Radio Birdman was one of the first Australian independent bands to carry the punk label, along with the Saints. They were formed by Deniz Tek and Rob Younger in Sydney in 1974.The group influenced the work of many successful, mainstream bands, and are now considered instrumental in Australia's musical growth .
Deniz Tek and Rob Younger formed Radio Birdman in mid-1974 in Sydney, having recently left their bands TV Jones and the Rats respectively. The pair sought to begin a band that would challenge the commercial mainstream and be completely uncompromising. They recruited classical keyboard player Philip "Pip" Hoyle, drummer Ron Keeley and bassist Carl Rorke. The band took their name from a misheard lyric from the Stooges' song "1970" (the actual lyric is "radio burnin'").
After being rejected many times from various venues, and having resorted to putting on its own concerts in rented garages and tiny community halls, by mid 1975 Radio Birdman found an upstairs room at the Oxford Tavern in Taylor Square, Sydney. Soon, a small but growing subculture grew around Radio Birdman. This
While Radios Appear (overseas version) remains the full-fledged classic by Radio Birdman, the reissue of Living Eyes shows that it was damn near as good as the first one, and maybe a bit more original.
Living Eyes was the second studio album released by Sydney, Australia punk-rock band Radio Birdman. It was the last recorded album by the band as they split up shortly after it was recorded in 1978.The album was recorded over a three-week period at the Rockfield Studios in Waleswhilst the band was on its first overseas tour, supporting the Flamin' Groovies around Britain and Europe.
Fully loaded with classic songs that inspired several generations of Australian rockers, Living Eyes is an album that has benefited greatly from modern technology as well as a little luck. Recorded at the legendary Rockfield Studios in Wales when the band went to Europe to tour with the Flamin' Groovies (their first shows outside Australia), the original master tapes disappeared before the album was released.
Flash forward to the '90s and the master tapes are found on a dusty shelf at Rockfield. The band bakes them up and remixes, remasters, and re-sequences the album. It is now a total monster, screaming out of your speakers with intent to do damage.
From the time Chris Masuak's stun guitar comes in at the beginning of "Hanging On," it is apparent that this is not your big brother's Living Eyes. The sound is deeper by degrees. The songs remain superb. "Crying Sun" and "Breaks My Heart" were both made classic by the New Race but rock in a slightly more tempered way here.
"More Fun" is an upbeat little punk-surf tune while "Smith & Wesson Blues" is truly chilling.
Sample lyric: "You're never alone with a Smith & Wesson, baby...." There are plenty of references to the Ann Arbor, MI, area where guitarist/songwriter Deniz Tek grew up, particularly "I-94," which was covered on the Dodge Main disc and has even inspired a website dedicated to Detroit/Australian rock & roll.
Living Eyes, unlike its predecessor, doesn't have any "there's an MC5 riff" moments. In fact, one of the four bonus tracks, "Didn't Tell the Man," finds guitarist Chris Masuak heavily influenced by the Flamin' Groovies, and it is simply a gorgeous, twangy rock song. Singer Rob Younger is as ferocious as ever, a true original to the hardcore, and Deniz Tek solidifies his place as father of real Australian rock & roll.
Radio Birdman – Living Eyes ( 2005 remastered reissue BONUS CD )
Label : Red Eye Records – 529 441 2, Red Eye Records – RED CD 53
Format : CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
Released : 1981
Recorded : 1978
Country : Australia
Genre : Rock
Style : Garage Rock, Punk
Artwork – Ray Maras
Bass – Warwick Gilbert
Drums – Ron Keeley
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Chris Masuak, Deniz Tek
Lead Vocals – Rob Younger
Organ, Piano – Pip Hoyle
Producer – Deniz Tek
Written-By – Deniz Tek
DISCOGRAPHY
Studio EPs/albums
Burn My Eye EP Trafalgar Records 1976
Radios Appear LP Trafalgar Records 1977
Radios Appear LP (Sire) 1978
Living Eyes LP 1981
Zeno Beach CD and LP 2006
Live albums
More Fun! (ep) 1988
Ritualism 1996
Live In Texas 2011
Live at Paddington Town Hall 2015
TRAXS
01. Hanging On 3:38
02. 455 SD 2:45
03. Do The Movin' Change 2:28
04. T.P.B.R. Combo 2:12
05. I 94 2:49
06. Iskender Time 1:49
07. Burn My Eye '78 1:35
08. Alien Skies 3:15
09. Time To Fall 3:11
10. Smith and Wesson Blues 2:55
11. Crying Sun 2:56
12. Breaks My Heart 3:02
13. More Fun 2:00
14. Alone In The Endzone 2:07
15. Dark Surprise 3:29
16. Didn't Tell The Man 3:12
17. Death By The Gun 3:05
18. Dark Surprise 3:56
19. Breaks My Heart 2:54
20. More Fun 2:00
Πέμπτη 25 Οκτωβρίου, Fuzz Live Music Club (Πειραιώς 209 ΠατριάρχουΙωακείμ 1, Ταύρος, Αθήνα, 210 3450817
Η προπώληση ξεκινάει προς 24 ευρώ και για περιορισμένο αριθμό εισιτηρίων. Μετά την εξάντλησή τους, θα συνεχιστεί στα 27 ευρώ. Στο ταμείο, η τιμή θα είναι 30 ευρώ.
thank you
ReplyDeleteHey there, any chance of Radio Birdman - Zeno Beach (2006)getting a spot on this site? Hope so. Thanks
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