Wednesday Feb 19, 2025
Australian-Singers-Ep11-ColJoye-Pt1
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
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!
Tuesday Jan 07, 2025
Tuesday Jan 07, 2025
Australian artist releases for October of 1966 brings us a future #1 with The Easybeats, “Sorry” and a future Top 10 with Johnny Young and Kompany’s, “Let It Be Me”. Quite a few hidden gems along the way, with four from artists recording on the Perth-based Clarion label; Ray Hoff and The Offbeats, Maggie Fitzgibbon, Robbie Snowden and the Johnny Young and Kompany Top 10 entry.
We’ll hear the final 45 from Ray Brown and The Whispers, and a track from Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs MkII, that I’ve never previously heard! And plenty more, with a whole month’s worth crammed into a single episode.
This podcast has been a month in production due to chemotherapy side effects, mainly fatigue. With chemotherapy now finished for the time being, I can hopefully return to more regular production of these podcasts.
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
Part B of September 1966 brings us to the point where “Spicks and Specks” enters the charts. It is a turning point, not just for The Bee Gees but for Australian Music as well. Few groups were afforded the opportunity of releasing 12 (45 singles) before making it close to the top of the charts. This episode also brings us a couple of ‘lost’ Garage classics. With the help of the Pop Archives site, we untangle the fascinating back-stories of a couple of tunes that appear in this episode. We also attempt to untangle the use of the word “Sect” in many, many rock group titles. Oh, and there’s a Seekers’ song, which actually reached the Top 40 that I’ve never heard before.
Enjoy the episode!
Wednesday Nov 20, 2024
Wednesday Nov 20, 2024
Apologies for the gap between Podcasts; chemotherapy is a strange beast! The combined effects of fatigue and dry-mouth present some challenges. Anyway, today we have Part A for September of ‘66. In two parts because of the number of Australian artist releases, with a couple of real gems that only reached the lower echelons of the Top 100. The Twilights achieved the highest chart position, with other chart entries from artists as diverse as; Sandy Scott, The Atlantics, Bill and Boyd, Lynne Randell and Grantley Dee. Enjoy revisiting the Australian Music for the first half of September ‘66.
Wednesday Oct 09, 2024
Wednesday Oct 09, 2024
An eclectic mix of 45s awaits us as we explore the Australian artist chart hits that entered the National Chart in August of 1966. From the down-and-dirty Blues of The Throb and The Purple Hearts, the frantic energy of The Loved Ones, to the style and grace of Judy Stone. In addition, we hear from The Last Straws, and a certain medical student who started a record label, before opening a chain of medical centres adorned with grand pianos! And much much more!
Monday Sep 30, 2024
Monday Sep 30, 2024
I was about to start the Top Ten for 1966 when I realised that I had not completed the Chart Series for 1966. So, here's the Australian artist chart entries for July of '66. The Easybeats score the highest-placed chart entry with a song from an EP! We hear from Buddy England, Donna Gaye, Max Merritt & The Meteors, The Twilights and several others; only one #1 but a series of well-remembered songs, including The Skye Boat Song.
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.