Most people probably associate Isaac Hayes and "The Theme From Shaft" with the movie of the same name but I am sure there are people like me who lived in Sydney in the mid 1970's that think of it as "The Theme From Seven's Big League", a story of quite a different ilk to the movie Shaft. And with a very different "star" to the movie - the inimitable Rex "The Moose" Mossop, outspoken and blathering host/commentator of ATN-7's Rugby League coverage, ably assisted on "sideline comments" by the mysterious Barry Ross, a more than capable lieutenant to Rex, even if we rarely saw his face. These memories came flooding back when Isaac Hayes showed up in the pile today, making me a little concerned that Rex and Barry aren't so far away in my mind after all...gulp...
Rex aside, today we have a very Australian flavour, starting with The Bedsitting Room from Melbourne, apparantely a bunch of ex Scottish lads who skipped Glasgow and settled by The Yarra sometime around 1985. This is another single with a series of stickers with manic comments of adoration written in textas of various colours, I suspect penned by Simon of the Hummingirds whilst working at Phantom Recs ( see my earlier comments re The Armoury Show from podcast 16 ).
Then Gangajang with their most famous tune "Sounds Of Then" and I'm amazed that no Riptides have shown up at all yet on this blog....percentages are, they have to soon though....their records are lurking in the piles somewhere.
Then we hear from Tactics and a slightly "remixed" ( at the time ) version for 7" of Second Language which appeared on their first album My Houdini. A Tactics double CD comp has come out recently, an anthology type thing. Vol 1 is from the 1st incarnation of the band, the My Houdini/Glebe/Bones of Barry Harrison era...good stuff except -
be warned - the songs from Glebe are totally remixed from the original mixes released on the vinyl album in 1981 and well...quite shite "new mixes" actually. Annoyed me so much I have posted the "real" Glebe album on my other blog
Humans Beware. A piece of anarchy from me because it's just not right that they remixed the songs for the CD comp !! Also check there for news of a "blog co-prodcution" with the excellent "
They Called it Good At the Time" blog who are possibly posting My Houdini soon, which sounds like a great idea to me !!
Other People's Children is of course another Jason Sweeney/Sweet William project.
& to be totally honest I can't remember much about The Whipper Snappers, but obviously bought the record and today I didn't mind hearing it again. Probably it's a bit more overproduced than a lot of the other bands I was listening to at the time and to me it's obvious that they recorded it in more expensive studio - EMI 301, which takes a bit of the rawness away.
The Yapocks were an offshoot band of the bass player Snajik from the 2nd incarnation of Tactics. I am guessing this period of Tactics is what will be featured on the 2nd anthology of their music. whenever that comes out !!
We end with The Agents, featuring the voice and "writing" of James Griffin who was working at the time at 2JJ...yes Double Jay kiddies, well before the 3 Jay's...and clearly used government/ABC facilities to record his band's debut single, but hell why not, I would have if I was him !! He has subsequently gone on to become an author and broadcaster on ABC-TV. At the time of "Suburb's Of The Heart" I suppose he was Sydney's answer to John Cooper Clarke and the record is James' little commentary on life in the suburbs of Australia. Back then I thought it was an incredible apt and scathing representation of the ills of modern society. But then again I was busy recovering from/rebelling against Rex Mossop at the time. Him and Barry Ross !
Podcast 30 - link for mp 3Podcast 30 - link for txt file tracklisting
Sideroom 7 Inch Singles Podcast #30
1. Ghost Train -
The Bedsitting Room ( no label Aust 1985 )
( 0.00 - 4.10 )2. Sounds Of Then -
Gangajang ( Truetone Aust 1985 )
( 4.10 - 7.56 )3. Second Language -
Tactics ( Green Recs Aust 1981)
( 7.56 - 10.23 )4. Transatlantic -
Other People's Children ( Library Aust 1999 )
( 10.23 - 13.55 )5. Theme From Shaft -
Isaac Hayes ( Stax 1972 )
( 13.55 - 17.04 )6. Furhat -
Trashmonk ( Poptones 2001 )
( 17.04 - 22.15 )7. You Never Look -
The Whipper Snappers ( Green Fez Aust 1988 )
( 22.15 - 24.35 )8. Passionfruit Creek -
The Yapocks ( Wheoighzst Recs Aust 1983 )
( 24.35 - 27.00 )9. Love Is -
Troy Tate ( Why Fi 1983 )
( 27.00 - 30.44 )10. Suburbs Of The Heart -
The Agents ( no label Aust 1980 )
( 30.44 - 35.39 )( duration 35 mins, 320kps mp3 )
