IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SONG - The Tale of Ted Albert & Alberts Music

I think its a fair bet that all of the bands listed on this blog have appeared at one time or another in their own personal blogaroo , so I wont go into massive detail about them, I will however tell the tale of the guy that had an inate genius as regards to aussie music and the record label he founded and subsequently had my 70s musically sorted

The Albert family landed in Sydney in 1884 and started a business repairing time pieces and violins in the city suburb of Newtown in 1885

They soon began importing and selling a wider range of musical instruments including a Boomerang mouth organ. The company trademarked the word 'boomerang' and stamped it on German manufactured mouth organs. The harmonicas were a run away success selling at a rate of 800 a week by 1897....you reckon music was in their genes?

Many a yonk later ,  after running the ABC for a while  Frank Albert used the proceeds from the licence renewal to establish Radio Station 2UW, which is still going strong today
Over the next 50 years the J. Albert & Son empire gradually acquired interests in a network of eight stations which later morphed into the Macquarie Radio Network. The stations included 4BC in Brisbane, 3DB in Melbourne and 2CC in Canberra. Later still in the 1950s the company became a major shareholder in ATV Channel Seven.

In 1964 the Albert family founded Albert Productions, Australia's first independent record label devoted exclusively to signing and recording Australian pop artists. The Easybeats are the most successful artists to sign to the recording label....this is were Teds magic ear for a hit really began to spark

Early in 1972 Simon Napier-Bell, the English record producer was scouting for new talent in Australia and produced a few records for Alberts including 'Pasadena'. The song which was recorded by singer John Paul Young was written by former Easybeats's Vanda and Young with lyrics by David Hemmings. The single reached No. 16 on the Australian Singles charts in early 1972.

At the time Vanda and Young were still living in England but upon hearing of 'Pasadena's chart success and upon a request from Ted, they returned to Sydney.  In 1973 Alberts opened a recording studio in Boomerang House a building owned by the Albert family at 255 King Street in Sydney. ..

.it was in this hallowed space that Ted, Harry and George and their magical ears started turning out album after album and hit after hit...it was also here that the famous "7 nails" lived..George and Harry had a vast collection of drum beats on lengths of tapes hanging on the nails...some of Aussies greatest hits drum beats hung on the nails and were used

During the 1970s and the early 1980s Albert Studio became, quite possibly, the preeminent recording studio in Sydney, for recording contemporary music for artists, from William Shakespeare through to Rose Tattoo, Heroes, Cheetah, Choirboys and  AC/DC....with all of the artists supervised by the one person they all agree, was no one to be frigged with, Teds hand picked A&R boss Fifa Riccobono ....all the artists interviewed on Blood + Thunder spout nothing but glowing praise for the lady.

Alberts studio one was often rented out to non label artists ....bands like Cold Chisel laid down some deadset classics in the hallowed halls of Boomerang house,  blues music acts such as Graham Lowndes taped there and Alberts was also used for the recording of commercial radio jingles...rental fees are rental fees..Right?

Ted invested huge sums of time and money equipping Alberts with state-of-the-art recording technology and the facility was gradually expanded to accommodate three studios. 
In 1988 Albert and producer Tristram Miall established a film production company called M&A Productions (Miall & Albert) to pursue film ideas and opportunities in the music and dance genre. 

Ted Albert had attended Sydney's Wharf Theatre to watch a stage play called 'Strictly Ballroom' written and directed by Baz Luhrmann. Tristram Miall bought the film rights and commissioned Luhrman to write and direct the film adaption. Albert spent three years raising film finance. In recognition of his contribution to the local music industry, Ted Albert was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award at the annual ARIA Awards

 In November 1990 Albert suffered a fatal heart attack at home. His wife Antoinette (Popsey) Albert assumed the role of Executive Producer to see production to completion.
The year after Ted passed , the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) established the annual Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Service to Australian Music.

In 2007 Albert Music acquired the Origin Network Company which manage the copyrighted work and music catalogues of the Australian recording artists Lee Kernaghan, Richard Clapton, Rogue Traders, Mike Brady, Paul Grabowsky, Joe Dolce, Chris Neal, Cezary Skubiszewski, Parrish Muhoberac, and Paul Wiltshire.

