This review was originally published in the Toorak Times in November 2012 in a series called Cream of The Crate.– These retro-reviews consisted of albums that I believed in my collection that is irreplaceable, and simply a classic!
This album –Live At The Station was in fact recorded live and really is best described as a real ‘home grown’ ripper. Recorded in Melbourne’s “notorious” Station Hotel in Greville Street Prahran, it represents the halcyon period of ‘pub’ generated music.
Now except for the photo above and that immediately below, some people might be forgiven for asking, “which album is he talking about?”
There may be more I’m not aware of, but at last count I could identify five recordings all titled – “Live At The Station” [some with and some without the word “Hotel”]. Before examining the one I that I believe is THE ‘Cream of the Crop”, let me list the one’s I have identified in order of their recording.
1. Ariel – Live At The Station Hotel: Made at the Station Hotel, Prahran on 11 November, 1975 which was recorded on the night of the dismissal of the Whitlam government. Released on cassette tape it includes a live rendition of a suite of songs from The Jellabad Mutant which was a fantastic arrangement of original music from Mike Rudd in his Ariel days, which rarely saw the day of light.
Recently it was included Rock & Roll Scars 2CD NEW 2014 Remaster Digipak release of Ariel music. Certainly it showcased what a polished and dynamic live outfit Ariel Mk III really was.
2. Live At The Station: Captured “Live” in a series of hot March nights, 1976. This is the album I have retro-reviewed below.
3. Live At The Station Hotel: by Flickers Over There in March 1988, released as a digital download (initially released 31 March 1988).
4. Live At The Station Hotel: Dutch Tilders and The Blues Club, a classic album recorded in 1993.
5. Live At The Station Hotel: The Final Gig, recorded 22nd October 2011. This is a recording of the final show at the Station Hotel, featuring, Barry Charles, Winchester, the Mick Elliott Band, the Pardoners and, Spectrum (With a poem by Robert Lloyd). This was a limited edition release on CD.
It is release # 2 (the 1976 release) that I believe is the outstanding album that wears the title – “Live At The Station”. It is the one that best captures the spirit and the music played there.
While it features some of Melbourne’s then best groups, it should be acknowledged that almost every artist and band worthwhile, played at the legendary Station Hotel at some time. or another.
Originally released on the Lamington label: LAM-332 in 1976, it was re released in 1981 on the Missing Links label: ING 004. I have the Missing Links copy.
This album only features four of all the great artists to have played there. In order as they appear on the album:
* Myriad – Carrl Myriad – vocals & guitar: Andrew Pendlebury – lead guitar: Chris Wilson – vocals & organ: Mark Ferrie – Bass: Phillip Smith – vocals & drums.
Carll Myriad came from what was, too most people, an obscure outfit consisting of Carll and Jannie Myriad. Carll was also the founder of the Carrl Myriad Band which was formed in Melbourne in the 1970s. The band at that stage had enjoyed local success in the Melbourne Pub Scene with their quirky folk-rock Carrl Myriad original songs.
The opening track – The Ballad of the Station Hotel (Lookin’ for Love) is introduced in the only way possible, with the boom gates, that were located just on the corner of Greville Street and Porter street, ringing to announce the arrival of a train.
In fact so was the Station Hotel with the Prahran Station being not more than 1 minute walk along Porter Street. The trains and the boom gates played a regular feature at gigs!
Anyway, this was the perfect choice to introduce the album, as in fact, is the track!
Myriad – The Ballad of the Station Hotel (Lookin’ for Love)
* Dingoes – Brod Smith – vocals: Chris Stockley – vocals & guitar: Kerryn Tolhurst – guitar: John DuBois – vocals & bass: Ray Arnott – Drums (What a line- up!). This group, out if the four on this album, was the one that had the most commercial success, although as history showed, despite the talent musically and composition wise, without that important element of luck, the band never reached the the pinnacle of success that they deserved.
This was in their formative years, in some ways the music wasn’t, composition wise, as polished as it became – but hey! with a piece called Marijuana Hell, you don’t expect a composition from Gershwin!
What we do have is 4:10 of high powered energy with some fabulous guitar work courtesy of Stockley and Tolhurst, Brod passionately telling us of the horrors of the “devil’s weed”, while the rest of the group provide a tight rhythm section and an enthusiastic chorus of Ma-ma-marijuana, marijuana hell!
What a track, what a brilliant rendition and how appropriate for Greville street, which at that time was a haven for smoking type drugs, before the harder stuff insidiously crept in!
Dingoes – Marijuana Hell
However, before we get to the next music track, there is a little gem tucked away on this album. It is simply titled “”Marks Rave”, and features the voice of Mark Barnes, the person who really kicked the Station Hotel off in regard to the promotional side of the music and the arranging in the venue.
This really is a typical Mark introduction, featuring his sardonic wit!
