Wednesday May 28, 2025
Australian-Singers-Ep14-Col and Judy
Australian Music Archives
Building on the work of many others, this series of podcasts charts the development of Australian Music. The Chart series commences at 1957 with the introduction of Top 40 charts. Other series will focus on Singers and Groups. Whilst 1957 is the starting-point, we will also be moving back in time to chart the rich history of Australian Music in many forms, before the beginning of the Top 40 era. The general principle in the development of these podcasts is 'let the music do the talking'. Thus, there will be a premium on musical content, with less emphasis on the narrative. Occasionally, when there is a good story to be told (and there are many!), I may wax a touch lyrical, more so in the Singers and Groups series. The key reference work is David Kent's "Australian Chart Chronicles 1940-2008", a truly monumental work in its breadth of detail. Many people/sites have contributed to the research for the podcasts; too many to name them all but special thanks to the History of Aussie Music Blogspot, the Milesago Facebook page, the Best of Bandstand Facebook page and the Pop Archives site, where you can answer the question, "Where did they get that song from?". Many video contributors on You Tube have been a great resource in finding obscure songs including Folk Rock Australian Rock More! sallie6 and Clem Viney and there are many others! The podcasts are designed to be a permanent record and as such this is a 'labour of love' and strictly not-for-profit. I have attempted to partner with a major Australian organisation but, alas, no interest! Thus, as my late Father would have said, I am the "chief cook and bottle-washer" which means that I'm researcher, scriptwriter, digitiser, narrator and producer. As such, especially in terms of digitising vinyl records, there may appear to the ear of the listener, to be less-than-optimal sound. I work all music through Audacity, vinyl or otherwise, but, at times with old vinyl, "you can only do so much"! So, please enjoy the podcasts and let me know what you think.
Listen on:
Episodes
Episodes
Wednesday May 14, 2025
Wednesday May 14, 2025
Another Podcast for the instrumental fans; The Joy Boys Story Part 2. Interestingly, we will hear The Joy Boys “voices” towards the end of this episode but perhaps not in the way that you might be expecting?! This episode picks up the story in September of 1962, through to December of 1964. With the late Norm Day now established in the group, we will hear a number of his compositions. We will also hear a track written by Tony Barber (Aztecs) that incorporates his wonderful sense of humour. The Surf Era is covered in this episode and we’ll hear a few Joy Boys’ tracks that were ready made for the Australian Summer of Surf 1963-4. Enjoy the music!
Wednesday May 07, 2025
Wednesday May 07, 2025
Apologies for the gap since the last episode. The “Studio” has now moved from Pyrmont to Port Macquarie. Also, and alas, those wonderfully-titled “Side-Effects of Chemo” have continued. Anyway, this episode is Part 3 of The Col Joye Story, covering the period from late-1961 to December 1963. The biggest hit in this period was “Today’s Teardrops” and perhaps, the low-point was the nursery rhyme turned pop song, “Ring Around My Rosie”. I’ve cherry-picked some songs from Col’s LPs and EPs, including a song titled “What About Me” (Don Gibson - not the Moving Pictures song). Take a listen to the opening chords of the song which, to my ear, sound very much like those used in the introduction to a major hit in 1979. Towards the end of the episode there are a couple of real ‘rockers’; “Be Bop A Lula” and “I Need Your Love Tonight”. Enjoy Part 3 of the Col Joye Story!
Sunday Mar 16, 2025
Sunday Mar 16, 2025
Part One of The Joy Boys’ Story takes us from November of 1960 through to mid-1961. This was an incredibly fertile period for the group, as a standalone group, backing Col Joye and backing other artists on studio recordings. This episode will focus on The Joy Boys releases as a standalone group. As well as the 45 hit singles, we’ll dig out some great LP and EP tracks that never appeared on a 45 single. That theme of “Everything Old is New Again” certainly permeates through the episode. There’s even an opportunity to singalong with an instrumental version of a big hit for Col Joye and The Joy Boys! And even if instrumentals are not your ‘thing’, there’s plenty of fascinating back stories. Enjoy!
Friday Mar 07, 2025
Friday Mar 07, 2025
I enjoyed putting together Part 2 of the Col Joye Story, covering the years mid-1960 to 1961. It was a time when I first started to understand that there was such a ‘thing’ as Rock/Pop Music. Part 2 only covers 18 months but it’s a time in which Col Joye (and The Joy Boys) were at the ‘top of their game’. It was a time when the “Golden Boy” persona really came to the fore. It was also a time of ‘Dreamy Pop’ but we do unearth a couple of rockers that appeared on EPs. And there’s a track from a 1961 Bandstand episode thrown in for good measure! Enjoy Part 2 of the Col Joye Story.
