Stars must be one of the most requested bands in my time working on this site. I get a large number of people asking “Where can I get Paradise Or Land Of Fortune etc”. Up until now the only suggestion I’ve been able to give is to search the 2nd hand stores as they’ve been out of print for some time.

Well, the other day I heard some good news from Mick Pealing. The album “Stars – Live At Bombay Rock” had been re-released on iTunes and here it is folks…

Stars: Live At Bombay Rock

The album was recorded at Bombay Rock in melbourne on the 18th of October 1979
Recording Engineer: Ian McKenzie
Produced By: Malcolm Eastick
Mixing Engineer: Jimbo Barton
Mixed By: Jimbo Barton, Malcolm Eastick and Rob Eastick

Stars – Live At Bombay Rock

1. Look After Yourself
2. Last of the Riverboats
3. Mighty Rock
4. With a Winning Hand
5. Innocent Bystanders
6. Back Again
7. Never Coming Back
8. Wasted Words
9. Redneck Boogie
10. Paradise
11. Watching The River Flow
12. Land Of Fortune
13. Cocaine
14. Song For The Road
15. I’m Ready
16. Watch Out For Lucy
17. Fortunate Son
18. Good Times
19. Blue Monday
20. Gold Fever

George Sich, an old friend of mine, has just released a brilliant new E.P. entitled “True Story, I Swear”. I’ll admit to being biased ’cause I know George and did his website, but this is a great recording. He is a very talented songwriter/musician and had the help of some other great Australian musicians such as Kere Buchanan, Peter Northcote, Bill Risby, Michel Rose, Leon Gaer and Mick Albec.

Here’s what George himself had to say:

“Believe it or not these are all love songs, young, old, getting it right, getting it wrong, star-crossed, intoxicating or just plain intoxicated. Although the stories here are true, I have, of course, exercised some artistic freedom, altered names, places and times to protect both the guilty and the innocent. I wish to extend my gratitude to the friends that encouraged me to make this record and motivated me to use the best musicians available, seriously world class players, and I am very privileged to have my name on the same record, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it.”

“True Story, I Swear” is available right now on CD or as a digital download. Have a listen for yourself and pass it on to all your friends.

Moving Pictures is one of my all time favourite bands. I remember seeing them, probably in 1981/82 at the Sylvania Hotel and I was just blown away. It was one of the most memorable nights of my young life, I was 19/20. Of course after seeing them live I just had to buy their debut album, “Days of Innocence”. I can remember asking my mum to buy if for me for Easter instead of an Easter egg. It was better than chocolate… well almost. When I first got the album I loved “Bustin’ loose” but once I got to know all of the songs, off by heart, it was “What about me” that stuck in my mind the most and of course lead the band to no.1 in 1982. One of the most exciting things for me, later in life, was when my husband was working with James Blundell and I met two of James’ band members, Charlie Cole and Ian Lees… wow, two of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet and they were from Moving Pictures. Life’s alright you know. So here’s a track from the album. No not “What about me”. I think that thanks to Moving Pictures and Shannon Noll it has had it’s fair share of airplay. I’d like to play “Bustin’ Loose” for you. Please enjoy… I know I did when I heard it again for the first time in years.

Tracks

1. Nothing to Do
2. The Angel and the Madman – Moving Pictures, Cole, Charlie
3. Sweet Cherie
4. Round Again
5. Wings
6. What About Me? – Moving Pictures, Frost, Garry
7. So Tired
8. Joni and Romeo
9. Bustin’ Loose
10. Street Heart
11. Winners – Moving Pictures, Frost, Garry
12. Back to the Streets
13. Where They Belong – Moving Pictures, Frost, Garry
14. Never – Moving Pictures, Gore, M.
15. Back to the Blues and Booze
16. Saturday Love
17. Spies
18. Pleasure and Pain
19. Sisters of Mercy

General Information

Released : 1981 (Australia), 1982 (USA)
Recorded : ?
Genre : Rock

The first hit single from the Freight Train Heart album was “Too much ain’t enough love”. This was the first no. 1 solo hit single for Jimmy Barnes. The album was first released in Australia by Mushroom Records in 1987 and then later released in the US by Geffen in 1988.

I was never a huge a fan of Jimmy Barnes as I was with Cold Chisel. However I have to say that the single from this album “Too much ain’t enough love” was my favourite. Let me know what you think.
Don’t forget you can get your own copy of Freight Train Heart right now from our online store

Tracks

1. “Driving Wheels” (Barnes/Cain/Roberts)
2. “Seven Days” (Dylan)
3. “Too Much Ain’t Enough Love” (Barnes/Cain/Schon/Jackson/Brock)
4. “Do or Die” (Barnes/Cain)
5. “Waitin’ for the Heartache” (Barnes/Child)
6. “Last Frontier” (Barnes/Cain)
7. “I Wanna Get Started with You” (Barnes/Cain/Schon)
8. “I’m Still on Your Side” (Barnes/Vallance/Cain)
9. “Lessons in Love” (Barnes/Vallance/Neall/Cain)
10. “Walk On” (Child/Turner)

General Information

Released : 1987
Recorded : Power Station Studios, New York City & Rhinoceros Studios, Sydney
Genre : Hard rock
Language : English
Label : Mushroom Records
Producer : Jonathan Cain, Mike Stone, Desmond Child

Hi, my name is Helen and each week from now on I’ll be presenting a brand new category of “Classic Australian Albums”. To start the ball rolling I’d like to present “Boys Light Up”, the debut album for Australian Crawl which was released in 1980 and went on to sell in excess of 280,000 copies. It reached a peak of No. 4 and was in the charts for a total of 101 weeks. In 1992 the album was re-released in CD format although I still have my vinyl copy in the garage!

My favourite song from this album was “Hoochie Gucci Fiorucci Mama”, I’d love to hear your memories of this album in the comments below.

Tracks

1. “My Coffee’s Gone Cold” (Simon Binks) – 3:29
2. “Man Crazy” (James Reyne) – 3:39
3. “Way I’ve Been” (Brad Robinson, James Robinson) – 2:17
4. “Chinese Eyes” (James Reyne, Simon Binks) – 3:01
5. “Downhearted” (Sean Higgins, Guy McDonough, William ‘Bill’ McDonough) – 3:09
6. “Beautiful People” (James Reyne, Mark Hudson) – 2:56
7. “Indisposed” (Brad Robinson, James Robinson, James Reyne, William ‘Bill’ McDonough) – 4:04
8. “Walk My Way” (James Reyne, Brad Robinson)- 2:44
9. “The Boys Light Up” (James Reyne) – 4:41
10. “Boot Hill” (James Reyne, Simon Binks) – 2:36
11. “Red Guitar” (Simon Binks) – 3:19
12. “Hoochie Gucci Fiorucci Mama” (James Reyne, David Briggs) – 2:30

General Information

Released April, 1980
Recorded August, 1979 – February, 1980
Genre Pop/Rock
Length 38:25
Label EMI
Producer David Briggs