26.5.09

DOWNLOAD NO.214 - JUDITH DURHAM

Judith Durham was the lead singer of The Seekers. Not content to rest on her laurels in 1971 she got a set of solo albums pressed on the A&M Mayfair label. One of her loveliest singles of the period was "Kaleidoscope" which didn't make the charts in a big way but it is one of those songs that over time has continued to build a following of appreciative fans. The album from whence it came was "Here Am I" (click picture for track listing).

"Kaleidoscope", scored in waltz-time, was written by Rod McKuen who had numerous pop songs to his credit: "Seasons In The Sun", "Jean", "If You Go Away" and "Amsterdam". One of Rod's best vocal outings was the hit single "Baby It's Cold Outside" a duet with Dusty Springfield.

For download is a CD copy of Judith's rendition of
"Kaleidoscope" which was last issued on the CD album "Christmas In London" in 1996:

http://rapidshare.com/files/237365412/judith_durham_-_kaleidoscope.mp3

16.5.09

DOWNLOAD NO.213 - THE FAUNS

THE FAUNS WERE AN EARLY 1960S AUSSIE VOCAL GROUP. THEY WERE SOME OF THE EARLY PERFORMERS WHO APPEARED ON AUSTRALIAN BANDSTAND. AS FAR AS I KNOW THEY HAD 3 VINYL SINGLES, POSSIBLY MORE.

THE FAUN'S FIRST SINGLE IN 1960 WAS "DANCE WITH ME" BACKED WITH "DON'T TAKE THE STARS" ON THE LEE GORDON OWNED RECORD LABEL "LEEDON". "DANCE WITH ME" WAS A COVER VERSION OF THE SONG ORIGINALLY RECORDED BY THE U.S.A. GROUP CALLED THE DRIFTERS.

ON THE "DANCE WITH ME" RECORD LABEL IT HAS A CONFUSING LITTLE TAG WHICH STATES..."WITH ORCHESTRATIONS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF EDDIE CASH JR"...FOR THOSE WHO ARE "NOT IN THE KNOW", EDDIE CASH JR. WAS REALLY JOHNNY O'KEEFE, A MAN PRONE TO USING THIS STRANGE PSEUDONYM FOR HIS OWN WARPED AMUSEMENT.

SINGLES:

1-DANCE WITH ME / DON'T TAKE THE STARS 1960
2-WE SHOULD BE TOGETHER / WHILE SUSAN SLEEPS 1961
3-TELL ME WHY / NURSERY RHYME ROCK 1961

"DANCE WITH ME" IS COURTESY OF JIMMY B. WHO HAS SPENT SOME CONSIDERABLE TIME FINDING ME GREAT OLDIES FOR THIS BLOG.

http://rapidshare.com/files/233840156/THE_FAUNS_-_DANCE_WITH_ME__VINYL_TOM_MIX_.mp3

DOWNLOAD NO.212 - YOUR BRAIN HAS EARS - 2 MMM

Jimmy B. has supplied many songs for this blog. Recently we decided to have a day where he came to my place (a trip involving train, car and ferry) to record and repair many of his old vinyl singles. In his collection Jim has a very large set of Oz songs which have not made it to CD. This download is one of the many...

During the era when FM radio was coming into the Oz market there were a few stations that had station identification tracks done by big local artists and musos. One of these jingles was "Your Brain Has Ears" for radio station 2MMM-FM (2 Triple M) which charted in the lower reaches of the top 40.

As far as I know this was never released on a 7" vinyl record but there were 2 versions done for the 12" vinyl single. The version I have included for download is the instrumental mix of the 12" single which has been credited as the "A" side. The vocal version being the "B" flipside. Both tracks have been forwarded to the Ozburn project with complements of Jim and moi.
Thanks Jim B. for this rare oldie "Your Brain Has Ears":

http://rapidshare.com/files/233840154/2_MMM_-_YOUR_BRAIN_HAS_EARS__INSTRUMENTAL_TOM_MIX_VINYL_.mp3

DOWNLOAD NO.211 - MALCOLM T. ELLIOTT

Jimmy B. has supplied many songs for this blog. Recently we decided to have a day where he came to my place (a trip involving train, car and ferry) to record and repair many of his old vinyl singles. In his collection Jim has a very large set of Oz songs which have not made it to CD. This download is one of the many...

Malcolm T. Elliott b: 1946 Moreland Victoria is a former Oz radio and TV personality. He had a couple of singles on RCA which were moderate hits. One was his slow version of "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth".

Malcolm
's biggest hit was an updated version of the 1950 Phil Harris single "The Thing". It is a more than competent remake of "The Thing". The sound of the music in the backing track is superb but Malcolm's vocals lack comedic sparkle, compared to the vocals done by Phil Harris.

