DOWNLOAD NO.133 - RORY THOMAS

RORY THOMAS WAS A KEYBOARD PLAYER IN A NUMBER OF OZ BANDS IN THE 1960S AND 70S, AND A MUSIC ARRANGER FOR NUMEROUS OTHERS. HIS ONLY 7" SINGLE IN HIS NAME WAS A 1975 EXPERIMENTAL DOUBLE-SIDED 45 RPM CALLED "FIRE WHEELS", ON SIDE "A", AND "SKATEBOARD FREAKOUT" ON THE FLIP.

THE CONCEPT WAS TO TAKE THE NOISES MADE BY SKATEBOARDS AND RUN THEM INTO SOME KIND OF SYNTHESIZER KEYBOARD SO THAT THEY BECAME AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE MUSIC. BOTH SONGS ARE SHORT AND WOULD HAVE MADE IDEAL T.V. SHOW THEMES.

BOTH TUNES ARE VERY MUCH LIKE THE INSTRUMENTAL TRACKS THE SPOTNICKS, TORNADOES OR VENTURES WOULD HAVE DONE IN THE 1960S...ONLY OF COURSE RORY WAS FROM OZ AND IT WAS THE 70S.

I WAS OFFERED A BIG SUM OF MONEY TO SELL THE 7” SINGLE BECAUSE IT IS SO RARE…I WONDER IF RORY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT HIS WORK WOULD BE THAT COLLECTABLE SOME 30 YEARS LATER AND BY SOMEONE WHO CAME FROM OVERSEAS AND HAD BEEN HUNTING FOR THESE 2 SONGS FOR AGES...

IF YOU HAVE SURROUND SOUND AT HOME, YOU'D APPRECIATE THE EFFECTS. BOTH SONGS ARE REALLY GOOD CONSIDERING THE ERA IN WHICH THEY WERE MADE.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE TRANSFER I DID FROM VINYL IS NOT VERY GOOD AS THE SCRATCH REMOVING TOOL ALSO THOUGHT THE SKATEBOARD SOUND EFFECTS WERE SCRATCHES. OF COURSE THE SINGLE HAS NEVER SURFACED ON ANY C.D.

FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO SURF ON LAND, YOU GET BOTH SONGS IN A ZIP FILE...COWABUNGA DUDES!

http://rapidshare.com/files/182671875/Rory_Thomas_from_Tom_Mix.zip

An update from a correspondent called Florian from Germany:

By the way Rory Thomas did have another 7" here are the details from a catalogue:

THE DAM BUSTER'S MARCH / EBB TIDE / CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU

AUSTRALIAN ORGANIST TRAINED BY LEGENDARY U.S. MUSICIAN EARL GRANT - AUSTRALIAN MUSICAL DIRECTOR OF "GODSPELL" ROCK OPERA - UNCOMMON ORIGINAL 1970'S AUSTRALIAN PRESSING ON GREEN EMI CUSTOM LABEL OFFERED FOR SALE AT HIS LIVE PERFORMANCES AT BANKSTOWN SQUARE SHOPPING CENTRE IN NS.W.