Month: September 2011

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Mark Williams

Mark Williams was born, in 1954, in the Northland region — which is above Auckland — in New Zealand. When he was sixteen he started a band, The Face, with classmates. The Face finished third in the final of the ‘National Battle Of The Bands’ in Auckland, in 1970.

Mark was convinced to become a solo performer, in 1973, and was offered a position as a regular guest on a new television show, ‘Free Ride’.

Towards the end of 1974 Mark was signed to record on the EMI label and, in 1975, released a song, that had been written by Harry Vanda and George Young ( see the post, ‘The Easybeats’), “Yesterday Was Just The Beginning Of My Life”. The single rose to sit at No.1 on the national charts in New Zealand.

http://youtu.be/C_gsh9hfbe0

Regardless, the next couple of years were somewhat of a struggle as Mark sought to replicate this success. It took until 1977 and an excellent revival of the classic track by Buddy Holly, “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore”, for him to achieve this.

Later that year, Mark relocated across the Tasman to Australia. There he was paid well for singing on many commercials, made for radio and television, while also obtaining work as a session vocalist to established artists.

In 1980 Mark released his first Australian album, ‘Life After Dark’. He formed the group, Boy Rocking, which was based in Sydney and, in 1988, toured with Ian Moss’s band on the highly successful ‘Matchbox’ tour. Mark, in duet with Karen Boddington, recorded the theme song to the extant Australian soap, ‘Home And Away’.

Mark began working on new material in collaboration with Vanda and Young and from his new album, ‘Mark Williams ZNZ’, came the single “Show No Mercy”, in 1990.

Mark Williams continued to find work throughout the years and, in spite of still being based in Sydney, in 2005, was invited by Todd Hunter of the New Zealand rock band, Dragon, to join the re-formed group. Mark accepted the offer.

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From Rhodes With Love: Wednesday, 2nd March, 1977

At my place of work I talked with an auburn-haired Greek cleaner, who emigrated from Rhodes twenty-three years ago. She is married to an Australian-born Greek and they have two daughters and a son.

There were one hundred and forty-nine guests at the party to celebrate their elder daughter’s engagement, at a cost of eighteen dollars per head.

The family is soon to move from a house on General Holmes Drive to a house of two storeys, with a pool, in Sylvania Waters.

As a cleaner, the lady in question works for twelve hours per day on six days of the week.

 

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Ruby Murray

Ruby Florence Murray was born, in March of 1935, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Ruby first appeared on television at the age of twelve.

After being signed to record for Columbia Records she was to become one of the most popular singers in the United Kingdom and Ireland; in the second half of the 1950s.

Ruby’s first hit, “Heartbeat”, entered the charts in the United Kingdom, in December of 1954 and peaked at No.3. It was quickly followed by her largest success, and only No.1, “Softly Softly”. Other releases followed in quick succession: “Happy Days And Lonely Nights”, “Let Me Go, Lover” ( a cover of Peggy Lee’s hit from the previous year), “If Anyone Finds This I Love You”, “Evermore” and “I’ll Come When You Call”. In fact, at one stage, in 1955, five of her hits were in the Top Twenty in the one week.

http://youtu.be/IaPpxT2nuXA

http://youtu.be/1EOA3xyWoD4

Ruby’s immense popularity led her to be granted her own television show. She appeared in a Royal Command Perfomance, also in 1955.

Virtually as the year ended, Ruby Murray’s entries to the charts evaporated. She did, however, secure her one and only screen role when she was cast to appear in the film, “A Touch Of The Sun”, in 1956, opposite Frankie Howerd and Dennis Price. Her only entry to the charts that year was a minor one, namely “You Are My First Love”.

In late 1958, Ruby reappeared on the charts via the single, “Real Love”. A further six months were to pass before, her last entry, “Goodbye Jimmy Goodbye”, peaked at No. 10.

Ruby Murray married twice. She moved to live in England, finally settling in Torquay, in Devon. Her life had developed into an enduring battle against alcoholism; a battle she was to lose, in December of 1996, when she died from cancer of the liver.

Marie Jones, a playwright from Belfast, wrote a play, ‘Ruby’, about the singer’s life. It opened in Belfast in 2000.

“Softly Softly” can be found in my list of favourite recordings, which is located in the suggested playlists.

 

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The Easybeats

The members of The Easybeats first met as they were being accommodated in a hostel for migrants, at Villawood, a western suburb of Sydney.

Leading guitarist, Harry Vanda (22nd of March, 1947) and bassist, Dick Diamonde (28th of December, 1947) were Dutch, while vocalist, ‘Little Stevie’ Wright (20th of December, 1948), rhythm guitarist, George Young (6th of November, 1947) and drummer, Gordon ‘Snowy’ Fleet (16th of August, 1945) were British.

George Young, a Scot, is the older brother of AC/DC’s Angus and Malcolm Young.

