Reissue specialists Raven Records (Australia) -- co-founded by Oz Rock's human encyclopedia Glenn A. Baker -- have done a sterling job over the years of resurrecting great music from the past. This two-CD set (two and a half hours of playing time) is a proverbial cornucopia of intriguing, and largely forgotten, prog rock from some fine antipodean exponents of the genre. Actually, many of these artists found success in the mainstream Down Under, but Golden Miles showcases them in their more adventurous moments.
The stylistic range across the album's 30 tracks is quite stunning, but certainly this is progressive rock -- just don't expect everything to sound like King Crimson. Ear-catching tracks include the jazz-slanted "Make Your Stash" by legendary Aussie rockers Daddy Cool (best known for their rock & roll anthem "Eagle Rock"), the Zappa-ish "Make It Begin" by Sons of the Vegetal Mother (also fronted by Daddy Cool singer Ross Wilson), and the quaking "'Til My Death" by avant-garde metallurgists Buffalo (from their landmark 1973 album, Volcanic Rock). But the curio of curios is "Seasons of Change" by Fraternity, a tuneful, psychedelic folk-rock number sung by none other than a pre-AC/DC Bon Scott.
Excellent liner notes include a capsule bio (written by Ian McFarlane) on each band and an overview of the period (from Baker). Probably of most interest to collectors, aficionados, and those who personally remember this musical chapter of yore, many casual listeners will also find Golden Miles very entertaining fare.
by Adrian Zupp
Tracks
Disc 1
1. Bakery - No Dying In The Dark (Bakery) - 3:11
2. Carson - Travelling South (Greg 'Sleepy' Lawrie) - 3:10
3. Lotus - Lotus I (Lotus) - 3:45
4. Healing Force - Golden Miles (Lindsay Wells) - 3:19
5. Bulldog - Inner Spring (Mick Rodgers, Peter Miles) - 2:47
6. The Master's Apprentices - Melodies Of St. Kilda / Southern Cross (Doug Ford, Jim Keays) - 7:54
7. Galadriel - Girl Of 17 (Spider Scholten) - 4:39
8. Tamam Shud - Lady Sunshine (Lindsay Bjerre) - 4:35
9. Tully - You Realise You ReaIise (Richard Lockwood) - 2:56
10.The Wild Cherries - I Am The Sea (Lobby Loyde) - 3:27
11.Jeff St John Copperwine - Fanciful Flights Of Mind (Jeff St. John, Peter Figures) - 3:23
12.Melissa - Getting Through (Joe Creighton) - 4:08
13.Pirana - Here It Comes Again (Tony Hamilton) - 2:44
14.King Harvest - Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb) - 4:10
15.Friends - Freedom Train (Charlie Tumahai) - 3:55
16.Fraternity - Seasons Of Change (John Robinson, Neale Johns) - 3:34
17.Freshwater - Satan's Woman (Murray Patridge) - 2:59
18.Fanny Adams - Ain't No Loving Left (Fanny Adams) - 6:45
1. Daddy Cool - Make Your Stash (Ross Wilson) - 6:04
2. Spectrum - Superbody (Mike Rudd) - 9:12
3. Company Caine - The Day Superman Got Busted (Company Caine) - 6:20
4. Kahvas Jute - Free (Dennis Wilson) - 5:12
5. Blackfeather - Long Legged Lovely (John Robinson, Neale Johns) - 7:30
6. Tymeplace - Shake Off (Alan Oloman) - 8:12
7. Sons Of The Vegetal Mother - Make It Begin (Ross Wilson) - 5:00
8. Coloured Balls - Human Being (Lobby Loyde) - 6:00
9. Buffalo - Til My Death (Dave Tice) - 5:34
10.Madder Lake -12lb Toothbrush (Madder Lake) - 6:00
11.Mackenzie Theory - Extra Terrestrial Boogie (Rob MacKenzie) - 5:47
12.Dragon - Darkness (Dragon) - 4:43
Bakery - Momento 1971
The Master's Apprentices - The Master's Apprentices 1966-68
Tamam Shud - Evolution 1969
Tamam Shud - Goolutionites And The Real People 1970
Jeff St John's Copperwine - Joint Effort 1970
Wendy Saddington And The Copperwine - Live 1971
Melissa - Midnight Trampoline 1971
Pirana - Pirana-Pirana II 1971-72
Spectrum - Part One 1971-72
Kahvas Jute - Wide Open / Live At The Basement 1971/2005
Blackfeather - At The Mountains Of Madness 1971
The Purple Hearts / The Coloured Balls - Benzedrine Beat! 1964-70
Buffalo - Dead Forever 1972
Buffalo - Volcanic Rock 1973
Buffalo - Only Want You For Your Body 1974
Madder Lake - Stillpoint 1973
Free Text
Just Paste
Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteHi Marios, this one seems very interesting, thanks!
ReplyDeleteMagnificent! This collection is for the Australian prog what Legend Of A Mind is for the English prog, a parade of immortal masterpieces. Albums produced by these Australian artists are very beautiful but, like most of those of this glorious genre, maybe play a little dated, but the 30 songs that make up this double CD is essential for any fan of true ROCK !!!
ReplyDeleteA special mention for the title track of Healing Force, authors, unfortunately, only one single in 1970, which was the Golden Miles side A and is a song that leaves a mark like few, who knows what might have in store for this magnificent band if he continued.
After the prog period in Australia came the era of the best of those places, Radio Birdman and various subsidiaries and then give us during the eighties several dozen masterpieces of a unique sound and inimitable, the Ozrock, but that's another story, now I'm going to listen, for the umpteenth time, this incredible, from the cover, collection.
Bravo Marios !!!
Thanks a lot...
ReplyDeleteObrigado!!!
ReplyDeleteWhenever somebody asks me "What kind of music do you like?" I just point them to this compilation.
ReplyDeleteHi Marios - Thank you so much for what you are doing. Please repost this. Lost everything and your blog is helping me to recover digitally some of it.
ReplyDeleteMidoztouch, "Golden Miles / Australian Progressive Rock", renew
DeleteThank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the new link, this one looks extremely interesting.
ReplyDeleteMike