Marks rave
* Saltbush – Bernie O’Brien – vocals & lead guitar: Ross Nicholson – vocals & guitar: Polly Pyle – vocals & bass: Harold Frith – vocals & drums.
Saltbush were no slouches! Hell, to get an invitation by “mine host” Mark Barnes meant, you were anything but a musical slouch. With Bernie O’Brien – who had fronted the Rondells [Bobby & Lauries mighty support band] so magnificently for many years, on guitar, the mighty voice of Ross Nicholson, also on guitar, the sensational drumming of Harold Frith and the bass of Polly Pyle – and with them all providing vocal backing, it was no wonder they went onto great success.
in fact in the strict world of C&W, they were probably considered as good as if not better than the Dingoes, so great was their reputation and so great their following.
Saltbush – Stay All Night
* Wild Beaver Band – Snowy ‘Cutmore’ Townshend – vocals: Mick Elliott – guitar: John Brunell – vocals & guitar: Mick Crawford – bass: Noel Herridge – drums.
I loved the name “Wid Beaver Band”. Apart from the innuendo regarding the word beaver, the element of wild, also adequately described the band, and its members.
Fronted by the really dynamic [Graham] Snowy Townshend, he and guitarist Mick Elliott had formed a musical friendship that stretched back some 12 years previous, as founding members of one of Melbourne’s young blues bands – The Moppa Blues, which incidentally had Mark Barnes on bass, and myself on guitar.
Not only did these two form a great musical combo, but they also developed, along with Mark, a great reputation for enjoying a “few” ales and having a “good time”. Yet make no mistake, the talent between them was fantastic, and when John Brunell added his skill on guitar, and with Mick Crawford and Noel Herridge just slotting in brilliantly – this was an outfit that could have, should have, might have . . . but didn’t, go onto greater things.
Wild Beaver Band – What Am I Doin’ Here
It is arguably an amazing collection of styles among these four groups and now, some 37 years later we can recognise that many of these artists have gone on to become true legends of the Oz music scene!
I included the one track from each group, and choosing was not easy, because even within each groups contribution, the style of music varies. In the end I chose the track that was in my opinion the best from each group and best represented the feeling of being at the Station.
Having said that, there is not a ‘dead’ track on this fantastic album.
If you have not been fortunate enough to hear this album, then you will need to take my word for the fact that the atmosphere and crowds at the Station Hotel have driven these groups to play at their very best. Yet, there is more. Behind the scenes there are some now ‘legendary’ names of the Melbourne music scene at work.
Produced by Keith Glass, himself a musician and singer of note having been a significant member of the 18th Century Quartet and later Cam-pact and later still to have sung a lead role in Hair.
Keith was part owner and founder of the also now legendary Archie & Jugheads Record Shop and the owner of Missing Links records.
Keith maintains an active interest in music and is the owner operator of a large vinyl store – Mobile Records in Mobile, Alabama.
The other part owner of that shop, David N. Pepperell (aka Doctor Pepper), also a man well know throughout the music scene both as originally the lead singer of the short lived Melbourne Group of the 60’s – The Union (notable for their recording of the Thump, a track acknowledging the Thumping Tum disco).
David was for many years also well known for his music Journalism and as a writer. Keith is credited as Producing this Album, and David as the “Drunken Producer” (or is it vice versa).
The third key man associated with both the production of the album, and credited with being the first promoter of the Station Hotel, and member of Cam- pact, notorious in his own right was Mark Barnes.
Sadly Mark passed away in 2014, and everyone who ever visited the Station either met or learned of Mark. He was talented and very unique, and most people remember him with both a smile, and a grimace. There is often two very different sides to a genius.
The cover and notes reflect the quirks and skills of these three guys and along with John McDiarmid & Michael Shipley, who engineered the recording, we have been left with an absolute Classic Australian Recording!
The tracks are:
01 – Myriad – The Ballad Of The Station Hotel
02 – Myriad – Rock ‘n’ Roll Highway
03 – Myriad – Glenrowan
04 – Dingoes – Marijuana Hell
05 – Dingoes – When A Man Loves A Woman
06 – Saltbush – Up Against The Wall Redneck Mother
07 – Saltbush – Stay All Night
08 – Wild Beaver Band – What Am I Doing Here
09 – Wild Beaver Band – How Come All You Dudes Look Like Cowboys?
10 – Wild Beaver Band – Messin’ around
If you do not own this album, but are ever lucky enough to find it, do not hesitate to buy it.
Somewhat as rare as the proverbial “hen’s teeth”, this is already a highly desirable album and its desirability will continue to grow as the legends of these artists, their music and the Station Hotel, continue to grow with the years.
Sadly, the Station Hotel is likewise no longer with us, having fallen to the gentrification of Greville Street. However it and the music, live on, especially through this album which truly is – A CREAM OF THE CRATE!
