, just exactly as it was intended, with all the attitude and spirit which comes along for the ride, and this single delivers in spades. The flip is ok, but with an A side as good as this who the hell cares y'know what i mean ?
THE BLUE BIRDS - 'Only you can do it' GEO MA 7465
Well, one just has to love that pic sleeve ! with our 6 gals all dolled up in their BB uniforms being part gymnast and part rock goddess ! Musically we get amateur sass with a very tame-o backing which kinda lets the team down on this one i'm afraid as the dynamite factor becomes a fizzer and our title is on repeat almost as much as Roxanne and putting on the red light ! The flips take on 'Everlasting Love' (credited to Carson but most likely should read Cason as in co-writer Buzz) ups the ante a tad but not enough to warrant repeat spins I'm afraid :( Time wise this has to be late 70's/early 80's & production credit goes to one 'Geoff Edelsten', who may well be our pasty prince himself as his earlier days were awash with musical involvement & look closely at that sleeve and one can easy find a 'Brynne of the past' so we wonder whether two and two equals four ? Hmmmmm
SOUL AGENTS - 6 track EP -Fidelis Records TM-140 1972
Nine releases before listing 29) from that little indie label that could from the eastern subs of Melbourne in the 60's/70's and this EP gives up one solitary original from this Xian Country Trio and a swag of covers to fatten out the grooves. The SA's are all goody goody goo & as safe as one would expect from three smooth movers as Marie, Phillip and Julie. Eight people all up get a contrib cap here,altho' what's on offer could easily be played and put forth by our original three in my book. Where are they now ? ,did they stick with their chosen religion ? and do their kids rattle on Facebook about how cool their olds are who cut some 'vinyls' 40 years in the past ? These are questions we need an answer to now in this fast paced insta-society so we await a footnote post Google search from our cruisy three.
SPLIT ENZ - I Hope I Never + 2 -Mushroom Recs K7910 Australia May 1980
Not only an excellent song from their ‘True Colours’ masterpiece, this came a full SEVEN YEARS after their NZ debut ! So many strong & timeless tracks that one must really give big credit to the song creation of Tim Finn, Phil Judd (& from ’77) Neil Finn and co as their body of work is simply staggering. The band has many obscure 7”s under their belt (from micro label releases to unique and limited sleeves to of course sleeve variations globally) and this one from 1980 is an example of one of their excellent ep’s (with 2 cool b-sides ‘Hypnotised’ and ‘Carried Away’) issued in a small run picture sleeve which is not a common sight in oz.
M.P.D. LIMITED - Little Boy Sad b/w: Wendy,don’t go -Salem NZ XS. 104 1965
Classic OZ 60’s romp from August 1965 and another single first issued on the GO!! Label. M.P.D. LTD comprised of three members, two of whom (Mike Brady and Pete Watson) were in instro jammers THE PHANTOMS. After getting this new combo together, their star rose in a speedy manner, on the strength of cool songwriting and cover choices, a mad live show & a knack for getting the audiences revved up into a frenzy ! They released a few more singles and an LP on GO!! Into ’67 before imploding and moving on. A dozen years later of course we would hear of Mike Brady again in a major way as he penned,sang,and played the definitive footy anthem ‘Up There Cazaly’ under the moniker of the TWO MAN BAND (with another fella called Peter Sullivan) and to this day their song remains a staple in Aussie life and an inspiration to anyone wanting to ‘get in and have a crack’. This version of the M.P.D. LIMITED’s debut I chose as it’s the more obscure cut being the NEW ZEALAND pressing from late 1965 and both sides (tho’ speshly the A) are RED HOT!
The Loved Ones -Ever Lovin’ Man b/w: More than love In Recs –Aust IN-S-8807 1966
Truly amazing second single from July 1966 from one of Australia’s best 1960’s groups. This is the kind of 7” single that sums up the spirit of this website ! Side one ( 2.08) and Side two (2.09) are timed to perfection for the format…short sharp, dynamic and memorable. The vocal brilliance of Gerry Humphreys just sends shivers up and down your spine,it’s just so manic and tuff with a range hardly ever matched for the era. A great band, wish I woulda’ seen them live as they are just the shit ! What a buzz to spin this In Records edition and feel the spirit fly off the vinyl at every magic turn. Every house needs a copy of this single,2 wonderful originals ! And April 2019 saw a cool RECORD STORE DAY Reissue of their 'Magic Box' LP on Colour Vinyl.... Gotta love that !
THE BLUE BOPS - Mona Lisa b/w: Tiger -Planet Recs PX025 Melbourne 1959
Without a doubt, THE very first 7” that I recall from my childhood,and one that always held a pile of mystery and delight to me whilst growing up. From the all purple picture labels to the fact that my mum (herself a 1960’s singer) had a close connection to one of the band members, this single is perhaps the one that got me hooked and onto a path which has many more years in which to travel. The A side is standard pop fare and tamey samey, whilst the flip’s ‘Tiger’ adds a bit of spice, a few dodgy growls and a few choice lines ( you keep me hopping like a kangaroo). It’s much more upbeat and danceable as. For my extended piece on THE BLUE BOPS, and a bit more on the Bob King Crawford PLANET label (and many offshoots), see the 'Independent Music Articles' section and get a scrollin'.