ALBERTS ARTISTS

AC/DC..Rose Tattoo..Paulini..Megan Washington..Minus The Bear..The Seabellies..The Basics..Shelley Harland..Eulogies..Bad Veins..Dallimore..The Dears..Darker My Love..Sea Wolf..Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs..Breed 77..Dallas Crane..George Young..Graham Lowndes
happylife..Harry Vanda..Aleesha Rome..John Paul Young..Oblivia..Skybombers
Stevie Wright..The Choirboys..The Answer..The Easybeats..The Marcus Hook Roll Band
The Missing Links..The Throb..The Angels..San Cisco..William Shakespeare (John Cave)
It’s all about the Song!

GOOD TIMES TRACKLIST

CD #1 – SHAKIN' ALL OVER

Mashed Potato (single Version) - Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs

Sick & Tired - Billy Thorpe and The Azetcs

She's So Fine - The Easybeats

We 2 Should Live - The Missing Links

Shakin' All Over - The Missing Links

Women (Make You Feel Alright) - The Easybeats

Black - The Throb

Over The Rainbow (single version) - Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs

I Told The Brook (single version) - Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs

Sweet And Tender Romance - Bobby & Laurie

The Fortune Teller - The Throb

Kansas City - The Missing Links

Sorry - The Easybeats

Hitch Hiker - Bobby & Laurie

Try To Remember - New World

Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You - The Imagination

Julia - Ted Mulry

Love Is a Beautiful Song - Dave Mills

Working My Way Back To You - Bobbi Marchini

Falling In Love Again - Ted Mulry

Pasadena - John Paul Young

You're All Woman - Ted Mulry

St Louis - The Easybeats

Friday On My Mind - The Easybeats

Good Times - The Easybeats

CD #2 - LET THERE BE ROCK

Evie (Let Your Hair Hang Down) - Stevie Wright

Evie (Evie) - Stevie Wright

Evie (I'm Losing You) - Stevie Wright

It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll) - AC/DC

Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again - The Angels

Bad Boy For Love - Rose Tattoo

Never Gonna Die – Choirboys

We Are The Kids – Dallimore

Need Your Love (radio edit) - Ray Arnott

Let There Be Rock - AC/DC

Comin' Down - The Angels

Shadow Boxer - The Angels

Who Made Who - AC/DC

Dirty Hearts - Dallas Crane

It Goes Off – Skybombers

The Time I Found My Feet – Knievel

Trans Ending – Seabellies

Curiosity - Dallas Crane

We Can't Be Beaten - Rose Tattoo

You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC

CD #3 – AIN'T IT NICE

Can't Stop Myself From Loving You - William Shakespeare

Jump In My Car - Ted Mulry Gang

Down Among The Dead Men - Flash and The Pan

Excuse Me - Alison MacCallum

Yesterday's Hero - John Paul Young

My Little Angel - William Shakespeare

Darktown Strutters Ball - Ted Mulry Gang

Hey St Peter - Flash and The Pan

Standing In The Rain - John Paul Young

Jamaica Rum - Ted Mulry Gang

Walking In The Rain - Doc Neeson #

Spend The Night – Cheetah

Time After Time - Mark Williams & Tara Morice

In The Dark - Shelley Harland

Ain't It Nice - Ted Mulry

Love Is In The Air - John Paul Young

Honey Dip - (radio version) - Daniel Amalm

Search My Heaven - Aleesha Rome

Show No Mercy - Mark Williams

CD #4 - OPEN THAT DOOR

Lazy River – Harry Vanda and George Young

Been And Gone - Cool Bananas

Survival's A Song (Lazybones) - Graham Lowndes

Blue Sunny Sky Day - Wendy Grose

The Girl On The Five Dollar Note - The Prodigal Sons

Brumby Jack - Alex Hood

How About A Beer For The Horse - Sandshoe Willie & The Worn Out Soul Band

Love Don't Make A Fool Out Of Me - Unit 4 + 2

Care For Kids - The Kids

You Drive Me Crazy - John Paul Young

Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White - The Magnetics

Flaming Heart (radio edit) - Ray Arnott

Working For The Man – BAD

Picture Show Man – John Meillon and John Ewart

The Warrior - Johnny Dick

Day Is Done - Wayne Jury

Mundane – Valve

Snow Queen - Rose Tattoo

Planned Obsolescence - The Angels

Open That Door - The Angels

Street Fighting Man - Rose Tattoo

CD #5 - MY KIND OF MUSIC

She's So Fine (live) – Melbourne Awards Show - The Easybeats

