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?