Thanks Jimmy B. for supplying this great oldie. Here is "
The Thing":

http://rapidshare.com/files/233840155/MALCOM_T_ELLIOTT_-_THE_THING__VINYL_TOM_MIX_.mp3

8.5.09

DOWNLOAD NO.210 - STEVE MULRY AND THE M-16's

Steve Mulry is the younger brother of Australian music legend Ted Mulry. Ted Mulry and Les Hall (of TMG) wrote the A side of the single which is for download here.

Steve Mulry began singing in the 1980s with well known Oz band Axis. He followed this band with Hyperactiv!, M-16 and Stoker. During Steve’s time with Stoker he underwent a series of singing lessons to broaden and strengthen his vocal range gaining the results he intended. The Aussie tribute concert called The Deep Purple Show took Steve on an extensive tour of New Zealand where he met partner Lil’ (Loz) Marlow. Back in Australia
it was being increasingly hard to keep a constant line up for Stoker and 18 months later Steve was approached by George Muscat to join his band Black Label and was eventually rewarded enough to get a constant stream of gigs supported by a growing legion of loyal fans. With new member changes, it became apparent a new direction had formed that out grew Black Label’s style. A more aggressive, edgy writing and playing style had emerged. Steve Mulry is nowadays a founding member of a rock outfit called Lawless Breed.


Here for download are two M-16 hits in one zip file, B-side "I Need You" and A-side "Givin' Up On Your Love". Both songs come courtesy of Barry H. who sent them along for some sonic re-shaping. Barry also sent scans of the disc labels. Enjoy, and many thanks, Bazza!


http://rapidshare.com/files/230786365/steve.zip

4.5.09

DOWNLOAD NO.209 - TED MULRY GANG

Ted Mulry's last major attempt to crack the Top 40 was the 7" of "Old Habits" in 1990. It wasn't a big hit but it had followed the tried and true hit formula that was evident in all his Ted Mulry Gang (TMG) tracks.

NB. Ted has other songs on this blog for download - please use the search facility to locate them.

Here for download is his last single "Old Habits":

http://rapidshare.com/files/229023133/ted_mulry_gang_-_old_habits.mp3

3.5.09

DOWNLOAD NO.208 - KEVIN JOHNSON

Kevin Stephen Johnson (born 1943 Rockhampton Queensland) is an Australian singer-songwriter, most active in the 1970s, and is best known for his hit song "Rock and Roll I Gave You the Best Years of My Life".

Singles
:
  • "Hayman Island" (1967)
  • "Woman You Took My Life" (1968)
  • "It Was Good While It Lasted" (1969)
  • "Bonnie Please Don't Go" (1971) peaked at #12 in Melbourne, #2 in Sydney and #4 on the Ozburn national chart.
  • "All Our Favourite Songs" (1971) peaked at #22 on the Ozburn national chart.
  • "Rock And Roll I Gave You The best Years Of My Life" (1973) peaked at #10 in Melbourne and at #4 nationally on the Ozburn chart.
  • "Man Of The 20th Century" (1975) peaked at #17 on the Ozburn national chart.
  • "Over The Hills And Far Away" (1976) peaked at #30 on the Ozburn national chart.
  • "Reasons" (1981) peaked at #31 on the Ozburn national chart.

Early years...

Johnson is the only son of Richard Johnson (timber contractor) and Elinor Johnson (post office / telephone exchange operator) and began his singing career in Rockhampton with the Candymen. In the early 1960s he worked for the Queensland Department of Roads as a clerk; playing and singing at night and writing songs in any spare time. Some of his songs came to the notice of rock and roll star Col Joye who signed him to his publishing company. Johnson relocated to Sydney and recorded his first single, "Hayman Island" in 1967 on Joye's ATA label. He followed with "Woman You Took My Life" in 1968 but neither single had any chart success. In 1969, he signed with independent label, Sweet Peach. His first hit single "Bonnie Please Don't Go" from 1971, peaked at #12 in Melbourne, #2 in Sydney. Johnson moved to the United States and wrote songs for Tree International for two years while vainly attempting to record his own songs.

Johnson's best known song, which charted in several countries, was "Rock and Roll I Gave You the Best Years of My Life" in 1973. It peaked at #10 in Melbourne and at #4 on the Australian singles charts. The song was written by Kevin, who became frustrated with his US record label, Dial Records, in Tennessee and told them he was about to leave. Johnson was informed that other artists had already recorded his song, so he quickly recorded and released his own version on the Australian-based Good Thyme label through Festival.

NEW CENTURY - J.A.M.

Johnson formed JAM (Johnson Ashdown McClellan) with Doug Ashdown ("Winter in America" aka "Leave Love Enough Alone") and Mike McClellan ("Song and Dance Man"). They have toured around Australia through the 2000s.

NB. The above picture of his DVD case has an inscription for moi...this was sent in thanks for helping Kevin in 2007 with solving a mystery about some of his original recordings...we have corresponded regularly before and since.

Here for download is his original 1971 hit "All Our Favourite Songs". The version currently on CD is a remake.

http://rapidshare.com/files/228590917/kevin_johnson_-_all_our_favourite_songs__single_vinyl_tom_mix_.mp3