My Kind Of Music (live) - Stevie Wright

Crazy (live) – Ted Mulry Gang

Darktown Strutters Ball (live) – Festival Hall Melbourne - Ted Mulry Gang

She's Got Balls (live) – Bondi Lifesavers - AC/DC

Who Rings The Bell (live) – The Elizabethan Theatre, Sydney - The Angels

Going Home (live) - The Angels

Bad Boy For Love – (Live 1979) - Rose Tattoo

Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw – (Live 1979) - Rose Tattoo

Dirty Hearts (live) - Hordern Pavillion 2004 - Dallas Crane

Tonight! (There's a Party Going Down) (live) – Annandale - Dallas Crane

Comin' Down (live) - The Angels

Shoot To Thrill (Live at River Plate ) - AC/DC

Evie (Let Your Hair Hang Down) (live) - Sydney Opera House Forecourt - Stevie Wright

Evie (Evie) (live) - Sydney Opera House Forecourt - Stevie Wright

Evie (I'm Losing You) (live) - Sydney Opera House Forefront - Stevie Wright

She's So Fine (Take 2) - The Easybeats

Smokin - The tale of Blackberry Smoke

You know what?....I get absolutely stoked beyond belief when i find someone new to add to the music collection, and on this occasion I was thumbing through a recent issue of the worlds greatest music mag, Classic Rock, and I saw a picture of this dude with some exceptional sideburns and he was surrounded by equally hairy gentleman, these guys turned out to be Blackberry Smoke,

 I read the story and nigh on immediately jumped onto YouTube to see what I could see as related to this group of blokes.

Suffice it to say I was 1000% impressed, enough to buy some content and upon its arrival, i was won over totally.

Now, I cant honestly say I'm a humongous southern rock fan, a smattering of Skynyrd and a couple of Molly Hatchet tracks with a smidge of Allman Brothers and a couple of tracks from the Little Ol band from texas, have been about it up to now....

BUT...I reckon Ronnie Van Zant is smiling like a madman whilst looking on from wherever he is,  if you listen real close, your not only gonna hear a bit of ZZ Top and Skynyrd but you might even catch a whiff of Aerosmith, a hint of Van Halen  and a dash of Led Zep....

yep the boys favourites are all in there....it cant be in anyway argued that them boys aint got a groove going on...yep, Im hooked ....

and I think its fair to say  that Charlie and the boys are truly four right on Southern gents  who have lept to the top of my southern rock list ....

SO here is the story of Blackberry Smoke

Blackberry Smoke is (mostly) from Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The lineup consists of Charlie Starr (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Richard Turner (Bass, Vocals), Brit Turner (Drums), Paul Jackson (Guitar, Vocals), and Brandon Still (Keyboards).
They have performed both headliner and as the supporting act for artists such as Zac Brown Band, Eric Church, ZZ Top & Lynyrd Skynyrd. 

Building on the Lynyrd Skynyrd Southern rock template, with a good dose of outlaw honky tonk country and a little bit of bluegrass, gospel, and R&B mixed in, Blackberry Smoke formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2000 and quickly built a loyal fan base on the Southern tour circuit. 

The group released a debut album, Bad Luck Ain't No Crime, in 2004 on Cock of the Walk Records, then followed it with the self-released EP New Honky Tonk Bootlegs in 2008. A second EP, Little Piece of Dixie, appeared from Big Karma Records that same year.

 A full-length album, this one also called Little Piece of Dixie, was released in 2009 by BamaJam Records. The band then signed with Zac Brown's Southern Ground Records, which released The Whippoorwill in 2012. The Whippoorwill was picked up by Earache, who formally signed the band in 2013. A deluxe live audio and video package entitled Leave a Scar: Live North Carolina was issued in the summer of 2014.

Taking a short break from touring, they entered the studio with producer Brendan O'Brien and emerged less than two weeks later with Holding All the Roses, then went straight back to working on the road. The album was issued in February of 2015.

