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The Australian rock scene of the 70s was at its best, courtesy of Marshall Amplification and bands like the Skyhooks, Sports, Company Caine, Mighty Kong, The Toads and Murtceps.
For the best part of the seventies Australia created ever more sophisticated popular rock bands that had re-drawn the boundaries of acceptability and given the youth of Australia its own music, so no JOK, Johnny Chester or Delltones; but JOK did make the stage at Sunbury to a surprisingly joyous crowd, about the time l was looking for my clothes l had left on the river bank.
To celebrate the 70s, Warner Music & Festival Records have released a new double CD set When the Sun Sets over Carlton: Melbourne’s Countercultural Inner City Rock Scene of the ‘70’s. A deluxe 2CD set documents the arts and politics-infused rock scene that gave Melbourne and Australia such multi-faceted cultural icons as Paul Kelly, Joe Camilleri, Stephen Cummings, Jane Clifton, Peter Lillie, Ross Wilson, Ross Hannaford, Greg Macainsh, Red Symons and Shirley Strachan. Taking its title from the famous song by the scene’s best known band Skyhooks, the album traces the countercultural scene’s development from its beginnings in venues like the TF Much Ballroom and Carlton’s La Mama and Pram Factory theatres through Skyhooks breakout success to the thriving pub scene found in legendary venues like Martini’s and the Tiger Lounge. It presents also a glimpse of the birth of Melbourne’s hugely influential 3RRR-FM, which was born out of this scene.
It features rare and unreleased recordings from Paul Kelly, Skyhooks, Jo Jo Zep & the Falcons, The Sports & Daddy Cool, as well as first recordings of future members of The Divinyls, Hoodoo Gurus, Icehouse & Crowded House.
The 44-track collection includes Daddy Cool covering Skyhooks in ’74, an unreleased Skyhooks demo featuring original singer Steve Hill, two unreleased studio recordings by Paul Kelly’s first band The High Rise Bombers and two little-known tracks from the self-released 1979 EP by his next band The Dots, an unreleased early Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons demo from ’76, a pre-Sports demo by Stephen Cummings with Dave Flett, the first track ever released by Wayne Burt’s pre-Falcons Band (with Pat Wilson) Rock Granite, an unreleased Bleeding Hearts demo produced by Greg Macainsh and rare material from the Pure Shit soundtrack.
It also features a mix of classic and lesser known other material from the likes of The Sports, Stiletto (featuring Jane Clifton), The Bleeding Hearts, The Pelaco Bros (featuring Stephen Cummings, Peter Lillie, Johnny Topper and Joe Camilleri), Eric Gradman Man & Machine, early Mondo Rock, Company Caine, Spare Change (featuring John Dowler), Parachute, Mark Gillespie, The Millionaires, The Indelible Murtceps (alter-ego of the legendary Spectrum), Peter Lillie & The Leisuremasters and more.
The collection comes in a slipcase and with an illustrated 52-page booklet featuring 15,000 words from musicians including Paul Kelly, Jane Clifton, Johnny Topper as well as esteemed rock writer Jen Jewel Brown. The album’s eye-popping logo/title design was drawn by legendary ‘70s Australian cartoonist and cover/poster artist Ian McCausland.
To coincide with release, Festival will also be releasing Expanded Editions of the classic albums by two of Melbourne and indeed Australia’s most-loved bands of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s period; the first two albums by The Sports (Reckless & Don’t Throw Stones from 78 & 79) and Jo Jo Zep & the Falcons’ breakthrough album from (Screaming Targets from 79) . All three albums, which were originally released on Mushroom and have been long out of print on CD, have been remastered from original tapes. Songs like Hit and Run, Shape I’m In, Don’t Throw Stones, When You Walk in the Room, Who Listens to the Radio and more.
When the Sun Sets Over Carlton: Melbourne’s Countercultural Inner City Rock Scene of the ‘70s’ now available at all stores.
Mark Walberg will star in the movie, Six Billion Dollar Man. The film is based on the 1970s television series ‘The Six Million Dollar Man’, and will see the actor reunite with director Peter Berg (Lone Survivor). The TV series starred Lee Majors as Steve Austin, a former astronaut outfitted with bionic implants. A popular science fiction series which later had a love interest with the series The Bionic Woman. The series was cancelled in 1978.
Robert Plant has turned down millions of dollars from Sir Richard Branson to reunite Lez Zeppelin. Sir Richard offered the deal to play 35 dates in three cities, London, Berlin and New Jersey. Branson also offered to let the band use one of his jets and rename it ‘The Starship’. Jimmy page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham (son of John Bonham) agreed to the tour but Plant said no.
Ted Egan
Golden Guitar winner, singer/songwriter, historian, author, TV presenter and school teacher, Ted Egan OAM will launch his new book The Anzacs: 100 Years On in Story and Song at the Frankston RSL on Thursday November 27, 2-4pm. Egan will also perform and copies of the book with CD of 20 songs will be on sale. Egan began writing songs about life in the Northern Territory in the 1960s and made his first recordings in 1969. He has produced over twenty albums and appeared on a regular basis at folk and country music festivals. He has several degrees in literature and history and is a member of the first National Reconciliation Council. For more details email books@wilddingopress.com.au
Shane Nicholson
Shane Nicholson’s prolific musical career began with rock band Pretty Violet Stain in the late ‘90’s. After two EP’s and the album Parachutes & Gravity, Shane began a solo project with 2003’s its A Movie, later voted by USA Today as one of the Top 10 Pop Albums of 2004. This was followed in 2006 by Faith and Science. Both albums resulted in extensive touring in Australia and USA.
In 2008, Shane and Kasey Chambers released Rattlin’ Bones. The album debuted at No.1, achieved platinum sales, was awarded Best Country Album at the ARIA Awards.
The ARIA Award-nominated Familiar Ghosts followed, debuting at No.6 on the albums chart. Shortly thereafter moving into production, Shane worked across albums for Catherine Britt, Beccy Cole, Angie Hart, Alex Lloyd and many more.
Shane’s 4th solo album Bad Machines debuted at No.3 on the ARIA Country Charts, scored 6 Golden Guitar nominations (winning Song of the Year), a Best Country Album ARIA nomination, and the APRA Country Work of the Year award.
Shane and Kasey’s second collaborative effort, Wreck & Ruin, debuted at No.6 in October 2012, scored 5 CMAA nominations (winning Best Group/Duo) and took them to the Grand Ole Opry. In December 2013, it won the ARIA Award for Best Country Album.
Shane Nicholson has now signed to Lost Highway Records (Universal Music) as a Staff Producer and artist and will release a new album Pitch, Roll & Yaw: Live and Solo this week.
Lost Highway has signed and been instrumental in the careers of some of the biggest roots and country artists in the world, including Ryan Adams, Lucinda Williams, the Jayhawks, Whiskeytown, Lyle Lovett, Shelby Lynne, the hugely successful soundtrack of Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?, Willie Nelson, the late Johnny Cash and many others.
www.shanenicholson.com facebook.com/ShaneNicholsonMusic
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TOP TEN ALBUMS
1. When the Sun Sets Over Carlton – Various (Festival)
2. Family Life – Adam Harvey (Sony)
3. In the Lonely Hour – Sam Smith (Capitol)
4. Don’t Throw Stones – The Sports (Festival)
5. Chemistry – Mondo Rock (Aztec Records)
6. Screaming Targets – Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons (Festival)
7. Reckless – The Sports (Festival)
8. Honest People – John Williamson (Warner)
9. Silent Writer – Ray Sorenson
10. Dirty Ground – Dan Sultan