Wednesday Feb 19, 2025
Wednesday Feb 19, 2025
A return to the Australian Singers Series and Part One of the Col Joye story: Col, together with The Joy Boys left an indelible mark on the Australian Music Industry. In Part One we cover a lot of territory: Col Joye and The Joy Boys first two “Little Albums” (EPs) which, in a unique way, were the band’s first two releases! We’ll also hear the A side of the band’s first six 45 singles and a track from each of their first two LPs; one a rare 10” LP. Also, we’ll hear (over the screaming!) a track from the wonderfully restored “1959 Rock ‘n’ Roll Movie”! All of that covers the period 1957 to the first 45 single release in 1960. Enjoy the music of the “Golden Boy” and the mighty Joy Boys!
Friday Feb 07, 2025
Friday Feb 07, 2025
In this podcast; the Top Ten Australian artist releases for 1966, we reflect on how the popularity of Australian Music has grown, tracking from the first Top Ten - 1959. The 1966 Top Ten is dominated by The Easybeats with four entries, Normie Rowe chimes in with two entries, while the other four places are taken by Judy Stone, The Twilights, Johnny Young & Kompany, and Bobby and Laurie. This Top Ten feature five tracks that reached #1. Enjoy the classic Australian Music from 1966!
Monday Jan 27, 2025
Monday Jan 27, 2025
December of 1966 saw some great Australian Music released, including big hits for Normie Rowe and Ronnie Burns. We’ll hear chart entries from The Loved Ones, The Twilights, The Cherokees and several more. The Loved Ones have two entries; one for their self-titled EP and another for Sad Dark Eyes. Bev Harrell debuts with “What Am I Doing Here with You”, which turned out to be her highest-charting 45. We’ll hear again from Perth singer, Maggie Hammond with “Go Laddie”. And, a minor hit for Reg Lindsay that I have described as a piece of country whimsy (??). Enjoy the great Australian Music that was released in December 1966.
Wednesday Jan 22, 2025
Wednesday Jan 22, 2025
November of 1966 was a great month for Australian Music with the release of two 45s both of which would go on and reach #1: Normie Rowe’s epic Ooh La La, and The Easybeats’ anthem, Friday on My Mind are the two songs in question, both recorded in the UK. We’ll also hear the 2nd 45 release from an artist then known as JA-AR who, as John Rowles, would go on to international stardom. Amongst others, we’ll also hear chart entries from The Kravats, Russ Kruger, and Peter Nelson & The Castaways. Enjoy the Australian artist releases for November of ‘66!
Welcome
Building on the work of many others, this series of podcasts charts the development of Australian Music. The Chart series commences at 1957 with the introduction of Top 40 charts. Other series will focus on Singers and Groups. Whilst 1957 is the starting-point, we will also be moving back in time to chart the rich history of Australian Music in many forms, before the beginning of the Top 40 era. The general principle in the development of these podcasts is 'let the music do the talking'. Thus, there will be a premium on musical content, with less emphasis on the narrative. Occasionally, when there is a good story to be told (and there are many!), I may wax a touch lyrical, more so in the Singers and Groups series. The key reference work is David Kent's "Australian Chart Chronicles 1940-2008", a truly monumental work in its breadth of detail. Many people/sites have contributed to the research for the podcasts; too many to name them all but special thanks to the History of Aussie Music Blogspot, the Milesago Facebook page, the Best of Bandstand Facebook page and the Pop Archives site, where you can answer the question, "Where did they get that song from?". Many video contributors on You Tube have been a great resource in finding obscure songs including Folk Rock Australian Rock More! sallie6 and Clem Viney and there are many others! The podcasts are designed to be a permanent record and as such this is a 'labour of love' and strictly not-for-profit. I have attempted to partner with a major Australian organisation but, alas, no interest! Thus, as my late Father would have said, I am the "chief cook and bottle-washer" which means that I'm researcher, scriptwriter, digitiser, narrator and producer. As such, especially in terms of digitising vinyl records, there may appear to the ear of the listener, to be less-than-optimal sound. I work all music through Audacity, vinyl or otherwise, but, at times with old vinyl, "you can only do so much"! So, please enjoy the podcasts and let me know what you think.