ALBUMS

Bad Luck Ain't No Crime

Little Piece of Dixie

The Whippoorwill

Holding All the Roses

Live Albums

Leave a Scar, Live: North Carolina

EP's

New Honky Tonk Bootlegs

Little Piece of Dixie

Singles

2009 "Good One Comin' On"

2013 "Pretty Little Lie"

"Ain't Much Left of Me"

2015 "Living in the Song"

Music videos

Year Video Director

2009 "Good One Comin' On"

2013 "Pretty Little Lie

2014 "Shakin' Hands with the Holy Ghost

"Six Ways to Sunday

2015 "Too High"

They made you feel glad all over - The Dave Clark Five

G'day,
Sometimes I have to just kick myself when I realise how great a band was, sure I'd heard of the Dave Clark Five BUT I hadnt HEARD the Dave Clark Five  and thats just a big mistake

Dave Clark Five Website

I was watching a doco I picked up about the band, I grabbed it just because I had heard of them and I sort of collect historical dvds on rock bands, I was blown away, not only did immediately dig the sound BUT I knew some of the songs, I dont remember any DC5 being around growing up, but I gues since the house had Beatles and Stones recordsI guess Miss Vickii or Yogi had some DC5 as well.

So I went back to the emporium of rock that i frequent every other week and grabbed a greatest hits c.d because I had to.....then I thought :these blokes deserve a blogaroo, and here it is....ENJOY 

In 1964, it seemed that the biggest challenger to the Beatles'  was the Dave Clark Five. From the Tottenham in the Blighty capital, the quintet had the fortune to knock "I Want to Hold Your Hand" off the top of the British charts with "Glad All Over," and were championed (for about 15 minutes) by the British press as the Beatles' most serious threat. 

They were the first British Invasion band to break in a big way in the States after the Beatles, though the Rolling Stones and quickly supplanted the DC5 as the Fab Four's most serious rivals. the Five reached the Top 40 17 times between 1964 and 1967 with memorable hits like "Glad All Over," "Bits and Pieces," "Because," and a remake of Bobby Day's "Over and Over," as well as making 18 or so appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, more than any other English act. the DC5 were distinguished from their British contemporaries by their larger-than-life production, Clark's loud stomping drum sound, and Mike Smith's leathery vocals. Though accused by "ahem" critics that they lacked finesse and hipness, they had a solid ear for melodies and harmonies and wrote much of their early material, the best of which has endured quite well.

 Bandleader Dave Clark is a certifed genius, he managed and produced the band himself, and negotiated a much higher royalty rate than artists of that period usually received, AND after 3 years regained his masters from the record company, he also bought the tapes of the tv show READY, STEADY ,GO not only to save them for posterity but the licensing opportunities..SEE...GENIUS !

 After a couple years of superstardom, the group proved unable to either keep up with the changing times or maintain a high standard of original compositions, and called it quits in 1970....They were the second group of the British Invasion on The Ed Sullivan Show, appearing in March for two weeks after the Beatles appeared three straight weeks in February 1964. For some time the Dave Clark Five were more popular in the US than in their native UK, but had a renaissance in the UK between 1967 and 1970. The group disbanded in late 1970. On 10 March 2008, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The DC5 disbanded in 1970, having placed three singles on the UK chart that year, two of which reached the Top Ten. In 1970, Davidson, Huxley and Payton left and Alan Parker and Eric Ford joined on lead guitar and bass. This line-up, renamed "Dave Clark & Friends", lasted until 1973.

Between 1978 and 1993, none of their music was available to be purchased in any commercial format, as rights-holder Clark declined to licence the band's recordings. In 1993, a single CD “Glad All Over Again” was produced by Dave himself and released by EMI in Britain. 

After a 1989 deal with the Disney Channel to rebroadcast the 1960s ITV show "Ready, Steady, Go!" (which Clark owned), he made a deal with Disney-owned Hollywood Records to issue in 1993 a double CD "History of the Dave Clark Five". At the time, Hollywood needed product and so met Clark’s demand for a larger-than-usual advance. The deal also included such things as getting DC5 songs into Disney movies and creating a DC5-themed cafe at the United Kingdom Pavilion of Disney World's Epcot; when the project lost money due to low CD sales and the other things never went forward, Clark was able to end the contract early.

