The Skyhooks Tapes | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | September 1977 | |||
Recorded | 1974–1977 at TCS Studios, Melbourne; Armstrong's Studios, Melbourne; The Record Plant, Sausalito | |||
Genre | Pop rock, glam rock | |||
Label | Mushroom Records | |||
Producer | Ross Wilson | |||
Skyhooks chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Skyhooks Tapes | ||||
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The Skyhooks Tapes is the first compilation album by Australian band Skyhooks, released in September 1977. The album features all the band's A- and B-side singles and peaked within the top 50 in Australia. [1]
A compilation album comprises tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several performers. If by one artist, then generally the tracks were not originally intended for release together as a single work, but may be collected together as a greatest hits album or box set. If from several performers, there may be a theme, topic, time period, or genre which links the tracks, or they may have been intended for release as a single work—such as a tribute album. When the tracks are by the same recording artist, the album may be referred to as a retrospective album or an anthology.
Skyhooks were an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in March 1973 by mainstays Greg Macainsh on bass guitar and backing vocals, and Imants "Freddie" Strauks on drums. They were soon joined by Bob "Bongo" Starkie on guitar and backing vocals, and Red Symons on guitar, vocals and keyboards; Graeme "Shirley" Strachan became lead vocalist in March 1974. Described as a glam rock band, because of flamboyant costumes and make-up, Skyhooks addressed teenage issues including buying drugs "Carlton ", suburban sex "Balwyn Calling", the gay scene "Toorak Cowboy" and loss of girlfriends "Somewhere in Sydney" by namechecking Australian locales. According to music historian, Ian McFarlane "[Skyhooks] made an enormous impact on Australian social life".
In February 1977, Red Symons left the band and was replaced on guitar by Bob Spencer. The band continued to tour nationally, promoting their three studio albums. In September, the band's first singles anthology was released. [2]
Redmond Symons is an English-born Australian musician, and television and radio personality. He was the lead guitarist in the band Skyhooks, the snide judge of 'Red Faces', and a judge on talent search show Australia's Got Talent. He hosted ABC Radio Melbourne's breakfast show from 2003 until 2017.
Bob Spencer is a guitarist who was in two significant Australian rock bands in the 1970s and 1980s, Skyhooks and The Angels.
Side A | |||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "All My Friends Are Getting Married" | Greg Macainsh | |
2. | "Party to End All Parties" | Macainsh | |
3. | "Crazy Heart" | Macainsh | |
4. | "Ego Is Not a Dirty Word" | Macainsh | |
5. | "Hot Rod James" | Macainsh | |
6. | "Million Dollar Riff" | Macainsh | |
7. | "You're a Broken Gin Bottle Baby" | Macainsh |
Side B | |||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "Let It Rock" (live) | Chuck Berry | |
2. | "Revolution" (US version) | Macainsh | |
3. | "Blue Jeans" | Macainsh | |
4. | "Living in the 70s" | Macainsh | |
5. | "You Just Like Me 'Cos I'm Good in Bed" | Macainsh | |
6. | "Forging Ahead" | Red Symons | |
7. | "Horror Movie" | Macainsh |
Chart (1977) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart [3] | 49 |
Bird Noises is the first extended play by Australian rock group, Midnight Oil, which was released on 24 November 1980 under the band's own independent label, Powderworks Records / Sprint Music. It was produced by Leszek Karski and manufactured and distributed by CBS/Columbia. Bird Noises reached the Top 30 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart. According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, the EP "continued the development heard on [their previous album], with 'No Time for Games' and 'I'm the Cure' being particularly impressive. [The EP] also boasted the anomalous, but delightful Shadows-like instrumental 'Wedding Cake Island'".
Tin Tin was a pop rock band, which first formed in Australia as The Kinetics in 1966. They relocated to the United Kingdom in 1969 and were renamed as Tin Tin, which comprised Steve Kipner, Steve Groves, John Vallins and Geoff Bridgford (drums). In 1970 they issued a single, "Toast and Marmalade for Tea", which was a No. 10 hit on the Go-Set National Singles Chart in June the following year. It reached No. 20 in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100. Their next single, "Is That the Way?" (1971), peaked at No. 59 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Love at First Feel" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC. It is the second track of the international version of their album Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, released in November 1976, and was written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott. The international version was not released in the United States until April 1981.
Ol' 55 was an Australian band specialising in retro, 1950s-era Rock 'n' Roll. They formed as Fanis in 1972 in Sutherland, Sydney. Drummer Geoff Plummer was working with Glenn A. Baker at the NSW Department of Media and invited Baker to hear his part-time band, including Patrick "Meatballs" Drummond, Rockpile Jones and Jimmy Manzie. In 1975, Baker took on their management, renamed them as Ol' 55 for the Tom Waits song, and recruited front man Frankie J. Holden and, later in the year, saxophonist Wilbur Wilde.
Living in the 70's is the debut album by Melbourne band Skyhooks. Released in October 1974 on the Mushroom Records label, the album achieved relatively little success until early 1975. It spent 16 weeks at the top of the Australian album charts from late February 1975, and became the highest-selling album by an Australian act in Australia until that time, with sales of 240,000. In October 2010, it was listed at No. 9 in the book 100 Best Australian Albums.
Ego Is Not a Dirty Word is the second studio album released by Australian pop rock band, Skyhooks, in July 1975. The album was the follow-up to their highly successful debut album, Living in the 70's (1974). As with the former album, it was also produced by Ross Wilson.
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Hot for the Orient is the fifth and final studio album from Australian glam rock band Skyhooks. This was the only album the band recorded without newly departed vocalist Graeme "Shirley" Strachan. Lead vocals are performed by Tony Williams. The album peaked at number 64 on the Australian charts; the band's first studio albums not to reach the Australian top ten. The band disbanded soon after. However, the band reformed in 1983 with their classic line-up of their early-mid-1970s success and began touring once again.
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MEO 245 were an Australian new wave band which formed in 1978 in Hobart, Tasmania with Paul Brickhill on keyboards, guitar and vocals; Campbell Laird on drums; Paul Northam on guitar and vocals; and Mick Wilson on bass guitar. Wilson was replaced on bass guitar by Mark Kellet, who in turn was replaced by Anthony Moore. The group issued a sole studio album, Screen Memory, which reached the top 100 of the Kent Music Report Albums Chart.
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