Desert Island Albums
Jul 21
THE HOT 100 CLASSIC ROCK ALBUMS I’ve compiled a list of the top 100 CLASSIC ROCK albums which some of which have been featured as album of he month on the ROCK-IT With the Artist-Cat radio show – on Sydney’s triplehfm. I play these start to finish ‘unabridged’ and additional plays will be featured as part of specials from time to time. So the criteria here is simply that you can play the album end to end and there isn’t a bad track on it – if you were stuck on a desert island, these would be the albums you’d be happy to play time and time again and still be enjoying them years later. So here goes – here is the HOT 100. Commentary on the list is welcome, but there were strict criteria in compiling this. Firstly, we do have standards, so no punk or disco will be added. Secondly, we have standards, so the musicians have to be able to actually play their instruments and the singers have to be able to sing – no shallow gloss, which probably wipes out anything that appeared on the likes of ‘Idol’ for a start… Finally, we have standards, so anything which is droning and miserable sounding (like Radiohead) will be excluded. With all this in mind here are the “Desert Island Albums” which will be featured on the show. Check out Facebook or the “ROCK IT with the ARTIST-CAT” blog for dates when these will be played. The Hot 100 … (subject to change). 1. The Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd [Played]. The ultimate in prog rock. This album stayed on the top 100 billboard albums chart for over 10 years – enough said. If you haven’t heard it – get yourself a record (or DVD audio) player, crank it up and close your eyes. 2. Hotel California – the Eagles [Played]. From the haunting opening riff and guitarist Don Felder’s incredible guitar solo on the title track, through to the beautifully tragic ‘Last Resort’, this masterpiece is the Eagles at their absolute zenith. If you could only buy one Eagles album, this is it …! 3. Déjà vu – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young [Played]. This seminal supergroup only ever produced one studio album together, but as they say – the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. A must have in any serious music...
ROCK-IT, Artist Cat’s Radio Show
Apr 27
This is a page for programming updates for my radio shows, ROCK-IT with the Artist Cat… classic, rare and new rock (with blues)! Tune in to “Triple H FM” at this link here. Buy signed books…! Love the 70s? Take a trip down memory lane with on my books on 70s culture and rock music “The WONG WAY to MARRY” and “TRIPPIN’ the WRIGHT WAY”. Bookmark this page. a third book is in the works – stay tuned!!!! To buy signed books contact the Cat direct on Facebook Sydney shoppers can also buy signed copies at these great outlets: Red Eye Records, York Street, Sydney CBD; Mojo Music, York Street, Sydney CBD. ROCK-IT: ARTIST-CAT WEEKLY PROGRAM UPDATE LATEST NEWS The Cat will be returning to air in 2015 with a new co-host on the ROCK-IT show – 2HHH’s “Neil the Noob” (from Streetbeat fame!) Go to the ROCK IT Facebook Page for latest weekly updates! Every THIRD Wednesday of the month is “Desert Island Album” week – check out the hot 100 here Re-runs: We will repeat the three part special “HISTORY OF THE BLUES” with special guest presenters including Kevin Borich, Billy TK (Jnr) and Phil Jones. Kevin Borich at Triple H 100.1 (Hornsby studio) Recording ‘Blues Power” Link Hagley Park Christchurch NZ – 1974 NEW FEATURES The Musical LINK – including exclusive interviews with All Link members (and ex-cChapta vocalists), featuring Dick Whatson and Dave Kennedy. HISTORY OF THE EAGLES – Pts 1 & 2 Pt1 – On A Dark Desert Highway. From the beginning to life in the fast lane… Pt2 – Checked Out, but you can never leave. Solo years, the Resumption (Hell Freezes Over), the ‘farewells’… ARCHIVES Date: 3 June 2012 Show: The Cats Top 5 Revisited! The inaugural ROCK-IT show will repeat the Cats top 5 special songs as featured on “the Music Almanac” back in August 2011 with Rufus On Fire. Catch music from Led Zep, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix, The Allman Brothers Band, Eagles and local bands Ticket and Space Farm, with an exclusive interview with ‘Link’ front-man Dave Kennedy… Date: 10 June 2012 Show: Ticket to the Show – Ticket’s debut album AWAKE from 1971 is one of the most heavily bootlegged underground albums of the era. Hendrix inspired acid blues to Buddy Miles and Traffic style jazzy funk, this is a classic must have Desert Island Album. Triple H 100.1 FM ...