V/A : Killed By Absurdity Vol 1 - Failed Pilot Productions USA
Oh boy ! this one is a real piece a work !!!! Subtitled A Collection of Hilariously Depraved “Found” Songs this really is fantastic….fantastically bad and so bad that you just gotta keep going back for more. Side A has the repugnant After Dark and their woeful rendition of ‘Africa’ by Toto with accapella,dodgy lyrics & overblown inanity. It gets worse with Hearts Pursuit and the scary, spoken debacle that is ‘You are so Precious to Me’ which is a real home recorded TURD which one cannot stop playing. Side Two kicks up the wuss computer music stakes with Dos Power Surge & the ‘K-Mart Rap’,and thankfully it’s under 50 seconds. Tom and Dad creep it out with ‘Mexican Food Samba’ which is vomit worthy brilliance and Tom Sirard falls flat on his sorry arse in ‘The Bar’, which would not of got him on even Pot of Gold !!! The music is godawfully great,and those outta tune vocals ensure it’s place on any good compilation tape (or CD-R or whatever ). Spaz Monkey finish this 7” off with ‘I’ve Gone Insane’ which is a dose of bad ’n’ grimey new wave rhymey which never should have been recorded, tho’ we’re happy it was. So yeah, lot’s of good sonic fodder for the molasses here,& it even namechecks other gems in this ballpark,tho’ non-musical such as the Shut Up Little Man & Celebs at their Worst series which you really should own if you do not already. Nuff Sed.
Patrick D Martin – I like ‘Lectric Motors b/w: Time –Decca Y-180 U.K. 1979
Two minutes and twenty one seconds of late 70’s English New Wave from Mr PDM, who we really haven’t heard boo from since (maybe I’ll get an email from him after he Google’s his name ?). This single used to fascinate me at the time of release (I was 12) with it’s repetitive title refrain (would you believe a whopping 47 times !) & quirky lil’ lyric gems (cars, wrenches,service stations, etc..). The flip is a bit of a long haul at 4 & a half minutes, with the thought of an LP’s worth an even bigger undertaking,& I think that it woulda’ made a cool one sided ep, with a mad etching on the flip of a cog in the machine or some such, but we’ll still give him a guernsey.
THE EVERY BROTHERS - This Town b/w: Swim -Polydor Australia 1986
Yes, that’s right…no L in there -this is a Aussie mid 80’s folk/rock trio whose history went back to bands such as JULY 14, PLAY LOUD, & the YOUNG HOMEBUYERS (members of whom were previously in late 70’s Adelaide PunkNew Wave band NASTY NIGEL & THE TEENAGE HELLCATS whom we cover later down the line).Whether it’s a fun dig at the Everly Brothers and Simon & Garfunkel etc.. is irrelevant as this is a top notch single with great harmonies & big Don Bartley mastering making it addictive as all get out and a 7” which I still play to this day since it’s release.
The Meatmen – The Making of ‘War of the Superbikes’ One-Sided 7” Flexi-Disc (Red)
Ok, so it plays on the big boy speed of thirty three and a third,but hey ! This is a fun lil’ gem which is kinda crazy that it exists at all,but I’m sure glad that it was cut and sent around in the mid 80’s as it’s a bit of a hoot. Mr Tesco Vee –Punk Rawk Provocateur hisself let’s rip all over this in varying guises all to ‘promote’ the Meatmen’s 1985 War of the Superbikes album (which featured 2 members of MINOR THREAT). Opening with choice garble like “Hey you wang wranglers,this is Tesco of the Meatmen comin’ at ya at my fave radio station,& they’ll be wingin’ some boss tunage of our smokin’ hot new platter ‘War of the Superbikes’..I mean this bad boy is chock full of savage,comedic,ridiculous,moronic blasting “ And on it goes and it’s FUN ! Homestead Records (tho’ not actually credited on the label) apparently issued another of these Flexi’s of the Meatmen a year later, so I may have to hunt that puppy down some day to see how it sizes up to this lil’ 7” treat.
The Human League - Only After Dark 7" B/W: Toyota City (Long Version) ( 1980 Virgin Pic Sleeve VS 351)
Classic UK sleeve from this great Sheffield band and a red hot A side from their gritty second album 'Travelogue'. The version here is slightly shorter than the album version with the flipside's 'Toyota City' ( also from this record) adding an extra few minutes here as the long version. A pioneering band in many ways, who had a full history pre- their breakthrough album 'DARE' with lots of deep experimentation and cold wave synth which just predated the arrival of singers Joanne Catherall and Susan Sulley. So many great songs to explore all through the band's vast catalogue... right up to their 'Credo' album from 2011. They also issued a comprehensive BOX SET ('A Very British Synthesizer Group') in 2016 with tracks from 1977 onwards across 2CD's and THREE LP's. I saw them play at the Palais Theatre in 1982 and still retain a strong connection to this band to this very day as many of their songs have shaped my music tastes across the past few decades (ie: THEY RULE)
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Additions to this section coming up mid year 2021-22
Additions to this section coming up mid year 2021-22
