Australia and New Zealand had their own parallel, and thrilling, pop scenes in the late 1960s. Tough beat, wild psychedelia, soulful sirens and bubblegum pop were created by kids who had easy access to both the British and American scenes, as well as a welter of radio stations and TV shows on which they could become stars. Some, like OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN and the Easybeats left to seek international fame and fortune, while others like the Twilights, Zoot and the Strangers had to settle for localised success – though many became international names in the 1970s.
POP DOWN UNDER is a thrilling survey of the kind of teenage noise that kept Australasia ticking in the late 60s, much of which was at least as good as what was coming out of London, New York and LA. It includes the Who-like powerpop of ZOOT’s ‘Flying’, RUSSELL MORRIS’s orchestrated, seven-minute psych epic ‘Part Three Into Paper Walls’, the ATLANTICS’ garage-punk heartstopper ‘Come On’, and the unique folk-beat of VALERIA VENGERS’ eerie ‘There’s a Scarlet River Flowing’.
Other highlights include:
*OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN’s debut single, the hard-edged folk rocker ‘Till You Say You’ll Be Mine’
*THE VALENTINES, featuring singer Bon Scott, years before AC/DC were formed
*THE VEGETABLE GARDEN’s uber-rare, highly desirable psychedelic 45 ‘Hypnotic Suggestion’
POP DOWN UNDER has been compiled and lovingly annotated by Saint Etienne’s BOB STANLEY, and expertly mastered by award-winning engineer NICK ROBBINS.
If you want to know just what was going on in Australia and New Zealand during the heady creative days of the late 1960s, then POP DOWN UNDER is exactly where you should start.