Link – Only Time Could Let Us Know 1973
Feb 27Video of 70s rock band LINK and their August 1973 top 20 hit “Only Time Could Let Us Know”. Clip contains archival photos of the band from the era courtesy of photographer KEVIN HILL (see if you can spot his cameo appearance in the clip.) Songwriters: Dave Kennedy (guitar, lead vocals) & Dave Gillies (keyboards, vocals) PLUS Nev Claugton (Bass), Craig Nicholson (drums). MKII members – Dick Whatson (bass, vocals), Chris Fox (drums) MKIII members – Bryan Gerrard (bas, vocals), Ron Mahoney...
Led Zeppelin – Sydney Showgrounds 1972
Feb 18
70s rock photographer Kevin Hill took thousands of photos of bands playing in New Zealand and Australia. This photo is one of many he took of the February 1972 Led Zeppelin concert at the Show Grounds in Sydney, Australia. The band opened the show with “Immigrant Song” (from Led Zep III) – straight after the first song the fans stormed the barriers and rushed to the front of the stage… security couldn’t stop them and they stayed there for the rest of the night. The performance of Immigrant Song at Sydney is featured on the Led Zeppelin ‘Official Remastered” DVD set issued by Jimmy Page. See if you can spot Kevin Borich at the front (with the press photographers) … before the crowds crashed the barriers – hint look at the B&W photo! There are over 1,000 photos in Kevin Hill’s collection of local and international rock musicians. The link to Kevin’s musical photo collection is: Christchurch Music Scene 1968-1980 photostream Kevin’s book VISUAL MEMORIES – the Christchurch Music Scene 1968-80 is available now. 200+ pages of high quality B&W and colour prints from the...
Ticket NZ Rock Band Reforms
Nov 05Live in the studio 1972
Live in the studio 1972
Archive: The New Zealand show – 5th November 2011 @ the “Powerstation” Auckland, with Dragon and Hello Sailor. Ticket ‘steals’ the show, with rave reviews from the NZ Herald: read the review here. TICKET New Zealand’s ultimate acid blues band dominated the underground music scene from 1971-73 down under. With searing Hendrix inspired guitar from Eddie Hansen, soaring vocals from Trevor Tombleson and a driving rhythm section (Paul Woolwright – Bass & Rick Ball – Drums) they produced two highly sought after LPs, ‘Awake’ and ‘Let Sleeping Dogs Lie’ during the original line up. These LPs are collectors items the world over and mint copies sell in excess of $300-400. Ticket MKI parted company in 1973. Eddie Hansen, disillusioned and tired of the music industry struggles and rip-offs, had decided to call it quits. Hansen eventually reformed Ticket temporarily during 74-75; the MkII line-up including ex-Space Farm bass player Billy Williams and drummer Glen Absolum. [For the record there was never a Steve Gunn in the band.] In MkIII Absolum was replaced with Danny Davidson. But no album was released and the band eventually went their separate ways. Trevor Tombleson moved to the UK (with Ticket MKIII members Williams and Davidson). The ex-pats auditioned for Keef Hartley’s former band ‘Dog Solider’. Tombleson was offered a place with the band but turned it down when it transpired his antipodean friends had been rejected. He then toured Europe with a number of bands during the mid 70s (including the Eagles and Chicago) but returned to Sydney when called back by (now) ‘Monsoon’ band members Williams and Ray Goodwin (Dragon-Guitarist & Song writer). At the end of the 70s he left the music industry for 30 years. These days he resides in the Cook Islands. Ricky Ball and Paul Woolwright hooked up with ‘Hello Sailor’ and their various solo acts that followed (Dave McCartney & the Pink Flamingos, Graham Brazier’s Legionnaires and Harry Lyon). For 30 years they remained the top rhythm players in NZ, in constant demand. After the demise of Ticket, Eddie Hansen joined forces temporarily with Link’s Dave Kennedy (in Rock Squad) but that didn’t last and Kennedy moved to the UK. Hansen took a break, but he couldn’t stay away and eventually formed “Living Force” with ex-Space Farm guitarist and good friend Harvey Mann, with drummer Glen Absolum and several others. The band was together during 1978-79. Absolum...
Link – 1973 ‘Highway Driver’ b side to ‘Only Time Could Let Us Know’
Oct 30LINK – HIGHWAY DRIVER, great southern rock from 1973. Written by Glyn Tucker. This song was the b side to their hit single ‘Only Time Could Let Us Know’ and is an excellent rocker in its own right. It can be found on a compilation CD titled “Under the Southern Moonlight” Link MKI were: Dave Kennedy (Guitar/Vocals), Dave Gillies (Keyboards), Nev Claugton (Bass), Craig Nicholson (Drums). Rhythm section players changed several times over the few years the band were together. Nev Claugton was replaced by (ex-Chapta) bassist Dick Whatson, who was later replaced by Bryan Gerrad. Craig Nicholson’s replacement was Chris Fox, who was later replaced by Ron Mahony. Link broke up at the end of 1975. Photography by KEVIN...