The Mixtures

Last updated

The Mixtures
Origin Victoria, Australia
Years active1965–1976

The Mixtures were an Australian rock band that formed in Melbourne in 1965.

Contents

Biography

1965–1976: The Mixtures

Australian musicians Terry Dean and Rod De Clerk met in Tasmania in 1965. They then met Laurie Arthur, a member of the Strangers, and the three formed a band after a jam session. They signed to EMI that same year and released three singles. They went through several line-up changes over the following few years, then signed to CBS Records in 1969. A few further singles followed before transferring to Fable Records in 1970.

The Mixtures recorded a cover of Mungo Jerry's "In the Summertime" and—as a result of the 1970 radio ban, during which many Australian radio stations refused to play Australian and British music released by major labels—received much more airplay than had initially been expected for a group on a small record label. The single went to #1 in Australia for six weeks. They followed up with "The Pushbike Song" (produced by David Mackay), which went to #1 in Australia for two weeks, hit #2 in the UK Singles Chart, [1] and went to #44 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. after being released on Sire Records.

The next single, "Henry Ford", peaked at #43 in Australia. Further line-up changes ensued before "Captain Zero" went to #6 in Australia in 1971, their last big hit. Brian Eno guested on synthesiser on "Captain Zero". [2] The group underwent some more line-up changes including Brenton Fosdike (guitar, vocals), John Petcovich (drums, vocals) and the last member to join was keyboard player Rob Scott.

The 1976 single, "Skateboard Jive" / "Come Together for the Games" was to be their last and the group folded sometime in 1976.

1977–present: Post The Mixtures

In 1978 the band travelled to Perth to do some recording and put together a new show. During this time bass player Chris Spooner died in a fishing accident at Trigg Beach. The band only carried on for a further three months as a four-piece before breaking up in early 1979. The remaining four members, Brenton, John, Rob and Peter Williams, then formed a new band with two other Australians, (Dennis Broad and Paul Reynolds) and the band was named BRIX.

Fred Wieland, whose tenure with the Mixtures led to an appearance in the United Kingdom TV programme Never Mind the Buzzcocks , died of lung cancer in December 2018 at the age of 75. [3]

Members

Discography

Studio albums

TitleAlbum details
In the Summertime
  • Released: 1970
  • Format: LP
  • Label: Fable (FBSA-003)
The Mixtures
  • Released: 1974
  • Format: LP
  • Label: Festival Records (L 25184)

Compilations albums

TitleAlbum details
The Best of The Mixtures
  • Released: 1972
  • Format: LP
  • Label: Fable (FBSA 017)
The Push-Bike Song
  • Released: 1996
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Fable / EMI (8531912)
The Best of The Mixtures
  • Released: 2018
  • Format: CD, download
  • Label: Fable / Sony Music (19075829802)

Singles

YearSinglePeak positionsAlbum
AUS [4] US
1966"I've Been Wrong" / "Koko Joe"non album singles
"Come On Out" / "Lose Your Money"
1967"Music, Music, Music" / "(They Call the Wind) Maria"57
1969"Sad Old Song" / "Never Trust in Tomorrow"
"Here Comes Love Again" / "Fancy Meeting You Here"66
1970"Call Me Do" / "Ten Thousand Children"In the Summertime
"In the Summertime" / "Where You Are"1
"The Pushbike Song" / "Who Loves Ya"144
1971"Henry Ford" / "Home Away from Home"43The Best of the Mixtures
"Never Be Untrue" / "She's Gone Away"
"Captain Zero" / "I Wanna Go Home"6
1972"Guitar Song" / "I've Found Out Where It's At"non album singles
1973"Dazzle Easy, Diane" / "Found Out Where It's At"
"My Home On the Murrumbidgee" / "Slow Train"
1974"Love Is Life"
"Down Under Girls" / "My Neck of the Woods"The Mixtures
1976"Skateboard Jive" / "Come Together for the Games"non album single

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Earring</span> Dutch rock band

Golden Earring was a Dutch rock band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as The Tornados. They achieved worldwide fame with their international hit songs "Radar Love" in 1973, which went to number one on the Dutch chart, reached the top ten in the United Kingdom, and went to number thirteen on the United States chart, "Twilight Zone" in 1982, and "When the Lady Smiles" in 1984. During their career they had nearly 30 top-ten singles on the Dutch charts and released 25 studio albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pretty Things</span> English rock band

