Posts

Showing posts from May, 2014

Classic Albums-The Notorious Byrd Brothers the Byrds

Image
For this week's classic album let's have a look at the 1968 album by American rock group The Byrds called the Notorious Byrd Brothers. The recording of the album was held @ Columbia Studios in Hollywood,California from June 21st-December 6th 1967 and it was released on January 3rd 1968 which it went to number 47 in the USA and number 12 in the UK. Gary Usher who produced the Younger Than Yesterday album was the producer for this album and the single from this album Goin Back an cover of the Dusty Springfield UK top 10 hit in 1966 written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. The other material on the album were written by Roger Mcguinn, David Crosby and Chris Hillman wrote Natural Harmony and it was during the recording of the album that David Crosby was fired in October as there had been tensions and frictions as he refused to sing on Goin Back as well as his song Traid was in competition with Goin Back for a place on the album which Jefferson Airplane did a version of it on the

Old Rockers Get Together 2014

Image
On Sunday May 18th I went to the Riverside Ballroom in New Farm for the Old Rockers Get Together which it was my 5th time and it featured Brisbane groups from the 60's which we thought last year was going to be the last one but it came back this year which was put together by Paul Morgan Of Brisbane group Poor Man's Son's, Anna Churchill and Darryl (Curly) Wright of Brisbane groups The Dominoes and the Flamingoes as for 10 years until last year Vance and Toni Lendich organized it with Paul and Barry Schutze of Brisbane group the Corvettes doing the compering. I caught the ferry to New Farm from Norman Park as Dad dropped me off there and I walked to the Riverside Ballroom which I said hello to Mike Steiner from the Dominoes on the way. I paid $10.00, went inside,took 2 photos and had a bottle of Water. The show started @ 11am with the first group the Chelsea Set which has original member Bill Hillman with members from Dimples and Music Machine performing and did an set d

Classic Albums-Dusty In Memphis Dusty Springfield

Image
For this week's classic album segment let's have a look at the 1969 album by British singer Dusty Springfield with Dusty In Memphis. The recording of the album was held in Memphis @ the American Sound Studios in September 1968 with Dusty's final vocal being recorded in New York and it was released on March 31st 1969 which it went to number 99 in the USA but did not chart in England. It was produced by Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin who also did the arranging, string arranging and horn arranging and Tom Dowd who did the arranging, horn arranging and engineering and from this album it had the top ten hit single Son Of A Preacher Man as well as US minor hits Don't Forget About Me, Breakfast In Bed, the Windmills Of Your Mind, I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore and In the Land Of Make Believe as well as among the musicians who played on the album were Reggie Young on guitarist, the Sweet Inspirations on vocals, Tommy Cogbill on bass guitar. It is a great album with great son

Face the Music A Life Exposed Paul Stanley

Image
Face the Music A Life Exposed is the autobiography of Paul Stanley founding member of legendary American rock group KISS. In this book he talks about being born with a condition called microtia which it is an ear deformity rendering him deaf on the right side, his traumatic childhood experiences, his growing up in Queens as he moved from Manhattan when he was 8, getting into music at an young age, played in his first group called the Baby Boom, formed KISS in 1973 who have become one of the greatest rock n roll groups of all time and are still going strong which him and Gene Simmons are still there today, the highs and lows both inside and outside of KISS, his 2 marriages and many others.It is an AWESOME, SUPERB and an BRILLIANT book with great stories which they are so enjoyable and it is an GREAT GREAT read and the book is co written with Tim Mohr who has written novels as well as collaborating the memoirs of Duff McKagan of Guns N Roses and Gil Scott-Heron as well as being an s

The Wickety Wak Years @ Wynnum Manly Leagues Club May 10th 2014

Image
On Saturday May 10th I went to Wynnum Manly Leagues Club to see Rob, Greg and Tony of Wickety Wak as well as Laura doing the Wickety Wak Years show as it was my 5th time seeing the guys as it was my 5th time seeing them live and I had not seen them live since Saturday August 18th 2012 @ Mt Gravatt Bowls Club doing the That's Rock n Roll show. I caught the bus from Cannon Hill to Wynnum which I walked to the club, rang home, went to Bistro where I had Chicken Kiev, chips and salad for dinner, had an Chocolate Sundae for desert, went inside, saw Judy who works at the merchandise stand at the Wak shows where I bought the DVD of Wickety Wak performing at Brisbane Entertainment Centre in 1990 when they broke up and an Laura Doolan CD doing Olivia Newton John songs which has been released and had an drink of water. the show started @ 8.30pm with the Wak Boys coming out on stage and for the next 2 and an half hours the guys performed 2 sets which they classic pop and rock songs includi

