Thursday, 10 March 2016

That's Entertainment : Ross Hannaford (Daddy Cool)


It’s been a terrible week in the music biz.

Sir George Martin (considered the Fifth Beatle, producer and multi instrumentalist AND more next week) passed away, as did Jon English, Australia’s own Judas Iscariot, pop and stage star and passionate Parramatta Eels supporter (and he went to school with my father-in-law) both passed away.

And they say things always come in threes.  Well, it did.

Ross Hannaford passed too.

Ross was a beloved member of one of Australia’s biggest rock acts of the 1970’s, Daddy Cool.

A quintessential Australian song in any person’s collection is Daddy Cool’s Eagle Rock.  It was a #1 hit for TEN weeks (SEVENTEEN weeks on the Melbourne Chart).  Daddy Cool smashed sales records with the single and their debut album Daddy Who?  Daddy Cool.  It was so popular, a touring Elton John was inspired to write his own Crocodile Rock.

Whilst Ross Wilson (the singer) went on to be in a slew of other bands and have solo hits, Ross Hannaford was beloved by audiences.  According to Wikipedia: 

Hannaford's unique guitar stylings won wide praise from critics and his goofy stage presence, distinctive baritone voice and trademark 'helicopter' cap made him a favourite with fans. He also wrote several of the group's songs and co-designed the sleeve of their second album, Sex, Dope, Rock'n'Roll: Teenage Heaven.

Years later, the Manly-Warringah rugby league club’s fans adopted Eagle Rock as their theme/victory tune and you hear it often to this very day.  It’s laid back, it’s silly, it’s cool and it’s great to sing along to.

For anyone who grew up or lived in the era, it’s a cherished song.  For those of us who came later, it’s part of our Aussie DNA.  In fact, I reckon that stupid exam they give new migrants should include a role play where you sink a can of beer (or ten) and then get given the lyric sheet, a hot pie with sauce and get made to sing along.  


RIP Ross.  

Now after me…

Hey hey hey…good old Eagle Rock’s here to stay…I’m just crazy ‘bout the way we move, doin’ the Eagle Rock.

Daddy Cool - Eagle Rock

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Thursday, 3 March 2016

That's Entertainment : Mixed Bag - Crayon Fields, Royal Chant, Kundu and The Beat Parade


The last couple of weeks, I’ve been ferrying the kids to birthday parties.  And one thing about kids birthday parties is that at the end of them, you get to bring home a lolly bag.

Now a kid’s reputation in the school yard can live and die by what their folks put in the lolly bag.  Too many crummy $2 shop lollies, and you become a social pariah.  A bag full of yummy lollies and you have a dozen mates for life.  Before I gave up sugar, you could win me with a jaffa, a snake, a green frog or two, strawberries and cream, milk bottles and mint teeth.  

And if you have yummy lollies AND a toy/gift thrown in for good measure…hell, every kid is gonna want to come to your party next year.  And it ain’t just the kids who have reputations to uphold.  Parents can wake up in cold sweats before and after the event just hoping and praying their booty bag passes muster.  It just isn’t worth the social dislocation handing out booty bags full of crap lollies and if you do, I’ll be sure to name and shame you on my Facebook Group - Yummy Mummies vs Crummy Mummies.

As a parent with a Year 2 child, we’ve already made preparations for a home party this year.  The pressure is on.  It’s not until June but I’m already having sleepless nights and heart palpitations.  It’s rather stressful.  

So please excuse me while I have mixed bags on my mind and present to you some new-ish songs I reckon you should check out.

Sweetie?  Would you like a sweetie?

There’s something here for everyone.  Some garage rock, some electronica pop and some Britpop flavoured jams.  And they need your ears.  All of them, and if they don’t make it places, I will take off my shirt and eat it (lucky I’m wearing a singlet made out of liquorice ;-)   )

All of these bands openly chatted to me on social media and/or sent me their demo CDs (if available).  I’ve promised to go to gigs next time they’re in town and I’m keen to hear them all live.  A special shout out to Royal Chant.  Not only did they press limited promo copies of their new album and sent me one, they included some previous singles and EPs and some stickers too.  I’d also like to thank the chap(s) in The Beat Parade who also took time to go back and forth via FB messenger to chat.  Being in a band is not an easy gig and the blood, sweat and tears involved would break a man like me.

So be kind, unwind and take the time to give each of these bands 4 minutes of your time.  And the lollies are on me.


Crayon Fields - Love Won’t Save You


Royal Chant - I Am A Model


The Beat Parade - Good Morning To The World







Via FB I had a very brief chat with the fellas in The Beat Parade and they would love to share the following - and seriously check their other songs out via the Triple J page :  

(We are) trying to take the music of older bands like the Beatles, Oasis, (and) the Sunnyboys and create something new from those influences. We're all in our early 20s.
(The) ultimate goal is to bring good melodic rock tunes to people who don't want to listen to the current crop of indie shoe gazers and techno Pop music. (And fair enough I say!!)

Ok..so at the moment we are in the middle of recording a debut EP, which should be out in a few months, no gigs booked at the moment. (But if you listen to their tracks, I’m sure that should all change down the line)






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That's Entertainment : Joan Armatrading




When some misguided individuals I hear say ‘oh chicks…they can’t rock!’, I bow my head and cringe.  It shames me.  It really does.  

Not that I need to list them, but Suzie Quatro, Joan Jett, Alanis Morissette, Suze Demarchi, Chrissie Amphlett, Shirley Manson, Chrissie Hynde - just in two seconds of thinking.

Anyway.  I digress.

One lady who rocked out and is a fave of mine is Joan Armatrading.  With a career spanning 40 years and 18 studio albums, Joan is one of those artists that writes, plays and records all her own music, surrounding herself with loyal bandmates who then go on tour and deliver.

And deliver she did and does.  Often in rock music circles, there’s an anecdote about overseas rock bands and they say that if you can win over an Australian audience playing live, then you’ve won the battle because Aussies will be very loyal to that band.  And it’s true, bands like the Tea Party swear by it.  And it was true of Joan Armatrading in the 1980’s when she released a slew of pop rock albums littered with soft gems and rock-pop staples that propelled her not only up the US and UK charts, but on the Aussie chart too.

This is the period I really love of Joan’s.  She had the balance right.  Songs like Me Myself I and Drop The Pilot are still FM radio staples and when ever they come, the volume gets cranked up.  Another I like is the rough and ready blistering fret shredding of (I Love It When You) Call Me Names.  That’s one that I can just sing and sing with its deliciously spiteful lyrics and boogie and shout out chorus.  

Joan Armatrading also has the distinction of lending backing vocals to what I consider one of the worst - if not THE worst - Queen song in Don’t Lose Your Head.  It’s a throwaway number inspired by The Kurgen in The Highlander film, but with a lyric that includes don’t drink and drive my car, don’t get breathalysed, don’t lose your head…you’ve got to really wonder what Queen (and Joan) were thinking.  

All in all, the Australian music public loved Joan Armatrading in the 1980s and to this day, Joan loves us.

Even now…my toe taps.  The boogie makes me shake my hips.  I want to rock out!  It’s the weakness in me.






(I Love It When You) Call Me Names https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc_WJFp6fRs




Queen - Don’t Lose Your Head (backing vocals)



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