The Easybeats formed in 1965 and tasted immediate success when “She’s So Fine” went to No.1 on the Australian pop charts. Before year’s end “Wedding Ring” (No.6) and “Sad And Lonely And Blue”/”Easy As Can Be” (No.9) had followed it into the Top Ten.

http://youtu.be/JqvRxmjDy_E

Nineteen Sixty-Six was even more sensational for the group, for in the first six months it had racked up three consecutive number one hits: “Women (Make You Feel Alright)”, “Come And See Her” and the 45 r.p.m. EP (extended play), “Easyfever”, which included “Too Much” and “I’ll Make You Happy (Just Like Your Mama Wants)”.

http://youtu.be/KgDM3PfPP_s

Understandably, The Easybeats decided that it was time to spread its wings and the band was soon en route to England. Meanwhile, “Sorry” reached No.4 on the Australian charts.

It did not take long for The Easybeats to realise that it had gone from being a big fish in a small ocean to being a small fish in a big one. Nonetheless, Harry Vanda and George Young managed to pen “Friday On My Mind”, which symbolised the thoughts of many teenagers in the rebellious ‘Swinging Sixties’.

Recorded in London, the single occupied six weeks at No.1 back in Australia, and entered the British charts, peaking at No.6. It even received airplay across the Atlantic, where its zenith was to be No.16.

However, the excesses that could become available to those who achieved success were starting to take their toll on at least one of the group’s members. Homesickness for Australia, and the fame that that country had represented, also became a factor in the unease that had developed within the group, and it was eventually decided that the five should return.

Even there, things were not as they had been and the best result the group achieved, during its remaining three years as an entity, was that of taking the double A-sided compositions of Vanda and Young, “Heaven And Hell”/”Pretty Girl”, to a height of of No.11, in mid-1967.

Harry Vanda and George Young formed their own group, Band Of Hope, and, in 1972, Marcus-Hook Roll Band. Neither was noticeably successful, however, the pair was to become notable as producers of records. In 1974 and 1975 they produced the first two albums by AC/DC: ‘High Voltage’ and ‘TNT’.

They formed and wrote for another Australian group, Flash And The Pan. It experienced two hits in Australia, “Hey St. Peter” (No.2, in 1977) and “Down Among The Dead Men” (No.8, in 1978). Then, quite out of the blue, the band found success in the United Kingdom, when, in 1983, “Waiting For A Train”, reached No. 7.

http://youtu.be/tz48dyXTFpQ

http://youtu.be/bKMAaiJWvTw

In 1974, Vanda and Young resurrected Stevie Wright’s recording career when, as a solo artist, he took “Evie (Part 1)” to No.1 and “Guitar Band” to No.16. In fact, the pair’s compositions were recorded by many Australian artists; with one further example being that of John Paul Young’s international hit, “Love Is In The Air”, which climbed as high as No.7, in the United States, in 1978.

http://youtu.be/In1VeSjsBT8

http://youtu.be/f6L0D0SSmKU

You will find “She’s So Fine” on my list of favourite recordings, located in the suggested playlists. I remember turning the volume on my radio up, to make the single’s introduction as loud as possible.

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Rain, Rain…! : Friday, 4th March, 1977

It took us an hour and forty minutes to drive from Caringbah to St. Peters. All of the telephones were out of order, at work, because of the unrelenting torrential rain.

Former Australian left-arm fast bowler, Alan Davidson, was the guest speaker at this evening’s function, held on the behalf of Rotary, at the St. George Sailing Club. He related a brief history of cricket and then reminisced over some of his on-field experiences, which for the most part centred around an English counterpart, namely “Fiery” Fred Truman, and the late Australian wicketkeeper, Wally Grout. Former St. George and ‘Kangaroo’ hooker, Ian Walsh, was a member of the audience. Tickets were sixteen dollars and fifty cents a head.

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Nervous Norvus

In ‘About Me’, I state that I should like to present you with, what I believe, is music of quality — I am pleased to say that many of you, via your comments, are finding this to be so — as well as tracks that might entertain. The singles by Nervous Norvus definitely, again, in my opinion, fall into the latter category. Of course, exactly how much entertainment you derive from these ‘entertaining’ tracks, depends on you, the listener.

Jimmy Drake was born, in Los Angeles, in 1912…the year the ‘Titanic’ sank. He was one of the performers to seize upon the sudden popularity of novelty recordings that arose particularly from the mid-to-the-late 1950s. Under the pseudonym,’Nervous Norvus’, Jimmy recorded numbers in this vein. Two of these recordings were to bring him almost instant fame, which was to last for not more than about six months.

“Transfusion”, was the larger of his two hits, both of which charted around the middle of 1956. It was destined not to be a success at all, for many radio stations refused to play it because of its unabashed promotion of unsafe driving practices.

Nonetheless, enough did support it and it peaked at No.8 on Billboard’s pop chart. Its reception prompted the release of the single, “Ape Call”, on which the ape calls are credited to a personality on the radio of that time, Red Blanchard. “Ape Call”, reached its zenith at No.24.

http://youtu.be/lhPegt71Jjs

Jimmy’s alter ego was an apt one for he was extremely shy, to the extent that he declined the offer to perform “Transfusion” on the incedibly popular ‘Ed Sullivan Show’.

