What! No Rolf Harris?
Lists can be inherently subjective and subject to interpretation rather like Ian’s list of Aussie Food, posted earlier. The latest, a list of 50 top Australian Albums is no exception.
Australian rock’n’roll turns 50 on July 5 and the criteria for this list, developed by the cool, the groovy, and the most knowledgable for The Age, was simply that the albums had to be made by bands who were predominantly Australian. The focus was on their greatest work, not necessarily their most popular. Who am I to judge no Kylie and other famous types?
Reading it, I am impressed how ignorant of “Great Australian Music” I am. Many of these I have never heard off, while others I had no idea they were Australian. The only truly Australian band that I was aware of was Men at Work. OK joking a little here. I do have a good excuse having only lived here for the last six years. Some of my exposure came from Elizabeth, who grew up here in Adelaide and has a good collection, including some on this list now that I read it. I have only really listened to Cold Chisel and the Hoodoo Gurus from her collection. At the time we met, I had over 1000 CDs and she had over 200. When we merged our collection, there were about three that overlapped.
Going through the list, I realise that I have some others including Nick Cave, who I have never managed to engage with. I prefer Leonard Cohen. I also have a very good exposure to the under five market.
Growing up I always thought of the Bee Gees as American ala Barry Manilow, AC/DC were Scottish after all and who the hell was John Farnham? I only knew Men at Work, Dame Edna Everage (not really a singer Dahlings) and Rolf Harris. I also liked Didgeredoo Music. Elizabeth on the other hand knew all of them and thought we should have them in our collection. Who am I to know? And what about adopted bands such as Abba.
Living in the town that is home to musicians such as Peter Coombe, Paul Kelly, John Farnham, the Hilltop Hoods, Cold Chisel and Guy Sebastian amongst others who have hit it big in Aussie Music, it behooves me to become more learned in this important aspect of Aussie Culcha. So here goes.
My list, with very little thought and in no particular order? (You can blame my kids for some of this).
George and the Orchestra and Return of the Spangled Drongo - George Spartels
Remember him from Play School. He actually had a part in Mad Max and Neighbours. Call him multiskilled or something. I saw him live at Henley Beach Town Hall, where the mosh pit was average age 3 and our kids had their much loved CDs autographed. We chatted with him afterwords. He was on the road with a van and one guy. Nothing like the way most bands tour now.
The Best of Rolf Harris - Rolf Harris
I am sure many Australians cringe at the thought of Rolf Harris, but he was the Australian Cultural Ambassador during my early childhood on the Rolf Harris Show. My grandad wouldn’t stop talking about how talented he was. We loved the wobble board and his painting and cartoons, live on television. My kids love him too.
I Want You Back - Hoodoo Gurus
Eat your heart out Dorothy the Dinosaur.
Songs from the South - Paul Kelly
I bought this at Borders on Orchard Road in Singapore. My wife was impressed with my taste. I didn’t even know he was Australian, far less from Elizabeth’s home town, where he was born in a taxi on the way to hospital. My kids liked this one, which they adapted as a short play at school assembly.
Spaghetti Bolognese, Newspaper Moma and Toffee Apple - Peter Coombe
I have never seen Peter Coombe, although Hannah went to see him a few years ago. I must have heard all the songs gazillions of times and the videos were played until they almost pooped out. Most of the people who were in his original mosh pits are probably parents of kids who hang out in clubs now.
Sunrise to Sea - John Butler Trio
I got to like them from Better Than.
Any LP by Kandiah Kamalesvaran (Tamil: கந்தையா கமலேஸ்வரன்) or Kamahl
I was in an Op Shop recently and they had a bunch of old Kamahl LPs. They were works of art. I have only heard a few of his songs, but the LPs are worth buying for the cover alone. He has an Adelaide connection having moved here from Malaysia in 1958. I was introduced to his silky voice when he guested on a Wiggles video. Listening to him speaking is enough. I liked Christine Anu in that same video too.
Bombora - The Atlantics
Not really an album, but I haven’t actually heard one. Who knows the names of the tunes anyway. We saw these guys surfing up a storm at the Adelaide Guitar Festival on election night last year. They came on late at night after an indifferent bunch before them. People were very happy with the knowledge that Honest John and his Buddies had been dispatched to electoral oblivion. They were worth the ticket by themselves.
I know that there are many more, but who has the time to put together lists.
And my bottom group in a totally unstructured list.
Anything by Guy Sebastian.
No comment necessary. My kids were very enamoured of him when he won the first Australian Idol. I hated his music from the moment I first heard it. It has just got worse. Shannon Noll and Anthony Callea I can take in small measure, but Goodbye Guy.
Anything by the Wiggles
I have listened to and watched too much Wiggling for about 200 lifetimes. The first Wiggles video was the first video that Hannah watched and watched and watched….. when we lived in Singapore. The early Wiggles were better before they got the exasperatingly annoying Captain Feathersword that they have now.
Anything on Australias Got Talent, Australian Idol, X Factor and the like. I hate those shows. Anybody who makes their way out is guaranteed to be ranked low by me.
Of course coming from Scotland, we have more than our fair share of quality acts, including this and this, so my bar is set pretty low. That said, here is the Scottish List, recently compiled. What! No Rod Stewart? I can personally recommend The Cocteau Twins, The Blue Nile and Runrig from that list if you want to try something Scottish that is not too painful.
