ROCK-IT, Artist Cat’s Radio Show

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 ...

Ticket NZ Rock Band Reforms

Ticket NZ Rock Band Reforms

Nov 05


Live 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...

HARVEY MANN – Earth Cry (demo)

HARVEY MANN – Earth Cry (demo)

Jul 02

New music from legendary guitar player Harvey Mann.  “Earth Cry” – a short video demonstrating some of his guitar playing.  Recorded and mixed at his basement studio 2011. Harvey Mann is best known for his 70s era psychedelic blues playing (in the wake of musicians such as Jesse Harper and Jimi Hendrix).  He fronted the last incarnation of the Underdogs in 1970 and went on to form Space Farm (1971-2) and then Living Force (1978-9) – with Ticket’s Eddie Hansen. These days he specialises in 3D art and still plays at local clubs in Australia’s Gold...

The Underdogs [Pig, Mann & Edwards] – Wastin’ Our Time

The Underdogs [Pig, Mann & Edwards] – Wastin’ Our Time

Jun 28

The Underdogs rose from the ashes of the original Underdogs Blues Band.  When former singer Murray Grindlay left the band it reverted to a three-piece of Glen Absolum [drums], Harvey Mann [guitar, vocals] and Neil Edwards [bass].  They produced one album in that configuration “Wastin’ Our Time” in 1970.  The new sound had a tighter more psychedelic Hendrix inspired blues feel, a sign of things to come – and when the Underdogs finally folded the band morphed into Space Farm (Edwards went on to join The Human Instinct and was replaced with new bass player Billy Williams.) Photo courtesy of Harvey...

Medium, Rare and Well Done – Hard To Find NZ LP’s From The 1970’s and Early 80’s

Medium, Rare and Well Done – Hard To Find NZ LP’s From The 1970’s and Early 80’s

Jun 15

There are some rare little gems from the shaky isles still on vinyl which have never been re-mastered and released on CD and for years it was assumed that they never would. Sadly, this means that they are as rare as hens teeth and attract ridiculous prices from vinyl scalpers around the world. Case in point are “original presses” of albums like “Ticket – Awake” which up until recently changed hands at prices akin to gold … well not quite, but a 120 gram vinyl record selling for $400 USD has got to be considered gold. There is some call you’d think to reissue these on CD and thus alleviate the pressure on prices. Only the resellers benefit; the bands themselves get no royalties for second hand sales and as for those who simply want to listen to the music it’s just downright hard to get hold of, if you can. OK there are a few “Best Of’s” and various artist compilation albums about – but they are largely eclectic collections that leave you somewhat wanting. Basically, nothing beats getting the original album, with perhaps a few bonus single tracks added. Now back in the 1980s when I started up my archival music collection (I’m still going some 30 odd years later) I tried to track down bands to see if they would be putting out their records on CD. To my dismay I discovered that record labels like CBS had dumped the original masters. But it gets worse… other producers sold the rights off-shore and as to access to the masters, well, who knows … the bands certainly don’t have the rights! Then you get all the label buy outs and the signing away of rights in perpetuity, so that even if the artists want to release their own works 30 years or more after the so called “sound recording mechanical rights” normally expire – it all just becomes ‘too hard’! There is some relief in play though – Ticket have released their classic 1971 album AWAKE on CD, so it’s available to the world again (and hopefully this will take the sting out of second hand record prices).  You can now buy this in music stores, on eBay and on websites (like www.gocatalogue.com ) around the world.  Wellington band ‘Highway’ have re-release their only self titled album on CD – great, I won’t have to try and...