 No DC5 material was then legally available until 2008, when the "Hits" compilation was released by Universal Music in the UK. In 2009 selections from the band's catalogue were released on iTunes.

Post break-up
Dave Clark was also the manager and executive producer of the band. Following the group's break-up, Clark set up a media company.  Additionally he was executive producer and listed as co-writer for the 1986 London stage performance of Time - The Musical which featured the last living performance of Sir Laurence Olivier. The production received critical acclaim and featured unique electronic and mechanical theater stagecraft. A two-disc album was released in conjunction with the stage production featuring music recorded by Julian Lennon (singing DC5's song Because), Freddie Mercury, Stevie Wonder, Cliff Richard, Ashford & Simpson and Olivier's selected dialogue. This double album was digitally remastered and released on iTunes in May 2012.

Mike Smith released a now scarce CD in 2000 titled It's Only Rock & Roll and returned to performing in 2003 after a hiatus of 25 years. He formed Mike Smith's Rock Engine and did two mini-tours of the U.S. He died on 28 February 2008 in London from a spinal injury sustained after scaling a fence at his home in Spain.

Denis Payton died on 17 December 2006 at the age of 63 after a long battle with cancer. Rick Huxley died from emphysema on 11 February 2013 at the age of 72. Len Davidson taught guitar for many years at a school in Cambridgeshire, where he still lives.
Induction into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

The Dave Clark Five made the list of nominees for the class of 2008, and on 13 December 2007 it was announced that the band would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 10 March 2008. The group was inducted by Tom Hanks, who wrote, directed, and starred in the film That Thing You Do!, which was about an American one-hit wonder band that became popular in the wake of the British Invasion.

In attendance with the three surviving members of the DC5 were the families of Lenny Davidson and Rick Huxley, and Denis Payton's two sons. Mike Smith had planned on attending but died eleven days before the induction. Dave Clark opened up his acceptance speech by saying that he felt like he was at the Oscars. Davidson gave mention that they arrived in New York for the ceremony on 8 March, exactly 44 years after their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Joan Jett honoured the Dave Clark Five by performing "Bits and Pieces" with John Mellencamp's band. To perform "Glad All Over", Jett was joined by John Fogerty, John Mellencamp, Billy Joel and other artists that performed throughout the evening.
In March 2008 a 28-track collection, The Dave Clark Five: The Hits, was released on iTunes.

Personnel
At the peak of its success the band included:
Dave Clark (born David Clark, 15 December 1942, Tottenham, North London, England), was the drummer.
Mike Smith (born Michael George Smith, 6 December 1943, North Middlesex Hospital, Edmonton, North London – died 28 February 2008, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire), was the lead vocalist and keyboardist.
Lenny Davidson (born Leonard Arthur Davidson, 30 May 1944, Enfield, Middlesex) (ex The Off Beats, The Impalas) on lead guitar.
Rick Huxley (born Richard Huxley, 5 August 1940, Livingstone Hospital, Dartford, Kent - died 11 February 2013) (ex The Riverside Blues Boys, The Spon Valley Stompers) on bass guitar.
Denis Payton (born Dennis Archibald West Payton, 11 August 1943, Walthamstow, East London – died 17 December 2006, in Bournemouth, Dorset) (ex The Renegades, The Les Heath Combo, The Blue Dukes, The Mike Jones Combo) on tenor and baritone saxophones, harmonica, and guitar.

Glad All Over (US; 1964)

The Dave Clark Five Return! (US; 1964) / A Session with The Dave Clark Five (UK; 1964)

American Tour (US; 1964)

Coast to Coast (US; 1965)

Weekend in London (US; 1965)

Having a Wild Weekend (US; 1965) / Catch Us If You Can (UK; 1965)

I Like It Like That (US; 1965)

Try Too Hard (US; 1966)

Satisfied with You (US; 1966)

5 By 5 (US; 1967)

You Got What It Takes (US; 1967)

Everybody Knows (UK; 1967) / (US; 1968)

5 by 5 = Go! (UK; 1969)

If Somebody Loves You (UK; 1969)

Good Old Rock'n'Roll (UK; 1970)