Classic Albums After School Session Chuck Berry

Image
For this week's classic album segment let's have a look at the debut album by American rock singer and guitarist Chuck Berry from 1957 called After School Session. The recording of this album was held in Chicago from May 21st1955-January 21st 1957 which was Chuck's first 5 recording sessions and it was released in May 1957. It was produced by Leonard and Phil Chess who ran the record label chess records and from this album it 3 singles No Money Down(number 8 on US R&B charts), Too Much Monkey Business (number 4 on US R&B charts) and School Day(Ring Ring Goes The Bell) number 3 on the USA pop charts, number 1 on the R&B charts and number 24 in the UK(his first UK chart hit). This is a Great and an ROCKIN album which besides from the 3 singles there are other great tracks including Wee Wee Hours which was the B-side to Maybelline (Chuck's first hit single), Brown Eyed Handsome Man which Buddy Holly did a version of it which was a posthumos hit in the UK in 19

The Living years Mike Rutherford

Image
The Living Years is the autobiography of British musician and founding member of both British groups Genesis and Mike and the Mechanics Mike Rutherford. In this book Mike talks about getting his first guitar at the age of 8, going to boarding schools the Leas and Charterhouse, forming his first groups the Chesters, the Climaxs and the Anon, forming Genesis with Tony banks, Peter Gabriel,Chris Stewart and Anthony Phillips in 1967 while @ Charterhouse, began recording in 1968 for Decca, the line up changes of the group with departures of Phillips in 1970,Peter Gabriel in 1975 as well as Phil Collins in 1970, the success in the 70's and 80's, forming Mike and the Mechanics in the 80's which they would have successful hits including All I Need Is A Miracle and the classic the Living Years and many others. It is an GREAT and an BRILLIANT book with great stories which was very impressive including the relationship with his father and it is an enjoyable read. Mike Rutherford is

Riding This Road Joy McKean

Image
Riding This Road is the autobiography of legendary Australian country singer-songwriter Joy McKean. In this book she talks about her childhood which she had polio at a young age, getting into music which she sang with her sister Heather which they were to be the McKean Sisters,growing in small country towns and farming districts of NSW, marrying Australian country singer Slim Dusty in 1951 which would last until his sad passing in 2003 which they would have 2 children Anne who is a very successful country singer and son David as well as touring together around Australia as well as writing, singing and collecting songs that reflected the lifestyle and people and many others. It is an SUPERB and an BRILLIANT book with great stories which they're impressive and an enjoyable read. Joy is still keeping active at the age of 84 which she is still involved in the Slim Dusty Foundation as well as the Slim Dusty Centre and Museum in Kempsey NSW. This book is a must for any Australian coun

Dennis Locorriere show @ Kedron Wavell

Image
On Saturday May 3rd I went to Kedron Wavell Services Club where I saw Dennis Locorriere former lead singer of American 70's group Dr Hook which it was my first time seeing him live. I caught the bus to Chermside from Cannon Hill and walked to Kedron Wavell. I went to the Cafe where I had Beef Nachos for dinner and a Chocolate Sundae for desert and went upstairs outside the Blue Pacific Room which I spoke with a lady who i had seen at gigs @ the club as well as Kevin and his wife Diane and also went inside which I took 2 photos and spoke with a lady and her husband on my table. Then 8.30pm Dennis Locorriere came on stage which he had just 3 acoustic guitars that was it and for more then 2 and a half hours Dennis performed many of the Dr Hook stuff as well as songs from his 2 solo albums as well as telling stories about his career as well as there was CD's and DVD on sale which during the interval I bought the live DVD and also everyone singing along to the songs. Left @ abo

Classic Albums- Crown Of Creation Jefferson Airplane

Image
For this week's classic segment let's have a look at the 1968 album by Jefferson Airplane with Crown Of Creation. The recording of the album began @ RCA Victor Studios in Hollywood from February until June 1968 and it was released in September 1968 which it went to number 6 in the USA as it was certified gold. The album was produced by Al Schmitt who had produced the other Jefferson Airplane albums at the time and it was on the album that their version of the David Crosby song Traid is on it as he had recorded it with the Byrds but was rejected as well as all the other tracks were written by Paul Katner who wrote the title track, Grace Slick, Marty Balin,Spencer Dryden, and Jorma Kaukonen as well as 2 minor hits greasy heart no 98 and the title track number 64. It is a great album with great tracks which holds up very well to this day and the group was at it's creative peak at that time with this album as well as the other albums before with songwriting and performing wi

The Best Years of Our Lives

The Best Years of Our Lives

Killer Queen show @ Wynnum Manly Leagues Club

Image
On Saturday April 26th I went to Wynnum Manly Leagues Club to see the tribute band to Queen called Killer Queen which it was my 3rd time seeing them and it was my first time since October 16th 2008 when I went to a show @ Wynnum Manly Leagues Club which was the Dean Z/Lance Lipinsky Show. I caught the bus to Wynnum, walked to the club, got a new card, went to the Bistro which I had Chicken Kiev, chips and salad for dinner, had a chocolate for Sundae for desert, went inside, drank water and waited. The show started @ 8.30pm with the Killer Queen coming on stage which they did 2 sets doing the classic Queen songs with John Blunt wearing the different clothes on stage including the wig during the second set as well as putting an Australian flag on himself towards the end of the show as well as wearing an King's Crown and everyone dancing on the floor bopping along and having a great time as well as people taking photos too. the show finished @ 10.30pm which they had were selling pos