Jimmy Drake died, from cirrhosis of the liver, in July of 1968, at the age of fifty-six.

Another such recording from 1956 was the sole effort from Eddie Lawrence titled “The Old Philosopher”. It makes Tiki and I cringe to hear it and so we do not play it. However, recognising that listeners can possess vastly differing tastes I include it here so that you might decide for yourself. It followed hot on the heels of Nervous Norvus’s success and reached No.34 on Billboard’s pop chart.

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‘Surround’ Beaten: Saturday, 5th March, 1977

I came upstairs at 2.00 p.m. and watched the last half an hour of the film, “Hold On”, from 1966. It features a British pop group of that era, Herman’s Hermits, its leading singer, Peter Noone, and the American actress and singer, Shelley Fabares. Shelley appeared as Donna Reed’s daughter, Mary Stone, in the popular television series, “The Donna Reed Show”, and also had a No.1 hit, in 1962, when she recorded the single, “Johnny Angel”.

The outstanding mare, “Surround”, was defeated by “Bonfield”, this afternoon, when attempting to win her eleventh race in succession.

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‘If You Don’t Stop It…’: Sunday, 6th March, 1977

Daylight saving ended in the early hours of this morning when clocks were wound back by one hour. It has been hot, steamy and humid .

We ventured to the Village Cinema Centre, which is located on George Street, prior to 4.45 p.m. The opening film, from 1970, was “Bedroom Mazurka”. College students want Max, the virgin, to become the new dean but, in order to do so, he firstly has to marry. However, Max discovers that he is not the marrying kind and becomes a ‘stallion’, instead.

Following the interval, the audience, which was close to capacity, witnessed “If You Don’t Stop It…You’ll Go Blind”, from 1974. As the film nears its conclusion, one of its cast, portrayed by Keefe Brasselle, sings a song in which the words fucking for love (or something similar) are repeated over and over. It is certainly a far cry from the part he played in “The Eddie Cantor Story”, which was produced in the early 1950s.

“If You Don’t Stop It…You’ll Go Blind” possesses its funny moments (in fact, I had to exercise much self-control to stop laughing disruptively at one of the skits) but, in general, is pretty base.

Afterwards, we dined at McDonald’s to avoid the surcharge, of fifty cents each, imposed at the Parisienne Pussycat.

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Status Quo

“Pictures Of Matchstick Men”, released at the height of the Vietnamese War, in 1968, is apparently an anti-war number. I had no idea what it was about then, all I knew is that I really enjoyed its introduction, and still do.

When Status Quo failed to follow up its initial international success with a second single people began to write off this British group as yet another one-hit wonder. Little did those who had know , that the group would still be around decades later, having churned out hit after hit.

The groups origins date back to 1962, when schoolboys, Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster, formed The Spectres. In 1963 drummer, John Coghlan, was enlisted and, in 1964, Rick Parfitt.

By 1967, the band had discovered psychedelia and changed its name to Traffic Jam and thence The Status Quo, towards the end of that year. Within a couple of years, the latter name had been shortened to Status Quo.

It was Status Quo that opened the ‘Live Aid’ concert, in 1985, at Wembley Stadium, with “Rockin’ All Over The World”.

http://youtu.be/TI1KF65beSc

Status Quo has raised millions of pounds for charity and has received a number of awards recognising its achievements. The band entered the ‘Guinness Book of Records’ for having performed four shows in far-flung locations in Great Britain, within a period of eleven hours. It has sold well in excess of one hundred million records and, on the British charts alone, has registered more than sixty hits; more than any other rock band.

While the band’s initial success in America — “Pictures Of Matchstick Men” peaked at No.12 there — could not be maintained, Status Quo’s popularity in Europe has. This is particularly the case in The Netherlands.

Various members of Status Quo wrote many of the group’s hits, however, occasionally, it did resort to reviving the hits of others. The most unlikely example of this would surely have to be the taking of Hank Thompson’s No.1 country hit, “The Wild Side Of Life” — which, in 1952, had stayed atop its respective American chart for fifteen weeks — and releasing it, in 1976, as a rock track.

In 1981, it was the turn of “Something ‘Bout You Baby I Like”, which had been on the charts for Tom Jones, in 1974. Dion’s classic, “The Wanderer”, from 1961, was covered by Status Quo, in 1984. The Searchers’ “When You Walk In The Room” (1964) and Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop”, from 1977, were both released by the band, in 1996.

As one would expect within a group possessing such longevity, there have been changes to its personnel. In fact, six members have come and gone, however, close mates Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt remain. The other members are Andy Brown, John Edwards and Matt Letley.

You can find the names of my favourite tracks by Status Quo in my list of pet recordings, which is located in the suggested playlists. I shall be adding to this list from time to time.