Pretty Things were an English rock band formed in September 1963 in Sidcup, Kent, taking their name from Bo Diddley's 1955 song "Pretty Thing", and active in their first incarnation until 1971. They released five studio albums, including the debut The Pretty Things and S. F. Sorrow, four EPs and 15 UK singles, including the Top 20 UK Singles Chart "Don't Bring Me Down" and "Honey I Need". They reformed later in 1971 and continued through to 1976 issuing three more studio albums, and reformed once again from 1979 to 2020 releasing another five studio albums finalising with Bare as Bone, Bright as Blood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Five Man Electrical Band</span> Canadian rock band

The Five Man Electrical Band is a Canadian rock band from Ottawa, Ontario. They had many hits in Canada, including the top 10 entries "Half Past Midnight" (1967), "Absolutely Right" (1971) and "I'm a Stranger Here" (1972). Internationally, they are best known for their 1971 hit single "Signs".

Unit 4 + 2 were a British pop band formed in Hertfordshire, England, who had a number one hit on the UK Singles Chart in 1965 with the song "Concrete and Clay". The track topped the UK chart for one week.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dancing in the Street</span> 1964 single performed by Martha and the Vandellas

"Dancing in the Street" is a song written by Marvin Gaye, William Stevenson, and Ivy Jo Hunter. It first became popular in 1964 when recorded by Martha and the Vandellas whose version reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks, behind "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" by Manfred Mann and it also peaked at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart. It is one of Motown's signature songs and is the group's premier signature song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Python Lee Jackson</span> Australian rock band

Python Lee Jackson were an Australian rock band active from 1965 to 1968, before a brief sojourn in the United Kingdom from late 1968 to mid-1969. The group had recorded a single, "In a Broken Dream", featuring Rod Stewart as guest vocalist in April 1969. The group reformed in 1972 and the single was re-released in August: it peaked at No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 56 on the United States Billboard Hot 100. The group disbanded again later that year. Their early vocalist, Mal McGee (1966–68) died on 17 May 2012.

<i>Metamorphosis</i> (Rolling Stones album) 1975 compilation album by the Rolling Stones

Metamorphosis is the third compilation album of the Rolling Stones music released by former manager Allen Klein's ABKCO Records after the band's departure from Decca and Klein. Released in 1975, Metamorphosis centres on outtakes and alternate versions of well-known songs recorded from 1964 to 1970.

The Wild Cherries were an Australian rock group, which started in late 1964 playing R&B/jazz and became "the most relentlessly experimental psychedelic band on the Melbourne discotheque / dance scene" according to commentator, Glenn A. Baker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicken Shack</span> English blues band

Chicken Shack are a British blues band, founded in the mid-1960s by Stan Webb, Andy Silvester, and Alan Morley (drums), who were later joined by Christine Perfect in 1967. Chicken Shack has performed with various line-ups, Stan Webb being the only constant member.

The Vibrants were an Australian pop rock group that started as Bobby James and the Vibrants in Adelaide in 1962. James, their lead vocalist, left in 1965 to form the Bobby James Syndicate. As the Vibrants, two of their singles peaked in Go-Set Australian National Charts top 20: their cover versions of "Something About You Baby" and "My Prayer" (September). At the end of 1973the Vibrants disbanded.

Home were a British progressive rock band, active in the early 1970s.

<i>The Beginning of the Enz</i> 1979 compilation album by Split Enz

The Beginning of the Enz is the fifth studio album from New Zealand rock group Split Enz. The album is a collection of non-album singles and demos that pre-date the band's first album, 1975's Mental Notes. Three of these songs, "129", "Lovey Dovey" and "Spellbound", were later re-recorded and included on Mental Notes and Second Thoughts.

The Strangers were an Australian rock band formed in 1961 and existed until 1975. The band started out playing instrumental songs in a style similar to The Shadows, with influences from Cliff Richard. The original line-up was Laurie Arthur, Peter Robinson (bass), Graeme "Garth" Thompson (drums) and Fred Wieland. Robinson had previously played with a local band The Thunderbirds and went on to replace Athol Guy in the Seekers in the late 1970s.