So who or what do you like or consider worthy of being on a list of Aussie Music Greats?
Music is very subjective, but your list just highlights your ignorance & arrogance.
I thought it was a pretty decent list. Surprised Midnight Oil came out on top, but don’t have a problem with that. At least the list didn’t have anything dire and terrible like John Farnham, Air Supply, LRB or the like. And it did have great stuff like The Saints, Radio Birdman, The Triffids, The Birthday Party, Nick Cave, Sunnyboys, The Go Betweens.
Nothing too much wrong with that Scottish list either!
I didn’t actually read your whole piece. There is just so much tripe I can stand in one sitting. But this little bit caught my attention.
“And my bottom group in a totally unstructured list.
Anything by Guy Sebastian.
No comment necessary. My kids were very enamoured of him when he won the first Australian Idol. I hated his music from the moment I first heard it. It has just got worse. Shannon Noll and Anthony Callea I can take in small measure, but Goodbye Guy.”
Each to their own I suppose, but the thought that anyone who has any real taste in music would rather listen to Shannon or Anthony than Guy is rather sad. So I thought I would share some thoughts on the matter with you. Not my thoughts, but Steve Cropper’s thoughts. You might have heard of him perhaps. Co writer of classics like “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay”, “Knock On Wood”, “In The Midnight Hour” and a few more beside. Respected by the Beatles. They said Steve and the other members of Booker T & The Mgs were one of the great influences in their music. The Mgs of course are nick named “Heaven’s house band” due to the fact that they are on so many of the Stax soul classics of yesteryear. Steve is in the American Songwriters Hall Of Fame, and also the Rock Hall Of Fame. On many lists of great guitar players as well. Well here is what he said a couple of months ago on an online Memphis radio station called AllMemphisMusic about Guy Sebastian.
“this kid came into Memphis, and just blew everybody’s socks off. He had the grit and the grime and the soul of Otis Redding, and he had the sweet soul of Al Green, he had the wonderful sweet church sound of Sam Cooke. He just took us by storm, and it was like every song we did, we just looked at each other and like all said we can’t believe this kid can sing this good.”
While I would not expect the album to land up on any list of great Australian albums as it is of course a covers album and was produced in Memphis, not Australia, Guy is right this minute in Nashville staying with the Croppers, writing with Steve for his next originals album. Now who knows where that album will stand in the future.
The Mgs of course were Guy’s band on his tour earlier this year, and have told him they will drop everything to tour the States with him, which is likely to happen as the album is being released by American Sony in the States early next year. Why is it being released. Because in Steve’s words the USA Sony executives were “totally overwhelmed” at a showcase Guy did in New York in April. Your little dig is of no consequence with legends standing by his side now. Drivel for cyberspace, that is all.
Well to each their own - we are all entitled to opinions and we all get to express them.
It is your “bottom” list - it wouldn’t be mine. I personally would say the reverse re Guy and Shannon Noll. I’d rather be boiled in hot oil than listen to anything by Shannon Noll, and I am a massive Guy Sebastian fan. And I won’t say anything for or against Anthony Callea, I was once misinterpreted on something I said about him and I got slammed by Anthony Callea fans.
You realise now that you’ll bring out all the Guy fans who have a Google Alert set for his name, and they’re all going to batter you senseless though, right?
People, before you comment and have a go at Clutterbells, please remember that this is only the opinion of one contributor of this blog - we have over 20 contributors and all of them have varying opinions - some of them happen to adore Guy Sebastian.
If we all thought the same, the world would be a boring place right?
Nothing like stirring the pot. Happy to hear what other people think. I am but one candle in the wind. It is just music. Each to their own. At least now we don’t have to buy a whole album for a few songs. In fact the whole concept of the album is so last century.
quoting writer here:
“Anything on Australias Got Talent, Australian Idol, X Factor and the like. I hate those shows. Anybody who makes their way out is guaranteed to be ranked low by me”
which kinda means that it doesnt matter whether an artist has sublime talent or not - what matters is that they came from a competition so they must be crap and dismissed outright *scratches head* at that comment
Guy Sebastian has worked hard to get where he is now…
which is staying at this moment with Steve Croppers at his home in Nashville (2nd time this year). Steve Cropper is a legendary guitarist and songwriter revered globally. The fact that Guy is writing and working on future projects with Steve Cropper who recognised him as a great talent almost immediately is a credit to Guy. Obviously Steve Cropper holds Guy Sebastian in high esteem and they have a strong artistic relationship, otherwise he would not invite him into The Cropper Home, to write material for Guy’s next original SOUL album.
Yeah lists are lists and personal and I did really like the List - just needed to say that Guy is so much more than a talent quest winner and with the global release of The Memphis Album - he could become one of Australia’s greatest exports to the international arena!
Aussie Glad you enjoyed the post. Look out for my next post on Why every Australian Family should have a worm farm.
Martin My kids like Guy. I am glad that you and others like him too. It is great for Guy that he is respected by people in the music industry. I just don’t like the way he sings. I could have chosen others, but I suppose it goes to why music is so diverse. Nothing personal with Guy. I am sure he is a nice guy.
Soulsista. Glad you like and respect Guy too. Very tough that music business. You need all the help that you can get.
Just off to listen to the Wiggles