The 69'ers were an Australian rock, pop, jug and country band formed in 1969. They released two albums, The 69er's Album (1971) and Francis Butlers 69er's Live (1974). The group toured Australia and appeared at the Sunbury Pop Festival in 1973 and 1974. The ensemble went through numerous different members, including two competing line-ups, before finally disbanding in February 1976. According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, they played a "good-time mix of vintage rock'n'roll, jugband music and country-swing" and were able to "capture the humour and downright silliness of the form in such a boisterous, zany and garrulous fashion".

Bobby & Laurie were an Australian beat pop duo of the 1960s, with Laurie Allen (1942–2002) on vocals, guitar and keyboards and Bobby Bright on vocals and guitar. Their regular backing band were the Rondells. The duo's most popular singles were, "I Belong with You" (1964) and "Hitch Hiker" (1966). Their debut album, Bobby and Laurie (1965), was the first for independent label, Go!! Records. The duo disbanded in 1967 to pursue solo careers and briefly reformed from 1969 to 1971. Laurie Allen died in 2002, aged 60, after a heart attack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bushwackers (band)</span> Australian folk and country music band

The Bushwackers Band, often simply the Bushwackers, are an Australian folk and country music band or bush band founded in 1970. Their cover version of "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" (1976) was listed in the APRA Top 30 Australian songs in 2001, alongside its writer Eric Bogle's 1980 rendition. Their top 60 studio albums on the Australian Kent Music Report are Bushfire (1978), Dance Album (1980), Faces in the Street and Beneath the Southern Cross.

Brutus was a Canadian rock band formed in 1969 and active, with interruptions, between 1969 and 1978.

Chain are an Australian blues band formed as The Chain in late 1968 with a line-up including guitarist and vocalist Phil Manning and lead vocalist Wendy Saddington. Saddington left in May 1969 and in September 1970 Matt Taylor joined on lead vocals and harmonica. During the 1990s they were referred to as Matt Taylor's Chain. Their single, "Black and Blue", is their only top twenty hit. It was written and recorded by the line-up of Manning, Taylor, Barry Harvey on drums and Barry Sullivan on bass guitar. The related album, Toward the Blues, followed in September and peaked in the top ten. Manfred Mann's Earth Band covered "Black and Blue" on their 1973 album Messin'.

Levi Smith's Clefs, originally The Clefs, were an Australian R&B, pop rock group, which formed in Adelaide in 1963. Lead vocalist, Barrie "The Bear" McAskill, joined in 1965. In 1967 he took over and renamed the group after founding keyboardist, Winston "Tweed" Harris, left. They released a sole studio album, Empty Monkey, in March 1970 and underwent numerous line-up changes until they disbanded in 1972. After their time in the band various members formed the groups: Tully, Fraternity and Southern Contemporary Rock Assembly (SCRA). Winston Harris (1941–2004) died of throat cancer, aged 63. A drummer from 1970 to 1971, Russell Dunlop (1945–2009), died after a seizure, aged 63. Richard Lockwood, flautist and saxophonist in 1968, died in 2012 of bowel cancer.

Kahvas Jute were an Australian rock band formed in July 1970. Mainstay of the line-up was Dennis Wilson on guitar and vocals. Other founder members include Bob Daisley on bass guitar and Tim Gaze on lead guitar and vocals. Their debut album, Wide Open was released in January 1971. The group supported Bo Diddley on his second tour of Australia in October 1973. Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, described their style as 'expansive and free flowing, strong on rhythm and melody and bristling with exceptional guitar work' . Kahvas Jute did a reunion gig in 1991 and in 1993, their album Wide Open was re-released on CD again. In 2005, they played a reunion show at The Basement in Sydney which was recorded and filmed. A DVD and album pack entitled Then Again: Live at the Basement was issued in 2006.

References

  1. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 372. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  2. https://soundcloud.com/user-439239320/peter-wiliiams-on-eno-and-the-mixtures-2012 [ bare URL ]
  3. "Freddy Wieland of The Mixtures and The Strangers has passed away aged 75". noise11.com. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 204. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.